Issue #7 - Mar. 10, 2010

Hilltop Views S t .

E d w a r d ’ s

U n i v e r s i t y

Wednesday, March 10 , 2010

Volume 27 | Issue 7

10

A preview of 7 Entertainment: free SXSW shows, for those

Sports: The men’s and women’s basketball teams end their seasons.

without badges or wristbands.

hilltopviewsonline.com

A list 12 Features: of popular web

comics sure to amuse and entertain.

Commuter meal plan final; students object Jake Hartwell Despite last-minute efforts by the Student Government Association, the commuter meal plan has been set and will go forward as planned for the 2010-2011 year.

On March 3, top St. Edward’s University administration officials and SGA officers met to discuss the meal plan.

SGA Vice President of Intergovernmental Affairs Chris Duke, SGA President Meghan Kuentz, Auxil-

iary Services Director Mike Stone, Vice President of Financial Affairs Rhonda Cartwright, Vice President of Marketing Paige Booth and Dean of Students Lisa Kirkpatrick attended the meeting.

Duke said SGA was told that the decision for next year was final.

“They said this was a ‘business decision,’” Duke said.

“They never particularly sought students’ approval, but rather input. The four years I’ve been here, we’ve

continued to see the same rhetoric: the parking garage is a ‘business decision,’ the technology fee is a ‘business decision,’ tuition is a ‘business decision.’”

The controversy has already sparked dissent from students. Students organized an on-campus demonstration over the newly-required meal plan Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Our concern as students is St. Edward’s acting on behalf of Bon Appétit, in addition to the meal plan cutoff,” said

Hilltop Views Archive Photo

Commuter meal plans will cost $100 per semester.

sophomore Eric Bomblatus, who is leading the demonstration. “We can’t keep what

Students protest— in Oklahoma Tristan Hallman Five students from St. Edward’s University recently drove from Austin to spend their weekend in Oklahoma City outside the office of a senator who is blocking a little-known bill dealing with a little-known war in a country in Africa.

But to these students and many others, there was nothing more important than this issue, this senator’s objections and this piece of legislation.

The legislation, known as the “LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act,” would authorize $40 million to fund assistance for the victims of the ongo-

“I saw it as one of the most invigorating and exhausting experiences of my life.”

— Ashton Robison ing battle against an indicted war criminal’s rebel army in Uganda.

The senator is U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., an obstetrician-turned-politician bestowed with the nickname “Dr. No” for constantly blocking spending bills. He is the only senator standing in the way of the bill’s passage.

The students are sophomores Karissa Eudy and Caitlin Berry and freshmen

Ashton Robison, Patrick Dunlap and Kim Valmores, members of the group Invisible Children. The group seeks to bring an end to the conflict in Uganda and is named for the child soldiers used in the war. The university has partnered with Invisible Children several times to present films and guest speakers.

The weekend prior, freshmen Tiffany Rogers, Esteban Olave and Noah Anders

joined Dunlap and Robison on the six-hour drive to participate in the first weekend of protests.

The Protest Eudy, a member of Invisible Children for five years, said the group went to the protest in an effort to push Coburn into a compromise on the bill.

“He is using this bill to make a point,” Eudy said. “He is not at all focused on the issue at hand.”

Eudy drove her fellow students to the protest. During the day, the protesters wrote letters to Coburn, Coburn’s constituents in Oklahoma PROTESTERS | 2

we don’t spend. Students that commute don’t eat on campus. ”

Bomblatus also added that Bon Appétit was not the only one to blame in this situation.

The protesters are not alone. Thus far, SGA’s input has been entirely against the meal plan options, Duke said.

“They pretty much hated all of it,” Duke said. “SGA also conducted independent research finding that out of 16 benchmark schools, including Baylor University, Rice University, St. Mary’s UNIVERSITY | 4

New nepotism policy enacted Haleigh Svoboda Two weeks after the arrest of a former St. Edward’s University police officer, the university has made changes to its nepotism policy that would prohibit the hiring of relatives within the University Police Department and other key areas of campus.

Haven Street-Allen, director of Human Resources, said the changes, which are now in effect, were not related to the arrest on Feb. 9 of former UPD officer Brandon Gilroy, whose par-

ents also work for UPD. Instead, she said, they were made to bring the university’s position on nepotism in line with its Consensual Relationship Policy, which was adopted 18 months ago and addresses romantic relationships between faculty and students.

“The change to the nepotism policy to limit employment of relatives of employees in specific work areas has nothing to do with the fact that there are or have been relatives working in FAMILY | 3

Page 2 | NEWS

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Environmental Club seeks to create green fee Kathleen Naderer Students at St. Edward’s University may be asked to dole out greenbacks to go green.

The Environmental Club is looking to create a green fee, which would fund eco-friendly projects at St. Edward’s University to help reduce the university’s impact on the environment. Potential projects involve increasing recycling, using clean energy and expanding the Environmental Club’s community garden.

“We’re behind other universities sustainability-wise,” said Portia Odell, president of the Environmental Club.

“I hope that students understand and realize that now is the time to take action and set an example for sustainability.”

The conflict between being green and saving money is expected to play a role in the green fee’s campaign. The

amount of the fee and whether it will be mandatory has not been decided but would be a student-based decision.

Odell said she would like the fee to be $20 per year for each student.

The biggest obstacle the green fee will face is the fact that the campaign makes its debut on the heels of Bon Appétit’s new policy, which requires all full-time undergraduate students to purchase a minimum $100 mandatory meal plan. The negative reaction to the increased cost of tuition might also carry over to the green fee campaign, as students have generally been unreceptive to increased fees.

In 2008, St. Edward’s President George Martin and the Student Government Association explored the possibility of signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

The agreement required specific benchmarks regarding

sustainability. Martin formed a committee on the issue of sustainability, which still meets, but he never signed the agreement.

SGA President Meghan

decision to provide more clean energy would have on utility rates. Some students showed a desire to be ecofriendly, but many were also concerned about the costs as-

The Environmental Club is looking to create a green fee, which would fund eco-friendly projects at St. Edward’s...

Kuentz said this year in her state of the campus address that some students have expressed an interest in increasing the amount of recycling bins on campus.

Likewise, the use of clean energy and energy-efficient products has been a popular topic among students.

In October 2009, students expressed concern over the effect that Austin Energy’s

sociated with “going green.”

Odell expressed hope that the fee would allow the Environmental Club to expand the garden on campus. Odell said she believed that the Environmental Club could sell produce to Bon Appétit, but such a plan would be small in scale.

It is uncertain when students would begin seeing changes across the campus.

The fee would require a lot of paperwork. Right now the campaign consists of advertising and creating student surveys.

“We want students to know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” Odell said.

In order to begin the process of adding a green fee, 20 percent of the student body must support the proposal.

If the campaign receives the support of over 460 students, the amount of the fee will be put up to vote. Once an amount has been determined, the Environmental Club will present a green fee proposal to SGA. Odell predicted that, if students approved the fee, it would not go into effect until the 20112012 school year.

Green fees have been added to the tuition costs of other universities across the country. The Green Initiative Fund, TGIF for short, at the University of California at

Santa Barbara would be the model for the potential green fee at St. Edward’s.

UCSB students voted for TGIF in 2006, adding $2.60 to their semester tuition.

This gave UCSB an additional $182,000 for green projects on the campus.

Other universities’ green fees vary from $1 per semester at the Community College of Denver to upwards of $45 per semester at University of the South.

Some participating universities in 2009 included Harvard at $5.00 per semester, UC Berkeley at $5 per year, Rice University at $9 per semester, Humboldt State University at $10 per semester, and The College of William and Mary at $30 per semester. knadere@stedwards.edu

Protesters demonstrate outside senator’s office Continued from page 1

and to other representatives in Congress to put pressure on Coburn to remove his objections.

At night, protesters slept on the street in the 20 to 30 degree weather in sleeping bags.

“I saw it as one of the most invigorating and exhausting experiences of my life,” Robison said.

The group said that the protesters received a positive reception from the locals.

Eudy said many people even brought the protesters breakfast and joined in by making phone calls to Coburn’s office.

Eudy attributed the positive reception to the way the protest was conducted.

“The way we went about it was very peaceful,” Eudy said.

“We were present, but we weren’t annoying.”

Courtesy of Patrick Dunlap

Students traveled to Oklahoma City to protest.

Dunlap said that it was also nice to meet fellow protesters.

“We met so many awesome people there,” Dunlap said.

Faith-based groups have also joined in the protest against Coburn, who himself

is a devout Christian.

“Dr. No” and the bill Coburn is blocking the bill by objecting to unanimous consent. While he said he supports the initiative, he said he objects unless the Senate finds a way to pay for

the $40 million bill through spending cuts elsewhere.

Coburn has thus far rejected bipartisan overtures to remove his hold from the bill, which includes holding off the actual appropriation of the money until a later date when offsets might be made.

If Coburn removes his objections, the bill will still have to pass through the House of Representatives before the bill makes it to President Obama’s desk.

Unanimous consent is a quick way in which the Senate passes bills that are not controversial to avoid the time-consuming process of a full Senate vote.

Coburn’s colleague, U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., recently took a similar tact on a bill that would extend unemployment benefits. However, the bill that Bunning targeted would cost $10 bil-

lion, 250 times more than the Uganda bill.

Coburn’s opposition has drawn criticism from fellow conservatives in the Senate. However, Coburn is no stranger to clashing with other conservatives. After he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994, he regularly clashed with Republican leadership.

“We respect his policy of fiscal responsibility, and it is a good thing because our country is in a lot of debt,” Eudy said. “This is not an anti-Sen. Coburn movement at all. We just want him to be able to compromise.”

Eudy said this is the most attention the U.S. government has given to the war in Uganda. Coburn did take on Ugandan policy in December 2009 when he spoke out against a proposed Ugandan law that would impose crimi-

nal penalties on gays, including the death penalty.

Continued pressure The protesters are hoping that the pressure will force Coburn to change his position on the bill. He has already agreed to take a phone call from the protesters, who are also looking to collect 15,000 signatures on a petition.

“I still wish I could be there right now,” Robison said.

Even if the call with Coburn does not work out, Dunlap said that the protesters are determined and gaining momentum.

“It’s going to work,” Dunlap said. “We are going to be out there until they do something about it.” thallma2@stedwards.edu

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, March 10, 2010

NEWS | Page 3

Student Government passes array of legislation Haleigh Svoboda During the March 4 Student Government Association meeting, the majority of the resolutions related to environmental sustainability or school spirit passed or are up for first reading.

The SGA passed four resolutions: S.R. 104 Don’t

Buck With St. Edward’s, S.R. 110 Ballin’ on a Budget, S.R. 108 Annual Semiformal on the Hill and S.R. 114 Hilltop Pride. hsvobod@stedwards.edu

Hilltop Pride S.R. 114, Hilltopper Pride, resolves to increase school spirit by teaching students the school’s alma mater and fight song.

Part of the effort to teach students will include placing banners with St. Edward’s University alma mater and fight song in the Recreation and Convocation Center so students can learn to sing them during events.

SGA feels the need to help restore the alma mater and fight song because it does not have the sheet music.

“Hopefully, some of our music students can translate it into sheet music because sheet music has been lost,” said Alexis Konevich, vice president of Student Representation. “Once we do that, we were thinking of getting a whole orchestra recording, even if that meant having one of the local high schools record it for us.”

The bill that would allow for the purchasing of the banners, S.B. 114, was introduced and sent to committee.

Don’t Buck With St. Edward’s S.R. 104 initiates a four-week “Don’t Buck with St. Edward’s” campaign ending on Earth Day, April 22, to spread awareness of recycling facilities on campus and proper trash disposal practices.

A major aim of the campaign is making students aware of the amount of litter caused by improperly discarded cigarette butts.

Freshman Sen. Fremen DeRuvo said that SGA would pick up trash around campus and present the amount of discarded cigarette butts in a display.

Additionally, more recycling facilities will be placed in the community buildings of the apartments, as well as inside and outside of the Ragsdale Center. “[The physical plant] is trying to figure out how to weigh [the outdoor recycling bins] down while having maximum capacity in them as well,” said Executive Sophomore Sen. Alexandra Simons.

Ballin’ on a Budget S.R. 110, Ballin’ on a Budget, endorses the creation of a pilot program that would teach freshmen fiscal responsibility.

The program would begin during the 2011 freshmen summer orientation and would eventually become a permanent program.

“The best way to do this was to target freshmen, and the best way to target freshmen is through orientation,” said Sophomore Sen. Blanca Garcia.

Since the upcoming summer orientation had already been planned, the program could not be implemented this summer.

Garcia said SGA plans to consult with economics professors to create the curriculum for the program.

“When I worked for the legislature, the state legislatures and were trying to figure out some way of combating the excessive amounts of debt students are accumulating,” said Christopher Duke, vice president of Intergovernmental Affairs. “I think that St. Edward’s is able to tackle this on a grass roots campaign.”

Annual Semiformal on the Hill SGA resolved to host a campus-wide semiformal dance in order to create a new campus tradition that will also promote student socializing and school spirit through the passing of S.R. 108, Annual Semiformal on the Hill.

SGA will hold the semiformal the night of Big Event, April 10. Big Event volunteers will be able to attend the event free of charge.

“I think it is a good way to attract traffic to Big Event and to drive traffic to the semiformal,” said Director of Service Krista Heiden. “I think it would be really fun for our volunteers to go work, rest and come back.”

Although St. Edward’s has hosted both formals and semi-formals in the past, no one student organization currently holds campus wide dances, according to Sophomore Sen. Andy Ryan, who authored the resolution.

Family hiring discouraged Signals crossed on arrest Continued from page 1

the same department,” said Street-Allen.

She added that “the nepotism policy has a similar thrust as the consensual relationship policy and needed some updating to better align with the more recently developed policy.”

The new nepotism policy, announced Feb. 22, states that the university will not hire relatives of employees who work in Human Resources, Payroll, Accounts Payable and UPD to any position at the university.

Other departments are strongly discouraged from hiring relatives. Supervisors in departments other than the four mentioned above who have relatives seeking employment in the same de-

partment must submit a written report to the appropriate senior vice president explaining why the relationship will not be a conflict or result in negative repercussions.

The focus on H.R., Payroll, Accounts Payable and UPD is intended to limit potential conflicts-of-interest and favoritism in departments where employees can wield particular types of influence.

For instance, Street-Allen said, a payroll worker could, theoretically, issue extra checks to a favored relative.

“As H.R. director, if my son worked in the university, there would be some people who would wonder if I exerted my influence to see he got preferential treatment or if someone provided him preferential treatment because they thought it might help

them win favor in H.R.,” Street-Allen said The last update made to the nepotism policy was about five years ago, she said.

The new policy is not retroactive and so does not affect relatives currently at work at St. Edward’s.

UPD Chief Rudolph Rendon declined to comment on the policy changes. hsvobod@stedwards.edu

Tristan Hallman Several vehicles from the Austin Police Department arrived on campus Tuesday to arrest a student for driving a stolen vehicle.

But there was one problem: the vehicle that the female student was driving was her own.

The student was spotted at the intersection of South Congress Avenue and Live Oak Street and was pulled over by six APD vehicles near Mang House, APD reported. Three University Police Department vehicles also arrived on the scene, according to Chief Rudolph Rendon.

The student’s father had reported the car as stolen, but it was later recovered.

The father neglected to no-

The student was initially arrested, but was released on scene once her identity was confirmed... tify police, who still had the car reported as stolen in their electronic database.

“Whenever a car is stolen, it is put into a state database,” Rendon said. “If used properly, the system is a great tool, but if it is not used properly, and it is not reported properly that a vehicle has been recovered, then it turns out to be a bad deal.”

The student was initially arrested, but was released on the scene once her identity was confirmed, Rendon said.

Rendon said he feels sorry for the driver because he has been the arresting officer in cases like where people have been pulled over for driving their own cars in the past.

“The officer has no choice but to treat it as a felony stop,” Rendon said.

Rendon said that he hoped that the ado about nothing would serve as a lesson for students to follow up with police, as well as to show that police capabilities are technologically advanced. thallma2@stedwards.edu

Page 4 | NEWS

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Suicide prevention group taking action

University departments dissatisfied with plan Continued from page 1

Courtesy of Vianey Parra

The group raises awareness of depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

Danny Salazar Like some students at St. Edward’s University, Junior Rachel Trimble wanted to start a student organization on campus.

Unlike other groups on campus looking to create something, Trimble was trying to prevent an issue she believes is critical—selfharm.

Trimble created the St. Edward’s chapter of the nationwide movement, To Write Love On Her Arms.

The group is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and helping people who struggle with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

“These are things that are kept in the darkness and not talked about,” Trimble said.

“This helps bring them to the light.”

Currently, the group has planned a campus-wide free event. The event, called “The To Write Love On Her Arms House Tour,” will take place on March 23 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Mabee Ballroom A. The event features musicians Damion Suomi, Andy Zipf and Lauris Vidal.

The group has also held several interest meetings

and general group meetings on campus in the recent weeks to try to increase the size of the group.

“We have had a good turnout so far,” Trimble said.

“We currently have at least 10 members show up at each weekly meeting.”

Junior Joseph Luedecke, vice president of the group, said that the goals are to build a community, raise awareness about the issues and raise funds for the organization and movement.

Another thing Trimble and Luedecke want to accomplish is disproving what they called the myths surrounding the issues.

“They are viewed as being dark and gloomy,” Trimble said. “There are jokes about how ‘emos’ enjoy cutting and how if you deal with these issues there must be something wrong with you.”

Trimble said people understand it is not a sign of weakness to deal with these issues.

“It’s okay to not be okay,” Trimble said.

This is what moved Trimble to become part of this movement. She said one of the reasons was because she wanted to help out in the community.

Trimble took the first step

in March 2009, when she attended the Move Community Conference in Florida.

“It was a way to educate people about how to start honest conversations about the issues To Write Love On Her Arms raises, as well as lay the foundation for creating university chapters,” she said.

Luedecke and Trimble said that they hope they can bring these conversations about self-harm to campus.

“People think that these issues are just a fad, a trend, that people who do it are all hipsters,” Luedecke said.

Consequently, both said there have been some misconceptions about what the movement and the group are truly about.

“You don’t have to come in and share your darkest secrets,” Trimble said. “We are not counselors, we are just here to listen.”

The group is available to all students.

“We are here,” Luedecke said. “Our arms are open, the doors are open and we want you to come.” dsalaza4@stedwards.edu

College, Texas State University, Trinity University and University of the Incarnate Word, none of them have a mandated commuter meal plan. Two of the institutions, Santa Clara University and University of Portland, use Bon Appétit.”

St. Edward’s regularly uses benchmark schools as a gauge to help in making decisions.

Auxiliary Services had originally consulted SGA about the meal plan in meetings from Nov. 19, 2009 to Jan. 28, but Stone said that any input from SGA after Feb. 1 could not be considered.

“Since meal plans have such a major impact on students, it only makes sense to solicit the input of SGA on the structure of the plans,” Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Stone said. “After Feb. 1, it became virtually impossible to make changes.”

But Duke said the deadline was vague and SGA was not given concrete dates.

“I don’t recall at any time having a deadline, being told that this needs to be finalized

by Feb. 1,” Duke said. “That, to me, would have been a

“I will consult SGA next year about meal plans for 2011-2012.”

-Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Stone little bit more critical, and I think that would have allowed us to potentially look at other alternatives.”

Duke said that the meeting was positive in that SGA and Auxiliary Services plan on communicating about these issues more in the future.

“I did get some openness to the next administration, when they go around for the budgetary proposals next year, they’re open to an alternative,” Duke said.

Stone said that he agreed and hoped the input process would be more organized in the future.

“We discussed the issues related to the commuter meal plan,” Stone said. “But more importantly for the long run, we discussed how the effort to gather input from SGA on meal plans for 2010-11 did not work effectively for Auxiliary Services or for SGA.”

SGA will have input again next year, Stone said.

“I will consult SGA next year about meal plans for 2011-2012,” Stone said. “I think after our experiences this year, both parties will have a better idea how to communicate and make their input much more effective and timely.”

The task next year will be the same —reconciling SGA’s opposition to a commuter meal plan and Auxiliary Services’ contractual obligation to Bon Appétit.

“SGA would much prefer being proactive than not being involved in the process at all,” Duke said. “I appreciate Director Stone’s courage to be able to do that.” jhartwe@stedwards.edu

Save the environment Recycle your used Hilltop Views newspapers.

Help us preserve the earth by placing newspapers in recycling bins throughout campus.

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, TK, 2010

check out

Hilltop Views

GAMES | Page 5

games Look for the answers to both games in next week’s issue!

online edition at hilltopviewsonline.com

Answer to last issue’s Sudoku:

Page 6 | Hilltop Views Wednesday, March 10, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT

Films to catch at South by Southwest 2010 With nearly 2,000 musical acts descending upon downtown Austin every March for South by Southwest, it’s probably easy for some people to forget that SXSW also hosts an internationally acclaimed, rapidly growing film festival.

This year, the festival lineup contains hundreds of films including world premieres, local works and other films that have already garnered significant buzz after showings at Sundance and other world-class festivals.

Here’s a look at what you can expect from some of the big-name films.

Leaves of Grass

Alamo South Lamar Friday, March 12, 9:30 p.m.

Starring Edward Norton, Keri Russell, Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Sarandon, “Leaves of Grass” tells the story of twin brothers who took vastly different paths in life. Reunited to take on the Oklahoma backwater’s drugged-up underbelly, the two brothers encounter a range of twists and turns. Fans of Edward Norton will delight in his ample screen time, as he is taking on the role of both twins. It’s kind of like “Parent Trap,” if the “Parent Trap” twins were into faking their own deaths, drug deals and police chases.

The Runaways

The Paramount Thursday, March 18, 8 p.m.

“The Runaways” tells the story of the legendary ‘70s female rock band of the same name. The film has received a lot of attention for placing Kristin Stewart in the role of Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning in the role of Cherrie Currie. The buzz has only continued after a primarily positive reception at Sundance. The film will be in limited release shortly after its SXSW screening, so don’t fret if you aren’t able to make it to the glitzy screening at the Paramount; it’s coming to your local megaplex soon.

-Caroline Wallace

Saturday Night

Alamo Ritz Wednesday, March 17, 9:45 p.m.

Directed by actor James Franco, this documentary goes behind the scenes of the legendary show, “Saturday Night Live,” to chronicle what it takes to make an episode of the show: from the pitch table to the live broadcast. Along the way, we get a hint at the politics that come with skit and actor selection, and how they handle the guest host. The film is Franco’s directorial debut as a documentary filmmaker, and the screening at SXSW will be its world premiere.

World’s Largest

Alamo South Lamar Friday, March 12, 9:15 p.m.

For this documentary, filmmakers Amy Elliott and Elizabeth Donius traveled around the country to take in 58 roadside attractions claiming to be everything from the world’s largest killer bee to the world’s largest strawberry. The result, a 75minute documentary, chronicles the spirit that makes these tiny attractions dotting the American landscape special, and proves that there is still a little slice of Americana left in the modern United States.

When I Rise

The Paramount Wednesday, March 17, 11:30 a.m.

This film is screening in the Lone Star States category and hits close to home with the story of Barbara Smith Conrad, a black music student at the University of Texas. She is cast in an opera opposite a white male student, fueling racist backlash from the Texas legislature and attracting national media attention. It promises to be an inspirational story about overcoming adversity and the power of doing what you love.

ALBUM REVIEW

Solid venture for Shins frontman Broken Bells Broken Bells Jen Obenhaus Broken Bells’ new, selftitled album is dropping to effervescent reviews. The American indie-alternative rock duo, on the Columbia label, features Shins frontman James Mercer and famed producer Brian Burton (Danger Mouse of Gnarls Barkley).

The duo’s combined talents have led to ten tracks of dreamy orchestrations and harmonies. The futuristic

dins, the heavy, redounding percussion and Mercer’s reverberating voice create a haunting but fresh sound.

Reticent, falsetto background vocals help create the besetting, electronic melody that pervades the album.

The album’s energy intensifies with each listen, and

listeners will become increasingly hooked. Listeners won’t be able to help themselves from humming the impassioned bridge of “The High Road,” the first single off the Broken Bells album: “Come on and get the minimum/Before you open up your eyes/This army has so many hands/To analyze.”

On March 17, Broken Bells will be playing NPR Music’s SXSW showcase at Stubb’s, one of Austin’s premier venues. The group will be playing alongside an impressive lineup, including Spoon, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, the Walk-

men and Visqueen.

Broken Bells has laid out a solid foundation for future material, which will surely be even more intrepid than this debut album. jobenha@stedwards.edu

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, March 10, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT | Page 7

SXSW offers free shows Matthew Frazier Ryan Lester For some people, Spring Break means one thing South by Southwest. While most showcases require you to flash a badge or fork over a wad of cash after registrants get in, there are also plenty of opportunities to see some great bands for free. Many of these free showcases take place during the day, while some occur at night in more unconventional venues.

Here is a profile of several showcases worth checking out from Monday, March 15 - Saturday, March 20.

4

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.

KGSR/Four Seasons showcase, at the Four Seasons, five mornings of live music from Nakia, Alpha Rev, Amy Cook, Stephen Bruton Tribute, Kat Edmonson, The Trishas, Bob Schneider, The Texas Tornadoes, John Haitt, Charlie Mars, She & Him, Grace Potter, Rouge Wave, VV Brown, Gin Wigmore, The Court Yard Hounds and more St. Edward’s University students might recognize Bob Schneider’s name on this list from his performance on campus in 2008, but this showcase offers other new local Austin artists to discover. In addition, people will most likely flock to see She & Him’s performance–Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s band–you might remember their cover of “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” from “500 Days of Summer.” The show is free, but a $5 charitable donation is encouraged.

Monday, 8 a.m.

British Music Embassy presents Strummerville / Jail Guitar Doors at Latitude 30º with Billy Bragg, Chris Shiflett, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Beans On Toast, Smokey Angle Shades, Nat Jenkins, Supernovas It’s safe to say a good num-

Eloise Montemayor

Neon Indian will be performing a free show at Red 7.

ber of Americans can appreciate a British accent, and they will be abundant at this showcase. Many of the acts are one-man bands that, with only their guitars, entertain the crowd. Some notable bands to watch include Beans On Toast, who will feature songs such as “I Shot Tupac Shakur” and “All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt.”

Wednesday, 12 p.m.

Terrorbird Media/Force Field PR Day Party; Red 7 with Neon Indian, Toro Y Moi, Those Darlins, Matias Aguayo, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Beach Fossils, Real Estate, Choir of Young Believers, A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Oh No Ono, Ernest Gonzales, and The Fresh and Onlys If you are going to attend a one-day party on Wednesday, make it this one. The lineup is full of young, talented acts and displays a great amount of diversity. There’s Toro y Moi’s chillwave movement and Austin’s own Neon Indian, whose electronic sound creates an otherworldly atmosphere. Real Estate brings a beach-tinged indie rock sound, A Sunny Day In Glasgow possesses a denser art-rock vibe and the Rural Alberta Advantage is a Canadian folk band in the vein

of Neutral Milk Hotel. Expect to find at least one band you will fall in love with out of the 16 on the bill.

Thursday, 1 p.m.

Other Music Day Show; The French Legation Museum with Califone, The Antlers, Real Estate, YellowFever, Dum Dum Girls, The xx, Dylan LeBlanc, Zola Jesus, Sharon Van Etten, Julianna Barwick, Holly Miranda, In The Grass and Black Prairie Set on the beautiful grounds of the historic French Legation, this day show will have a great environment for another great lineup. Headlining are London minimalists The xx, whose self-titled debut was one of the best albums of 2009.

Equally as impressive is a Brooklyn group, The Antlers.

The band released “Hospice” last year, a heart-wrenching and beautiful concept album about death, written during frontman Peter Silberman’s self-induced isolation. It finished at the top of many critics’ year-end lists for good reason. Also performing are blues-rock outfit Califone and Holly Miranda, who has played opening slots on Tegan & Sara’s latest tour.

FREE | 9

Page 8 | ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Your guide to surviving SXSW Holly Aker Caroline Wallace Whether you’re a South by Southwest veteran or new to the Austin music scene,

there are certain things every SXSW goer needs to know.

To make the most of your SXSW adventure, check out our survival guide. It gives you seven tips for getting all

you can out of the craziest week in Austin. haker@stedwards.edu cwallac2@stedwards.edu

1. Get a bus pass

Driving and parking downtown is a hassle during a normal day, so imagine how crazy it will be during the week of SXSW. An easy solution? Buy a seven-day Metro Pass. You can buy one for $8 at H-E-B and ride the bus as many times as you like. It’ll pay for itself in one day by helping you avoid those pricey parking lots and garages downtown that can charge up to $10 a day. It’s also in tune with the festival’s new green philosophy. If you live especially far from downtown, a good option is parking on campus and taking the Metro straight down South Congress Avenue.

2. Rest up

Showcases can start as early as noon and end as late as 2 a.m., so take advantage of any opportunity for sleep. You’ll be going strong for the first few days, but by the end of the week you’ll crash if you try to party like a rock star. Use the week before SXSW to load up on sleep, and strategically plan to sleep in on days when day parties don’t catch your interest. Coffee always helps too.

3. Keep your fashion functional

B.

A.

C.

Yes, those boots are very cute, but are you still going to enjoy those three-inch heels after hours of trotting up and down Sixth Street? Probably not. Stick with functional footwear (Vans or TOMS are always acceptable.) Also, dress in layers. While film venues will probably be cooler than outside temperatures, the music venues will be warmer than outside due to body heat.

Backpacks and satchels are much handier than little clutches because you’ll be getting a ton of free swag. You’ll also need them to carry all your supplies for a full day’s activities.

4. Do your research

Even though there’s always a chance you might stumble upon your new favorite band, doing your research is always recommended if you want to get the most out of your SXSW experience. The SXSW Web site recently published “The Grid,” an easy-to-use guide that lists every band and every venue. This year the folks at SXSW also released a new iPhone app, my.SXSW. The app lets you manage your schedule and provides you with a map to help you find those obscure venues. Whether you’re going badge-less or buying a wristband or badge, know what you have access to and what is free for everyone. That way you’ll know all your options and won’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being rejected at the venue door.

D.

5. Brown bag it

E. G. F. Aaron Reissig

Hilltop Views editor Proctor Anderson is prepared for South by Southwest.

Essentials: A. “my.SXSW” iPhone app B. Dressing in layers C. A bus pass D. Bring your lunch E. Backpack for supplies and swag F. Comfortable shoes G. A reusable water bottle.

Unless you have the money to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner downtown for a week, think ahead and stash some food. Plan a makeshift picnic, and find a green patch to eat your sammies downtown. If you live on campus and have a meal plan, you can buy ready-made sandwiches or tacos from Meadows and stow them in your bag for lunch. Leave the plastic water bottles at home, and bring your reusable bottles to SXSW. It’s eco-friendly, and you won’t have to buy half a dozen plastic bottles a day to keep yourself hydrated. SXSW will provide water coolers in many of the venues for your hydrating convenience. When you’re in the mood to splurge for dinner, but you still don’t want to break the bank, check reliable street vendors and quick bites like Torchy’s Tacos, Which Wich, Kebabalicious and the numerous pizza joints scattered on Sixth Street.

6. Don’t get your hopes up

Even if you’re flying badge-less, many shows still let in paid ticket holders. But if you don’t get into the show of your dreams, don’t let it ruin your week. Keep a cool head and avoid getting into skirmishes over who has a better beard or place in line. Whether you get in or not, plan on some backup shows, keep an open mind and be willing to step outside of your comfort zone.

Remember, SXSW also hosts hundreds of films and interactive events. Auditorium Shores will always make a great backup. The shows are outside, free and open to the public with no capacity limit. The main thing is to have fun and enjoy your week. Even if you don’t get into any shows, people-watching and shows at various stores around Austin can make your Spring Break unforgettable.

7. Carry cash

If you are going to pay for any shows or films, it’s cash only, so make sure you have some on you to avoid pricey ATM service fees downtown. Cash will also come in handy if you plan on purchasing food, beverages and merch, or if you decide you need a late night cab.

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, March 10, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT | Page 9

Free shows at SXSW feature variety of music for all Continued from page 7

Get there early; parking in East Austin can be brutal.

Friday, 12 p.m.

Village Voice’s 2010 SXSW Party; La Zona Rosa Although only four bands are playing at this showcase, this day party is arguably one of the best offerings this year. The main headliner is Superchunk, indie pioneers from North Carolina. Along with Pavement, Archers of Loaf and Sebadoh, they conquered the college radio airwaves in the early ‘90s and set the stage for countless other bands.

Surfer Blood, also playing at the showcase, was one of the groups following in the footsteps of that era’s guitar rock.

Surfer Blood released their debut, “Astro Coast,” at the beginning of this year. The album is filled with hooks and a sense of tightness that most

bands don’t find until late in their careers. Brooklyn’s The Pains of Being Pure At Heart root their musical identity in late ‘80s twee and lo-fi, and their self-titled debut is filled with songs exemplifying how homage to those before you can make for great music.

Rounding out the lineup is the aforementioned group, The xx.

Friday, 7 p.m.

Brasstronaut Showcase at the Sheraton Austin at the Capitol The jazz stylings of the Vancouver band, Brasstronaut, are guaranteed to please. Fans of instruments that could fill your high school marching band can look no further than Brasstronaut. Their use of trumpets, drums, bass and even synthesizers grips the audience. “Requiem for a Scene” highlights the band’s musical harmony that is beautiful both live and recorded.

Photo Courtesy of Alexdi

Sum 41 will be playing at AP’s free show at SXSW.

Saturday, 3 p.m.

SXSW 2010 Auditorium Shores Concert Series; Audito-

rium Shores featuring Kimya Dawson, Dawes, Deer Tick, Lucero, Justin Townes Earle and She & Him. Fans of the last five years of pop culture will enjoy this day showcase for several reasons. For starters, there is the obvious elephant in the room, She & Him. The musical collaboration between actress Zooey Deschanel and folk artist M. Ward has become somewhat of a sensation, thanks partly to Deschanel’s role in “500 Days of Summer” and her marriage to Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard. However, Deschanel and Ward have one album of pleasant folk tunes under their belt with their sophomore release slated for release on March 23.

Another recognizable figure is Kimya Dawson, who contributed several songs to the 2008 indie smash hit “Juno,” both as a solo artist and with The Moldy Peaches.

Ellen Page, however, will not be on stage. Also playing are Deer Tick, Dawes and Justin Townes Earle.

Saturday, 12 p.m.

Alternative Press’ Attack of the 100 Bands You Need to Know Showcase; Emo’s featuring Circa Survive, Sum 41, Never Shout Never, Hey Monday, The Cab, Every Avenue and more.

The annual Alternative Press free showcase returns to SXSW as big as ever.

The headliners of the showcase are part of the Rockstar AP Tour, and the rest of the show will feature some of the best bands to watch in 2010 according to AP. This year Circa Survive and Sum 41 will also stop by. The show will fill Emo’s Annex, Emo’s Junior and Emo’s Main Room. mfrazie@stedwards.edu

SPORTS

Hilltop Views | Page 10 Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Basketball teams fall short at conference tournament Kayla Meyer

The St. Edward’s University women’s and men’s basketball teams ended their season after playing in the Heartland Conference Tournament.

The women’s basketball team made it to the semifinals of the tournament after taking down Lincoln University (12-15) 78-75 in the first round.

That game, on March 4, went into overtime. After Lincoln took the lead with three minutes left in the game, two free throws by senior Sara Head and a shot by senior Kelli Payton brought the lead up to three.

The Hilltoppers would sink four of six free throws to seal the game.

Payton led the Hilltoppers with 21 points, along with five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Brittany Ward contributed with 16 points and five assists.

The women’s basketball

team then went on to the semifinals March 5. The Hilltoppers lost to the University of the Incarnate Word (20-8) 48-66.

“Overall, making the tournament was a huge part to our team’s success story this year,” Ward said.“We weren’t expected to win or go anywhere this year, and we reached the second round of our conference tournament.”

This was the last game for Head, Payton, and seniors Sophia Holguin and Tiss Rocquemore. The Hilltoppers ended their season with a 9-20 record.

“This year has been extremely challenging [with] injuries and other obstacles,” Ward said. “Our team has a ton of heart and character to achieve what we achieved this year.”

This was the Hilltopper’s fifth-straight season in the Heartland Conference Tournament.

The men’s basketball team (12-16) lost in the first

Jeff Huehn

Senior Kelli Payton dribbles the ball up the court.

Best Places to Go Swimming This Spring

BARTON SPRINGS

This is arguably one of Austin’s most recognized swimming locations. With constant 68-degree water, Barton Springs is the best place to fight the summer sun.

HAMILTON POOL A good place for swimming, picnics, hiking and scenery, Hamilton Pool boasts a 50-foot waterfall that flows constantly, even if there’s a drought in the region.

GREENBELT With many great areas to go swimming, it’s hard to go wrong with the Austin Greenbelt. Surrounded by trails, waterfalls and flow-

Senior Reggie Shanks goes in for a layup.

round of the tournament to St. Mary’s University 76-56 March 4.

In the first three minutes of the game, St. Edward’s got off to a rough start as St. Mary’s ran up the lead to 7-1.

“We needed to get off to a good start against St. Mary’s and unfortunately we didn’t,” Head Coach Andre Cook said. “We missed some easy shots early and it was an uphill battle the whole night.

I was proud that the guys battled for 40 minutes, but we really never threatened St. Mary’s.”

This was the first season with the St. Edward’s men’s basketball team for Cook.

“I wouldn’t consider 12-16 to be a smashing success in my first year on the Hilltop, but I have to give the players a ton of credit,” said Cook.

“Our guys really bonded together to finish the season strong to make the conference tournament.”

Jeff Huehn

Although the team will lose seniors Cory Griffin, Reggie Shanks, Bobby Watkins and Jannik Zimmer this season, Cook believes there is a bright future for the team.

“Although the season didn’t go as well as we thought it would, I felt that a new foundation was laid for the future of St. Edward’s basketball,” Griffin said. “Our team overcame a tremendous amount of adversity despite getting off to a rocky start to the year. “ Griffin said this season provided a valuable learning experience that will help the maturity of the team.

“I’m extremely honored to have been part of a new chapter in our men’s basketball program,” Griffin said.

ing water, this is a great place to take your friends, family or dog.

SAN MARCOS RIVER The water in the San Marcos River is 10 times cleaner than EPA standards for drinking water, according to TubeTexas.com. Grab an intertube for a pleasant one-mile ride on this river.

BOB WENTZ AT WINDY POINT This sub-pool of Lake Travis offers a variety of options including swimming, scuba diving, windsurfing or just sun bathing. Bob Wentz also offers a boat dock.

STACY POOL If you’re not willing to venture out, Stacy Pool is only minutes from campus by foot. This conveniently located lap pool is even lifeguard supervised.

VOLENTE BEACH WATER PARK If you’re not traveling near any coasts, Volente Beach provides the sand and water you need to get the same effect. Conveniently, the marina also has boat rentals and a variety of restaurants.

DEEP EDDY POOL As the oldest swimming pool in Austin, Deep Eddy Pool is a great to swim and picnic. It offers Splash Party Movie Nights in the summer where you can swim and watch a featured film.

BLUE HOLE Located in Wimberly, this spot is one of the best natural swimming holes in Texas. The surrounding 126 acres of forests makes this place a scenic adventure.

KRAUSE SPRINGS

Additional reporting by Jeremy Ortiz.

Once an Indian burial ground, beautiful landscaping

kmeyer2@stedwards.edu

springs located around the campground.

and man-made rock art add to the allure of the 32 Compiled by: Matthew Frazier

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | Hilltop Views

SPORTS | Page 11

Softballs sweeps Lincoln

BENCH WARMING

Griner’s suspension fails to pack a punch Baylor University’s 6-foot-8-inch freshman women’s basketball star Brittney Griner’s short but All-American Sports Commentary career has been dealt a black eye for punching Texas Tech University’s Jordan Barncastle in a Big 12 Conference game.

Griner’s haymaker landed on Barncastle’s nose during the second half of their second meeting of the season. The punch, prompted by a hard foul by Barncastle, left Barncastle with a broken nose and Griner with a two-game suspension.

The incident has also garnered Griner some increased public attention and a media frenzy to endure. She already had some because her height, her shot-blocking ability and her in-game dunks.

The Big 12 has announced support of the suspension, saying it promotes good sportsmanship.

There is certainly nothing sportsmanlike about Griner’s actions, but there is also no sportsmanship or fairness in a meager two-game suspension for throwing a punch at an opponent that broke her nose.

A lot of writers and members of the press that cover sports are putting this on the level of Kermit Washington’s infamous punch that he landed at mid-court on Rudy Tomjanovich.

A better comparison is a situation that was mentioned in my column at the start of the college football season last year. After losing the opening game of the season, LeGarette Blount, an Oregon University running back, hit an opponent after the player slapped Blount on the shoulder and made remarks towards him. This situation was between two collegiate athletes where one player was provoked into an action and the player hit never saw it coming.

In the same way, Griner was provoked by a hard foul and then lashed out with a swing that Barncastle never expected.

The difference between these two instances came in what happened after.

First-year coach at Oregon, Chip Kelly, suspended Blount indefinitely. Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey, however, only suspended Associated Press Griner two games, one more than the mandatory suspension required by the NCAA. Kelly came down hard on a star player during his senior season to send a message. He then allowed Blount to earn his way back on to the field after missing 10 games.

Mulkey instead decided her star player should only miss two games, the final regular season game and the opening game of the Big 12 tournament.

Mulkey, who won a national title as a player and a coach as well as a gold medal, knows better and should send a message to her young player that responding to rough fouls in this way is not acceptable in sports. Instead, she taught her player that she’s too important to the team to be missed for too long.

Griner, one of the tallest players in women’s basketball today, needs to be ready to be fouled hard consistently throughout her entire career.

Mulkey should have sent a message to her star player that no matter who you are, fighting in sports is bad for the player, bad for the team and bad for the sport.

Bryce Bencivengo

Andrew J. Willard

The St. Edward’s University women’s softball team (14-10, 3-0 HC) swept Lincoln University (0-5, 0-3 HC) March 5-6. The Hilltoppers won 6-1 and 11-4 on Friday and 6-0 on Saturday. St. Edward’s tallied a total of five home runs in the three-game series.

EXPLORE EDINBURGH STUDY ABROAD INFO SESSION

Discover a summer learning adventure set inside the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and learn about St. Edward’s newest semester-long study abroad option at Queen Margaret University.

5IVSTEBZ .BSDI r m Q N 'MFDL )BMM 3PPN with Joe Goldblatt, event-planning guru and lecturer at Queen Margaret University YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION. XXX TUFEXBSET FEV TUVEZBCSPBE r .PPEZ )BMM 3PPN

bbenciv@stedwards.edu

The Hilltop Views’ column, ‘Bench Warming,’ appears every other week in the sports section and is written by Co-Editor-In-Chief Bryce Bencivengo.

FEATURES

Page 12 | Hilltop Views Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Webcomics offer eccentric entertainment Patrick Jones Webcomics, like most things on the Internet, are constantly evolving. New webcomics come out every day and their growing audiences allow more artists than ever to make a living off merchandise sales and still provide free content. This move towards self-sufficiency has brought a new freedom and sense of legitimacy to webcomics.

Comics such “Questionable Content,” “Achewood” and “Penny Arcade” paved the way for webcomics as we know them today. “Penny Arcade,” in particular, became the poster child for the medium’s increasing success and chances for self-sustainability.

When it began in 1998, “Penny Arcade” was just a lowly comic about video games, but it eventually grew into one of the Internet’s first self-sufficient webcomics.

The comic is so popular that a “Penny Arcade Expo” has been held every year since 2004, and the most recent event drew around 60,000 paying attendees.

Since the success of “Penny Arcade,” numerous webcomics have attempted to do

things differently. Here’s a look at some of the successful, but lesser-known webcomics that are changing the medium:

Dresden Codak - http:// dresdencodak.com/ “Dresden Codak” is beautiful and mind-bending, with a darkly humorous take on science. The comic illustrates the adventures of misanthropic robot-girl Kim Ross–most notably her fight against the time colonists from the future in the comic’s only continuous storyline, called “Hob.” Artist Aaron Diaz’s unique style generally disregards the common boundaries of panel flow and often forgoes the notion of panels altogether.

Scenes flow freely without line breaks and often jam haphazardly into one another, making each comic feel strangely organic. Each strip is a self-contained story that often references scientific and philosophical theories. Strips range from hilarious (“The Sleepwalkers”) to heartbreaking (“Onald Creely, the Professional Ghost Story”), though Diaz always maintains a wickedly eccentric sense of humor.

xkcd.com

xkcd – http://xkcd.com “xkcd” ranks among the most unlikely Internet success stories. Author Randall Munroe, a former NASA employee, drew geeky comics about math and put them on his Web site. “xkcd” developed a strong following among geeks and casual readers alike for its consistently witty writing and endearing stick figure artwork. Unlike the other examples included in this

article, “xkcd” rarely features any continuity of characters, though recurring themes include the Web site’s selfproclaimed description of “romance, sarcasm, math, and language.”

While his comics are free, Munroe now earns enough money from lectures and merchandise to make a living. Munroe released a book compiling the best of the first 600 strips in September 2009, with a portion of the

proceeds going to building a school in Laos. Sales of the book have already completely financed the school’s construction.

Octopus Pie - http:// www.octopuspie.com/ Meredith Gran began “Octopus Pie” in 2007, shortly after graduating from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The comic follows post-college roommates Eve and Hanna through their fights, adventures and anxieties in modern Brooklyn.

Gran’s clean, expressive artwork is a wonderful accompaniment to her detailed stories.

“Octopus Pie” is one long story broken into over 20 multi-strip story arcs. Each story is composed of many layers and references to past events, which makes the comic rewarding and fun to reread. Gran’s loving attention to detail sets “Octopus Pie” apart from many other humorous, story-driven comics. Each character is fully realized, allowing for fascinating, subtle interactions that are rare in the world of cartoons.

Axe Cop – http://axecop.com/ “Axe Cop” first appeared on

the Internet in late January 2010. The comic is the brainchild of Eisner Award-nominated artist Ethan Nicolle, 29, and his brother Malachai Nicholle, 5. Their collaboration has produced a hilarious strip about the escapades of the aptly-named Axe Cop and his partner Flute Cop (who quickly becomes– spoiler alert–Dinosaur Soldier). “Axe Cop” serves as a prime example of webcomics’ potential. On Jan. 28 it was featured as Entertainment Weekly’s Site of the Day. Site traffic skyrocketed and “Axe Cop” was soon listed as the 89th most popular Google search term.

“Axe Cop,” in all of its goofiness, is a reminder that webcomics can capture the fun and spontaneity of youthful imagination. Ethan and Malachai Nicholle may be an unlikely duo, but the absurdity of the subject matter combined with the realism of the artwork has proven to be a winning combination. pjones4@stedwards.edu

SEU Professional Education Center hosts classes Morgen Brown These days, the St. Edward’s University Professional Education Center is known best for being near the target of a suicidal airplane pilot.

But the center, located in the Federal Building at the Echelon Business Complex off North Mo-Pac Expressway and U.S.-183, is an important, if usually quiet, extension of the university’s work.

During the day, it hosts classes for corporate clients.

At night, degree-seeking students attend classes. Many graduate students take all their coursework at the center.

On the morning of Feb. 18, a plane crashed into Echelon Building I, doing major damage, but not hitting the building that houses the PEC. According to federal officials, Joseph Andrew Stack III intentionally targeted the

Christina Villarreal

Inside the Professional Education Center.

U.S. Internal Revenue Service office when he crashed his single-engine plane into the Echelon Complex. The PEC was evacuated. No St. Edward’s students, faculty or staff were injured. Classes resumed on Feb. 22.

The PEC has 62 corporate students, 18 St. Edward’s students, 11 administrators, six contract instructors, and one St. Edward’s instructor.

The mission of the PEC is to “bridge the training gap be-

tween the knowledge learned through traditional academic education and the dynamic technology and management skills required by today’s fast companies.”

Many of the programs at the PEC will be soon be offered at the Angers campus and other areas abroad.

The coursework at the PEC includes technology education programs for training PEC | 13

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, March 10, 2010

FEATURES | Page 13

SXSW: A brief history of the festival

PEC tests global classrooms Continued from page 12

Bob Schneider performs at the 2009 South by Southwest Festival.

Ryan Lester Every year thousands of people flock to Austin to attend the South by Southwest Music Festival and Conference. The week-long extravaganza now covers almost every aspect of popular entertainment, including music, movies and interactive media.

The festival has become the place to be if you are a band on the rise or a starving film director, as many people from within the music and film business attend. It has undoubtedly put Austin on the map as one of the premier places where creativity is not only encouraged, but can thrive. The history of the festival and the sheer impact it has on the city is a story within itself.

According to the festival’s Web site, the first South by Southwest Music Festival and Conference was held in Austin in 1987. Although the private company SXSW, Inc. was responsible for getting the festival off the ground, the company’s mission in creating the conference was to have a way for the rest of the

world to come to Austin and discover musicians and its live music scene. Additionally, part of its purpose was to help the music business interact with the artists.

SXSW was exclusively a music festival for its first seven years. The festival expanded to include film and interactive entertainment in 1994, as both mediums were increasingly becoming a part of Austin’s identity. The music festival went from having 700 registrants to 12,000, with the film and interactive aspects bringing in another 17,000.

The festival has housed the debuts and breakouts of many pioneering films, musicians, and technologies over the years. Twitter, the now ubiquitous online social networking site, made its first real splash during the 2007 interactive festival, where the number of tweets per day expanded from 20,000 to over 60,000.

The film industry has used the festival to premier major productions, such as 2009’s “I Love You, Man,” and independent films, some which have gone on to become criti-

cal and commercial successes.

Additionally, many bands have gotten their big breaks at the music festival, as postfestival buzz from music journalists and industry people has led to the launching of many group’s careers. A solid run at SXSW can land an unsuspecting band with a record contract if they perform at the right place at the right time.

One important aspect about the festival that has nothing to do with the quality of music, films, or technology present is the impact that the festival has on the Austin economy. According to a Greyhill Advisors report, last year’s festival brought an estimated $99 million to the city. This is because the festival brings an influx of people from all over the world to Austin, spending money on hotels, transportation and food during their stay. This year’s festival is projected to bring around the same, if not more, revenue into Austin’s economy.

Another positive aspect of the festival is that it has bolstered Austin’s reputation in the entertainment busi-

Ben Hawkes

ness. It has caused many in the industry to see the city as an important market, and it has reinforced its image as the live music capital of the world. SXSW has become synonymous with most people’s conception of the city, as evidenced by the number of people that attend the festival.

From its humble beginnings to the entertainment giant it has become today, SXSW has been influential through and through. Whether it’s in helping unsigned bands gain unparalleled exposure or bringing money into Austin’s economy, the impact of the festival is undeniable, and it is safe to assume that it will be around for many years to come.

and technical consulting.

Additionally, the PEC offers Project Management and Business Analyst certification programs and seminars in areas such Financial Services, Green Building and Human Resources.

In 2006, the PEC expanded its space and technology to support the growing number of students taking classes in both the New College and Graduate programs.

Some of the recent additions, which are still in the final stages of testing, are the global digital classrooms that allow instructors at the PEC to teach anywhere, in real time and in High Definition. Instructors have been able to teach a class at the PEC and have it broadcast to students in Angers with the same quality of image and sound as if they were in the same room.

These capabilities will soon be extended to the

main campus of St. Edward’s. This could mean that if a student nearing graduation is offered a job elsewhere in the world, they will be able to finish their studies at St. Edward’s through the use of the global classrooms.

The PEC recognizes that these technologies are typical for today’s emerging students. Linda Edwards, Director of Professional Education, said that some students graduate after doing very well in school, but without a “long enough or strong enough job record to be immediately employed.”

Through the PEC, students will also be able to better prepare for postgraduation life with the ability to do what would be similar to a fifth year of education. mbrowne@stedwards.edu

rlester@stedwards.edu

Christina Villarreal

A view of the front of the St. Edward’s University PEC.

VIEWPOINTS

Page 14 | Hilltop Views Wednesday, March 10, 2010

OUR VIEW

MetroRail cannot solely restore reputation The highly-anticipated day is finally upon us. Capital Metro announced its commuter rail line, MetroRail, will open to the public March 22.

The rail line, unveiled in 2004, was originally set to open in the of fall 2008. But this date was pushed back numerous times due to construction delays and safety concerns.

Capital Metro initially estimated the new rail line would cost around $60 million to complete, but as construction progressed and various costs went up, the

construction has cost closer to $105 million.

Fred Gilliam, former CEO and president, oversaw Capital Metro from 2002 until last fall, when he retired.

During Gilliam’s time with Capital Metro, the company went from having a $200 million reserve fund to only $4 million. And according to the Austin American Statesmen, Capital Metro riders declined heavily during Gilliam’s tenure.

The companies interim president Doug Allen said he intends to get the mass transit provider where it

needs to be and then step down from the position.

Capital Metro has stopped paying the city of Austin back from projects the city

image.

The company remains hopeful that the opening of the commuter rail line will help restore its reputation

Capital Metro needs to concentrate on improving what it already has. financed nearly 10 years ago. This, coupled with the continued delay of the rail line, mismanagement of funds and rising fares, has tarnished the company’s

with the public, but Capital Metro will need to do more than that to bring them back into the city’s favor.

The commuter rail, although a favorable new

transportation option, will only benefit a small group of people.

For those commuting from Cedar Park, Leander and the Round Rock area to Austin, the rail line will be a blessing.

But for those within the city limits, the line’s specific and limited path will not ease their commute. People who do not live near any of the train’s nine stops will likely find traveling to and from the distant stations an inconvenience.

The opening of the rail line itself is not a negative addition to Austin by any means,

but Capital Metro cannot put so much faith into the rail system to save its struggling business.

Capital Metro needs to focus on making sure its company is taking responsibility and working towards promoting a reliable new image. Instead of expanding, Capital Metro needs to concentrate on improving what it already has. The substantial bus line is the company’s largest service and Capital Metro needs to make this its top priority.

Greece’s debt increases Groups call Stack hero Christopher Duke Across the Atlantic Ocean, another financial disaster seems to be brewing.

After two years of surviving turbulent economic times and latching on to “glimmers of hope” of recovery, Greece reminds the world of just how fragile the global economic recovery is.

This past month, Greece’s government bonds were demoted to junk bond status, causing private capital investment to wither and further escalating fears of an economic collapse of the nation.

Greece’s demise would trigger a financial downward spiral of the European Union.

Such fears have taken hold, as demonstrated by the rising dollar against the euro.

Greece’s economic troubles parallel the United States and others, and their plight should be highlighted as what not to do.

Greece’s national debt ballooned to $414 billion this year as years of unrestricted

spending, cheap lending and failure to implement fundamental reforms to financial and capital markets have jeopardized the nation’s balance sheets. While the debt itself may be alarming, many analysts point to the nation’s debt to gross domestic product ratio–a whopping 120 percent estimate for 2010, while the country’s deficit is close to 13 percent.

The inability and refusal of Greek politicians since the ‘90s to cut governmental spending, enact market reforms and stabilize lending has paved the path to Greece’s dire conditions.

Only now, in the midst of a crisis, is the Greek government slashing more than half of public-sector employees and hiking taxes on almost anything imaginable.

As a result, workers are striking, and citizens are rioting and protesting the government’s actions. Paralleled with Greece, the situation in the United States is not so far off, as Washington refuses to

cut spending or end the “too big to fail” mentality, which has yet to bring true reform to the nation’s financial institutions.

Greece’s only saving grace has been negotiations with Germany and France, which may provide liquidity to their neighbor. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have been cool to the idea as the electorate has grown sour to countless bailouts. However, if Greece defaults, a domino fallout effect could knock out some of the marginal EU member states such as Portugal and Ireland. If others continue to collapse one after another, bigger countries could be overwhelmed by the fallout.

Such fears should be a lesson that governments ought to be prudent in spending, contain risks through diversified portfolios, and not end the practice of overextending benefits. cduke2@stedwards.edu

Wendy Cawthon Many Facebook members have probably noticed there are groups for just about any subject or topic imaginable, with everything from “Old Spice Guy on a Horse Fan Club” to “When I Was Your Age, Pluto Was A Planet.”

Most groups are ridiculous and pretty annoying, but they’re all in good fun.

But what happens when users start joining groups that openly support acts of violence?

That’s exactly what happened hours after Joseph Stack crashed his plane into a north Austin building Feb. 18. A woman created a Facebook group calling Stack a “true American hero.” The page also showed the image of the “Don’t Tread on Me” snake and a quote from Thomas Jefferson that said “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

Regardless of individual

political views, that quote is pretty chilling. Group members began leaving startling comments, such as “His sacrifice was for all of us” and “We need more of you to make a stand.” Not only did the group support an attack on innocent people, the members also encouraged others to do the same.

It’s ironic that so many of the group members view Stack as following in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers, when he will likely go down in history as a domestic terrorist, which is just about as un-American as you can get.

Facebook took down the page pretty quickly, but it wasn’t the only one. There are currently about 20 groups dedicated to Joseph Stack, although most of them call him a terrorist or worse. But on almost every page, Facebook users are leaving long comments voicing their opinions on the subject, many of which echo the six page suicide note left

on Stack’s Web site.

There’s a large number of people that seem more than willing to express their political views publicly on both sides of the subject, so those who really want to see change should encourage others to speak up, perhaps in a way more formal than Facebook comments. If history has taught us anything, peaceful protests or letters to government officials are more effective and certainly more welcome than public suicide. Contrary to Stack’s final letter, violence is not the answer. wcawtho@stedwards.edu

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, March 10, 2010

VIEWPOINTS | Page 15

Facebook a detriment to human communication Jake Hartwell Facebook is an iconic networking Web site with over 400 million users. College students are one of its largest demographics. In fact, a Student Monitor survey found Facebook was the most popular thing on campuses, wit the exception of the iPod. With such approval, who could complain? Well, I can.

Facebook is fundamentally altering communication, and, in case you forgot the last uproar over Facebook layouts, change is always bad.

Text is the least desirable way to communicate socially.

Phone calls are much better, and seeing someone faceto-face can’t even compare.

Replacing these ancient arts are miniature letters sent instantaneously in the form of comments and chat messages. People’s ability to correspond through rapid text immediately creates a strange scenario in which they are alone but feel like they are talking to someone.

Professor of English Walter J. Ong wrote an article titled “The Writer’s Audience Is Always a Fiction.” The idea is that, when authors write, the audience isn’t actually there. Instead, the audience is a mental construct of the author. The same goes for textual communication: You aren’t talking to a real person on Facebook but a mental construct based on your

Hilltop Views 3001 S. Congress Ave.#964, Austin, TX 78704 Phone: (512) 448-8426 Fax: (512) 233-1695 seuhilltopviews@yahoo.com www.hilltopviewsonline.com Bryce Bencivengo Claire Cella Editors-in-Chief Jen Obenhaus Tristan Hallman News Editors Proctor Anderson Rachel Winter Viewpoints Editors Holly Aker Caroline Wallace Entertainment Editors Phillip Bradshaw Amber Burton Features Editors Kayla Meyer Sports Editor Shaun Martin Head Designer Blair Haralson Alyssa Palomo Designers

Eloise Montemayor Photo Editor Daniel De Los Santos Assistant Photo Editor Sharla Kew Videographer Melissa M. Martinez Copy Chief Arianna Auber Jake Hartwell Mary Hennessy Anna Whitney Copy Editors Christy Torres Advertising Manager 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.

interpretation of his or her profile and textual communications.

Studies have tried to establish precisely how much of human communication is nonverbal. Numbers range from 40 to 93 percent—they aren’t very reliable—but the point is that much of communication has nothing to do with words. When you know people online, you don’t actually know them.

You only know the part of them expressed textually; vocal tone and inflection, body language, eye contact and the little things that make someone human are nonexistent on Facebook.

People can filter which part of their personality they want you to see. If someone posts a comment, I can spend five

minutes writing something ridiculously clever—in the real world, not so much. The tiny delay in chats and comments gives people abundant time to decide which parts of themselves to project. I’d rather know five people than little pieces of hundreds.

Facebook is also changing friendship. Friends are sacred, but social networking Web sites seem to have little respect for them. Once you only had a few friends with whom you shared the most private of information because you only had the time for a few involved friendships. Facebook is quickly closing the gap between close friends and acquaintances by streamlining friend-making. Suddenly it’s socially acceptable to tell all of your

Facebook friends who you’re dating, how much you drank last night and everything you believe.

People have never been good at telling others who they are—and for good reason. The singular person is a unique subject, irreducible and indefinable. Yet Facebook users attempt to remedy the difficulty behind expressing who they are with a strange practice. The most detailed sections of many profiles are favorites: bands, books, movies and TV shows. Additionally, the average user becomes a fan of four pages per month and belongs to 13 groups.

Facebook users are defined as a conglomeration of groups and products.

As above shows, Facebook users live in a world where

all actions have less impact and meaning. Chatting with someone has less impact than meeting. Friendships require less. The people themselves mean less. To top it all off, the average user spends an hour on Facebook per day, and college students spend far more.

With literally thousands of distractions in one place, a simple status update turns into browsing the news feed, which turns into three hours of Farmville.

Why waste your precious time in a place where you achieve nothing and matter for even less? It’s time to start making real friends. It’s time to have a significant and true place in the lives of others. jhartwe@stedwards.edu

LETTER TO EDITOR Jake, thank you for writing on substance abuse and addiction in this week’s newspaper. They are issues that should be honestly discussed by everyone.

Some of your article’s statements seem a little misleading. For one thing, all diseases involve choices of some kind or other: influenza may involve the choice of not washing your hands enough or the choice of being around persons who are sneezing and possibly contagious, in spite of the risk of contracting the small organism that makes you sick.

You are correct in pointing out the choice involved in the first use of a substance (unless your mother was using when you were in utero). Like many of us, those who deal with substance abuse or addiction give in to pressures that push them to try out a drug. These forces include personal desire, social norms, advertisements (alcohol and nicotine are legalized drugs), trauma, depression, pain, hardship, and more.

Experts make a clear distinction between abuse and dependence. Internal and external pressures, including habits that are formed, continue to fuel the drug use of substance abusers. They are physiologically free to quit whenever they choose.

This is not the case with addiction (a.k.a. chemical dependency). As you mentioned, people who have addiction are born with a genetic predisposition to become hooked on certain addictive substances. They do not choose this hidden defect any more than a child chooses to inherit cystic fibrosis.

In the words of Asst. Professor of Social Work, Debbie Webb, “addicts most often experience an atypical physiological response from the very first hit of an addictive drug: unlike those of their healthier, non-chemically dependent peers, their bodies cannot properly break down and expedite disposal of that specific substance, and as the chemical levels rise in their bodies, they crave for more…. Furthermore, the progression to full blown substance dependence is not usually linear, as the article suggests, but runs a course unique to the individual. It can be relatively slow to take hold, but it can also be instantaneous. Method of administration and the load of active ingredients may dictate the speed with which addiction can develop.”

Once a person is addicted, they must fight against the tolerance and withdrawals their body will most likely face. Successfully quitting goes far beyond strength and weakness, which are concepts of Social Darwinism and not of scientific understanding. It is not simply a matter of choice or habit anymore. Volition will reenter the equation only after addicts reach out for help, get the drug completely out of their system, and learn how to manage and accept their biological predispositions. Until then, they are largely at the mercy of a complex neurobiological disease.

You say that society has no moral obligation to reach out and help addicts and substance abusers. I wholeheartedly disagree. The moral obligation of compassion for other human beings is one that we all must answer to. When just one person overcomes his/her substance disorder and experiences a better quality of life, he/she is more able to contribute to the surrounding society. It is a win-win situation.

Joseph Luedecke jluedec2@stedwards.edu

Page 16 | PHOTO ESSAY

Sarah Welch Sarah Welch’s photographs aim to “highlight defining characteristics as a reflection of my fascination with individuality and delicacy,” while Christian Devoe “depicts my interest in space, time, and the general order of things.”

Both Welch and Devoe’s works are displayed in the Senior Photography Exhibition in the St. Edward’s University Fine Arts gallery, which is open through April 1.

Christian Devoe

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | Hilltop Views