NEWS Page 2
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
NTDAILY.COM
Seven reports of sexual assault so far in 2016 CAMPUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
by all incoming freshmen. The Haven online class is a tool utilized by 650 universities that strives to teach students the definition of rape, sexual harassment and stalking. The course stresses safety while also informing them of different people they could talk to if assaulted. While this class is compliant with the Clery Act, which also requires the Annual Security and Fire Safety report, it is unclear how helpful these tools have been to UNT students. Kailey Gladden, a biology junior, said she hasn’t ever been to a sexual assault awareness
program on campus. She also said the Haven class was not very beneficial. “Honestly, I don’t remember anything it went over,” Gladden said. “It was required so I did it.” Gladden also said she doesn’t know who else to report a sexual assault incident to on campus other than the police. English sophomore Madison Darling has also never been to a sexual assault awareness event on campus, but does remember the Haven class. “It’s good information if you pay attention,” Darling said. “It’s easy to mute and click along though because it’s not very
interactive. I know a lot of people muted and clicked through it that because it was required.” A 2015 survey commissioned by the Association of American Universities found that one in four women experience sexual assault on campuses, an increase from the previously known statistic of one in five women. UNT’s dean of students office reports that one in 16 men also experience sexual assault while in college. Because these numbers are so high this year, the newly elected SGA president, Grant Hale, and vice president, Barrett Cole, are working to spread awareness about resources the university
offers to combat sexual assault. While campaigning they asked students what they were concerned with on campus, and found sexual assault came up a lot. They hope to use their platform to do what they can to combat sexual assault. Instead of creating new programs, the duo said they plan to improve and better advertise the ones the university has. “We want to work with the dean of students to make improvements to resources and to make sure students know these things exist,” Hale said. “We need to work on promoting the things we have already to promote meaningful change, instead of just creating a
new program or hash tag because that only does so much.” Cole said that she would like to see UNT host Not On My Campus, an event already at other universities in the area that goes on throughout the year, allowing the conversation about sexual assault to stay open. “This is a UNT community issue to combat sexual assault,” McGuinness said. “We need students, faculty, staff and community members to help us do continued education and prevention. We all need to be active bystanders and help those that need our assistance.”
GENDER POLITICS
Students outcry after Tracy Murphree’s transgender comments By Adalberto Toledo Senior Staff Writer @aldot29 Republican candidate for Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree’s recent outburst against transgender individuals using public bathrooms has inspired students to speak out. “If my little girl is in a public women’s restroom and
a man, regardless of how he may identify, goes into the bathroom, he will then identify as a John Doe until he wakes up in whatever hospital he may be taken to,” Murphree said in a Facebook post. The post, no longer visible on Murphree’s Facebook page, was publicized by the Dallas Observer and Denton Record-
Chronicle, where it created a buzz in local circles as the candidate moves closer to the general election against libertarian candidate Randy Butler. Murphree had a wave of momentum helping him beat incumbent Will Travis for the Denton County Sheriff spot on Super Tuesday. International
Courtesy | Tracy Murphree
studies senior Reece Frew said Murphree’s comments were unwarranted, “screwed up” and even “toxic.” “I feel like it’s literally him fantasizing about beating up transsexual people,” Frew said. “Our last sheriff was pretty bad, but I think if you say something like this you shouldn’t even be considered for sheriff.” Murphree could not be reached for comment. After retailer Target announced it would allow employees and customers to choose the restroom and fitting room corresponding to their gender identity, the country was thrust into a debate on transgender issues. Some are afraid the new rule will allow men to enter women’s restrooms and sexually assault them, and that people should go into the restroom that corresponds to sex at birth instead of gender. Anairis Alvarez Vega, international studies junior, said the debate is only the result of a lack of education and awareness of sexuality and gender identities. “I think people can get scared of something they don’t know about,” Alvarez Vega said. “I feel like there is a lot of fear
around being sexually assaulted in restrooms if we were to suddenly let men and women use the same bathrooms.” Some students feel that just because restrooms are separated by gender does not mean it would prevent a sex-offender from assaulting someone. They added that the comments made by Murphree should be considered a hate crime. Under the Texas Hate Crimes Act, a hate crime is defined as “a crime that is motivated by prejudice, hatred, or advocacy of violence.” Federal law further defines hate crimes as “crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability.” The nuanced definition of a hate crime by Texas law leads to the underreporting of gender identity-biased offenses in the state. A Texas Monthly article on the issue said the small number of these offenses reported — 33 of 7,242 hate crime victims in 2013 — are impossible given the news stories and reports released in that year that give much higher numbers. “[Murphree] sounds like he’s pretty protective of his daughter,” Alvarez Vega said.
After 19 years, Rubber Gloves will shut its doors VENUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
able to match their caliber.” He said Denton musicians will have to evolve beyond the era of Hailey’s and Rubber Gloves. The loss of Rubber Gloves will not affect forthcoming events in September for Oaktopia. “We’re all sad about this, but we’ve got to roll with the punches,” Battaglia said. “I hope somebody opens up a new venue in [Rubber Gloves’] place to attract acts both in town and out of town.” Rubber Gloves staff expressed their own shock at the sudden closure via their Facebook post, but has committed to updating the community as more information becomes available.
“If a transgender woman uses the same bathroom as his daughter and he decides to assault that woman, he’s technically saying he’s willing to fight a woman.” Alvarez Vega’s friend, Gabby Estringel an education junior agrees, and feels the sheriff should not be allowed to run anymore. “I think he shouldn’t be our sheriff,” Estringel said. “Someone who might wield such huge power should not be saying such aggressive things.” Estringel added that although she could not vote in the primary, her vote will be for Murphree’s opponent, the Libertarian party nominee Butler. “There’s clearly still a lot of education that needs to happen around this issue if he’s saying stuff like this,” Estringel said. “There’s nothing stopping someone from going into a bathroom right now and molesting someone. Just because you’re transgender doesn’t mean you’re a molester or a pedophile like he insinuates.” Alfredo Toledo contributed to this report
CONSTRUCTION
Walking path to erase 86 parking spots By Lisa Dreher Staff Writer @lisa_dreher97 A pedestrian pathway running across campus will displace 86 parking spots in front of Clark Hall, but students said removing these spaces in front of Clark Hall limits their options on an already crowded campus. The Central Pedestrian Path will cut diagonally through the southeast corner of lot 27 located in front of Clark and Rawlins Hall, leaving about 369 spots unaffected. Construction on just this section in front of Clark will begin this summer and should be completed by November. The entire walkway will connect Apogee Stadium to the northeast corner of campus, parking director Geary Robinson said. “The Central Pedestrian Path serves as a central spine to connect the southwest corner of campus to the northeast corner of campus,” Robinson said. “Additionally, it provides a clear, distinguishable and safe pedestrian access for all.” This section will run from
Rawlins Hall to Avenue C until future segments are added. The approximately 26-foot wide path will end around where the Art Building resides. Robinson said removing several of lot 27’s parking spaces was needed to make room for the path, but students who park there said the location is too convenient to get rid of them. With Clark and Maple halls relying on the lot, and Crumley’s lot not being able to support it’s residency, every parking spot counts. Development and family studies sophomore Sydney Hightower said she might get a permit to park in lot 27 again next semester, and feels that removing spaces exacerbates the university’s sweeping parking problem. “I don’t think it would be a good idea, because there are two dorms right here and we need them for space,” Hightower said. “It would just crowd up every other parking spots because we have nowhere to park.” The first section starts at Apogee and runs across the pedestrian bridge over Interstate
Construction has already started outside of Rawlings Hall on the new pathway that will cut through the Clark Hall parking lot, removing about 60 parking spots. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer
35 and to the Gateway Center’s arch. The next section from Gateway’s arch to Maple Street was installed with the addition of Rawlins Hall. This portion and Rawlins were completed in the fall of last year. An estimated budget of $1.5 million is set for the entire path across campus, vice chancellor of administrative services James Maguire said. The whole project’s time of completion depends on how long construction on each segment lasts. The Clark Hall director’s space and handicapped spots will be reassigned behind Rawlins Hall. Other spaces will be redrawn to accommodate the ones paved through, but there will still only be 369 spots left. Students can park in lot 20 of Fouts Field as Robinson said. Mathematics sophomore Deanna Pierce parks in lot 27, and said she struggles finding a spot. “Personally, it’s already hard to find a parking spot usually during the day, but it’s fine during the evening,” Pierce said. “Whenever classes are going on, it’s hard to go and then come back and find a parking spot. Them cutting down on it kind of sucks.” The path is part of the Campus Master Plan 2013 update, which strategizes the university’s construction projects for the “next 20 years and beyond.” The plan includes added projects and improvements to previous projects to make the campus more welcoming and functional. “The enhancements that are being made here at the university are really going to [help] in the long-run and help the university in its appearance,” Robinson said. “That’s what’s awesome to be a part of this master plan of
The sketches as of February 23rd, 2016 for the Clark Park central pedestrian path. Courtesy | TBG Partners not necessarily recreating but enhancing the university.” The parking office will work with UNT System Facilities, Planning and Construction on redrawing lot 27’s spaces. Parking will also work with Nelson/ Nygaard Consulting Associates as part of a 10-year Parking and Transportation master plan. This project is an offshoot of the master plan and focuses on the usage of buses, bicycles and walkways. “The pathway was added to improve the pedestrian experience for students to make it easier to walk from different parts of campus,” Maguire said. Maguire said the university worked with students and members from the Student Government Association on this part of the university’s master plan. He mentioned that he had not received any student complaints about the project. “I haven’t heard anything like
that but there where students involved who liked the idea of a better pedestrian pathway,” Maguire said. Integrative studies junior Efrem Abera said there are enough options to walk around campus, but parking spaces are limited and taking out spaces in lot 27 would be inefficient. “We already have limited parking spaces and we are already almost populated with our students, and so I think, if anything, there should be more parking spots available,” Abera said. “I think there are already enough walkways and people seem to be getting around just fine, but people still can’t seem to find parking spots in convenient places without having to park a mile away and then having to walk all over campus.” Robinson said the parking office’s master plan could be finalized within the next 60 to
90 days, and that students must look to transportation alternatives rather than hope for more parking spots, because parking structures are costly. “[Lot 27] is a main parking lot for campus and the parking here is so limited anyways, taking down a parking lot would just cause more trouble,” journalism freshman Lilly Ortega said. Less parking means less parking tickets issued as the parking office’s revenue, but the office saves money and reduces its carbon footprint by being transitoriented, Robinson said. “Financially, sure it’ll have a negative impact, but this isn’t about making money,” Robinson said. “It’s about providing the service at a level that gives you viable options.” Staff Writer Alejandro Medellin contributed to this report