UNT System names former NASA administrator Lesa Roe as chancellor PAGE 3
VOL. 110 No. 7
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017
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Denton activist leads protest against Confederate statue on the Square By Sarah Sarder Senior News Writer Nearly 80 people joined activist Willie Hudspeth Sunday evening to protest a Confederate monument on the Denton Square. Hudspeth, 71, has been protesting the Confederate monument on the Square nearly every Sunday for the
past 18 years. Since June 1999, Hudspeth has opposed the existence of the statue, which he called offensive. While Hudspeth’s initial goal was to have the statue removed, he eventually chose to instead pursue the erection of more diverse monuments on the square. Hudspeth said he was surprised by the high turnout for the protest, announcing to the crowd that the
Sunday before there had only been two people present. He attributed the rise in attendance to the recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Heather Heyer, 32, was killed after a white nationalist rally on August 12. “We have a movement now, and I think this time we’ll be successful,” Hudspeth said. “This will get them to put the statue on the [Denton County
Commissioner’s Court] agenda, mark my words.” There was police presence on the Square in preparation for larger attendance at the protest. No hostility occurred, other than a few vehicles which circled the Courthouse lawn and attempted to drown
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Families relive generations of memories at the fair and rodeo By David Urbanik Staff Writer As the hot August sun sank below the horizon, the glow from thousands of colored and flashing lights cast a dreamy haze over the patch of land occupying the northwest corner of Sherman and Carroll Streets in Denton. The booming sounds of live music, carnival barkers and hundreds of attendees echoed from every direction. The warm summer breeze swirled together the sweet scents of funnel cakes and corn dogs and the earthy aromas of pigs and horses into a distinctive bouquet of fragrances you’d only find at the fair. Kids of all ages ran full speed through the crowd from ride to ride as their parents drank cold beer, shopped at the exhibits and enjoyed the live music. Young couples rode the Ferris wheel, and cowboy wannabes rode the mechanical bull. The rodeo arena was packed with spectators and with each thrown rider or lassoed bull the crowd let out a deafening roar of cheers and whistles. There was even a swimming pig. It was a familiar start to the 89th annual North Texas State Fair and Rodeo. “I’ve talked to people from as far away as Houston, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and even a few people from Europe,”
Donald Trump Jr speaks at a rally in Iowa. File
Donald Trump Jr. invited to speak as part of UNT’s Kuehne Speaker Series By James Norman News Editor Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, has been invited to speak as part of the UNT Kuehne Speaker Series on Oct. 24. UNT spokesperson Kelley Reese said the contract for the venue has not been finalized, despite a post on UNT’s website Aug. 16 saying the event would be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. UNT has since removed AT&T Stadium as the venue. Specific details regarding the event are still unknown at this time. A UNT spokesperson said the contracts between the parties has not been executed. Information regarding the amount Trump Jr. would be paid to speak has not been disclosed. — What Trump Jr. will discuss is also unavailable. The North Texas Daily has requested the executed contract between Trump Jr. and UNT through an open records request. “As a public university that encourages the expression of differing points of view as part of the learning process, UNT welcomes speakers who represent all viewpoints, including conservative, liberal and progressive political ideology as well as all positions in between,” Reese said. A press release from the Office of the President Aug. 17 stated support for UNT’s “deep and rich diversity,” but did not mention the event or Trump Jr. “The University of North Texas long prides itself on celebrating the many facets of diversity on our campus,” the statement reads. “We are a caring community that has always been a place for the free exchange of ideas, differing viewpoints and healthy discussion and debate.” The press release went on to condemn racial intolerance, hate speech and violence. UNT President Neal Smatresk could not be reached for comment about the event. The Kuehne Speaker Series is supported by private donors and sponsors, including the Office of the President and over 20 other UNT institutions. The series’ website states it was established to provide a forum to engage in conversation about topics of national and global relevance. Trump Jr. will mark the first speaker for the 2017-2018 year for the Kuehne Speaker Series. The other guest for this year is Melissa Francis, who is an anchor and host for the FOX Business Network and FOX News Channel. She has spoken at the series in the past and will speak in March 2018. Since its creation in 2013, the series has hosted speakers such as Andrea Tantaros, a cohost and panelist on FOX News Channel, Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and one of President Trump’s key supporters during his 2016 campaign, oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens and most recently, Charles Gasparino, a senior correspondent for the FOX Business Network and “New York Times” bestselling author. Sponsorships for the event range from $5,000-$50,000. A $5,000 annual sponsorship includes a reserved table for eight guests while a $50,000 presenting sponsorship includes two tables for 10 guests and four invitations to a VIP breakfast with the speaker. Calls to David Broughton, the listed spokesperson for the event, were not immediately returned.
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SEE FAIR ON PAGE 5
Top: On Friday August 18, front man Josh Abbott, of the Josh Abbott Band, gets the crowd at the North Texas Fair warmed up with their song “My Texas”. Katie Jenkins Bottom: On Friday August 18, contestant Termaine Debrose wrestles with his steer, forcing it to the ground. After this run, he secured a second place position on the board. Katie Jenkins Right: On Sunday August 20, the fairgrounds are lit by the fluorescent lights of the Ferris wheel. Katie Jenkins
Student takes issue with UNT’s sexual assault training program By Devin Rardin Staff Writer A UNT student claimed the university’s sexual assault training program, Haven, has questions centered around victim blaming. Haven is a national online program used by more than 650 institutions. Micah Crittenden is a sexual assault survivor, but the trauma led her to withdraw from classes. After eight years away, Crittenden has returned to college to finish her degree. When she got to UNT, Crittenden was asked to complete Haven’s sexual assault program.
She could not finish the training due to the way some information was phrased. “A significant number of questions contain assertions of blame,” Crittenden said. “That assertion of blame is one of the top things women or men postrape deal with.” Crittenden discussed some of the specific questions that brought up concerns, including one that read “a person who has been drinking and is sexually assaulted is never at fault for what happened to them.” “By asking that question you are telling victims that
some people think it’s your fault,” Crittenden said. Another question read “it’s not my responsibility to prevent sexual assault at my school.” “If they’re asking whose responsibility it is to prevent sexual assault, then I’m guessing they want you to answer that it’s everyone’s responsibility,” Crittenden said in response. “I argue that’s simply not the case. That is the individual’s responsibility not to sexually assault people.” Crittenden asserts these types of questions can
SEE HAVEN ON PAGE 2
Mean Green unveil new jerseys, talk expectations at football media day By Matthew Brune Senior Sports Writer On the same morning as the unveiling of new Nike uniforms and just two days removed from the team’s third scrimmage of the fall, North Texas players’ and coaches’ excitement for opening night against Lamar exuded from their bodies. The team is coming off an impressive turnaround that concluded with a 5-8 record and an appearance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, and the Mean Green have added new faces both in the starting lineups and on the coaching staff heading into the new year.
But as the program enters its second season under head coach Seth Littrell, consistency seems to be the biggest improvement from last fall. “We’re becoming more consistent and some of that is our leadership,” Littrell said. “We’re still not where we want to be, but it’s a good start and we just have to keep getting a day and a week better.” As the fall has progressed, different position groups have made their presence known on the practice field – from the quarterbacks in week one, to the secondary in week two and the backfield last weekend. Senior running back Jeffery Wilson
ran for 971 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 11 games and aims to take another step forward this season. With his explosiveness back after being sidelined with injuries, he expressed optimism with where the team is at this point. “I feel like we’re in a good spot,” Wilson said. “We still have a lot of improvement to do, a lot of stuff to clean up, especially offensively.” While Wilson and the rest of the backfield have looked strong, the team still officially has somewhat of a question mark at quarterback.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 2
North Texas offensive coordinator Graham Harrell talks to reporters during Media Day. Harrell talked about the offensive line and the depth the Mean Green had at running back. Colin Mitchell
IN THIS ISSUE NEWS
ARTS & LIFE
OPINION
Emmy Award winning composer joining UNT’s College of Music for upcoming school year pg 2 10-time Emmy Award winner and composer Bruce Broughton will join UNT as a composer-in-residence.
20 Denton musicians band together in fight against multiple sclerosis pg 4 A group of Denton musicians are spending time in a cabin in Missouri to record an album and raise money for a local Dentonite with multiple sclerosis.
UNT’s invitation to Donald Trump Jr. isn’t just surprising, it’s tone deaf pg 6 The editorial board discusses why associating with Donald Trump Jr. is tone deaf to the UNT community, and how the university can make it right.
NEWS Page 2
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017
NEWS AROUND THE CAMPUS UNT instructor recieves award from the National Association of Multivultural Rehabilitation A UNT instructor and clinical coordinator, Rachita Sharma, received the President’s Award from the National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns (NAMRC), according to a press release from UNT. Sharma joined the association in 2012. She is currently a board member and serves on several committees. She joined UNT in 2014 and specializes in research for multicultural perspectives in rehabilitation and addiction interventions, the release states. She is also a member of the Texas Rehabilitation Association.
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North Texas looks to build on last season’s success FOOTBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Littrell has yet to name a starter, but the expectation is sophomore Mason Fine will lead the team Sept. 2 after he started nine games as a true freshman. The offense has shown in scrimmages they are most likely going to rely on the run game far more than the air attack again this season. Regardless, the decision to solidify the starting quarterback is a big one and Littrell said the decision will be made sooner rather than later. “We’re going to announce that later this week,” Littrell said. “As of right now I think both [Fine and Quinn Shanbour] have done
some really good things, both have their strengths and weaknesses. We have a pretty good idea [of the starter].” Defensively, the team is looking to build upon what was an improved season last year after allowing 32.6 points per game, which was nearly nine points less than in the 2015 season. Senior safety Kishawn McClain, who has led the team in tackles over the past two seasons, will again be a linchpin for the defense. McClain earned preseason All-Conference USA honors along with cornerback Nate Brooks. With both returning in the secondary, a
Three-day conference to be held in the new art building UNT’s Art in Public Places program and the College of Visual Arts and Design is hosting internationally known artists for a three-day symposium Sept. 8 to 11 in new art building. The Public Art and Grant Writing Symposium will feature a keynote panel discussion, lectures from the five finalists for the public art project, a public art workshop for students and a grant writing workshop. According to a press release from UNT, the artists for the symposium were chosen through the UNT Artist Registry.
UNT associate professor recieves grant for drone development research The National Science Foundation has awarded Shengli Fu, a UNT College of Engineering associate professor, a $250,000 grant for his research in drone development, according to a press release from UNT. In the release, Fu talked about the importance of improving drone techniques for research purposes. The grant will allow Fu to create a drone for testing, in which Fu will provide testers with information regarding assembly and flight instruction, as well as create central processing units that customize how they can use the drone based on applications they develop.
College of Information students recieve American Library Association scholarship Two students in UNT’s College of Information were named 2017 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association (ALA), according to a press release by UNT. Nathalie Garcia-Gomez and Chantel Walker will each receive $5,000 for the next academic year. Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship helps provide scholarship opportunities to help members of certain ethnic groups obtain their graduate degree. According to ALA, they seek the broadest participation of new generations of racially and ethnically diverse librarians. According to UNT’s press release, 29 UNT students have been chosen for the scholarship since 2009.
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North Texas head coach Seth Littrell answers questions to reporters during Media Day. Littrell said that a starter for quarterback will be named before the season starts. Colin Mitchell | Visuals Editor
@mattbrune25
Haven training program accused of victim blaming HAVEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
cause victims to blame themselves, the bystanders, the person who assaulted them or the circumstances surrounding the assault. She brought these concerns to Renee McNamara, a UNT survivor advocate. “I am always available to listen to student concerns and I appreciate hearing student feedback,” McNamara stated in an email. “I think talking with Micah was valuable and she tweeted afterward that she felt it was a productive meeting.” McNamara said Haven helps UNT promote student health and safety. Multiple attempts to reach EVERFI, the company who issues Haven, were unsuccessful. “Haven educates students about the elements of healthy relationships, being a good communicator, understanding and reporting sexual assault, the importance of sexual consent and the role of bystanders in creating safe, healthy communities,” McNamara said. Organizations like Denton County Friends of the Family provide support to individuals impacted by rape, sexual abuse and domestic
violence. Nicole Owens, community education liaison for DCFF, said UNT does a good job of addressing sexual assault and DCFF is close partners with the Dean of Students office. Owens said victim blaming is never the appropriate response to sexual assault. “We are strongly against victim blaming because we know it can be harmful to anyone who has experienced sexual assault,” Owens said. “The person who has committed sexual assault or abuse against the other person makes that choice and it’s always their choice.” Owens looked at the program and thought it was a good tool to help understand the community’s mentality on the subject. “Anytime we talk about sexual assault it could be triggering for people,” Owens said. “Definitely, the intention here was not to cause anyone to feel any blame for their sexual assault. It’s really intended for the opposite -to understand who is already feeling that way. What the culture of the school is and work to better that in the long run.”
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, RAINN, is an anti-sexual violence organization that offers a sexual assault hotline at 800-656-4673. According to RAINN’s website 321,500 Americans 12 or older are sexually assaulted each year. Crittenden is afraid victims of sexual assault will encounter the program and have a painful experience. She hopes the questions will change from blame to action and envisioned a questionnaire centered around developing safety plans. “They are forced to relive their own rape and their own sexual assault and that’s no place to be as you are getting ready to start your academic career,” Crittenden said. “We need to re-direct away from these blame-focused questions and instead focus on actions that we as a community can take.”
@DevinRardin
Emmy Award winning composer joining UNT’s College of Music for upcoming school year By Devin Rardin Staff Writer Bruce Broughton, an Emmy Award winning TV and film composer, will join the UNT College of Music for the 2017-18 school year. He will give students the opportunity to learn about music in media such as film, television and video games. “Both the jazz and composition area touch on music for media, but we don’t have an opportunity to really explore it in detail,” said Joseph Klein, UNT College of Music chair of composition. “[Broughton] gives us a chance to do some real deep exploration in that.” Broughton will serve as the composer in residence, which means he will work for the school without being an official faculty member. He will help the music and media departments, teach composition lessons and be a guest lecturer. Broughton says the UNT music program has great depth, which gives students many opportunities. “It’s a huge program,” Broughton said. “The faculty is very good. They work really well together, which is not always the
case with universities. They have a lot of resources and there is huge depth in the program.” John Richmond, the dean of the College of Music, worked with Broughton while he was at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Richmond invited Broughton to be the composer in residence so students can learn from his experience with music and media. “Mr. Broughton will bring four decades of professional experience to our campus,” Richmond stated in an email. “He is a tremendous musician, teacher and innovator.” Broughton has worked on films such as Silverado, Tombstone and Miracle on 34th Street. He also made music for Disney theme park attractions and has done the first orchestral score for a video game. “His inside perspective and experience over 40-something years will give students a better idea of what they can expect in the commercial medium aspect of music,” Klein said. The UNT music program focuses on concert music and jazz while the majority of undergraduate composition
students are interested in music for media, according to Klein. Klein hopes students will learn about the challenges of working with media. He says many of them don’t realize how cut-throat and competitive it is and Broughton can provide that information. Walter Trapp, a composition junior, says the College of Music doesn’t get a lot of film composers and is excited to have Broughton join UNT. “Hopefully he will put a stronger emphasis on more modern paths of composition, which is film scoring. It will help usher in more focus on how we can apply this to careers,” Trapp said. Broughton believes the focus on media will make the College of Music unique since it is not commonly offered by universities. “If we do this right, we are going to provide something that hasn’t been provided before,” Broughton said. “I think it will be unique in most, if not, all music programs.” There are a lot more opportunities for students than there were 20-30 years ago, according to Broughton. He says
students can get involved with film, TV, video games, streaming media and music for handheld devices. “It’s a huge area. If we do this right and if we do this well, we are going to have something significant to offer people that they couldn’t have a few years ago,” Broughton said. “I think it’s going to be terrific.”
Bruce Broughton is an Emmy Award winning TV and film composer and is going to join the College of Music for the school year. Courtesy | Bruce Broughton
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TRENDING #AdviceForBackToSchool
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defense that only gave up 200 passing yards a game last year aims to be even more daunting for opposing quarterbacks. “It’s great energy, everyone’s talking a lot more, everyone knows their assignments,” McClain said. “So we’re just trying to keep the energy there and we can just play with the excitement and ball out.” As much as the players loved discussing X’s and O’s and their expectations for the year at media day, their eyes lit up most when they had the chance to talk about the team’s new uniforms. Offensive lineman Jordan Murray was almost at a loss for words when explaining why he likes the new Nike look so much, and McClain was just as excited. “It’s crazy, we’ve come a long way,” McClain said with a laugh. “Everybody likes the feel, everybody likes the graphics. It’s amazing.” The new jerseys are just the latest wave of excitement surrounding the team as plenty of fans, players and onlookers have set expectations high for this season. But even after one of the most dramatic turnarounds in college football in his first season, Littrell has never been one to settle. “Obviously, we set the bar high, we have high standards,” Littrell said. “But we still haven’t accomplished the mission we set last year. I think we have a chip on our shoulder to come out strong this season and accomplish the mission, win our bowl game.”
As the school year starts, Twitter users share their best back to school advice for incoming students such as don’t be afraid to ask qestions and bring your headphones.
#TonyRomo
#pugchat
#VoterID
Retired Dallas Cowboys quaterback Tony Romo and his wife, Candice Romo, welcomes their third child, Jones McCoy Romo.
Just a bunch of pictures of pugs, what more could you ask for?
A judge threw out Texas’ voter ID law, claiming it discriminated against minorities. Attorney General Ken Paxton has already promised to appeal the ruling.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017
Students push for vegan options at Apogee Stadium
Advocate calls for more diverse statues
By Alexander Willis Staff Writer Apogee Stadium, the nation’s first stadium to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, as well as boasting some of the most environmentally friendly construction methods, has been criticized regarding its green food options, or lack thereof. “This exclusively meaty menu is totally at odds with the philosophy behind Apogee Stadium, and [is] likely costing UNT a lot of green,” UNT graduate student Lewis Crary said. “The rise of veganism and vegetarianism is showing no sign of slowing down, and UNT has a responsibility to students, and to the planet, to provide sustainable food options.” Crary has published a YouTube video promoting his push for vegan food options at Apogee Stadium, and has also contacted the sustainability committee, as well as John Gibson, the director of concessions for the athletics department at UNT, about his concerns. “[Veganism] is obviously a growing part of our fan base here at North Texas,” Gibson said. “As we move through this year we are going to keep evaluating fan feedback and what they’re looking for.” Gibson said there have been new items added to the healthy options menu, such as hummus and pita chips. They are also adding a vegan hot dog option this year. Veganbits, a popular blog promoting veganism, has found in a study sampling over 11,000 people that only .05 percent of Americans are vegan in 2017. Regardless, veganism continues to become more popular among college campuses, with a 90 percent increase in Google searches for the term in 2016 over the previous year. “I think it’s good to encourage vegan options,” English freshman Meghan Vaquera said. “Everybody should have the choice to eat what they want, where they want, when they want.” Apogee Stadium seats 31,000 spectators, was designed by HKS Sports and Entertainment Group and was constructed by Manhattan Construction Company. Completed in 2011, the stadium was built to comply with the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment agreement, which was poised to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2040. “We have such a huge vegan and vegetarian market just on campus,” Crary said. “There’s lots of people who live a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, and they’re sneaking in Clif Bars to the stadium. I think there’s just a lot of purchases that are being missed.” Crary argues that Apogee Stadium is not only failing in its duty to provide environmentally friendly food options to students, but that it is also missing out on a large UNT demographic, along with their potential revenue. “I don’t think everyone has a moral obligation to eat vegan,” art and performance junior Angela Cheryl said. “It just depends on your beliefs as a person. Many people believe that animals are here [as] part of our food source.” UNT has been at the front of providing options to students in terms of meal choices. In 2016, UNT became the first University in the United States to feature an “all-vegan university dining hall.” Receiving national acclaim, vegan options were incredibly well received at the Mean Green Cafe. “I’m always welcome for any feedback about our operation,” Gibson said. “We want to make our operation better because it’s for the fans.”
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The protest in front of the Confederate soldier monument on the Denton square included picketing and speeches by Willie Hudspeth, hoping to peacefully diversiy statues on the Square. Katie Jenkins | Senior Photographer
CONFEDERATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 out speakers at the event. Denton Police Department public information officer Bryan Cose said the protesters were “peaceful and respectful.” Protesters included many from the surrounding student communities at UNT and Texas Woman’s University, as well as Denton residents. Not all attendees were aware of Hudspeth’s goal to add monuments to the Square instead of removing the current Confederate statue, such as UNT information sciences graduate student Melissa Freiley . “I’m in support of them taking down the Confederate monument that’s on the Square,” Freiley said. “It’s glorifying a part of our history that wasn’t good, and I believe it can alienate people.” Rachelle Foster, a psychology graduate student at TWU, said she supported Hudspeth’s cause because the Square lacks any acknowledgement
to the history of multiple groups including African Americans. “We need to recognize our history,” Foster said. “This statue is one part of our history, not the entire history of the town.” While Hudspeth has been attempting to convince the Denton County Commissioners to place the monument on their agenda, his goal to add monuments to the Square differ from most of the protesters. When Hudspeth asked the crowd present on Sunday evening if they wanted the statue removed, nearly all attendees raised their hands. One person opposed the removal of the statue. The event included an open mic portion during which Hudspeth invited anyone who wished to speak to step up, including those who had differing viewpoints. The open mic speakers held that the monument should be wholly removed, and the crowd applauded their views. Paxton Swisher, UNT criminal justice senior
and vice president of the North Texas College Democrats, took advantage of the open mic to emphasize avenues the public could use to enter the discussion or urge action. Swisher asked protesters to attend the Denton County Commissioner’s Court and offer their opinions or to write letters to the Texas Historical Commission (THC). “It would be very difficult to get this monument removed,” Swisher said. The Denton County Courthouse Museum includes the surrounding lawns, which means the monument is already on museum grounds. Therefore, any changes to the monument must be approved by the THC. The Denton County Commissioners may also propose changes. The United Daughters of the Confederacy erected the Confederate monument on the Square in 1918, 53 years after the conclusion of the Civil War. The Denton County Commissioner’s Court added a plaque on the lawn near the monument in 2010 in response to Hudspeth’s protests and to add context to the monument. Citizens who wish to offer their thoughts on the monument may do so during the public comment section at the beginning of Denton County Commissioner’s Court meetings at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays. The Commissioners Courtroom is located on the second floor of the Courthouse at 110 West Hickory Street, Denton. Hudspeth will be running for county judge in the upcoming election.
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UNT System names former NASA deputy administrator Lesa Roe as chancellor By James Norman News Editor
The UNT System Board of Regents has selected Lesa B. Roe as the sole finalist for the position of chancellor. She was selected at the Aug. 17 Board of Regents meeting. “Serving the UNT System, the North Texas region and the state of Texas would be a tremendous honor and opportunity,” Roe stated in a press release from the university. “Thank you to the Board of Regents for their confidence and trust in my leadership.” Roe was the acting deputy administrator for NASA. She will replace Lee F. Jackson, who was the chancellor for 15 years and the longestserving chancellor in the state. She will be UNT’s third chancellor and the first woman to oversee the UNT System. Roe spent over 30 years working at NASA and worked across 10 different institutions at the agency. According to a university press release, NASA is a $19.6 billion annual federal agency with $31 billion in assets. Now that Roe has been selected as the sole finalist for the job, state
law requires a waiting period of 21 days before the board can finalize her employment. Chancellor Jackson will remain at the post during that period. He will also continue to serve the UNT System until the end of 2017. Robert Lightfoot, NASA’s acting administrator and chief operating officer, stated in the press release Roe’s experience at NASA suits her well for her new role. “Lesa’s vast experience and success leading at NASA – a large organization with 10 geographically dispersed field centers – is directly applicable to leading a University System,” Lightfoot said in the press release. “The UNT System should expect a high-energy, results-driven leader.” Roe has a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering and has served on several boards and advisory councils, according to the press release. She and her husband, Ralph Roe, NASA’s chief engineer, have two boys and one girl.
@JamesTNorman_WL
Lesa B. Roe. has been selected as the sole finalist for the position of chancellor. Roe was formally the acting deputy administrator of NASA. Courtesy | UNT
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Summer class celebrates history in an interactive way By Nina Quatrino Senior Arts & Life Writer
F
ocusing intently on the screen, the 36-year-old media arts professor finalizes every finishing touch on her summer semester’s long awaited documentary, titled FreedmanTown2.0. As an independent filmmaker herself, Carla LynDale Carter-Bishop’s main goal is teaching students how to share their personal stories while also representing stories that haven’t been told before. “A big part of my work is celebrating some of the history that is not in the history books,” Carter-Bishop said. “I want to bring in more of the history that isn’t spoken about.” Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, CarterBishop received a job offer from UNT’s media arts department in 2015. She is going on her third year of teaching this coming fall semester. Carter-Bishop has always been a film lover and knew she wanted to study it in college. But her lack of hands-on experience in filmmaking became a barrier when applying to undergraduate schools. “Most of these competitive film schools require an ample reel of your work, and I didn’t have that yet,” Carter-Bishop said. Carter-Bishop was accepted into a program at the University of Chicago, where she studied the history and analysis of film. It was there where she received her bachelor’s degree in cinema studies before going on to complete her master’s in filmmaking at Temple University in Philadelphia. Before long, she developed what she called her own personal style of film. “I went to under-represented schools, and trained students on how to tell their own stories,” Carter-Bishop said. “[Students] have certain issues and struggles, so I try to bring in my background in filmmaking as a way to use film for the students to be able to express themselves and share their own stories. I’ve had huge success with that.” Now, Carter-Bishop is wrapping up her five-week summer session, titled Interactive Community Video, where she and a class of 18 students spent time doing intense amounts of research about the hidden history of several black Denton communities. Carter-Bishop wanted to express different topics, like how southeast Denton is predominately a black community, through the class in order for her students to be able to draw inspiration from various paths of Denton. “In the late 1800s, when a lot of slaves were freed, they moved to this area called Quakertown,” Carter-Bishop said. “It used to be a thriving black community from the late 1800s. Until the early 1920s, they were self-sufficient. They had grocery stores and businesses, they were prosperous – and this was located right in front of Texas Woman’s University.” In order to get reliable information for
her lessons and the projects, the class has spent the summer doing various forms of research. “We’ve been interviewing a lot of seniors, we’ve been doing field trips to the local senior center and the recreation center, and we’ve just been interacting with the communities to get their stories,” CarterBishop said. “We’re also getting a lot of history of life before southeast Denton, in terms of how southeast Denton became a predominately black neighborhood.” While the story of Quakertown is a huge inspiration for this project, it isn’t the sole content of the documentary. “This project does not just focus on the oppression or violation of black communities, but also the resilience, strength and beauty which comes through in the videos that the students are creating,” Carter-Bishop said. This documentary isn’t like any other student-classroom project, Carter-Bishop said. Instead of a two-dimensional project, Carter-Bishop pushed her students to take their talents a step further. “The cool part about our project is that it’s interactive — it’s not like a traditional documentary,” Carter-Bishop said. The interactive documentary uses augmented reality technology to create an experience that is unlike the standard linear documentary form. “We’ve actually broken down the film into 17 different shorts, all [showing] varied histories of different buildings, structures and people,” Carter-Bishop said. Students will be able to interact with the documentary by walking around the community with their tablet or smartphone. When they approach a certain building or specific location, a video about the history of the structure and people there will appear. “It’s interactive in terms of locationbased and image-based,” Carter-Bishop said. “We will have photographs hanging up throughout the recreation center, so if you download the app and it recognizes the image, the video will pop up of the interview we did.” The idea of working on an interactive documentary came about from CarterBishop witnessing her previous students playing the popular game Pokemon Go about a year ago. While the interactive element is unique, that does not take away from the project’s educational purpose. “It’s still educational, but it’s fun,” CarterBishop said. “[People are] not going to want to watch a two-hour documentary, but if you make it a ‘digital scavenger hunt’ and it’s interactive, you have to find different places in your community. You learn the history just by walking and engaging with different people.” Last week, the project was showcased to summer camp children at the Martin Luther King Recreational Center, where a
Top: Professor CarterBishop explains to her class how to set up hot spots for the iPad’s. The iPad’s will be used during the interactive documentary to watch mini videos about the black history in Denton. Cameron Roe Bottom: Doing a final test run for their interactive documentary, students make sure their trigger photos work. The interactive documentary previewed at a children’s summer camp on Aug. 9, 2017. Cameron Roe
lot of filming took place. “I feel like this project opened my eyes to what it truly means to be a part of something that can reach and affect an entire community,” media arts senior Okoye Anderson said. Anderson was a part of the group whose task was to find more about the history of Quakertown. Anderson said they tried to seek out a new perspective by challenging the master narrative found in previous documents about the town. “I’m going to walk away from this knowing that we gave a lot of people in the community fresh content about the story of Quakertown and historical black Denton,” Anderson said. Fellow media arts junior Valorie Buentello worked on covering the Women’s Interracial Fellowship in Quakertown for
the FreedmanTown2.0 project. “It was really interesting because a lot of the black women still meet up and go to the senior center for Bible study,” Buentello said. Buentello interviewed many women in order to get a variety of information on what life was like for them. “There was so much history I never heard about in the Denton community, and it got me thinking, ‘what else am I not aware of?’” Buentello said. Inspiring her to perfect her craft, Buentello said working on a hands-on project as big as this is very stressful, but it is even more rewarding when it all comes together. “It inspired me to get more involved with the [Denton] community, and any community really,” Buentello said.
That’s exactly what Carter-Bishop was hoping for. Her goal in all her work is representing the unrepresented groups and making sure their stories are brought to light and shown in mainstream media. Although Carter-Bishop specializes in community documentaries, her main focus is passing on this passion of storytelling to youth for generations to come. “Me being young, me being black and me being a woman gives me three strikes as to why a lot of people don’t take me seriously,” Carter-Bishop said. “I feel like people understate me. I am constantly surprising people.”
@ninaquatrino
Local resale shop sells donated items to benefit Denton women By Dionecia Petit Staff Writer From dresses and earrings to school supplies and diapers, Twice as Nice Resale of Denton holds a variety of quality items perfect for any family shopping trip. While your child browses the selection of children’s books, you could check out a recliner that would go perfect with your living room furniture. You both get what you want at a low price, and your purchase helps another mom in the community buy
something for her child. Twice as Nice Resale of Denton opened its doors in 2004 as a financial resource for the Denton Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource Center. In addition to financial stability, the store allows the nonprofit women’s health clinic to maintain its mission in service. “All of the proceeds are poured back into the organization,” said Morgan Collins, Woman to Woman Marketing and Events Coordinator. “This helps keep our services we
provide as a pregnancy resource center completely free to those we serve.” Merchandise is gathered by donations from businesses, churches and other individuals in the Denton community. All new and gently used items suitable for sale are accepted daily at the store’s warehouse. Items not suitable for sale, such as stained clothes or medical equipment, are donated or redirected to other nonprofit organizations in Denton.
“We don’t throw anything away, we make sure someone gets it,” Collins said. “[Other organizations] come regularly to come pick up donations that we won’t sell.” While donations keep the store stocked, a hard working team of volunteers who donate their time weekly help keep the store running daily. Although store associate Trina West has only been a volunteer at the store for two months, the opportunity to work with volunteers and customers has made
Twice as Nice Resale of Denton sells a variety of items, from furniture to clothes and books to linens. Items are collected from donations and estate sales. Twice as Nice takes all of its proceeds and gives them to the Denton Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource Center. Katie Jenkins | Senior Photographer
a difference in her own life. “Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do this,” West said. “Just getting to know them and seeing how they sacrifice their time, coming in just to help serve the community through this store, has been a huge blessing for me.” Community outreach is a priority for the store and multiple fundraising events are held throughout the year. In June, the store offered the finest of their purse collection to local businesses and women for the annual Woman to Woman Ladies’ Purse Auction and Brunch. The store also participates in community events, such as North Texas Giving Day and university events, like the UNT Mean Green Fling. “We’ve worked with multiple groups around town,” store manager Eddie Herron said. “We also work with Vision Ministries, Denton Freedom House and other nonprofits in the city to help them with needs.” Woman to Woman works directly with the store for its Earn to Learn Program. The program allows expectant parents to earn vouchers for attending education classes. These vouchers can be redeemed at the store for items such as diapers, formula and other essential baby items. Serving the community is more than attending events and reaching out a helping hand. It also focuses on making personal connections with others involved. Even in the matters of resale, the business remains people-focused.
“Our customers come in and we know them by name,” Herron said. “[The store] is a small group for some people. [It’s] their place to come and get encouraged. We like to make our customers feel like family.” The store has grown significantly in every area since its first sale, with a building expansion made last year to accommodate an increasing selection of home furnishing items. Weekly sales sometimes bring in customers from different counties and states. In the midst of all the shopping, Collins hopes the sales can continue to spread the message and further the mission of Woman to Woman. “We hope through Twice as Nice we can provide those items to the community while continuing to support our mission,” Collins said. “[Our mission is] empowering individuals to make wise life choices financially, sexually and spiritually through the power of education, resources and unconditional love.” Above all else, Herron hopes the store will continue to grow and serve the community who keep that mission thriving. “Knowing we can help other people, be there for other people, provide things for other people and help change lives and just make a difference in the community with people is what really keeps us going,” Herron said. “We call it purchase with a purpose because the [purchase] benefits other people, and that’s what we like to do.”
@DioneciaP
NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 5
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017
North Texas Fair celebrates food, festivities, family FAIR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Farm Bureau representative Lewis Trietsch said. “I’ve been coming to the fair off and on for about 45 years, and every year we have more and more people who have come from out of state just to come to the fair.” The NTSFR, like many other state fairs, is an annual event that provides traditional entertainment such as live shows and music, games, food, petting zoos and rides of all kinds. It’s the second largest fair in Texas, and began in 1928. Since then, the fair has become a deeply ingrained tradition within the local community, but also becoming popular well outside the boundaries of North Texas. The fair is organized and operated by a close knit group of community volunteers made up of Denton County locals who say that they are working to preserve and expand the fair for future generations. “It’s a family affair, and we hope to pass it down through the generations,” committee member Carlos Stratton said. “I think you’ll find that most committee members have their families involved. I brought my family up here, and I’ve got all my kids working up here with me. My brother and I built all these booths.” With as long as the NTSFR has been going on, families like Stratton’s have been attending the fair and rodeo since its inception. Since the fair and rodeo holds events and activities for people of all ages, attendees and workers usually can’t walk around the fair without stopping periodically to catch up with friends and fair natives. “A lot of people come year after year,” Stratton said. “Some people take their vacation in order to come work this fair. It’s like seeing your cousins after not seeing them all year. It’s like a family reunion. Everyone loves the fair, what it stands for and what it does for the community.” Executive board member Mickey Blagg, who has attended the fair for 38 years, said she thinks it’s the strong community
involvement that has kept the fair running strong through the years. “Kids who grow up here end up coming back year after year,” Blagg said. “It’s that sense of community that brings them back, and we try to get as many younger people involved [as we can] so we can pass it down when people like me get too old to do it.” While the fair has grown over the years, the people who have been attending the longest still feel like they did when they attended the fair as kids. Exhibits director Mickey McNary first attended the NTSFR 65 years ago, but said that other than growing in size and scope, he still feels the same sense of nostalgia as when he would walk onto the fair grounds decades ago. “I would say the fair has become more professional and it represents our community better than it did before,” McNary said. “There’s been a lot that’s changed in what people want to see and how many people show up, but the fair still has the small town atmosphere and sense of community.” Volunteer and longtime attendee Tim Kutas is also able to experience the positive changes the fair and rodeo has adapted throughout the years. “Things have changed drastically in a good way as far as opening it up to make room for more entertainment,” Kutas said. “The quality of entertainment has increased, and they’ve got a lot more stuff for the kids of all the different age groups, and we’re still looking for things to add to it.” While not everyone involved in the fair is a volunteer, works a booth or participates in the rodeo, many attendees look forward to experiencing the fair from the outside. Maria Gomez, a longtime Denton resident and fair attendee, and her three kids always remember when it’s time for the fair to start. “We drive by, and they’ll see them putting up the rides and bringing in the trailers,” Gomez said, “I don’t even need to ask them if they want to go, they’re already ready. It really is a lot of fun for
Top: During the steer wrestling event on opening day, contestant Grady Payne shifts from his horse onto the steer’s back. Payne completed his run in about 7.75 seconds. Katie Jenkins | Senior Photographer Bottom: In the midst of a bustling crowd, a guest of the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo takes a bite of his funnel cake. As there is usually limited table space, many fairs sell food items made to be eaten with one’s hands. Katie Jenkins | Senior Photographer them.” Since the fair is open until Aug. 26, many people try to bring their kids to the fair as many times as they can while the fairgrounds are open so they can experience every aspect. While the adults have fun reliving their childhood, Gomez loves seeing how her kids react
to the changes and aspects of the NTSFR from year to year. “They love the rodeo and all of the games,” Gomez said. “They’re still a little young for some of the rides, but I’m sure we will keep coming back until they are old enough.” For Blagg and all the others involved in the fair and rodeo,
the sense of family and unity the NTSFR presents every year in North Texas represents something bigger than a continuous event. It provides an opportunity for nostalgia, a sense of community and a way to make memories for decades to come. “I started coming here when I was 12,” Blagg said. “We always
knew that when we’d drive down University Drive and see that the Ferris wheel was going up, we’d beg our mom to take us. We’d know it was fair time.”
@untdmu
20 Denton musicians band together in fight against multiple sclerosis By Alexander Willis Staff Writer Twenty Denton musicians will embark to a cabin in Missouri later this month to record an album titled the “Elk River Sessions.” The “Elk River Sessions” is a project devised by local musician Aaron Anttila, better known as Catfish among the Denton community. A film crew is setup to record the event, and a subsequent documentary is planned for future release. “Catfish approached me two years ago,” Denton resident Traci Batson said. “He came up and said he had an idea to go to his cabin and record some music with some awesome people. He wanted me to be the person benefiting from it.” Batson has lived in Denton for almost nine years, and was diagnosed
Aaron Anttila, known as Catfish, started the project known as the “Elk River Sessions.” Courtesy | Aaron Antilla
with multiple sclerosis in 2015. “The main goal is to bring some relief to Traci and her situation,” said Isaac Lewis, who is part of the film crew recording the “Elk River Sessions.” “But we’re doing it in a really cool, Denton kind of way. The film crew is from Denton [and] most of the musicians are either from here or live here. So it’s a really neat thing we’re doing, and this town has kind of banded together.” While the project was devised to produce both an album and a documentary, the proceeds will aid Batson with her medical bills, which she has been encumbered by a great deal since her diagnosis. “This [Denton] community is a family,” Batson said. “And it doesn’t matter if you don’t know who’s in trouble — this whole community comes together just to take care of that person, and I’ve seen that over and over again. I’m fortunate enough to have been one of those people.” The cabin is located is Noel Village, Missouri and sits on the Elk River. The cabin has been in Anttila’s family for decades. In recent years it has been used by Anttila and his friends to play music. “I’ve had this idea for about three years now,” Anttila said. “I’ve visited this cabin pretty much my whole life. One day, we said, ‘man, we know so many great musicians in Denton, we should actually [go to the cabin] and do some fun music stuff.’” Musician Andy Cox has visited Anttila’s cabin, and he is one of the musicians set to perform for the “Elk River Sessions” project. Cox said during earlier visits with friends they would make songs for passing canoes and kayaks drifting down the river. “We had such a good time, at some point we were like, ‘let’s go back!’” Cox said. “Any time you get to be around musicians and work together, you develop [a] camaraderie that’ll probably last you forever.” The project has many sponsors, including Oak Street Drafthouse, Little Guys Movers and Sysco, with one of the largest sponsors being Armadillo Ale Works, a Denton craft brewery.
“[This project is] a very Denton thing,” said Bobby Mullins, co-founder of Armadillo Ale Works. “I’ve been here most of my life, and it just sounded like something I had to be a part of.” Mullins is a UNT alumnus, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film. Armadillo Ale Works took off after a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2011 and established its own facility in Denton in 2015. “People here are involved with music because they love the music,” Mullins said. “Not necessarily because there’s money behind it. People here, they want to play, they want to support the music scene that’s here, and I just think that’s great. It’s a great town and a great scene.” Another musician set to join the “Elk River Sessions” is UNT graduate Eric Nichelson, one of the founders of the band Midlake, an American folk rock band formed in Denton in 1999. In addition to touring worldwide with Midlake, Nichelson also performs with his two young children in his second band, Marathons & Unicorns. “Catfish asked me to be a part of ‘Elk River Sessions,’” Nichelson said. “We’re not rehearsing — some of these people I don’t even know. I’m sure they’ll be some really awesome moments we can get.” After much jamming, fishing and whiskey, the group is planning to perform the album live at Dan’s Silverleaf late August. The sessions are set to begin Aug. 24. “The thing I’m most excited to come out of this, honestly, is an easier future for Traci,” said Chuck Crosswhite, producer on the film crew and curator of music event Rock Lottery. “I think the music’s going to be badass, and I think everyone’s going to have a good time. I hope the documentary turns out well — but really, I think the reason for the season is trying to help out Traci and her struggle with MS. I hope we can do something to help her out in her battle.”
THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017
@Zubadascana
Denton Event Radar August 24, 2017
Mean Green Fling Where: UNT Union and Library Mall When: 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. Free
August 24-26, 2017
North Texas State Fair and Rodeo Where: 2217 N. Carroll Blvd. Behind Kroger Admission information and event schedule available at ntfair.com
August 25, 2017
UPC Presents: Eagle Insomnia Where: UNT Union When: 7 p.m.- 11:45 p.m. Free
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August 26, 2017
Denton Community Market Where: Denton County Historic Park 317 W. Mulberry St. When: 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Free
North Texas Daily
August 27, 2017
Painting with a Twist: Paint Your Pet Where: 208 W. Oak St. When: 2 p.m.- 5 p.m. $55 per seat
August 28, 2017
UPC Presents: Lip Sync Battle Where: UNT Syndicate When: 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. Free
POWER FROM THE WEB MOBILE FRIENDLY ADVERTISING FLEXIBLE PLACEMENT OPTIONS YOUR MESSAGE PLACED DIRECTLY IN YOUR CUSTOMER’S POCKET; ACCESIBLE ANYWHERE THEY GO.
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OPINION Page 6
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017
NTDAILY.COM
Ending the war on marijuana will help the war on drugs By Garron Weeks Staff Writer
Illustration by Theresa Sanchez
UNT’s invitation to Donald Trump Jr. isn’t just surprising, it’s tone deaf By The Editorial Board When the news broke that Donald Trump Jr. would be speaking as part of the UNT Keuhne Speaker Series on Oct. 24, all you could really do is stare at it. It just did not make sense. It still doesn’t. Trump Jr. and a majority of the rhetoric he and his father, President Donald Trump, stand for do not represent the inclusive and diverse community of the University of North Texas. UNT’s decision to host Trump Jr. came just days after the racially fueled violence in Charlottesville that his father refused to condemn until nearly three days after the incident. Tack on the fact Trump Jr. is currently under federal investigation for possibly colluding with Russia during last year’s election, and you are left with a tone deaf and utterly irresponsible decision. The university seemingly tried to keep the announcement under the radar, quietly placing it on the Kuehne Speaker Series site last week. So when we first reported Trump Jr. would be speaking as part of the
Keuhne Speaker Series, the reactions from students and alumni were overwhelmingly negative — and for good reason. Trump Jr. simply does not represent the values of UNT, and his name should never be attached to the UNT brand. Forget political affiliation and listening to both sides of the aisle — the move to bring in Trump Jr. showcases how out of touch sponsors and some administrators are with the UNT community. Not even an email from the Office of the President promoting UNT’s diverse history and condemning racial intolerance, hate speech and violence makes this move right. The only way to fix the problem is to uninvite Trump Jr., even if that means upsetting some private donors and throwing away some money. In the past, Trump Jr. has been paid around $50,000 to speak, which isn’t exactly chump change. But this isn’t UNT’s money. The Kuehne Series is privately funded by sponsors and has hosted mainly conservative minds such as FOX Business Network host Melissa Francis and former New York City
mayor Rudy Guiliani. The speaker series is named after UNT alumnus and North Texas Athletics Hall of Famer Ernie Kuehne. Kuehne is president and board chairman of Kuehne Oil Co., a member of the State Bar of Texas and owner of Kuehne Racing. He has the cash, along with his sponsors to throw on the table and not only entice Trump Jr., but allow UNT to move forward with the event despite public outcry. It will take a massive amount of spine for UNT to uninvite Trump, but it needs to happen. The problem is not that Trump Jr. is a conservative speaker, the problem is UNT thought Trump Jr. adequately represents the views of its university. UNT knew there would be backlash, and so far have not addressed it properly. Whether you want Trump Jr. to speak or completely oppose it, this is your time to tell UNT which side you are on. But judging by the reaction around campus and on social media, there is just one right thing to do. Sorry Junior, you’re fired.
@ntdaily
While many believe policing the use and sale of natural drugs will create a safer society, the opposite has been found to be true. The policing of drug use creates the black market and supports the drug cartels. Doctors are quick to push pharmaceuticals, but natural drugs like cannabis that humans have used for thousands of years are illegal federally. If natural drugs are legal and regulated, users of these natural plants will know exactly what they are getting and will be purchasing it in a way that supports the economy. Because cannabis is illegal, the black market provides an unknown supply to the recreational drug user and the profit goes to drug cartels. If cannabis is legal, people can safely get the product they want and the treatment they believe they need. Rehabilitation centers can use these natural drugs to properly wean users off much more harmful drugs and already are in legal states. A rehabilitation center in Los Angeles called High Sobriety has been using cannabis to wean patients off opioids and other harmful drugs. The founder, Joe Scharnk, spoke in an interview with CNN about the perceived hypocrisy of using legal drugs to get off hard drugs. Scharnk has been sober for 20 years after weaning himself off hard drugs. “Some say it’s hypocritical because, you know, you’re supposed to go to rehab to get off drugs,” Scharnk said. “Cessation of drug use can be a goal for some people, but pacing is also important.”
Illustration by Samuel Wiggins
The drug war is supposed to be a fight against the black market and drug cartels. But without a drug war, the sale of natural drugs through cartels and a black market would be lesser, and the focus can shift to drugs that are much more destructive. By the end of the 20th century, there were over two million inmates in America. That’s more than 10 times the number of U.S. inmates any time prior to the 1970s and far more than other countries. From 2001 to 2010, there were 7 million arrests for marijuana. In 2010, over half of all drug arrests were for marijuana. Anthony Coulson, the assistant special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency district office in Tucson, Arizona, said in an interview with NBC News that it’s estimated $10 billion worth of drugs pass through the state of Arizona alone. “Right now, the volume of marijuana that will be seized in southern Arizona will be approximately, we predict, 1.4 million pounds by the end of this calendar year,” Coulson said. “That is beyond what we’ve ever seized before.” After the states of Colorado and Washington legalized cannabis, violent crime decreased significantly. This is contrary to the movie Reefer Madness (1936), that swayed the public eye to demonize marijuana legalization. With legal drugs like opioids taking over 28,000 lives annually, alcohol leading to 88,000 deaths annually, and cigarette smoking being responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year including 41,000 deaths from secondhand exposure, one would think these issues would be the focus of the war on drugs. But the focus is on cannabis, a natural plant medicine used for thousands of years that has led to zero deaths. Eight states currently recognize cannabis as a natural, legal plant that can be used safely by adults 21 and older. There are 29 total states that have legalized the medicinal use of cannabis. Not including all of the revenue that full legalization would bring to the economy and all of the prisoners free to contribute to the workforce, legalization would keep America to its cornerstone values of liberty. If a person isn’t hurting anyone but themselves, what gives someone else the right to lock them in a cage for something like using a natural plant, like cannabis? The side effects of responsible cannabis use are lesser than cigarettes, and you can get those in any corner store. What is stopping it from being legalized?
@GarronWeeks
UNT keeps changing parking pass prices, but why? By Julia Falcon Senior News Writer
Illustration by Samuel Wiggins
With the beginning of every school year comes textbook purchases, last minute registration, move-in days and the worst — maneuvering the UNT parking lots. Notoriously known to be hated by students and faculty alike, the UNT Parking and Transportation Services have hiked up parking pass prices yet again, on top of construction literally knocking out parking lots. What I don’t understand is how they determine how much a parking pass is worth. Why is the most expensive parking pass (a reserved spot in the Highland Street Parking Garage) is $1,200? How was that astronomical value decided? We’re already broke college kids, why should we have to pay an arm and a leg and a half to get a single parking pass that doesn’t even guarantee us a spot? Traditionally, freshman and residence hall
PRESENTS
residents park outside their assigned dorms. Now, they all park at the lots behind Victory Hall on the other side of Apogee Stadium. The lot behind Kerr Hall, one the largest residence halls on campus, is blocked off due to construction. Every other parking spot belongs to Platinum and General pass holders. Now, parking spots are more segregated and the rules and prices are more tedious. Want a reserved spot in the garage? Do you have $1,200? Want an over sold Eagle pass, not guaranteeing you a spot? $250. In the short time I commuted to UNT in fall 2015, I could not find parking in the general lots. After reading about parking violations, I found out that the passes were over sold. To add to that issue now, visitors to campus without a parking pass can pay to park in general commuter lots using an app. The overcrowding just keeps getting more crowded it seems. In the 1980s, UCLA did a study and found that students were more concerned about finding a parking spot than school work. Interesting how some things
never change. Parking over the past couple of years been nothing but a crapshoot on top of all the construction of a continuously growing university. Given the current disdain for the system as a whole, the new parking passes and parking issues a new semester brings will without a doubt cause some anger around campus. At least campus doesn’t feed local tow trucking companies. They will just boot your car if you get enough parking tickets. We are already broke students, most of us pulling out loans, most of us working jobs to buy groceries and now paying nearly a class worth of money for a parking pass? Why does the issue of parking never seem to get better with all of this money made off of parking? Good luck to everyone out there this upcoming semester. Thankfully, I live less than a mile from campus now and will never, ever have to worry about
@falconjulia22
HALF-OFF EVERYTHING SALE
SEPTEMBER 4, 2017 1701 BRINKER ROAD–NEXT TO WALMART MON-SAT 9AM-8PM | SUN 11AM-7PM