North Texas Daily 9/13/18

FEATURES, pg 5

SPORTS, pg 6

OPINION, pg 8

Bullseye Bike Shop picks up speed with new location

Mean Green take on Razorbacks Saturday to protect 2-0 season

Fast fashion makes ethical shopping harder for consumers

Serving the University of North Texas and Denton since 1916 VOL. 114 No. 3 • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

BUDGET CUTS

Student media, other orgs see funding decrease

North Texas Daily •

SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 2

@ntdaily • NTDAILY.COM

COMMUNITY

Ministry guides men to lasting sobriety

By Rachel Linch @Rachel_Linch Former drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless men fill the open room. Two rows of white tables face toward windows overlooking a green field. A bulletin board hangs on the left side of the room with pictures of different men and a Bible verse that reads, “He who the Son sets free is free indeed.”

It is almost 7 p.m. at the Denton Freedom House and the men are about to start their core group discussions. Some of them carry Bibles in their tattooed arms, others sit quietly in the wooden chairs. Mike Duke, a division manager at the house, sits down at the front of the room.

“Who wants to pray?” he asks.

A couple of hands go up, Duke points to one of the men sitting in the front row and the rest of the room bows their heads.

“Amen,” they say.

It is a room of former drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless men. But in this room they are not seen as or defined by their past addictions.

Instead, they partake in the mission carried out at the Denton Freedom House.

The house is a nonprofit ministry that offers a free place to live for up to 50 men who have struggled with addiction and homelessness. For those who

By Zaira Perez & Sean Riedel @zairalperez @SeanRiedel In this year’s round of Student Service Fee Advisory Committee funding requests, a number of organizations saw significant budget cuts, including some within areas the committee deemed priorities, according to documents signed by the then-chairperson and Elizabeth With, the vice president for student affairs.

Although the committee lists things such as student success/retention and wellness as “priorities” when allocating funds to organizations this year, some of the organizations with the largest cuts encompass those priorities. Several of the largest budget increases also encompass those priorities.

Additionally, at least two organizations were informed of the committee’s intentions to be “weaned off” funding, including the North Texas Daily and KNTU — both of which are student media.

The committee reviews and decides all student service fee budget requests. The committee sets a priority list to determine how much money is allocated to organizations each year.

In order of importance, the priorities this past year were: student success/retention, diversity/inclusion, wellness, Mean Green morale and satellite campuses.

The organizations and entities with the largest decreases in funding this year are Health and Wellness (-$143,964.27), Toulouse Graduate School (-$81,400) the Learning Center (-$46,084.81), Career/Leadership Development (-$45,745.51) and Graduate Student Council (-$30,545).

Health and Wellness, which received the largest funding cut, encompasses the Student Health and Wellness Center and Counseling and Testing Services, both of which offer medical and mental health services to students on campus.

The organizations and entities with the largest increases in funding this year are Marketing and Budget Support for the Vice President of Student Affairs ($284,264.21), the New College at Frisco ($163,966.04), the Career Center ($73,046.86), the Dean of Students’ Conduct Operations ($40,367.67) and the Student Activities Center ($38,697.51).

While Marketing and Budget Support for the Vice President for Student Affairs had the largest increase, the budget for

@ntdaily •

SEE FREEDOM HOUSE ON PAGE 4 A man reads from his Bible during Bible study at the Denton Freedom House. The Denton Freedom House was started in 2004 by Jeremy and Karen Adams. Jacob Ostermann

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

POLICIES

Clear bag policy goes into effect for 20182019 football season

By Alex Hall @alexhall87

UNT Student Government Association has 17 open Senate positions. Constitutionally, all 45 must be filled. Isabel Anes

UNT athletics implemented a clear bag policy at Apogee Stadium for the 2018-19 school year.

Attendees are not required to use a specific bag, but they are restricted in that the dimensions cannot exceed 12-by-6-by-12 inches.

The policy has been in the works for a while, but this semester is the first time the athletics department is in a position to fully implement it at UNT. Information started being released in 2017 to inform people of the upcoming changes implemented in fall 2018.

“The biggest reason is really just to be in line with what everybody’s doing across the country for all major event venues,” said Eric Capper, senior associate athletic director for communications.

“It helps us gives us a chance to give our fans a safe and secure environment, and also it expedites the check-in process of people as they’re coming in to the game.”

Capper shared that fans and spectators are not necessarily barred from bringing anything in that they formerly could or could not bring in, the only new change is what those items are packaged in.

SEE POLICY ON PAGE 3

17 SGA Senate seats remain vacant

By Ally Zarate @allyzaratetx Though the UNT Student Government Association constitution allocates 45 Senate seats, 28 SGA senators hold seats within the associating, leaving 17 seats vacant.

The fall 2018 semester marks the 50th Senate session and brings a new administration with SGA President Muhammad Kara and Vice President Dominique Thomas, who began their term in June.

Kara said the executive branch is putting its efforts toward increasing recruitment and retainment.

“Right now, what we’re focusing on is the SGA experience within our own internal branches and putting the work back into SGA,” Kara said.

“We’re focusing a lot on our interns this upcoming semester. We’re going to try to plug in our senators with our freshmen because a lot of the freshmen are interested in becoming senators.”

The executive branch intends to bring attention to Senate vacancies. Kara said the administration will push senators to find representatives within their colleges.

“Dominique is going to be setting up dean meetings to make sure that the deans are aware of the vacancies in all of their colleges,” Kara said.

“Our outreach director is going to be tabling and pushing out our interest form.”

Crista Coffey, director of student affairs and SGA advisor, said each year is a new challenge.

SEE SGA ON PAGE 2

A clear bag policy for Apogee Stadium is now in effect. UNTimplemented the policy for Apogee effective Sept. 1. Isabel Anes

SWIMMING

Olympic hopeful set to make a splash

By Tania Damle @DamleTania

Freshman Carmen Botha from Pretoria, South Africa, swims at practice Wednesday. Jordan Collard

Standing at 5 feet, 1 inch with bright blonde hair, Carmen Botha (pronounced boo-eh-tha) is set to be a formidable force on the Mean Green swim team.

The South African native learned how to swim from her mother at a very early age and begin competing in the sport at just 7 years old. Botha joined the South African national swim team as a 12-year-old.

“I just did really well there,” Botha

said. “For example, my last nationals [in 2017], I placed fourth in one [event] and sixth in the other.”

In 2016, Botha tried out for the South African Olympic swim team, placing seventh in her event. In order to become an Olympic team member, the athlete must place within the top two race times for any particular swim event.

After her attempt to make the Olympic team didn’t fare as she had hoped, she turned her attention to swimming at the collegiate level. Her record caught the eye

of Mean Green swim coach Brittany Roth.

“Carmen is a really sweet girl,” Roth said. “She’s got a strong work ethic.”

A few months later, Carmen boarded a plane to take her place on the Mean Green swim team. She said something about North Texas really stuck out to her.

“I chose UNT because of the location and the campus,” Botha said. “I liked Coach Brittany when we spoke over Skype. The opportunities for swimmers are better in the Americas because college

SEE SWIMMER ON PAGE 6

NEWS Page 2

North Texas Daily Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Alec Spicer @Spicer_Alec Alec.Spicer@unt.edu Copy Chief Kaitlin Pennell @K_itlinnn pennellkaitlin@gmail.com News Editor Sean Riedel @SeanRiedel seanriedel@my.unt.edu Arts & Life Editor Amy Roh @rohmyboat amyroh77@gmail.com Sports Editor Zachary Cottam @ZachCottam zachacottam@gmail.com Opinion Editor Rachel Herzer @coolrachdoritos rherzer96@gmail.com Visuals Editor Kelsey Shoemaker @kelesmis kelseyshoes@gmail.com

Production Team Design Editor/Copy Editor Kiera Geils @KieraGeils kierageils@my.unt.edu Designer/Copy Editor Parisa Nasiripour @risanasiri parisa.nasirip@gmail.com Designer/Copy Editor Parker Ward @ParkerDFW parkbenward@outlook.com Social Media Manager Alexia Johnson @uhlexeeyuh alexiajohnson@my.unt.edu

Business Director Adam Reese 940-565-4265 Adam.Reese@unt.edu

Faculty Adviser Gary Ghioto 940-891-6722 Gary.Ghioto@unt.edu

To pitch a story or contact the Editor-in-Chief, please email northtexasdaily@gmail.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

NTDAILY.COM

Graduate school, media see budget cuts BUDGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 2018 only listed it as “Budget Support.” The two are still the same organization because its organization codes and numbers are the same on the obtained documents. The large increase may have come after encompassing marketing.

Each year the committee meets to review requests for allocations of the student service fee. Organizations submit a form with a specific amount of money requested, a description of what they do, what the funds will go toward and how they evaluate their program.

The committee is comprised of nine students, the Student Government Association President (who acts as chair of the committee) and at least two graduate students.

Five student members are appointed by the SGA President, three of them serving two-year terms and two of them serving one-year terms, according to the policy statement for the committee.

One member must be a graduate student appointed by the Graduate Student Council.

The policy statement for the committee states the appointed students must be representative of all students enrolled at UNT. However, there are more than nine colleges at UNT. Colin Alphonso, a case manager with the Collegiate Recovery Program at UNT, said the program, to his understanding, would be weaned off student service fee funding with 15 percent reductions every year for about the next five years.

“We don’t want to cut our

services or the quality of our program because that’s just going to lead to worse outcomes,” Alphonso said.

“It’s just maybe that at some point we’re just not able to keep operating. So we would just close.”

The program aims to create a collegiate atmosphere where all students in or seeking longterm recovery from substance abuse, mental health illness or other concerns can reach their maximum potential, according to its website. “[UNT] lost at least two students to overdoses in the last year, so I know there’s a need,” Alphonso said.

The North Texas Daily is among the organizations set to be weaned off. A letter from the vice president for student affairs stated the committee would like the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences to pick up more of the Daily’s funding and explore more revenue through advertising or additional services.

The Daily received $130,888.80 this year compared to $158,720 last year.

This year, the committee also decided to cut the Daily’s funding for student wages by 14.6 percent after learning that 17 percent of funds reverted to reserves at the end of the year for the last five years have come from student wages.

Most of the Daily’s funding goes to paying staff. There are nearly 116 students on staff, but only 16 are paid.

Paid staff include the editorial board, senior staff writers and senior staff photographers, videographers and illustrators.

The number of paid staffers has decreased each year along with how much they earn.

Budget Breakdown

Increases in budget (in thousands of dollars) 284

300 250

166

200 150 100

73 40

38

Dean of Students Conduct Operations

Student Activities Center

50 Marketing and budget New College at Frisco support for Vice President for Student Affairs

Career Center

Decreases in budget (in thousands of dollars) 143

150 125 100

81

75 46

45

Learning Center

Career and Leadership Development

50 25 Health and Wellness

Graphic by Parker Ward

Toulouse Graduate School

Jean Marie Brown, the director of student media at Texas Christian University, said most of their budget goes to paying student staff as well.

“If we couldn’t pay [students], some of them wouldn’t work for us,” Brown said. “It wouldn’t be that they didn’t want to, but [because] they couldn’t afford it.”

UNT alum and former Daily staffer Kayla Davis said a committee member suggested not paying staff during the Daily’s presentation for the spring semester.

“I just think the questioning

we were given was a little unfair — that they would expect [not paying] working students,” Davis said.

Going forward, the Daily’s summer editions will not be possible following this year’s budget cuts.

“A lot of people don’t understand the true cost of producing news [and] some of that is the media’s fault,” Brown said. “We never charge people what it truly costs to produce a newspaper. Instead it was underwritten by advertising.”

Johnathan Krause, another case manager for the Collegiate

30

Graduate Student Council

Recovery Program, said he felt the committee members’ minds were made up before they made their presentation and that they “really didn’t care.”

The Collegiate Recovery Program’s managing and operations budget was cut by 15 percent in the last year.

However, staff and student salaries, and wages and payroll related costs increased.

Although the budgets for organizations fluctuate every year, organizations are not informed why their budgets get cuts or additional funding unless they inquire.

UNT on track for Canvas migration next semester

By Zaira Perez @Zairalperez UNT is continuing to make more classes available on Canvas before the full switch happens next semester, with 2,150 current courses actively using the platform this semester.

Canvas launched in 2011 and is used by more than 3,000 school districts, universities and institutions around the world, according to the Canvas website.

About 1,600 classes have migrated from Blackboard, and about 500 are new courses or have been redeveloped specifically for Canvas. Director for Learning Enhancement Lynette O’Keefe said before Canvas, UNT offered about 2,800 courses on Blackboard.

“Back when we were piloting systems, we knew what functionality we needed, [and] we knew where Blackboard was lacking,” O’Keefe said. “We’d been

watching the learning management systems for what [and] who was gaining users, and we narrowed down the pilot [to Canvas].”

O’Keefe said UNT looked at Canvas as well as Blackboard Learn Ultra, an upgrade from the current Blackboard.

However, O’Keefe said Blackboard Learn Ultra was not yet ready to pilot by the time UNT wanted to pilot a new learning system.

“We had months of meetings with Canvas and Blackboard explaining our needs and the needs of our students and really doing a cost-benefit analysis,” O’Keefe said.

The pilot began last year, and UNT has been adding more and more classes each semester until the full migration next semester. O’Keefe said the response to Canvas was “overwhelmingly positive” when they first ran the pilot with 400 students.

While some students were not familiar with the interface before UNT

started making the switch, others came in from high school or community colleges that used Canvas.

Music education freshman Amrutha Murthy said her high school teachers offered a course to teach them the ins and outs of Canvas. This is her first time using Blackboard. “[Blackboard is] interesting,” Murthy said. “I haven’t gotten to know it much, but it’s harder to find things.”

Murthy said she prefers Canvas because it is more organized. “[I prefer] the categories [on Canvas] because it splits up grades and assignments,” Murthy said.

Communications senior Jessica Oquist said learning to navigate through Canvas was easy when she first used it in the summer.

“I like it better because you can do more,” Oquist said. “But it’s annoying to have [classes] on both [Blackboard and Canvas].”

This is the first semester integrative

studies senior Adonys Wright has classes on Canvas. One of the things he said he prefers about Canvas is how it lets him know when assignments are due. “[Canvas is] a little more interactive,” Wright said. “It’s easier to upload media with assignments. Not that I dislike Blackboard, but I’d pick Canvas.”

Students do not know if any of their classes will be on Canvas until the classes show up on Blackboard. From there, an announcement in the course on Blackboard tells students the class is on Canvas.

UNT first announced the plan to move to Canvas from Blackboard on Aug. 22, 2017, with a plan to make the full transition by spring 2019. The university signed a five-year contract with Canvas beginning Sept. 1, 2017.

The university has been using Blackboard and its previous products since 1998. UNT’s contract with Blackboard ends on Aug. 31, 2020.

SGA sees empty senate seats, opportunity for change SGA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Coffey said this administration is working to secure positions for members in order to move forward with its platform.

“My first goal for [SGA] would be to fill more senate seats because the senate is supposed to be the main face,” Coffey said. “The main connection to students is through the senators and their colleges.”

Kara provided insight into how the SGA hopes to increase retainment.

“We’re focusing on what the main purpose of a senator is, how they can feel valued and [how] they can feel that their work actually means something so they can actually make the effort to stay in SGA,” Kara said.

Coffey’s focus on recruitment comes

with other responsibilities, too. In order to fill the senate, current senators must have a reason to stay affiliated with the organization. Coffey said there is a matter of retention and ensuring that senators are fully aware of their responsibilities in the position.

“Part of it is recruiting and then maintaining people by making sure in advance they know what the expectations are,” Coffey said. “Then it’s a matter of senators doing their job.

I think the senators will feel ownership and excitement if they will each do their own job, talk to their constituents, create legislation and do work on behalf of their constituents.”

As the Kara/Thomas executive board attends to the free seats, returning

senators focus on the need for change within student government.

Dalton Dickson, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences senator, said the senators should use their positions to facilitate outreach.

“I think it starts with making good connections and good relationships with other bodies within the university,” Dickson said. “Working with places like housing [and] dining is the real way you can see change outside of the senate and then bring legislation to the senate.”

Dickson said members of SGA are working to increase communication with other campus entities.

“A lot of the change that we want to see, we just have to go straight to the source,” Dickson said. “It’s not passed through

legislation — we have to use our positions to talk to these other organizations. It’s really just being a voice for them.”

Dickson said the senate should focus on getting students to see what the SGA is capable of and that they can bring change if they join.

“We’re trying to get people in the senate [and in] those SGA committees that really want to see change and not power,” Dickson said. “By that I mean a lot of these people are or have previously been in SGA because it looks good on a resume or because they just think it’s good leadership opportunity and just never follow up on that. The best change that has come out of SGA is from people who just really want to see change on their campus.”

NEWS AROUND THE US

By Jackie Guerrero Hurricane Florence nearing East Coast

Pope calls meeting of Bishops

WHO releases new cancer statistics

Russia to hold war exercises

Category 2 Hurrican Florence will bring some of the most catastrophic flooding that North Carolina has ever seen, the National Weather Service said Tuesday. The storm is expected to make landfall Thursday, and the National Hurricane Center forecasts up to 40 inches of rainfall. Florence is expected to travel south form North Carolina into Georgia.

After several victims have recently brought up allegations against Catholic priests, Pope Francis has summoned top Catholic officials to the Vatican to discuss these allegations. The Vatican announced the Pope called for a conference of its higests ranking bishops to meet through Feburary of next year.

More than 9 million people will die of cancer in 2018, according to a new report by the World Health Organization. Included in the report was data that estimated there will be 18.1 million new cases of cancer reported this year. Researchers also said the most deadly type of cancer in the world is lung cancer, which accounts for 1.8 million of those deaths.

Russia announced Tuesday it will be holding the largest war games since 1981.

The event, called Vostok 2018,will take place in the Buryatia region just north of Mongolia and is a rehearsal for a major conflict. More than 300,000 troops from Russia and some of China’s military will participate, along with 36,000 tanks, 80 ships and 1,000 aircrafts.

Elizabeth Smart abductor to be released from prison early

In 2002, Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped and kept captive for nine months at age 14 in Salt Lake City. Now, 16 years later, one of her abductors, Wanda Barzee, 72, is being let out of prison more than five years earlier than initially expected. Her previous release date was supposed to be January 2024, however the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole had not credited her time spent in federal prison.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

New updates on campus construction

By Jacqueline Guerrero @gagaart1

POLICY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

With several construction projects in the works at UNT, road work has been a catalyst for heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Certain streets, sides of buildings and parking lots are blocked due to projects, according to the UNT Construction Report.

Residence halls Residence hall and Welcome Center: The new UNT Welcome Center and residence hall, “Mean” Joe Greene Hall, is expected to be completed by late February 2019. Until then, Parking Lot 1 and the grounds east of Kerr Hall will be impacted by construction.

Maple Hall: Located in the northeast corner of Eagle Drive and Avenue C, a portion of Maple Hall will be under construction.

The southwest corner of the dining hall area will be under construction due to the university adding a generator on pad for the fire pump. The generator is a secondary source for the fire pump in the case of an emergency or outage, according to ConsultingSpecifying Engineer.

Building and centers College of Visual Arts and Design: The CVAD building, west of Curry Hall and the Physics building, will be under construction for the remainder of the year. The project should be completed by Jan. 1. One portion of the new CVAD building is completed but three more sides are to be added over time. Pedestrians and vehicular traffic will be blocked for the time being.

Gateway Center: At the intersection of Avenue C and South Hickory to Mulberry streets, the roads and sidewalks will be closed to all forms of traffic until late December.

The Gateway Center is under construction due to the building of a new university entrance.

Wooten Hall: The south side

Behind Apogee Stadium’s new clear-bag policy After last weekend’s “soft opening” of the new policy at the football game against SMU, Capper shares that the goal for the first week was to inform and educate fans of the policy.

“Our policy this fall was basically to have a soft opening the first week with the SMU game and make sure people are just aware, use it as an education tool and an opportunity to just make sure fans know that this is what we’re doing now,” Capper said.

Though the policy’s “soft opening” was intended to be an educational tool for the first game, some students found the ordeal confusing.

“I thought the way they released the policy was very confusing and I think it caused a lot of delays for people getting in to the game,” business analytics senior Karas Mantz said. “I noticed that the security seemed uncertain about what was considered OK for a clutch, and they were stopping a lot of people who had very small ID carriers and saying that wasn’t OK.” While Capper said overall

Top: Construction continues on the new residence hall off Eagle Drive.

The new residence hall is named after “Mean” Joe Greene.

feedback has been positive, some student reactions to the new policy have been mixed.

Additionally, the lack of privacy created by the use of the clear bags is worrisome to fans who may be carrying personal hygiene products.

“I just think it’s a little annoying because everybody can see everything you’re carrying unless it’s just a small little clutch,” said Aurora Swafford, junior communications and history double major. “It’s pretty unaffecting to the guys because they can just put things in to their pockets and you don’t get to see all of their pads and tampons and stuff like that that’rein their bags.”

Capper said the new policy is only at Apogee Stadium for now, but it could be implemented at other sporting events elsewhere across campus in the future.

“It’s not just football games, anything that’s a major public event at Apogee Stadium is clear bag policy,” Capper said. “We have not implemented it for the other sporting events yet, but that is something that could eventually come.”

Bottom: The addition of new welcoming center and new residence hall continues next to Kerr Hall.

Construction for the new residence hall and UNT welcoming center is scheduled to be finished by February 2019.

Dimmagio Escobedo of Wooten Hall will be closed to pedestrian traffic until the end of November. Located in Union Circle, the Wooten Hall sidewalks will be impacted due to a fire system installment in the building.

Parking lots Power plant: The power plant parking lot located west of the power plant on Sycamore street is currently blocked. There will

be no parking allowed until Oct. 30, when the new drainage system is installed for the power plant.

Curry Hall: Located on Avenue A, the west side of Curry Hall will be blocked until mid-

October. Curry’s parking lot is currently being renovated due to the repour and restriping of the concrete parking area. No one will be able to park or walk along the sidewalk adjacent to the building.

The new clear bag policy has not had any known complications during its first weekend. Isabel Anes

Ride with Mean Green pride.

Get a specialty UNT TollTag and pay the lowest toll rates.

Visit specialtytolltags.com for more information.

ARTS & LIFE

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

Page 4

Denton Freedom House provides a safe haven FREEDOM HOUSE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 suffering from high drug and alcohol abuse, the ministry’s mission is to free men from their addictions and to equip them to live purposeful lives once they go back into society.

“There are tons of different people dying from opioid overdoses — just drug overdoses in general,” said Chad Eskew, Denton Freedom House Director of Development and Growth. “I mean, it’s rising. I guess the world calls it rehabilitation [but] we call it transformation. It’s an immense need and it’s necessary for our community.”

The beginning of change The ministry began in 2004 on Fry Street when the founders Jeremy and Karen Adams started to bring men off the streets into their own home. They ended up helping 11 men until the city told them to find a bigger space or shut down the ministry.

The church the Adams went to at the time, Denton Bible Church, wanted to help them continue to build the ministry.

“Denton Bible Church had a property that we’re currently on and they sold the property to us for ten dollars,” Eskew said. “Back in 2006, they moved roughly eleven men and their family into that home and it’s grown since then.”

Today, the Denton Freedom House team has helped about 1,500 men. Eskew said about 80 percent of the team who volunteers at the house is made up of men who went through the program at one point in time, including himself.

Eskew came through the house four years ago. At the time, he could not see a life without drugs and alcohol being a part of it. He was addicted to meth, heroin and was a two-time felon.

“After [becoming a Christian] in jail, I got out a couple months later and really needed a place to go and build my relationship with the Lord and have direction and purpose,” Eskew said. “So that’s where

the Freedom House came in.”

Now as Director of Development and Growth, he gets to help men experience the same transformation he had in his own life.

The process the men go through at the Freedom House is broken up into phases. The first phase lasts about six months, in which during this phase the men do not have access to a phone, car or television.

They spend their time following a daily routine, having Biblical class time and learning job skills.

One of the places where the men work regularly during the program is Zera Coffee Company in Denton.

“We’re a nonprofit coffee shop,” Zera’s general manager Dustin Sharpe said. “ We’re volunteer-run primarily by men going through the Denton Freedom House program. All of the proceeds go back into the Denton Freedom House, so we kind of look at it as seed money for the house.”

Zera is one of the organizations that was created to support the ministry and equip the men going through it. The goal is for the men to leave the house with job training and skills to help them in the future.

“We’re actually developing ways to measure it better, to turn it into a work program so that a man can leave with basically an in-house certification that says they’ve gone through all this training and then would be able to leave with management training in the end,” Sharpe said.

Once a man in the house completes the first phase, he can transition to phase two which lasts four months. They are still on the Denton Freedom House property but are given more freedom while they are slowly transitioned back into society. Beyond that, they are given the option to go to phase three and live in a Denton house with up to seven other men.

“Seeing them two months later or a month later after they got ‘born again,’ countenance completely changed and they’re walking in freedom — that’s the most encouraging that anybody can witness,” division manager Heath Iglehart said.

Mike Duke, the Division Director for the Denton Freedom House, speaks to a group during a Bible study. The staff at the house estimates they have helped over 1,500 men over 14 years of ministry. Jacob Ostermann Restoring lives in the community to give back Twenty-five-year-old Mitchell Williams is one of the men whose life has been transformed through the Denton Freedom House.

One year ago, he was a self-proclaimed atheist and had been addicted to heroin and methamphetamine.

His life was turned around after he met a recent graduate of the Freedom House and heard his testimony.

“When I looked at him I was like, ‘How have you gone through everything that I’ve gone through, probably ten times worse, but you’re like this, what’s that?’” Williams said. “He told me about how he came to the house and that’s where he completely gave himself to Christ and living like that, the next day everything was different. And that’s just what happened to me exactly.”

A couple weeks after that conversation, Williams moved into the house in September 2017. During

his time there he read the Bible for the first time, learned how to serve others in the community and experienced freedom from the addiction that had controlled his life for many years.

“It’s very hard and there’s a lot of discipline into it,” Williams said. “But because of the hope that I have in Him and I know the work that He’s doing inside of me, I enjoyed every single minute of being there.”

One year later, Williams is one of the many stories to walk out of the house changed. His testimony of change is the reason the Denton Freedom House exists.

“We want the men transformed and then we want to train and equip them to go back into the community and actually to be able to give back,” Eskew said. “We want the men to be fathers, we want them to be sons, we want them to be husbands which is usually something they’ve never been.”

Denton High Cares finances needs of the community

By Maritza Ramos @maritzarara When Denton High School graduate Lisa Rollins became terminally ill in 2014, the DHS class of 1983 banded together to find support for her and her family.

Her former classmates gathered to discuss what they could do for Rollins, a single mother struggling with hospital bills and rent. They connected through Facebook, fortified a group of eight members and secured the bands, the Lisa Rollins venue and the items to auction off.

The organization Denton High Cares became a direct result of these efforts, coming to a head at the first Lisapalooza in 2014 — an extravaganza of music, art and entertainment to raise money for Rollins.

“It was a smashing success,” Denton High Cares president Rudy Rodriguez said. “Lisa was there in great spirits. Everyone got to love on her and she even helped find items for the auction. She wasn’t only the inspiration behind the foundation but also part of the financial backing.”

The group raised enough money to help Rollins and with what was left over, Rollins gave back to those that helped put Lisapalooza together. This became the initial seed planted for the Denton High Cares organization, which has continued on to become a charity for those in need of financial support.

Four years later, the organization has established a rhythm. Four or five fundraising events a year have made it possible to provide people in the DHS community with the financial help they need. It has helped those in the DHS community with needs ranging from groceries to car payments to medical bills.

Rodriguez was at first doubtful that a thousand dollars could do much of a difference in the lives of those struggling to make ends meet, but was surprised to discover that oftentimes, that is all people need to get out of the rut they are in and come out the other side.

“It’s been amazing,” treasurer Diane Coffey said.

“We’ve had so much success with people going on in life, not having to ask for more money two years later.”

An especially important part of the Denton High Cares community is those around town who have taken the organization’s mission as their own. Like Mike

Barnett, the owner of Denton Independent Hamburger Company.

Barnett, who is a DHS graduate, has close ties to some of the members of the organization board. In an effort to give back, Barnett suggested using his restaurant as a focal point for fundraising efforts.

“Craig Dodson is a friend and a good customer,” Barnett said. “[He] was just in here one day and I just went, ‘What if we did something here?’ And he said it would be a good idea.”

Barnett said he feels very strongly about the core mission of the organization and believes it is a worthwhile endeavor. Their next fundraiser, slated for Sept. 18, will go towards raising more money to grant those in need within the DHS community.

Barnett is not the only one in the community trying to pitch in.

Susan Carol Davis, chair of the Artists Enclave of Denton County, has helped Denton High Cares with its EGGS-hibition event for a couple of years now. She said she believes that the bulk of the help comes from providing people support amid trying times. “[The organization] has done such outstanding work

[in] its existence,” Davis said.

Alicia Woodard, who heard about the organization from her sister, says Denton High Cares paid for two months’ rent, late fees and eviction fees. A single mother, much like Rollins, Woodward said she was afraid she and her baby would become homeless due to her being on maternity leave.

“They really looked at my case,” Woodard said.

“They were the first agency that really listened and understood and didn’t turn their back.”

Though Rollins died later that year, her memory fully lives on in the efforts of the organization first founded to help her with her sickness.

“She didn’t want to be forgotten and we haven’t forgotten her,” Rodriguez said. “We promised we’d do [Lisapalooza] every year in her honor.”

In terms of long-term goals, Denton High Cares hopes to establish a scholarship for graduates of DHS who are first-generation college students. Though Rodriguez believes the most Denton High Cares could offer students right now is a $2,000-$3,000 grant, he hopes the organization will one day be able to offer DHS graduates a full scholarship.

Graduate student defies the odds

By Rebecca Najera @RebeccaNajera42

Joe Winters Jr. encourages Arlington Heights football players to be phenomenal. Omar Gonzalez

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From the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, Joe Winters Jr. has experienced it all.

Once the kid who was teased in school, shuffled from home to home and even occasionally forced to sleep in the streets, Winters is now a UNT graduate student pursuing his Masters of Education in Education Leadership, the CEO of two companies, a motivational speaker and the father to a 3-month-old baby girl.

“Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of guidance,” Winters said. “I lost my mom at a young age, when I was eight years old, and my father was in prison. [When] my father got out of prison, he was very abusive mentally, physically [and] emotionally. I started running away from home when I was in seventh grade.”

Getting into high school, Winters said he was unsure of the steps he needed to take to get into college. He didn’t understand that he should have maintained a certain GPA if he wanted to get into specific colleges or where to even begin to get funding for college. It was not until his junior year when he met Young Life leader Bryan Levrets, through the Christian-based nonprofit Young Life, that he finally began to understand the college admissions process.

“Joe has kind of a crazy story,” Levrets said.

“I made a deal with him: If he retook the ACT and got a good enough grade to get into whatever school he wanted to go to and he’d show me how he was going to pay for it, then I’d take him anywhere he wanted to go.”

Winters feels that the help and guidance he received from Levrets fueled his passion for helping others. This passion is what helped him start his first company, Pave the Path, an organization that works with underprivileged students with the college admissions process.

“I’ve always been driven and knew I was going to be successful [in doing] great things, but after

having my daughter, wanting to be phenomenal was ignited,” Winters said. “I believe a person has five versions of themselves. [The first version] is that person that continuously chooses to make decisions to prevent them from doing anything.

The average version, which is you just showing up and not choosing poor [decisions], but you’re not really putting any effort.”

“The good version is putting in effort but not really [being] disciplined. And then you have that great version of yourself, [saying] ‘I want to be good.’ But the difference with great and phenomenal, as far as the versions of ourselves go, is that you’re not [feeling like] you’re making sacrifices.”

Pave the Path originated at Lamar University during Winters’ time there and has one physical location in Beaumont, Texas. However, Winters said his longterm goal is to implement it on multiple university campuses, including UNT. Winters’ second company, No Grind No Glory, works with people, mainly athletes who may have experienced an upbringing like Winters, on fitness training. Having once been a student athlete and even playing college football, Winters felt that football was partially what kept him in line in his earlier years of school. Escaping his abusive father and living with different friends throughout his high school years also helped.

“He stayed with us [and] we worked together at Walmart, so we saw each other pretty much every day on the day,” Winters’ close friend Solomon Manning said. “Joe has a lot to offer the world [and] the youth. I honestly see him doing seminars across the United States.”

Although both men realize it is a bold statement to make, Manning and Levrets believe that Winters has the ability to change the world.

“I kinda learned with Joe that you can’t put him in a box,” Levrets said. “Because he’d always find a way to get out of it and exceed all the

expectations.”

Winters feels that he owes his success to the early lessons offered by his mother. “[My mother] was very phenomenal,” Winters said. “[As] a single mother raising three kids, she did whatever she had to do to take care of us.

When I look at my life after her, it illuminated how great she was for us.”

Though their time together was brief, Winters feels that his mother instilled many pearls of wisdom within him.

“She told me at a very young age, I can do anything I put my mind to,” Winters said. “And there was a lot of other lessons she taught me.

One time, she even told me that one day I’d find a girl that I was going to marry and that I’d love that girl more than I loved her.”

Being a child at the time, he did not understand, but her words of advice stayed with him as he grew older. Throughout his life, Winters said he has seen things starting to make sense and that it was her wise words which laid the foundation for what he stands for in life.

“I can’t say I’d be a huge believer in God if it wasn’t for my mom,” Winters said. “She was a God-fearing woman. Ultimately, I believe that’s where I get my hard work from because regardless of the work she was doing, she did an [absolutely] phenomenal job raising three boys on her own.”

Despite the odds, Winters continues to live out his mission to improve himself and those around him. Whether it be through his companies, his education or his family, Winters said the key to success is the willingness to pursue it.

“Be willing to work for whatever it is you want,” Winters said. “When you do what you want to do in life and you’re actually willing to work for it, your life will be very much more rewarding.”

Winters can be found on Instagram and Twitter @jlwinterss.

NTDAILY.COM

Page 5

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

Bullseye Bike Shop switches its lanes

By Rachel Linch @rachel_linch Kevin Marshall was 25 years old when his life was changed by a bicycle.

It was 2008, and Marshall had a comfortable life working at a car dealership in Denton. But he said he did not feel like he was living his life to the fullest. So he quit his job and bought a bike.

“I personally hadn’t ridden a bike in a really long time, and when I got a bike it gave me a freedom and a great feeling,” Marshall said. “You know when you’re outdoors you just get a good feeling? Like, this is where we were intended to be — outdoors with the trees, with the breeze on my face.”

Ten years later, he owns and operates Bullseye Bike Shop, a full-service bicycle shop in Denton. It is now his full-time job to bring others the same life-changing experience he believes cycling can bring.

“This is just literally some metal and some rubber, but with technology, your time and skill, you can craft it into something that can be life-changing,” Marshall said.

“It definitely is just a great experience to encourage people to be healthy, to be active — to get outdoors. We try and set people up with a way to do that in a healthy way that’s sustainable.”

Marshall just moved Bullseye Bike Shop into a brand-new location less than half a mile down the road from UNT, on the corner of West Hickory and Denton streets.

From selling a range of different bikes to repairing and accessorizing them, the shop has become an important part of the cycling culture in Denton.

More than just customers Marshall started his shop in 2009 after the bicycle shop he had been going to for

his own bike needs, Bike-O-Rama, closed down. He saw potential in the space and worked out a deal with the landlord for him and a friend to pay the lease once they opened Bullseye Bike Shop.

“We started off just pulling bikes out of the trash or going to garage sales or thrift stores and buying bikes and fixing them up and ordering all the parts because we had no money,” Marshall said. “We didn’t really pay ourselves very much at all — just worked super hard and managed to build it up into a really great business.”

The shop really started to take off a couple months after they opened it when they met a Bianchi rep while serving in Mexico for the summer. When they came back home they were set up as Bianchi bike providers.

“They’re the oldest bicycle manufacturer in the world — they’re very, very legit,” Marshall said. “They’ve had over 40 Tour De France wins on their bike. We went from being this little hole-in-the-wall shop to having this really, really great bike line that helped launch the shop.”

Marshall bought his business partner out two years after launching Bullseye Bike Shop and it has been growing ever since.

Now, it is a place for potential bike owners and cycling enthusiasts to not only come for their bike needs but to experience the welcoming culture of Denton.

“The feedback I get from most of the customers is just that we have really good customer service, we really care about our customers,” Marshall said. “That’s a huge aspect to me. Without our customers we’re nothing.”

Taylor Pippert has experienced the welcoming environment of Bullseye Bike firsthand. When the 33-year-old UNT art major moved from Houston to Denton a

year and a half ago, one of the first places he looked for was a bike shop.

“I felt like the friendliness and the service they were offering was quality,” Pippert said. “I’ve been to other bike shops, and I didn’t really feel like I was welcomed like I was here.”

Fresh look, same mission After nine years, Bullseye Bike Shop moved into a new building two weeks ago. The decision to change from their first location was not easy, but it has been exactly what the shop needed.

“There were a lot of memories there, a lot of history,” Marshall said. “But for me, it’s actually really relieving. The new shop has a soothing vibe to it. It feels really good in here.”

The new shop is also right next to UNT which was an aspect of the shop Marshall specifically wanted so it would be more convenient for students. The shop is also working on rebranding to be more bicycle focused with a 1920s theme.

Top: Bullseye Bike Shop owner and operator Kevin Marshall works on a blue Bianchi bike.

Bottom: Bullseye Bike Shop is now located at 700 W. Hickory St. Rachel Walters For new Bullseye Bike Shop employee Gina Lozano, she is excited she joined the team during the transition. She and her husband have been customers for years but now she gets the chance to learn about the process behind the counter.

“I started at the old location right before we moved over here,” Lozano said. “It’s always just been nonstop, constant moving since we’ve been in. It feels really nice to be a part of [Bullseye Bike Shop]. It’s an established shop but it’s like a fresh start here.”

Even though the shop is changing things on the outside, the purpose of the shop is still the same: To help everyone experience the joy of riding bikes so they can live their lives to the fullest.

“I think it’s just really good for us mentally, and it’s really good for us physically,” Marshall said. “There’s a lot of aspects there that bring happiness and are good for you. I also like the fact that we get to be a part of it by helping somebody out and giving them a bike or fixing their bike.

We’re connecting them to that experience.”

The Dose: 4 simple ways to upgrade boxed mac and cheese

By Noah Hutchinson @noahutnoah Macaroni and cheese: A dish that is so beloved by Americans from coast to coast. An icon as patriotic as apple pie or the Bald Eagle. A favorite of students and businessmen alike. A meal that can only be described as “mac and cheese.”

This rich, soulful feast for the spirit comes in many shapes and sizes and is served up on plates and platters in college dorm rooms and five-star restaurants. However, not everyone can afford the high bill that accompanies a world-class serving of mac ‘n cheese. But do not fear: If you have some simple ingredients and a classic box of mac and cheese, grab your forks because these seven irresistible additions will have you craving this American delight for every meal of the day.

1. More cheese It may sound basic, but by simply incorporating additional fresh cheese you’re bound to elevate

your dinner delight to the next level. With so many cheese options out there, this easy upgrade can make your mac and cheese one of a kind, every time. My personal favorite flavorful cheese is gouda. It has that perfect balance of a creamy texture intertwined with a unique nutty flavor profile. However, if you are looking for a delicious meal that doesn’t hurt your wallet, classic cheeses like cheddar, jack or swiss are sure to do the trick.

2. Crispy bacon While the nationwide bacon craze may have come and gone, this crispy, crunchy meat is a kitchen staple adored by Americans everywhere. It only seems logical to combine two patriotic treasures to create a masterpiece that serves as the perfect meal for whatever the occasion. Don’t have an oven? With the press of the microwave button, you’ll have crisp bacon in no time. Simply place two sheets of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Lay one to eight strips of bacon on top of the towels being sure not to overlap. Finally, place two pieces of paper towels on

top and microwave for four to six minutes, depending on your desired crispiness. Simply crush some fresh bacon to top your mac and cheese, and you’ll have a boxed dinner unlike any other.

3. Hatch green chiles Having been born and raised in Texas, hatch green chile season is a time to celebrate and devour this terrifically flavorful chile. The green chile is native in New Mexico, but when August and September come around, keep an eye out for chile roasters across the south because you’ll want to stop and indulge in this mild, rich, soulful staple of Southwest cuisine. If you happen to crave some fresh green chiles to add a unique spice to your mac and cheese, try stopping by your local grocery store to pick up a can of this oneof-a-kind Southern staple that will make an upgrade to your basic boxed mac and cheese.

4. Toasted breadcrumb topping There are two different types of people in the world: those who like a crunchy topping on their mac

and cheese and those who don’t. I just happen to be a huge fan of a toasty, baked, scrumptious layer of breadcrumbs to adorn my cheesy delight. A solid, reliable box of breadcrumbs to grab at the store is Panko breadcrumbs. It’s made without the bread crust, leaving an airy, flaky result that is perfect for topping off your mac and cheese dish. However, if you are in dire need of some crunch to your meal and don’t have time to run to the store, try crushing up some crackers, pretzels, cornflakes, or even potato chips to make a snappy rendition.

There are endless ways to take a basic box of mac and cheese and turn it into a creation worthy of rave reviews by food critics and home cooks alike. So next time you just throw another generic cup of noodles and cheese into the microwave to chow down for dinner, try taking your meal to the next level with one of these seven easy, delectable, mouthwatering tips that are sure to leave an impression.

For the full list of ways to upgrade your boxed mac and cheese, visit our website www.ntdaily.com.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

Mean Green travel to Arkansas to protect their winning streak

By Josue Hernandez @JHernandezUNT The Mean Green football team is set to face the Arkansas Razorbacks in their third straight non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 15 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

This is the first time this season North Texas will be traveling after starting the season 2-0, the first time since 1994.

Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The history between these two teams goes back to 1947. Since then, the teams have met a total of nine times, the most recent meeting taking place in 2007 that resulted in a 66-7 Razorback win over North Texas. Outscored by more than 250 points in those nine games, the Mean Green have their toughest challenge of the season ahead of them.

The Mean Green have struggled against teams in Power Five conferences, and since 2008 the team has lost each of the last 13 meetings with Power Five opponents.

The Mean Green’s 58 points against the University of the Incarnate Word are a season-high for the team, as they now average 52 points per game and look to keep the high-scoring offense going.

“I think we improved from last week, and that’s all you can ask for: To keep improving each week,” North Texas quarterback Mason Fine said. “I think we need to be more physical on the perimeter — we need to watch film to see what we need to work on and get ready for Arkansas.”

Sophomore running back DeAndre Torrey received the starting nod for the Mean Green following his three touchdown performance against the Incarnate Word.

“I’m happy coach trusts me enough to start me,” Torrey said. “The [offensive] line did a great job. Of course having Mason means they can’t stack the box, so that really makes it easy.”

In his third year with the Mean Green, head coach Seth Littrell wants to establish higher standards for both himself and North Texas football.

“Our team has done a nice job of resetting and understanding that we have to prepare the right way,” Littrell said, “I’m excited about the start we’ve had going 2-0, but we still have a lot to work on. We are nowhere near where we need to be.”

The Mean Green have a chance to do exactly that by going to a hostile environment and playing in front of 76,000 people in the Southeastern Conference. In a conference that has claimed 38 national titles, a win in Arkansas can set North Texas in the right direction.

This will be coach Littrell’s first game against an SEC opponent as a head coach.

The Razorbacks were recently stunned

by Colorado State University in an unprecedented 34-27 upset last week. The Colorado State Rams scored 25 straight points in the second half to complete the 18-point comeback against Arkansas’ first-year head coach Chad Morris and the Razorbacks.

Arkansas was leading 27-17 in the

Senior fullback Cannon Maki of the North Texas football team. UNT continues its winning streak into its game this weekend against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Jessika Hardy fourth quarter, but a 96-yard touchdown drive from Colorado State gave them the necessary spark to complete the comeback.

The Rams were able to tie the game later in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard field goal by kicker Wyatt Bryan. On their next drive, Colorado State would take the lead 34-27, and with eight seconds left, Arkansas could not come up with a play to save the game.

Morris has now dropped to 1-1 on the season, and looks to get back on track Saturday.

“We have to come together and learn how to finish,” Morris said in a post-game press conference. “We have to continue to play hard, and we will. These guys and this coaching staff will pull together.”

This game will not be the first time these two head coaches have been on opposing sidelines. Before joining the Razorbacks, Morris coached the Southern Methodist University Mustangs for three seasons, winning three games against the Mean Green and Coach Littrell: 31-13, 34-21 and

54-32 in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.

This is also the third week in a row that Coach Littrell will be facing a head coach with whom he has a previous professional relationship. SMU head coach Sonny Dykes coached alongside Littrell at Texas Tech, where Incarnate Word head coach Eric Morris attended and was coached by the two.

The game will be broadcasted on the SEC Network at 3 p.m. on Sept. 15 Central Standard Time (CST).

South African swimmer, Olympic hopeful, set to make impact at UNT SWIMMER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 swimming here is bigger. They don’t really have big teams [in South Africa], so if I ever want to swim at a higher level, like at the Olympics, I’d be able to train with faster teammates.”

The move to Denton hasn’t been easy for Carmen, though. From the people and food to the mannerisms, life in North Texas has its differences when compared to her hometown.

“People from Texas are actually really nice, but I feel like I can’t relate to the people from here,” Botha said. “I think we have different values, and our families are different. For example, in South Africa, religion is a huge part of our lives, but here it doesn’t get talked about that much. The manners are a huge difference here. I was in line the other day and I gave [a woman] my spot, and she didn’t just say anything.

It bothered me a little. The food and the people have been the biggest difference. The food is just junk food and not as fresh. Back home, we eat more fruit and vegetables and everything is so fresh. It tastes different. The meat tastes so different, and I don’t eat it here. I don’t like bread here — it tastes like cake because it’s so sweet. But the cafeteria food tastes better, it’s healthier and more like what I’m used to.”

She has also seen a clear difference in the way athletes are treated in the U.S. “Athletes are very important here and in South

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Africa,” Botha said. “It’s a normal thing, you don’t really get special treatment. [In Denton], they provide a lot, and they care about us more. We have better sports training and health facilities.

Everything’s so professional here. It’s so much more elite. You actually feel like a professional sportsman.

Back home, you have to pay for everything.”

Her teammates, some of whom are also international students, have helped her with the adaptation process.

“I really like it because I feel like Americans are much different from Europeans because of the culture, so having other internationals with you experiencing the same things makes it easier to adapt,” Botha said. “It makes me feel more part of the team.”

Fellow international student and teammate Ula Michalczyk said she has found a friend in Botha.

“I really like Carmen, she’s really sweet,” Michalczyk said. “Carmen is very supportive, and we spend a lot of time together. We don’t live together, but one day we started talking to each other and we started becoming closer friends.”

Botha has also had to adapt to differences in the pool.

“Carmen’s coming from a really unique situation,” Coach Roth said. “Racing here in the U.S. at the college level, we race 25 yards, but that course is

not available anywhere else in the world. She’s used to racing the Olympic distance, which is 50 meters (approximately 55 yards). These first few weeks, it’s her learning to race in a shorter capacity. In competition, Carmen swims in an event called the individual medley, and she does that in two different distances. That’s where she’s really found her niche.

I see her having a fantastic year. It’ll have a learning curve, but when we show up to our conference

championship in February, I think she’s going to surprise a lot of people.”

As far as competing at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Botha has some time to decide.

“I would love to compete in 2020, but I will have to see because we train in yards here, and I’d have to go back and adapt to a 50 meter pool,” Botha said.

“My strategy would be to focus on the finer points and clean up my strokes and turns.”

Freshman Carmen Botha of Pretoria, South Africa, listens for what she will swim at the next meet. Jordan Collard

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Page 7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

COLUMN

The wage gap that lies between male, female pro-athletes

By Dillon Swan @Dillon_Swan

Diana Taurasi. Sue Bird. Candance Parker. Those women are superstars in the WNBA, but the casual sports fan has probably never heard of them.

The WNBA hardly gets any top-end coverage. Sure, ESPN will broadcast some games, but the overall coverage is subpar. On the other hand, every NBA team gets multiple primetime games throughout the season. Yes, that includes the woeful Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.

Look at UNT: The football team has always received more attention despite its poor performance in the past, but the soccer team has been dominant since its foundation and receives much less attention. Since the start of the 2016 season, the soccer team is 20-2-3 at home. That’s a phenomenal record, but the average fan does not get to see these games. It’s a shame this happens, but we all know football is king here in Texas.

On a more national level, broadcasting corporations, such as ESPN and Fox Sports, have attempted to generate more interest in women’s basketball by airing games and advertisements, but the general public has not responded in a positive way.

According to Sports Media Watch, Game 1 of the 2016 WNBA Finals received ratings of 0.5 (597,000 viewers), which was the highest since 2010. Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals received ratings of 11.1 (19,200,000 viewers). The interest just isn’t there.

In an interview for Wealthsimple, Skylar DigginsSmith of the Dallas Wings pointed out that she makes far less than some of her male counterparts. DigginsSmith threw shade at Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes.

“I’m the highest paid player on the Dallas Wings, and my salary is in the low six figures,” Diggins-Smith said. “[Barnes is] definitely younger than me. Do you know his stats? Was he an All-Star? I mean, it doesn’t matter. But last year, I was First Team All-WNBA, which only goes to five players. I was also a WNBA All-Star for the third time.”

According to Spotrac, Barnes makes nearly $24 million a year while Diggins-Smith barely cracks $100,000.

Diggins-Smith has a more impressive record than Barnes does, as she has been named to the All-WNBA team twice, WNBA All-Star and All-Rookie team.

Diggins-Smith sure looks like the better player based on her resume, but there’s one thing she’s clearly missing.

The NBA raked in $7.4 billion in revenue last year according to Forbes, while the WNBA’s revenue does not even crack $100 million.

If the NBA is bringing in more money, then the owners have more money to pay their players. That’s how it is. The WNBA doesn’t bring in the money like the NBA, so their owners do not have the funds necessary to pay the women what their actual value would be.

If the WNBA was able to generate more revenue, then we would see Taurasi making more than an average lawyer or real estate agent. If the WNBA sold more advertisements, Bird would get paid what she deserves. If the WNBA sold more tickets, Parker would get paid what she deserves.

Barnes has the luxury of playing in the NBA, where owner Mark Cuban generates more revenue than the entire WNBA. Diggins-Smith has the luxury of being one of the best in her sport. It’s a shame Diggins-Smith does not make more money based on her ability as a basketball player, but that’s an issue she should take up with her league and its owner, and not shame Barnes.

The WNBA needs to do a better job of generating revenue so the players and owners can have more money.

Until that happens, the best players in the WNBA won’t make nearly as much as their male counterparts.

North Texas sophomore guard Adrianna Henderson looks for a pass against Texas Woman’s University. Sara Carpenter

Jeff Young pulls back his bow to demonstrate proper shooting form. Young is the secretary and treasurer of the UNT archery club. Omar Gonzalez

UNT Archery club increases campus involvement and membership count

By Spencer Nelson @SpencerJNelson The archery club at UNT has increased its membership by 90 percent since its founding, reaching its current heights of 55 members in 2018.

“I really like seeing all the people [and] the growth we had,” club member and senior Jake Durham said. “My freshman year it was a very small group of people — it was basically the group of people that were there when the club was started.”

Durham, who has been a member since his freshman year, said there were a few reasons the club grew this past year. One of these was the switch to practicing at Cinnamon Creek Ranch in Roanoke, Texas.

Another reason is due to the club becoming more open and friendly to the campus.

“I believe students should look to UNT Archery not only to join an interesting rec sports club but to make friends you can keep throughout your time at UNT and beyond,” club president and junior Gwen Murphy said.

“During my time in the club, I have made countless friends I know I will keep up with after I graduate because we have built such a tight-knit familial community within our club.”

Murphy is a junior at UNT who has been shooting for 12 years now and an instructor for four.

“As soon as I turned 16, I took a training course in order to become a Level One certified instructor through USA Archery and started working at my local range [Texas Archery Academy in Plano],” Murphy said. “While working birthday parties and corporate events were a blast, my real passion for teaching came from teaching children. I loved being able to help a child pull back a bow and watch their eyes grow wide as they pop a balloon or hit a 3D animal target.”

Murphy is also training to compete in the Olympics through the club and doesn’t plan to stop just there. To keep up with the archery community, she plans on instructing for a long time.

“After I graduate from UNT in May 2020, I plan to return to my training schedule of shooting a minimum of 200 arrows a day, six days a week,” Murphy said. “I look forward to attending more national events before I qualify for an Olympic Games, and attending some international competitions as well! I have

Members of UNT Archery shoot bows at Cinnamon Creek Ranch, located on Old Denton Road. The UNT archery club had held its first practice on Sept. 5. Omar Gonzalez no doubt that when I’m not training, I will be teaching private lessons in order to keep up my instructor certifications. I fully intend to be part of the USA Archery community until I die, whether that be through competing or teaching the youth of today.”

Though Durham and Murphy both are experienced archers, those with little to no archery experience are also encouraged to join the club. Sophomore Jeff Young started in spring 2018 and is already looking at going into competitions and holds the position of secretary. Young believes the friendships he found in the club are a big reason why he joined.

“Being in the club, we go out to eat after every practice and with that you just sort of have a familial bond with everyone you’re with,” Young said.

Inside the world of archery, there are a few different classifications of equipment that one can use: compound, barebow and Olympic recurve. The three classifications have their own divisions for competition, and archers are able to grow through them.

A compound bow is focused around the technology that can aid for a more accurate shot while barebow is more focused on the archer’s own skill and is much less accurate. Meeting them in the middle is the Olympic recurve, a barebow with a sight and other tools to help the archer get the perfect shot.

“If you’re simply looking for a rec sports

Gwen Murphy shoots an arrow with her bow as fellow members watch. Gwen Murphy is the president of UNT Archery. Omar Gonzalez club to have fun with once a week and learn a new sport, we can be that club,” Murphy said. ”If you are looking to buy equipment, find a private lesson coach and start competing, we can be that club. You can take your experience with UNT archery as far as you want to, and I am proud to have been a part of this adaptable, unique club.”

Aaliyah Nolan first international Mean Green soccer player

By Bronte Hermesmeyer @bronteherm Senior Aaliyah Nolan arrived in Denton during the summer of 2017 and became the first international player in the history of the North Texas soccer program.

Nolan’s road to North Texas threw lots of obstacles at her, but it was her determination, grit and passion for the game that made her one of the top players for the Mean Green.

Nolan was born and raised on the small island of Bermuda. She lived in two parishes: Warwick and St. George’s. She said it was a very friendly atmosphere and

Senior Aaliyah Nolan celebrates after scoring a goal in a game. Sara Carpenter

“everybody knew everybody” on the island, which only measures 20 square miles.

Nolan loves the game of soccer and the work that is required to be a great player.

She said there are only a couple things that come before soccer and family is definitely toward the top of her list.

“I don’t ever want to be too far away from my family,” Nolan said. “I love it when they come [and] watch my games because I love seeing them. This is not just for me but for my family as well.”

Nolan didn’t start playing soccer until she was 12 years old. She was a multi-sport athlete and also participated in track when she was younger.

Only a few years after she started playing soccer, it was evident Nolan had a special talent. She soon joined the Bermuda National Team in 2013, which allowed her to play against stiff competition overseas.

She participated in the U-17 and U-20 Caribbean Football World Cup Qualifiers.

“Playing with the national team has helped me see different styles of play from other teams overseas,” Nolan said. “It also helped me get into college because I actually ended up playing in an international game against one of my future coach’s team.”

That coach was Alicia Wilson, the

current head soccer coach at Navarro College, located in Corsicana, Texas. She was the one who gave Nolan a chance to showcase her skills here in the U.S. Two years later, Nolan began to impress yet another coach on the pitch. She was still playing for Navarro College in a spring game when they happened to be playing UNT. Head soccer coach John Hedlund said Nolan caught his eye from the very beginning of the game.

“We got a chance to play Navarro in the spring,” Hedlund said. “That’s when I saw this kid playing up front. She had a goal and an assist against us in that game and she really stood out.”

After that spring game, Hedlund said he wanted her to come to UNT and play for him on scholarship.

“Technically, she’s so good,” Hedlund said. “She’s so good on the ball, and she has a wonderful left foot.”

Nolan played in 21 out of 22 matches last season for North Texas. She started the year coming off the bench for the Mean Green, but she was promoted to a starter during the last 12 games of the season. Nolan scored seven goals, which was ranked second on the North Texas team.

This year, she has scored six goals in

the first three games, which is currently tied for the team lead. She has been a vital part of the North Texas offense, which has outscored their opponents by a score of 133.

“She’s one of my highest IQ soccer players out there,” Hedlund said. “She has a huge passion for soccer, and I really just fell in love with the kid.”

Nolan rejected other Division-I offers to be a part of the culture at UNT. She said North Texas looked like a championship program, and she did not want to miss out on the opportunity.

“This was my first choice before I was even offered,” Nolan said. “When I was researching stats, I realized this program was very good. I knew Coach Hedlund must be a good coach because he has won [a lot] of games and [a lot] of championships. In the end, I wanted to win a championship, too.”

Nolan said the culture of the North Texas soccer team doesn’t just express the importance of winning — it also makes sure everybody is welcomed with open arms and that everybody, old or new, is treated with great respect.

“Our team here at [UNT] is extremely close,” Nolan said. “I could go to any of my

teammates or coaches and talk to them about anything personal or just have a conversation. This is my second home.”

Teammate Elle-Marie DeFrain described Nolan as a wonderful scorer and a great soccer player on the field. She also mentioned that off the field, Nolan is a joy to be around.

“She’s so fun for the team,” DeFrain said.

“When she was first on the team, she was so quiet. Then after a few weeks, we all started to become really close with her. I’m so happy she’s a part of this team and we just love her.”

Nolan said after she finishes school, she wants to try and get drafted by a professional soccer team. If that doesn’t happen, she wants to try out for a team overseas in Germany or Italy.

“I still have that passion for the game,” Nolan said. “Soccer makes me happy, so I want to play it as long as I can.”

After her playing career is over, Nolan said she aspires to coach soccer and help kids the way other coaches have helped her.

“I would love to coach my own club team when I am older,” Nolan said. “I’ve had a lot of coaches that have all been good to me and all helped me through a rough time, and I want to give back to other people.”

OPINION Page 8

NTDAILY.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

Williams’ game hindered by inconsistent calls

By The Editorial Board @ntdaily Serena Williams is arguably one of the best tennis players in the world, but even she is not exempt from unfair treatment based on race and gender.

Williams’ performance at the U.S. Open a few days ago worked many people on social media into a tizzy, shaming the player for displaying such aggression and unprofessionalism and taking away from the winner’s moment.

One cartoonist for the Herald Sun proved in his caricaturistic cartoon on the incident that this was about more than tennis and courtliness.

This is your occasional reminder that intent matters very little in cases of bigotry — you don’t have to purposely intend to be racist in order to be racist.

It is called implicit bias, and you can read all about it.

So many people on Twitter are dead set on convincing everyone that Williams is indeed a sore loser because, apparently, that matters. They are quick to point out that “the coach admitted he was coaching, so there, she cheated,” conveniently leaving out crucial context: Williams wasn’t even paying attention to her coach. That’s why she was upset when she was accused of cheating — because she wasn’t.

It’s telling that there is always such a widespread effort to prove instances of sexism and racism were not really about those things — challengers always confidently say “not everything has to do with race or gender.” But at some point even they must concede that some things are about race and gender. It f lies in the face of history, statistics and reality to believe that racism and sexism

just do not exist anymore.

So let’s talk about what it really boils down to: A black, female athlete expressed frustration the same way so many others before her did, argued an arbitrary call and defended herself in the context of a historically white, maledominated sport, and was unequally punished for it.

We cannot pretend context and nuance do not matter in these circumstances.

Williams was fined $82,000 for an outburst at the 2009 U.S. Open.

It should come as no surprise this set — and still holds — the record for the largest fine ever bestowed upon a player at the tournament. If you’ve ever watched tennis before, especially at this level of competition, you’ll know Williams’ so-called “outburst” could truly be considered tame. Male tennis players have tirades much more threatening and intense than this all the time, and they rarely see appropriate fines or punishment.

In 2017, ESPN published a list of the most famous Wimbeldon meltdowns in history. The five white men who made the list struck tennis balls in frustration (Tim Henman’s stray ball hit a ball girl’s face at nearly point-blank range), hurled their rackets across the court and fiercely cursed out match officials.

None of them were fined more than $10,000.

Men are given more space to express their anger and frustration in sports and beyond. Women, especially in tennis, are not given nearly as much leniency and are expected to retain composure even in the face of unfairness.

There seems to be a social understanding that meltdowns are

Illustration by Allison Shuckman

intrinsic to tennis, as evidenced by the many best-of lists similar to ESPN’s and endless videos online documenting players’ outbursts through the years.

The takeaway here is that it’s OK to

throw a fit during a tennis match, so long as you aren’t a black woman.

This all goes to show the deep inequities inherent to tennis and unfair discrepancies in the enforcement

of certain rules. What happened to Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open is further proof the sport has to make an applied effort to undo its prejudices at every level.

Buying ethical clothes is hard for college students

By Christina Palomo @chramapal Like typical teens, my friends and I could be spotted at popular mall retailers on the weekends.

The stores were a haven for young consumers and budget-conscious shoppers looking for trendy and highly affordable clothing.

But with a cheap price tag came

cheap material prone to ripping, unraveling and fading. It would be years before I learned just how harmful fast fashion is to society and the environment. Distraught, I took to the internet to figure out which stores were safe to shop at, but there were not a lot of options.

Most retailers in the U.S. that sell cheap clothing and promote daily deals work in conjunction

with sweatshops.

Sweatshop workers in Bangladesh and China are some of the world’s lowest paid and typically work in unsafe environments. Not only are the workers exploited, but clothing waste also contributes to climate change due to toxic fabric dyes and short material lifespan. Some industries sell their out-of-trend clothes to wholesalers and the

clothes end up littering the lands of other countries, like Africa and Haiti, where most of the clothing ends up in landfills.

As a budding adult who has become more health- and environmentally-conscious, I had a desire to make a change in my lifestyle. However, my wallet could only afford a certain price range fit for a broke college student. It

Illustration by Austin Banzon

was difficult finding retailers that operated ethically, and online stores were more expensive and less size-inclusive than I anticipated.

Determined not to give up, I sought other options. Resale stores offered cheap clothes and were great for finding basic shirts, sweaters and jackets. But when it came to my need for durable plussize jeans, undergarments, or a specific style of shoe like rain boots, the local thrift stores couldn’t fulfill my needs. I envied my friends who bought cute, perfectly-fitting thrifted jeans and shorts, and my desire to dress in a particular style limited my thrifting finds.

I had been backed into a corner by the fast fashion industry that surrounded me, and with a weight of guilt on my shoulders, I made a trip to the mall.

Many online sources suggest the same solutions — shop thrift and vintage, shop online ethical retailers, or simply shop less.

These options seem easy enough to implement, but ignore the issue of body type and lack of convenience for specific garments.

What makes fast fashion nearly inescapable is that it literally

surrounds us. The desire to shop ethically eliminates almost all retailer options in the surrounding area, including the mall in its entirety. Ethical retailers are drowned out by the sheer volume of competitive businesses who offer clothes at a cheaper price.

Though American Apparel was controversial in its advertising, at least it operated ethically and responsibly and supported immigration reform and LGBTQ rights. However, my teenage self couldn’t fit into or afford their clothing, and apparently neither could the rest of their customers because the company filed for bankruptcy in November of 2016.

It is important to stay informed about our purchases and hold ourselves accountable for ethical and environmental problems in the world. However, it is also important to recognize we can’t all be saints and afford the highest quality of goods. In our capitalist society, it is crucial for consumers to hold companies accountable for exploitation and failure to act responsibly. If you’re able to, I suggest you look into ethical and sustainable retailers when considering your next purchase.

Anti-vaccination movement puts whole communities at risk

By Nicholas Stiltner @N3ONick The anti-vaxxers — or as I like to think of them, the last champions of entirely preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, polio and many others — are some of my least favorite people in the world.

I would group them into the same category as flat-Earthers, except believing the Earth is flat does not needlessly endanger every person around you.

The main argument against vaccinations is that they cause autism in young children, despite multiple peer-reviewed articles rebuking this and the complete rejection of the initial study. Even if there was a link between the two, subjecting a child to an awful, life-threatening disease like polio is far worse than the off chance of developing autism. Autism is a neurodivergence — a divergence from the way most people’s brains function. It is problematic to compare this with an easily preventable, deadly disease, and this only serves to further alienate and stigmatize autistic people.

When an anti-vaxxer makes the choice of exposing themselves and everyone else around them to a deadly disease instead of doing their research, they are directly stating that they would rather risk death than live with autism, even though there is literally no risk for developing it. They flaunt this borderline ableist mindset proudly, and I am sure many of us have seen it all over social media.

If the anti-vaccination movement continues to grow, it will diminish whole communities’ ability to prevent previously vaccinated diseases. If one case of mumps surfaces in a vaccinated area, there is little risk of the disease spreading throughout the community. But if there is a group of non-vaccinated people, the disease has an opportunity to spread and cause real harm, nullifying the area’s immunity. This concept of community immunity also protects primarily vaccinated countries like the United States from diseases carried by travel from nonvaccinated countries. This saves thousands of lives a year by itself and is critical to the prevention of

outbreaks.

These reasons are enough for the rest of us to go and get our vaccinations, but facts, studies and numbers will not convince anti-vaxxers. This delves into a more complex problem of trying to change someone’s mind once it has been set on a certain ideology, no matter how much truth there is to it. The World Health Organization actually released a 52-page booklet specifically about how to deal with vocal anti-vaxxers, if that is any indication of how complicated it can be to debunk harmful myths like this.

People with any real knowledge on the subject of vaccinations will see this tweet and shake their heads, but what happens when someone who is not aware of the situation sees something like this? Presidential and even celebrity support of harmful movements provides followers with the argument that “if this prominent figure believes it, it must be right.” Trump’s 2014 tweet supporting the anti-vax movement was before his presidential term, but nothing suggests this stance

Illustration by Elizabeth Rhoden

has changed in the last few years.

Despite all of the forces against vaccinations, one thing is still true: They work. All vaccinated diseases have basically been eradicated from the United States, aside from a few isolated cases.

We live in a world where we can completely rid ourselves of certain diseases that would have been deadly 100 years ago.

Anti-vaxxers risk decades of progress and the lives of everyone around them because of their

own misunderstandings, which is terrible. This should be a reminder for all of us to always look deeper and research before deciding anything, especially if it could harm your children or your community.