6 | Arts & Life
7 | Sports
‘If we get knocked down, we get back up’
Athlete of the Week: Atem Bior
Vol. 61, Issue 5
Est. 1981
February 18 – February 25, 2020
The Paisano
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline
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@PaisanoMedia
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The state of mental health at UTSA Administrators and students react to on-campus suicide By Josh Peck and Breahna Luera News Editors On Feb. 7, President Taylor Eighmy provided The Paisano with his first statement regarding the suicide of Cesar Caballero, sophomore pre-music major and Resident Assistant (RA) at Alvarez Hall. The incident occurred on Dec. 4, 2019, at Alvarez Hall. “We are all deeply saddened by the death of Cesar and the extremely personal nature of his passing,” Eighmy said. “His struggle reminds us of how important it is to support each other and encourage those who are dealing with emotional crises to seek help and use the counseling services available to them.” The only official statement from the university administration in response to Caballero’s death came from Dean of Students and Senior Vice Provost for Student Affairs LT Robinson in an email to students on Dec. 12, 2019, eight days after his death. “We offer our deepest condolences to … Cesar’s family, friends, and loved ones,” Robinson said. “While notifications and intervention efforts for impacted students delayed notification to the entire community, I want you to know that the well-being of every Roadrunner is our first priority.” Several Alvarez Hall RAs who worked with Caballero thought the university did not adequately respond to the suicide or support the RAs following Caballero’s death.
U
TSA itself was noticeably absent.
- Grace Clark
Junior biochemistry major and Alvarez Hall Resident Assistant on UTSA’s presence in the aftermath of Cesar Caballero’s suicide. “From our end, it looked like the university wasn’t ready to handle it from all levels,” Grace Clark, junior biochemistry major and Alvarez Hall RA, said. “There wasn’t any structure in place. It just wasn’t handled correctly. And then UTSA seemed to have no involvement at all. Housing [and Residence Life] had involvement, [UTSAPD] had involvement, Counseling Services was there initially and for a little bit in the aftermath, but UTSA itself was noticeably absent.” Clark also explained the university did not provide effective training for RAs to respond to an on-campus suicide. “We trained for it, but … when it actually happened, there was nothing in
President Taylor Eighmy addresses an on-campus suicide that occurred in December 2019. Dr. Melissa Hernandez, director of Counseling and Mental Health Services, co-leads the President’s Initiative on Enriching Campus Wellbeing. Photo by Robyn Castro
place,” Clark said. Two days after Caballero’s death on Dec. 4, 2019, the Alvarez Hall residents on his floor organized a vigil to remember him. Although the university sent out a tweet informing students of the vigil and acknowledging Caballero’s death the university had no part in the organization of the vigil, Clark said. “Cesar’s residents wanted to do something for him, and so they got permission from Housing [and Residence Life] to do a candle vigil in the courtyard, and then they were going to originally pay for it all themselves, too, but then Student Success and the Student Leadership Center came in and paid for most of it,” Clark said. Alvarez Hall RAs were also frustrated that it took eight days for an administrator to release an official statement addressing Caballero’s death. They felt the tweet acknowledging the vigil and Robinson’s email were insufficient responses considering the magnitude of the incident. “Maybe [the response] could have just been worded differently,” Bria Casteel, senior communication major and Alvarez Hall RA, said. “Of course, the timing was bad, but as far as the way they issued a statement, it would have been better to talk more about him as a person — how great he was and the stuff he was involved in. It’s just sad because this is our friend and people don’t even know that he’s gone.” Although Clark and Casteel made clear they were not speaking on behalf of the other RAs, both explained that most of the other RA’s in Alvarez Hall felt similarly regarding the university’s handling of the aftermath of Caballero’s death. Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) reached out to Clark in December 2019 to set up a meeting that included Clark, Casteel and Dr. Melissa Hernandez, director of CMHS, to discuss CMHS’ services. While Clark and Casteel said Hernandez was open to recognizing their
concerns, they left with the impression that CMHS was not sufficiently resourced to meet student demands. “The responses were very positive and open minded to hearing our thoughts, and I appreciated that, but what I got from [the conversation] was that the office was underfunded, and they’re not receiving the amount of support from the university that they should to support other students,” Casteel said. Clark’s understanding of the conversation was that CMHS “can’t even meet current demands for one-on-one counseling.” CMHS projected they would experience a 76.4% increase in unique clients from Fall 2012 to Fall 2019. In a Student Government Association (SGA) General Assembly meeting on Oct. 10, 2019, Hernandez acknowledged concerns she and her CMHS team had regarding student demand. “You can see that the increase in demand for services has outpaced enrollment,” Hernandez said. “With an increase in demand for services, we have a risk of less frequent client contact, which means we might not be seeing students for as long or as frequently. They might be experiencing a delay in treatment. When students have to wait for their appointments, they become increasingly dissatisfied, so we worry about that. But we can only work our staff so hard.” Hernandez also said CMHS is dealing with a problem of staff attrition because it is unable to offer counselors competitive pay. In Fall 2019, CMHS attempted to alleviate the issue by implementing a salary equity increase that Hernandez said would bring counselor salaries to “a little bit more competitive level.” However, Hernandez said in January 2020 that she did not think CMHS “would be able to hire [its] way out of mental health concerns.” Earlier in the Fall 2019 semester, Hernandez proposed an optional $25 student services extension fee that would allow for continued counseling services during school breaks.
“We thought, during summer we’re not as busy as we are during the fall and spring, and students seem to have more time and maybe they might want to focus on their mental health, so we proposed a fee that they could pay to have access to the services during the semester in which they’re not enrolled,” Hernandez said in an interview with The Paisano in January. Veronica Mendez, senior vice president for business affairs, said the fee would be proposed to the UT Board of Regents early this year. As of her interview with The Paisano on Jan. 31, Hernandez had not heard back about whether the fee increase had been approved. Hernandez said, in addition to the increasing number of students utilizing CMHS, student symptoms are escalating in severity.
I
t’s only a matter of time, unfortunately.
- Dr. Melissa Hernandez
Director of Counseling and Mental Health Services regarding a potential on-campus suicide.
“Students are presenting with more acute and more severe and more intense mental health needs,” Hernandez said. At the SGA meeting on Oct. 10, 2019, Hernandez described the potential negative consequences that could result from increased student demand for services. “One of the risks of this increased demand for services are also mistakes and things slipping through the cracks,” Hernandez said. “And then the more students that come in and request services, that leaves us that much less time to focus on getting out on campus doing outreach and prevention work.” Hernandez then described what she and her colleagues considered a major concern. “And then the ultimate risk that we worry about all the time,” Hernandez said, “is a completed suicide on-campus, but I think it’s only a matter of time, unfortunately.” Fewer than two months after these remarks, Caballero died by suicide, and less than two months after Caballero’s death, Eighmy announced the President’s Initiative on Enriching Campus Wellbeing in January.
Continued on page 2 See “President Eighmy announces initiative for student wellbeing”
Protests collide near Sombrilla By Josh Peck News Editor Opposing demonstrations clashed near the Sombrilla, resulting in a physical altercation and the involvement of UTSA PD officers on Feb 17. One of the demonstrations was organized by Red Star Magazine, a self-proclaimed “anti-government, anti-police, anti-fascist online magazine.” Its demonstration was centered on four demands: raises for university workers; increasing funding for mental
health and clinic services; no more tuition raises; and decreasing the salaries of high-level administration members, coaches and deans. Red Star Magazine is not a Registered Student Organization (RSO). However, UTSA students were involved in the protest. The other demonstration was organized by a second non-RSO. The members in this demonstration held signs with messages such as Continued on page 2 See “Texas law protects free speech on campus”
A UTSAPD officer separated a demonstrator from the crowd. This event takes place near the Sombrilla. Photo by Josh Peck
F e bru ar y 18 – F e bru ar y 25, 2020
2 | news@paisano-online.com
UTSA UTSA announced that all Honors College freshmen will be required to live on campus starting Fall 2020. According to a UTSA Today article, the living and learning community will have specific programming and special opportunities for Honors College freshmen.
Texas On Feb. 14, federal officials announced Houston as one of the sanctuary cities in which Customs and Border Protection will send elite tactical units to enforce federal immigration laws. Elite tactical units are typically charged with targeting criminal suspects, stash houses, smugglers and other targets with higher risks of violence.
Student jumps from President Eighmy second-story bridge announces initiative
By Josh Peck News Editor On Thursday, Feb. 13, the secDue to privacy and informaond incident of self-harm UTSA tion laws, the university could has acknowledged in the past not provide a statement regardthree months — the last occuring the current status of the indiring in December — took place vidual involved in the incident. between the Business Building Dean of Students and Senior (BB) and McKinney Humanities Vice Provost for Academic AfBuilding (MH) when a student fairs LT Robinson acknowledged jumped off the bridge connectthe incident via email on the ing the buildings. day of the incident and provided “Upon arrival [to the scene], information to students about officers found the individual lyUTSA’s Counseling and Mental ing face down in the breezeway Health Services. under the bridge,” Chief Com“There are counseling services munications Officer Joe Izbrand available on campus and our said. “Witnesses told police he staff is here for you,” Robinson had been seen hanging from a said. “If you or someone you rail of the bridge and then letknow need some assistance, ting go, landing feet first on the please contact Counseling and concrete. He was conscious and Mental Health Services at 210alert but in severe pain. Para458-4140 and press option 3 to medics responded, conducted an speak to someone 24 hours a day evaluation and transported him and 7 days a week.” to an area hospital.”
U.S. A Virginia state senate effort to ban assault-style rifles was rejected in committee on Feb. 17, marking the defeat of one of the latest attempts to strengthen gun control laws across the country.
The Taliban announced on Feb. 17 that they would sign a peace agreement between themselves and the U.S. by the end of February. The lead U.S. negotiator said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the finalization of the agreement. If it is signed and followed, Afghan officials said violence in Afghanistan would be reduced countrywide.
Science A new study monitoring the coronavirus among infants reported nine cases in China from Dec. 8 to Feb. 6. Zhi-Jiang Zhang of Wuhan University stated none of the infants developed severe complications from the disease.
Correction
Continued from page 1 In the statement Eighmy provided The Paisano in February addressing Caballero’s death, he encouraged student involvement in the initiative and emphasized the impact the collaboration will have on student success. “It is my hope that students will honor Cesar’s memory by actively helping us shape the Enriching Campus Wellbeing initiative being led by Vice Provost for Student Success Tammy Wyatt,” Eighmy said. “It is so important that we continue to work together to create inclusive communities that provide support for students and help them be successful.” The initiative focuses on eight dimensions of well-being: physical, social, spiritual, environmental, financial, occupational, psychological and intellectual. Eighmy and Dr. Kimberly Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, introduced the initiative as a positive force to benefit students’ health. “We are introducing a new initiative that recognizes the intrinsic role that health and wellness play in students’ academic and personal success,” the email from Eighmy and Espy introducing the
new initiative in January said. Hernandez, who is one of the co-leads on the initiative, explained in late January the reasoning behind its launch. “Students are starting to use that term — wellbeing — and students have approached different administrators about wanting some more attention on this particular issue, so I think it was good timing,” Hernandez said. “Students were interested and expressed some interest, and we had staff already working on it, so I think it was a good opportunity to pull that energy together.” In an email to students on Feb. 14, Robinson invited students, faculty and staff to three open forums where they can provide input for and receive information about the President’s Initiative on Enriching Campus Wellbeing. Two forums will be held on Main Campus: Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Denman Ballroom and Monday, Feb. 24, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Hidalgo Room. A third forum will be held at the Downtown Campus on Thursday, Feb. 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Buena Vista Building Assembly Room.
Graphic by Robyn Castro
Lecturer hosts book discussion on ‘Black Fortunes’
By Ben Shirani Staff Writer
World
for student wellbeing
Senior lecturer and Director of African American Studies Karla Broadus partnered with the San Antonio Public Library’s Igo Branch to support Black History Month, presenting a lecture on a new book by black author Shomari Wills on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Broadus’s lecture generally covered black history and focused specifically on a recent book by Wills titled “Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires,” published in 2018. Broadus has coordinated with
the Igo Library’s Assistant Manager Gamini Haluwana for the past two years to talk with library constituents about the book during Black History Month. Haluwana is responsible for coordinating the library’s adult services, like lectures and events commemorating Black History Month in February, Asian American Month in May and Women’s History Month in March. “We have a lot of people who come to this branch, but especially families, so we have kids’ programs in the morning Tuesday and Thursday: story time, baby time and toddler time. There is no age limit for getting a library card, and it is free for residents of Bexar County.”
In addition to directing the African American Studies Program, part of the Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Studies within UTSA’s College of Education and Human Development, Broadus is currently teaching AAS 2113, called African American Culture, Leadership and Social Issues. “The majority of my time at UTSA — I’ve been teaching there since 1996 — has been in literacy. I was originally working in the teacher education program, teaching children’s literature and teaching [educators] to be teachers [and] how to teach reading.” Broadus describes the courses offered by the African American
Studies program, where she now teaches, as a critical approach traditional curriculum intended to accentuate the often overlooked or underplayed role of African Americans. Broadus actively promotes awareness of black history and is currently the chairperson for UTSA’s MLK March and MLK Day. “Friday, I am going to do a storytelling at a school using an African Cinderella story: Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters.” Broadus will be giving a talk at St. Philips Episcopal Church on Feb. 29 to the San Antonio black community on financial wellness planning.
Texas law protects free speech on campus “Don’t go to hell, Jesus wants you on the new Earth,” among other religious and political messages. Chief Communications Officer Joe Izbrand provided a statement on behalf of the university regarding the demonstrations. “A law passed in the last legislative session permits individuals and organizations, regardless of their affiliation, to come on college campuses and exercise their free speech
Continued from page 1
rights,” Izbrand said. The groups had been demonstrating separately until the Red Star Magazine demonstrators moved into the space that the religious demonstrators had been occupying. This is when the confrontation between individuals in the two groups began. Shortly after, a physical altercation occurred. No arrests were made. Izbrand further explained the university’s stance regarding
Opposing demonstrators clashed near the Sombrilla. UTSA is obligated by state law to allow anyone to express their free speech on campus. Photo by Josh Peck
The Feb. 11 article “Chaparral Village and Alvarez Hall designated freshmen-only in Fall 2020” misstated a new university housing initiative: “all freshmen will be housed in Chaparral Village and Alvarez Hall.” The article should have said, “Alvarez Hall and Chaparral Village will become freshman-only dorms ... All students still have the option to live in University Oaks and Chisholm Hall as well as offcampus housing options.”
freedom of expression at UTSA. “We fully recognize that some in our campus community may object to the views espoused by certain groups, while others will agree with those views,” Izbrand said. “At times like this, and as we anticipate more campus activity in this year of heightened political debate, it is important that we foster a culture of tolerance for the opinions of others, even when they may be offensive or disturbing and not
Graphic by Robyn Castro
aligned with our core values.” Izbrand then described what UTSA has been doing to foster civil discourse on campus. “That is one of the reasons President Eighmy implemented the Initiative on Respectful Discourse,” Izbrand said. “It is intended to provide the campus with the tools and skills to engage in productive exchanges of views. Later this week, the university will be sharing updated information on that initiative.”
opinion@paisano-online.com | 3
Fe b ru a r y 18 - Februar y 25, 2 02 0
OPINION A conversation Eighmy doesn’t want to have Editorial
In the wake of a tragedy, whom do students expect to hear from? No one other than the leader of our university: President Dr. Taylor Eighmy. One of the most tragic events in our community, a completed on-campus suicide, ocurred in December. In the wake of this tragedy, when students looked for leadership, guidance and solidarity, Eighmy was silent. In fact, he did not comment on the incident publicly until 65 days later, when The Paisano asked for a quote. Saying nothing says a lot. When the president is quiet about an issue, our community feels his cold shoulder. Eighmy was quick to launch a wellness initiative but failed to acknowledge its exigence: the state of mental health on campus in the wake of a suicide. Senior Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean
of Students LT Robinson issued a campuswide email eight days after the tragedy, referencing UTSA’s Counseling and Mental Health Services. If that email was meant to send condolences to the community, then the president should have sent it himself. On Dec. 6, The UTSA Twitter account tweeted a statement that directly addressed the incident, identifying the deceased student and using the term “suicide” only two days after the incident. Why did the UTSA Twitter account address an on-campus suicide to over 72,000 followers, yet Eighmy failed to address students, faculty and staff? On Thursday, we witnessed another incident of selfharm. Again, our president piggybacked on LT Robinson’s email. Again, the university’s response came via
proxy through a member of Eighmy’s administration. Don’t be surprised if Eighmy — once again — sends someone else to deliver his message during the upcoming campus forums that are part of his wellbeing initiative. If Eighmy truly cared about his community’s wellness, then he would publicly address the tragedies that we are enduring alone. Eighmy’s silence during these events is not golden; it’s an abdication of his role as our leader.
“The three absent Eighmys,” Illustrated by Emmanuelle Maher
Enriching Campus Wellbeing Commentary
By Tammy Wyatt Vice Provost for Student Success and Chair of the Enriching Campus Wellbeing Initiative The suicide death of one of our students this past semester has served as a tragic reminder of the personal struggles many of our fellow Roadrunners face in their lives and of the imperative we all share to work together for the wellbeing of our campus community. A recent study of UTSA students by the American College Health Association (ACHA) found that, at some point during the previous 12 months, 77% of our students reported feeling overwhelmed by all they had to do. In that same survey, 53% reported feeling overwhelming anxiety and 34% reporting feeling so depressed at times that it was difficult for them to function. These dramatic statistics are not limited to
UTSA. They reflect the pressures college students everywhere face in their academic journey. We have a tremendous responsibility and obligation to act. That is why we have launched a new initiative recognizing the intrinsic role that health and wellness play in a student’s academic and personal success. The President’s Initiative on Enriching Campus Wellbeing, announced in January, is intended to foster an institution-wide culture of physical, emotional and social wellbeing. To help alleviate the daily pressures our students face and to improve the overarching health and wellness of our UTSA community, the wellbeing initiative will focus heavily on mental health. In the days to come, a task force will look broadly at eight dimensions of wellbeing as endorsed by several leading higher education associations. These include physical, social, spiritual, environmental, financial, occupational, psychological and intellectual wellbeing. Student input will be integral to this fact-finding and the development of next steps. President Eighmy has already been deeply involved in this effort, engaging with students who have shared valuable perspective on potential action items, including: • Evaluating counselor-to-student ratios • Improving timely access to counselors • Introducing counseling services information into course syllabi and new student information • Increasing support training for professors and staff
Throughout this initiative, UTSA will model best practices among our peer institutions while also adopting a culturally competent approach that aligns with being a Hispanic-thriving institution. National and UTSA data from ACHA’s National College Health Assessment will be used as benchmarks of our progress. The greatest action we can take to honor the memory of our fellow student is to recognize that, by working together on this imperative, we can make a real difference in addressing the emotional and physical wellbeing of our campus community. I encourage you to get involved. Share your ideas at wellbeing@utsa.edu. We’ll also be announcing dates for campus meetings later this month. And most importantly, if you are a student facing a difficult situation, I implore you to seek help. Use the Counseling Services available to you by calling 210-458-4140. This number also serves as our Crisis Helpline and is available for after hours and weekend assistance, including on UTSA holidays.
Who the Oscar doesn’t go to Commentary
By Christina Troy Copy Editing Coordinator The 92nd Academy Awards may have been just another awards ceremony for many, but for the disability community, they were monumental. On Feb. 9, Zack Gottsagen became the first person with Down syndrome to present at the Oscars. After waving proudly to the audience, Gottsagen said the iconic line, “And the Oscar goes to,” before Shia LaBeouf, Gottsagen’s co-star in “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” announced the winner for Best Live-Action Short Film. Gottsagen’s achievement is no small feat, but is that all the disability community has to celebrate? Unfortunately, yes. Out of the over 3,000 Oscars awarded since the inception of the Academy Awards, only five actors and actresses with a disability, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, have ever won an Oscar: Lionel Barrymore in 1931 for Best Actor, Robert Donat in 1940 for Best Actor, Harold Russell in 1946 for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Marlee Matlin in 1987 for Best Actress and Dan Keplinger in 2000 for Best Short Subject Documentary. The direc-
tors of “King Gimp,” the documentary written by and starring Keplinger, had to accept the Oscar without Keplinger because the stage was not wheelchair accessible. Don’t mistake what I’m saying; the Oscars love people with disabilities — when they’re portrayed by able-bodied actors. Since 1989, when Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor for his portrayal of an autistic protagonist in “Rain Man,” almost half of the recipients for this award have been ablebodied actors playing a character with a disability. Notable examples are Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump, a character with an intellectual and physical disability; Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, the musician who went blind due to glaucoma; Colin Firth as King George VI, who had a stutter; and Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking, who had ALS. This isn’t surprising. 95% of characters with a disability were played by able-bodied actors in 31 popular television shows in 2015 and 2016. Even if including disability in a script were enough to appease those who want authentic representation of disabilities in media, only 2.4% of speaking or named characters in 800 popular films from 2007 to 2015 were portrayed with a disability, even though about 20% of Americans have a disability. Only 19% of the speaking or named characters with a disability were women even though men and women have a near-equal chance of having a disability. There were zero LGBTQ+ characters with a disability in the top 100 films of 2015 despite LGBTQ+ people being more likely than the general population to have a disability. So even when actors with disabilities are cast, they’re falsely represented as a group that’s predominantly male and either straight or, more often, devoid of natural sexual desires. Though society realizes people with disabilities exist, they are led to believe people with disabilities look or act a certain way, either as innocent and happy (e.g. Forrest Gump) or a genius with “flaws” (e.g. Stephen Hawking) — never normal.
Authentic representation of disability in the media eradicates those stereotypes. Zack Gottsagen’s character in “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” Zac, showed the world that people with Down syndrome have dreams, like Zak’s to become a professional wrestler; can be rebellious, as Zak was when he escaped the nursing home the government forced him to live in; and have friends without disabilities. These messages wouldn’t have had the same effect if Zak were played by an actor pretending to have Down syndrome because audiences would attribute these characteristics to the character, who is like a costume the actor can remove, and not people with Down syndrome as a whole. Because Gottsagen knows what it is like to have Down syndrome, his experiences shape his character, and Zak becomes three-dimensional, proving to the world that people with disabilities are complex and human. Of course, it doesn’t always make sense for a person with a disability to play a character with the same impairment. “The Theory of Everything” shows Stephen Hawking before and after ALS began to paralyze his body. The early stages of Hawking’s disease would be difficult for a person with a disability to portray. However, I don’t believe the choice to cast an able-bodied actor was only because Hawking’s life prior to his disability was shown on screen. If the movie was about Hawking’s life after his disease had progressed, Redmayne would still have been cast because his fame would draw more people, and more money, to the theaters. Movies, television and all forms of media — place representation over money. Authenticity over false inspiration. I want to thank the Academy for Gottsagen’s Oscar presentation, but it’s not enough. People with disabilities are ready and able to perform in Oscar-winning films, if anyone’s willing to open the door.
Feb ru a r y 18 - Feb ru a r y 25, 2020
4 | opinion@paisano-online.com
#YangGang’s Achilles’ heel Commentary
By Ana Martinez Copy Editing Coordinator The Democratic presidential candidates running for the November 2020 election saw a continuation of the rise of single-issue candidates from the 2016 presidential election. Single-issue candidates build their campaigns on one issue they plan on completing within their term as president, should they become elected. They do this to give the public a distinct image of what to expect from them without requiring extensive research. Voters started with 29 candidates to investigate last year. This lead a majority of young voters to root for single-issue candidates because of the ease in research. However, what had seemed like a good idea for appeasing overwhelmed voters backfired. Because single-issue candidates focus on one issue, they can easily misrepresent their stances on other political issues and their overall platform. A prime example of this is Andrew Yang, who dropped out of the race on Feb. 11. From the beginning, Yang established his focus on younger audiences by coining #YangGang on social media, ensuring his name became distinguished among bigger candidates like Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Yang began modeling after Sanders, who has a significant young follower base. Yang’s highlighted issue, “The Freedom Dividend,” would have given citizens a monthly allowance of $1,000 to stabilize the economy, promote economic safety and equalize social justice for struggling U.S. citizens. This issue attracted young voters, who mostly identify as liberal Democrats. Because Yang’s proposition was a liberal one, young voters, ages 18 to 44,
composed 74% of his follower base, according to the Morning Consult. It is easy to see why so many unintentionally uninformed voters thought Yang’s proposal attractive; it made him look liberal. However, his views on other major political issues were largely moderate, which makes Yang less liberal than most believed. From opposing universal health care but expanding Medicare for some to opposing free college and canceling student debt for a few, Yang’s political views are a mix of moderate and liberal, not strictly liberal, as most derived from his major proposal. Yang’s longer-than-expected Democratic presidential campaign showed the key problems with single-issue candidates: the image they present to the public can be misleading, and they manipulate younger voters. Politicians should do a better job promoting younger voters to research candidates before supporting a candidate who may not align with their political group and stance. Similarly, politicians need to be more honest with younger audiences, a demographic which can be the deciding factor in elections. Young voters have historically been absent in previous elections, but 2016 saw an increase in voters that had not been seen in decades. This came as no surprise — candidates took to social media to campaign toward swing voters. Using similar tactics, candidates running for the 2020 election are garnering the youth support they may need for the November election. Instead of supporting candidates based on one of their political views, voters should extensively research candidates before solidifying their votes. The #YangGang should now be researching the final eight candidates still in the running rather than mourning Yang’s exit from the presidential race.
Oscar history was made last week when “Parasite” became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture, also taking home Best Director, Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay. In many ways, this signals the Academy’s progress, but responses on social media regarding the win and director Bong Joon-ho’s acceptance speech show there is still ground to cover when it comes to how we perceive media from other cultures. Joon-ho’s Best Director speech began with “thank you” in English, and the rest was trans-
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The plot thickens with prejudice
By Isabella Briseño Staff Writer
Editorial Board
Assistant Editors
Photo by Greg Noire
Commentary
The Paisano
lated from Hangul. Though the speech centered on paying respect to the other directors nominated in the category, some audiences did not respond with respect to Joon-ho. For example, one verified Twitter user, Jon Miller, said the speech being given in Hangul meant that “these people are the destruction of America,” later specifying that “these people” meant the Academy, who he believed only awarded “Parasite” “to show how woke they are.” In the same series of tweets, one could reasonably infer that Miller believed “1917” or “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” should have won. Ironically, “1917” is also a foreign film, the difference being that it is a British film. Why, then, would some audiences imply that “1917” could win based on merit, while also suggesting that a film like “Parasite” could possibly only win so the Academy could secure woke points? The difference lies in the association Americans have with each country, which causes us to view foreign media through the lens of xenophobia. This critique of foreign languages that stems from our internalized attitudes
toward certain countries extends beyond award show speeches. “Parasite” features English subtitles while the dialogue is entirely in Hangul, leading many to claim the movie would be too much work to watch or enjoy. Much like the responses to “Parasite’s” success and Joon-ho’s speech, this is another example of American inability to put any amount of effort or care into experiencing cultures other than their own, especially if that culture is from a part of the world we are socialized to disregard or look down upon. Joon-ho put it best in his Golden Globes acceptance speech earlier this year: “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” Surely, if you can follow the timeline of Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” you can make the effort to read subtitles. American culture’s fear of the other continuously permeates our media and award shows, “Parasite” being just one of many examples. Luckily, Joon-ho and his army of Oscars are likely unbothered about these types of dissenting opinions.
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Fe b ru a r y 1 8 — Febru ar y 25, 2020
arts@paisano-online.com | 5
Arts & Life The world as we know it UTSA hosts foreign policy forum to discuss foreign policy’s role in 2020 elections By Josh Peck News Editor
Margaret E. Talev, Richard N. Haass, Stephen J. Hadley, Jeh Charles Johnson and Mary Beth Long spoke on foreign relations. The foreign policy event was one of four happening in the country. Photo by Josh Peck
The Council on Foreign Relations hosted one of their four nationwide Election 2020: U.S. Foreign Policy Forums in the Retama at UTSA on Feb. 12. The forum’s four panelists highlighted foreign policy topics to watch out for in today’s world and reasons voters should keep foreign policy in mind when they step up to the ballot box in the upcoming presidential primaries, as well as the general election in November. The forum featured panelists with decades of combined foreign policy experience across multiple administrations: Richard Haass, CFR president and former special assistant to George H.W. Bush; Mary Long, former assistant secretary of defense to George W. Bush; Stephen Hadley, former national security advisor to George W. Bush; and Jeh Johnson, former secretary of homeland security to Barack Obama. Margaret Talev, the White House and politics editor at Axios, moderated the discussion. The panel launched with a discussion of why foreign policy should matter to Americans. “We live in a time that what happens out there affects quality of life here,” said Haass. “Nothing stays local for long.” To make his point clear, Haass referenced terror-
ism in Afghanistan and the coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan, China, as examples of how events and actions that occur abroad can affect Americans. The panel covered a range of topics, such as the threat China poses to the U.S, the role foreign policy plays in homeland security, the value of intelligence sharing between countries, the challenge the coronavirus outbreak presents to the legitimacy of the Chinese regime and climate change as a national security threat. “I’ll tell you the number one, two and three threats [to national and homeland security]: climate change, climate change, climate change,” said Johnson. “To those of you who are going to inherit this planet … you should be looking to all of us and say, ‘What are you doing to save my planet before it’s too late?’” Long, who was the first woman confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as assistant secretary of defense, described how she viewed the lack of representation of women in U.S. foreign policy institutions. “I think particularly in intelligence, foreign policy and defense, there is an incredible lack in female voices … in leadership,” Long said. “The problem with that is, number one, you’re missing a perspective that … represents half the world. Women tend to
view things from a more empathetic perspective. We tend — I believe, in an international context — to be better listeners, and we are more inclined to compromise.” “While I was the assistant secretary of defense, I was too tough, on occasion,” Long said, referring to what she would change about her career with fresh eyes. “If I had the opportunity to go back, I would be more empathetic to particularly the bureaucrats who work in those positions for their entire lives.” Long addressed what led her to center her career on international affairs. “I was raised to take a bite out of life, and that meant seeing as much of the world as I possibly could and doing as many different things as I possibly could; government service and then the private sector afforded me those opportunities.”
“The forum’s four panelists highlighted foreign policy topics to watch out for in today’s world...”
Album of the Week: Changes Justin Bieber reworks the pop narrative
By Adrianne Kristianto Social Media Coordinator Though the controversial reviews of his resurgent single, “Yummy,” were proudly exhibited on the internet, Bieber’s Valentine’s Day album release did not disappoint. The 17-track, hour-long album “Changes” was released after a three-year hiatus in which Bieber focused on his mental health and deep-rooted issues as a celebrity. Bieber, 25, appears to be grounded and content in “Changes,” as he made his wife, Hailey Bieber, his main focus. Starting with “All Around Me,” an ode to Hailey accompanied by only reverberated strings, and ending with “At Least For Now,” a simple chord progression on the keys, the R&B/pop album exceeds its hype. Growing up in the public eye, the Canadian singer-songwriter has shown prominent musical and personal growth since he was first discovered by Scooter Braun, a record executive, in 2008. Ever since “My World 2.0” (2010), his first happygo-lucky pop album that started the infamous Bieber fever among teens, Bieber has elevated himself from being just a teen phenom into an everevolving pop artist. Nevertheless, four albums, three worldwide tours and countless TV and award shows performances later, Bieber admitted he wasn’t enjoying the one thing he loves to do — perform. Hence, he stepped away from the world in 2017, canceling the last 14 shows from his Purpose World Tour. A year later, he secretly tied the knot with his then-girlfriend and pillar, Hailey Baldwin, inspiring him to create “Changes.”
A far cry from his EDM and pophybrid album “Purpose” (2015), “Changes” shows Bieber in his most genuine state, sonically and lyrically. Back in the game as a changed man, Bieber took the time to hone his dulcet vocals and deep tunes for “Changes,” serving as an homage to his wife. Needless to say, this album proves that their honeymoon stage is still far from over. “This is an album I wrote in the first year of our marriage,” confessed Bieber to Zane Lowe. “It’s so fresh, and there’s so much more to learn about commitment and building trust and foundation.” As the muse for the album, Hailey gave more depth to some sensual, head-bopping jams like “Habitual,” “Come Around Me” and “Running Over.” Acoustic-driven tracks like “Changes” and “That’s What Love Is” really showcase Bieber’s wholehearted vocals. Featuring Oakland’s best, Kehlani, “Get Me” is a seductive, hypnotic groove, which guarantees satisfaction for listeners. With six other features from distinguished musical artists like Travis Scott, Post Malone and Quavo, “Changes” is an album that should be experienced by two. Justin Bieber will start his Changes Tour this summer on May 14 in Seattle, Washington, and he will visit Texas on June 27 in Arlington and July 2 in Houston. To find out more, visit https://www.justinbiebermusic. com/tour.
“Growing up in the public eye, the Canadian singer-songwriter has shown prominent musical and personal growth...”
Illustration by Reagan Baughman
F e bru ar y 18 — F e bru ar y 25, 2020
6 | arts@paisano-online.com
‘If we get knocked down, we get back up’ Wendy Davis on being a progressive woman in Texas politics By Rudy Sanchez Editor-in-Chief
By Paris Cantu Staff Writer
Kae Roemershauser hosting conversation with Wendy Davis. The two spoke about setting an example for young women. Photo by Robyn Castro
When Wendy Davis finally left the senate floor after trying to block a restrictive anti-abortion bill inside the Texas legislature in 2013, a concerned colleague handed the former state senator her first meal since her thirteenhour-long filibuster began. UTSA students laughed when Davis recalled her first meal following her nowfamous filibuster — a cup of yogurt — in an answer to a question from Stephanie Gonzalez, a sophomore digital communications major, in the Retama on Feb. 13. Davis’ response was part of a discussion with UTSA students about Davis’ experience as a progressive woman in Texas politics. The former Texas state senator and current challenger for Texas’ 21st congressional district came to UTSA to speak to students about her experience as a progressive female politician in Texas. The event was hosted by UTSA’s chapter of IGNITE, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering young women to engage in politics. Davis began the event by speaking to UTSA’s first-generation students. “I am still the only person in my family who had the privilege of going to college,” Davis said. “Ahead of every valley is a hill … Take pride in the fact that you are doing something hard, and keep your dream in front of you.”
Davis emphasized the importance of Generation Z and millennial voters, who are an increasingly politically active and influential group of voters. “You’ve probably seen that hashtag on social media, ‘Okay Boomer.’ I thought it was so appropriate because my generation is guilty of saying, ‘Where are the millennials? Where are the young people? Why aren’t they participating?’ Then rightly so back at us, ‘Look at what you’ve done to the world we have to inherit. What have you done to us, boomer?’” Davis cited issues facing college students, including the increased price of higher education and current burdens of student debt. “We’ve saddled you all with a completely different experience from the ones we had. Reclaim it. Reclaim the conversation. Use your power to vote.” Davis offered advice for young women who want to involve themselves in politics. “There’s nothing like getting involved in a campaign,” she said. “It’s a really great way to learn how someone goes about running for office.” In a question about her political role models, Davis said she admired Hillary Clinton’s handling of her various political defeats. Davis said she respected Clinton’s willingness to join Barack Obama’s administration after
her defeat in the 2008 Democratic nomination for president. Similar to Clinton’s 2016 presidential race, Davis lost to a Republican, Greg Abbott, for an executive office in the 2014 gubernatorial election for Texas governor. “Hopefully I’m showing that example to some young women that that’s what we do: if we get knocked down, we get back up; we keep on fighting.” Davis was asked about her strategy to appeal to the female voters in Texas who voted for Republicans in 2018, specifically the 46% of female voters who voted to reelect Senator Ted Cruz, according to CNN exit polls. “As a grandmother and as a mother, I understand where a lot of women’s hearts and heads are. We’re thinking about the future we are leaving for our kids. We’re thinking about making sure they go to good schools. We’re thinking about making sure that they can afford to go to college or trade school, or that they are going to have clean air and water, or when they go to school they don’t have to hide from an active shooter — those are the places where we can connect with each other as moms, and that’s where partisanship falls aside.”
Toni Morrison began writing her debut novel, “The Bluest Eye,” 50 years ago, following her own advice: “If you find a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” She does this with her latest work of nonfiction, as with every book she published, writing with a voice seldom heard — the voice of a black woman. “The Source of Self Regard” is her last published work before her death in August 2019 at 88 years old. 40 years worth of speeches, meditations and essays are combined to create a nonfiction collection that, for better or worse, is timeless in its discussion of race, gender, fascism and the black experience. In a speech given to Barnard students, Morrison condemns the classic fairytale “Cinderella” as “the story of a household — a world, if you please — of women gathered together and held together in order to abuse another woman.” She discards the male characters as “a rather vague absent father and a nick-of-time prince with a foot fetish.” The Cinderella household is presented as an example for a contemporary problem: “feminine power when directed at other women wielded … in what has been described as a ‘masculine’ manner.” With this, she warns of the dynamics and dangers of feminine power when negatively directed upon women. She affirms the meaning of her speech when she preaches to the women of Barnard, “I want not to ask you but to tell you not to participate in the oppression of your sisters.” She concludes her address with a summation of women’s rights, defining it as “not only an abstraction, a cause; it is also a personal affair. It is not about ‘us;’ it is about me and you. Just the two of us.” In an essay from 1995 titled “Racism and Fascism,” Morrison warns of the rise of fascism and paints a disturbing society that is alarmingly familiar. She argues that “racism may wear a new dress, buy a new pair of boots, but neither it nor its succubus twin fascism is new or can make anything new.” Morrison points out that, due to the banality of fascism, among other negative traits, fascism can only recycle its negative effects on a population, and nothing new nor progressive could come out of racist, “fascist solutions.” She ends with a futuristic account about fascism’s arrival, claiming that “we will find ourselves living not in a nation but in a consortium of industries, and wholly unintelligible to ourselves except for what we see as through a screen darkly.” Although she is no longer in our presence, her words remain in our world as a warning of political dangers, as advice for existing and hope for our damaged yet remediable future.
The Weekend UTSA Events February 20 – Courageous Conversations: Part 2 / Free 6:00 p.m. at Buena Vista Theatre BV 1.328 Al Kaufman, Rosie Castro and Leticia Van de Putte speak about the history of UTSA’s legal struggles.
By Joseph Torres
By Ana Cecilia Martinez
Managing Editor
Copy Editing Coordinator
I’m done writing this I’m going to be fine I’m a millennial I’m outgoing with friends I’m shy in crowds I’m careful I’m careless I’m destructive at times I’m productive at times I’m not lonely I’m alone I’m searching for the answer to a question I’m afraid of my shadow I’m not the same person I used to know I’m dreaming I’m awake I’m the answer to my question P.S. Don’t forget to read this backwards.
shared color of blood They never forget to ask about the nationality of our grandparents. No importa si son negros, morenos o blancos. Our blood and roots do not change our humanity. Nuestra sangre pesa mas de lo que pensamos — until they remember to ask about the nationality of our grandparents, as if that could justify or condemn our presence based on the established standard for American skin and first-world problems.
February 20 – Tales from Antarctica: Research and Discovery at the Bottom of the World / Free 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. at The Friendly Spot UTSA Associate Professor of Research Steve Ackley hosts a discussion about scientific explorations in Antarctica.
Local Events February 23 – Local Artisan Market / Free Admission 10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. at Dollface Den San Antonio local creators come together to sell their art, food, clothing, jewelry and more. February 22 — Mardi Gras Festival & Parade / Free Admission 1:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m. on The San Antonio Riverwalk Celebrate Mardi Gras with music, entertainment and delicious food. February 22 — National Margarita Day / $3 Margaritas 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. at The Rustic Celebrate National Margarita Day at The Rustic with your favorite frozen drinks and dance to DJ Tone’s soundtrack.
Fe b ru a r y 1 8 - Febru ar y 25, 2020
sports@paisano-online.com | 7
Sports Baseball starts season off swinging Hallmark picks up his first wins as UTSA head coach pretty good curveball today,” Hallmark praised. UTSA got the series sweep on Sunday with a 13-3 rout. Hunter Price demTSA baseball opened a new onstrated his value for the ‘Runners, era and their season playing picking up the win on the mound after against the Bobcats of Quinstarting the first two games in the field. nipiac University. The Roadrunners The ‘Runners jumped to an early lead in swept the three-game series, giving new the first inning and a single from Price head coach Pat Hallmark a sterling start. set the tone for the rest of the game. Dominant pitching was the story of the The ‘Runners notched 13 hits as the series, as the ‘Runners’ pitchers allowed offense shook off their earlier struggles only eight hits and two earned runs. Ofin the series to hang double digits on the fensively, Dylan Rock and Hobbs Price board. were major standouts. Rock hit .455 for The ‘Runners will face the University the series, with two runs batted in and of Texas Longhorns (3-0) at their home four stolen bases. Price began his career opener in Austin on Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at UTSA in excellent fashion, batting After their game against the Longhorns, .444 during the series and connecting on the ‘Runners will compete in the Irish his first career hit for a home run to deep Alamo Classic from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. center field on Feb. 15. UTSA begins play with games against Slater Foust got the nod as starting the University of Toledo Rockets (1-2) pitcher on opening day for the ‘Runon Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 before facing the ners. Foust delivered a dominant outing, University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish throwing 6.2 innings and allowing one (2-1) on Feb. 22. UTSA will finish the hit, three walks and recording six strikeJonathan Tapia swings at a pitch in a game. The ‘Runners will be facing off in the Irish Alamo Classic Feb. 20 classic on Feb. 23 with a game against outs. Cole McKay and Palmer Wenzel to Feb. 23 at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. Photo by Jack Myer. Hallmark’s former team, the University came on to record the last seven outs of of the Incarnate Word Cardinals (3-0), for the ‘Runners. Shane Daughety shook off one run, one walk and notched a careerthe game. With the offense leaving eight the first time since Hallmark joined the an early home run in the second inning best seven strikeouts for the day. runners stranded in scoring position, the ‘Runners. All games for the Irish Alamo to produce a career-best outing for the “He put them a little bit on their heels efforts of the pitchers were crucial in Classic will be played at Nelson W. Wolff ‘Runners. In a career-long outing of 7.1 because of all of the strikes and all of securing the 2-0 victory. Municipal Stadium. the velocity on the ball, and he had a Saturday, Feb. 15, saw a 5-1 victory for innings of work, he allowed three hits,
U
By Ryder Martin Staff Writer
Athlete of the Week: Atem Bior
Atem Bior looks to pass the ball. Bior is wrapping up his final season playing for the ‘Runners. Photo by Julia Maenius.
By Julia Maenius
Assistant Sports Editor
Senior forward Atem Bior has established himself as the sixth man for the men’s basketball team since his arrival at UTSA from the land down under. A transfer from the New Mexico Military Institute, Bior has traveled the globe, keeping basketball a constant in his life. “When I was about eight, I would go to the park and play every once in a while, but I started playing officially with a team when I was 14, in grade nine,” Bior said. Originally from South Sudan, Bior moved to Australia when he was seven years old. He continued advancing in his basketball career, playing in high school and eventually in junior college. “I played in high school over there at St. James College and then I came over to
America to prep school down in Florida,” Bior said. While Bior is an essential player for the Roadrunners, averaging 18.3 minutes per game, his first love was soccer. “I was a soccer player first, and I had gotten a little too tall, so everybody said to go try basketball,” Bior said. “Ever since I tried it and took it seriously, it has opened so many doors for me. I have to give it everything I have every day.” Reaching his season high of nine rebounds in one game against Marshall, Bior was recruited to UTSA for his junior season. He has continued to contribute to the ‘Runners’ defense and offense, with multiple long distance baskets. “Coach Hood reached out to me when I was in the New Mexico Military at junior college, and we built a little relationship
Atem Bior blows past multiple defenders on his way to the rim. Bior has been playing for the ‘Runners for two seasons. Photo by Julia Maenius.
when I was there,” Bior said. “I ended up meeting Coach Henson and the whole coaching staff when I came on my visit, and it just felt like home. They told me to trust my gut, and that’s what I did.” Bior pulls inspiration from Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant. He also enjoys listening to music, playing video games and hanging out with friends. Bior has a love of R&B music, and his secret talent is playing piano –– kind of. “I can play one song on the piano, but that’s about it,” Bior laughed. Bior has a unique pregame ritual so he can be focused come tipoff. “Every home game after our pregame workout, I’ll shower before we get started with the game,” Bior said. “Nobody else does that.” Bior is a kinesiology major with plans
to pursue physiotherapy in the future. He also plans to incorporate basketball into his life after graduation. “I would love to continue playing basketball, but with my degree in kinesiology, I would love to become a coach or anything to do with basketball down in Australia or here in the States,” Bior said. As Bior wraps up his final season, he reflects on the environment around him and the impact it has had on his life. “Getting on the court and everything has been my dream, and the people I have met here have been fantastic and so supportive,” Bior said. “I feel like I have a relationship with a lot of people here, way beyond my two years here.”
F e bru ar y 18 - F e bru ar y 25, 2020
8 | sports@paisano-online.com
Victoria Villarreal catches a throw from Clarissa Hernandez. The ‘Runners went 3-2 in the Bobcat Classic. Photo by Julia Maenius.
Softball wins three at Bobcat Invitational By Dalton Hartmann Staff Writer The UTSA Roadrunner softball team (7-4) headed to their second tournament to take on the Texas State Bobcats, the Wichita State Shockers and the Saint Louis Billikens in the Bobcat Classic. The ‘Runners’ first game of the Bobcat Classic took place on Feb. 13 against the Bobcats, where the ‘Runners suffered a close loss. The Bobcats were the first to strike, but the ‘Runners did not let that lead last long, as Celeste Loughman, in the third inning, picked up a run after Kindell Brooks hit a fair ball to first. The Bobcats picked up another run in the fourth, and in the fifth, Reily Grunberg matched their score by hitting a homerun. In the sixth, Lauren Coerver also hit a home run, but this time, the Bobcats matched with a homer of their own. Going into the seventh, the score was tied 3-3, which put pressure on the ‘Runners to score since they were first to bat. The ‘Runners were unable to score in the seventh, and the Bobcats stacked the
bases, resulting in a score and a 4-3 win. The ‘Runners struggled in their next game against Wichita State, allowing the Shockers to score twelve runs, while they only scored one. The ‘Runners started this game off with a score by Loughman. The Shockers controlled the rest of the game and managed to rack up twelve scores. After the ‘Runners lost to the Shockers, they decided to change their mindset more positively. The ‘Runners had an uneventful game against the Shockers until the fifth inning, when the ‘Runners scored the only two runs of the game, leading to their victory. The last game the ‘Runners played was against Billikens for the second time, where they beat them 9-2. The ‘Runners finished the Bobcat Classic with a 3-2 record and will prepare to go to the Boerner Invitational, where they will take on the Kansa Jayhawks, UT Arlington Mavericks and Rutger Scarlet Knights. These games will take place in Arlington, Texas, from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23.
Kylee Kato sends a ball back to her opponent. The ‘Runners were able to pick up their third win of their spring season in a home contest against the Vaqueros. Photo by Ethan Gullett.
Women’s tennis picks up third win of the season By Kennedy Caskey Staff Writer On Saturday, Feb. 15, the UTSA women’s tennis team hosted the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros at the UTSA Tennis Center. The Roadrunners finished with a 7-0 record, sweeping UTRGV. The ‘Runners were represented by freshmen Laura Munoz-Baroja and Keegan McCain, sophomores Catalina Cabrique, Jasmin Starr and Sophie Omoworare, and seniors Diya Mennon, Laura Cabrera and Kylee Kato. In the first match of the day, Starr faced opponent Katarina Sasaroga. The match retired after Starr finished the first set, 6-0. One court over, Munoz-Baroja defeated UTRGV’s Ana Platisa with a sweeping 6-2, 6-2 win. Kato earned a victory for UTSA, beating Valeria Montero, 6-1, 6-4. Continuing her teammate’s winning streak, McCain achieved a win with a 6-2, 6-2 outcome. Just as successful, Cabrera secured a 6-2, 6-3 win for the ‘Runners. In the closely contested final
singles match of the day, Cabrique fought hard but fell short, in her first set, 5-7. Carbrique bounced back and won the second set against opponent Alicia Thal, 6-3. In the deciding super tiebreaker, Cabrique won, 10-6. Meanwhile, doubles pair Kato and Cabrique dominated with a 6-1 win over UTRGV’s Thal and Platisa. Similarly, Omoworare and Mennon won in a wellfought match, 6-4. Starr and McCain’s match was retired at 5-4. Head coach Ki Kroll concluded, “We got off to a good start in doubles and kept things going in singles. We’ll need to build on this win for our next match against a very good Corpus Christi team on Tuesday. I’m very excited about our progress.” The UTSA women’s tennis team will continue their spring season on Tuesday, Feb. 18, against Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Men’s basketball heads into C-USA Bonus Play By Cade Draughon Staff Writer UTSA men’s basketball (12-15, 6-8 C-USA) went 1-1 during their final home stand of the regular season, with a win against the Marshall Thundering Herd (1314, 7-7 C-USA), 72-63, on Feb. 13 and a loss to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (18-8, 11-3 C-USA), 73-77, on Feb. 15. “Much of our success has come from easy buckets in transition and working hard defensively, so we have to keep that up,” coach Steve Henson said. The Roadrunners took on the Thundering Herd, ranked seventh seed in Conference USA (C-USA). The ‘Runners played a close game in the first half, finishing down by four, 34-38. They were able to take over the game in the second half by making 15 out of 18 of their free throws. Jhivvan Jackson led the ‘Runners in scoring, with 25 points. “Down the stretch, rebounds will keep us in the game, and we just have to make our easy shots,” Jackson said. In the matchup against the second seed Hilltoppers, the ‘Runners shot 50% from the field, despite trailing 34-41. After a second-half surge, the game went into overtime after ending tied at 64 points. Shooting 22% from the field, the ‘Runners
missed crucial three pointers, leading to a 73-77 loss. On Feb. 27, the ‘Runners will be playing against the Florida Atlantic Owls (14-13, 6-8 C-USA) in the first game of C-USA bonus play in Boca Raton, Florida. The Owls are coming into this game as the ninth seed while the ‘Runners sit in the 10th seed. The Owls are led by Cornelius Taylor, scoring 12.1 points per game, and Jaylyn Ingram, scoring 11 points and making 5.2 rebounds per game. Currently, UTSA is the number one scoring team in C-USA, with Florida Atlantic ranking ninth. The ‘Runners second C-USA bonus play game will take place on Mar. 1 in the Convocation Center when they take on the UAB Blazers (16-11, 7-7 C-USA), who are the sixth seed in C-USA. The ‘Runners will look to crash the boards since they rank first in C-USA for rebounds per game, while the Blazers rank sixth. The Blazers are led by Jalen Benjamin, with 12.8 points per game, along with Tavin Lovan, with 12.5, and Zack Bryant, with 11. However, the ‘Runners have scorers of their own —Jhivvan Jackson is second in Division I men’s basketball with 26.9 points per game, and Keaton Wallace is second in CUSA with 19 points per game.
Jhivvan Jackson shoots the ball over a Louisiana Tech defenders. Jackson has moved into the all-time leading scorer position. Photo by Josh Peck
Quick Hits Track & Field The Conference USA Indoor Championships will take place Feb. 22 - Feb. 23 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Women’s Basketball The Roadrunners will host the University of Texas at El Paso on Feb. 20 and hit the road to take on the Universtiy of North Texas on Feb. 22 in Denton, Texas.
Women’s Golf For the second year in a row, the Roadrunners won the Texas State Invitational. Hannah Holzmann placed first overall.
Men’s Golf After two days of play at the All-American Intercollegiate the team finds themselves in third place behind Sam Houston State University and Wake Forest University.
Men’s Basketball Jhivvan Jackson breaks the single-season scoring record and is first on the all-time scoring list now in UTSA basketball history.