09.24.19 by The Paisano

5 | Arts & Life

7 | Sports

The change we wish to see

Vol. 60, Issue 5

Blue Raiders outlast the Roadrunners

Est. 1981

September 24 - October 1, 2019

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline

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Graphic by Lindsey Thomas

By Heather Montoya Co-News Editor UTSA is the first college in the nation to implement a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault and misconduct for athletes. On Sept. 17, UTSA announced the implementation of the Tracy Rule, a policy now in effect that attaches a student-athlete’s eligibility to their behavior. “I think it speaks volumes for having a president who supports this, obviously me, being the vice president for intercollegiate athletics, to support this,” Lisa Campos, UTSA athletic director, said.

According to the Tracy Rule, students may not participate in practices or competitions at UTSA if the athlete has pleaded guilty, no contest or been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor related to Serious Misconduct. “‘Serious Misconduct’ is defined as any act of incest, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, hate crime, murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, any assault that employs the use of a deadly weapon or causes serious bodily injury,” the rule states. Student-athletes will also be

ineligible to practice or play if behaviors are discovered related to Serious Misconduct. Additionally, the Tracy Rule prohibits students from receiving athleticrelated financial aid. The Tracy Rule is named after Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor and founder of a national campaign and nonprofit called #SetTheExpectation, who visited UTSA this past year to share her story and discuss sexual assault and misconduct prevention. Tracy met with UTSA athletes, coaches and athletic staff as well as Greek Life, students, faculty and staff. Many members from the UTSA community signed the

#SetTheExpectation pledge that recognizes sexual assault and physical violence as unacceptable. “Every campus in this country has a problem with sexual assault and interpersonal violence,” Tracy said. “I’m very proud of the UTSA Athletics department for taking a stand on these issues and doing their part to make the campus community safer. I hope the NCAA and other schools will follow their lead.” This policy does not require the university to perform formal background checks, but potential student-athletes have to fill out

the UTSA Minimum Expectations for Due Diligence Inquiries questionnaire. This asks students seven questions regarding Serious Misconduct. Transfer student-athletes are required to fill out a form that addresses the same components. Their form also requires a signature from their previous institutions’ Title IX Office to verify whether the student was a respondent and, if so, whether they were found responsible. “For those that perhaps lie Continued on page 2 See “Athletic eligibility attached to serious misconduct”

Student government approves remaining $32, 423 budget By Joseph Torres Co-News Editor Students hold signs in protest to student government budget.

Robyn Castro/The Paisano

Student organizations protest student government spending

By Breahna Luera Assistant News Editor Texas Rising and #ChangeRapeCulture united to work alongside student protestors at the Student Government Association (SGA) general assembly meeting on Sept. 19. During the open forum segment of the meeting, students have the opportunity to voice their concerns with a two-minute time limit. Multiple speakers participated in this open forum, and SGA members granted time extensions to speakers until they finished speaking. One of the main concerns students had was a lack of communication between SGA and the student body. Other concerns included services that UTSA students view essential around campus, inefficient notifications about SGA elections, a lack of

fresh produce in the Roadrunner Pantry and a request to defund SGA due to their decision to spend $14,000 of the overall SGA budget on a leadership summit. SGA president, Jack Rust, responded to the students with promises to recognize the flaws in SGA and to make improvements. “If we’re a student organiza-

tion whose mission statement says that we’re the sole voice of the student body yet, this many individuals are coming for open forum completely contrasting what we say we’re doing, then we’re obviously not that and that’s a false statement,” Rust said. “We’re an imperfect organization that’s trying to get better and we need you guys here in order to do so.”

Student government senators address concerns.

Rudy Sanchez/The Paisano

The 2019-2020 budget for UTSA’s Student Government Association (SGA) was approved during the 8th Session of the 44th General Assembly. The budget is funded via Student Services Fee S001 which mandates students to pay $16.18 per semester credit hour with a maximum charge of $194.16 per semester. “The Student Services Fee is allocated by a committee comprised mostly of students and is dependent on student enrollment numbers. SGA currently receives less than one-half of one percent of the Student Services Fee,” LT Robinson, UTSA senior vice provost of student affairs and dean of students, said. “SGA approves an operating budget each year that includes an evaluation of its functions and costs and how to allocate resources to them.” Student Body Treasurer Joshua Rebel presented SGA’s full annual budget of $47,183. $22,550 has already been spent across three line items: $3,200 for Committee Programming’s rain garden; $10,850 for SGA’s Leadership Summit meals and lodging and $8,500 for executive stipends. The proposed budget also includes $24,633 in leftover funds assigned to the following line items: $1,000 for Public Rela-

tions; $3,060.10 for Director and Committee Programming; $3,080 for the SGA Leadership Summit; $2,108 for Homecoming; $880 for Hail and Farewell; $3,000 for Member Resources; $2,000 for Office Operations; $1,500 for Composites; $830 for the Judicial Branch and $1,000 for president funds. The proposal left $6,174.90 unallocated. After the presentation, Kaitlyn Law, executive assistant, motioned to move $6,000 of the unallocated funds into a University Life Awards (ULA) line item under Director Programming. “Just to give insight into why we’re moving $6,000 into the ULA line item: Dean of Students LT Robinson has asked, and since we are for the students, and we do provide things for the students, that we pay for what the students actually receive from the ULA,” Law said. “The $6,000 will cover the cost of food for the ULA banquet and the cost of all awards for the ULA banquet. It is half of the money that we would typically spend on ULAs.” Gage Martin, sophomore senator, seconded the motion, which then moved the topic into discussion. Taylor Edwards, College of Liberal and Fine Arts senator, took a stance against the motion. “I am against this because I Continued on page 2 See “Budget deliberation concludes”

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UTSA UTSA announced that Fall 2019 Commencement ceremonies will take place on Dec. 15 and 16 in the Alamodome. There will be a total of three ceremonies; two will take place on Dec. 15 and one will take place on Dec. 16. Over 4,000 students are eligible to receive their degrees at one of the three ceremonies. Students can attend Grad Fest to help them prepare for the commencement ceremonies in December. Grad Fest will be held at the Downtown Campus on Oct. 9 and at the Main Campus on Oct. 10 to help students prepare for the ceremonies.

Texas Tropical Storm Imelda’s flooding resulted in residents of the Houston area being trapped in their homes, the evacuation of a hospital, closing school districts and loss of power. Imelda is being referred to as the fifth-wettest tropical cyclone in continential United States. Imelda’s flooding is responsible for at least two deaths. On Sept. 19, the flooding caused Gov. Greg Abbott to declare a state of emergency in over a dozen counties in the Houston area.

U.S. Following the attacks on two oil installations in Saudi Arabia last week, the U.S. announced plans to send additional troops to Saudia Arabia to help with security. Mark Esper, U.S. Defense Secretary, and Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the announcement during a press conference on Sept. 20. Additional troops will also be sent to the United Arab Emirates.

World The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced the five year period between 2014-2019 as the warmest on record. This is the result of a 20% increase in carbon emissions released into the atmosphere from 20152019. The sea level during this five year period has risen 5mm per year compared to an average of 3.2mm per year from 1993-2019 as a consequence of Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets melting.

Business Walmart announced that it will discontinue the sale of e-cigarettes. This decision was made in the wake of seven confirmed deaths by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to vaping. Walmart will continue to sell e-cigarettes until their existing inventory runs out. The company will continue selling tobacco cigarettes.

Budget deliberation continues Continued from Page 1 think the money could be better spent in the Judicial Branch for our elections in order to encourage more voter turnout,” Edwards said. Luke Gonzales-Ruiz, senior senator, countered Edwards and supported the initial motion. “I feel like [the Judicial Branch fund is] an okay amount to leave it at, just because of the history of it being very low. We only spent $130 in one day. We still have over $700 left in there for future elections,” GonzalesRuiz said. Martin also commented on his support for the motion.

“Just a reminder that our Constitution’s-Section 2 Article H is to make opportunities for our constituents,” Martin said. “So, without providing the $6,000 in funds to the ULA, that’s taking a bunch of awards from people that are being honored by the administration, and I think it’s important for us to bridge that gap a little bit so our students can get recognized.” Law interjected with a point of information, and she stated that the unallocated funds could be moved at anytime with a future vote, which evoked a response from Edwards. “I completely understand what

you’re saying; however, we just cannot leave tonight without putting more money into the Judicial Branch. Luke is right, historically it’s always been low and you know what else has also been historically low? Voter turnout,” Edwards said. Amid the back-and-forth, Chief Justice Kinzy Bucey stood up to dismiss herself from the room. “We just got roasted about elections,” Bucey said as she proceeded to leave the meeting. Bucey expressed her disapproval over the $830 allocated to the Judicial Branch for the fall and spring semesters.

“Each exec-member gets more money than the whole Judicial Branch,” Bucey said. Following her departure, the floor was then called to a vote. While the rest of the SGA senators voted to approve the budget, two senators voted against the approval: Edwards and Claudeth Garcia, speaker of the senate. With SGA’s budget now approved, Department and Committee Programing may now move forward with plans for the 2019-2020 school year. SGA’s next general meeting will be held on Sept. 26 in the Denman Ballroom inside the Student Union.

Athletic eligibility attached to serious misconduct Continued from Page 1 on that form and it does come out, which we know that these things are hard to hide, there are consequences for that. We have our student-athlete code of conduct committee that would definitely look at that and try to understand why they had answered something incorrectly or deceptively and find out more details about that,” Campos said. The UTSA Tracy Rule Advisory Committee will determine whether to provide aid or allow a student-athlete to practice or compete if a question regarding the Tracy Rule arises. President Taylor Eighmy will appoint members of this committee. Potential members are still being identified. This policy was formed from the framework that Tracy provided as well as from conversations with people from UTSA’s Title IX Office, Student Conduct, Legal Affairs, Athletics and Tracy’s attorneys. According to Campos, protests that students held on campus last year did not prompt the athletic department’s decision to bring Tracy to UTSA, but the protests allowed them to be aware of how the UTSA community felt about the university’s response to sexual assault and misconduct. “When I first got here, that was one of the things through our life skills program, that I said ‘listen, at some point we have got to bring this individual onto the UTSA campus,” Campos said. “Then the protests and everything coincidentally started happening, so it was already on our radar. We were already looking at educational opportunities for our student-athletes. The protests gave awareness to the landscape and how people were feeling and perceptions here at the UTSA campus. But for athletics, things were already in motion.” Campos also stated that UTSA coaches have always been thorough when looking into the backgrounds of athletes they bring to UTSA. Coaches speak to parents, do home visits, meet with past coaches and counselors as well as monitor social media. This policy is a way to formalize the recruiting process and allows coaches to find out as much as they can about the student-athletes they bring to UTSA. “It is going to really send a message to anyone who is thinking about being a part of UTSA athletics that we are serious about the students we recruit here, we’re serious about the student-athletes who are going to represent our department and this institution and that we do want, for lack of a better word, set the expectation of what we want to create in our culture,” Campos said. Not only does this policy affect new recruits, but current athletes will also be required to fill out the same forms. “Now that the policy is official, all of our current student-athletes, in the next couple of days, or by next week, will be completing that paperwork as well,” Campos said. “We don’t anticipate having any surprises, you never know, but they are going to go through the process just like any recruited student-athlete coming to UTSA.” Campos anticipates other universities reaching out on how to implement a policy like the Tracy Rule at their institutions. “I think people really value this and value that UTSA has gone the extra mile working with Brenda to help develop this policy for UTSA,” Campos said. “We’re just really proud of this, our student-athletes were so moved they wanted to be a part of something special, which this really is, and they want to be a part of making change and this is definitely making change.”

Graphic by Ethan Gullett

Visit paisano-online.com for this week’s online exclusives: UTSA celebrates 5 years tobacco free Senate Bill 25 effects Texas students New foster care pilot program received $3.5 million

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opinion SGA, don’t tread on us Editorial Outside the McKinney Humanities Building, some members of both The Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) and Turning Point USA, two of the most politically active organizations on campus, set aside their polarizing ideological differences and joined in solidarity to demonstrate their disapproval of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) spending decisions. Causing a temporary ceasefire among some members of political organizations, SGA’s decision to spend nearly $14,000 on their leadership summit resulted in an extraordinary student reaction. SGA’s leadership summit, held at the UTSA Downtown Campus last year, is generally designed to educate SGA members about their responsibilities and effective ways to execute them. In SGA President Jack Rust’s own words, the gist of the summit is to communicate to SGA members, “What is your role and responsibility as a senator and teaching them our constitution and what it says you must abide by as a senator.” Last year, the summit was held at the downtown campus, and a total of $9,550 was budgeted. The overall experience, according to Rust, was not positive. “We were there for a full day, like a full breakfast tacos in the morning, finishing there in the afternoon into the evening. And it felt like homework.” If SGA representatives feel like learning the functions of their elected positions is like “homework,” then they do not deserve to serve our community. Our SGA representatives need to be concerned about how to per-

form their duties in the most cost-effective way. The purpose of the summit has not changed, yet the location has. The luxurious John Newcombe Tennis Ranch will be the destination for this year’s summit. SGA’s decision to host the summit at the ranch, and its decision to purchase more seats for other student leaders outside of SGA, has resulted in the summit being the largest expense (nearly 30 percent) of the overall SGA budget ($47,983). These funds are carved out of UTSA’s student fees. The location of a leadership summit does not determine the effectiveness of our elected officials. If SGA members will benefit from a summit only if it’s held at an expensive tennis ranch, then their summit does not deserve to be funded by student fees. The student body should not have to pay for SGA’s trip to John Newcombe Tennis Ranch under the guise of a “leadership summit” when SGA could be doing the same activities, with the same people, at a UTSA location. While leadership skills are crucial to effective student governance, the venue is not. When the decision was made to increase the price of this year’s summit by over $4,000, SGA should have based their decision on the potential benefits of the student

body, rather than the benefit of themselves. Should SGA decide to travel to John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in the future, they should fund their trip with money from their own pockets — not the students’.

Illustration by Emmanuelle Maher

Emotive language raises questions

The Paisano

Letter to the Editor

The Independent Student Newspaper for the UTSA Community

I really enjoyed the article [Figure it out: your future self will thank you], my name is Elise this is my first letter to the editor and I would like to share some language fallacies I found in the article. Overall the article was interesting, although I did find an issue with your choice of wording when referring to the current students as leaving a “legacy.” You are using emotive language by implying, that the current actions of students will matter to the future students. I also found the language fallacy of cause and effect

when mentioning that through talking to students and professors along with paying attention in your courses you’re supposed to know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Lastly the language fallacy of influence by association was used when mentioning that what we do at UTSA will determine our futures. I would love to hear back about my suggestions and recommendations. Elise Acosta Communication Student

Cacti shouldn’t be removed for construction

Letter to the Editor I have long admired the large cactus that used to grow on the corner of Cocke and Cook streets behind the MH building. As a result, I was dismayed when I saw that it had been bulldozed to make way for new construction. Given the plant’s location it

could have been preserved without interfering with the building site. Surely there is a way for UTSA to expand and grow while still preserving the unique and beautiful things that make this university such an important part of San Antonio. Mary McNaughton-Cassill Ph.D. Psychology Department

Time: Every Wednesday 6 p.m. Location: The Paisano Media Arts Center 14526 Roadrunner Way

Send your letters to Editor@paisano-online.com

For Antonio Brown, the ruling is under review; now it’s the NFL’s call Commentary

By Xavier Richardson Staff Writer Just when we thought the situation was settled after he signed with the New England Patriots, we were hit with the news of a lawsuit filed against NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown on Sept. 10. The lawsuit filed by former collegiate gymnast Britney Taylor, who had acted as Brown’s trainer shortly after they met at Central Michigan University in 2010, states that she had been sexually assaulted by Brown on multiple occasions in 2017 and 2018. It was upsetting to read the various news reports covering the lawsuit over the past few days, but the original document detailing the grievances against Brown was what really made my stomach turn. The 15-page

lawsuit and the results from a polygraph test left no doubt in my mind that Taylor is telling the truth, thus making Brown guilty of these egregious actions. I understand that Brown is officially innocent until proven guilty and the investigation headed by the NFL is still ongoing. What I don’t understand is how he was cleared to practice and play against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 15 in light of these accusations. To me, the NFL is enabling Brown in the face of these allegations and endorsing him because he is a great athlete, which is very similar to the controversy surrounding the Brock Turner case in 2015. For those who don’t recall, Turner was a highly regarded student-athlete at Stanford University when he sexually assaulted Chanel Miller behind

a dumpster while she was intoxicated. While multiple rape charges were filed against him, amounting to a minimum of six years in prison, Turner ended up being charged to a mere six months in prison instead and only served about half the sentence before his release. The leniency in Turner’s sentence was courtesy of Judge Aaron Persky, who happened to be a student-athlete during his time at Stanford as well. In the end, it felt as if Turner was merely given a slap on the wrist despite the severity of his crimes because of his privilege as an athlete and a white male. The situation with Brown needs to be handled differently than Turner’s, especially with the emergence of a second woman, an artist who wished to remain nameless, who came forward with accusations against Brown on Sept. 16. The

building frustration of Brown as information about his past continues to come to light has caused him to lose key endorsements with Xenith and Nike, a necessary step in curtailing this sort of behavior. Brown’s threats sent to the second woman ended up being the last straw for the Patriots, as they released him on Sept. 20, marking the end of his brief career as a Patriot, and possibly as an NFL player. As the messy situation with Brown has shown, the NFL cannot afford to tiptoe around this issue any longer. Often, fans criticize Roger Goodell and the NFL for having too tight a grip on players, but now is not the time for them to loosen it up. The symbolism of Brown seemingly getting off easy despite the accusations against him is a dangerous display for the next generation of ath-

letes. If young fans hear about Brown’s rape accusations and subsequently see him taking the field, how is that supposed to teach them differently? Fortunately, Robert Kraft and the Patriots organization made the right call in releasing Brown, but Kraft doesn’t have the cleanest record himself. Kraft managed to virtually escape sanctions despite charges for soliciting prostitutes at a massage parlor earlier this year. Even if he isn’t found guilty at the end of the investigation and never allowed to take the field for an NFL team again, Brown’s actions and the league’s failure to act are representative of the continuity of rape culture in our country and the lack of desire to positively reshape the future for many at the expense of a select few.

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E-cigarettes are not a safer option Commentary

By Donald Escamilla Staff Writer The American Vaping Association loves to defend their products as a “healthy” or “safer” substitute for smoking cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes are not a healthy substitute to regular smoking. The only

difference between the two cigarettes is that one requires a lighter and the other requires an electrical charge. There are movements wanting to ban cigarettes and e-cigarettes as a whole, such as The Truth. They have produced many graphic commercials on why smoking is harmful but they don’t send a powerful message about the consequences of e-cigarettes. Recently, the Trump administration decided to take action.

For once in his presidential career, Trump is taking action handling a huge problem within the youth of our country, and I can get behind this. Initially, the problem with e-cigarettes was that the battery would randomly catch fire or explode on the user, but now we know that the vapor is having a catastrophic effect on users. There have been several reports of adults and teenagers going to hospitals because of lung injuries caused by e-cigarettes.

There have been many studies conducted on the health consequences of e-cigarettes. They contain nicotine; people may think that ‘Oh, that just means I’ll become addicted with no other consequences,’ but the website Drugabuse.gov gives a better explanation of the consequences of nicotine. The website states, “Young people who use nicotine products in any form, including e-cigarettes, are uniquely at risk for longlasting effects. Because nicotine

affects the development of the brain’s reward system, continued e-cigarette use can not only lead to nicotine addiction, but it also can make other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine more pleasurable to a teen’s developing brain.” The Trump administration is taking the situation seriously, and depending on how they approach it, this could be better for us all in the end.

Campus takes steps towards a greener future – mostly

Photography: capturing and creating joy

Commentary

By Maha Qadri Magazine Editor If you’ve been at UTSA for the past couple of years, you should be able to recognize all the patches of construction sprinkled around campus. UTSA’s upcoming Science & Engineering Building has steadily been making itself known. Our East Campus parking lot received an expansion. A little way down UTSA Boulevard, another new apartment complex is underway. It can be safely assumed that all these projects are in preparation for the projected increase of UTSA’s student body in the upcoming decade. While the increasing popularity of our university is exciting, it’s worth noting that UTSA has had to sacrifice some of the natural greenery that surrounds our Main Campus in order to further these efforts. So is UTSA doing enough to offset their construction efforts? When the East Campus Lot 3 was completed, a total of 300 trees were planted around San Antonio — 75 of which were planted right around Lot 3. They even redistributed the mulch around Main Campus in order to reuse the natural materials. While off-campus apartments aren’t under UTSA’s jurisdiction, the new and existing complexes including The Villas at the Rim and the Laurel Glen Apartments have started integrating solar panels as energy sources. This past summer, UTSA’s Office of Sustainability was awarded $339,125 for their new project #makeUTSAwalkable. This project was brought to fruition after the Environmental Protection Agency declared that Bexar County’s air was not up to their standards. The first sign

The Paisano Katrina Clements | Editor in Chief Editor@paisano-online.com Rudy Sanchez | Managing Editor Manager@paisano-online.com Josh Peck | Assistant Managing Editor

News Heather Montoya | Co-News Editor News@paisano-online.com Joseph Torres | Co-News Editor News@paisano-online.com Breahna Luera | Assistant News Editor

Arts & Life Alex Hanks | Arts & Life Editor Arts@paisano-online.com Sofia Garcia | Assistant Arts & Life Editor

Sports Ryan Garza | Sports Editor Sports@paisano-online.com Julia Maenius | Assistant Sports Editor

of #makeUTSAwalkable is the upcoming grand opening of the Tito Bradshaw Bicycle Repair and the pathway construction leading up to it. UTSA’s Office of Sustainability has an upcoming strategic plan that should outline even more environmental projects from 2019-2023. With all these projects, it’s very comforting to see our university as a part of the solution, but there’s always room for improvement. I feel that the Roadrunner Cafe would be a great addition to UTSA’s environmental efforts. The cafe isn’t very vegetarian or vegan-friendly. Meat-based sandwiches and pizza are the most consistent meals, neither of which is a particularly healthy option. Not only is this troublesome for students with different diets, but it also restricts students from participating in the easiest way to reduce their carbon footprint. UTSA is putting in a lot of effort and is off to an amazing start down the road of environmentalism. With the administration doing its part, students have to hold up their end of the bargain as well. With the estimated population growth, using the alternative transportation methods that UTSA has made available: biking, the free VIA bus passes and campus shuttles are efficient ways to minimize the number of cars on campus and reduce air pollution. Even little steps help, like taking a second to ponder whether your trash is really trash or if it can be recycled or reused. If you have the time, partake in the Sustainability Council’s monthly assembly or stop by the Green Society’s meetings to learn how to become more involved in keeping our campus and city green and clean.

By Lindsey Thomas Photo Editor A photo can say a thousand words. There are so many ways to speak without speaking and one of my favorite ways is through art. I find photography to be artistic because it exemplifies different viewpoints to someone and can be perceived in more than one way just as art would be. Photography has a way of demonstrating to a reader what the artist is passionate about. I find art through many outlets, my favorite is through sports. Photographing sports is difficult but the most rewarding because the players are so joyful to see photos of themselves and seeing those smiles is all the satisfaction for a photographer to know what they’re doing is impactful. The difference between a snapshot and a photograph is art. A snapshot is a photo that lacks character; it is something you capture on a whim without care. A photograph has emotion and heart in it. They speak what the writer cannot say. Take a photo of a United States Marine coming home to greet his loved ones. The photo shows him embracing his wife and children, the photo shows the tears in the woman’s eyes, the joy in the man’s face and the love in the child’s. Photography has a way of taking on the idea of ‘show don’t tell.’

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There are so many ways to portray a story through photography. For me, I find joy in capturing the emotion in peoples faces. Seeing the joy, heartache, kindness, love and so on. Finding the good in a moment is what photography is about. Being the photo editor allows me to branch out and try new things like photographing news and making it more emotional. Overtime photography has developed into what we now know as digital, which in a sense is taking the developmental stage out of photography completely. As time goes on, photographs are what people take away from moments. As time goes on a part of history that is remembered is photography. When families gather together they will go through old photos and reminisce about the good old days and the times they shared together. My favorite part about this art is the reactions. When someone loves my photo or if they tell me it’ll be their background, that is all I could as for. The appreciation, the kindness and the good it does for people. Photography brings people together. They can look back on old memories and see all the smiles on their faces and remember exactly what happened that day and why they were so happy. This form of art is the joy it produces. The kind of good I love to see.

The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization. The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods. The Paisano is distributed on all three UTSA campuses — Main, Downtown and the Institute of Texan Cultures. Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a variety of off-campus locations, including Tri-point and a variety of apartment complexes near the UTSA Main Campus. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed to: 14526 Roadrunner Way Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210)-690-9301 © 2019, The Paisano The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Handbook of Operating Procedures states in 5.03 that: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will not exercise control over the format or content of Student Publications, but will regulate distribution on campus. Student Publications will be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and their editors and managers are solely responsible for editorial and content policies and decisions. Editors and managers of Student Publications will not be subject to arbitrary suspension/expulsion or removal from their positions within a Registered or Sponsored Student Organization (Student Organization) by the University because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy or content. Student Organizations that distribute Student Publications are afforded the same rights and privileges as Student Organizations that do not distribute Student Publications.

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Arts & Life The change we wish to see San Antonio plays their part in the fight against climate change By Robin Molina Staff Writer

Before the crowd proliferated through the streets for the Youth Climate Strike, an event part of the global climate strike and hosted by Operation Climate SA, Public Citizen Texas, Society of Native Nations and Climate Action SA. All organizations gathered at the front of the Municipal Court to hear the youth speak. The speeches were initiated by Frankie Orona, a member of the Society of Native Nations and the American Indian Movement, and as the crowd waited for the first youth to take the mic, another member walked around with burning sage to promote healing and wisdom. Parth Ghawghawe, founder and director of Defend the Depths, partner of Operation Climate San Antonio and senior at Brandeis High School, organized the event. “There’s a misconception out there that youth don’t have much power, but what they can bring to the table is their ability to mobilize the youth population, their creativity, ambition and familiarity with technology to help spread the message and create change in their community,” Ghawghawe said. In addition to the Youth Climate Strike, a Bicycle Die-In took place. Samantha Flores, a San Antonio bicyclist, shared her views on climate change, “Sustainable transportation is the way of the future... Every cycle on the road is one less car, 27 percent of all trips we make here in the U.S. are less than one mile, 41 percent of all trips are less than two miles. Until there is justice for

our cyclists there will be no peace for city council.” Flores became a voice for the bicyclist community after she got run over by two separate drivers; now she brings awareness to the sustainable nature of cycling. She ended her speech by asking cyclists to lay their bodies and bikes on the ground in order to demonstrate how many of them risk their lives through the lack of infrastructure in San Antonio. Mayor Ron Nirenberg spoke at the event to bring awareness to the city-led Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which will be put to a vote on Oct. 17. The plan would put San Antonio on the path to carbon neutrality by 2050. The march from the Municipal Court to Hemisphere Park was led by the youth and the crowd followed along chanting, “Climate action now! Planet over profit!” Upon arriving at Hemisfair Park, the youth spoke to express their feelings about climate change and encourage

those who can to take action. Paul, a 10-year-old, expressed how his parents have been able to take him on many road trips. But after hearing about climate change, he began worrying that he wouldn’t be able to show his children all he got to see as a kid. Kayla Price, a student at Young Women’s Leadership Academy and youth organizer with Society of Native Nations, brought awareness to the pipeline that is being built north of San Antonio. “Climate change is heating up our planet, making places hotter than they should be. It’s causing animals to go extinct, same with plants and melting ice caps causing sea levels to rise, but our addiction to fossil fuels is the main reason. We pollute the air and water, creating less livable conditions for ourselves; we breakdown and cut oxygen sources; we continue to invest in infrastructure that has dangerous effects on our water and its quality. An example of this is the permeating high

Robin Molina/The Paisano

way pipeline being built just north of San Antonio in our beautiful hill country. The pipeline will run through five rivers, three aquifers and over 20 streams that supply over four million people with drinking water. There are many different places where this has happened and we all know pipelines burst, and when this happens we will no longer have clean drinking water, we need to work together to stop these things from happening and work towards making our planet better because there is no planet B.” Alex, a 12-year-old, expressed, “I’m here because this has always been an international issue and it’s important to show that you have an opinion on these matters, even if people don’t necessarily listen. It’s nice to see all the different types of people, because that shows that even if you are not all part of the same community, you can become a community by sharing similar values. It’s important to speak even if it is hard because somebody else is struggling to speak, and if you’re able to do it than they see that they are able to as well.” If you would like to bring awareness to climate change by getting involved in your community, visit operationclimatesa.org for more information.

Robin Molina/The Paisano

A different approach to jazz

36th annual Jazz Alive Festival enlightens San Antonians By Sofia Garcia Assistant Arts & Life Editor Vibrant stage setups and a relaxed ambience fused together, cultivating the scenery for The 36th Annual San Antonio Jazz Alive Festival. Travis Park served as a public space for an atmosphere comprised of music, food and local businesses. With bands like Tomar and The FC’s, Will Owen Gage and the Alamotones and Lao Tizer on the main stage, the sea of people in the crowd had a mutual, rhythmic connection to the music. One of the best parts of this festival was that jazz enthusiasts could turn around and enjoy the Tech Tempo stage claimed by Rat King Cole and Tony Romero and The Spiders. In addition to seeing the talented musicians put on breathtaking shows, San Antonio locals and tourists could enjoy scrumptious food and shop for souvenirs. Top hats and blazers could be spotted from blocks away and it was apparent that the Jazz Alive Fest had come to the iconic scene known as downtown San Antonio. As soon as I saw the “road closed” signs at the intersection of two streets, I knew I was in the right place for expanding my horizons and becoming more acquainted with the San Antonio community. In the midst of whistles coming from police officers directing traffic and applause from the crowd; the joyful laughter expressed from people dancing filled my ears. I tend to gravitate towards the cultural and artistic aspect of events like this, so I peered into the tents of San Antonians showcasing their local businesses to the public. One business that was so immersed in the fluidity of its owner’s culture caught my eye. I was inexplicably drawn to the dazzling handmade creations displayed by George and Betty Kwakuyi from Ghana. Welcomed with smiles, the couple told me about their inspiration for selling their jewelry, clothing and paintings. “The Jazz Alive Fest is a wonderful place to share our art with the public because the people here are so kind and interested,” Betty shared. After my cheerful exchange with the owners of Delali Artworks, I moved on with a camera in hand and began to converse with the kind entrepreneurs lining the park sidewalk. My love for these wholesome events grew after meeting a couple whose son created homemade granola for his mother who has diabetes,

stopping her from consuming copious amounts of sugar. Alma and Chuck Drew explained Chef Tim’s vision for his granola business. “Tim aims to cater to clients with medical issues and accommodates to the health of others because of the fact that I have diabetes. He told me that he wanted me to have a snack that I could always count on,” said Alma. Stories like these warm my heart and allow me to take on the perspective of hardworking business owners. To continue with my experience, I met with Roxanne Porter, owner of Mi Cocinita. Her booth was decorated with signs indicating she sold mango- Clothing by Delali Artworks nadas and chicken on a stick, which were absolutely mouthwatering. Porter explained to me that she has been a business owner for five years and the Jazz Alive Fest is one of her favorites to attend. “The exposure and local culture makes my job so enjoyable. My time as a business owner has been the best five years and I am so happy to be here,” Porter exclaimed with a cheery smile. During the last stop before I sat down to enjoy the beautiful mixture of guitars and saxophones, I spoke with the owners of a gordita stand. It was easy to see that this family affair was one of the main attractions at Jazz Alive. Francisco Dueñes and his lovely family worked diligently to provide food for the hungry Two jazz lovers unify in dance blues lovers and told me that they had been serving the downtown community for six years. “Although fiesta is my favorite event to attend, I always enjoy hearing the music and serving the people of my community,” Dueñes said. Visiting with the local business owners and being able to see the passion for events in San Antonio allowed me to put down my journal and admire the flow of harmonious music that brought a multitude of people together. As I listened to the musicians play their sets, the lead singer of the Alamotones used a combination of words that perfectly conveyed the aura of the festival. “Keep doing your thing, San Antonio! You are so unique and beautiful and I am Zue poses happily at Jazz Fest proud to be here.”

Sofia Garcia/ The Paisano

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6 | arts@paisano-online.com

Big Sis: Keep It Real With the Homies

XIX Biennal Art Exhibition A curation of UTSA faculty artwork

By Kimiya Factory Staff Writer

By Katrina Clements Editor-in-Chief XIX Biennial UTSA Art Faculty Exhibition features works across all media, showcasing new, seasoned and established faculty members’ art throughout the UTSA art gallery. The variety of art styles and formats allow for a unique gallery experience, especially when taking into account that the artists are fellow Roadrunners. This engaging exhibition has been on display since Sept. 4 and will be shown until Oct. 4. When entering the gallery space, a wave of sounds from the digital and film pieces cross the viewer’s path and guides them from piece to piece. Sarah Lasley’s “Totality” HD video loop visually displays a mountain range scene with different individuals coming into frame and moving across the screen while immersed in song. These singers display raw and unedited emotion through their vocal performance, which is enhanced by the unique sound system used in this piece. The sound streams from a speaker hanging from the ceiling, encapsulated by a glass dome, which creates an echo and concentration of sound depending on where the viewer is standing. Each video loop display in the gallery tells a story in the form of movement, sound or conversation.

The assortment of paintings, drawings and mixed media works that cover the walls of the gallery can create connections to historical art pieces. “RISD 62” by Ron Binks is a charcoal drawing of a woman with an exaggerated facial structure, similar to Picasso’s style of illustration in his modernism period. Buster Graybill’s “Shuttlecock” is constructed out of lawn chair straps and shuttlecocks, and badminton birdies, creating a grid-like and diagonal design which reflects elements of the minimalist era of art. Each piece can be enjoyed by art enthusiasts and art novices alike with the variety of styles, cultures and contextual references shown through these works. Each work displayed is a reflection of the talent and creativity of the UTSA faculty members who submitted their works to this exhibition. The XIX Faculty Exhibition’s variety allows anyone to visit and experience something that moves them. The exhibition is free and located behind the Arts building on UTSA’s Main Campus. It will be closing on Oct. 4, so stop by after class and enjoy these works from our Roadrunner faculty.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano

How do you break it to them? A person you love and kick it with just perpetuated rape culture right before your ears but didn’t mean to...or did they? Your heart starts racing, and your hands start sweating because confronting a stranger about perpetuating rape culture is easier than confronting someone that you never thought would speak that way. Before, during and after I began to pay closer attention to rape culture and how it permeates our conversations through subtle jokes and comments, I had the same issue. My friends or friends of my friends would make a problematic comment in a setting that I was supposed to be ‘off-duty’ in. I would look around, seeing if anyone else flinched, praying that I wouldn’t have to be a killjoy all by myself. But that’s the beauty of being a killjoy. The challenge is constant in the same way that oppression is steady. Sarah Ahmed, in her Killjoy Manifesto says that being a killjoy is refusing to be complicit through the constant acknowledgement that oppressive tendencies exist. Yes, being a killjoy means protecting your space and choosing your battles for self-preservation. But, if you ask me, holding our friends accountable should go at the top of any killjoy’s list. Disrupting conversations that perpetuate rape culture will never be comfortable and letting a group of people know where you stand in any given moment is couragous in itself, but somebody has to do it. So be a killjoy; not because you want points or credit, but because you genuinely want your friends to be educated. Come from a place of love because how can the conversation go wrong? You probably said what someone was holding their breath but wanting to say all along. For my homies, Xoxo, Big Sis #ChangeRapeCulture

Jason Willome: The Most Absurd Stories With The Most Serious Faces Acrylic on canvas

Robyn Castro/The Paisano

James Broderick: El Dorado Stickpin, 2018 Acrylic on panel

Andrei Renteria: Daniela Pacheco Martinez, 2018 Litho crayon on vellum

Robyn Castro/The Paisano

Send your suggestions for Big Sis Advice to arts@paisanoonline.com

Robyn Castro/The Paisano

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sports@paisano-online.com | 7

Sports

The team celebrates scoring a point against UIW.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano Emily Ramirez and Brianna McCulloch celebrate after a point.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano

Volleyball competes at Creeds and Classic McCulloch named to all-tournament team

By Julia Maenius

Assistant Sports Editor

he UTSA Roadrunner volleyball team travelled to San Marcos over the Sept. 20-22 weekend to compete in the Texas State Creeds and Crests Classic. The ‘Runners fell to the Texas State Bobcats and the Sam Houston State Bearkats before winning their only match of the weekend against the George Washington Colonials. The ‘Runners began the weekend with a matchup against the Bobcats. The first set was a back and forth game before the Bobcats capitalized on an 11-2 run. The

Bobcats claimed the first set 25-21. Setter Courtney Walters continued her streak of double digit assists to 11 matches. During the second set, the ‘Runners brought a more focused defense. Keeping the score tight, the ‘Runners claimed the lead, bringing the match to 1-1 at 26-24. The third and fourth sets brought struggles for the ‘Runners. Fighting off their 44th error of the night, the ‘Runners could not gain the momentum to claim the game, dropping the sets 25-21 and 25-20. The ‘Runners then faced the Bearkats, challenging them to five sets: 21-25 25-22 25-16 22-25 9-15. Kirby Smith claimed

a new personal best with 16 kills during this match as did defensive specialist Lydia Niebla with 15 digs and senior libero Emily Ramirez with a game high of 29 digs. Keeping the lead for the opening of each set, the ‘Runners claimed the first and second sets, but the Bearkats regained their momentum, sweeping the following three sets to close the match at a 3-2 advantage. Finally, the ‘Runners faced the Colonials in the last match of the tournament. The ‘Runners swept the last match, claiming the win in three sets. The ‘Runners remained in the lead for most of the set,

allowing Smith and Brianna McCulloch to capitalize on the Colonial defense, registering 13 and 11 kills, respectively. The ‘Runners closed the match with three set wins: 25-14 25-20 25-18. McCulloch was named to the Creeds and Crests Classic All-Tournament Team. She averaged 3.33 kills per set, hitting a .340 clip. Her 40 kills accounted for one-fourth of the team’s total for the weekend. The ‘Runners will be back in the Convocation Center Friday, Sept. 27, to face the University of North CarolinaCharlotte 49ers for a #SetTheExpectation Match.

Blue Raiders outlast Roadrunners in OT By Tyler Pakulak Contributing Writer UTSA Soccer (4-3-1) fell 3-4 to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (4-5), beginning their ConferenceUSA (C-USA) play with the Jurassic Park West themed game. The ‘Runners began C-USA with a 0-1 record. The heat played a big factor in the first half. The action kicked off early with the Blue Raiders forcing goalkeeper Sophie Millich to make an early save in the third minute. In the fourth minute, MTSU scored first after a loose ball fell to forward Peyton DePriest. The ‘Runners would equalize in the 26th minute after Ellis Patterson had a sprint down the left hand side and fired a cross to Lexi Sophie Milich kicks a ball back into play. Bolton who then flicked it over to a wide open Abby Kassal for the goal. Opportunities in the rest of the half were sparse for both teams with each defense proving to be very tough to break down. However, in the 34th minute, a free kick from the halfway line by Kendall Kloza sailed into the box and was headed on by Nicole Galan, but her attempt sailed just shy of the left post. The ‘Runners would enter the half tied 1-1 coming out much stronger in the second half. A minute after the second half began, Kassal found herself wide open and fired a curling effort that was tipped over the crossbar by the MTSU keeper. In the 49th minute, a ‘Runners’ corner kick found the head of Deja Sandoval, who easily put it

past the keeper. Middle Tennessee would soon equalize again in the 58th minute thanks to a goal from Mackenzie Bonham, after a cross sailed her way and she fired it past Millich. The ‘Runners would then fire a barrage of attempts at the MTSU keeper in an attempt to break the deadlock. The 65th minute would see a corner kick find the head of Kloza whose header rattled the post and trickled back into play. Karlee Willey fired a shot on goal that was initially fumbled by the keeper but eventually cleared by her defenders during the 67th minute. The deadlock broke in the 68th minute after a deflected pass found its way to Patterson who was on goal and fired a low shot Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano to the bottom left corner, giving the ‘Runners the 3-2 lead. In the 83rd minute Millich came up with a big save that she managed to put over the crossbar and keep the ‘Runners ahead. Middle Tennessee would equalize with mere seconds left in the second half after an errant header by the ‘Runners found its way to Bonham who put away her second of the afternoon. The ‘Runners would fall in extra-time after what seemed to be a simple cross sailed into the box and bounced off the crossbar and into the back of the net. UTSA will be back in action Sept. 29, at Park West against the Rice Owls. The game is set to begin at 1 p.m., come out and support your fellow ‘Runners!

Photos of the week

Rowdy sits in the stands watching the soccer team.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano

Courtney Walters sets up a kill for Madeline McKay.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano

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The expectation has been set Commentary

By Jose Bouquett Staff Writer

Frank Wilson and his team taking the field before a game.

Soccer huddles before their match.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano

UTSA officially codified their zerotolerance sexual assault policy, named after sexual assault advocate and survivor Brenda Tracy, effective at the beginning of this semester. As a community, not enough is done to prevent sexual assault, and this was an excellent step from the university in order to prevent crimes like this from happening on our campus. The Tracy Rule puts to paper UTSA’s hard-line stance against sexual violence. The rule states: “A current or prospective studentathlete who has been convicted of, plead guilty or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor involving Serious Misconduct, has been found delinquent in relationship to a juvenile code equivalent, or has been disciplined by the university or athletic department at any time during enrollment at any collegiate institution (excluding temporary disciplinary action during an investigation) due to Serious Misconduct shall not be eligible for athletically related financial aid, practice or competition at The University of Texas at San Antonio.” Tracy has travelled across the country telling her story to different athletic programs while lobbying to create rules to prevent future cases of sexual assault. Every student-athlete will be required to fill out a form to comply to the Tracy Rule. UTSA became the first university in the nation to implement the Tracy Rule, the most comprehensive serious misconduct rule in the NCAA, and it came not a moment too soon. There are

no downsides to this rule. If you have a problem with this rule, take a moment to reevaluate yourself as a human being, and go ahead and remove yourself from this campus because all violent sexual crimes need to end. UTSA’s first priority should be protecting its students, and this rule does just that. In the words of athletic director Lisa Campos, “Sexual assault and misconduct are never, ever acceptable.” This rule clearly defines misconduct and the consequences that come with it. The athletes that represent UTSA should be held to a higher standard and this rule sets the expectation of what we require from Roadrunner athletes. The #SetTheExpectation campaign has been incredibly beneficial for sexual assault policies across the nation. It’s great to see that UTSA is stepping up and being a leader in these types of areas, making it known that this type of behavior will not be tolerated at UTSA and can only be beneficial to the campus atmosphere. Other schools, *cough cough Baylor cough cough*, need to use this rule as a benchmark to hold their student athletes accountable for past and present actions. It will only be a matter of time until this rule is adopted by every school across the country and UTSA has the honor of being the first to implement this historic rule. “It has been an honor to work with President Eighmy, Lisa Campos, athletics staff and student-athletes to bring the Tracy Rule to UTSA,” Tracy said. “I hope that other schools will follow their example and make student safety, accountability and transparency a priority, not just through their words, but in policy reform as UTSA has done.” To continue to support Tracy and her fight against sexual assault UTSA has planned another #SetTheExpectation Game for Nov. 16 against Southern Miss at the Alamodome.

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