}
Book review of “The Circle”explores the idea of social media acting as Big Brother. page 5
{
UTSA splits two game home stretch between Middle Tennessee and UAB page 9
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio 2014 Columbia Scholastic Press Gold Medalist
{SINCE 1981}
UTSA
San Antonio
Texas Oil drillers shut down 145 rigs during the month of January — almost 20 percent of the state’s total— as oil prices continue to fall and companies cut thousands of jobs.
U.S. As part of his FY2016 budget proposal, President Obama included a simplification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that would help up to 2 million students apply for Pell Grants.
Issue 3
February 3 - February 10, 2015
{WWW.PAISANO-ONLINE.COM}
UTSA professor to help develop new breast cancer drug
When Professors Bite Back
President Ricardo Romo has been recognized by the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce for his charitable work to the San Antonio community.
Although San Antonio will not be one of the next cities to be served by Google Fiber as many city leaders had hoped, the gigabit internet service is still investigating a potential expansion to the Alamo City.
Volume 51
Pavela Bambekova Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com
Robert Pistocchi, The Paisano
Professor resigns after blind student enrolls in silent film course on vampires Kate Kramer
Senior Copy Editor
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com In 1975 when Dr. Douglas Brode created a cinema studies program at Syracuse University, one of his colleagues posed the question, “What would you do if a blind student ever wanted to take your class?” Brode responded, “That would be my nightmare scenario. I couldn’t accept it.” Just two weeks into the spring 2015 semester, Brode faced his “nightmare” when a blind student registered for his Topics in Popular Culture: Vampires – Fact, Film and Fiction class. According to Brode, he hadn’t been notified that a blind student was interested in taking his course until the student walked into the classroom after the lecture had already begun the second week of class. Brode, confused as to why no one notified him before class had started, was caught off guard and told the student he didn’t know how the student would fully be able to participate in the course since a large majority of the films planned for the semester were silent films. After discussing the situation with the Student Disability Services Office, Brode
understood the university fascinating. That’s why siwas going to provide the lent films are the most visual blind student with a person films.” who would attend class with After refusing to change the student and whisper his position, Student Diswhat was going on in the si- ability Services told Brode lent films. he could come up with his Brode strongly disap- own solution. “They asked proved of this accommoda- me to be creative, to find it tion. as a challenge,” he said. “Having someone who Kristie Rosado, senior isn’t a professional film crit- English major who was in ic tell the student what they Brode’s vampire film class, think is going on is not the explains why she feels the same as actually watching student ultimately made the the film,” Brode said. “They choice to register. “Obvican tell the student that two ously, this student will know characters are in a dialogue, that this course (could be) but they won’t be able to ex- difficult on them because plain the effects of the cam- of how we will be discussera angle, or if the film is in ing what makes a vampire full throttle color or watered film. And already knowing down color. These choices that, this person fought for that dia chair in rectors the class, m a k e either impact because the film t h e y and are needed vital for it, or underthey restanding Disability Services ally feel it.” passionBrode related his film ate about vampirism, just studies class to an art class like Brode is.” with people looking at a Under section 504 of the vase of sunflowers and Americans with Disabilities painting what they see in Act (ADA), public entities front of them. “Everyone like UTSA cannot refuse to can be looking at the same allow a person with a dissunflowers, but they’ll all ability to participate in any paint something different, service, program or activity based on their mood and because of his or her distheir view of the world. It’s ability. This participation in-
“Instructors do not have the right to refuse to provide any accommodations.”
cludes registering for a film studies class on vampires. However, Brode explains he’s not discriminating. “I’d be delighted to have a blind student in a music class. But if a deaf student wanted to take a music appreciation class, we’d be in the same situation. If I were teaching a track class and a student with no legs wanted to take the class, you could see the possible problems.” According to the Student Disability Service’s website, “An instructor has the responsibility to make reasonable accommodations because accommodations make it possible for a student with a disability to overcome barriers enabling the student to communicate what he or she knows in the same way that glasses do not strengthen vision but help a person to see.” The website also states that “Instructors do not have the right to refuse to provide any accommodations ... Instructors have a responsibility to work with SDS in providing reasonable accommodations.” Brode classified the situation he faced as political correctness to the extreme. “I’m not saying that blind students can’t take all sorts of classes. They can. But what the university is telling
Stanton McHardy, UTSA associate professor of chemistry and director for the Center of Innovative Drug Discovery (CIDD), is collaborating with UT Health Science Center professor of molecular medicine Rong Li on a breast cancer drug discovery research partnership. The partnership recently received $1.9 million from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). Collaboration between the institutions started last year. Researchers will use the grant money to identify small molecules as drug candidates for triple negative breast cancer - a rare form of cancer with a high mortality rate. Triple negative breast cancer is associated with Estrogen Receptor beta. Dr. Li and Dr. McHardy refer to ER beta as the “Cinderella Sister” – it is similar to ER alpha, but instead of promoting tumor growth, ER beta inhibits it. “If there is a way to modulate ER Beta’s activity, then it might provide an avenue for treating triple negative breast cancer,” says McHardy. UTSA and the Health Science Center implemented a pilot proposal to target small molecules that could modulate ER beta pathways. “The proposal got funded, and we are designing small molecules that inhibit EY2, which can promote ER beta activity,” says McHardy. “We have a lot of data showing that these molecules will kill cancer cell lines.”
See RESIGNATION, Page 2
See CANCER, Page 2
Is Tier One worth loss of part-time students?
MariaCristina Moreno Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com As UTSA’s four-year graduation rate continues to improve, the university continues to push toward Tier One status. However, part-time students fear UTSA is losing sight of its original mission of being a regional university. Last year, the four-year graduation rate at UTSA
Don’t miss anything at UTSA. Add us on social media today!
@ThePaisano /thepaisano @paisanomedia
rose to 13 percent, an improvement from 7 percent only 6 years ago. The university does not keep track of its part-time graduation ratings. Amy Palos is a 24-year-old part-time freshman psychology major, full-time USAA employee and a full-time wife and mother of two. “Though education is important, and in the end it would be the best thing for my family and me financially, if I went full-time, provid-
ing and being there for my family right now will always be more important,” said Amy. According to a National Clearinghouse study of 2.3 million college students in 2007, 67.1 percent of part-time students dropped out of college. The report stated, “Students who pursue post-secondary degrees exclusively part-time are the least likely
See PART-TIME, Page 2
Marcus Connolly, The Paisano Part-time students at UTSA have become increasingly rare in the last ten years.
ARTS - The Godfather
WEB - Tooned In
SGA Advisor discussed his involvement with student leadership on campus.
Check out “Tooned In,” the new cartoon review blog that highlights all your childhood favorites.
Page 5
visit paisano-online.com
SPORTS - Jeromie Hill UTSA forward Jeromie Hill grabs back-to-back double-doubles against the MT Blue Raiders and the UAB Blazers. Page 9
Please recycle this newspaper!
NEWS
2 February 3- February 10, 2015
PART-TIME: report finds only one in five part-time students complete their degree group to graduate within six years.” UTSA is already working to encourage students to enroll full-time, posting “#finishin4” signs around campus. Senior English major Nigelle Cochran believes there are perks of being full-time. “Not only do you accomplish your degree faster, but once you finish the core curriculum and embark on your degree courses, you are totally immersed in your subject area. Your mind is kept up-to-date and fresh with all of the terminology, facts and
how-to’s,” said Cochran. In the Clearinghouse study, only 21.9 percent of exclusively partt i m e s t u dents actually c o m pleted their d e - Matt Garza g r e e s . Biology senior However, the study did show an increase in the ages of parttime students who complet-
ed their degrees. Of those who graduated as parttime students, 11.4 percent were 20 years and younger when they began college and 29.2 percent were 24 years and older. H o w ever, parttime UTSA students illustrate a different trend. In 2004, the average undergraduate at UTSA was
“I thought UTSA was supposed to be a diverse school. Now it seems like they only want kids fresh out of high school”
23 years old, and 37 percent of students were nontraditional students (23 and older). In 2014 the average age was 22 years old with 25 percent of non-traditionalaged students. Some students believe that UTSA is slowly becoming a school that favors traditional-aged students over non-traditional students. “I thought UTSA was supposed to be a diverse school. Now it seems like they only want kids fresh out of high school,” said junior biology major Matt Garza. There has also been a de-
CA N C ER : res e a r ch could bri ng m o re r e v e nu e t o U T SA
crease in part-time enrollment over the years. In 2004, 24.8 percent of undergraduates were enrolled part-time. By 2009, that number had fallen to 20.9 percent, and in 2014 just 16.6 percent were enrolled part-time. While the decrease of part-time enrollment supports UTSA’s Graduation Rate Improvement Plan (GRIP), many part-time students feel excluded. With the limited availability of nightclasses and online-classes, some part-time students feel the university is not as friendly to non-traditional
students. While UTSA is striving for higher graduation rates and more full-time enrollment, the university is not oblivious to students’ lives outside of school. Miranda Swain, academic advisor from the Arts & Humanities Advising Center, understands that not every student will be able to attend school full-time and she has never pressured a student to do so. “I think there should be a direct correlation in regards to how many hours you take and how busy your personal life is,” said Swain. clinical oncology. “We have all of those components working together as a team,” says McHardy. After losing his father and sister to cancer, McHardy was motivated to focus his research on finding effective and innovative tumor treatments. Initiatives like UTSA’s and the Health Science Center’s collaborative research offer hope for the development of successful next genera-
dent’s accommodation would interfere with another student’s learning experience,” Dr. Dianne Hengst, director of Student Disability Services said. “The disability accommodation process protects students from discrimination and provides equal opportunities to education.” According to Brode’s students, the department has already found a replacement professor, and classes will continue as scheduled.
The Pilot program’s encouraging data played a key role in receiving the CPRIT grant. “The idea is to take novel drug discovery targets and to get them ready for pre-clinical testing in a short time period,” says McHardy. “It is an aggressive proposal. Normally, it takes three to five years to go from early discovery to more involved pre-clinical evaluation
of small molecules; we are targeting a three-year time frame.” Breast cancer drug research will help grow the CIDD, the drug discovery efforts and the cancer portfolio at UTSA. “As we develop new classes of molecules, we will be submitting patent applications and literature reports,” says McHardy. “If we find something that is re-
ally good and eventually get a licensing opportunity, then that can bring back revenue to UTSA.” Experienced chemists like McHardy will be coming up with synthetic routes for the targeted small molecules. Students working alongside the research are also going to receive real drug discovery experience. “I will sit with the students, and we will de-
sign new molecules that we think will be active for the ER beta function we want to impact,” says McHardy. “The students’ job will be to run the chemistry and to figure out the best synthetic route to make the compound.” According to McHardy, whose background is in the pharmaceutical industry, the CIDD has been an attraction to students because of
the top-notch equipment and research experiences it makes available for UTSA students. “We joke, but only half joke, when we say that these labs are nicer than what we had at Pfizer,” says McHardy. McHardy emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the research and traces the program’s success to the collaboration efforts between molecular biology, chemistry, drug metabolism and
me is that the other students in my class don’t matter. That while 48 students are sitting in class watching a silent film, they will hear one person whispering throughout class about what’s going on in the film. That’s disruptive and not fair.” Rosado isn’t sure if her learning experience would be disrupted or not. “Probably. Maybe. I just don’t know. I can’t tell you how much this person is actually able to see, and how little they need to be told
about what’s happening in the movie,” Rosado said. The blind student attended the second class of the semester and provided Brode with an accommodation letter which verified the disability and explained the accommodation that would be provided. By the third class, Brode resigned. “I don’t teach for the money,” Brode said. “I teach for the love of it. I love UTSA students. They are passionate and eager to talk and learn. But my dad once
said, ‘I don’t care what job you have or how much money you make. If it’s not fun, leave.’ At that moment, it was not fun for me.” “The way the situation was handled – the lack of respect they had for me and my students – was like acid being thrown in my face. They created the perfect storm and gave me no other choice than to resign,” Brode stated. In an email sent to his class, Brode explained his reason for resigning. “The reason is simple: I was told
that I had to take blind students into my classes on film, including any classes that might be composed in part or in entirety of silent films. You strike me as a very bright bunch, so I don’t think that I need to explain the absurdity and insanity of that decision.” Department of Philosophy and Classics chair Dr. Eve Browning said she could not comment on the situation. “This is a confidential personnel matter, and FERPA privacy is also involved,”
she explained in an email to The Paisano. However, despite Brode’s sudden resignation, the class was still held during the regular meeting time. “The blind student sat in the front row and seemed to have watched the movie fine,” Rosado said. “Maybe they asked someone next to them a couple of questions once or twice, but it was so discreet and quiet that I couldn’t hear exactly what they had asked about.” “It is rare that one stu-
RESIGNATION: Professor felt as if the fun had been sucked out of teaching
Enjoy a
Smarter way of living on Campus
Graduate on Time Achieve a Higher GPA Exclusively for UTSA students Leadership/Personal Development Programs Time-Saving Convenience the “roll-out-of-bed-and-walk-to-class” schedule
Fully Furnished One Inclusive Bill we even accept Financial Aid!
APPLY TODAY!
utsa.edu/housing
NEWS
3 February 3 -February 10, 2015
New construction science lab allows integration of technology and teaching Anthony Mendoza Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com The UTSA downtown campus continues to innovate with the addition of the new Bartelett Cocke General Contractors Teaching and Research Laboratory. The Department of Construction Science, part of the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning, will utilize the new technology and classroom to increase students’ understanding of construction industry techniques and virtual design. The research laboratory has a general teaching section with 30 seats and a teaching area for senior courses and graduate courses with a 12-seat limit. Both sections have interactive projector monitors that allow students and professors to analyze data, such as peer reports and geotechnical analysis reports. “This is interactive; in our program we cover about
60 different software packages and we already have a good reputation of producing high tech students in construction,” said Yilmaz Hatipkarasulu, chair of the UTSA Department of Construction Science. “This area is actually adding to that, not a lot of schools can actually teach at this level, with this many software packages, and information technology. What we do is semi built in (and) a little bit different take on construction education.” Professor Hatipkarasulu explained that the new laboratory projectors assist in marking up data in real time to identify important steps in construction science. For instance, students can identify what is underneath the ground and accurately compare different mathematical models while marking specific areas in data reports that need attention, such as a soft clay foundation. “We start looking at these on a smaller scale — that’s number one. Number two, most of the time what hap-
Anthony Mendoza, The Paisano The new lab includes interactive projector monitors that will help analyze data.
pens is when things like this are in 3-D models everyone is sitting behind a table and everyone tries to point out a particular issue, that’s the problem,” said Hatipkarasulu. “With this, what you do here, is mark it up, and it’s large enough and close enough so it’s semi-immersive, and it’s interactive, you’re not limited to 2 dimensional directions.” Combined, the new technology and the available upto-date theoretical data is designed to give UTSA construction science students a competitive edge in the construction industry. The laboratory assists in generating construction plans before physical construction to identify potential problems to minimize risks. Students in the capstone course will use the new equipment to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction competition, where construction students work on a simulation of an actual construction project and compete to get the job. “Since we are covering some up to date information during school, when our students graduate, they’re ready,” said Hatipkarasulu. “Typically, construction students either choose a business or construction business or a construction field route. In the last few years we have students go into IT departments and construction companies — we actually create a career path for them.”
Study abroad programs foster a new perspective Olivia Ybarra
Contributing Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com Imagine yourself in a foreign country standing on a high bridge over a rushing river, wrapped casually into a harness. You are then asked, calmly, to jump. That’s the experience Environmental Science senior Anna Edge recalled during her study abroad trip to New Zealand when she decided to get out of her comfort zone and try something new on a day adventure to Queensland. “Bungee jumping was scary, but I loved it,” remarks Edge. “As soon as I did it, I wanted to do it again.” From collecting sediment samples on a boat off the coast of New Zealand, to more adventurous experiences like hitchhiking on a Malaysian tour bus, Edge described her experience studying abroad as “the best thing (she) had ever done for (herself).” Studying with other students around the nation at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, allowed Edge to continue her course studies as well as travel to other exciting sites during her fall semester abroad. If a semester abroad seems too long, consider a month-long trip like the one Dr. Yaegar takes to Central America during the summer. A professor of archaeology, Dr. Yaegar assists in a study abroad program that works directly with the scientific research at an ar-
chaeological site in Belize. ended ones are where you Undergraduates and gradu- essentially go to another uniates who participate in the versity and become a student program live in a field camp for a semester.” Typically, alongside the professors ev- students are recommended ery day during the trip. to travel during their soph“(The program) is very omore or junior year. For hands on. We tell everybody example, it was during her that you’re going to get blis- sophomore year that Edge ters, sunburns and possibly took her trip abroad. “I was dehyunsure drated,” about my explains major Ya e g a r. and what “It’s a Anna Edge I was dovery difing (as a Environmental science senior ferent student), kind of so I kind study abroad program. You of decided to go just to get definitely get to know the away,” she explains. Edge becity and the people because lieves she came back from we work with the men and her trip “a more well-roundwomen (of Belize).” ed person.” Some students may worry The study abroad experiabout becoming homesick, ence not only immerses you but Yaegar — a study abroad into a cultural journey, but student himself during his it is also an almost spiritual undergraduate studies — re- transformation. Upon remarks that the hardest part turning to the states, Yaegar is actually during the return. went on to describe how After living abroad for a pe- many of his students grew riod of time, “it’s difficult to into a less judgmental verreadapt to the U.S. way of sion of themselves. “For me, doing things,” he explains. I’ve really appreciated the Yaegar recommends that sense of celebrating life and students consider the pro- to really try to appreciate gram’s duration and cost each moment. To take what while also finding an expe- comes and really make the rience that suits their inter- most of it,” he explains. “I ests. UTSA offers a variety think by getting to know anof faculty-led programs, other culture, you can look exchange programs and back at yourself and find third-party study abroad ways for self-improvement.” programs like the one Edge Interested students participated in. Faculty-led can visit the UTSA Study programs do not last as long Abroad Office to learn more. as most programs and there- The deadline for a summer fore have more emphasis on program registration is Febresearch and academic ex- ruary 15. ploration. “If you’re considering it, According to Yaegar, do it,” remarks Edge. “Some of the most open
“AS soon as I did it, I wanted to do it again.”
FEBRUARY 1-12, 2015 The Briscoe Western Art Museum | 210 W. Market Street Craft your very own FREE Valentine Love Letter to be hand-delivered by modern day Pony Express (by BCycle in the downtown area) or mailed anywhere in the US, free of charge. We provide the paper, envelopes, poetry books, and vintage typewriter. You provide the inspiration. The letter writing station is open during regular Museum hours.
Museum admission is always FREE for UTSA students, faculty and staff with valid ID. More details at BriscoeMuseum.org Pres ented by:
Bris_10.5x10.25_Lecture_Ads01.indd 3
9/26/14 10:00 AM
{The Paisano} Editor-in-Chief: Jakob Lopez
Managing Editor: Mia Cabello
News Editor:
Matthew Duarte
Arts Editor:
Beth Marshall
Sports Editor:
Shabazz I. Dawkins
Web Editor:
Michael Turnini
Special Issues Editor:
Jade Cuevas
Photo Editor:
Marcus Connolly
Social Media Editor:
OPINION
The Paisano
4
February 3 - February 10, 2015
Shooting down concealed carry laws Editorial Texas universities may soon see a major safety upheaval. With concealed carry gun laws at the forefront of public policy, college students and administrators are watching the Texas Legislature with anticipation and concern. Proposed bills coming out of the current legislative session would allow people with concealed handgun permits to carry firearms onto Texas college campuses. According to a 2011 survey by the National Alliance on
Mental Illness, 59 percent of college students suffer from some type of mental illness, with 27 percent suffering from depression, 24 percent from Bipolar disorder, 6 percent from Schizophrenia and 6 percent from PTSD. Concealed carry advocates contend that guns — as variables of control as well as a mechanism to enforce control — are okay: guns don’t kill people, people kill people. By this logic, allowing concealed handguns to be carried on campus — combined with
the prevalence of mental illness on collegiate campuses — may potentially aggravate an already sensitive environment created by academic and financial pressure. Recently, UT System Chancellor William H. McRaven spoke publicly about concealed handguns being carried on UT System campuses and the implications to safety. Said McRaven, “Our university law enforcement personnel, consisting of highly trained professionals who work within these unique
campus environments, are particularly troubled about the ability of our officers to differentiate between the bad actor and persons seeking to defend themselves and others when both have guns drawn.” Allowing concealed handguns on campus will make it difficult for campus police departments to separate between criminals and individuals with drawn weapons, creating the potential for an even more hazardous scenario. With more than 100 days
left in this legislative session, policy makers must realize the detriment to the educational and community environment with the introduction of guns on campus. While the presence of guns does not directly translate to violence, the presence of guns — to many — threatens the safety that students, parents, faculty and administrators expect in a university setting. Students and legislators should say “no” to concealed carry on college campuses.
Business Manager:
UTSA’s chili scale No bone to pick with dogs
Ads Manager:
Satire
Rebecca Conejo Lizzette Rocha
Edidiong Adiakpan
Senior Copy Editor: Kate Kramer
{Staff Writers} Anthony Mendoza, Patrick Martinez, Robert Avila, Pavela Bambakova, Jennifer Vannoy, Savin Weerasinghe, Brittany Brink, Maria Cristina Moreno, Daniel Shaw, Teia Herrera, Alysha Gallagher, Anelia Gomez-Cordova {Staff Photographers} Robert Pistochi {Contributing Writers} Hayden Housson, Olivia Ybarra, Brayden Boren, Randi Gilmore, Nathaniel Archer
{Adviser}
Diane Abdo
{Advisory Board}
Steven Kellman, Jack Himelblau, Sandy Norman, Stefanie Arias, Diane Abdo 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 Tripoint 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 {Letters to the Editor}
Letters must be fewer than 400 words and include the writer’s name, classification or title and telephone number. The Paisano reserves the right to edit all submissions. Send letters to: Editor@paisano-online. com © 2014, The Paisano
U TSA has set its sights on becoming a Tier-One university. In the past few years, the university has invested in research, heightened its admission criteria and developed a reputation for an outstanding academic environment. Last week, UTSA began the fires steps in its Campus Beautification Campaign — the enactment of a 30 percent pay-raise to professors who receive a chili pepper on rate-my-professor.com evaluations. The equity pay-increase was inspired by an independent study on student-course selection that revealed 58 percent of college students select their classes based on the attractiveness of their professors. The remaining 42 percent assembled their schedule based on three other factors: the propensity of the professor to give A’s, the ease of the class, the student’s desire to learn the material. The university’s recreation center has seen an increase in its faculty attendance; professors are crowding the treadmills, Stairmasters and exercise balls. Lifting a medicine ball overhead
Commentary in weary frustration, Professor Carrie Weights said, “I’m head of my department, but I’m making less than a part-time lecturer because of the pepper-metric.” Ethics professor Ted Mills believes the problem does not lie with the university itself, but rather with the rate-my-professor website. “There is no personality chili pepper,” said Mills, sweating profusely on an exercise bike. “And I have a great personality.” The Rios Golden Cut salon on campus and the Shops at La Cantera have also had record numbers of faculty-customers. UTSA predicts that as its professors collectively accrue more chili-peppers, the university will experience a spike in its application rates — rates hotter than those of UT Austin and A&M combined. “I think this shows great progress for the school,” said former track-star and current UTSA president. “Student enrollment has increased 68 percent based on my abs and glute development alone. Imagine what we could do with an entire faculty of me.” Robert Avila Staff writer
Budweiser made me cry. It took l e s s t h a n 60 seconds. I’m tough too, so naturally, I was perplexed — what about the beer commercial packed such a punch? And I wasn’t the only viewer whose heart took a hit; Budweiser’s “Lost Dog” Super Bowl XLIX advertisement took the topspot in USA TODAY’s Ad Meter’s consumer panel. We love dogs — that’s the answer. More than 164 million Americans own dogs; an unquantifiable American population is dog-enthusiasts and animal-lovers, even those who prefer cats to dogs could
have tuned into Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XI to see a parade of cute. With upwards of 110 million Americans participating in the annual Super Bowl Sunday tradition, advertisers must consider — and cater to — a diverse consumer demographic. Considering diverse tastes, advertisers choose dogs. Big, little, black, red, yellow or blue, to us dogs are dogs; and dogs cater to diversity. In addition to exuding a puredegree love and warm-fuzzy happiness, featuring canines in commercials also negates otherwise problematic or sensitive portrayals of race, age and gender. The most successful advertisements invoke emotion, and people enjoy feeling good
about themselves when they watch TV. More so, after millennia of co-evolvement with our best buds, our connection with dogs exists in multiple forms. Based on genome research, scientists from the University of Chicago propose that our (humans’) bond with domesticated dogs is genetic. In essence, we love dogs because we have dogs; because they love us uninhibitedly; and (and perhaps most importantly) we love them because dogs — reflections of an owner’s best self — embody the symbolism and sentiment innate to the commodification of American culture. Mia Cabello Managing Editor
Letters to the Editor
We would love to hear your feedback! Letters must be fewer than 400 words and include the writer’s name, classification or title and email address. The Paisano reserves the right to edit all submissions.
Send Letters to the Editor to: editor@paisano-online.com
I’ll just sit here by Christopher Breakell
ARTS & LIFE
5
February 3 - February 10, 2015
It’s a watched world:
‘The Circle’ presents futuristic social view Anelia Gomez-Cordova Special Issues Asistant @ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com
Dave Egger’s novel “The Circle” does not only make for a good weekend read but also leaves behind enough food for thought for the reader. The story takes place in a futuristic California. Facebook and all other social media websites have been, for lack of a better term, mushed together into one system named TruYou. Forget having a separate username for each individual account you have; now you only possess one login username and password for everything from banking to social media. The mastermind behind all of this is Tyler Alexander Gospodinov. Ty for short. He is one of the three Wise Men who birthed the concept that has now become the world’s leading internet company: The Circle. It is at this company that our main protagonist is hired. Mae Holland, a young and ambitious woman, joins The Circle with the help of her old college roommate Annie. Along with Mae, we are slowly introduced to the world inside The Circle and her new position in Customer Experience. More
Marcus Connolly, The Paisano Get lost in “The Circle” by Dave Egger. This futuristic novel explores what life would be like if we were controlled by social media, rather than the other way around.
than a workplace, The Circle resembles a college campus with its multiple tennis courts, sponsored events ,and dorm rooms that can be reserved online like a study room in the library. Like Mae, the reader’s first thought of the company is that “it’s heaven.” Soon after starting with the company, however, the fluffy clouds disappear revealing The Circle’s dark side. It is an ideal place to
work and the strong sense of community is fantastic just like Mae leads the reader to believe – but there is a catch. Are you involved enough? Can you meet your Zing (a futuristic form of Tweeting) quota, which could range in the hundreds daily? After all, you want to have a good rank when it comes to involvement. Mae does as well, and as the story progresses we see how dedication to being an
accepted community member eventually crosses into obsession. It’s not just about being an engaged member of the company, but also having a high ranking in social media. Sound familiar? How many followers a person has in any social media platform is a big concern today, and Egger does a great job of weaving these modern issues into his dystopian novel. Another present issue
is transparency. Heated debates are taking place over how much information should be available to the public and how much should be kept confidential. The Circle’s take on this issue comes in the form of a slogan: PRIVACY IS THEFT. Cameras are everywhere, recording your every move. Sure, that is not too different from the already pres-
ent security cameras, but the one big difference lies in the fact that these often miniature and hidden cameras are broadcasting twenty four hours a day for anybody to watch. Oh and, plot twist, the audience can make comments on the feed as well. If that wasn’t intrusive enough, the newest invention in online dating called LuvLuv allows individual users to search their partner’s name and obtain every piece of information available about them, even details like their allergies. Remember, privacy, or at least web privacy, is dead. While the reader can spend at least half the book wishing they too worked at The Circle, somewhere half way through the book, a few 1984 tendencies start popping up and they are slightly unsettling. In “The Cirlce” the whole world has access to every bit of information about you. Is that where we are headed? What would a life in that possible dystopian future be like? Let Dave Egger take you on a ride along with Mae Holland and experience it first-hand.
John Montoya:
The Godfather of UTSA Savin Weerasinghe Staff Writer
@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com
Photo Courtesy of utsa.edu.
“One of the ways I earned the nickname, ‘The Godfather,’ is that people come to me with their problems, and I help them solve them,” UTSA staff member John Montoya recalled. Montoya is the Assistant Director of Student Leadership and the Student Government Association (SGA). With a master’s degree from UTSA in MultiCultural Studies, Montoya offers insight about student leadership and success. Q. What did you major in? How did you get to where you are today? A. I attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and I majored in Political Science in 1995. I came from a military family, and my dad was stationed at a base there: Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The university was right by the base, so it made sense [to attend there]. Q. Did you pursue a degree higher than your bachelor’s? A. I came to UTSA and got my Master’s in MultiCultural Studies in 1998. Q. Why Poli-Sci and Multi-Cultural Studies? A. When you’ve lived all over the U.S. and when
you’re in a military setting, you start developing an interest in how the world works, so Political Science was very interesting to me. But when I graduated [after Wright State], I lost some of my interest in the political side of things, and was more into the people side of things. Q. What was your first job at UTSA? A. I was an Academic Advisor. I worked at the Tomas Rivera Center, and I worked for the Learning Communities Program, then I came to Student Activities in 2008. Q. As an advisor for Student Government, what do you do? A. What I basically do is help run SGA, but what I really do is student development – helping students develop their leadership and organizational skills. I help them with questions they have, issues (and) problems. Q. Are there any fun details about your life outside of school and work that you would like to share? A. I think (the fact that) I went to high school in Germany is interesting. People get to come and visit, but how many get to live in Germany? I went to Berlin when it was separated into East and West Berlin, so I had to travel through East Germany, stopping at checkpoints along the way
that were manned by Russian soldiers. We went to East Berlin. I swear, it was sunny in West Berlin; it was beautiful and a very modern city. And then you go across into East Berlin, and it was overcast and it did not feel like a modern city at all — like you went back in time a little bit. Q: What other things do you oversee at UTSA, besides SGA? A: I have some other duties. I work at the football games and (oversee) the student tailgating section. So I’m an extra pair of eyes and ears observing, making sure everything is fine. I also work at graduation helping with the staging. Again, just supporting the people who are already in place. I help with some of the big programs like University Life Awards, Roadrunner Days programming, and our orientation programming. John Montoya continues as the SGA advisor while aiding students in becoming stronger leaders and better people as SGA furthers in university improvement and enhancement.
6
February 3 - February 10, 2015
ARTS
Friday February 6
The San Antonio Museum of Art (200 W. Jones) will host a free workshop on cubism and tapestry making, taught by experienced San Antonio artists. Let your creative side out from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. with After Hours: Weaving the Social Fabric. In addition to the workshop, there will be a cash bar and Duo Peña will perform. For more information, visit samuseum. org.
The Spurs will take on the Miami Heat at the AT&T Center (1 AT&T Center). Show your San Antonio pride and cheer on the fivetime national champions. Ticket prices start at $10 and the game starts at 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit nba.com/spurs/schedule.
Wednesday February 4
Backstage Live (1305 E. Houston) presents Wale this weekend and tickets are still available. You can purchase yours from backstagelivesa.com for $20. This is an event that welcomes all ages and doors open at 8 p.m.
It’s the first Wednesday of February. Why is this significant? Because the Hangar Tavern (14532 Brook Hollow) is having its monthly craft beer tasting, of course! Just $5 grants patrons admission, ten or more beer samples, snacks and a raffle ticket. Raffle tickets will be drawn every 20 minutes and the tasting starts at 7 p.m. For more information, visit thehangartavern.com. Thursday February 5 Check out the Regarding Ruscha exhibit at the McNay Art Muesum (6000 N. New Braunfels). Admission is free for everyone between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m every Thursday. The exhibit features pieces by San Antonio artists that were inspired by Ed Ruscha’s “Standard Station” and “Ghost Station” prints. For more information visit mcnayart.org.
Do you enjoy music, food, fitness, art or movies? Do you want to share your creative writing pieces?
Do you love to run, but dream of chocolate-covered everything? If so, then the Chocoholic Frolic 5k/10k is truly the best of both worlds. There is still time to register at chocoholicfrolicrun.com, and all proceeds from participating in this rewarding run go to Morgan’s Wonderland, a 25-acre amusement park in San Antonio specifically made for people of all ages with special needs. Treat yourself – and others – by going on a charitable run with chocolate waiting at the finish line.
February 3 - February 10, 2015
Will you go see Fifty Shades of Grey? “It looks disturbing. I would feel so awkward watching that.” Morgan McCabe
Freshman interior design major
Mia Cabello, The Paisano
Saturday February 7
Sunday February 8
Write for the Arts Section!
“It would be awkward to watch whetheryou’realoneor with someone.” Maddie McDonald
Freshman business major Mia Cabello, The Paisano
“If a friend wanted to see it, I’d go.” Senior biology major
For more information email: arts@paisano-online.com
Texting is allowed on board VIA so go ahead and talk, e-mail and browse, Mia Cabello, The Paisano
and leave the driving to us. Plus, VIA makes life on the go easier with the “Go VIA VIA” mobile app. This handy app, available for
“Yes. Midnight premiere. I like the romanticfilmgenre.”
both iPhone and Android devices, is great for planning bus trips and getting
Morgan McCabe
real-time bus arrival information for any
Junior communication major
stop in the system. Real-time bus arrival
Column Corner:
UTSA (1604) UC 2.01.30 (Magnolia Room) Thursdays, Jan. 29 – Feb. 26, 6:30-8:00 PM ● Learn more about the spiritual nature of dreams ● Better recall, understand, and interpret your dreams Sponsored by the Eckankar Student Organization
information is also available by texting the stop ID number to 52020.
Food
Free Book Discussion
Info: Landon: abe250@my.utsa.edu Justin: 832-244-6502 www.Eckankar-Texas.org
Text on your way to school... Seriously!
Gabriel Yanez
Mia Cabello, The Paisano
The Art of Spiritual Dreaming
7
Photo Poll:
EVENTS CALENDAR Tuesday February 3
ARTS & LIFE
Beth Marshall Arts Editor
@bmarshallmedia arts@paisano-online.com The cheaper the better, right? At least that’s what most college students’ motto is when it comes to purchasing food. What if I told you that there exists a place in which both quality and quantity come together, and your wallet hardly suffers a loss in the process? Pho Hung Cuong is located at the corner of IH 10 and De Zavala, and their large portions paired with their low prices will make any college student happy. The menu consists of a lot of soup, which is great for leftovers, as well as egg rolls, spring rolls, rice and stir fry. Pho, however, is what the restaurant is known for. For those who don’t already know, pho (pronounced fuh) is a type of soup made with long, flat noodles, meat or tofu, and vegetables. Every table comes equipped with a
bottle of Sriracha, Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chopsticks and soup spoons, so patrons can always flavor their pho how they like it. Besides pho being delicious, it comes served in such large bowls that it could be lunch or dinner for the rest of the week. Just ask for a large Styrofoam togo cup and take it home. In some cases, pho tastes even better the second day. The atmosphere at Pho Hung Cuong is inviting. There are waterfalls near the entrance, a giant chandelier in the middle of the dining room lit with dim, but not too dim, lighting. The staff is friendly, helpful and, due to the relatively small space, plentiful. One oddity about this place is the acoustics. Depending on where you are seated, a conversation being held across the room can be heard at your table. The noisier volume does make it easier to carry on conversations without fear of being eavesdropped on, however, the snippets of noise from
across the room can be a bit annoying. This is a small complaint in regards to everything else the restaurant has to offer. If you have never had pho before, trying an option with beef slices is a pretty safe bet. If you don’t eat meat, there are options with tofu or just veggies. Once your massive bowl is served along with sprouts, cilantro and a lime on the side, taste it to see how it stands on its own. Then, gradually add a bit of Sriracha if you like spicy, and Hoisin sauce if you like a more teriyaki flavor. Squeezing lime and adding sprouts and cilantro give it an extra zesty flavor if you’re into that – I certainly recommend it. If you have had pho before, there are plenty of variations to try. The menu is numbered, so if you can’t pronounce your order there are no mix ups. For authentic pho that’s close by and only nine dollars at the most, you really can’t go wrong.
Text the safe way. THE NEW
Ride
VIAinfo.net
8
February 3 - February 10, 2015
ARTS
Looking to get involved? Find your home at The Paisano while expanding your talents and gaining real-world experience! All writers, photographers, graphic artists and advertisers are welcome to join. No experience required! Join us this fall! Meetings are Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the UTSA Communications Conference Room located in the Bauerle Garage, Suite 0.302
For more info, e-mail: editor@paisano-online.com Put your name in the paper! E-mail: ads@paisano-online.com for advertising info
SPORTS
9 February 3 - February 10, 2015
{Sports Events} Wednesday, Feb. 4 7:30 pm Spurs basketball The Spurs look to further climb up the Western Conference as they take on the Orlando Magic at the AT&T Center.
Thursday, Feb. 5 7:00 pm UTSA basketball The women’s basketball team looks to end their losing streak against FIU at the Convocation Center.
Friday, Feb. 6 8:30 pm Spurs basketball The Spurs take on the Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2014 NBA finals at the AT&T Center.
Sunday, Feb. 8 11:00 am Women’s basketball The Roadrunners take on C-USA rival FIU in the Convocation Center
Monday, Feb. 9 All day, Men’s golf The Roadrunners begin the first day of the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational.
C-USA Men’s Basketball STANDINGS C-USA/Overall T-1. Western Kentucky (8-1) (15-6)
T-1. Louisiana Tech (8-1) (17-5)
3. UAB (7-2) (11-11)
T-4. Old Dominion (6-3) (17-4)
T-4. UTEP (6-3) (14-7)
6. Middle Tennessee (5-4) (12-10)
7. UTSA (4-5) (10-10)
8. Florida International (3-4) (10-10)
T-9. North Texas (3-5) (9-11)
UTSA splits two game home stretch UTSA BASKETBALL Shabazz I. Dawkins Sports Editor
@shabazzvs sports@paisano-online.com On Thursday, January 29, the UTSA Roadrunners (10-10, 4-5 C-USA) impressed in a convincing 69 – 58 comeback victory over Conference-USA (C-USA) rival, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (12-10, 5-4 C-USA). UTSA’s Kaj-Björn Sherman had a big game in the win, scoring a game-high 20 points — 17 of which came in the second half — on an efficient 7-of-10 from the field. The sevenfooter also added seven rebounds, four of which were offensive. The center’s biggest contribution was the energy he injected into the Roadrunners to spark their gutsy comeback win. “I never shut up when I’m on the court,” said Sherman with a laugh, describing what he brings to this team. Sherman’s frontcourt mate, senior-forward Jeromie Hill, also had a huge game for the Roadrunners with 18 points and a gamehigh 12 rebounds, giving the Australian native his fourteenth career doubledouble, placing him fourth in C-USA. “He’s playing well, especially offensively,” remarked UTSA Head Coach Brooks Thompson on Hill. The game was an offensive shootout early, with neither team gaining a lead larger than seven throughout the entire first half. The Roadrunners were paced early by the stellar play of junior guard Ryan Bowie who led UTSA in scoring in the half with 12
“We can beat anyone in our conference.” Jeromie Hill
T-9. Rice (3-5) (6-14)
11. Charlotte (3-6) (9-12)
12. Marshall (2-7) (6-16)
13. Florida Atlantic (1-6) (8-10)
14. Southern Miss (1-8) (6-14)
{Recent Results} Saturday, Jan. 31 UTSA Women’s basketball L, 73-57 at UAB Friday, Jan. 30 UTSA Women’s tennis W, 6-1 vs. Incarnate Word Thursday, Jan. 29 UTSA Women’s basketball L, 73-53 at Middle Tennessee
UTSA forward points, all of which came consecutively from three. Despite the play of Bowie, the Runners found themselves down by seven at halftime after being physically outmatched by the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee who scored 26 of their 38 first half points in the paint, and collected 25 rebounds to UTSA’s 11 by halftime. “The first half they definitely got after us and we kind of lost our composure a little bit at the end of the half,” said Sherman remarking on the first half of the game. The second half was the Sherman show, as the center made his presence felt early and often in the half scoring in a variety of ways, including a smooth mid-range jumper, a couple of clutch tip-ins, a beautiful post move on the low block and an emphatic dunk that sent the crowd roaring. “I just took what the defense was giving me,” said Sherman on his big half, “(I
had) 17 points in the second half, I didn’t really do much in the first half but, this feels great right now,” he finished with a smile. Bowie quietly had an impactful second half as well. Bowie, who cooled down offensively in the
half scoring only four points, collected an impressive six rebounds. On the strength of Sherman’s 17, with contributions from Bowie and Hill, the Roadrunners were able to dominate the second half by scoring 38 points on an ultra-efficient 59 percent shooting, erasing the seven point deficit and going on to secure a win. “Our guys deserved to win. They played well,” stated Thompson. “We knew it was going to be tough and we’re fortunate to get out of here (with a win).” The Roadrunners didn’t have much time to rest as they looked to secure backto-back wins by defeating the UAB Blazers. Against the Blazers, the Roadrunners were paced by Hill who secured his fifteenth career doubledouble in the game with 20 points and 10 rebounds, totals that were game-highs in both categories. Despite the heroic efforts of Hill, UAB outmatched UTSA to come out the victors of a tightly contested battle, 65-57. UTSA struggled to get into rhythm offensively. Aside from Sherman — who scored 13 — and Hill, no Roadrunners scored in double figures. “They came with some energy and their defense effected us,” stated Head Coach Brooks Thompson on UTSA’s struggles. “I felt like a couple guys tried to do too much on their own. Not selfishly, but trying to get the team going. I think our offense didn’t flow,” Thompson continued. UTSA had issues with handling the balanced offensive attack of UAB who had scoring contributions from all but one player that logged minutes. UAB sophomore guard Denzell Watts – who came into the game averaging only 3.6 points – scored a team high 17 points coming off the bench, adding to the 37 bench points for the Blazers, a total that dwarfed UTSA’s six bench points. Coming with the mo-
mentum of the Middle Tennessee win, UTSA started the game playing very well and opened a 9-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game. UTSA eventually cooled down, leading to a 12-0 run by the
Blazers and to UAB’s first lead of the game at 2524, and eventually the lead at halftime 33-29. “They did a good job of pressuring us and getting us out of our offense. We’ve still got a lot of young guys, and that pressure gets to
us,” said Hill on UAB’s defensive efforts. In the second half, UAB opened up an eight point lead early and never looked back as they controlled much of the action in the second half, leading by as much as 14 points. “Our problem is, we turned it over,” coach Thompson explained. “We were 14-23 from the free throw line… those are bad numbers if you want to win.” After the game, Hill was visibly shaken after the tough loss. “That loss hurt a lot because I felt like tonight, we would get that win. That one hurt.” Despite the tough loss, Hill remained optimistic on the prospects of the team. “I still think we’re right there, we can beat anyone in our conference.” “We’ve come so far from October, getting blown out by teams we shouldn’t have… we’re ready to take that step and be contenders in this conference.” The UTSA Roadrunners look to get back to their winning ways when they face off next with the FIU Panthers on Thursday February 6, in Miami, Florida.
Marcus Connolly, The Paisano Guard Ryan Bowie nails one of his four three-pointers against Middle Tennesse (MT). Bowie shot 50 percent from three against MT.
Marcus Connolly, The Paisano Center Kaj-Bjorn Sherman throws down a huge two-handed slam adding two to his 20 point night, one shy of tying his career high.
Marcus Connolly, The Paisano Jeromie Hill cuts through the paint to add to his 20 points. Hill had back-to-back double-doubles against UAB and MT, his second time going back-to-back this year.
Attend an information session to learn more about this exciting job opportunity: Wednesday, February 11th 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, February 12th 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 18th 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 19th 4:00 p.m.
UC Hawthorne Rm UC Hawthorne Rm UC Hawthorne Rm UC Hawthorne Rm For an application and more information, visit the FYE office MS 1.02.06 or contact: Corina Aldape
210-458-7509
corina.aldape@utsa.edu
Application Deadline: Friday, March 6, 2015
10
February 3 - February 10, 2015
ADVERTISEMENT