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THE DAILY TEXAN DOUBLE COVERAGE
LIFE&ARTS PAGE 14 Coping with food allergies
It’s game time Friday, September 4, 2009
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff
Architectural engineering junior Sophia Kim listens as Cathy Bao Bean presents “Living and Laughing by the Chopsticks Fork Principle” for the event “You Bring Out the Asian American in Me” at the Union Ballroom on Thursday night.
Artists take stage to speak against stereotypes that plague community lander American Collective hosted the event, which featured speakers and an a cappella group, to welcome AsianAmerican students and friends to the UT community. The hallway outside the ballroom was packed with students as they shuffled by tables of food and various student organizations.
“We do this to show AsianAmericans on campus that although we are a large and diverse population, we can come together and provide resources for new students,” said Jennifer Lee, psychology senior and collective chairwoman. “We do this to welcome first-year students every year so they know
about resources and the different kinds of groups that they can join on campus.” The first speaker was author Cathy Bao Bean, who spoke about overcoming stereotypes and her book, “The Chopsticks-Fork Principle: A Memoir and Manual.” In
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UT System figures to advise mayor By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff Fritz Steiner and Hopeton Hay, two members of the UT System, will serve on Mayor Lee Leffingwell’s council of community advisors. The 28-member council will meet quarterly to discuss longterm city planning options such as water and electricity usage. The first meeting is scheduled for early October, and will be closed to the public. “The council won’t meet enough to impact the day-to-day workings of Austin,” said Leffingwell spokesman Matt Curtis. “It’s one of several groups meant to help the mayor establish the next steps of the city.” Steiner, dean of the UT School of Architecture, said he will use his seat on the council as a way to enhance communication between the University and the mayor.
Country Conservancy, an organization dedicated to conserving natural spaces and scenic views in Austin. He has also been involved in developing Austin’s transit system as a former city planner. “It’s not my agenda, it’s the mayor’s agenda,” Steiner said. “The only interest I have is making sure the University is wellrepresented.” Hay is a manager of the UT System’s Historically Underutilized Business program, which is charged with increasing purchases and contracts awarded to minority and female-owned businesses. He will focus on those Michael Baldon | Daily Texan Staff priorities while serving on the Fritz Steiner, the dean of the School of Architecture, was appoint- mayor’s council. “My main focus will be to ed to be one of Mayor Lee Leffingwell’s community advisors. make sure that minority business “Bringing together people Steiner said. “It’s important to owners and women have access to capital and access to [bonds], from the community will pro- have a range of perspectives.” vide more coordination between Steiner also serves on the MAYOR continues on page 2 different aspects of the city,” board of directors for the Hill
‘Big Push’ aims to cut Austin’s greenhouse emissions
Jordy Wagoner | Daily Texan Staff
UT students ride the bus near campus. Central Texas could face federal penalties if the measured ozone level surpasses EPA limits.
By Rachel Platis Daily Texan Staff Austin has just two more months to clear up an unsatisfactory air quality rating before restrictions will be placed on the local economy. To urge citizens to cut back on ozone emissions, city officials are throwing their weight behind a “Big Push” campaign in hopes that residents can curb pollution before the final measurement in October. A negative Environmental Protection Agency rating could be detrimental to the health of Austin residents, and it may lead to cutbacks on federal money for roads, said Deanna Altenhoff, executive director of the
CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas. Central Texas is at an ozone level of 75 parts per billion, which is exactly the federal standard set this year. The final measurement to determine the area’s rating will take place Oct. 31. “It’s critical to let people know that there is an air quality problem here in Central Texas, because many people don’t even know that we have one,” Altenhoff said. The “Big Push” campaign, which began in April, is especially crucial this month because September is typically
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Event brings out Asian-Americans
By Alex Geiser Daily Texan Staff Students who packed the Texas Union Ballroom on Thursday night for the eighth annual “You Bring Out the Asian American in Me” event heard how they can overcome stereotypes and become involved on campus. The Asian Desi Pacific Is-
TOMORROW’S WEATHER
Athletics braces for possible flu spread By Hudson Lockett Daily Texan Staff Following flu outbreaks in recent weeks among college athletics, including Duke University’s football and Tulane University’s football and volleyball teams, the UT athletics department said it is taking measures to prevent outbreaks of H1N1 among athletes. Mark Chassay, head physician of UT intercollegiate athletics, said the department was following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and State Department recommendations about H1N1. “Whatever the state’s doing is what we’ve got to do,” Chassay said. He said UT focuses on preventative care and making sure information is available about the flu. Athletes who feel ill can call their student athlete trainer, he said, and arrange to be tested for H1N1. Because the virus spreads easily, student athletes with flu symptoms are advised not to come in to the sports medicine facility at the Moncrief Athletic Center, Chassay said. “We try to discourage them from coming in unless they’re really feeling terrible,” he said. Chassay said that the department was not treating anyone that tested positive for H1N1 with Tamiflu or any antiviral medications due to the mildness of the strain’s symptoms. That approach contrasts with Tulane’s practice of giving Tamiflu to any athletes diagnosed with H1N1. Greg Stewart, a doctor at the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine, said the group has always faced the problem of diseases spreading in athletics because athletes are in close contact with one anoth-
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College Councils open year with full agenda By Viviana Aldous Daily Texan Staff The Senate of College Councils opened the semester Thursday evening with resolutions endorsing academic integrity and expanding interdisciplinary degree programs. All 19 colleges are represented on the Senate, which aims to represent the student body on academic affairs. “We really want to ensure students are involved,” said Senate President Lauren Ratliff. “Pretty much anything academic, we know about and have a hand in. We really want this institution to be the No. 1 public institution in the nation, and it’ll get there by its academic changes and the strength of its degree programs.” Carisa Nietsche, faculty affairs chair and Plan II sophomore, and Drew Finke, policy director and architecture and urban studies senior, introduced a resolution to support the creation of collegebridging programs, or courses of study that involve degrees or certificates combining coursework
for more than one school or college. “It makes applicants more attractive to graduate and law schools,” Nietsche said. “It gives students a broader view of the world than their major provides. It gives them a more worldly, cosmopolitan view.” Senate will vote on the resolution next week. At the meeting, council presidents signed the honor code, which students created in 2004, and made a commitment to uphold and educate other students about academic integrity. “As leaders of the University, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard,” Ratliff said. “We’re trying to make sure students are aware of it, and we want to further integrate it into our culture. [Signing the code was] a formal commitment, a first step among many steps to further promote academic integrity amongst our colleges, schools and student bodies.”
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Ariel Min | Daily Texan Staff
Richard Naething, president of Graduate Engineering Council, and Emily Chen, president of Engineering Council, sign the Honor Code at the Senate of College Councils meeting Thursday evening.