The Daily Texan 2019-01-23 by The Daily Texan

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

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NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

Campus Events + Entertainment welcomes students with first day event. PA G E 2

Mixed race students need specialized resources from MEC. PA G E 4

Jesse McCartney bares his ‘beautiful soul’ to fans while on tour. PA G E 8

Shaka Smart ignites the energy on the bench by inviting Matthew McConaughey. PA G E 6

CITY

CAMPUS

Continuing construction

B-Cycle to add monthly $1 fee after UT refuses to fund operations By Jackson Barton @Jackson_Brton

Students who signed up for the formerly free Austin B-Cycle student membership will be out $1 when they wake up Wednesday. Elliott McFadden, Austin B-Cycle executive director, said the nonprofit will now be charging a $1 monthly fee for student memberships to stay self-sufficient. “Our nonprofit, which operates Austin B-Cycle … has been subsidizing all of the costs of (offering free student memberships), and we discussed with the University, now that the program has been a success, in helping to fund our costs,” McFadden said. “At this time, the University is not able to do that.” Jeremy Hernandez, Parking and Transportation Services bike coordinator, said PTS is largely self-funded and cannot afford to subsidize B-Cycle’s $120,000 yearly campus operating costs. McFadden said operating costs consist of paying for B-Cycle’s field staff, which move bikes between stations, bike mechanics and customer service lines. Austin B-Cycle’s planned 18-month campus pilot program kicked off last February with the City paying $272,000 for nine new bike stations in and around campus. As of Wednesday, 14,000 students have taken advantage of the free 60-minute rides with the student membership for 255,293 total trips, according to an email from McFadden.

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pedro luna | the daily texan staff West Mall will soon open to larger foot traffic once construction comes to a close. “We’re estimating project completion by next week, but that’s subject to weather,” project manager Tony Guzman said.

Ongoing renovations in West Mall and other campus locations will wrap up soon, making walks to class easier. By Nicole Stuessy @nicolestuessy

tudents can expect the completion of a few ongoing construction projects to make campus easier to navigate this spring. West Mall entryway construction is in its final stages and will be completed by the end of

January. Project manager Tony Guzman said construction on the new entryway began in July 2018 and was set to finish in December, but was delayed by weather conflicts. “We are about a month behind schedule because of the weather and all the rain that we experienced this fall,” Guzman said. “Because the project involved a major amount of excavation and underground utility work, it was very

Five women in the Texas House of Representatives formed the first LGBTQ caucus the state Legislature has ever seen. State Rep. Jessica González, co-chair of the caucus, said their goal as a group is to make sure all Texans feel represented at the Capitol. “This new caucus sends a powerful message to Texas youth that whoever they are, wherever they are, and whoever they grow up to be, they will be seen and their voices will be heard,” said González, D-Dallas. In previous years, the Texas House had anywhere from zero to two openly LGBTQ members, González said. This year, there are five. “This is the most outLGBTQ members that we’ve ever had,” González said. “For decades, LGBTQ Texans have fought for a seat at the table, and with this caucus, we’re planting a flag permanently in Texas’ halls of power.” The caucus, which has not had an official meeting yet, is open to LGBTQ-allies and is still inviting members to join, González said. Rep. Julie Johnson, another member of the caucus, said the group is ready to work with other members of the Texas legislature to make sure all Texans are treated fairly.

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NATION

New LGBTQ caucus forms in Legislature @KateylnBalevic

forward to the completed entryway because the current construction causes heavier foot traffic in the West Mall area. “West Mall has been very busy with construction lately, which makes it difficult to get around sometimes,” Mutammara said. “But I think anything other than the fountain that was there before will be more

LEGISLATURE

By Katie Balevic

susceptible to weather impact.” Over winter break, construction teams poured concrete for the entryway, which was a large step toward completion, Guzman said. “We are kind of in the last steps of this project right now,” Guzman said. “Planting trees and installing the signage are some of the last big visual steps.” Chemistry junior Alex Mutammara said he is looking

“The point of having a caucus is to come together as a group of people to promote and foster legislation that benefits the LGBT community, as well as have a coalition of people ready to oppose any anti-LGBT legislation that may be filed,” said Johnson, D-Dallas. The formation of the LGBTQ caucus comes after legislators during the 2017 legislative session debated the so-called “bathroom bill,” which would have forced transgender people to use public bathrooms aligning with the sex designated on their birth certificate instead of their gender identity. “After the bathroom bill last session, there still are a lot of members of the Legislature that do not support LGBT equality,” Johnson said. “We want to be prepared to be able to respond to anything that may come up. The importance of that is collaboration but also to let people in Texas know that it’s an important issue, and we intend to … make sure that all LGBT citizens in Texas are treated equally and fairly.” Erika Slaymaker, a sociology graduate student, said while anti-LGBTQ legislation is an attack on a marginalized community, it also mobilizes support for LGBTQ citizens. “People had to come together and fight against

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Government shutdown could affect financial aid applications, UT research By Chase Karacostas @chasekaracostas

The government shutdown could affect federal student financial aid applications and, down the line, federally funded research projects at UT. The federal Department of Education oversees FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and is unaffected by the shutdown, but the Internal Revenue Service, which provides some of the forms required for FAFSA is mostly shuttered. The majority of students submitting their FAFSA will not need any forms from the IRS. However, the small percentage of students who are required to complete the additional verification need a copy of their family’s income tax transcript from the IRS. While the department is closed, students are allowed to send in a signed tax return until the government reopens. Throughout the application, there are also several “matches” that occur to determine a student’s eligibility to receive financial aid, such as a citizenship match or registration with the Selective Service, required for males 18-25. These matches, which come through the Department of Homeland Security and the Selective Service System, are not functional under the shutdown. As a result, UT’s Office of Financial Aid said it is manually determining matches to verify each student’s eligibility for financial aid.

lauren ibanez

“While OFA is prioritizing the work on files for impacted students, these workarounds do have the potential to delay students’ receipt of their financial aid funds,” UT’s Office of Financial Aid said in a statement. “We are collaborating closely with Student Accounts Receivable, which is ready to assist affected students with payment plans or other options as needed.” University spokeswoman Shilpa Bakre said in an email that the impact on continuing students would be limited, but it could be felt more so by prospective students. A dozen federal departments that support research

at UT are closed because of the shutdown, meaning the federal government is not issuing new awards for research. UT is unable to collect reimbursement for grant expenditures and reviews for grant proposals have been halted. Affected departments include the National Endowment for the Humanities, NASA and the National Science Foundation. UT has 350 active accounts with the NSF. “I want to express my sympathy to those colleagues who are waiting to learn the fate of their submitted proposals,” Daniel Jaffe, vice president for research, said in an email to researchers.

| the daily texan staff

“We all believe strongly in our mission to produce and share new knowledge and to educate the next generation of researchers and scholars. The disruption that the current shutdown is not furthering that mission.” For now, the University is covering the costs under existing grants without reimbursement. “If the shutdown continues long term, it is possible that the University would no longer be able to sustain spending without reimbursement,” Bakre said in an email. “If that happens, it would have campus-wide impact — but it does not yet.”

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

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Students ‘blast off’ into 2019 with free food, New Year’s resolutions at back-to-school space bash By Tehya Rassman @tehyaRassman

Spring semester is here, which means it is time to “Blast Off into the New Year” — in more ways than one. Students came back from break on Tuesday with new resolutions and a clean slate of classes to propel them into 2019. To help students acclimate to the new semester, Campus Events + Entertainment threw a space-themed back-toschool bash, titled “Blast Off into the New Year,” on the first floor of the Student Activity Center. Kimberlee Walters, Campus Events + Entertainment president, said free food and music attracted students, including many who had been previously waiting in a long line for Starbucks. “We had an assortment of donuts from Shipley’s and then we had cupcakes from H-E-B with fun space colors, as well as some little toothpicks with planets on them,” said Walters, a corporate communications senior. “Students really enjoyed those, and our food (was eaten) within about an hour and a half.” Campus Events + Entertainment member Megan Mealey lured people to her table with free food, where they played space-themed trivia on Kahoot! to earn E+E merchanchise including a hand towl, pop socket and tote bag. The questions from the trivia game included ones such as, “How many planets are there in our solar system?” and “What are the biggest and smallest planets?” “To win a prize, you have to play Kahoot!” computer science sophomore Mealey said to a couple of students who

amanda saunders | the daily texan staff Campus Events + Entertainment hosted “Blast Off into the New Year” at the SAC Tuesday afternoon. The event had free snacks, space trivia and a photo booth for students to kick off the new year and semester.v

walked up for the free food. “Okay, let’s do this,” Arjun Karpur, computer science graduate student, said to his friend. The number of students quickly dwindled after the food ran out, but there were around 20-30 people in line at the beginning of the event, attendee Sania Khan said.

“On the first day of school, everyone’s just running around, but when they hear music and they see balloons and cake and people are like, ‘Oh, hey come eat’ … it creates a wanting-to-get-involved type of environment,” said Khan, a corporate communication junior. These events are meant to make students feel welcome on campus, Walters

said. Walters suggested students add one more resolution to their list in order to help them get through the semester. “Always focus on the positive things, because there are a lot of negative things that happen when you’re a student,” Walters said. “Focus on all of the really small, good things throughout the day as you have your bad moments.”

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SURE Ride gets makeover: Students hope to see expansion of program renamed UT Night Rides By Emily Hernandez @emilyhernandez

The free ride-hailing service formerly known as SURE Ride has been renamed UT Night Rides this semester. While the program now goes by a new name, nothing about its operation has changed. Sponsored by the University in partnership with Lyft, UT Night Rides provides free rides for students between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. from main campus to designated student residential areas. UT Night Rides was established primarily to increase safe campus accessibility after the UT shuttles terminate at 11 p.m. nightly, said Blanca Gamez, assistant director of Parking and Transportation Services. “We provide (shuttle) service to the densest regions in the city where we see students living, and so Lyft complements that service after the shuttles terminate,” Gamez said. “We do look at expanding service each and every semester.” The program was piloted in the fall of 2017 and served more than 54,000 students in the 2017-18 school year and the summer of 2018 combined, Gamez said. Last semester alone, more than 41,000

copyright lyft, and reproduced with permission In partnership with the University, Lyft provides free rides for students from main campus to student residentail zones in the UT Night Rides program.

students took advantage of the free transportation. While students appreciate the program, some think it would be beneficial to expand the service’s pickup zones into student residence areas such as West Campus, North Campus and Riverside. “People in North Campus or Riverside sometimes want to study with their friends in West Campus and then they want to get home without

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visually appealing.” Farther inside campus, construction to replace the roof of the Main Building is ahead of schedule and should be completed later this semester, said Jill Stewart, associate director of project management and construction services. Some larger projects continuing this semester include Welch Hall renovations and construction on a new energy engineering building on 24th Street where Woolrich Labs are located, said Jim Shackelford, director of Capital Planning and Construction. “Welch Hall is a little over halfway done,” Shackelford said. “Substantial completion, meaning the work is essentially done, is scheduled for next January.” Along with ongoing construction, the University will see new projects including renovations on campus buildings and athletic facilities. Construction Services plans to begin work on Anna

Hiss Gymnasium behind Burdine Hall, which is not currently used, Stewart said. “It’s an older building that we are trying to revitalize for more modern growth,” Stewart said. “The south side of the building will house the robotics program for the College of Engineering.” Construction on an indoor player development facility for the baseball team near UFCU Disch-Falk Field began last fall and will continue this semester. Construction Services also plans to begin work on an outdoor pool area for the swimming and diving teams at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Stewart said. Later this spring, construction on the south end zone expansion of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium will begin, Shackelford said. “It will be after the spring football game when we begin construction there,” Shackelford said. “Construction is expected to completed by the 2021 football season.” Stewart said construction services will begin more projects after commencement in May.

walking,” psychology senior Karishma Bajaj said. “I guess you could walk to campus and get picked up there, which would be better than not getting a ride at all, but I feel like the campus (pickup) zone should probably be expanded to West and North Campus, just so more people use it.” Bajaj lives in North Campus and uses the service for the same reason many students do — a safe

ride home. “I’m someone who walks home late even though I shouldn’t,” Bajaj said. “I don’t feel like spending money, and so knowing I don’t have to spend money makes it something where I don’t have an excuse to not get home safely.” Joshua Iwe, an electrical computer engineering sophomore, said he often uses UT Night Rides after late nights on campus doing schoolwork or when he is at a friend’s place late and can walk to campus for the free ride. Iwe said he has a friend who he feels is “only able to pull off” living in Riverside because of UT Night Rides. “He will stay on campus all day and after 11 p.m., he takes a ride home,” Iwe said. “It was a way for him to be able to handle whatever he had to do here and go back home driven as opposed to waiting for a bus and (feeling) sketched out.” While Iwe could hail rides to any place within the West Campus dropoff zone, he said it would be helpful for students living on campus if rides could also originate in the drop-off areas. “I wish these rides took me back to campus too,” Iwe said. “Last year I lived on campus and I could take a ride to Whataburger … but I (had to) walk back.”

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

RESEARCH

UT researcher studies earthquakes using computer modeling By Lauren Rahman @RahmanLauren

A researcher at UT is developing a new way of computer modeling to better understand earthquakes using findings from a 2011 earthquake in Japan. Thorsten Becker, the lead author of the paper and a professor in the Jackson School of Geosciences, worked in collaboration with a team of researchers from Japan and Purdue University to publish their study in Earth and Planetary Science Letters in December. Earthquakes display precursory phenomena, such as foreshocks, which are smaller earthquakes that occur before the big one, that indicate a buildup before an earthquake, Becker said. “We’ve known about these for a long time, but the problem is that the occurrence of the precursory phenomena isn’t regular,” Becker said. Becker said his research was based on studying the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake in Japan, one of the biggest recorded, and that this revealed a lot about

the deformations of the Earth and foreshocks. The patterns that his team found when studying the Japanese earthquake were similar to the patterns they found while studying earthquakes in the lab and on computer models, Becker said. “It has been documented that the changes in the ratio between small and large earthquakes before the event was a trend … that happens to be consistent with laboratory work,” Becker said. Becker said normally there’s a certain force within the Earth’s crust along subduction zones where earthquakes are likely to occur; however, prior to an earthquake, they saw this force start to change. “In some locations in the last three years before the earthquake, they actually slightly changed, and then they snapped,” Becker said. Becker’s current work is part of a larger research network called Modeling Collaboratory for Subduction, a research group recently funded by the National Science Foundation, said to Gab Lotto, program manager for the organization.

“Its purpose is to bring together earth scientists who model subduction zones from across the US and around the world to collaborate on computer models of earthquakes, volcanoes and related hazards,” Lotto said. “We’re going to be running three interdisciplinary workshops over the next few years to jump start collaborations and ask big questions about what is known and unknown in the science of subduction zone hazards.” Developing these models can help see if certain parts of a fault are more likely to rupture than another, Becker said. “The bigger picture here is to use all the information that we can get from looking at smaller earthquakes, from looking at surface deformations and from numerical modeling to build a better physical description of a subduction zone … to have a tool to see these changes next time,” Becker said. Geological sciences professor Stephen P. Grand said current earthquake research is not capable of making predictions. “I would say with fair certainty that there is no accepted way to ‘forecast earthquakes,’”

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Grand said. Becker said although these findings can’t be used to predict an earthquake and may not be useful for evacuations before the

earthquake, it could be helpful for allocating money toward certain regions susceptible to earthquakes in order to mitigate risk. “There is some indication

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that if we were measuring the right thing and have the right physical models, we could make some headway in decadal-scale forecasting,” Becker said.

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katie bauer | the daily texan file Austin B-Cycle executive director Elliott McFadden anounced B-Cycle will start charging monthly $1 fees for students. The University is not able to compensate for students using the service, resulting in the $1 fee.

B - C YC L E1 continues from page

“The program’s been a huge success,” McFadden said. “It’s been beyond our expectations in terms of uptick in use of the system, and now we want to make sure it’s sustainable for the long term.” Elliot said the service provides 750-1,500 campus rides per day. Joshua Iwe, an electrical and computer engineering sophomore, rides a B-Cycle bike to and from class nearly every weekday. He said he wishes the University would pay for the costs of the free

student memberships. “I will still use B-Cycle … I feel like I get more use out of it for $1 a month,” Iwe said. “I wish they didn’t do that. I’d rather it be free, and I thought the University was the one subsidizing it.” Dockless electric scooters launched on campus last April and have proven popular with students due to their convenience and low cost, usually starting from $1 per ride. McFadden said the launch of dockless scooters has not affected the amount of rides students take on B-Cycle bikes around campus. “We’ve not really seen very much of an impact with dockless for our University

area,” McFadden said. “We have seen an impact with our downtown system.” McFadden said B-Cycle will not be scaling back any services and is looking at ways to add new bike stations around campus. Biology sophomore Mac Phillips said he canceled his subscription as soon as he received an email notifying him about the $1 monthly charge. He said he hadn’t used B-Cycle since mid-October. “I rode it because it was free, because it was convenient, and they have spots everywhere” Phillips said. “I just didn’t want to pay for it anymore, I just didn’t think I would use it enough.”

Texas LGBTQ+ Timeline Lawrence v. Texas, Supreme Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas, legalizing same-sex activity

Present Day

1973 2003 Texas makes homosexual conduct a criminal act

Penal code still says, “A person commits an offense if he engages in deviant sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex”

SOURCE: TEXAS PENAL CODE, TITLE 5, SECTION 21.06 emma overholt

LGBTQ

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the bathroom bills,” Slaymaker said. “That mobilization translated into electing more LGBTQ people, which set the groundwork for

this caucus.” Slaymaker said the caucus is a significant symbol of progress in Texas as well as a measure of accountability to LGBTQ Texans. “It’s even more of an opportunity to hold them accountable to what our

| the daily texan staff

community needs,” Slaymaker said. “It’s an invitation to even further engage with the political system in Texas and to further imagine what a Texas that is safe and open to LGBT people could look like and how we can fight for that together.”

PREPPING FOR TEXAN TRYOUTS

We'll We'll cover cover how how to to craft craft interview interview questions, questions, write basic news stories and communicate write basic news stories and communicate with with editors. editors. Hear former and Hear from from former and present present members members of of TT he he Daily Daily Texan. Texan. And of course, we'll have pizza! And of course, we'll have pizza! THE THE DAILY DAILY TE�AN TE�AN

Thursday Thursday January January 24 24 or or 31 31 5:00 5:00 -- 6:30 6:30 p.m. p.m. BMC BMC 3.206 3.206

LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

COLUMN

brittany le

| the daily texan staff

Multicultural Engagement Center needs resources for mixed students By Angélica López Associate Editor

brittany le

| the daily texan staff

Drinking kava can tackle the root of your stress problems By Bella McWhorter Associate Editor

Over winter break I tried something new to relax after a day of stress — the ground root of the kava plant. Gulping down the Pacific drink and chasing its earthy flavor with a few pineapple cubes, I felt my mind come to ease and my body slow down. Wondering if I felt more drunk or high, I learned that drinking kava provides a fun way to combat student stress and anxiety without becoming intoxicated. In the spring semester of 2017, students ranked academics as the most “traumatic or difficult to handle” item out of a list that also included the death of a loved one, social relationships and family problems, according to the UT-Austin Executive Summary. Fifty-three percent of students also reported stress or anxiety negatively impacted their academic careers in the past 12 months. While universities all across the country tackle student stress and anxiety with services, such as nap pods and meditation groups, college students explore other options on their own time. According to the same survey, 68.7 percent of students had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. In a 2017 Penn State study, researchers found that students

who drink to relieve stress are at a much higher risk of developing drinking problems later in life. With a majority of students both drinking and feeling overwhelming stress, it’s time students explore other available options to calm down when stressed. Kava offers a similar, yet healthier, alternative to drinking your way out of university-induced anxiety.

Drinking kava provides a fun way to combat student stress, anxiety without becoming intoxicated.” “A lot of the time people will drink Kava just so that they can relax,” said Mark Magallanez, who works at Austin’s local kava bar, SquareRut Kava Bar. “Some strains are more physical or mental clarity strains. One of our strains is specifically for anti-anxiety. It really helps that scattered brain, and it helps people feel a little more present and in the moment.” While it is similar to alcohol in that it couples physical and psychological effects — euphoria

LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

and relaxation — the drink does not affect mental clarity or put users at risk of alcoholism later in life. “The relation to alcohol is probably the tension release and the bubbly feeling you could get from that second or third drink without having to experience vertigo or any sort of inebriation,” Magallanez said. “I call it the empathy drink because it makes you a little more social, and you’re not getting intoxicated at all. The only thing is you’re getting dehydrated.” Austin is the only city in Texas that is home to a kava lounge, a place to buy and enjoy the relaxing drink. UT students have unique access to purchase the already-made drink at SquareRut Kava Lounge on Barton Springs or North Lamar, or to purchase the kava powder and make it at home. With stress, anxiety and drinking playing a significant role in many UT students’ lives, it is time students branch out and appreciate the unique lifestyle Austinites have in their backyards. Kava can provide solace from stress and anxiety in a healthier way than alcohol. It’s time we all tackle the root of our academic struggles — stress and anxiety — in a nondestructive way with the kava plant. Bella McWhorter is a journalism junior from San Francisco, California.

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| the daily texan staff

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

I am my father’s daughter — but many assume I’m not. When visiting the grocery store over winter break, a stranger took one look at the two of us, assumed we were dating and called my dad a pervert. Put simply, I’m white and my dad is not. Mixed people are sometimes assumed to have been adopted, kidnapped or in a romantic relationship with family members who appear to be a different race. And yes — it’s exhausting. Mixed race students have unique interactions with race. Because college is a time of identity formation and the mixed experience is so distinct, it’s important UT provides resources and environments for mixed individuals. The Multicultural Engagement Center is a great place to start.

Because college is a time of identity formation and the mixed experience is so distinct, it’s important UT provides resources and environments for mixed individuals.”

Only 3.8 percent of UT students identified as mixed race in fall 2011 compared to 4.6 percent in spring 2017. The MEC houses six student-run agencies dedicated to serving UT’s diverse student body. While these agencies are open to all students and already serve many mixed individuals, the MEC does not yet offer a space specifically for mixed race students. While some mixed students may choose to self-identify as one race, a 2014 study showed that students begin to embrace their mixed identity while in college. According to the study, racial identification is dynamic and changes over the course of a multiracial student’s time in university. The MEC must provide services during this crucial period in the formation of complex multiracial identities. “In our student organizations, a lot of the students identify as multiracial,” said Krysta Chacon, program coordinator at the MEC. “They just don’t necessarily have to pick one org to be a part of.” According to Chacon, the MEC works to be inclusive and is “geared to be open to everyone” regardless of their identity. Students can therefore engage with multiple agencies during their time at UT. However, there are some experiences that multiracial students do not share with students who only identify with one racial or ethnic background. Students at UC-Berkeley founded an organization for mixed students in 1992, which has led to the formation of at least six more chapters across several California universities. In contrast, mixed students at UT must seek out resources from student groups that specifically cater to singular racial and ethnic categories instead of having access to formalized mixed spaces. The CMHC now offers a counseling group for mixed individuals, which started this past fall. “We had a few students come to us to try to create something, and that was one of the products of the request,” Chacon said. While this is a great start, the MEC should create a specialized space housed within the MEC to provide services for mixed race students who have a growing presence on campus. By providing more services through the MEC, UT can ensure mixed race students have the tools needed to navigate UT, as well as their identities. López is a rhetoric and writing junior from McAllen.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

TENNIS

Pony down: Ito, Huang dominate SMU to remain unbeaten By Robert Trevino @robtrev22

The eighth-ranked Longhorn men’s tennis team opened the year up at home with a dominating 6-1 victory over SMU — its 18th-straight win over the in-state rival Mustangs — and moved to 2–0 on the season. Texas got on the board first with a doubles win (6-1) by Yuya Ito and Chih Chi Huang over SMU’s Michael Smith and Andrew Buhelos. Freshmen Ito and Huang went on to win their singles matches as well, with Huang winning a tiebreak (46, 6-1, 1-0 [5]). The duo split the first two sets with SMU’s Gerdiner Perotti, while Ito dominated Roberto Rosales (6-0, 6-2). The 18th-ranked Ito said momentum between matches was a positive factor. “(Winning the doubles match) carried over into singles, where I started well,” Ito

said. “My opponent was tough in the second set, but I was able to get over him.” The seniors pairing of Colin Markes and Leonardo Telles defeated SMU’s Avery Pennywell and Tomas Vaise (6-1). Telles would go on to defeat Vaise in a singles match (64, 6-2) after a competitive first set. “My opponent was a tricky player, having a great serve and being a lefty,” Telles said. “I struggled in the beginning to find my way into service games but got more confident as the match went on.” Telles and 33rd-ranked senior Harrison Scott (6-4, 6-4) won their matches simultaneously to secure the 6-1 victory for the Longhorns, with the only loss being at the hands of No. 51 Carles Sarrio over No. 4 Christian Sigsgaard (6-4, 6-0). Head coach Michael Center felt there were ways the Longhorns could still improve, however.

(Winning the doubles match) carried over into singles, where I started well. My opponent was tough in the second set, but I was able to get over him.” Y U YA I T O FRESHMAN

“(SMU) was improved and more aggressive than they have been,” Center said. “We were pretty good, but inconsistent today.” Center continued, “There were so many momentum swings in the matches that we

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff Freshman Yuya Ito paired with Chih Chi Huang to defeat SMU in their doubles match. Ito also thrived in singles, defeating the Mustangs’ Roberto Rosales.

can’t get too worked up …. We talk strategically, we never worry about whether we are ahead or behind at that moment.” Texas continues this

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weekend as it hosts the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at the Texas Tennis Center, hosting Washington, Miami and Utah State. The Longhorns take on the

Huskies while the Hurricanes will play the Aggies at 2 p.m. on Friday. The consolation and championship matches will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS

WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 23, 2019

BASKETBALL

Assistant coach McConaughey

The actor’s presence on the bench fuels Texas to 75-72 win over Oklahoma. By Steve Helwick @s_helwick

ypical college basketball benches feature about 10 players, a head coach, several assistants and trainers. Some colleges take their benches to the next level with coordinated bench mob celebrations. And then there’s Texas, who added Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey to the end of the bench to fuel the Longhorns to a 75-72 win over Oklahoma on Saturday. “It kept the mood light for sure, but he has a strong message he gives to us every time he sees us,” forward Dylan Osetkowski said. “He dared us to be who we are tonight. He dared us to play for each other tonight for 40 minutes.”

McConaughey, a 1993 graduate of Texas’ radio-television-film program, is a frequenter of Texas football games, observing often from the sideline or his suite. But on this occasion, the actor reached out to head coach Shaka Smart to play a role in the Longhorns’ basketball atmosphere. “He hit me earlier in the week and said that he might come. We said, ‘That’d be great. We’d love to have you here,’” Smart said. “He actually gave the pregame talk. We were in the locker room, the guys were out there warming up, and I said, ‘You want the last word?’ And he said, ‘I’d be upset if you didn’t ask me to.’” McConaughey was more than just a spectator. During timeouts, he talked to players one-on-one, providing advice. Perhaps his greatest impact on the hardwood was serving as a minister of energy. Late in the contest, McConaughey was seen encouraging freshman power forward Kamaka Hepa to stand up and inject energy into the game from the bench. “He did a great job,” Smart said. “The interesting thing is during the game and the timeouts, and a couple times I peeked

joshua guenther | the daily texan staff Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey flashes Texas’ signature hand gesture during a 75-72 win over Oklahoma.

over at him, he looked a little nervous. So, I’m glad we could get this one for him and for all of us, but he was a big part of it in terms of energy.” Texas’ newest assistant also contributed to increased decibel levels from the audience. When McConaughey was shown

flashing the Hook ‘Em hand gesture on the scoreboard in crunch time, the packed house at the Erwin Center reached peak volume, unlike any audience Austin had seen all season. “It was great to finally play a game tonight with a crowd like that,” Osetkowski said. “We used the

crowd’s momentum tremendously. We just want to thank the fans tonight, and we need their support night in and night out in the Big 12.” The only thing louder than the 12,000-member Erwin Center crowd? Matthew McConaughey’s vibrant suit, complete with a

burnt orange jacket, burnt orange vest and burnt orange pants. “That was high level,” Smart said of McConaughey’s outfit. “I would love to get one of those. He said he got it overseas. He has some connections I don’t have.”

TRACK & FIELD

Longhorns enjoy record-setting day at Clemson Invitational By Brooke Nevins @brooke_nevins

Texas track & field made history early in its indoor track season at the Clemson Invitational over the weekend. Over the course of two days, Texas had nine wins and 30 total personal bests, including several top-10 school records in various events. On the competition’s opening day, 16 Longhorns recorded personal bests and six won their events, per a release from Texas Athletics. “We had a very successful first day this afternoon at the Clemson Invitational,” said head coach Edrick Floréal, who noted the team’s triumphs Friday. “It is a testament to the training that the group is putting in. (The team) will need to build off that success in order to finish the meet strong tomorrow.” On the track, Jonathan Jones won the men’s 400m with a

national-best time of 46.21 to make him the No. 3 performer in school history. After an effective cross country season in the fall, Alex Rogers became the No. 4 men’s mile runner in school history when he won the event in under four minutes. “I am so grateful for all of my coaches and teammates for their support and tolerance,” Rogers said in an Instagram post after the meet. “But while I am pleased, I am very unsatisfied and now the hard work can begin.” Steffin McCarter claimed victory in the men’s long jump with a mark of 7.71m/25-3.50, followed by three other Longhorns who finished in the top seven in the event. True freshman Kynnedy Flannel won the women’s 60m with a time of 7.61 to make her the event’s No. 8 runner in school history while Shay Petty launched to victory in the women’s pole vault, easily clearing 4.05m/19-8.00 on her

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first attempt. Elena Bruckner won the shot put with a throw of 15.82m/5111.00. She has won all three events she’s entered this season. The momentum brought by the team’s success on Friday carried three Longhorns to win their events and 13 more to set personal records on the second day of competition. In addition to her 60m victory on Friday, Flannel won the women’s 200m with a time of 22.88 — the eighth fastest time in school history. On the field, O’Brien Wasome won the men’s triple jump after winning the NCAA Championship in the event last season, and Barrett Poth claimed victory in men’s pole vault. Despite not winning the women’s weight throw, Bruckner’s throw of 18.86m/61-10.50 set a new school record for the event. Gabby Crank completed her 800m race with the second-fastest run in school history. In his first season as Texas’

carlos garcia | the daily texan file Thirty personal records were set by the Longhorns at the Clemson Invitational this past weekend. Texas placed first in six events and continues to flourish under first year head coach Edrick Floréal.

track & field head coach, Floréal is optimistic about the team’s ability to find success as the season progresses. “We had several student-

athletes come back after yesterday and turn in strong performances again today, including Kynnedy Flannel with both performances being top 10 in program

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history,” Floréal said. “She was just one of many who had very good weekends which we will build off of as our season continues next weekend.”

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

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Crossword

SUDOKUFORYOU 4 9 6 2 9 5 1 6 5 2 1 4 2 5 4 3 7 6 3 4 6 7

1 3 7 4 8 6

1 9 6 3 5

Today’s solution will appear here next issue

7 2 1 5 6 4 9 8 3

6 3 8 9 7 2 1 4 5

4 9 5 1 8 3 2 7 6

3 8 6 7 5 9 4 2 1

9 5 7 2 4 1 3 6 8

1 4 2 6 3 8 7 5 9

5 7 9 4 1 6 8 3 2

8 1 4 3 2 5 6 9 7

2 6 3 8 9 7 5 1 4

ACROSS 1 Hit hard 5 Beats it 11 Org. with the Wizards and Warriors 14 Prefix meaning “wine” 15 Pub spigot 16 Path of a blooper 17 Rating for many a sitcom 18 Ahab’s inspiration? 19 Give a whuppin’ 20 *Acts phony 22 Chopin piece 24 Sweat units 25 Beehive contents 26 Carl who wrote “Contact” 29 “WTF With Marc Maron,” for one 32 Industry kingpin 33 2002 animated film with a woolly mammoth

36 Warm, actionoriented sort, they say 37 Part of S O S, in popular usage 38 Each asterisked clue vis-à-vis its answer 39 Little trickster 40 Scepter’s go-with 41 Like an evangelical Christian 42 Phrase on a yard sale tag 43 Kitchen gadgets for mixing 45 Unable to sit still 46 Mother that might have a beard 47 Fast-food utensil 50 2000s teen drama set in California 52 *Hint: hotel 56 Sharpshooter’s asset

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE C T R L O R E O D U S T E T T U S A P E R S L E D F A S T T R A U H O L D E D G E N E O N B U R T A P E S

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57 Kevin ___, investor on TV’s “Shark Tank” 59 As a result 60 Rx watchdog 61 Sweetums 62 Alaska, before 1959: Abbr. 63 Start of many CB radio codes 64 Stands in a studio 65 “So it may ___” DOWN 1 Ones always tossing things back? 2 Impose, as a tax 3 Potentially offensive, in brief 4 Relative of a discotheque 5 One of the Obama daughters 6 Implore 7 Slants 8 “Let’s leave ___ that” 9 Mai ___ 10 Order from a police officer 11 *A trails nut 12 Thin fastener 13 Target of an astringent 21 “The tongue of the mind,” per Cervantes 23 Little jerk 25 Paul of “Crocodile Dundee” 26 Cartoon uncle of Scrappy-Doo, informally 27 Bright blue

Edited by Will Shortz 1

36 39 42

46 50

No. 1219

52 58

PUZZLE BY SETH A. ABEL

28 *Bag manager

35 “I” strain?

29 Catherine who married Henry VIII

38 One of seven for New York City

30 Big rigs 31 Young slave girl in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”

42 Common wear for female tennis players 44 Besides

33 Like gases in the 45 Shapiro of NPR rightmost column 47 Social media of the periodic button table 48 Danger 34 They measure miles in meters 49 “Absolutely!”

50 President who later served as chief justice 51 Cry to guests at a surprise party 52 Twinings products 53 One leaving in the spring? 54 Brutish sort 55 Average guy? 58 Pasture

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

Q&A

Jesse McCartney talks music career

After fouryear hiatus, McCartney discusses his upcoming projects. By Tiana Woodard @tianarochon

t looks like 2019 may be the year in which fans get a genuine peek at Jesse McCartney’s “beautiful soul.” Four years after his fourth studio album In Technicolor, the former Dream Street member broke his lengthy musical hiatus with the two 2018 singles “Better with You” and “Wasted.” With his ongoing 2019 Resolution Tour and an upcoming studio album, more is yet to come. The Daily Texan had the chance to speak with McCartney about his musical journey before his sold-out performance at Austin’s Historic Scoot Inn on Jan. 12. The Daily Texan: How does your musical style now differ from that of the past? Jesse McCartney : In many ways, it’s come full circle. Actually a lot of the songs

copyright jesse mccartney website, and reproduced with permission McCartney’s Jan. 12 performance at the Austin Historic Scoot Inn was the second of 22 stops for his 2019 Resolution Tour.

you hear, like “Better with You” for instance, is very reminiscent of the early stuff. Melodically, it has a lot of the same tone. Lyrically, too. That’s maybe why this last project has connected because it has a nostalgic feel to it. But (my

music) has evolved, too. At the end of the day, I love making pop music and new, cool current sounds. It’s a hybrid, this latest project is music that has a timeless feel melodically but also has elements of what’s fresh in today’s pop music and

pop culture. DT: You’ve had a musical career spanning two decades. How do you maintain success in a rapidly changing entertainment industry? JM: There’s been a couple of things, but just the eagerness that always wants to create

new material and stay creative is what drives me. I’m an artist. Just constantly pumping out music for the fans is something to satiate them in this culture we have of never-ending consumption. Also, social media has changed the game a lot. Now I have direct

access to my fans at any given time of the day. I can just pick up my phone and see what they’re into. DT: I remember reading now’s the chapter in your musical career when we’ll get to know “the real Jesse McCartney.” How would you define “the real Jesse McCartney?” JM: What you’re seeing on stage now is just a lot more of my personality and comedic side. Whenever I start a conversation, I look forward to the funny part of the conversation. I see that happening now a lot more on stage when I interact with the fans in between songs. I’m always looking for a joke and to make the laughs happen. For me, I’m a pretty laid back guy with a funny bone. DT: Are there any projects fans can look forward to in 2019? JM: My goal is to finish this tour and try and finish an album this year. At the very least, several more songs. I’ve already done that between the summer and this tour. I’ve just been doing a song at a time, just doing it my way. It seems to be working. I like to tailor the song until it’s perfect in the studio and then shoot a video that’s conceptually all my ideas for that song. It’s been fun, going into the studio with no expectations. If it works, great. And if it doesn’t, go back tomorrow. That’s been my motto this past year.

MUSIC

In depth at UTalent Records: Singer explores his passion as outlet By John Melendez @mister_melendez

Editor’s Note: “In depth at UTalent Records” is a weekly column highlighting the 2018–2019 student artists under the UT record label, UTalent Records. From a young age, music has played a fundamental role in exercise science junior Darien Bernard’s life. Now that he is signed to UTalent Records, he’s one step closer to fulfilling his musical aspirations. UTalent Records is a student-run record label at UT offering networking and handson experience opportunities to students interested in the music industry. Maria Tangarova, finance junior and president of UTalent Records, founded the organization in fall 2017. This year, five students were chosen to become 2018–19 UTalent Records-signed artists. Tangarova said the label provides important industry experience student artists won’t get anywhere else. “I thought that it would be good to train artists on how to be more savvy about the business world because you hear a lot of artists being nervous and scared about getting scammed in the music industry,” Tangarova said. Singer-songwriter Bernard plans on using his year-long contract with the label to

create an original four-song EP about failed or unrequited love. He said his sound is a mixture of pop and R&B with major lyrical and musical influences from Sam Smith and Ariana Grande, respectively. From singing gospel tunes in his grandmother’s living room in New Orleans to teaching himself how to play “Für Elise” on the piano at age 8, Bernard knew early on that he wanted to use music to reach people. “Even when I didn’t even believe in myself, I always knew that I wanted to use my voice and music to touch people and to help people through whatever they might be going through because music got me through all of the crappy stuff in my life,” Bernard said. Bernard said part of his selfdoubt and fear of judgment came from childhood bullying he faced because of his black and gay identity. “The way that I internalized (the bullying), all the ways I hated myself, it was always a constant struggle for me like not knowing who I am or what I want in my life,” Bernard said. He said those struggles shaped him and eventually gave him the confidence to pursue music and help others. It wasn’t until the end of his sophomore year that he began to take music seriously and started a YouTube channel where he regularly uploads song covers.

joshua guenther | the daily texan staff Exercise science junior Darien Bernard signed with UTalent Records to pursue music. As a singer and pianist, Bernard is working to create a four-song EP that blends pop and R&B.

Julian Rowe-Cohen is a sport management, journalism sophomore and co-songwriting chair for UTalent who has worked with Bernard on his music. As a former 2017–2018 UTalent artist, Rowe-Cohen said he appreciates the

passion Bernard brings to the table. “(Bernard’s) really developing this unique style that is growing and changing a little bit every time we work on something,” Rowe-Cohen said. “The stuff he does is this really poppy

sub-genre of R&B, and there’s totally a place for it in the music industry.” Bernard said he hopes to release another EP before graduation. He plans to stay in Austin and continue pursuing music.

“I care very little about the money side of (music),” Bernard said. “I care very little about the numbers. My main concern is making sure that whatever I’m doing, I’m helping people, I’m touching people.”