The Daily Texan 2019-01-29 by The Daily Texan

serving the university of texas at austin community since

@thedailytexan |

thedailytexan . com

1900

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

volume

119,

issue

NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

SG officially approved a new voting system to be used in upcoming elections. PA G E 2

UT must make it easier to access information on professor misconduct. PA G E 4

Students transform Twitter discussion into new honor society for students of color. PA G E 5

After sluggish start, Longhorns suffer disapointing loss to West Virginia. PA G E 6

CITY

PROJECT

Redesign proposal for State Hospital costs $300M By Chase Karacostas @chasekaracostas

The Dell Medical School unveiled its nearly $300 million plan to remodel Austin State Hospital, the oldest psychiatric facility in the state. Austin State Hospital first opened in 1861 and has expanded several times, but now the campus is falling apart after decades of deterioration. The Brain Health System Redesign, released Monday, focuses on renovating the entire hospital, which has 252 beds, as well as improving local mental health care. A 2014 report conducted for the Health and Human Services Commission found that the hospital, as well as several other mental health facilities around the state, needed not just to be renovated but replaced entirely. “They were built in an era when healthcare was extremely different,” HHSC representative Mike Maples said. “The care inside of the hospitals has been state of the art and continues to be. It’s just the healthcare environment around them has just been so lacking.” The hospital treats both shortand long-term care patients with a range of mental health issues. Many of ASH’s patients find their way there after being arrested and identified as needing mental health treatment. The 85th Texas Legislature gave Dell Medical School $15.5 million for research and planning for the redesign, and now the school and the HHSC will request an additional $283–$330 million for the final proposal. The proposal has already garnered the support of several lawmakers, including state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, who sits on the Senate Finance Committee, which controls the state budget. The high price tag on the redesign would only make up a small portion of the state’s budget, which totaled $217 billion during the legislative session. Watson said if the Legislature declines to pay for the improvements now, costs will still incur down the line, as the state’s criminal justice system and homeless facilities are overwhelmed by individuals in need of mental health care. “We are at a point of crisis in some instances, and we’re going to address that,” Watson said. Beyond renovating the hospital, the plan’s other primary

HOSPITAL

page

jeb milling

& rena li | the daily texan staff

Cumberland family asks University for hazing reform

After son’s death, family pushes for transparency in Texas Cowboys and University policies. By Lisa Nhan @lmnhan24

he family of former student Nicky Cumberland, who died in fall 2018 from injuries sustained on the way home from a Texas Cowboys retreat, sent a letter Sunday night to University administration asking for hazing reforms. The letter, written by Nicky’s father Shawn Cumberland, contains reform suggestions for the Texas Cowboys and “broad-based reforms” for other student organizations and was sent to President Gregory Fenves and Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly. “We want to stop hazing,” Cumberland said to The Daily Texan. “It’s part of remembering Nicky, but it’s also the nature of our family … hard challenges are not something we aren’t going to go after.” Since their son’s death, the Cumberland family has requested an investigation into hazing they believe occured at the retreat. The Cumberland family said they were told by Cowboys who attended that hazing had occurred before the crash. The Texas Cowboys, a University spirit organization, is best known for firing “Smokey the Cannon” at football games. In the letter, Cumberland calls for a ban of the Cowboys

for “an appropriate amount of time” but said the Cowboys shouldn’t be removed permanently. Rather, Cumberland said he wants the spirit organization reformed with a focus on hazing prevention. “The Cowboys should represent an uncompromising force for good, a promoter of equality and protector against humiliation,” the letter said. “In short, The Cowboys should be the staunch anti-hazing organization on campus.” Cumberland also suggested other reforms for the organization such as making Cowboys coed and establishing a new motto and reform committee. The University-wide reforms include disciplining those who keep silent about witnessed hazing and prohibiting organizations from confiscating members’ cell phones. Cumberland said there is one “unifying theme” to these broad reforms. “Transparency,” Cumberland wrote. “Transparency would have prevented Nicky’s meaningless death.” Cumberland said in the letter that he met with many fraternity members who said “hazing exists today within their organizations, they don’t like it, they wish things were different, but there’s nothing they can do about it.” “We talked to this guy who said, ‘What can one guy

HAZING

continues on page

CAMPUS

Longhorn EMS submits second proposal to UT, aims to save lives By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez

Students may see the establishment of Longhorn Emergency Medical Services as a campus first response organization. Student Body President Colton Becker said in a campus-wide email that a new proposal had been submitted to authorities both on and off campus. Longhorn EMS chief Anthony Liu said the organization didn’t leave enough room for University input in their previous proposal, so this time they left their proposal flexible to meet University needs. “This is a need on campus; it’s not just a perk,” exercise science senior Liu said. “We want to give the University options to put whatever they want within the proposal to make it happen.” Longhorn EMS is a registered student organization with 40 certified emergency medical technicians, though students do not have to be certified as an EMT to join. Nutritional sciences senior Becker said he decided to

promise the establishment of a campus first response organization in his presidential campaign last spring following the death of freshman Harrison Brown in May 2017. “Harrison Brown was a friend and mentee of mine, and I remember the day he passed away,” Becker said. “When the stabbing occurred, the ambulance couldn’t get to the scene because they were blocked off at the check station in front of the PCL … that’s when I really started paying attention to EMS response time on campus.” The University initially had concerns regarding the safety of student EMTs responding to emergencies, but Longhorn EMS captain Jordyn Chang said the EMTs accept the risks. “Once we wear the badge, we assume responsibility,” said Chang, a health and society senior. “If we aren’t working on campus, most of our EMTs do work off campus as EMTs, and they assume that responsibility every day.” The issues of campus inaccessibility and insufficient response times are partially why Mark

Escott, EMS system medial director for the City of Austin and Travis County, is helping Longhorn EMS with their first response organization goal. More than 150 universities across the world have some sort of campus emergency system in place, and having this resource helps prepare not only the student EMTs, but also the community as a whole in an emergency, Escott said. UT-Dallas became the only school in the UT System to have a campus first response organization when it established University Emergency Medical Response in 2017. University EMR chief Scott Bell said UEMR can respond to critical and minor calls within two minutes, which can save lives and put City emergency vehicles back into service faster. “We deal with a lot of life-threatening things and we also deal with a lot of non-life-threatening things,” said Bell, a neuroscience junior at UTD. “Coupling those together, we’re really able to have an all-encompassing effect on campus safety.” Escott said he currently

pedro luna | the daily texan staff Jordyn Cheng, right, and Anthony Liu, LEMS chief of operations, are spearheading a push for integrated EMS within the University. Taking precautions like this is part of Student Body President Colton Becker’s promise in a recent University-wide email to take better safety measures across campus.

provides mentorship to Longhorn EMS and has offered the group his oversight as a physician if they become an official program of the state. “Any one of these

students could be employed by Austin-Travis County EMS and be paid to do this job today,” Escott said. “But we have professionals who are students who are willing to do this for

free, and I think we ought to provide them that opportunity. It’s worth the risk. It’s worth the financial investment to provide this layer of safety to the campus community.”

CLAIRE ALLBRIGHT NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Liza Anderson Managing Editor Forrest Milburn Assoc. Managing Editors Catherine Marfin, Andrea D’Mello Director of Digital Strategy Alexandria Dominguez Assoc. Editors Bella McWhorter, Emily Caldwell, Angelica Lopez Forum Editors Jennifer Liu News Editor Claire Allbright Assoc. News Editors Anna Lassmann, Sami Sparber

Video Editors Sarah Tang, Peyton Young Assoc. Video Editors Faith Castle, Bonny Chu Photo Editor Katie Bauer Assoc. Photo Editors Anthony Mireles, Carlos Garcia Senior Photographers Eddie Gaspar, Angela Wang. Joshua Guenther, Ryan Lam, Pedro Luna Life&Arts Editors Tiana Woodard, Jordyn Zitman Sr. Life&Arts Writers John Melendez, Landry Allred, Trent Thompson

News Desk Editors Gracie Awalt, Meghan Nguyen, Meara Isenberg, Hannah Daniel, Raga Justin

Sports Editor Ross Burkhart

Beat Reporters Chase Karacostas, Tien Nguyen, Chad Lyle, Katie Balevic, Hannah Ortega, Savana Dunning, Rahi Dakwala, Mason Carroll, Nicole Stuessy, Jackson Barton, Emily Hernandez

Senior Sports Reporters Robert Larkin, Donnavan Smoot, Cameron Parker

Projects Editor Ellie Breed Projects Reporters Maria Mendez, London Gibson, Lisa Nhan, Morgan O’Hanlon, Kayla Meyertons Projects Designer Rena Li Copy Desk Chief Kirsten Handler Associate Copy Desk Chiefs Jason Lihuang, Brittany Miller, Jimena Pinzon, Haylee Reed Design Editor Mireya Rahman Associate Design Editor Renee Koite Senior Designers Christiana Peek, Kendall Jordan, Nila Selvaraj

Assoc. Sports Editors Steve Helwick, Keshav Prathivadi

Comics Editors Channing Miller, Bixie Mathieu Assoc. Comics Editor Lauren Ibanez Senior Comics Artists Alekka Hernandez, Andrew Choi Social Media Editor Ryan Steppe Assoc. Social Media Editor Tirza Ortiz Engagement Editor Megan Menchaca Newsletters EditorPeter Northfelt Sr. Digital Staffers Iris Bilich, Alexis Green Audio Editors JT Lindsey, Morgan Kuehler Audio Producers Sara Schleede, Eric Kiehnau Editorial Adviser Peter Chen

ISSUE STAFF Comic Artists Albert Lee Copy Editors Grace Thomas Designers Areeba Amer

Photographers Amna Ijaz, Bithia Dantoumda Sports Reporters Stephen Wagner

L&A Reporters Molly Bolf

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Liza Anderson (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR Forrest Milburn (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com

CITY

Bike Share of Austin deploys sit-down electric scooters By Jackson Barton @Jackson_Brton

e t l

Alap Davé was waiting for a green light while on a Lime scooter at the intersection of Guadalupe and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. when he swapped his scooter with another rider to try out an OjO electric scooter for the next couple blocks. Davé said it felt weird to sit on the OjO scooter’s built-in seat, but it was still a smooth ride. “I just haven’t seen many of (the OjO scooters),” economics sophomore Davé said. “It was a fun ride, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t be popular in Austin.” In a partnership with Bike Share of Austin, which manages station-based bike organization Austin B-Cycle, the first OjO electric scooters made their debut downtown Jan. 23 as part of a soft launch of the new, Vespa-like devices. OjO’s scooters can travel up to 20 mph, according to Elliott McFadden, Austin B-Cycle executive director, while dockless electric kick-scooters such as Lime’s Lime-S and Uber’s JUMP scooters move at 15 mph. The OjO scooters also include a Bluetooth compatible speaker and a basket. McFadden said the ride-sharing service plans to roll out 100 devices downtown by Feb. 1. Bike Share of Austin has struggled to keep up with the increase in number of dockless electric scooters, which arrived last April. McFadden said the partnership between OjO and Bike Share of Austin is one of many things the nonprofit is doing to regain its ridership. “Scooters initially got here

t c s v

m w a d t a n s

n v m o i e

f c l i isaiah zaragoza | the daily texan staffv Two OjO scooters sitting at the corner of Congress Avenue and Mesquite streets on Jan. 28, 2019, Austin, Texas. OjO scooters are fi restricted to downtown, but OjO plans to deploy around campus in the fall. t t not granting new scooter licens- already taken the new devicesd in the spring (and) we saw re- dollar to unlock and 15 cents per es at this time. for a test ride. Business freshally no impact, but as they’ve minute after, McFadden said. “We think it’s very comparaMcFadden said the OjO man Abbigayle Richards, whoi increased in numbers … we ble,” McFadden said. “For the scooters are not allowed to be rides a dockless scooter aboutt definitely saw an impact in parked outside of the down- five times a week, said she feltt our core downtown (B-Cy- additional utility you get it out of it, it’s a small premium.” town area without the rider more safe while riding the OjOt cle) system,” McFadden said. McFadden said he expects incurring fines. compared to a Lime scooter, buts “That system has been down, to see OjO scooters deployed “If folks park their scooter in was concerned about their size. s depending on the month, 50 to to the University area in the fall the wrong place, they’re going to “I don’t think it would (be 60 percent year-over-year.” semester. Blanca Gamez, assisget penalized,” McFadden said. allowed) onto Speedway justh Riders can access an OjO by tant director of UT Parking and “You’ll be alerted when you’re because of the size,” Richardsp downloading a smartphone app. not parking in the right area.” said. “But I can see it being aw OjO scooters cost $1.25 to un- Transportation Services, said in Even though OjO scooters are very popular mode to trans-t lock, then 18 cents for every min- an email that OjO has not yet initiated a conversation with the currently deployed in limited fer to and from campus, likefi ute after, while dockless electric University. The University is also quantities, some students have West Campus.” kick-scooters normally cost a i

STATE

State Sen. Johnson says UT inspired run for office

NEWS OFFICE (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com.

AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Jan. 29

HI LO

TOMORROW Jan. 30

53º 38º

HI 55º LO 42º

Opinion doesn’t deserve pizza

BUSINESS & ADVERTISING (512) 471-8590 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director Gerald Johnson Business/ Operations Manager Frank Serpas III, Janie CastilloFlores, Brady Beal Advertising Manager Emily Cohen Product Manager Michael Gammon Asst. Advertising Manager Colten Crist Account Executives Tim Bauer, Diane Byram, Harlea Holmes, Julianne Phillipp, Paulina Siller Design Rachel CanoCooney, Tillie Policastro

THE DAILY TEXAN MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Semester (Fall/Spring) $60.00 Two Semesters (Fall & Spring) $120.00 Summer Session $40.00 One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer)

$150.00

To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.

ADVERTISING DEADLINES Monday

Wednesday, 12 p.m.

Tuesday

Thursday, 12 p.m.

Wednesday Thursday

Friday, 12 p.m. Monday, 12 p.m.

Friday Tuesday, 12 p.m. Classified Word Ads 11 a.m. (Last business day prior to publication.)

COPYRIGHT Copyright 2018 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.

The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (HSM 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2018 Texas Student Media.

anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Freshman State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, earned his law degree from the University of Texas and represents northern Dallas County in Texas Senate District 16.

By Chad Lyle @LyleChad

Editor’s note: This article is the first of a series of profiles on freshman lawmakers who graduated from UT. State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, is new to the Texas Legislature this year, but he isn’t new to the City of Austin. The freshman lawmaker graduated from the UT School of Law in 1993 and said he takes pride in having attended the institution. “You know people take seriously the fact that you went to a law school … where many national and state leaders have gone to school,” Johnson said. “It gives you some sort of credibility and a bond across time with a great many people.” Before running for the Texas Senate, Johnson co-founded a law firm and owned a music production company where he composed music for the television show “Dragon Ball Z.” Johnson also said he began to think about running for public office while studying at UT. “Going to the law school itself, when you realize how many civic leaders, civic officials, have gone through that law school, I think it can’t help but plant a little seed in your mind that maybe you too one day would like to commit yourself to similar

service with similar goals,” Johnson said. Johnson represents Texas Senate District 16, which includes part of Dallas — his hometown — and parts of Irving and Carrollton. As he begins to make a name for himself in the legislature’s upper chamber, Johnson said solving issues related to higher education, such as the rising cost of tuition, is one of his many priorities. “For quite a long time, we’ve had escalating tuition rates, which create all kinds of pressures on students,” Johnson said. “The state’s support for higher education has dwindled. I think there’s a pretty significant agreement behind the idea that we need to do a better job of funding higher education and finding other ways to make it possible for students of any age to pursue higher education without incurring crippling debt.” Though Johnson has only been a member of the state Legislature for three weeks, he said the best part of his job so far is applying his knowledge from past experiences to solving real-world problems today. “I feel like, as a legislator, you’re calling on everything you’ve ever learned and every ability you have,” Johnson said. “It calls on every aspect of you to do something that you think is important. It’s a real privilege to feel like what you’re doing matters.”

hazing

continues from page

do?’” Cumberland said to The Daily Texan. “We’re not defeatists. We’re actually gonna try to win this. These boys don’t want hazing and we’re gonna help.” Eddie Lopez, president of the Texas Cowboys Alumni Association, said they will, “consider the recommendations suggested by Mr. Cumberland.” “Our hearts go out to his family, and we support their efforts to ensure that something positive comes from this tragedy,” Lopez said in a statement. University spokesperson J.B. Bird said the letter “addresses issues of great importance to us and our students.” “The president and dean of students have received Mr. Cumberland’s letter and will follow up with him directly,” Bird said. “We’re grateful for Mr. Cumberland’s commitment to making our community safer.” Cumberland said he spent a lot of time after his son’s death learning about the Cowboys’ history and its past hazing infractions. Previously, the

Texas Cowboys were suspended from campus for five years in 1995 after the University determined hazing occurred at the Cowboys’ initiation retreat earlier that year. The investigation was spurred by the death of then-pledge Gabe Higgins, who was found dead in the Colorado River near Bastrop with a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit for driving. Higgins’ mother, Ruth Harten, then published “The Cowboy’s Secret” detailing her son’s death, the Cowboys’ history of hazing and the Cowboy’s return to campus. Cumberland said each member of Texas Cowboys should be required to read the book to understand the implications of hazing on “individual, organizational, and cultural” levels. Along with the University investigation, UTPD is also conducting its own investigation into the alleged hazing at the Cowboys retreat. Lopez said in the statement that the Cowboys conducted their own investigation last fall. “That investigation ruled out alcohol and hazing as playing any part in the accident,” the statement said.

“However we were disappointed to learn that there was misconduct that occurred at the retreat that did not align with the standards of the Texas Cowboys, and was in direct violation both of of our values and The University’s policy against hazing.” “Based on that misconduct our judiciary board … moved swiftly and unanimously to recommend disciplinary actions, which included a combination of expulsions and suspensions of those individuals responsible for the misconduct,” Lopez said in a statement. Cumberland said he hopes to continue the legacy of love his son embodied as their family continues to fight for reform. “Nicky lived his life exuding love,” Cumberland told the Texan. “Hate is not the way to address a problem. It only gets met with hate … This is not an attack onF people; this is an attack on at flawed system.” To read a full version of the Cumberland’s letter, and to see a comprehensive list of their suggested reforms, please read the on-f line version of this article att www.thedailytexan.com. S R a a p l

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

New voting system in place for SG By Hannah Ortega @_hannahortega_

This spring’s campus-wide student elections will rely on a new voting system approved by Student Government last February. The single transferable voting system, which requires students to rank candidates, will replace the current system in which students cast a single vote for a single candidate. As candidates with low votes are removed from the ballot, students’ votes will be redistributed to their second choice and possibly third choice. Benjamin Solder, speaker of the assembly, said single transferable voting is a “more proportional” and “more reflective” system that does not result in runoff elections, which were seen in past campus elections. “It’s another way for us to eliminate runoff elections. By … collecting voters’ second-choice preferences and moving their votes as needed as part of the vote tabulation, instead of making everybody vote again,” neuroscience senior Solder said. Single transferable voting initially failed to pass in SG in February, but the constitutional amendment was approved later that week after Solder reintroduced it. The student body then voted in its favor. The system also needed to be confirmed by UT President Gregory Fenves, the Dean of Students, University Unions, the University Co-op, Texas Student Media and the Graduate Student Assembly. “Dean of Students had approved of it, and Dean of Students actually has the power to just skip the other entities’ approval, so the other four entities never got to vote on STV,” Solder said. “Dean Lilly liked it so much that she said, ‘Yes, we’re doing this.’” Morgan Lawless, president of Longhorns for Voting Reform, wrote a computer program that the Dean of Students will use for the new voting system. While that program was ready by this past fall’s first-year elections, Solder said it was not implemented because Fenves had not yet

bithia dantoumda | the daily texan staff Student Government approved a new voting system for future elections last February. Students will now be able to rank their choices. Known as single transferrable vote, the system aims to reduce the probability and issues runoff elections can cause by redistributing votes of losing candidates to their next available selections.

given his approval. Fenves’ signature was obtained in early December, Solder said. Countries such as Ireland and Australia have used single transferable voting, and Lawless said he stands behind its positive track record. “Cities have used this for a while with great success, and Maine actually just adopted rank choice voting for their congressional elections,” said Lawless, a computer science and Plan II senior.

“We thought that it would be great to kind of introduce people to this system of voting through Student Government elections, and lots of other universities do this as well.” Student Body President Colton Becker said single transferable voting is a “step in the right direction” in regard to solving issues that may stem from runoff elections. Becker experienced a runoff in his election last spring.

“Our election, unfortunately, wasn’t the first time that the runoff has been extended multiple times, and we definitely saw the worst of what runoff is,” nutrition senior Becker said. Despite his experiences, Becker said runoffs can be beneficial for lesser-known candidates, such as those not involved in Greek life. He said he is approaching the change impartially, albeit with concerns. “I’m a little concerned about there

being a built-in advantage for students who are running that come from well-populated subcommunities on campus that tend to vote based on people who share similar lifestyles, identities, things like that,” Becker said. “In the era of identity politics, that poses some concerning implications. But we don’t know yet for sure what’s going to happen because we haven’t seen it, so I’m trying to approach this with an open mind.”

amna ijaz | the daily texan file Formerly known as the State Lunatic Asylum, this historic building now sits amid the upcoming renovations, serving as an administration building at the Austin State Hospital.

h o s p i ta l continues from page

focus revolved around how patients are channeled in and out. Stephen Strakowski, chair of the Redesign Steering Committee and the Department of Psychiatry at Dell Medical School, said patients often sit on long wait lists for the hospital when they

could be served more quickly at a smaller, local mental health facilities. Some may end up spending more time than necessary at the hospital because of procedural hurdles, Strakowski said. By cleaning up those procedures, patients who receive mental health care across Central Texas will be treated faster and more efficiently, which

will then save the state money, Strakowski said. “Mental health costs accumulate whether you’re doing anything about them or not,” Strakowski said “You’re paying for it somewhere, and when you don’t manage it, it costs more.” Despite the presence of expensive issues such as school finance and Hurricane Harvey redevelopment in this

THE MOODY WRITING SUPPORT PROGRAM PRESENTS

PREPPING FOR TEXAN TRYOUTS

legislative session, Watson said he feels projects to improve mental health in the state will receive a lot of support. “There’s a recognition that brain health ought to be treated the same way we treat heart health or any other sort of health care,” Watson said. “There is also the added benefit that when we do this right, we end up saving money.”

JAN 31-FEB 3

ONLY!

ONSTAGE

THE MOST RELUCTANT CONVERT

We'll cover how to craft interview questions, write basic news stories and communicate with editors.

MAX MCLEAN AS C.S. LEWIS

“ASTONISHING LUCIDITY...

Hear from former and present members of T he Daily Texan. And of course, we'll have pizza!

EVERY ATHEIST’S FAVORITE CHRISTIAN THINKER!” CHICAGO TRIBUNE

THE DAILY TE�AN

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

“MASTERFUL...INVIGORATING...

HUGELY MOVING!” WASHINGTON POST

ENT SPECIAL STUNDCE! PERFORMA PM JAN 31 10 $10 W/ UT ID

HHHH “BRISTLING, PROVOCATIVE,

HIGHLY ENTERTAINING!” CHICAGO SUN-TIMES CSLewisOnStage.com

Texas Performing Arts, UT Austin • 512.471.1444 2375 Robert Dedman Drive

LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

COLUMN

Information about professor misconduct should be easier to find Legal constraints pose challenge to UT’s open record transparency By Liza Anderson Editor-in-Chief

ast September, I received a Freedom of Information Act request confirming professor Coleman Hutchison had violated the University’s sexual misconduct guidelines. I requested something called a findings report from the University’s Open Records Office. The report I received included a summary of the investigation and its findings, as well as the Provost’s recommendations for Hutchison’s discipline. I wrote a column in September criticizing UT for how hard it is to find information about professor misconduct. I argued that students deserved to know if their professors have treated other students inappropriately, and they shouldn’t have to file a FOIA request to get this information. But I was glad students could get the information somehow. When I wrote my initial piece, I thought UT released findings reports for all cases of professor misconduct. While reporting, I kept a list of names in my desk drawer. Almost everyone I interviewed had a story about harassment. Everyone knew about a professor with a reputation, a professor who made students uncomfortable. I planned to use what I had learned about findings reports to look into other cases of misconduct to verify if my list had any basis in UT’s records. Last month, I picked the four worst stories from that list and filed requests with UT’s Open Records Office asking for findings reports involving those four professors. Though the requests were almost identical — only the names were different — three of the requests were rejected by the Open Records Office. The office responded to my final request saying there was no record of an investigation into the fourth professor. For the other three requests, UT claimed that the information I requested was confidential. The University filed a brief with the Attorney General’s office requesting a ruling to confirm the University was not legally required to release the information to me. I didn’t understand why these requests — which were identical to the request I filed in September — were rejected. I tried to get information about three professors I’d been warned about, and the system

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.

didn’t work. The Open Records Office basically acts as an intermediary between UT’s archives and the general public. As a public institution, UT is bound by the Texas Public Information Act to release certain information upon request. When the Open Records Office receives a request, they’re tasked with finding the relevant document — if it exists — deciding how much of it they can release and sending that information to the requester.

Students only need to know if a professor of theirs — maybe a professor they’re working closely with — has a record of misconduct involving students.”

The Open Records Office’s goal is to release as much information as is legally possible. Some information is confidential and can’t legally be released, such as medical or personnel records. Crucially, the Open Records Office is only responsible for releasing documents that already exist. It’s not required to compile data or create any documents in order to fulfill a request. Findings reports already exist for professors who have been accused of misconduct, so requesting them from the Open Records Office should work. But determining confidentiality in issues of misconduct is difficult. A findings report can be deemed confidential — and your request denied — for one of three reasons. Reason 1: The report was unfounded, and the professor was cleared of misconduct allegations. This makes sense. Professors shouldn’t be subject to judgment for misconduct the University never penalized them for. Reason 2: The case is ongoing, and the issue of guilt is not yet decided. This seems reasonable. The professor may be in the clear. Reason 3: The professor violated the conduct guidelines, but the findings report itself contains

enough detail about the incident that it could reveal the identity of students who were involved. This is where it gets tricky. The University of Texas is bound by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. FERPA exists to protect the privacy of students and is the main reason why a request such as this would be denied. If the information included in the findings report — the semester, the year, the class, anything like that — could be used to identify the student in question, UT risks violating federal law. Considering these privacy concerns, I’m surprised any of these reports can be released. Students deserve to know if their professors have a history of mistreating students, even if the information is limited. As long as professors who have violated sexual misconduct or harassment guidelines remain in teaching positions, the issue becomes a safety concern. The Open Records Office can’t create documents that don’t already exist, and UT can’t risk exposing the identity of a student by releasing the findings reports. UT can make this information accessible. Create a document to supplement the findings report. Make it as simple as possible, just one piece of paper. All you need to include is the name of the professor and the offense, and you only need to release it if the professor actually violated a policy. Let the ongoing investigations and the unfounded accusations stay confidential, but tell us what we need to know to feel safe in our classes and our office hours. Students only need to know if a professor of theirs — maybe a professor they’re working closely with — has a record of misconduct involving students. They need to know what they may be getting themselves into. When I first wrote about sexual harassment, a University official told me the administration wasn’t interested in protecting professors from the consequences of their own actions. This might be true, but our current system lets a lot slip through the cracks. Students need to know if their professors have a record. All we need is a single sheet of paper. Anderson is a history and Plan II junior from Houston. She is the editor-in-chief.

rachel tyler

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.

| the daily texan staff

RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

STUDENT LIFE

FILM

Global screening event highlights significance of Holocaust education By Trent Thompson @TrentThompsonUT

Nearly 100 people of all ages gathered in somber remembrance at the Avaya Auditorium in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. building to watch “Who Will Write Our History,” a dramatized documentary about a secret group of Jews whose pen was mightier than the sword in their fight against Nazi propaganda. The film screening, held on the 74th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, was part of a global event to commemorate the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust. Tatjana Lichtenstein, director of UT’s Schusterman’s Center for Jewish Studies, hosted the event this past Sunday. The film was screened globally in locations such as Santa Fe and Ghana. Films such as “Who Will Write Our History” are intended to carry on the Holocaust’s legacy to a generation that doesn’t know much about it. According to a recent study by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, 41 percent of poll respondents and 66 percent of millennials in the U.S. could not identify Auschwitz as a concentration camp. Twenty-two percent of millennials haven’t heard of the Holocaust. Lichtenstein said Holocaust education is crucial in pushing back against this wave of ignorance and serves to honor those who have passed. “What is so important about this film is that the German intent was to silence and eradicate,” Lichtenstein said. “By seeing these accounts, you’re allowing the voices to come forward and you give the anonymous victims what they had, which was a name, a life and thoughts.” Lichtenstein said the problem with these films is how they omit stories of Jewish

amna ijaz | the daily texan staff From the left, Adraint Bereal, Hypatia Sorunke, Dayjah Harris, Madison Goodrich and Octavian Moten are some of the founding members of The Onyx Honor Society.

Twitter inspires Onyx Honor Society take the dialogue a step further. “We wanted to bring that to a physical space where students can actually say those things and know What started as a Twitter dis- that those concerns are being put into a channel that’s going to make cussion last semester led to the founding of the newest honors or- some change,” Bereal said. Although UT has a multitude of ganization on campus, providing organizations celebrating student an unprecedented opportunity for achievements, competitive applicastudents of color to start a dialogue tion processes can prevent students regarding issues on campus. of underprivileged backgrounds Marketing senior Dayjah Harris from being involved. In addition, and design junior Adraint Bereal noticed a scarcity of honor orga- there are few organizations that specifically celebrate the achievements nizations accessible to students of of students of color on campus. color on campus and decided to Hypatia Sorunke, outreach chair create their own. The Onyx Honor Society focuses on promoting com- at Onyx, said it can be validating and munity service, leadership and ac- affirming for black students to build a strong community with one anothademic excellence within the black er, and Onyx will help with that. community at UT, which makes “There are a lot of black people in up 4 percent of the undergraduate predominantly white spaces that are student population. “We want to inspire and recog- doing big things, but because they are surrounded by peers that don’t nize students of color here at UT,” necessarily look like them, they Onyx President Harris said. “We don’t get all the due credit for what want to have a place where black students can come, learn from each they’re doing,” Sorunke said. The organization plans on hostother, learn how to progress themTexas Student Media will keep you connected ing a monthly caucus open to nonselves in their academic careers and with daily links the news, sports and culture members where students can gather also socially at the sameto time.” andcommunity. have a dialogue about campus Harrisstories and Berealshaping noticed that the the UT issues. Bereal, the internal vice presblack community at UT often turned to Twitter to discuss different cam- ident of Onyx, said he hopes this will encourage more students to pus issues, which inspired them to

By Molly Bolf @Mollybolf5

GET SOCIAL WITH TSM

get involved. “The usual places students would go to resolve a problem or something that they would like to see improved on campus, such as Student Government, those things aren’t always accessible,” Bereal said. “We want students to be able to come and let us know what they think should be improved about the University, so that will give everyone an opportunity to have their voice heard.” Octavian Moten, the external vice president of Onyx, said they designed the application process to be accessible for students of all backgrounds. “My favorite part about our application is that it is holistic,” Moten said. “Students of color sometimes face more academic problems, and sometimes we don’t get recognized outside of academics. Of course, we care about GPA, but at the same time it’s all about what you are doing for your community.” The founding members of The Onyx Honor Society will induct their first class in February 2019, who will be in a charge of a service project. “We won’t really know what the impact will look like until we get that first class,” Bereal said. “But we know it will be progress.”

victims abandoning their humanity to survive. A diary entry of a young man’s father who stole food from his wife and family out of hunger is one such example. “If we want to understand the Holocaust as a historical event, we need to look at it as whole and as factual as possible,” Lichtenstein said. “We have to focus on ways it destroys people’s humanity as well.” But as much as reading texts and watching films demonstrates how their humanity was demolished, Jewish studies freshman Zachary Denn said visiting death camps in Poland made it more real. “(During the trip) we went to Majdanek and we saw a football field worth of people’s ashes who were killed and burned in the camp,” Denn said. “We also went inside gas chambers, where we saw scratch marks on the brick walls from people who were trying to escape.” Despite overwhelming detailed accounts, Lichtenstein said some choose to deny the existence of this major historical event. Deeply rooted in her Jewish identity, public health sophomore Sophia Cantor said such denials only make the Jewish community more determined to speak out. “It’s mainly rooted in anti-Semitism,” Cantor said. “But the bond (in the Jewish community) is strengthened when anti-Semitism is brought up. I think the fact that our community has such a painful event that happened in history gives us strength when smaller acts of anti-Semitism happen today.” Other than remembering the lives of those lost, Lichtenstein said studying historical accounts reveals much about our society today. “It’s helped me see how people respond to injustices in their society mostly with indifference,” Lichtenstein said. “Many things can happen during our everyday lives in Austin (related to) deprivation and suffering that we don’t pay attention to at all.”

copyright katahdin production, and reproduced with permission Documentary “Who Will Write Our History” tells the story of Jewish people who documented Nazi atrocities in the Warsaw Ghettos.

{

Housing available Our apartments at Signature 1909 feature chic modern furniture*, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, plank vinyl flooring, in-unit laundry, premium views and so much more. Select the perfect place to call home from our wide range of floor plans. Our one, two, three, four and even five bedroom apartments are available in various layouts, each with their own characteristics and modern charm. Impressed? We don’t blame you - but there’s still so much more to the Signature lifestyle. Explore some more, then give us a call at 512-234-4888 or swing by our leasing office today. We’ll be waiting for you.

Housing available At Dobie Twenty21, we offer many areas where you can socialize with your friends. Our rooftop park features basketball, lounge areas, and an outdoor theater. Cool off at our skyline pool with stunning views of the city. Hang out in our rec room with foosball, pool table, gaming stations, and vintage arcade games. Get some homework done in one of our 11 artistically designed study rooms. We also offer a tech center with brand new computers and free printing. The fitness center includes state-of-the-art fitness cardio and weight equipment. Enjoy delicious and well-balanced meals with your unlimited meal plan at the Dobie Café. We make life easier with fully furnished apartments. Contact our office and schedule your private tour today!

WATCHTSTV.COM Facebook at texasstudenttelevision Twitter @texasstudenttv

digest.texasstudentmedia.com

$20

Reduce • Reuse • Recycle ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its offi cers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, print-ing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.

DAILYTEXANONLINE.COM Facebook at dailytexan Twitter @thedailytexan

ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

BASKETBALL

Texas falls short against WVU Longhorns collect second Big 12 loss after late comeback sparks false hope. By Stephen Wagner @stephenwag22

wenty-two days ago, the Texas Longhorns made a trip to Morgantown over winter break. Naomi Davenport, West Virginia’s leading scorer, dropped a cool 26 points, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to overcome the stellar guard play of Sug Sutton, Destiny Littleton and Danni Williams. Monday night at the Frank Erwin Center, the script was flipped in Texas’ 64-58 loss to West Virginia. The game tipped the same way most other Texas games did season: sloppy play in the opening minutes, hectic scrambling around the court and a lucky play here or there to somehow keep it interesting. Then, Tynice Martin happened. Texas had absolutely no answer to the shooting clinic that the Mountaineer guard put on, exhibiting Steph Curry-like range, evading press defense and double teams, and consistently knocking down contested jumpers. “I think that we started off really slow,” Texas forward Jatarie White said. “Knowing that the guards needed help guarding Tynice, I think the bigs could’ve done a better job helping the guards (defend Martin).” More generally, Texas didn’t have an answer to West Virginia’s explosive scoring for the first 15 minutes of play. Between White’s four first-half turnovers and William’s inability to convert rare shot opportunities, the Longhorns’ first-half performance left much to be desired. “We don’t start the game the way which I am accustomed to my teams starting,” head coach Karen Aston said. “I’m a big believer

joshua guenther | the daily texan staff Forward Joyner Holmes fights for the ball against two West Virginia players during the Longhorns’ 64-58 loss to the Mountaineers on Monday night at the Frank Erwin Center.

of getting out of the gate and trying to punch somebody first. We do not have that mentality, and we’ve really struggled with that all year.” Midway through the second, Texas managed to temporarily pull the thorn out of its side for a brief moment, instilling a spark of hope that the Longhorns could cut the lead down to single digits. Alas, after another Mountaineer and-one, the deficit was back up to 11 for the Longhorns going into the half. Despite being dominated for much of the third quarter, Texas did manage to put a dent in the deficit thanks to a buzzer-beating layup to cut the lead to eight going into the final period. The fourth quarter was a different

story altogether. Texas fought vigorously, almost like the Longhorns were afraid of losing to their unranked opponent. After cutting the lead down to one possession midway through the fourth quarter, it seemed liked Texas was poised for another signature comeback win this season. But West Virginia didn’t break despite an awful lot of bending. With a four-point deficit and just over a minute remaining, Texas had a plethora of opportunities to regain its first lead since the opening quarter. After eluding an aggressive trap defense, West Virginia had an opportunity for a wideopen layup to build the lead to six in the final

minutes. Then, an incredulous miss almost made it seem like the universe was giving Texas one last opportunity. But Joyner Holmes missed a layup opportunity of her own. West Virginia regained possession, and Texas was forced to play the fouling game. “We tried to give it away at the end,” West Virginia head coach Mike Carey said. “Missed foul shots, turnovers, that type of stuff, but our girls really hung in there.” This marks the first time since 2017 that a ranked Texas team has fallen to an unranked opponent at home, dealing the Longhorns’ Big 12 Championship aspirations a serious blow with Baylor coming to town next Tuesday.

BASKETBALL

West Virginia’s Tynice Martin dominates in upset bid of Longhorns By Donnavan Smoot @Dsmoot3D

Tynice Martin is usually the focal point of any opposing coach’s game plan. However, the last time that the West Virginia guard faced Texas, teammate Naomi Davenport became the center of attention. In her first meeting with the Longhorns this season, a 70-58 West Virginia loss that took place in Morgantown, Davenport dropped a heavy 26 points. None of her teammates even cracked double digits. This time around, Martin made sure Davenport had help as West Virginia downed Texas, 64-58, on Monday night in Austin. The 5-foot-11-inch guard showed up in a major way early in the game. Her presence was felt at the most opportune time. The Longhorns had gone up quickly in the first quarter and then experienced Martin’s explosiveness firsthand. She went on a personal 9-0 run to give West Virginia a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the night. “Tynice got off early,” West Virginia head coach Mike Carey said. “(She) really gave us a lead and got us going a little bit.” While Martin certainly had a great game, it wasn’t a performance that was out of her realm of capabilities. “I (saw) her do that two years ago in the tournament,” Carey said. “When she gets it going,

she can really score in volumes. She had it going there for a while.” Martin became a starter her sophomore season and averaged 18.6 points on the year. Monday, she showed the full scoring arsenal and her ability to make shots regardless of their difficulty. Martin was hitting shots from the left side, right side, in the paint and beyond the 3-point line. Her shot, combined with a matrix-like focus, garnered 16 of her team’s first 23 points in the opening period. “If you give her space, she’s gonna shoot it,” Texas guard Sug Sutton said. After the first, she was relatively quiet for the rest of the game until her team needed her to lock back in. Texas had made a rally to make it a four-point game late in the fourth. However, after a series of turnovers and missed shots, Texas fumbled the chance for a comeback win. “We did a better job of forcing the ball out of Tynice’s hands,” Texas head coach Karen Aston said. “Obviously, she had the ball in her hands when it mattered.” Martin was able to put her team in the lead at the beginning of the game and serve as the closer for a streaking Mountaineers team. Carey was asked if Martin is the best player in the Big 12. He pumped the brakes, but didn’t completely dismiss the notion. “She’s one of them,” Carey said. Martin had one of her best games of the season, a good sign to see while she is making her way back from a foot fracture that forced her to redshirt all of last season. Her 27 points served as a game high and

joshua guenther | the daily texan staff Guard Sug Sutton (left) defends West Virginia’s Tynice Martin (right) during Texas’ game against the Mountaineers on Monday night.

her season high to go along with five rebounds and three assists. “That (foot) is starting to get a lot better,” Carey said. “She’s starting to get her timing and quickness. I’m seeing the old Tynice as the season goes along.”

With Martin’s scoring ability paired with her running mate Davenport, the Mountaineers have set themselves up for a possible postseason run — a run that will only last if Martin can carry them there.

CLASS 7

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

r s n y

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Crossword

SUDOKUFORYOU 8 7 1 6 6 1 5 3 4 9 9 1 4 3 7 9 8 1 6 8 4 1 5 2 4 4 9 1

3 9

8 5

Today’s solution will appear here next issue

6 4 9 3 8 1 7 5 2

7 3 8 5 6 2 4 1 9

5 2 1 7 4 9 3 8 6

4 6 7 9 2 5 1 3 8

1 9 3 8 7 4 2 6 5

8 5 2 6 1 3 9 7 4

2 1 6 4 5 7 8 9 3

9 7 5 2 3 8 6 4 1

3 8 4 1 9 6 5 2 7

ACROSS 1 Speaker’s spot 5 “Guess so” 11 Film buff’s channel, in brief 14 Novelist Ferber 15 Have relevance to 16 “Woo-hoo!” 17 First female recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award in film 19 Plastic pipe material, for short 20 Lobster ___ Newburg 21 Rural’s opposite 22 Spa treatment 23 Become less dense, with “out” 25 Major crop of Brazil 28 “Hmm … I see now” 29 Another name for Cupid 30 Debauched sorts

32 Lyricist Cahn who wrote “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”

56 Big Apple N.F.L. team, on scoreboards 57 Seasonal song with a hint to the last words in 34 Wonderment 17-, 25-, 37- and 37 California 45-Across baseball pro 60 Ghost’s cry 40 Some words from 61 Retort to “No, Wordsworth you’re not!” 41 Like some 62 Lead-in to girl or cereals boy 42 Prerequisites for 63 Junkyard dog some college students 64 Anastasia ___, woman in “Fifty 43 Funny Bombeck Shades of Grey” 44 Noted Art Deco 65 Sneaky laughs artist 45 Washington, Jackson or Ford 50 Range for yodelers 51 Hebrew letter whose name is also a body part 52 Doctor Doom, to the Fantastic Four 54 Bagel go-with

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE B L A H S

E A S Y A

K F E G E S L S A J D A O W

S I T B Y

O N A R O L A L N N D I E E S H I A R L E L S

A V I I D K E T A H A E R R S I T C B M S

L E V E R

I N A N E

C O N G A

A R I L I K I D E O H Y O U

N I C O L

S N A R K

E W M H A E I N E L I Z T E D E S E N T I Y U M N A G A R R E E T Y S

H O R S E M E A T

E W L E I E S P E R T A A Y

V I M E O

A D M E N

L E A N S

DOWN 1 ___ vu 2 A step above the minors? 3 Here, as derived from hip-hop slang 4 Two cents’ worth 5 Construction girder 6 People between Hungarians and Bulgarians 7 Pacific island nation 8 Supporters of England’s King William III 9 Jesus, to Mary 10 Put the kibosh on 11 Like workaholics 12 Expert 13 Go biking 18 Rev, as an engine 22 Apples they’re not 24 Home furnishings giant

Edited by Will Shortz 1

No. 1225 9

21 23

16 19 22

43 45

50 53

PUZZLE BY BRUCE HAIGHT

26 Navy and Air Force vis-à-vis the military 27 “Once in ___ David’s City” (carol) 28 “___ and Janis” (comic strip) 31 Saw logs 32 Reassure 33 Cakes and ___ 34 Lab culture site

35 Deteriorated … or started out like Santa on December 24? 36 Word after who, what, when, where or why 38 Groups of whales 39 Seasonal song 43 German article 45 Rachel Maddow’s network 46 “Stop being so silly!” 47 Pep

48 Hit musical with the song “Tomorrow” 49 Kidney-related 50 Author Rand 53 Something that goes viral 55 December 25, informally 57 Yiddish laments 58 Vietnamese festival 59 Cry from Scrooge

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.