11-25-09

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9 Issue Vol. 4, 2009 Nov. 25,

‘Goodbye to A&M’

p. 12

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

LIfE&ARTS PAgE 12 Shop ‘til you drop on Black Friday

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Arlington campus set to ban smoking Restrictions to take effect early August; UT-Austin not likely to follow suit

By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff All tobacco products, including cigarettes, will be banned from the University of Texas at Arlington campus starting Aug. 1, 2011. The ban that’s unlikely to reach the UT-Austin campus in the near future.

In the months leading up to the ban, UT-Arlington officials say they will place a heavier emphasis on resources to help students who are interested in ending their tobacco use. The campus police department will also be more vigilant in enforcing the current policies, which prohibits smoking within 50 feet of any campus building.

UT-Arlington is the first four-year public institution in Texas to implement a ban on smoking, although the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio is already smoke-free. More than 350 colleges around the country have already adopted the policy, according to an October study by the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

In March, a committee of 15 students and staff members reviewed the current smoking policies at UT-Arlington and found that approximately 61 percent of the school’s students would support a tobacco ban on campus. The committee recommended making the campus tobacco-free. In a letter to the UT-Arlington student body released Friday, University President James Spaniolo said he agreed with the committee’s findings.

“It is time for UT-Arlington to take the next step forward in protecting the health of our campus community,” Spaniolo said in the letter.

According to the current UT-Austin policy, smoking on campus is not permitted within 20 feet of any building entryway or ventilation system or inside any building. Smoking is allowed outside as long as waste is properly disposed of.

UT spokeswoman Rhonda Weldon said she was not aware of any upcoming changes to the UT-Austin campus policy, and could not recall any changes to the policy since she started working at the University in 2001.

Radio-television-film junior Travis Cooper called the UT-Arlington smoking ban a “ridiculous idea.”

“I smoke on campus everyday, and I’ve never had a complaint,” Cooper said. “It’s my choice, and it should be a fundamental freedom to smoke outside.”

Cooper said he would not enroll in any type of University-sponsored class to quit smoking.

University Health Services offers a free “Quitters Stop Smoking Class” to all students. The class meets four times per semester and has already had its final meeting for the fall.

UT-Arlington spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan said the lag time between announcement and the date of implementation will give some students a chance to quit.

Photos by Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Above, Bill Gorro, an Austin Water Utilities employee, operates a machine that sift sticks and other debris from the finished product of Dillo Dirt at Hornsby Bend Tuesday afternoon. Below, Dillo Dirt is created using biowaste and undergoes a multi-stage process of treatment and testing.

City to get its hands Dillo Dirt-y

By Molly Triece Daily Texan Staff The city of Austin plans to use a $31.8 million loan from the Texas Water Development Board to finance the waste management systems at Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Facility.

Hornsby Bend specializes in treating and reusing Austin’s biosolids, which are made of “sewage sludge” left after Austin’s water treatment plants purify wastewater. Jill Mayfield, spokeswoman for the city of Austin, said the loan is intended to enable the facility to increase its capacity to treat biosolids and turn them into the fertilizer Dillo Dirt through a process of composting.

“We will improve our digester system, so we can run more biosolids out of it because we really don’t want a landfill,” she said.

Mayfield said Hornsby Bend also harnesses methane gases that are released during the process of treating biosolids, and that a large variety of bird life is attracted to the facility’s pond system, which is squeezed from the biosolids.

Jody Slagle, compost and biosolid reuse manager for Hornsby Bend, is managing the expansion of the Dillo Dirt and biosolid treatment projects funded by the loan.

“The net effects [for Austin] are going to be in energy savings, renewable power generation and re-

ductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” Slagle said.

The expansion of these projects is scheduled to begin in February 2012 and will take about two years. Hornsby Bend plans to reduce its use of diesel fuel by 30,000 gallons during that time by treating more biosolids at the base as opposed to off-site treatment centers. Also, Slagle said, the facility will be able to decrease its power needs.

“We expect to produce enough electricity using digester gas to offset all of our plant’s power needs, as well as additional power that will be fed to Austin’s power distribution grids,” Slagle said.

There won’t be major changes made to the way Hornsby Bend operates, Slagle said. Changes will be focused on increasing the facility’s capacity.

“The Dillo Dirt composting process will increase in size but will use the same technology we use now,” she said.

Austin’s consumption rate of treated wastewater has stayed flat in recent years, said Chris Lehman, Austin Sierra Club chairman, but the city is embarking on multiple projects to increase its capacity to manage waste. He said the city is only expanding Hornsby Bend because it was ordered

SeWage continues on page 6

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MeMoRiAM: GAyLoR JenTz (1931-2009)

UT business law professor remembered for his service was recruited to teach at Gaylor Jentz was valued man, the University by Jentz in 1980 faculty member, served and said Jentz’s passion made it to walk away. as ‘institution-builder’ impossible “You could tell he loved the

By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff Former UT business law professor Gaylor Jentz died Monday morning at a local hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Jentz taught at the University for 34 years and was a Herbert D. Kelleher Centennial Professor Emeritus in Business Law after his retirement in 1999. He helped assemble and served as chairman of the Department of Information, Risk and Operations Management at the McCombs School of Business.

Robert Prentice, the department’s current assistant chair-

into the second best undergraduate business law program in the nation, but made major contributions to the business school and the University as a whole.

University of Texas, he loved “He was a real institutionAustin and he enjoyed being a builder,” Prentice said. “He was professor here a wonderful classroom teacher, every single but he was so much more. He day,” Prentice did every administrative task, said. “By his he sat on every committee. He actions and was a guy willing to do the dirty his model, he work.” won me over Jentz served on the Faculty c o m p l e t e l y.

Senate, the Faculty Council, the I knew him Graduate Student Assembly and for 30 years, the Women’s Athletics Council, and I never gaylor as well as many other commitsaw him not Jentz tees. smile.”

In 1997, Jentz became the firstPrentice ever recipient of the Civitatis said Jentz was not only instruJeNTZ continues on page 2 mental in turning the department

Austin job woes still affecting some

By Rachel Platis Daily Texan Staff Although Austin’s unemployment rate remains lower than the rest of the country’s and may show signs of improvement, some are still struggling to find work.

The greater Austin area, encompassing Bastrop, Hays, Williamson, Caldwell and Travis counties, has maintained a 7.2 percent unemployment rate this year from September to October, according to a report by the Tex-

as Workforce Commission.

If seasonally adjusted, that number will actually increase to 7.5 percent. The city had a 6.5 percent unemployment rate in October and recorded its sixth straight month that the Austin metro area saw job levels fall further below 2008 levels, said Beverly Kerr, vice president of research at the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

The report is the first indication that the unemployment rate in the five-county area is leveling

since jobless rates started to rise.

In October 2008, the Austin area’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.

The area’s unemployment rate is lower than the state and national average.

Seasonally adjusting data accounts for events that occur on a seasonal basis, including hiring for the holiday season or school letting out.

“The numbers are not a

JobS continues on page 2

UT endowment showed 15 percent drop

By Hudson Lockett Daily Texan Staff UTIMCO financial reports show UT’s investment manager lost about $2.6 billion — 15 percent of the University’s endowment value — during the last fiscal year, but still outperformed

other, larger academic endowments such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

UTIMCO CEO Bruce Zimmerman and advisers to the company said fewer investments in riskier alternative assets and smaller required payouts of en-

dowment returns to campuses softened the blow.

Losses for university endowments averaged around 19 percent as of the end of June, according to Wilshire Associates,

uTIMCo continues on page 2

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The Daily Texan

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Volume 110, Number 121 25 cents

Mayor, senator help to develop more efficient electric system

CONTACT US

U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett and Mayor Lee Leffingwell joined members of the Pecan Street Project, Inc. on Tuesday to explain the application of $10.4 million in stimulus funding the project received.

Members of the Pecan Street Project and corporations are working together to develop a smart-grid system they hope will make Austin’s current energy system more efficient. The funds will be used to develop and test a smart-grid application for about 1,000 residents and 75 businesses in the Mueller development.

Project spokesman Colin Rowan said the smart grid is designed to add computer capabilities to the electric grid so that solar and wind power can be integrated in the electric system, and users can control energy usage to increase energy efficiency and lower energy bills.

Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Jillian Sheridan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Stephen Keller (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Web Office: (512) 471-8616 online@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com

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COPYRIGHT Copyright 2009 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.

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‘Workin’ at the car wash, yeah!’

“What we are doing is structuring the energy system in the same architecture as the Internet. People will be able to sell energy back into the electric grid and program home electricity,” Rowan said.

Users will be able to access the smart grid through a mobile-phone application that the funding will help develop.

“Right now, utilities burn coal and natural gas and send electricity to your home. But you only learn your bill two weeks later. It doesn’t function in an advanced way,” Rowan said.

The project is a collaboration between the city, UT, Austin Energy, Austin Chamber and the Environmental Defense Fund, a portion of the stimulus package that the Obama administration earmarked for smart-grid technology development.

Rowan hopes the smart-grid technology will be used not only nationally, but also abroad.

“We want this to be mass-adopted,” Rowan said.

— Vidushi Shrimali

John Tracy washes a car at Genie Car Wash on South Lamar Boulevard.

Tamir Kalifa Daily Texan Staff

JOBS: ‘I’ve never gone without a job for so long’ From page 1

JenTz: Professor inspired many

Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com

Award. The annual award, presented by the University’s president, is given to one faculty member who goes beyond regular expectations in teaching, research and writing.

Prentice said Jentz’s true passion was teaching.

“He was a force of nature,” Prentice said. “Just his unbelievable enthusiasm [and] how much energy radiated from him. In the classroom, he just boiled over.”

Jentz was also the author of more than half a dozen business law textbooks. Business law professor Frank Cross worked with Jentz in textbook-writing and said he was most impressed by Jentz’s demeanor.

“He was probably the best known business law professor in the country,” Cross said. “He was the foremost expert on a lot of business law issues. But he was tremendously down-to-earth, and a friendly and accessible guy.”

Cross said he believes if one was to measure the amount of in-

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

surprise,” Kerr said. “People are talking about how the recession is over, but you’ll see in the press every day that the labor markets are not showing improvement.

We may get worse before we get better.”

Twenty-four-year-old Jerardo De Leon was unemployed from January to October. He searched to find a job that would not aggravate the back injury he suffered in a car accident in 2006.

“I’ve never gone without a job for so long,” De Leon said. “I’d spend hours a day looking for a job, but it’s discouraging when you apply at Wal-mart or Target and still don’t get a call.”

In November, he was hired as a seasonal employee at a retail store but is worried his position may not last him past January.

“It’s not the greatest-paying job, but it’s a job,” he said. “I don’t want to be kicked out the door again, and I always have the hope that maybe they’ll like me enough to keep me on.”

Austin has been the best performing job market year after year in payroll jobs, Kerr said.

Overall, Texas was less affected

fluence individuals have had in shaping the University, Jentz’s name would be near the top.

Darrell Windham, an Austin-area lawyer and former president of Texas Exes, said Jentz was one of his biggest influences as a student.

“When I walked into his class, all I knew was I wanted to be a lawyer,” Windham said. “But he made the concepts of business law so understandable. After his class, I became interested in becoming a business lawyer.”

Windham, who has received state and national recognition in the field of corporate law, said he remembers Jentz’s story-telling ability the best. He said he recalls one of Jentz’s stories about a burglar at the University of Oklahoma who was so fast that he outran the University’s track athletes. After he was caught, the OU track coach sought him out for the team.

“I just remember he was a very engaging, funny guy,” Windham said. “He made it fun to participate. He made the cases we studied real.”

ber of those without a job for six months or more has been much higher in this recession than in any other recession since World War II. “The most intriguing thing is not that the unemployment rate is high, but that the people that have been unemployed have been so for a very long time, which is burdensome,” Hamermesh said. “It’s something to be concerned about and something that I don’t think people are sufficiently aware of.”

Unemployment typically drops in December as laborers are hired for seasonal work, Hamermesh said, though the rate usually increases again when the holiday season ends.

Overall, the state of Texas added 41,700 jobs in October, mostly in the professional and business services segment and the education and health services segment, according to the report.

While the construction sector of the economy lost many jobs, the leisure, hospitality, trade, transportation and utilities sectors saw increased positions.

“Ultimately, things are looking up for people,” Hamermesh said.

“But it’s also like looking up from the bottom of a deep valley.”

UTIMCO: Administration to reallocate funds within budget to hire professors

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an investment analyst firm.

For Princeton, this will mean a shrinking faculty, fewer academic courses, staff cuts and other layoffs. Endowment payouts for academic purposes are being cut by 8 percent in each of the next two years, and the University offered a voluntary retirement-incentive program to 459 eligible nonfaculty during the summer.

The Daily Texan Permanent Staff

This newspaper was written, edited and designed with pride

by The Daily Texan and Texas Student Media.

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jillian Sheridan Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen Keller Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David R. Henry, Ana McKenzie Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeremy Burchard, Dan Treadway, David Muto, Lauren Winchester News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Beherec Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pierre Bertrand, Austen Sofhauser, Blair Watler Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viviana Aldous, Bobby Longoria, Rachel Platis, Lena Price Enterprise Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Kreighbaum Enterprise Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hudson Lockett Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert Green Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cristina Herrera, Nausheen Jivani, Matt Jones Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thu Vo Assistant Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shatha Hussein Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Fausak, Lynda Gonzales, Olivia Hinton Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May-Ying Lam Associate Photo Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryant Haertlein, Peter Franklin, Caleb Miller Senior Photographers . . . . Lauren Gerson, Mary Kang,Tamir Kalifa, Peyton McGee, Sara Young Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leigh Patterson Associate Life&Arts Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Barry, Francisco Marin Jr. Senior Features Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audrey Gale Campbell, Lisa HoLung, Ben Wermund Senior Entertainment Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Doty, Mary Lingwall, Robert Rich Senior DT Weekend Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Genuske Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Talbert Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Will Anderson, Wes DeVoe, Blake Hurtik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Hurwitz, Laken Litman, Michael Sherfield, Chris Tavarez Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carolyn Calabrese Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Erdman Associate Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erik Reyna Multimedia Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Juan Elizondo Associate Multimedia Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kara McKenzie, Rachel Schroeder Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Richard Finnell

Issue Staff

Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Israel Perez, Shabab Siddiqui, Molly Triece, Vidushi Shrimali Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Daniela Trujillo, Eric Ou Sports Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordan Godwin Life&Arts Writer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Layne Lynch Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vicky Ho, Kelsey Crow, Michael Moran Sports/Life&Arts Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Megan Jones Wire Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Waldman Page Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mustafa Saifuddin Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alex Diamond, Rachel Weiss, Sammy Martinez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nam Nguyen, Emery Ferguson, Michael Bowman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monica Tseng, Gabe Alvarez Web Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan Damrich Videographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlos Medina Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Lee, Ryohei Yatsu, Connor Shea, Miles Luna

Expansion on the Harvard campus, including a new billion-dollar science complex, has slowed substantially and in some areas ground to a halt, according to the Boston Globe.

Most large university endowments over the last 25 years latched on to the blueprint of Yale Chief Investment Officer David Swensen. The University recruited the Wall Street manager in the mid1980s to increase the growth of its endowment assets.

Previously, University endowments usually put about 70 percent of investments in publicly traded stock, or equity and the remainder in low-risk, lowreturn bonds. Swensen shook things up by investing in alternative assets such as private investments, hedge funds and commodities.

Since these alternatives don’t receive the same level of attention from investors or government scrutiny as publicly traded equity, there is a greater chance of finding undervalued assets.

But with increased reward comes increased risk. Alternatives are less liquid, meaning one can’t usually sell them off quickly like public stocks but must instead give notice well in advance. Alternatives also typically require longer to pay out, which means a long-term com-

mitment from investors.

“Over the past 20 years, he has done remarkably well with that strategy,” said Keith Brown, adviser to the UTIMCO board of directors and board of trustees at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

Brown said UTIMCO paid more attention to the risk of illiquidity than other universities that fully embraced the Swensen model.

Brown said liquidity became largely immaterial in the eyes of many endowment managers who adopted Swensen’s strategy with gusto. When the recession hit, many found themselves locked into investments that were on a downward trajectory. Some who did give enough notice to their hedge funds to cash out on time were turned away in breach of contract.

While UTIMCO faced losses across the board, Brown said it had less trouble, thanks to investment policies that took liquidity concerns into account.

About $100 million did get locked up by hedge funds when the company approached them to give notice, but Zimmerman said this wasn’t a significant problem since there weren’t major liquidity issues elsewhere.

“It really didn’t hurt us,” Zimmerman said. “I mean, it was a bit of a nuisance.”

Michael Peltz, executive editor

Wella Certified Master Colorist

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The Daily Texan (USPS 146-440), a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78705. The Daily Texan is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, federal holidays and exam periods, plus the last Saturday in July. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX 78710.

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11/25/09

Texan Ad Deadlines

by the recession because of the stability of its housing markets, she said.

The fact that the Austin area’s unemployment figures on a month-to-month basis remained steady is hopefully an indication of turning the corner in a positive direction, said Brian Gildea, economic development manager for the city of Austin.

“It’s pretty clear that the recession has bottomed out, and we’re just beginning to improve again,” said UT economics professor Dan Hamermesh.

Hamermesh said that one reason why the city of Austin has a lower unemployment rate than other areas in Texas and the nation is because of the presence of the high-tech industry and government. He also said the presence of higher-education institutions and an educated population keeps the unemployment level below the national average.

Unemployment is generally the last factor to start improving after a recession is over, which ended in July, he said.

“I don’t expect things to get worse, but I also don’t expect them to get better, at least for a little while,” he said.

Hamermesh said the num-

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at Institutional Investor magazine, said alternatives aren’t necessarily a bad thing.

“The biggest problem isn’t that they’ve lost all the money,” Peltz said. “It’s that they’ve become so reliant on that money to help pay the bills.”

Princeton University, for example, funds 48 percent of its operational budget with endowment returns. Only 8 percent of the 200910 UT budget came from endowment returns.

Peltz said this forced endowment investors to sell off some of their public stocks to pay for basic operations at their universities.

When the market began going up in March, many missed out on the run.

Former Board of Regents Chairman Charles Miller said he thought the company’s ventures into private equity and hedge funds were too extensive. Miller said because a smaller percentage of UT’s budget comes from investment returns, there is not as great a need for rapid growth of the endowment.

“We don’t get the benefit from really high performance because it’s not as big a factor,” said Miller.

Zimmerman said UTIMCO would stick with the current allocation of assets, with just more than 50 percent of the endowment money in alternatives such as hedge funds. It will also continue to move out of public stocks and into fixed income, including corporate and government bonds, which provide a regular, stable income stream.

Zimmerman said the most important lesson UTIMCO took away from the recession was an increased focus on “improbable but possible events,” such as the collapse of the subprime loan market.

“It may be a one-in-80-year event, but it happens,” Zimmerman said.

To this end, he said the company is guarding against a potential for future inflation that may result from the massive federal stimulus bill, by buying into $20 million worth of investments that pay off if inflation rises.

It will take time for the effects of any such improvement to be felt at the UT and A&M systems. Unlike Harvard or Yale, the downturn has proved less crippling to UT-Austin’s budget. Money from the Permanent University Fund accounted for 8 percent of this year’s budget, but that $161 million is set to decline.

Money from the Available University Fund — an intermediate fund for endowment payouts — goes to UT-Austin for library upkeep, special academic programs and research.

UT budget director Mary Knight said the University also relies on those funds to pay for part or all of some salaries. Figures from the UT System predict payouts from the PUF will continue to decline for at least the next three years.

For the 2011-12 fiscal year, it is expected to dip down to $145 million. The drop represents a $20 million decrease since 2008.

With those declining payouts in mind, UT administrators are in the process of reallocating millions within the budget to top priorities, like hiring professors and recruiting top graduate students.

Eliminations can be expected in nontenure faculty and staff jobs in some colleges.

Students at the McCombs School of Business have seen career advising services cut. But while work sites are left idle at Harvard, construction at UT continues unabated.

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Wire Editor: Beth Waldman www.dailytexanonline.com

World&NatioN

3

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

T he Daily Texan

Atlantis ready for takeoff

By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — After nearly a week together, the crews of shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station said goodbye Tuesday and closed the hatches between them.

Atlantis undocked from the space station this morning.

Astronaut Nicole Stott, leaving the station after three months, called for a “group hug” with her five former roommates. Then she embraced each one separately and, folding up her arms and legs, was pushed all the way into the shuttle like a big package. “Gentle,” she urged.

The men — six on the shuttle and five on the station — parted company with handshakes.

“Good luck” and “nice trip to the ground, guys” filled the airwaves.

Like Stott, NASA’s new dad in space, Randolph Bresnik, is ready

to get home. Touchdown is set for Friday. Bresnik said Tuesday he had no problems focusing on his job in orbit while awaiting his daughter’s birth.

Abigail Mae Bresnik was born late Saturday, just hours after his first spacewalk.

“We’ve been training long and hard for this mission. We know that the baby’s been coming, so it was easy to go ahead and do our tasks,” he said. It’s a lot simpler to put thoughts aside when they’re about a good thing, he added.

Bresnik said he wants to see his family as soon as possible after Atlantis lands. Wife Rebecca was figuring on waiting for him back home in Houston, with the baby.

The couple also have a son.

Stott, meanwhile, was missing her husband and 7-year-old son, as well as being outside.

The shuttle crew’s Thanksgiving meal will not be anything out

of the ordinary, per commander Charles Hobaugh’s wishes. Whatever is on the prepackaged menu that day will be fine, he said.

That means chicken fajitas, beef brisket, and sweet and sour pork.

“Thanksgiving isn’t all about what you eat. It’s the people you spend it with. This has become my second family,” he said.

Atlantis delivered nearly 30,000 pounds worth of big spare parts to the space station. The outpost is now 86 percent complete, with a mass of nearly 760,000 pounds, according to NASA. Construction will wrap up next year.

The space station will soon be even less crowded. Three of the remaining five residents will return to Earth in a Russian Soyuz capsule next week. The remaining two occupants will hold down the orbiting fort until three more asCourtesy of NASA | Associated Press tronauts fly up in another Soyuz before Christmas.

This photo, taken from NASA TV on Tuesday, shows the 12 space travelers aboard the orbiting shuttle station.

British officials begin analysis of Iraq war practices

By Paisley Dodds The Associated Press LONDON — An inquiry into Britain’s role in the Iraq war kicked off Tuesday with top government advisers testifying that some Bush administration officials were calling for Saddam Hussein’s ousting as early as 2001 — long before sanctions were exhausted and two years before the U.S.-led invasion.

As the inquiry began, a small group of anti-war protesters gathered near Parliament. Three wore face masks of George Bush, Blair and Prime Minister Gordon Brown — their hands and faces covered in fake blood.

Sir Peter Ricketts, who was chairman of Britain’s Joint Intelligence Committee in 2001, said Britain had hoped for a strengthened policy of containment — reducing the threat posed by Iraq through sanctions, weapons inspections and security measures.

The strategy had been in place since the 1991 Gulf War.

“We were conscious that there were other voices in Washington, some of whom were talking about regime change,” Ricketts said, citing an article written by National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice warning that nothing would change in Iraq until Saddam was no longer in power.

The panel will question dozens of officials over the next year — including military officials and spy agency chiefs. It will also seek evidence but not testimony from ex-White House staff. The Labour-led government lost a significant share of parliamentary seats because of the war.

But with no lawyers on the panel, few believe the inquiry will answer one of the most basic questions — whether the war was legal.

Led by a panel appointed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the inquiry can only offer reprimand and recommendations in hope that mistakes won’t be repeated in the future.

Lefteris Pitarakis | Associated Press

Anti-war protesters wear masks of current and former British and American leaders as they pose for photographers Tuesday outside a London conference center.

WORLD BRIEFLY 11 more bodies discovered in mass grave in Philippines AMPATUAN, Philippines — A police official said 11 more bodies have been unearthed from a mass grave in the southern Philippines, bringing the death toll from a massacre of political supporters and journalists to 46.

Police Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna says 11 bodies were recovered before sundown from a hillside grave Tuesday.

Eleven other victims were discovered there earlier in the day.

Police said a convoy of about 40 people was going to register Ismael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan township, Monday to run for provincial governor when they were stopped by approximately 100 gunmen.

Pakistan launches offensive against violent insurgents PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Pakistani troops killed 18 militants in a fresh offensive on Tuesday against insurgents blamed for a wave of recent bombings in the main northwestern city of Peshawar.

The operation in Bara region was

the latest salvo in a broadening campaign against al-Qaida and the Taliban in the lawless lands close to the Afghan border.

Authorities claim hundreds of militants have been killed, yet the assaults do not appear to have dented the insurgents’ ability and desire to strike.

Maj. Fazlur Rehman, a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps, said ground troops, helicopters and artillery were being used in the operation in Bara, which is close to Peshawar. The aim of the assault was to capture mountain heights and strategic locations from the militants who had been attacking Peshawar, he said, adding that 18 militants had been killed.

China executes 2 for their roles in scandal that killed 6 children

BEIJING — China executed two people Tuesday for their roles in a tainted milk powder scandal in which at least six children died and more than 300,000 became sick.

Zhang Yujun was executed for endangering public safety and Geng Jinping was executed for producing and selling toxic food, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Compiled from Associated Press reports

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OPINION

4

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Editor in Chief: Jillian Sheridan Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Jeremy Burchard David Muto Dan Treadway Lauren Winchester

T HE DAILY TEXAN

MAKE A TURKEY

VIEWPOINT

Make your kindergarten teacher proud and decorate your own hand turkey!

Bring it home and show your parents just how far you’ve come.

Things to be thankful for

Editor’s note: We can be a little preachy here on the opinion page. If we aren’t raging about budget cuts, we’re probably demanding equality on campus or criticizing the administration, the Board of Regents or Texas’ ever-erring politicians. While those problems don’t go away for Thanksgiving, it’s equally important to reflect on all the great things about our university that are so easily taken for granted. Today, the few of us who aren’t already headed home are not looking for a new problem to worry about or a cause to join. We’re ready to eat turkey and hang out with Mom. But before we head out, here are a few things that every UT student has to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

1. Tuition isn’t so bad

versity is working to create an environment in which all causes and reUT students were upset last year sponsible opinions can be voiced when the Board of Regents voted on campus. to raise tuition by 5 percent, but recent events at University of California system schools offer some Texas Athletics and student athperspective.

In a move of desperation in re- letes have maintained the highest sponse to California’s unprecedented standards of collegiate sports in reprebudget crisis, UC regents voted last senting the University this year. Sure, week to increase undergraduate tu- we make a point of holding students ition by 32 percent to over $10,000. No accountable for their actions, and in one likes a tuition increase, but some- the past, there have been less-thanhow 5 percent doesn’t seem so bad in favorable conditions surrounding student athletes. comparison now.

But this year in particular has been one in which Horns fans can hold their heads high. And aside from many student athletes’ Given UT’s status conduct away from as a world-renowned the competition, their research universiperformance has ty, it should be no brought much-desurprise that there served national atis plenty of interesttention to the Uniing and accessible versity in a variety of research material on sports, including footcampus. Yet the Harball, track and field, ry Ransom Center nevvolleyball, basketball, er ceases to amaze. golf, tennis, swimming From page proofs of and baseball, to name a few.

“Ulysses” to Woodward and

4. Texas sports

2. Great campus resources

Bernstein’s Watergate papers to the Gutenberg Bible, the center’s holdings help UT live up to its reputation.

3. Free speech across campus This summer, President William Powers revoked the controversial ban on displaying political signs in dorm windows that created an uproar during last year’s presidential race.

The decision capped a larger effort that helped reshape the University’s stance on free speech and students’ rights to voice their opinions.

Though not quite the perfect example of a free-speech campus, the Uni-

THE FIRING LINE No fat tax I Taxing high-calorie meals for the benefit of society the way Joshua Avelar advocates in his Nov. 24 column, “Lessons from a fat guy and a smoker,” is a ridiculous and undesirable idea.

Avelar proposes that the money gained by the tax should go to produce and organic-food production — despite the fact that the problem is not just one of price, but of access. There just aren’t supermarkets selling cheap produce where those who need it live, such as in urban neighborhoods or among rural populations.

Often, the only available source of fruit is the local convenience store, where the selection is limited. If one really wants to see improvement, the money ought to be invested in school and community lunch programs, as these have been proven to be most successful in promoting good health at an early age.

The other issue is the implementation of this plan. Does anyone outside the nutrition field understand the huge undertaking it would be to enforce laws based on nutrition facts? They are already having a stellar time of it with trans-fat restrictions.

What about smaller businesses? They cannot all afford the time and money to have their recipes analyzed for calories.

And calorie needs differ from person to person, so this “well above a third of your recommended calorie intake” federal tax would discriminate against those with a lower basal metabolic rate and more sedentary lifestyle.

Does this mean Michael Phelps can have his burger untaxed while mine is not? Unacceptable!

— Cynthia Healy Nutrition junior

No fat tax II Joshua Avelar’s column, “Lessons from a fat guy and a smoker,” outlines a solution aimed at combating obesity in

5. A free press Every day, a group of students produces The Daily Texan. No one has to approve this content. We are free to criticize our leaders and hold them accountable. And, when we want to, we can include a Make Your Own Hand Turkey section.

Newspapers — student-run papers in particular — face challenges to their freedom of speech every day.

We don’t take that for granted and are truly thankful for the laws and culture that have preserved this standard of openness.

— The editorial board

America that fails to consider the unintended consequences associated with it and the larger issue at hand.

For example, imposing taxes on foods that are considered unhealthy or portion sizes that are considered too large would reduce demand for said goods. Such a reduction would lead to temporarily higher unemployment rates in the affected sectors (e.g., fast food, agriculture).

His claim that the solution would allow “the gorging of most Americans [to] work to aid in the health of others” through “subsidizing the cost of produce and organic items” has no factual basis.

According to the USDA, “organic food is … [not] more nutritious than conventionally produced food. Many basic organic foods … contain as much fat and calories as their conventional counterparts.”

Simply consuming “healthier” food will not allow individuals to become healthier; a combination of diet and exercise is required.

Contrary to popular belief, the heavy hand of the federal government is not required to encourage healthier lifestyles.

In a free market, the cost of health insurance is a function of risk. A higher risk means a higher price.

Smokers and obese people would thus pay higher prices for health insurance because they suffer from higher rates of lung cancer and diabetes, respectively.

These higher prices would deter said individuals from pursuing such destructive lifestyles.

The system we currently have is dominated by government regulations and mandates that force individuals who make healthy choices to subsidize individuals who consciously make unhealthy choices (e.g., smoking and overeating). It is not “the government’s job to find some way to offset the negative impact.”

Rather, the government should look at itself as part of the problem. What we truly need is less government distortion in the marketplace and a renewed sense of personal responsibility.

— Joseph Gauthier Aerospace engineering junior

The evils of torture

By Calvin Sloan Daily Texan Columnist

Recent revelations regarding Uzbekistan and the CIA should serve as a reminder that there is a high cost to our country’s policy on human rights.

The disturbing truth is hidden underneath euphemisms like “aggressive interrogation methods” and “coerced statements.”

Torture is an absolute evil, an archaic practice that should have long been abandoned by the United States but instead has become institutionalized and justified at the expense of our country’s moral integrity.

According to Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, during the height of the war on terror, the CIA sent suspects to the former Soviet state as part of its extraordinary rendition program. Once under Uzbek control, the prisoners were subjected to extreme acts of cruelty.

“I’m talking of people being raped with broken bottles,” Murray told the Real News Network. “I’m talking of people having their children tortured in front of them until they sign a confession. I’m talking of people being boiled alive. And the intelligence from these torture sessions was being received by the CIA and was being passed on.”

Although President Barack Obama officially terminated extraordinary rendition upon assuming office, CIA director Leon Panetta said just weeks after the president’s signing of the terminative executive orders in February that aspects of the program might remain in place.

The U.S., instead of itself hunting enemy combatants abroad, now relies on foreign allies to capture, interrogate and detain terror suspects. The policy change appears to be merely superficial, however, when one considers that these intelligence agencies

RECYCLE! Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan.

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

are highly dependent on the CIA for funding and training. The Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan, for example, has received and continues to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the CIA and has sent agents to a secret CIA training facility in North Carolina, as reported by the Agence France-Presse.

Similar half-hearted changes in policy have been endorsed by the administration regarding Guantánamo Bay. The administration has invoked the authority to hold 50 Guantánamo detainees indefinitely under broad-ranging legislation passed shortly after 9/11.

In doing so, the Obama administration bypassed Congress and imitated detention policies endorsed by the Bush administration. Perhaps that is why the president admitted in an interview with Fox News that the January deadline for closing the prison would not be upheld.

From a moral standpoint, the rise of extrajudicial detention and the outsourcing of “interrogation” to private and foreign actors is abhorrent. Mohammed El-Gharani, for instance, was imprisoned at Guantánamo in early 2002 at the age of 14 and was found to be innocent on Jan. 14 of this year, after nearly eight years of imprisonment.

He is now being detained by Chadian authorities, with no hope of release in the near future. El-Gharani is just one of our fellow human beings who has been deprived of the natural rights guaranteed by civilized societies.

Furthermore, from a purely logistical level, torture and other inhumane practices are counterproductive to quelling international terrorism. Senior interrogator Matthew Alexander told The Washington Post that while serving in Iraq, he learned “that the No. 1 reason foreign fighters flocked there to fight were the abuses carried out at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo.”

Former counter-terrorism czar Rich-

GALLERY

ard Clarke said camps like Guantánamo “became symbols of American overreach, held up as proof that alQaeda’s anti-American propaganda was right.”

One must wonder why such policies were ever pursued in the first place.

It is a common misconception that the use of torture was an eight-year aberration in the history of the U.S. The truth, as it so often proves to be, is troubling and far more complicated.

Back before the Bush years of floating prison ships and black sites, the CIA had been developing and implementing “alternative interrogation methods” for decades. In 1951, the top-secret Project Artichoke was formed to encourage academics to explore “methods concerned in psychological coercion.”

By 1963, the findings of that program and others like it were refined into the KUBARK interrogation manual, which endorsed torture methods that left no physical scars yet made “the regressed subject view the interrogator as a father-figure … strengthening … the subject’s tendencies toward compliance.”

The manual’s legacy is detestable.

In projects such as Operation Condor, the CIA used the guide in training the armed forces of repressive regimes and death squads in Latin America, resulting in a pervasive use of torture that impacted tens of thousands and still haunts the region today.

Given this historical context, the policies of the Obama administration are proving to be a regression to a clandestine mean. The two wars being waged abroad and the activity at Guantánamo Bay are, however, very conspicuous.

It’s been a long time, but hopefully, one day, a real change is going to come.

Sloan is a government senior.

5 UNIV

5

University

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

UT Tower carries on symbolic legacy of Old Main Spanish, Mediterranean influences played role in University’s architecture

By Blair Watler Daily Texan Staff A meeting spot. A giant alarm clock. A sniper’s nest. A symbol of victory.

The UT Tower means something different to every one of the thousands of students, faculty and visitors who make their way across campus every day. In 1934, Paul Phillippe Cret hoped the Tower would be a symbol of learning and the heart of UT, “the image carried in our memory when we think of the place.”

In addition to the Main Building and Tower, the French-born Cret was responsible for the construction of 18 other buildings on campus. From 1930 to 1945, he was the consulting architect for the University of Texas and created the 1933 comprehensive campus-development plan.

UT architecture professor Lawrence Speck described Cret’s legacy at UT as a mammoth one.

“It’s hard to imagine the UT campus without Cret. He fundamentally transformed the campus,” Speck said. “The Tower is an emblem of the University that has [remained] over many, many years. It has a kind of iconic quality that UT has depended on.”

Cret was preceded as consulting architect by Cass Gilbert from 1909 to 1922 and Herbert M. Green from 1920 to 1930. Gilbert was responsible for adopting the Spanish Renaissance style on campus that can be seen in Battle and Sutton halls.

His vision included a Main Mall extending toward the Capitol, a plaza and a new main building. Cret incorporated many elements from Gilbert’s plan, as well as buildings already built by Green, such as Waggener Hall, into his master campus plan and remained faithful to the SpanishMediterranean style.

UT architecture professor Richard Cleary said that Green and Cret both built on the style and language that Gilbert established.

“What they talked about at the time with him was a Spanish, colonial, Mediterranean feel,” Cleary said. “Something that somehow connected to colonial Mexico and back to the Renaissance of Spain became the driving language and theme in the sense of look.”

Cleary said Cret did not allow a

set style to restrict his creativity or sense of design.

“The interesting thing about Cret is that he was very good in planning, but also really thoughtful in architecture, not just a cookie cutter approach to the grammar given to him,” Cleary said. “Cret created incredible variety in the way you handle familiar materials. The Union, Goldsmith Hall, they are interesting buildings in the way they are put together.”

Cret’s work includes classic UT buildings like the Texas Union, Hogg Memorial Auditorium and the Texas Memorial Museum. His buildings have become the symbols of the University, but his plan for a new main building and Tower was controversial at the time, sparking protests and petitions from long-time faculty and alumni.

Old Main, started in 1882, was the first building built on campus and housed the library, gymnasium, auditorium and classrooms.

In her history of campus buildings, “Brick by Golden Brick,” UT historian Catherine Berry wrote, “The venerable building had for many years been to alumni the primary symbol of The University of Texas.” Taps was played when Old Main was torn down in 1934.

Despite a movement by alumni to rebuild Old Main brick by brick, plans to rebuild or construct a memorial out of the pieces never materialized. According to a June 1989 article in the Austin American-Statesman, Old Main bricks were recycled and used in homes and buildings around Austin.

“The administration side of the University felt pretty strongly that Old Main was outdated.

There were some technical problems with the building, and it was no longer really serving the scale of university that UT was becoming,” Cleary said. “Some people really were sad about it, but the overall community bought into the notion of progress.”

Cret’s tenure at the University spanned the length of the Great Depression and World War II. Berry writes that funding for the new Main Building and other works, including Roberts Hall and Prather Hall dormitories, came from $2,800,000 from the Available University Fund, a bequest from Col. George W. Littlefield and a grant and loan from the Public Works Administration.

“It’s similar to what we’re going through right now, the eco-

Peter Franklin | Daily Texan Staff

The UT Tower stands over adjacent campus buildings. Construction on the tower began in 1934, funded in part through New Deal projects such as the Works Progress Administration. The Tower replaced “Old Main,” the central campus building that was constructed beginning in 1882.

nomic stimulus plan of the New Deal,” Cleary said. “The WPA in its effort to really keep and provide work for people and jumpstart the economy was funding stuff all across the U.S. The [UT] projects had good lobbyists that made a strong case that the buildings were public works and in the scope and spirit of the New Deal.”

Cret’s vision is still reflected in the present day UT campus, which Cleary said he feels is because of Cret’s evolutionary approach to architecture.

“Cret understood that architecture was changing, and modern architecture was coming along, and he was evolutionary in his approach,” Cleary said. “He was willing to go with the future, not freezing the past. The pretty fascinating thing is you can see him deliberately evolving and responding to broader changes.”

Speck writes in his essay “Campus Architecture: The Heroic Decades” that the ethos of UT is best contained in the campus. The

This December 1935 photo shows progress on the construction of the UT Tower about a year after it got underway.

Courtesy of University of Texas Buildings Collection, the Alexander Architectural Archive, the University of Texas Libraries, the University of Texas at Austin

physical space and architectur- students, Speck said. al style of campus make a big im“Students are cognitive of the pression on students, faculty and fact that their decision about comalumni, especially on prospective ing to UT had a lot to do with

what the campus looked like,” he said. “You can’t look inside the classrooms and laboratories, but you can see the campus.”

Mayors gamble trees on UT-A&M game

By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff Austin and College Station mayors Lee Leffingwell and Ben White have a wager in Thursday’s Longhorn–Aggie matchup.

Instead of doling out Benjamins, though, the losing mayor has to plant trees in the winner’s city.

White said he had been hoping to add a mayoral twist to the 116-year-old rivalry since being elected two years ago, but thenAustin mayor Will Wynn, an A&M graduate, declined. White said when he heard Leffingwell is a Longhorn alum, he jumped at the opportunity.

“I called him up, and he loved the idea,” White said. “We got it all squared away.”

Matt Curtis, a spokesman for Leffingwell, said trees became the

medium to gamble to make the bet a civic-oriented wager.

“You always hear about elected officials betting on small tokens that don’t add to the community value,” Curtis said. “[Leffingwell and White] felt that trees were going to benefit the community in the long run.”

Curtis said the details of the post-game transactions have yet to be worked out but he isn’t worried about the exact number of trees.

“The city of College Station has been very polite in working with us on this,” Curtis said. “Ultimately, they are going to have to give us trees.”

White said Austin oak trees would be most likely planted in College Station if the Aggies win, and crape myrtles would be

planted in Austin if the Aggies lost. He said crape myrtles carry a significant sentimental value.

“Crape myrtles bloom maroon and white in the spring, and we’re maroon and white,” White said.

“Being the school of the 12th man, we’d probably also plant 12 trees.”

White, who predicts an Aggie victory, said he thinks the idea can become an annual wager.

“I would certainly hope that it does continue and catches on,” White said. “We felt we had to start somewhere. This year is that somewhere.”

Curtis said he hopes the tradition continues as well.

“We would certainly like to see an ongoing bet,” Curtis said.

“If Mayor Leffingwell serves six years, that means we’ll get to win free trees six years in a row.”

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Acevedo calls for revamp of Austin’s police strategy

Daniela Trujillo | Daily Texan Staff

The city Rotary Club applauds Austin police Chief Art Acevedo during his speech about utilizing technology to prevent crime.

By Vidushi Shrimali Daily Texan Staff Austin police Chief Art Acevedo urged the city Rotary Club Tuesday to adopt a big-city attitude toward crime.

He said punishments should correspond to the severity of crimes committed, and additional technology could prevent more crime than high officer-civilian ratios.

“Austin has a very small-town mentality. We take time to talk about progress, but we are a $240 million public safety business,” Acevedo said. “If we are going to maintain this city as one of the safest cities in America, we are going to have to decide whether we

‘‘

Big brothers are actually good. They keep an eye out for you.”

— Art Acevedo, Austin police chief

want a big-city mentality [where we work quickly] or a small-town mentality of 50,000 people where we can afford to take time to talk about progress.”

Gigi Edwards, chairwoman of the Rotary Club’s speaker bureau, said the club brings in a speaker to every Tuesday meeting to com-

mend the positive things he or she does for the community.

Acevedo highlighted what he felt are major weaknesses in Austin’s security, such as minor repercussions for violent crimes. He pointed to the policies of Williamson County — which uses harsher punishments — as the other extreme that Austin should avoid. “[Compared to Williamson,] we are a magnet for criminal activity because the level of accountability and consequences in our county is [low],” Acevedo said.

He cited the case of a drug addict who received probation after trying to slit the coronary artery of a police officer.

“Only in Austin would someone attempt to kill a man in uniform like that,” Acevedo said.

Austin, when compared to cities such as Boston or Los Angeles, has a relatively low officerto-civilian ratio. Acevedo said that he would rather use technology, such as cameras and the proposed Austin Regional Intelligence Center, which will combine data from Travis, Williamson and Hayes County, to catch criminals.

“I’m not saying we need more officers — we need to leverage technology. Big Brothers are actually good. They keep an eye out for you,” Acevedo said.

An office of risk management that now keeps track of officers on leave and checks that they are not abusing their benefits, helped uncover an employee who had been on leave for almost a year citing health reasons that turned out to be unfounded.

Acevedo ended his speech by encouraging the audience to actively participate in the security affairs of the city and to believe in his ability to lead the police department.

“No one spends more time in this county than I do,” Acevedo said. “No one knows what this county needs more than I do. If we need to keep Austin weird, we can, but we need to stop keeping safety weird.”

Ban: Smoking

to be allowed on campus only in vehicles From page 1 “We want to encourage people to stop using tobacco, and we are giving them time to do that,” Sullivan said.

Smoking on the UT-Arlington campus will still be permissible in vehicles on campus as long as the windows are shut.

“We are not telling anyone they can no longer use tobacco,” Spaniolo said. “That was never the intent, and it is not the case.

With the new policy, we’re simply saying that the use of tobacco on campus will not be permissible.”

Sullivan said the ban places UT-Arlington at the forefront of a national trend towards smokefree campuses.

Sewage: Austin

begins update of waste system From page 1 in 1999 to make changes or face fines from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Rate payers will not immediately see charges, but they will eventually have to pay back the money lended, he said.

“I think it’s good that they are doing something to take care of the sewage, but they’ve got a long way to go,” Lehman said.

7 SPTS

SportS

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sports Editor: Austin Talbert E-mail: sports@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2210 www.dailytexanonline.com

T he Daily Texan

THE EDIA D A O TM NL DOWS STUDEN !

TEXAONE APP IPH GET YOUR FEED ON!

SIDELINE MEN’S BASKETBALL TOP 25 No. 24 Vanderbilt 68 Chaminade 41 Cleveland State 49 No. 5 Kentucky 73 No. 22 Maryland 57 Cincinnati 69 Cornell 73 No, 9 Syracuse 88 Lipscomb 64 No, 18 Ohio State 84 Citadel 50 No. 8 West Virginia 69 Wofford 64 No. 21 Illinois 78 No. 3 Texas 78 Pittsburgh 62 Jacksonville 47 No. 23 California 79 Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan file photo

Sophomore safety Earl Thomas checks his mark earlier this season against Central Florida. with seven interceptions and 57 tackles on the season, Thomas has earned himself a spot as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award, which recognizes the top defensive back in the country.

Trio of Horns nominated for awards

By Blake Hurtik Daily Texan Staff Earl Thomas has quickly become one of the top defensive backs in the country and may soon have the hardware to prove it.

The sophomore safety was

named a Jim Thorpe Award finalist on Tuesday, which recognizes the top defensive back in the nation. He’ll try to be the third Longhorn to win the award in five years after Michael Huff and Aaron Ross won it back-toback in 2005 and 2006.

The news didn’t come as a surprise to his teammates — especially the Texas wide receivers.

“Earl is probably one of the best safeties I’ve went against — ever,” said Texas receiver Malcolm Williams. “If I can

go every play and beat him, then I know that I’m playing to a caliber to where I can be a better player” Thomas tied the school record for interceptions with his seventh against Kansas on Saturday and has the third-most in

the nation. He’s also second to the Longhorns with 57 tackles.

The self-proclaimed “leadby-example” player has been setting the bar high for the improved Texas secondary.

HORNS continues on page 8

NBA Philadelphia 107 Washington 108 Indiana 112 Toronto 123 Golden State 111 Dallas 103 New Jersey 87 Denver 101 Oklahoma City 104 Utah 94 New York 90 LA Lakers 100

vollEyBall

mEN’S BaSKETBall

Engle cooks up a storm on the court, in kitchen

By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Staff On the court, second-ranked Texas looks to senior setter Ashley Engle for leadership, and she typically provides the glue that holds the team together in their rare moments of peril.

Her job on the court is to distribute the wealth between the outside hitters, but tomorrow, Engle will work in a different capacity, dishing out the turkey.

An aspiring gourmet chef, Engle frequently watches the Food Network, and she’ll showcase her skills in what promises to be a grand Thanksgiving feast.

“I’m one of the cooks, but I’m not taking all of the credit,” Engle said. “That way, if it’s bad, it won’t be all on me — we’re having a collaborative effort.”

Engle will look for support in the kitchen from senior libero Heather Kisner, to whom Engle has assigned desserts.

“I can hold my own, but Ashley is the better cook,” Kisner said.

“I’ve got desserts, and I’ll help out a little here and there. My craving is chocolate.”

Engle called the sweet-toothed Kisner clumsy in the kitchen but has taken her under her wing in providing culinary instruction.

Known for her laid-back California nature, Engle is only worried about one thing going wrong in the meal.

“Hopefully, we’ll be good to go for practice on Friday and not have any food poisoning,”

Engle said with a laugh.

Senior outside hitter Destinee Hooker won’t be on hand for the meal because she’ll be at home in San Antonio, cooking and celebrating the holiday with her family.

“Hopefully, she’ll give me some tips,” Hooker said. “As long as we all come back full, that’s all that matters.”

In their four seasons together, the trio has combined for a 102-16 record, equaling a winning percentage of .864, which is the highest of any class in school history. But approaching their final playoff run, the senior class left out one essential part of their Thanksgiving feast.

“I was not invited,” said head coach Jerritt Elliott. “I didn’t know they were doing it, so maybe the senior class isn’t that special.”

Elliott was joking and said he’ll be spending the day at home with his family. He hopes to be giving thanks for his first outright Big 12 championship and Texas’ first since 1997. After sharing the title with Nebraska the past two seasons, a victory in Oklahoma today would secure the conference crown. The Longhorns are 13-1 alltime in Norman and 24-2 against the Sooners, overall.

“One of the unique things about being a Texas Longhorn is that you have a lot of rivals,” Elliott said.

“It’s a big match for us because it’s our last opportunity to be tested on the road before the NCAA tournament begins, and we’ll try to work out whatever kinks are left.”

Derek Stout | Daily Texan file photo

Senior ashley Engle runs through longhorn fans before a home game.

no. 3 Texas 78, piTTsburgh 62

No. 3 Texas wins CBE Classic final By will anderson Daily Texan Staff Pittsburgh made it closer than the Longhorns probably would have liked, but No. 3 Texas weathered its first real test of the year to beat the Panthers 7862 in the championship round of the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo. Damion James led the Longhorns in scoring with 20 points as he shot 57 percent from the field, including two 3-pointers. He also led in rebounding for the fourth straight game with nine boards.

But despite the win, the tournament championship contained some sour notes for Texas. In pre-game warm-ups, guard Varez Ward went down with an apparent knee injury and was carried off the court on a stretcher.

J’Covan Brown, who came off the bench for the first time in yesterday’s game, returned to the lineup in Ward’s stead and finished with 12 points.

And as a whole, Texas shot more than 50 percent from the

field for the fourth time this year.

The Longhorns also hit six from long range, their second-highest total of the season.

But the Panthers kept the game close for most of the 40 minutes.

Texas went up early, but Pittsburgh utilized a variety of short and long shots to make it exciting down the stretch. The Longhorns led by as much as nine in the first, but the Panthers finished the half with an 11-0 run to enter the break up 32-34.

The second half started with an Avery Bradley layup, tying the score at 34-all, but the Longhorns could not build a solid advantage. There were five ties and nine lead changes in the game.

Better Texas perimeter defense in the second half allowed the Longhorns to pull away slowly.

Pittsburgh didn’t make a single 3-pointer in the second half after sinking four in the first.

Brad Wanamaker led Pittsburgh in scoring with 13 points.

He also had eight rebounds, another team high. The Panthers lost their first game of the season while Texas improved to 4-0.

Senior Damion James puts up a shot over Pittsburgh’s lamar Patterson in Tuesday night’s 78-62 win.

James led the lonhorns with 20 points.

Charlie Riedel Associated Press

womEN’S BaSKETBall

Longhorns seek revenge on Mississippi State

By Dan Hurwitz Daily Texan Staff The Longhorns will spend Thanksgiving in paradise, but it will be far from a vacation as they try to avenge the team that eliminated them from last season’s NCAA Tournament.

Texas will travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands to take on Mississippi State who upset the Longhorns 71-63 in the first round of the Big Dance only eight months ago.

Following the Longhorns’ rematch with the Bulldogs will be two more days of action against USC and Rutgers.

Texas’ weekend games represent their harsh non-conference Curt Youngblood | Daily Texan file photo schedule.

Junior guard Kathleen Nash fights for a layup against North Texas.

“I feel like this year’s schedule is the most difficult that I have had on a daily basis, and we are deter- Mississippi State in March came in 17 years,” said head coach Gail mined to find out who we are.” down to a battle of free throws Goestenkors. “We will be tested The Longhorns loss against in which the Bulldogs convert-

ed their final 10 points of the game — all of which came from perfect foul-line shooting in the final minutes.

Through their first three games, the Longhorns are shooting 71 percent from the charity stripe, just shy of last season’s 72 percent.

Texas is coming off of its second win of the season, which came last Friday in a 96-52 blowout against North Texas.

Goestenkors just wants to make sure her team improves.

“We talk about how much you can learn through yourself,” Goestenkors said. “The entire nonconference is about learning who you are and making yourselves better.”

The Longhorns will get their shot at revenge against Mississippi State on Thanksgiving night at 7 p.m.

8 SPTS

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

NCAA FooTBALL

TCU sneaks into title talk with one game left

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press FORT WORTH — With one more victory, fourth-ranked TCU will be waiting to find out where — not if — the Horned Frogs will play in the Bowl Championship Series.

All that stands between the Frogs’ (11-0, 7-0 Mountain West) first undefeated regular season in 71 years and BCS-buster status is Saturday’s home finale against New Mexico (1-10, 1-6).

Coach Gary Patterson characteristically reminded everybody Tuesday that there is still one more game left and even told a story during his introductory remarks about when he was an assistant coach for an 0-10 Tennessee Tech team that beat a 10-0 team in a season finale.

Patterson even pointed to the tiny, yet very obvious clear spot on the lower two-thirds of the team’s pyramid of goals: the New Mexico game waiting to be colored in purple if they win. The Frogs are listed as more than six-TD favorites.

Florida, Alabama or Texas will have to slip up to create a chance for TCU to be the first outsider to play in the BCS national championship game and an op-

portunity to fill in the to box and the loftiest goal: to be No. 1 national champions.

So there is the distinct possibility that the Frogs will be undefeated for the first time since 1938, when Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Davey O’Brien led TCU to its only national championship and not get a title shot.

If that happens, Patterson said he isn’t planning to whine about it.

“As soon as I win this ball game, I’m not going to turn this into a negative season,” said Patterson.

“We’re going to let other people decide all the rest of that stuff. ...

I’m not going to turn this into ‘Woe is us, and you guys didn’t do what we needed to achieve.’ It’s still going to be a box we’ve never gotten to on that pyramid.”

The Frogs have never been closer to a BCS game. The closest previously was in 2003, when they won their first 10 games before losing at Southern Miss. The only other time they won 12 games, which they have a chance to do Saturday, was 1935.

Even if TCU doesn’t get a title chance this season, Patterson believes the Frogs have been successful in the fact that they are being mentioned with Florida, Alabama

and Texas in those conversations.

“Whether we play for a national championship at all, we’ve already won that battle because our name has been mentioned,” Patterson said. “I would[n’t] think 12 years ago, maybe five years ago, to ever think that we’d be in this situation where TCU would be mentioned in the same breath as a Florida, an Alabama and a Texas, we’ve already put ourselves in a position that I feel we’ve already won.”

TCU will be playing for the 12th consecutive Saturday. The Frogs were one of only two FBS teams who waited until the second Saturday of September to play their first game.

It’s been a long grind and maybe even tougher than usual despite the success.

“When you have these kind of seasons, actually you probably work harder,” Patterson said.

“I’ve stayed later doing things, trying to find more answers. Because when you have a group that’s playing like they’re playing, you want to make sure it’s not your fault. You cover every base that you could possibly cover with everything you can.”

Bruno Morlan | Daily Texan Staff

Senior Sergio Kindle posts up a block against a Kansas offensive lineman last weekend. Kindle has stressed the importance of special teams and blocking to his teammates throughout the season.

Horns: Team wears new unis From page 7 “He’s never been scared to take charge,” said cornerback Curtis Brown. “He’s vocal, but Earl is more of a lead-by-example [player]. He’s just going to get out there and do it and expect you to keep up.”

But Thomas isn’t the only Longhorn in contention for awards. Wide receiver Jordan Shipley was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (top receiver), and quarterback Colt McCoy was named a finalist for three awards: the Maxwell (player of the year), O’Brien (top quarterback) and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm (top quarterback).

Throwback uniforms

sey and pants are virtually the same with the addition of a Texas-shaped patch on the hip that has the Longhorn logo and the letters DKR. The biggest difference will be the helmets, which will have the player’s number above the Longhorn logo, a historical nod to the helmets Texas wore under Royal.

The uniforms are part of Nike’s new Pro Combat uniforms that feature lighter materials and improved breathability.

The slight adjustments were just fine with McCoy, especially when considering the massive overhaul TCU had with its Pro Combat uniforms.

“They’re really not much different,” said McCoy. “I think our white jerseys are the best ever. I think our away unis are pretty sweet.”

The Longhorns will break out new throwback uniforms on Thanksgiving against Texas A&M, but you might have to Kick coverage woes squint to tell the difference.

By Texas’ count, the Longhorns The uniforms will be a slight missed nine tackles on kick-offs tweak on the Longhorns’ clas- against Kansas, giving the Jaysic white uniforms. The jer- hawks the ball past their own 46-

yard line four times, not including Dezmon Briscoe’s kick-off return touchdown.

Needless to say, it was the most glaring problem in Texas’ 51-20 win.

“Even though we felt like we dominated the game, our kickoff coverage was not good,” said Texas coach Mack Brown. “It was either good or awful.”

To drive the point home, senior defensive end Sergio Kindle spoke out about the importance of special teams, an area that the Longhorns have excelled in all season. He told his team to take pride in every play on the field.

“It’s not good if we have to start at the 50-yard line,” Kindle said. “I just told them, ‘If you’re going to be on this team, you have to have pride in what you’re doing. Speed and all is good, but you can’t avoid all the blockers because you’re opening up lanes. Sometimes you have to bring out the physical part and run through the block and make the tackle. If you get to the man with the ball, wrap up.”

NFL

Cowboys’ Witten iffy for Oakland with foot injury

Mike Stone | Associated Press

UNLV running back Channing Trotter is gang-tackled by a mountain of TCU linebackers last Saturday in Fort Worth. TCU defeated UNLV 41-0.

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SPORTS BRIEFLY Ellis, Morrow lead Warriors past Mavericks 111-103 DALLAS — Monta Ellis scored a season-high 37 points, Anthony Morrow added a season-best 27 and the short-handed Golden State Warriors ended Dallas’ five-game winning streak with a 111-103 victory over the injury-depleted Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Dallas was led by Dirk Nowitzki’s 28 points and 10 rebounds and Jason Terry’s 21 points, but the Mavericks had no defensive answers for Ellis and Morrow.

Rookie guard Stephen Curry had 18 points, and Vladimir Radmanovic added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, who used only six players.

Dallas held a 98-89 lead before Golden State answered with a 14-2 run capped by seven straight points from Curry, including a 3-pointer with 2:20 left for a 103100 lead.

Golden State closed with a 24-7 run and won consecutive games for the first time this season.

The Warriors are without Andris Biedrins (strained groin), Raja Bell (left wrist), Kelenna Azubuike (left knee tendon),

By Jaime Aron The Associated Press IRVING — Cowboys tight end Jason Witten might miss Thursday’s game against Oakland because of a sprained foot.

“I won’t say it’s severe, but it’s something that worries us about him being able to play this week,” said Dallas coach Wade Phillips Tuesday.

Witten has played 107 of a possible 108 games in his career, missing only a single week in his rookie season after having surgery to put three plates in to protect a broken jaw. He’s played through all sorts of injuries, and once ran about 30 yards with the ball without his helmet, getting up from the

C.J. Watson (flu), Ronny Turiaf (sprained left knee) and Corey Maggette (left hamstring).

Warriors coach Don Nelson is also home recovering from pneumonia, with top assistant Keith Smart filling in.

The Mavericks are still minus three starters: forwards Shawn Marion (left ankle sprain), Josh Howard (left ankle surgery) and center Erick Dampier (illness).

Quinton Ross started for Dallas but sat out the second half with a tight lower back.

The Warriors rallied from a seven-point, third-quarter deficit, opening the final quarter with five straight points from Ellis for an 83-82 lead.

Dallas answered with a 10-2 spurt started by 3-pointers from J.J. Barea and Tim Thomas for a 92-85 advantage with 9:14 to play.

But the Mavericks couldn’t handle Ellis, Morrow and Curry down the stretch as Golden State won on the road for only the second time in eight tries this season.

The Mavericks carried an 82-78 lead into the final quarter.

Dallas held a 54-50 halftime edge behind Nowitzki’s 17 points after a 14-6 run over the final 3:52 of the second quarter.

Ellis scored 12 first-quarter points to keep the Warriors close early, with Dallas taking a 27-25 lead into the second quarter.

tackle with his nose bloodied.

So his availability isn’t a matter of pain tolerance, it’s about the chance of further damage.

Phillips said it will be a gametime decision and probably would be even if the upcoming game was on Sunday.

“As far as I know, it’s a situation where if he’s not well enough, he could hurt it more,” Phillips said.

“That’s a big concern.”

Witten was hurt in the second quarter of Dallas’ 7-6 victory over Washington on Sunday. He continued playing and came up with two catches on the winning drive late in the fourth quarter.

He was held out of a light practice Monday and was limited

Tuesday. If he can’t go, secondyear tight end Martellus Bennett would take his place and rookie John Phillips likely would take up much of Bennett’s workload.

The third-stringer has played often this year.

“It’s good that he has experience,” Phillips said. “Martellus Bennett showed up in the last game and had some good plays and some good catches.

I think he’s gotten his confidence going.”

Witten’s 54 catches are easily the most on the team. His 481 yards are second-most.

Quarterback Tony Romo has never played without his good pal in the lineup, so it would be a big adjustment for him.

Dirk Nowitzki loses the ball to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry Tuesday night in Dallas. The Warriors beat the Mavs 111103.

Sharon Ellman Associated Press

Kevin Durant scores 28, Thunder beats Jazz in Utah SALT LAKE CITY — Kevin Durant scored 28 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held off a late surge by Utah for a 104-94 win over the Jazz on Tuesday night.

Durant also had eight assists, and Jeff Green had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists as the Thun-

der ended a four-game losing streak in Utah.

The Thunder built a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter and didn’t allow the Jazz to get any closer than eight down the stretch.

Carlos Boozer had 26 points and seven rebounds, and Deron Williams had 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Jazz, who committed 24 turnovers.

—The Associated Press

9 CLASS

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

TV shows, gaming may be solution to educational woes

Pulling weeds Oscar Paiz, Barton Springs Nursery employee of three years, removes weeds from the nursery’s agave farm in Weberville, Texas on Tuesday afternoon.

The nursery has seen an increased demand for vegetable plants and fruit trees during the economic downturn.

Sara Young Daily Texan Staff

Activists mourn victims of anti-gay hate crimes said Tiffany Bishop, a member of Join the Impact. “I feel disgusted, sad, angry. It’s just a myriad of emotions.”

She said Mercado was murdered because he was gay, and the first response by the authorities in Puerto Rico was bigotry.

“People who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen,” a Puerto Rican police officer investigating the case remarked on local television.

Bishop said this type of prejudice isn’t unique to Puerto Rico.

She said she experienced this intolerance first-hand in the Navy, where she served for four years. “‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ is the policy, but they ask, and ask, and ask,” Bishop said. “I had to conceal who I really was.”

Will Finlay, a member of Join the Impact Austin, said in order

By Israel Perez Daily Texan Staff About 20 members of Join the Impact Austin gathered at the south gate of the Texas Capitol on Tuesday night to mourn the victims of recent hate crimes against members of the gay community.

The group formed a circle to express their emotions about the brutal murder of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, a gay man, in Puerto Rico and share their own stories of discrimination.

Mercado was found on the side of an empty road. His body had been partially burned, decapitated and dismembered. A 26-yearold man has been arrested and charged with first degree murder

by Puerto Rican authorities, but has not been charged with any hate crime.

“It’s just absolutely appalling,” day, month day, 2008

for someone from the GLBT community to publicly embrace his or her community, he or she must be made to feel safe because hate crimes are meant to terrorize the gay community.

“It’s important to be able to be out and feel safe about being out,” Finlay said.

He added that authorities need a better understanding of hate crimes to prevent further violence from occurring.

“Unfortunately, there has been an increase in hate crimes in the U.S.,” said Mike Corwin, also a member of the group. “There have been vigils all across Texas.”

FBI statistics from 2009 show an 11 percent increase in hate crimes targeting the GLBT community between 2005 and 2008.

Law student Angela Brown, vice president of UT’s OUTlaw,

an organization that attempts to diminish homophobia at the University’s School of Law, said there has been progress in the acceptance of gays in the U.S., but much work remains to be done.

“There are a number of law students who haven’t been exposed to the queer community,” she said.

Dana Cloud, a communication studies professor, said hate is a disease.

“I think hatred is not born in people,” she said. “Actually, it’s the way society trains and socializes us.”

Cloud said leaders must be held accountable for not doing more to prevent hate crimes.

1 “The best way to end hatred is to rise up and demand to be recognized as an individual and as fully human,” she said.

CLASSIFIEDS

Networking group unites ex-Aggies at UT law school Campus

CORKBOARD

ISE VERT DAldous DViviana NT AByDaily U EStaff T Texan S R ION! disOUstudents As YUT ZATproudly I N A play their ORG burnt orange pride

in anticipation of Thursday’s game against Texas A&M, more than 30 law students have agreed to flaunt maroon shirts this week.

Among them is law student James Kuhr, system chancellor of the Aggie Law Students Association, an organization created in the fall of 2007 for A&M students who now attend the UT law school.

“A&M’s going to kick UT’s ass,” Kuhr said confidently about Thursday’s game.

The organization offers its members tips for classes and

uns ad irne for onl

E! E R F d wor

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professors, exam preparations and outlines, said vice president Isaac Sulemana.

“All first-year law students are intimidated and a little uneasy, even with those who share [their] undergraduate institution,” Sulemana said. “They can get knowledge and [learn about] experiences of second- and third-year students.”

First-year law student Austin Carlson said he received valuable advice through the organization.

“Within the first week, there were people willing to go out of their way when they hadn’t met [me] yet just because they went to the same [undergraduate] school with me,” Carlson said.

“You’re able to hit the ground running rather than wait till the end of the semester to make lasting relationships.”

Kuhr said he is attending his undergraduate’s rival school because he is able to segregate the sports teams and the universities.

“I’m from Austin, I like Austin, and in the end, as much as I dislike the athletic program at the University of Texas, I’m not an idiot,” Kuhr said. “It’s a good school in a great state, and the price isn’t terrible.”

Though the organization has only met once this fall for a social happy hour, Kuhr said it’s great for networking.

“Aggies are pretty smart,”

he said. “Students who are Aggies who are now at UT law — one will be governor of the state when it’s all said and done.”

A&M graduates in the legal community often contact members of the association for job opportunities, said the association’s president, Jeff White.

Alan Peters, a 1996 Texas A&M graduate and president of the Capital City A&M Club, said networking is key for business contacts.

“People are drawn to people who are like them, who have the same background and experiences and affiliations in life,” Peters said. “Your tie to A&M is one of your strongest ties at that point in your career.”

By Molly Triece Daily Texan Staff The Obama administration announced an initiative Monday that will use TV shows and video games in schools across America to improve the low math and science skills revealed by the Program for International Student Assessments 2006 test.

Over the next four years, the administration plans to spend at least $260 million dollars from both public and private sources to develop and distribute educational television and video games. The choice of implementing these programs is not mandated by the federal government or state, but is left up to individual school districts.

Austin Independent School District did not comment on whether or not local schools would take part in the program, and the Texas Education Agency said it was involved in other efforts to improve math and science skills.

“Math and science traditionally have been among our scores that need a lot more work to be done,” said TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson.

According to the most recent data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics, Texas fourth-graders ranked one point above the nation’s average 2009 math score and the average 2005 science score. The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, however, shows a slight disparity between students’ math and writing skills. State records show TAKS test scores for math and science are consistently lower than writing and reading scores.

“It’s something that is definitely in the focus of the state and that the Legislature is aware of,” Culbertson said. “A couple years ago, four years of math and science became required for graduating high school, but there had always been a required four years of English and government.”

Culbertson said the state is increasing schools’ percentage of students who pass the math and science TAKS by 5 percent this year. UT communications professor Matthew McGlone said one reason students perform poorly in math and science is that they tend to write themselves off early in the face of academic challenges as simply “not being a math person.”

“Kids tend to be very traitbased; they talk about it in the way you talk about blood types,” McGlone said. “We’re trying to get kids to think about it as skills they can develop so they can explore the subjects.”

McGlone is working on developing a variety of interactive ed-

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CLASSIFIEDS THE DAILY TEXAN

ucational tools, including video games and virtual-reality computer games, such as “Second Life.”

“Kids understand that you have to practice to get your muscles to grow,” McGlone said. “We need to get kids to think of their brain as a muscle.”

He gave the example of Nintendo Wii game, “Big Brain Academy” as an effective educational video game. McGlone said the game shows an image of a brain getting bigger as users improve their skills, which helps children think of their intelligence as something they can expand. “[Video games] give kids very immediate feedback. You can symbolize a relationship between skill building and growth really well,” McGlone said. “For example, an avatar that grows as it masters its skills.”

UT communications professor Jorge Pena said that video games are a good tool to use in conjunction with traditional teaching methods and that gaming’s influence on educational strategies was inevitable.

“It’s a technology that can be harnessed in many ways,” Pena said.

He said that video game designers need to be more aware of female audiences, especially as the games start to be used in schools.

“The technology gives the appearance of being more of a male dominion than female dominion,” Pena said.

Theoretical math sophomore Eileen Martin said that math and science are fields already associated with men and that using video games to encourage enthusiasm for the subjects might only further the gender gap. Some science colleges at UT, such as engineering and geosciences, have a large male majority but natural sciences is dominated by women.

“In my real-analysis class it’s close to even, but in my numerical analysis class, I think there are maybe four girls in a class of 40 or so,” Martin said.

She said that there are specific math majors, including hers, that are more heavily male and that efforts to close this gap would require a focus on early education.

Martin said her high school organized math competitions in which many women performed better than men, and this sort of activity would be more effective than video games in encouraging better across-the-board participation and test scores in math and science.

“I think it is unlikely that girls who aren’t into math or science will be interested in math or science video games,” Martin said.

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Life&Arts

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Austin mom offers Black Friday advice

Shoppers should create a game plan beforehand to maximize time in stores

By Jessica Lee Daily Texan Staff Black Friday, the term used used to describe day-afterThanksgiving shopping, is most commonly associated with chaos and total mayhem.

Thousands of Americans wake up at the crack of dawn just to get their hands on a discounted must-have Christmas gift, be it the newest version of

an iPod or the “it” toy of the year.

The key to successfully surviving Black Friday is planning a strategy.

Mother of three, Austinite and Black Friday shopper Ellen Peek suggests that shoppers first cultivate a relationship in advance with sales people at the stores they plan to visit.

Though the sales associates usually are not allowed to disclose information about how much of a discount shoppers will receive on particular items, they may know what items will

be on sale, she said.

Customers should also know what they are looking for before they enter the Friday freefor-all. The advertisements published in the Thursday newspaper list exactly what will be on sale and where.

Peek recommends that shoppers pay close attention to the stores’ opening times.

“Shoppers need to make a priority list and go to the stores where their most wanted items are in order to ensure that they actually get that item,” she said. “Otherwise, if

a shopper goes to another store first, there is no way they will get what they wanted later on in the day.”

Aaron Bauerlein, the general manager of Best Buy on Barbara Jordan Boulevard, suggests that shoppers have fun and be patient. Best Buy allows shoppers to camp out at their locations, but Bauerlein strongly urges customers to get in touch with the property managers prior to camping out so that they understand the regulations.

“Listen to employees, be

friendly with neighbors, don’t allow people to cut in line and don’t reserve spots,” Bauerlein said. “If you follow these rules, you should be fine.”

Every year, reports about shoppers getting into brawls with other shoppers over something as simple as a Tickle Me Elmo or a Cabbage Patch Kid are broadcast.

“Just be forewarned that it could be you that some overly ambitious Christmas-crazed mother has in a headlock because she went to get Junior a special toy,” Peek said.

Salvaging city streets

ENTERTAINMENT BRIEFLY Volunteer accidentally throws ham at chef Paula Deen’s face ATLANTA — Celebrity chef Paula Deen got an unexpected serving of ham — across her face.

The Food Network star was helping unload 25,000 pounds of donated meat for an Atlanta food bank on Monday when someone threw one of the hams like a football and accidentally smacked her.

Deen tells WGCL-TV: “I thought it busted my lip, but it didn’t.”

Through smiles and laughter, Deen added: “I’m OK. It just knocked me for a little bit.”

She says she was unloading hams when she tossed one to a man, who then said “Back at ‘ya.”

Thinking he meant it only as a sentiment, she turned around to get another ham when the errant swine came at her.

“He really meant, ‘Back at ‘ya.’”

Later, she tweeted: “I haven’t met the ham that could stop me yet!”

Bon Jovi guitarist honored for NJ community fundraising WOODBRIDGE, N.J. — The New Jersey town where Richie Sambora grew up says Bon Jovi’s lead guitarist can come home whenever he wants.

On Tuesday, residents and public officials gathered in Sambora’s hometown of Woodbridge to name a street in his honor.

The 50-year-old Sambora has launched a fundraising effort called, “You Can Go Home,” to give back to the community. The program benefits Woodbridge teen Kelly Mahon, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor two years ago.

Sambora also financed the new weight room at his alma mater, Woodbridge High School. It’s being named in honor of Sambora’s father, Adam, who died of cancer in 2007.

The street leading to the school is now Richie Sambora Way.

Offended Italian group asks MTV to cancel ‘Jersey Shore’

Daniela Trujillo | Daily Texan Staff

A worker from the Texas Gas Service works on Brazos Street under Austin’s City Improvement Project. The project, beginning on Cesar Chavez Street and reaching up to 11th Street, has been going on for five months.

Fox: Film lacks

character depth Wes Anderson usually delivers From page 12 Bill Murray headline a star-studded voice cast but, using their voices alone, they fail to resonate on an emotional level. They deliver the sharp-witted zingers but fail to illuminate the depth and subtlety that Anderson aims for.

The story of Mr. Fox (Clooney) begins with his life as a chickenthief. The danger, the thrill, the wildness. He lives for the danger, the thrill and the wildness until his wife (Streep) reveals that she’s pregnant and tells him to put an end to his reckless, immature ways.

The entire cast delivers spot-on voicing but, to imagine Mr. Fox as anyone other than Clooney would be a sin. He instills the title character with a perfectly balanced nature — equal parts charmer, patriarch and rogue.

Mr. Fox agrees, taking up the more respectable life of a journalist. But after moving in next to Boggis, Bunce and Bean — three of the meanest, nastiest and ugliest farmers in the valley, Fox’s roguish nature gets the best of him.

He robs them clean. But when the farmers decide to exact their revenge, Fox’s family and community are put in danger.

The film is about domestication and the difficulty of being yourself when unforseen circumstances enter the picture but, without human faces to accompany human feelings, Anderson tells but doesn’t show.

He has imparted them with wit and charm but denied them a heart. Though Anderson’s incomparable style may be worth the price of admission for some, those looking for characters with depth and insight this Thanksgiving may need to look elsewhere.

hump: Mainstream porn options limited From page 12 sides of sex when they search for porn. But something tells me I’m not alone.

That something is the sense I get from statements made by outspoken, intellectually astute porn actresses like Grey (who has claimed in multiple interviews that she entered the porn industry because she couldn’t find anything in mainstream porn that actually aroused her) and the work of women making erotica and pornographic videos

In the world of free, cheap or available porn, women like me are not taken seriously as a demographic.

for female audiences like Tristan Taormino.

But the underlying problem remains the same. In the world of cheap and free online porn, women like me are not taken se-

riously as a demographic.

Taormino’s videos are not as readily available to the public and even Grey’s career has been influenced by the popularity of certain genres

pump: Familiar drag eatery offers pie

perfection for those staying in Austin From page 12 feast. It’s the embodiment of the season, and I would be remiss to leave this column behind without devoting 15 inches of newsprint to the burnt orange treat.

While much of UT will be returning home to enjoy a feast with family and friends, some of the student body will undoubtedly remain in Austin for the break without mothers to bake them something sweet and spicy. So for those of you without a place to return to for the holiday’s staple delicacy, I decided to sample some campus-area options and report on the hits and the misses.

The first stop was Kerbey Lane on the Drag, which boasts many pumpkin offerings, including pumpkin pancakes and the requisite pumpkin pie.

Their pie was the most expensive of the stops I hit, but it was also the closest to the pie I remember growing up with — just the right balance

of sweet and spice in the gelatinous mix, with a consistency like pudding in a flaky crust.

The only thing missing was a dollop of whipped cream.

Next up was Upper Crust at 45th Street and Burnet Road.

Their pie was presented beautifully in its full form, adorned with leaf-shaped crust cookies floating along the top of the creamy filling.

The pie was good but lacked something. It didn’t quite leave behind the warm, spicy aftertaste I hoped to find in the cool mush of the pie.

Third was Quack’s Bakery at 43rd and Duval streets.

They were out of their normal pumpkin pie but offered up another pie-like treat in a small bowl of crust. It was the only thing I tried that was topped with whipped cream and featured a leaf-shaped cookie like Upper Crust’s.

Sugar and spice were whipped into the light, fluffy filling. But it was only adequate — it didn’t quite hit the pumpkin spot.

My final stop was at Little-

field Patio Cafe where they serve small slivers of pumpkin pie from the same Krispy Kreme case as glazed and chocolate-covered donuts.

At only 99 cents, it was the cheapest slice I tried, but the price definitely reflected the quality.

The filling was leathery at best and tasted like old vegetables. I didn’t give it more than one taste.

Of all the stops, my suggestion, despite price, would be Kerbey Lane. The pie looked and tasted like the classic treat I grew up with. But really, any of the options are better than no pumpkin pie at all.

When this column started, I said goodbye to pumpkin spice lattes and started what was essentially a wild goose chase. Somehow I think I knew all along that there really is only one pumpkin confection that can really feed my seasonal craving. The latte was always good to me, but it was easy to leave behind. I could never turn my back on a slice of pumpkin pie.

that are marketed for primarily male audiences, i.e. the graphic violence against women that she sometimes partakes in scenes that stray too far from the conventions even of “rough sex’” to fit within the realm of BDSM. While Oprah’s show gave me hope about the future of the porn industry, something tells me that the changes that are being made aren’t exactly what porn really needs in order to capitalize on and please its growing female audiences.

FAIRFIELD, N.J. — A national Italian-American organization based in New Jersey says an MTV reality show that depicts ItalianAmerican beachgoers as the “hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos” is offensive and should be scrapped before it airs.

UNICO National said Tuesday that “Jersey Shore” relies on crude stereotypes and highlights cursing, bad behavior and violence in depicting renters at a New Jersey beach house.

UNICO President Andre’ DiMino calls the show “trash television.”

It’s scheduled to debut Dec. 3.

Compiled from Associated Press reports

12 LIFE

LIFE&ARTS

12

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Life&Arts Editor: Leigh Patterson E-mail: lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2209 www.dailytexanonline.com

T HE DAILY TEXAN

‘‘

I just fell in love with food and got to work with some really talented people.”

— Jack Gilmore, former overseer of culinary operations at Z’Tejas

PUMP IT UP

By Ben Wermund

Above all else, pumpkin pie proves perfect fall confection Columnist finally satisfies yearning for autumnal gourd-flavored food, drinks Ten weeks in, I am finally ready to say goodbye to this pumpkin column.

It’s been a long, strange trip, and I have tried more orange gourd-infused items than I knew existed. This column has seen novelties and traditions, beverages and cosmetics, but there was one thing left to be discussed, the mother of all pumpkin items — pumpkin pie.

It’s the centerpiece of any true Thanksgiving

Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff

Jack Gilmore, the founding corporate chef of Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill, is leaving the nationwide restaurant to start his own Jack Allen’s kitchen in South Austin. The restaurant will open this December.

Popular restaurant loses two ‘assets’

PUMP continues on page 11

Two Z’Tejas directors leave to open their own Austin Southwestern restaurant

Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff

Daily Texan Columnist Ben Wermund prepares to eat three separate pumpkin pies for the final “Pump it Up” column.

By Layne Lynch Daily Texan Staff In a colossal city like Austin, there are only a handful of restaurants that have a reputation as the best of the best. Austinites have a great love affair with the Southwestern cuisine of Austin’s Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill, there’s no doubt that the restaurant is at the top of the list.

But about a month ago, news broke that Z’Tejas was losing two of its greatest assets: Jack Gilmore, who oversaw the culinary operations of all nationwide Z’Tejas restaurants, and Tom Kamm, the Z’Tejas regional director of operations.

Don’t get out the tissues and cry just yet; this story has a happy ending.

Z’Tejas will survive, but it will have to prepare for some tough new culinary competition.

Gilmore and Kamm are strik-

ing out to create their very own restaurant, Jack Allen’s Kitchen, set to open mid-December.

It’s no shock that Gilmore, the man behind Z’Tejas’ cuisine, loves Southwestern cuisine because Southwest Texas is where he grew up. In fact, Gilmore honed his skills by starting out in a local steakhouse in his hometown.

“I just fell in love with food and got to work with some really talented people,” said Gilmore. “I started off in the front of the restaurant and worked my way to the back helping out in the kitchen.

[From there] I got to experiment with different flavors and ingredients, first learning about them and then honoring them.”

Along the way, Gilmore said a number of people, from farmers to bartenders to family, customers and staff, all left their marks on him and have affected the way he cooks to this day.

“I learned to treat ingredients and staff with respect and to listen to my customers when they told me about

my food,” he said. “If someone told me their New York strip was too tough or that the macaroni and cheese was perfect, they were usually onto something.”

Leaving Z’Tejas was something Gilmore knew he was ready to do, but that doesn’t mean it was an easy task.

“When I came to Z’Tejas, Southwestern cuisine was new to the Austin scene and was a great way use these good, old ingredients,” Gilmore said. “I had been wanting to open my own restaurant for a long time, and when the opportunity comes your way, you have to be ready. If you are sitting across from a chef who tells you he doesn’t dream of opening his own place, then you’re talking to the wrong guy.”

When Jack Allen’s Kitchen opens, the restaurant is going to embody what Gilmore says is, “Texan in spirit; local in source.”

Diners can expect both bold flavors and great food, with nothing on the menu for more than $20. Many

Pornography options for women disappointing

HUMP DAY

By Mary Lingwall

“It has been reported that one in three consumers of online porn in our country are now women,” Oprah told audiences during her Nov. 17 show on the porn industry.

In the show, Oprah addressed the growing consumption of porn by female viewers. And while Lisa Long’s in-depth investigation of the porn industry’s growing female clientele, “The Evolution of Porn and Erotica” (available on OprahWinfreyShow.com), is full of information about interesting changes in the demographics of porn users, there was one idea repeated throughout the piece that caused me to sigh in disbelief — the idea that women who enjoy watching porn prefer porn with “romance.”

“Americans spend up to $10

Illustration by Carolynn Calabrese | Daily Texan Staff

billion a year on porn, and men aren’t the only ones supporting this highly profitable industry,” Long reported.

And approximately “30 to 40 percent of the market is female,” according to Steve Hirsch, the CEO of Vivid Entertainment, one of the largest producers of pornography in the U.S. Long also posits that, “Now, there is porn that is being produced specifically for women by women, in some cases, and it just looks different. It feels different.

There’s more of a storyline. It’s more romantic.”

Storylines? Romance?

Perhaps Long and Oprah’s female audience is a little older than I am, and perhaps that demographic is more conditioned to look to romance and storyline for their arousal cues, but as far as I’m concerned, “more storyline ... more romance” is not quite what I am looking for in porn.

And I don’t think I’m alone.

As someone who has perused quite a few adult-film aisles in search for the kind of pornography that I could really enjoy, I must say that the adult film industry has not adapted well to its

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growing female audiences.

Just a few months ago, I made a trek down Highway 290 in search of the mecca of adult stores, and even though an entire half of the warehouse was full of films, to me, the selection seemed scant. I ended up spending more than $40 for “Nurses” (because it featured Sasha Grey, one of my favorite porn actresses).

When I got home and put the DVD in, my viewing experience was something like when my roommate forced me to watch “The Notebook” — lame lines, bad acting and extreme dryness.

After skipping through all of the scenes that weren’t doing it for me, I realized that I had fast-forwarded through the entire movie.

There was either too much talking, too much of the storylinemaking that Long and Oprah seem to think I want, or the actors simply looked too disgusting for me to concentrate.

So here’s my predicament: most of the porn that is marketed for men and the porn that is available for free on the Internet is not what I am looking for. At the same time, the porn marketed to women is just as disappointing.

It seems that women are offered two options — either be degraded by violence and man-centered sex or be treated like dainty princesses who prefer kissing, caressing and sweet talk to actual sex.

Maybe I am in the minority and maybe most women do identify more with the “romantic”

HUMP continues on page 11

of the items on the menu will come from local farmers, and everything will be made from scratch.

In designing the building, Gilmore said he wanted something with class but with a comfort in its style and feel.

“We want you to feel like you are at home,” he said. “If you came to my home, I’d offer you something to eat and drink the moment you walked in. [At Jack Allen’s], you can expect to feel at home.”

Menu items will include things like burgers, sandwiches, an array of appetizers, drinks and beer. And in a twist on conventional meal starters, Jack Allen’s Kitchen diners get complimentary pimento cheese when they sit down.

Scrambling to get everything in order before opening while still managing to serve a free Thanksgiving dinner to Oak Hill firefighters and their families, Gilmore is looking forward to one thing in particular at his restaurant.

“I’m ready to get back in the kitchen.”

MOVIE REVIEW

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Star-studded cast fails to achieve authenticity

By Robert Doty Daily Texan Staff I’ve always defended Wes Anderson.

From “Bottle Rocket” all the way to “The Darjeeling Limited,” I’ve not only admired his style but also engaged with his bizarre characters. But with “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” I have to side with his detractors. Though Anderson’s animated world is the stuff of dreams, the eccentricity with which he draws his characters left me cold.

Anderson has felt the blunt end of much bad press in the past few weeks — notably, his art director and head of animation both lambasting him for sending instructions via e-mail from Paris. But no one can deny that “Fox” bears Anderson’s

unmistakable stamp. Employing experimental stop-motion techniques and a glorious autumnal palette, Anderson imbues the film with the feeling that it is neither from the past, the present nor the future.

The characters that inhabit this stunning universe share in the visual awe, but it is also with them that the emotional core falls short. Anderson’s characters, though blatantly artificial, have always managed to be wonderfully and undeniably human. But it was not until watching the film that I realized the importance of the actors behind the masks.

George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon and

FOX continues on page 11

Courtesy 20th Century Fox

Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” opens in theaters today.