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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2019
volume
119,
issue
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFE&ARTS
Texas scientists send letter to Gov. Abbott arguing the impacts of climate change. PA G E 3
In order to alleviate long wait times, UT should better fund the CMHC. PA G E 4
Former Texas bigmen face off against each other in San Antonio. PA G E 7
UT students, businesses buy fair trade to combat human trafficking. PA G E 8
90
CAMPUS
PROJECT
Moped drivers may face fines if unlicensed By Hayden Baggett @HaydenBaggett
angela wang | the daily texan staff Texas Cowboys, a men’s spirit gorup, has responded to the hazing allegations connected to the death of Nicky Cumberland, who died last fall returning from the Cowboys’ retreat after a fatal car crash. The Cowboys are best known for firing “Smokey the Cannon” at football games.
Texas Cowboys respond to hazing allegations, expel members Family of Nicky Cumberland calls the Cowboys’ statement “disappointing” and full of half-truths. By Lisa Nhan @lmnhan24
he Texas Cowboys released a statement Wednesday night in response to hazing allegations surrounding the events leading up to Nicky Cumberland’s death, saying no hazing or alcohol was related to the fatal car crash. The Cumberland family issued a response to The Daily Texan early Thursday morning. Cumberland died last fall after sustaining fatal injuries in a car crash on the way back from the Cowboys’ annual initiation retreat, in the early morning of Sept. 30. The crash occurred at 5:43 a.m. when police said the driver fell asleep at the wheel. “Immediately following the accident that claimed Nicky’s life, our judiciary board launched a third-party investigation,” William Furst, foreman of Texas Cowboys, said in the statement. “No alcohol or any form of hazing contributed in any way to the accident. At the retreat, no member was forced to stay up, nor were they intentionally deprived of sleep.” The Cowboys said in the statement that members were allowed to sleep, however many Cowboys made the choice to stay up late to bond with one another. Before the group left that morning, Cowboys leadership checked the driver to ensure he “had not consumed alcohol and (was) alert,” the statement said.
“Unfortunately, the leadership did not check to ensure that all passengers of those vehicles were wearing seatbelts,” the Cowboys said. “The fateful decision of these members to not wear seatbelts that morning haunts us as an organization.” Cumberland, along with three of the five other passengers, were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, according to the crash report. During the vehicle’s rollover, Cumberland was ejected. The Cumberland family said the Cowboys’ statement contained half-truths, was missing key information and created “an illusion of accountability.” The Cumberlands went on to emphasize the role of sleep deprivation in the accident, calling the Cowboys’ comments on the matter “subterfuge.” “Nicky’s death was caused because the driver fell asleep,” their statement said. “The driver fell asleep because he was sleep deprived; he was exhausted and did not have enough sleep to embark upon a long drive. The Cowboys campfire went beyond 3 am, and he was permitted to drive around 4 am without sufficient sleep.” The Cumberlands also commented on the Cowboys’ “third party investigation.” “Within one day of the fatal accident that took Nicky’s life, their lawyers were on the mission to protect the organization,” the Cumberland’s statement said. “Our family remained in the dark of any legal actions taken by The
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For computer science sophomore Jonathan Granier, living life on the edge was part of his daily commute last semester. Granier, who was leasing a moped at the time, drove to his classes without a motorcycle license. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, this commute could have resulted in up to $300 in fines — three $100 charges — because it is illegal to operate a moped without a driver’s license motorcycle endorsement. Dustin Farahnak, UT Police Department officer, said students driving these vehicles without the required class M endorsement is a common occurrence across West Campus. “You do need a license to drive a moped,” Farahnak said. “For some reason, perhaps because of the cost savings of a moped, we often see drivers not caught up on their license, insurance or registration.” If a motor-driven cycle can break 30 mph, generate more than two horsepower or exceed 50 cc, it is classified as a motorcycle and requires a class M license endorsement to operate, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Farahnak said students regularly fail to get the necessary endorsement before driving their mopeds because it is expensive and time-consuming. Violators caught driving without the endorsement can be charged with driving without a license, Farahnak said. “A lot of it is a financial thing,” Farahnak said. “They don’t realize how easy it is to get your vehicle registered, to get your license, to take the classes you need to take, and they feel overwhelmed by their studies.” Granier said he originally planned on getting a license until he realized how lengthy the process was. “It just seemed like a lot of work and no one really cares,” Granier said. “The dude that I leased it from said not many people end up getting a license and he hasn’t heard of anyone getting in trouble in West Campus for it.”
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RESEARCH
UT study shows Austin salamanders in danger of extinction By Lauren Rahman @rahmanlauren
Overexploitation of groundwater led to the endangerment of 13 Central Texas salamander species, according to a new UT study. Three of those 13 species are Austin natives: the Barton Springs Salamander, the Austin Blind Salamander and the Jollyville Plateau Salamander. The salamanders studied, including three species only recently discovered, are specific to the Edwards Aquifer, said April Wright, biological sciences assistant professor at Southeastern Louisiana University and co-author of the study. “It really is a uniquely central Texas salamander,” Wright said. “They live in these subterranean caves; there is this whole world under there that we can’t see.” Thomas J Devitt, a
research fellow in the department of integrative biology, said urbanization caused the decrease in the salamander population. “Central Texas has some of the fastest-growing cities and counties in the nation … putting a strain on natural resources, especially water, and the environment,” Devitt said. “Overpumping of groundwater has caused (aquifer water levels) to drop and springs to stop flowing. This causes habitat loss for the salamanders.” Biology professor David Hillis said the salamanders are especially important because of their connection to the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. “They are a key to understanding the aquifers of Central Texas, which are basically the basis of the freshwater supply for pretty much all of Texas, either directly or indirectly,” Hillis said. Hillis said these salamanders
have restricted ranges and only live in these aquifers, so impacts on the aquifers impact the salamanders as well. Most of those species have very little protection, and those species are found in the most endangered part of the aquifer, which is shallower, and more subject to drought and development, Hillis said. David said it’s important to pursue conservation efforts of these species that aren’t found anywhere else on earth. “We should celebrate our native aquifer biodiversity,” Devitt said. “It’s a fascinating, underexplored environment with new species waiting to be discovered. Conserving these species is a win-win because what’s good for salamanders — clean water, and lots of it — is also good for Texans.” Austin has become very active in working to help promote protecting its existing salamanders,
Hillis said. “The city has a number of programs in the Watershed Protection (Department) to try to protect those watersheds and aquifers associated with the salamanders,” Hillis said. “The city is doing a lot of good things for the species that are found here.” Wright said one way to participate in conservation is to vote for candidates, city counselors and soil and water distributors who support water conservation efforts. The study, published mid-January, relied on samples collected since the late ‘80s, Wright said. “This paper was a long time in the making. We really were doing genomics through time,” Wright said. “It really is a love letter to these weird, unique, inherently Texan salamanders. For all of us, this is something deeply meaningful for a landscape that we love and a city that we love.”
diane sun
| the daily texan staff