They Daily Texan 2019-02-14 by The Daily Texan

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

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NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

Texas Capitol recognizes Barabara Jordan for what would be her 83rd birthday. PA G E 3

Consent is a vital part of all relationships. Make sure you understand it. PA G E 4

Music gives people who have experienced homelessness a sense of community. PA G E 8

Coaching serves as the deciding factor in Tuesday’s Big 12 matchup. PA G E 6

CITY CITY

Memorial bike ride held for victim of accident

Assault survivor fights back

By Hannah Ortega @_hannahortega_

On the sidewalk near Gate 7 of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, directly across from the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, stands a white bike locked to a pole and adorned with artificial flowers. A laminated paper attached to the bike reads, “In Memory of Anthony John Diaz.” Diaz died Jan. 28 at San Jacinto Boulevard and East 23rd Street when his bike collided with a Capital Metro bus. People on bikes — standard, tall and recumbent — met at Plaza Saltillo at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday before making their way down San Jacinto Boulevard and to the white bike for Social Cycling Austin’s silent ride commemorating Diaz. A brief address was made by a member of Social Cycling Austin at the white bike, in which he acknowledged they have been in contact with Capital Metro. The riders then continued to the Capital Metro building on East 5th Street to speak about the significance of safety that bus drivers should keep in mind. To improve bike safety, Bike Austin member Andrew McKenna said the wide sidewalk along San Jacinto could be redesigned, and he would be in favor of removing street parking in the area. “I ride this street frequently, and the first thought I had was, ‘It could’ve been me,’” McKenna said. “It shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but it did, so I wanted to show solidarity for Anthony.” Social Cycling Austin member Carl Miron said bike safety concerns extend beyond San Jacinto Boulevard. “I feel like it’s not safe on the streets of Austin, even with the bike lane,” Miron said. “It’s not wide enough. I ride South Lamar sometimes and go up … both ways on South Lamar, and sometimes, I have to get out of the way because I see the bus coming, and it’s so close. It stinks that something tragic had to happen for this to now become more of local news and not be ignored like it has for so many years.” Social Cycling Austin member Zach Underwood said the

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nikita sveshnikov | the daily texan staff Marina Conner is one of eight plaintiffs in a federal class action lawsuit against the City of Austin, Travis County and five other indivduals for mishandling her sexual assault case.

UT senior opens up about rape, lawsuit against city, officials. By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez

Content warning: This article has a source that goes into intimate detail of a sexual assault she encountered. arina Conner said she was raped by a stranger two weeks before her sophomore year began. After dropping out of college for more than a year, she re-enrolled and will graduate this spring wearing a teal sexual assault survivor

graduation cord. “I never thought I was going to come back to university when I dropped out,” anthropology senior Conner said. “I was so messed up from the trauma, like I couldn’t think. I couldn’t speak. I was just so scared. I (knew) it was a tremendous thing to make it through and graduate after (my) assault.” Conner is one of eight plaintiffs in an ongoing federal class action lawsuit filed in June against the City of Austin, Travis County and five individuals, including Austin Police Chief Brian Manley. The women said the defendants violated their rights and discriminated on the basis of gender while handling their sexual assault cases. Conner said she got a rape kit and reported her assault within 24 hours of the incident to the Austin Police Department, and the police found and questioned her assailant within a week. He admitted

to penetration, but said the act was consensual, according to Conner. Conner was told to wait eight to 10 months for her rape kit to be DNA tested. However, the APD DNA lab was permanently shut down in June 2016. After the Department of Public Safety took over management of the lab in early 2017, Conner finally received her results that August, two years after her rape. “Mine came back with no DNA,” Conner said. “I had showered, and you’re not supposed to shower. I was told the (district attorney) would not be prosecuting my case.” Conner said she felt like her case was being “thrown away.” Determined to know why her case wasn’t being prosecuted, Conner spoke to the assistant DA, who told her about the Crime Scene Investigation effect. Conner said the effect is the

idea that crime shows have influenced jurors to believe DNA is necessary proof in a rape case. Elizabeth Myers, one of Conner’s lawyers, said because the assailant already admitted to sexual contact with Marina, the issue was one of consent, not whether the act occurred, and DNA does not “weigh in” on consent. Conner said her detective denied her case on the grounds of DNA because she decided it would be too hard to argue consent in court, but Conner said she thought there was plenty of evidence the act was not consensual. “(I had) bruises on the back of my arms from being pinned against the wall and a gashed forehead from where he slammed it against the parking garage wall,” Conner said. “While I was being raped, I tried to call my friend

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UNIVERSITY

New international student enrollment drops at UT, nationally By Chase Karacostas @ChaseKaracostas

UT’s international student enrollment saw a greater decrease between the 201617 and 2017-18 school years than the national decline in international student enrollment — a trend experts blame on the Trump administration’s immigration policies and rhetoric. During the same time period, new international student enrollment dropped 6.6 percent nationally, it dropped at UT by 26 percent, from 452 students to 336, according to data from the UT’s Institutional Reporting, Research and Information Systems office and the Institute of International Education. Some of this can be accounted for due to a 4 percent drop in total enrollment between each freshman class. Law professor Denise Gilman, the director of UT’s Immigration Clinic, said the travel ban, increased wait times to receive a visa and more stringent immigration interviews at U.S. consulates in foreign countries could all be causes for the drop. “My guess is the bigger impact is not so much direct barriers to coming, but the message that foreign students and academics will not be fully welcomed here,” Gilman said. From 2012 to 2016, new international enrollment grew, with some fluctuations, by 17 percent nationally and by 16 percent at UT. It began to decline nationally in

2016 but continued to climb at the University during that year until the 26 percent drop. Gilman said these drops could result in serious financial costs to post-secondary institutions, which often rely on tuition from international students. “For those who do come here from abroad, they may also be less likely to stay here long-term,” Gilman said. “So, we’ve really invested in a student without being able to enjoy the benefits of having that student become a professional or researcher within the (United States).” At the same time that new international enrollment has been affected, UT has also lost international faculty and scholars. Between 2016 and 2018, the number of international faculty and scholars dropped by more than 20 percent, from 1,620 to 1,265. Gilman said international faculty, who often have high qualifications, could just as easily go to another country for research. Gilman said the type of visa they use, H-1B, has become harder to get. However, Margaret Luévano, interim director of International Student and Scholar Services in the International Office, said in an email that UT often works with students and scholars who have concerns about their individual immigration circumstances. “We deeply value our international students and scholars,” Luévano said. “They are an integral part of our community and their contributions are part of what make UT-Austin a leading global

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university, so we work hard to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where they feel supported.” As of the 2018-19 school year, however, UT has regained some of its losses, with a 16 percent increase in new international enrollment. Mechanical engineering

freshman Richard Soegiantoro said he only applied to schools in the U.S. and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies did not affect his decision. However, Soegiantoro, who is from Indonesia, said he was worried about safety because of the increased

| the daily texan staff

number of shootings in the country. Nevertheless, since his parents and siblings all went to school here, he decided to attend anyway. “My parents always wanted me to study (in the U.S.), so as a kid, it kind of got set in my mind,” Soegiantoro said.

CLAIRE ALLBRIGHT NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

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State Legislature proposes bills for rape victims By Chad Lyle @LyleChad

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STATE

There is a backlog of 2,138 untested rape kits in Texas, according to August 2017 data from the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, and state legislators are working to pass a solution in the coming months. The largest share of the backlog, comprised of 1,798 untested kits, belongs to the Dallas Police Department, while Austin Police Department currently has no kits waiting to be tested. Gov. Greg Abbott personally called on members of the Texas Legislature to solve the issue during his State of the State address on Feb. 5. “One of the most important tools that we have is forensic testing of rape kits,” Abbott said. “And yet, thousands of these kits have languished, untested for years. This session, we must right this wrong. Together we must provide more funding to eliminate the backlog and to deliver justice that has been denied for far too long.” State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, has already introduced a bill to provide funding to eliminate the backlog and speed up the testing process in the future. His proposal, Senate Bill 588, would also make law

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enforcement upload test results to databases to search for a DNA match. “It’s ridiculous that we would ask a survivor to undergo a rape kit exam, and then finally get the kit tested only to drop the ball at this stage,” Watson said.

“SB 588 addresses this gap by requiring the database comparison to take place within 30 days of the date the kit is analyzed and quality assurance reviews are performed.” Additionally, Watson’s bill seeks to clarify the rules

| the daily texan staff

for rape kit administration. “SB 588 also improves the overall rape kit testing process by ensuring we have clear parameters governing kit collection, release and storage,” Watson said. “These parameters will help healthcare facilities, law

enforcement officers and DPS coordinate as they each play a different, but important role in this process.” Delaney Davis, the vice president of UT’s chapter of It’s on Us — a sexual assault prevention organization — said eliminating the rape kit backlog could give sexual assault survivors more trust in the system. “I actually do think that getting rid of the rape kit backlog will signal to survivors that law enforcement and the Legislature are taking the issue of sexual assault and rape seriously,” government sophomore Davis said. “So I don’t know if I can say it’s going to have an immediate effect, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.” State Rep. Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio, introduced a companion bill to Watson’s in the House. If both versions pass their respective chambers, Watson said he has no reason to think Abbott would not sign the legislation into law. “I very much appreciate Gov. Abbott drawing attention to this important issue in his State of the State address,” Watson said. “The public’s growing awareness about this issue is a testament to the great work that survivors and their advocates have done to educate our community.”

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RESEARCH

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

New means for child anxiety therapy includes parents

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UT researchers are examining how parental involvement in children’s anxiety treatment can make it more effective. Through the Texas Child Study Center’s Childhood Anxiety Treatment Enhancement study, researchers are analyzing the benefits of adding a parent-training component to cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that thoughts, behaviors and emotions are interrelated. Our thoughts can impact how we feel and behave, just as our behaviors can impact how we think and feel, said Jessica Tauber, educational psychology graduate student. “In our program, (the therapy) is used to help participants learn to recognize and fight back against their anxiety,” Tauber said. “We teach participants to recognize how emotions like fear feel in their bodies and train them to challenge thinking patterns that can contribute

survivor continues from page

I was with for help and left a voicemail on his phone, and I’m crying, saying stop.” Conner said she’s grateful for the lawsuit because she realized it wasn’t her fault that the case didn’t go to trial. “It’s kind of helped heal me in that way because for a very long time, I (asked myself) ‘Why did you shower?’” Conner said. Conner said she learned from Newsy investigative journalist Mark Greenblatt, who published a national investigation of exceptionally cleared cases, that APD exceptionally cleared her case. On paper, it looks like

to their anxiety.” In the parent-training program, parents are trained by therapists to help manage their child’s anxiety while their child receives therapy in the clinic at the same time. Tauber said this parent-child process is important in ensuring the anxiety treatment extends past the clinic into the home. “Therapists have one hour a week with the child, and the rest of the child’s hours are spent at home with their parents,” Tauber said. “By giving parents the tools and knowledge about anxiety, parents are more equipped to handle their child’s anxiety at home.” A primary component of the anxiety treatment process is exposure therapy, said Stephanie Young, an educational psychology graduate student. Exposure-based therapy treats anxiety by allowing the patient to confront the source of anxiety in a safe environment until they realize the thing causing their anxiety is not dangerous, Young said. The parent-training focuses on minimizing parental accommodations that

these cases are solved, inflating APD’s rape clearance rates even when the perpetrator hasn’t been arrested. APD did not respond to The Daily Texan’s request for its definition of consent in a sexual assault case or whether they reveal how they classify a person’s case to that person by the time this article went to press. A city council resolution sponsored by Council Member Alison Alter, which approved a third party investigation of APD’s reported sexual assaults, was passed in the council meeting Jan. 31. “It’s not a witch hunt,” Alter said. “It’s really about (having) a problem that we’ve admitted as a community.”

reinforce fear and anxiety behaviors, Young said. “If a parent saw that their kid was afraid of a dog, they’ll accommodate that fear behavior by removing the child or dog from the situation; they’ll help make that fear go away by helping their child avoid it,” Young said. “However, that action reinforces that fear and behavior even though there’s no threat.” The parent-training component of the treatment teaches parents to identify when they’re doing an accommodating behavior and encourages them to practice exposures with their child at home. “The training helps them understand how to do exposures in a compassionate and empathetic way, while at the same time pushing their child to go further because that’s the only way to extinguish the fear behavior,” Young said. In addition to being a research study, they also serves as a no-cost anxiety treatment for its participants, said Marcella Maxwell, director of Dell Children’s Educational Advocacy program.

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The study began five years ago and has grown dramatically since then to serve a large number of patients in the Austin community, Maxwell said. “The study is good for two different reasons. It

anyone in the biking group, but he hopes the community’s eyes have been opened. “I think it’s a community problem,” Underwood said. “I think

| the daily texan staff

provides research we can disseminate, but it also provides a free resource for these families out in the community to come and get good, well-rounded evidence-based treatment at no cost,” Maxwell said.

everybody needs to be involved instead of just like, ‘This person’s at fault, that person’s at fault.’ We’ve all got to work together so that stuff doesn’t happen.”

eddie gaspar | the daily texan staff Ricardo Treviño leads the Memorial Silent Ride in honor of Anthony John Diaz, who died on-site Jan. 28th after being fatally hit by a CapMetro Bus.

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STATE

New Barbara Jordan exhibit opens Political trailblazer’s life. legacy showcased at the Texas State Capitol. By Alyssa Weinstein @WeinsteinAlyssa

he Texas State Capitol showcased the legacy of Barbara Jordan, known for being a trailblazer in Texas politics, this week to celebrate her life before what would have been her 83rd birthday on Feb. 21. This exhibit, which is located at the Capitol’s North Central Gallery, has been on display annually since a 2010 legislative bill declared Feb. 21-27 as Barbara Jordan Freedom Week at the Capitol for a period of 10 years. As a joint project between the Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation and Texas Southern University, the exhibit maps out Jordan’s life. “(The exhibit) focuses primarily on (Jordan’s) value systems, her time in the Texas Senate and in Congress as a representative,” foundation board member Sam Bryant said. “Everything from the point of her birth, to her attendance at Texas Southern University, and to her teaching at the University of Texas, LBJ School of Public Affairs.” 2020 marks the end of the 10year period indicated in the legislative bill, but Bryant said he believes this exhibit will surpass

eddie gaspar | the daily texan staff In a Capitol exhibit, a news print from Nov. 8th, 1972’s edition of The Evening Bulletin reporting Barbara Jordan’s victory is in a collage. Barbara Jordan is being remembered for being the first black woman to be elected to the House of Representatives since Reconstruction.

its 10-year expiration date. He said Jordan’s powerful significance in history is indisputable and should be remembered for years to come. “She was an extraordinarily principled woman, politician and congressperson who always executed her principled view that emanated from the Constitution with an extraordinarily high

degree of prudence and political savvy,” said Gary Jacobsohn, law and government professor. “I don’t recall anybody else from that period who has exemplified the finest traditions of our Constitution more than Barbara Jordan.” Hanna Munin, a public affairs graduate student, said Jordan is a role model for young people to this day.

“I hope to guide my career in public service by doing something Barbara Jordan would be proud of,” Munin said. “I think that’s something that the younger generation can look forward to as well.” Sarah Gonzalez Claytor, a public affairs graduate student, said she was especially inspired by the barriers Jordan broke in her

career as not only a woman, but as a woman of color. “The Texas Capitol still has a good ways to go to receive equitable representation for both women and people of color,” Gonzalez Claytor said. “So I’m really happy that the Barbara Jordan’s story is on display for this week and I hope it inspires a new generation civic leaders.”

STATE

Higher Education Commitee reviews new Title IX regulations By Katie Balevic @KatelynBalevic

The House Higher Education Committee met for the first time this session on Wednesday, to discuss the state of higher education and Title IX regulations. Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes said Legislature funding for higher education hasn’t kept up with increased tuition and fees across the state. “State support and state appropriations for higher education has declined significantly, but they haven’t declined as fast as the cost of tuition and fees has gone up,” Paredes said. Net tuition and fees in Texas have increased 90 percent since 2003, while state funding has decreased 26 percent, Paredes said. “There’s a significant gap there,” Paredes said. “We can’t say tuition and fees (are) going up entirely due to the decline of state support. That’s simply not true.” The variation in tuition and fees ben tween institutions is partly due to the o affluence of the area a given university r is located in, Paredes said. e “Universities and community d colleges are very sensitive to their - markets,” Paredes said. “The placo es where tuition and fees tend to be lowest are in the least affluent parts of the state … because the institutions understand that their students can’t afford to pay what students at other d institutions can.”

eddie gaspar | the daily texan staff Daniel H. Sharphorn, vice chancellor and general counsel, spoke with a panel regarding the limited legal procedures under the current Title IX policies.

But Paredes said a Texas education is still a bargain compared to other states. “If you compare quality versus cost, you’ll see that institutions like UT-Austin and Texas A&M regularly appear on lists of best bargains in higher

education,” Paredes said. “Our community colleges are the third least expensive in the country.” The committee also heard testimony on Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ proposed changes to the regulations of Title IX, the law that prohibits federally

funded institutions from discriminating on the basis of sex. The regulations were released in late November and subject to a 60 day public comment period, which was extended for two days in January and will reopen for one day Feb. 15 due to technical issues

preventing submission of comments. “We’ve always had sexual harassment policies, but in recent years, there’s been some more guidance under the Obama era,” said Daniel Sharphorn, vice chancellor and general counsel to the UT System. “Now the Department of Education wants to change the guidance to a set of regulations, and those regulations have a number of things that we do find concerning.” Sharphorn said the Department of Education has received more than 104,000 comments on the proposed regulations. The UT System submitted a 15-page comment which included critiques on the proposed regulations’ narrower definition of sexual harassment and the requirement of cross-examination of the complainant and accused. “It’s unclear at this time what changes will be made to the proposed regulations and how quickly they will move,” said Ray Bonilla, chief legal officer to the Texas A&M University System. Heather Hadlock, Title IX coordinator at East Texas Baptist University, said the proposed regulations are attempting to create a more court-like atmosphere for Title IX investigations. But many Title IX complaints deal with muddy waters of whether consent was given — something Hadlock said is not easily determined in a court-like setting. “We want the ability to take care of our students in the way that we want to take care of them,” Sharphorn said.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

EDITORIAL

brittany le

| the daily texan staff

Explaining consent at UT “Consent: A voluntary, mutually understandable agreement that clearly indicates a willingness to engage in each instance of sexual activity. Consent to one act does not imply consent to another. Past consent does not imply future consent. Consent to engage in sexual activity with one person does not imply consent to engage in sexual activity with another. Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Any expression of an unwillingness to engage in any instance of sexual activity establishes a presumptive lack of consent.” — UT’S DEFINITION OF CONSENT

By The Daily Texan Editorial Board

What does consent mean?

If consent is not involved in your sexual activities, it becomes sexual violence. There is no room for interpretation or assumptions or misunderstandings. Communication about sexual activity can’t afford to be vague. But the intricacies of consent can be hard to understand. The consequences of misunderstanding can be irreversible, unacceptable and detrimental to those involved. Our bodies are ours and no one else’s. Participating in sexual activities means sharing your body with someone else — with permission. Everyone deserves to choose when that permission is given. And a solid understanding of what means yes, what means no and what those words mean is essential. Consent is defined by the University as a voluntary, mutually understandable agreement. They say consent must be clearly indicated and that the willingness to engage in sexual activity must be freely communicated with each instance and without any incapacitation. In short, choice of clothing, level of intoxication, ability to communicate and sexual history should not be used as excuses to assume consent. Consent is simple, and if it isn’t given or if it is rescinded at any time, no sexual activity is acceptable.

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

Violations of consent are enforced by UT’s policy, as well as by federal, state and local laws. If violated and reported, there are serious consequences for engaging in sexual activity without mutual, voluntary and clear consent.

Consent in practice

In practice, consent can seem

way in ensuring that all parties involved are safe. Remember that relationships themselves do not signal consent. Just because you are dating someone does not mean they consent to having sex with you every time you want to. Talking honestly with your partner is key here.

“If you’re not mature enough to ask for consent or don’t understand the severity of the situation, you should not be having sex.”

complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Before engaging in sexual activity, talk to your partner. This might seem awkward or uncomfortable, but discussing sexual activity is key to getting consent When you’re unsure of whether or not you have consent, just ask your partner. Never make assumptions. A quick, affirmative conversation can go a long

Consent can be revoked at any time. Whether you’re having sex with someone and you’re uncomfortable, or someone you’re having sex with seems uncomfortable, prior consent is not constant. You can stop whenever you want. And you have to stop if your partner wants you to. Pay attention to how your potential partner is acting. If

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

at any point they seem uncomfortable or wary or distracted or tense, just ask. All you need to do is ask. Also be aware of situations where your partner is incapable of consenting. Someone who feels coerced, or incapacitated by alcohol or drug use cannot give consent. Even if you’re also intoxicated, you must get consent. Being drunk is never a valid excuse for committing acts of sexual violence. This is probably the hardest part of the consent guidelines for college students to understand. A lot of college social life — especially dating and sex — includes alcohol, and understanding the line here can be complicated. A rule of thumb for this: If you wouldn’t let someone drive themself home, don’t have sex with them.

Learn more

If you’re still confused, UT’s Voices Against Violence offers comprehensive violence prevention and response programs. Use these services — a lack of understanding can seriously harm your partner, and the consequences on nonconsensual sex can follow both participants the rest of their lives. Pursue a solid understanding of what consent means, and plan for situations where your understanding may be tested. If you’re not mature enough to ask for consent or don’t understand the severity of the situation, you should not be having sex.

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

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

FILM

Forbidden fruit of film industry: inside Rotten Tomatoes

alekka hernandez

| the daily texan staff

Rotten Tomatoes has taken the film world by storm. oversimplifies what a movie is. Every single tomato-certified review has an impact on the film’s score. Partridge said this hard, 60 Move over critics, a percent cutoff makes a large differfruit has more power ence to films straddling the border. than individualized opinions. “You are working with arbitrary As of late, two simple words have cutoffs, if you’ve defined fresh as had an enormous effect on the film being 60 percent, you’ll have a film industry — “rotten” and “fresh.” with 59 percent that’s rotten or 61 Rotten Tomatoes is a website that percent that’s fresh. You can have a generates a rating percentage for single critic make that difference,” films based on critic reviews. If a said Partridge, a molecular bioscifilm is rated higher than 60 perences assistant professor. cent, it’s rewarded with a positive Although Rotten Tomatoes’ icon of a “fresh” tomato. If a film makeup is divisive, it has a large has a rating less than 60 percent, effect on moviegoers and their init’s accompanied by a negative terpretation of cinema. Radio-tele“rotten” green splash. vision-film freshman Aly Gomaa With moviegoers relying on said he factors in Rotten Tomatoes a tomato’s health to determine when deciding to watch a movie. Texas Student Media will keep you connected whether they want to see a movie, “I don’t think (Rotten Tomatoes) with daily links to news,tosports andwhat culture it isthe important understand speaks to how good a movie is, but the rating Jon Partridge, you can really tell what the whole stories shaping themeans. UT community. Austin Film Critics Association audience thinks of a certain movmember, said the Tomatometer ie,” Gomaa said. ”If (a movie is)

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at a 20 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, it might make me change my opinion in regards to whether I want to see that movie or not.” Instead of falling under “fresh” or “rotten,” film reviews instead highlight various aspects of a film and how they contribute to the final product. Ed Travis, a Tomatometer-approved critic, said critics often choose the tomato for their review. “I upload my own work to Rotten Tomatoes, so at least for me I am determining the ‘fresh’ or the ‘rotten’ when I submit my work,” Travis said. “I think the top critics around the country are not putting in their own work, it seems like there are third parties involved at Rotten Tomatoes that determine the fresh or the rotten for their particular review.” Since Rotten Tomatoes is heavily based on critics’ opinions, it is important to ensure the pool of

reviews is diverse and objective. Partridge said Rotten Tomatoes’ critic makeup has been broadening in terms of diversity. “A year ago it was predominantly older white men, and that’s not reflective of audiences of certain films,” Partridge said. “If you have a kid’s film or a film that is targeted at women, you need to have that kind of makeup in the reviewing as well.” While Rotten Tomatoes may have some faults in its overall makeup, it is clearly a heavily used medium for film fans and critics. At the end of the day, whether a Tomatometer rating is positive or controversial, it will only help to engage people with the art of cinema. “(Rotten Tomatoes is) a lightning rod in a way, it oversimplifies, but it does draw attention to the film,” Partridge said.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

MEN’S BASKETBALL

anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Guard Kerwin Roach II finishes at the rim during Texas’ 71-64 loss against Kansas State. Tuesday’s loss gives Texas a .500 conference record and moves the Longhorns to sixth in the Big 12.

KSU’s halftime changes plague Texas Weber’s second half adjustments help Wildcats avoid loss. By Steve Helwick @s_helwick

he time finally seemed to arrive. The inconsistencies were finally wiped away, rhythm was established on the offensive side of the ball and three consecutive conference wins looked to be in the works for the Texas Longhorns. Texas commanded much of the first half against No. 18 Kansas State, securing a 3931 lead with a little over 100 seconds before halftime. But minute by minute, the lead evaporated and wholly disintegrated by the 15-minute mark. The final result was a crushing seven-point defeat in Austin, the Longhorns’ first at home in exactly one month. How exactly did the Wildcats reverse all of Texas’ first half progress?

Zoning in on Texas

In the opening half, the Longhorns were more than prolific at driving to the hoop. Texas finished at the rim on the majority of scoring possessions, scoring 24 points in the paint before the break. Leading the charge

was guard Kerwin Roach II. The tenured senior faced little resistance blazing past his matchup and earning high-percentage shots within several feet of the basket. Then, everything changed in the second half. “I didn’t think we had good composure on the defensive end in the first half,” Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber said. “We wanted to fight them. Maybe we were a little too overanxious. They got us all spread out, they got in the paint, but we’re usually so good at being in the lane. Second half, we were much more compact. We changed a couple things.” Weber elected to switch to a zone defense, a rare occurrence for the Wildcats. The zone defense proved pertinent to halting Texas’ paint presence, as clogging the lane provided a security blanket on drives at all times. Kansas State played the percentages, forcing Texas to resort to 3-pointers. The Longhorns finished 4-of-19 from beyond the arc, and no player sunk more than one triple throughout the night. Texas managed just eight points in the paint after halftime, and Roach was shut out with zero second half field goals. “They definitely made us a shooting team — we just didn’t knock down the shots,” Roach said of Kansas State’s zone. “When you go zone, you’re supposed to protect the middle. That’s what zones are made for. You gotta make shots outside to get them out of the zone, or just penetrate in and kick it out

for a shot or get a dunk down, but we didn’t get either.”

Barry Brown on the Rebound

It won’t be the most glamorous or memorable play from Tuesday night’s showdown, but it was the most meaningful. With 1:51 remaining and holding onto a 67-64 lead, Kansas State point guard Barry Brown Jr. bricked a 3-pointer from the corner. However, Brown followed his own attempt and snagged the rebound within an instant, birthing a new 30 seconds of shot clock for the Wildcats. Kansas State capitalized on the free possession, extending a one-score lead to a daunting four-point advantage with under 90 seconds left. “I thought that was going in. I think every shot’s going in,” Brown said. “I was kind of surprised by it. I just wanted to make the play. We needed that rebound to run some more time off the clock.” Texas never saw another opportunity down three points or fewer. The Longhorns failed to score a single point in the final 2:17 of the game, snapping the team’s two-game win streak and three-game home streak to fall to .500 in conference play. “It’s crunch time of conference play, coming off of two good games,” point guard Matt Coleman III said. “We played well, we just didn’t do enough. Didn’t get one more stop, didn’t get one extra possession for ourselves, so today was like a detail game, and they capitalized off our missed details.”

SOFTBALL

Longhorns continue aggressive approach heading into Clearwater Elite Invitational to build on undefeated start By Sydney Tasman @sydneytasman

After taking part in four games over just two days last weekend, the Longhorns had only one day of practice before they begin competition in the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitation in Florida on Thursday. Through its first slate of games, Texas held true to its preseason goals by staying aggressive on the plate and the pitcher’s mound. And while the Longhorns enter Thursday’s game with a 4–0 record, they plan to continue falling back on their discipline. “Aggression all comes down to the confidence we have in ourselves,” All-American second baseman Janae Jefferson said. The primary focus of the Longhorns right now is to bring aggression to every aspect of their play. Whether it is defensively on base or offensively at bat, both head coach Mike White and players have stressed the importance of stepping up their game with a newfound confidence to get the results they want. “We wanna score runs, a lot of runs,” said Reagan Hathaway, a center fielder who made her

comeback debut last weekend after sitting out most of the previous season recovering from an ACL injury. “Being aggressive is a big part of that, so it’s just a focus of taking the next base if you can, tagging up if you can, being aggressive early in the count, hunting your pitch, not letting all the good ones go by.” In the first weekend of play, Texas scored 32 runs in all while winning by run-rule in three of the four games — an accomplishment the Longhorns only achieved five times all of last season. “(Our offense) has come alive this season, and I feel like that has something to do with the coaching staff that’s been brought in,” Jefferson said. The knowledge White has brought to Texas gives the team an intensity and energy necessary for its success in this weekend’s tournament, where a higher level of competition is anticipated. The Longhorns will face teams from the SEC, which includes LSU and Kentucky. Texas and LSU met previously during a fall season tournament in Houston where LSU fell to the Longhorns, 8-6, in nine innings. White gives credit

joshua guenther | the daily texan file Second baseman Janae Jefferson tries to make a play with her arm in an 8-0 Longhorn victory against Boston College on Feb. 10.

to LSU’s quick-paced play and pitching depth in the high-intensity matchup, and highlights LSU’s Amanda Sanchez, who currently holds a .692 batting average, as a big threat. As for Kentucky, White

anticipates a different challenge, however, based on the Wildcats’ style of play. He pulls from his experience facing them last year as the head coach at Oregon in order to prepare for what they might see on the field

in Clearwater. “We got a long way to go and we know that but … we have to be confident we can play with the best and the only way you find out is by facing them,” White said.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, February 14, 2019

Crossword

SUDOKUFORYOU 3 5

7 9

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

Today’s solution will appear here next issue

8 5 4 6 1 3 2 9 7

1 6 9 7 4 2 8 5 3

7 2 3 8 9 5 6 1 4

3 8 1 2 7 9 5 4 6

6 7 5 4 3 8 1 2 9

4 9 2 5 6 1 3 7 8

2 3 6 9 5 4 7 8 1

5 4 7 1 8 6 9 3 2

9 1 8 3 2 7 4 6 5

ACROSS 1 Italian scooter 6 Endurance 10 Glimpses 15 Like a necktie near the end of a long workday, maybe 16 Big name in cosmetics 17 Another nickname for the Governator 18 Bass group? 19 Give stars to 20 Prize that comes with 9 million kronor 21 Kidnapper who gets arrested? 24 Page listing 25 Once-over 26 Soccer player Hamm 27 Measure of purity 29 Win a one-on-one game against a Toronto hoops player?

34 Army allowance 37 Gun-shy 38 Spiffy top 39 Even up 40 Partner of pieces 41 Elates 42 Long time out? 43 Not altogether 44 Playwright Sean who wrote “The Plough and the Stars” 45 “I don’t want this house after all”? 48 Japanese box meal 49 Group of traffic cops, for short?

62 Eastern European capital 63 Hoffman who wrote “Steal This Book” 64 What photocopiers do 65 Church chorus 66 Gave a pill, say 67 River whose name comes entirely from the last eight letters of the alphabet 68 Sacred text … or your reaction upon figuring out this puzzle’s theme?

DOWN 1 Oklahoma’s ___ Air Force Base 2 Attempt 55 Synagogue singer with hokey 3 FaceTime humor? alternative 59 Pizazz 4 Confined, with “up” 61 “No problem at all!” 5 “You’ve got to be kidding me!” ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 6 Mustang catcher 7 “Dear ___ G I F T S S W I F T Hansen” (2017 M I N I S K I M I L L I Tony winner) I N K I N W I L D T H I N G 8 Dark kind of look I L L S I R I S L I S P S 9 Some court wear I D S I R T T W I N I N T C R I N G I N G 10 Oh, what an actress! R I F F S B L I N G K I R 11 Tennis ___ I S I S B R I N K Z I T I G I N S L I N G M I D S T 12 Things in the backs of Macs S T I F L I N G W I G R I N G S I X F B I 13 Theater seating info S P R I G I N I T S I R S 14 What bears do in I R I S H T I G H T K N I T the market T I N C T C H I M I N G 22 “The Last Jedi” S I K H S S N I P S director Johnson 50 ___ economy 53 E’en if

Edited by Will Shortz 1

26 30

47 49

55 60

48 54

29 35

10 17

No. 0110

PUZZLE BY JEFF SLUTZKY AND DEREK BOWMAN

23 Not a single 28 Show up 29 Galoot 30 How this clue appears 30 How this clue appears 31 ___ yoga 32 Like some shoppes 33 Optimistic 34 Billiards need 35 It’s a relief 36 Ticking dangers

40 Margaret Thatcher, e.g., in her later years 41 Derides 43 James who sang at the opening of the 1984 Summer Olympics 44 “Beetle Bailey” dog 46 Crept (along) 47 Need to speak 50 Many an intern 51 Skater Slutskaya

52 Grind, in a way 53 Mr. with a “Wild Ride” at Disneyland 54 Drifter 56 Savoir-faire 57 Anthem starter 58 Italy’s Lake ___ 60 Pizza delivery

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

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

MUSIC

Music brings hope to homeless Pure Goodness Band unites Community First! Village through music, friendship. By Sandeep Bhakta @sandeep_bhakta

n a city continuously striving for progress, those who have encountered homelessness are often marginalized by Austin’s populace and rarely given a chance at connection. However, at Community First! Village, those who have experienced chronic homelessness are given an opportunity to feel the warmth of community by means of music. This is achieved by the Pure Goodness Band, composed of individuals who have all experienced not having a home. This group is tethered together by three core members. Lee Espinoza shreds the guitar, Nick Christian plays the bass and John Brown connects to the audience with his drums. Each member comes from different musical backgrounds to create a sound that blends elements of funk and rock. Espinoza said that Pure Goodness means everything to him. “I’ve been looking for something like (Pure Goodness) for a long time,” Espinoza said. “I thought my music life was over, and then I ran into these guys.” After being homeless for about a year, Espinoza said he finally has everything at

the Village because of Pure Goodness and the music he helps create. Furthermore, he retains a modesty which serves to accentuate his talent and magnify his feelings of being home. As the group’s founder, drummer John Brown made it a point to gather members of the community for the band. Although he’s been in various groups over the course of his life, Brown said Pure Goodness is special. “Everybody that lives out here (is) homeless and has been through the rug, so if they see what we’re doing, it inspires them,” Brown said. With the group, Brown is attempting to reinforce the community already present. Additionally, Brown also stresses the importance of bringing other individuals out of isolation through musical expression. “There are a lot more musicians here, they just aren’t coming out, and I want them to come out,” Brown said. Nick Christian, the trio’s youngest member, is the band’s bass player, a resident at the Village and a resident at Dell Medical School. Christian’s tiny home, with an interior space that struggles to fit three people, serves as the band’s rehearsal spot. When each instrument is plugged in and the group begins to play, the one ceiling light flickers in rhythm with the music. The entirety of the small room then vibrates with their sound. Christian said Pure Goodness’ music has created friendships and connections that were otherwise not possible. “Music through this group has helped me to get closer to people,” Christian said. “That is what keeps me going in the band and what honestly anchored me (at Community First! Village).” Kaylan Fric, a volunteer

andre fernadez | the daily texan staff Lee Espinoza shreds the guitar, Nick Christian plays the bass (back left) and John Brown connects to the audience with his drums (back right). Together they are Pure Goodness, composed of individuals who have all experienced not having a home, they share this message through folk and rock music.

who regularly interacts with the Village, said music is a great way to unify people. “I think the formerly

homeless, like most people, have stories to tell,” psychology junior Fric said. “But if you care enough to know this

community, you’ll see all their triumphs, like having friends they can count on. And it gives others hope.”

FILM

Academy Awards lacks female director representation By Savannah J Salazar @savannahjai

This year’s Academy Awards nominees included no females in the Best Director category. It’s nothing new. Since the first Academy Awards in 1929, only five women have been nominated for Best Director and 13 female-directed films have been nominated for Best Picture. From those nominees, only one woman has won Best Director and only one female-directed film has won Best Picture. Radio-television-film lecturer Jennifer McClearen isn’t surprised by this year’s all-male director nominees. She said it’s an all-toocommon occurrence, because female filmmakers face many barriers to success. Some of these barriers include the stereotypes of

women not being leaders or not being able to work under pressure, which are common qualities Hollywood looks for in a director. “It’s a vicious cycle. Hollywood wants directors who have proven themselves and show that they can manage a major film,” McClearen said. “If women don’t get the initial opportunity, then they never have a chance to show that they can succeed at such a major task.” Despite the lack of women nominees, 2018 saw several women-led and directed films, such as the critically acclaimed “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” the beloved rom-com “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” as well as Sandi Tan’s fascinating documentary “Shirkers.” While it’s hard for women, it’s even harder for transgender women to receive recognition, radio-television-film senior Ilana Mittleman said. 2017’s “A Fantastic Woman”

is the only film with an openly transgender female lead to win an Academy Award. Mittleman says she very rarely sees herself represented on screen, with the exception of last year’s “Assassination Nation” starring Hari Nef, a transgender actress and model. “It shouldn’t matter if you’re a guy or girl but that you tell a truly good, honest story that speaks to a lot of people,” Mittleman said. “But with that being said, I do hope more women, people of color, trans women in particular, are given the same opportunities that men are. I want to see us on the same playing field.” One way to combat this is an inclusion rider. An inclusion rider is a contract addition where actors and actresses can require a certain amount of diversity within their project’s cast and crew. McClearen said it’s a great way to diversify Hollywood. She said it gives women and people of color the

chance to meet more people and work on big productions. “Men in power should make a commitment to offering informal opportunities and connections to aspiring women directors as they do to men,” McClearen said. Which is why inclusion riders are important in terms of mentorship and networking, said McClearen. Radio-television-film Audrey Griffin and Mittleman both agree that while the lack of representation at awards can be discouraging, they’ve found support in their peers and with their personal directing projects. They have hope that things will start to change. “Hopefully, things change from board members at big production companies to directors,” Griffin said. “Be more inclusive of women, LGBTQ people and people of color because the industry needs to really just become more reflective of the makeup of the world.”

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copyright vicram chatterjee, and reproduced with permission The Academy Awards have a lackluster track record in nominating female directors. UT students reflect on the current state of the film industry and its lack of diversity.

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