The Daily Texan 2019-02-15 by The Daily Texan

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

volume

119,

issue

NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

Jester West residents complain of lack of hot water in showers above the 6th floor. PA G E 2

UT should make it easier for students to have interdisciplinary studies. PA G E 4

21 Savage ICE detainment draws public eye to state department. PA G E 8

Texas continues perfect start on road, gets another run-rule win against Cal. PA G E 6

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CAMPUS

WEST CAMPUS

UT leads energy production

West Campus lighting to improve, says city memo

The UT power plant serves as an efficient energy example to which other power plants and universities should strive.

By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez

By Mason Carroll @MasonCCarroll

Residents of West Campus will see several lighting improvements throughout the area as soon as this summer, according to a memo released last month by the Austin Transportation Department. The Austin City Council passed a resolution in May 2017 directing Austin city manager Spencer Cronk to complete a lighting study of West Campus and to make recommendations for lighting strategies to improve pedestrian safety. The memo outlines the short-term, midterm and long-term plans for lighting upgrades. Kathie Tovo, District 9 council member, whose district includes West Campus, said lighting was an area Student Government representatives and others consistently said needs improvement. Tovo, whose district includes west campus said a thorough study was necessary to pinpoint all issues. “We make sure that redevelopment is also integrating the best lighting design possible for safety … so that we’re continually working toward improving people’s perceived, but also their real sense of safety in Austin and West Campus,” Tovo said. “We know lighting discourages crime and criminal activity. Having good lighting is really important to ensuring safe spaces for people.” The study found 21 percent of existing lighting fixtures needed maintenance, did not work or were obstructed by trees. Shortterm recommendations include repairing nonfunctioning lights and trimming trees that block lighting. This is expected to be completed by this summer, according to the study. However, the city expects it WEST CAMPUS

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very time a student turns on a light or plugs in their laptop, they spark the University power plant, which provides energy to the nearly 20 million square feet of UT property. The plant has a budget of $60 million a year and produces three forms of energy: electricity, steam and chilled water. Juan Ontiveros, associate vice president for Utilities and Energy Management, said the plant uses the same amount of energy today that it used in 1976, even though UT has added 9 million square feet since then. “We’re the most efficient in the country,” Ontiveros said. “We’re the largest in the country. We’re the most efficient university. We’re the golden standard. No one matches us.” Ontiveros said the buildings using the most energy are research buildings because they use fume hoods to get rid of toxic air from research projects. According to the Utilities Energy Portal, Welch Hall is the highest energy user of the research buildings and costs the University $3.1 million a year. “Safety is a big issue with the research buildings,” Ontiveros said. “We want to make sure the researcher or the students doing the research are not going to be contaminated by whatever they are doing.” Jester Dormitory uses $2.1 million worth of energy annually, the most of any student housing building. Jester also leads energy use in academic buildings, costing just under $1 million. Other buildings with high energy consumption are the Norman Hackerman Building and the Blanton Museum. While these numbers may seem like a lot, Ontiveros said the power plant is 30 percent cheaper than using Austin Energy. If energy prices go up, so does tuition,

ENERGY

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bixie mathieu

| the daily texan staff

UNIVERSITY

CITY

Cumberland family calls for transparency from those involved in hazing reform

Music fellowship honors Draylen Mason By Cynthia Miranda @cynthiamirandax

anthony mireles | the daily texan staff The Cumberland family is asking student organizations for transparency in their “Delcare Your Hand” movement to curb hazing on campus. The movement’s intention is to start a conversation with students and University officials to avoid severe injuries and deaths attributed to hazing.

By Lisa Nhan @lmhan24

In anticipation of their Friday meeting with UT administration, the family of Nicky Cumberland released a letter requesting that those involved in hazing reform be transparent about their personal history with hazing.

This call for transparency, coined the “Declare Your Hand” movement by the Cumberland family, is in addition to other hazing reforms outlined in a letter to the University last Monday. “Being fully transparent will be uncomfortable and painful initially, but it pales in comparison to the lifelong agony of too many grieving

parents around the country today,” Shawn Cumberland, Nicky’s father, said in the letter. Nicky Cumberland died last semester from injuries sustained in a car crash on the way back from the annual Texas Cowboys initiation retreat. The Cumberland family then requested hazing investigations with the University

and University Police, which are still ongoing. In the letter, Cumberland said journalists and UT administrators have a responsibility to ask about personal hazing history before involving anyone in reform efforts or accepting statements on the issue.

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Nearly one year after the death of Draylen Mason, the Austin Soundwaves music program announced its first class of Draylen Mason Fellows. Mason was 17 when he was killed by a package explosion last year. He had been accepted to UT’s Butler School of Music and was part of Austin Soundwaves, a music program created by The Hispanic Alliance in 2011. The program works with Title I public schools, which are schools with a significant number of children from low-income families, to provide students with access to music instruction for free, said Austin Soundwaves director Patrick Slevin. Now, they also have the Draylen Mason Fellows program. “We wanted to present a program that would be in Draylen’s spirit and try to in a small way make our community a better place,” Slevin said. Slevin said through the fellowship program, students will receive a $1,000 stipend to use to attend music camps, cultural events, conferences and travel. The first class of all-women fellows are Cristal Martinez from the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Sarah Chu from McNeil High School, Angie Ferguson from Austin High School and Barbara Reyes from East Austin College Prep.

“They’re very diverse and an interesting group of young musicians,” Slevin said. “We have three violinists and one french horn player.” During the fall, the committee reviewed applications, which included a musical audition. Among the selection committee were members of Austin

We wanted to present a program that would be in Draylen’s spirit and try to in a small way make our community a better place.”

PAT R I C K S L E V I N

AUSTIN SOUNDWAVES DIRECTOR

Soundwaves, The Hispanic Alliance, Austin radio station KMFA 89.5 and Mother Falcon Music Lab — all organizations involved in Mason’s music education, Slevin said. Slevin said the fellowship will

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CLAIRE ALLBRIGHT NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Liza Anderson Managing Editor Forrest Milburn Assoc. Managing Editors Catherine Marfin, Andrea D’Mello Director of Digital Strategy Alexandria Dominguez Assoc. Editors Bella McWhorter, Emily Caldwell, Angelica Lopez Forum Editors Jennifer Liu News Editor Claire Allbright Assoc. News Editors Anna Lassmann, Sami Sparber News Desk Editors Gracie Awalt, Meghan Nguyen, Meara Isenberg, Hannah Daniel, Raga Justin Beat Reporters Chase Karacostas, Tien Nguyen, Chad Lyle, Katie Balevic, Hannah Ortega, Savana Dunning, Rahi Dakwala, Mason Carroll, Nicole Stuessy, Jackson Barton, Emily Hernandez Projects Editor Ellie Breed Projects Reporters Maria Mendez, London Gibson, Lisa Nhan, Morgan O’Hanlon, Kayla Meyertons Projects Designer Rena Li Copy Desk Chief Kirsten Handler

Assoc. Video Editors Faith Castle, Bonny Chu Photo Editor Katie Bauer Assoc. Photo Editors Anthony Mireles, Carlos Garcia Senior Photographers Eddie Gaspar, Angela Wang. Joshua Guenther, Ryan Lam, Pedro Luna Life&Arts Editors Tiana Woodard, Jordyn Zitman Assoc. Life&Arts Editor Brooke Sjoberg Sr. Life&Arts Writers John Melendez, Landry Allred, Trent Thompson Sports Editor Ross Burkhart Assoc. Sports Editors Steve Helwick, Keshav Prathivadi Senior Sports Reporters Robert Larkin, Donnavan Smoot, Cameron Parker Comics Editors Channing Miller, Bixie Mathieu Assoc. Comics Editor Lauren Ibanez Senior Comics Artists Alekka Hernandez, Andrew Choi Social Media Editor Ryan Steppe Assoc. Social Media Editor Tirza Ortiz

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ISSUE STAFF Comic Artists Cynthia Treviño, Albert Lee, Raquel Higine, Barbra Daly, Lindsay Edwards Columnists Henry Corwin, Neha Dronamraju Copy Editors Minnah Zaheer, Aubrey Medrano, Madison Johson, Divya Jagdeesh Designers Claire Bills, Maria Perez

Illustrators Nikole Peña, Barbra Daly, Raquel Higine, Albert Lee L&A Reporters Celesia Smith, Abby Hopkins, Kamari Esquerra News Reporters Cynthia Miranda Photographers Saba Rahimian, Eran L’Roy Sports Reporters Sydney Tasman, Daniela Perez

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

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

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RESEARCH

Heart simulator to improve future surgeries By Rahi Dakwala @Rdakwala

A new computational modeling technique for the heart’s mitral valve will help surgeons better customize each patient’s heart surgery. Michael Sacks, the project’s lead researcher and a biomedical engineering professor, said the technique will allow surgeons to model the mitral valve before surgery and simulate different mitral valve surgical procedures to predict outcomes. “This is the first (computational modeling technique) that can take patient-specific information of the mitral valve and create a patient-specific model of (the valve),” Sacks said. Blood is pumped from the left atrium to the left ventricle of the heart, and the mitral valve separates the two chambers, said Mark Pirwitz, chief of the division of cardiology at Dell Medical School. “If the mitral valve leaks, regurgitation can occur, where blood flows backwards,” Pirwitz said. “(This) increases heart pressure and can lead to heart dysfunction, heart failure and cause the heart muscle to weaken over time.” Pirwitz said depending on the underlying issue, there are a number of different surgical techniques for repairing a regurgitating mitral valve. However, the problem with these treatments is surgeons cannot tell how patients will respond post-surgery, Sacks said. “Some patients respond very well, while others re-experience mitral valve regurgitation post surgery,” Sacks said. This is because surgeons currently have no way of accounting for the natural variations in the structure of the mitral valve for each

nikole peña

patient, said Amir Khalighi, a research assistant at the UT Institute for Computational Engineering and Science. The structure of the mitral valve affects how it responds to stress, and there are currently no techniques available to allow surgeons to model the valve’s response, Pirwitz said. “As of now, surgical decisions for mitral valve repair are based on the surgeon’s experience and through an

analysis of the image of the valve, which is obtained from echocardiography imaging,” Pirwitz said. Echocardiography imaging uses sound waves to create images of the heart. To help improve surgical outcomes, the computational modeling technique will take these pre-surgical images of the mitral valve and turn it into a model, Sacks said. “The model simulates the structure of the valve and

shows how it closes (in its pre-surgical state),” Sacks said. “From there, (the model) can simulate different (surgical) scenarios and choose the scenario that predicts the best outcome.” The model, developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Georgia Tech, is not in clinical use right now but is being optimized for usage in a hospital setting, Khalighi said. “So far, the model has

| the daily texan staff

shown high predictive power,” Khalighi said of the computational model, which is currently being tested on past clinical data. With the complexities and challenges of mitral valve surgery, Pirwitz said he welcomes the new modeling technique. “Anything that we can do to impact the outcomes of our patients and any tools we can use to determine the likelihood of success will be invaluable,” Pirwitz said.

CAMPUS

Hot showers are hot commodities in Jester West By Nicole Stuessy @nicolesteussy

For a group of residents on the 12th floor of Jester West, getting a hot shower is dirty business. “There’s about 30 guys who are sharing one hot shower,” neuroscience freshman Madhav Singh said. “What you have to do is notice when the shower is occupied and when its not, and you just have to run to the shower as soon as you can when they get out.” Of the four community showers in this hallway on the 12th floor, only one has consistently hot water, Singh said. This leads residents to alter their showering habits, such as going at certain hours or venturing onto different floors. Business freshman Dilichi Ogbutor said he packs a bag and walks outside to the first floor of Jester East to shower in his friend’s room. “I have my own private bath and it’s freezing cold,” Ogbutor said. “I think it’s just the upper floors. I have friends who live on the 4th and 5th floors and they get hot water.” Nearly 1,800 Jester West residents shower on 14 floors. After receiving an increased number of cold water complaints in December, maintenance employees found water heaters in the basement were not flowing at full capacity, said Rick Early, director of residential facilities operations. “During the holidays, when we could turn off all of the water, we literally went in there and repiped all of the water heaters and about 100

energy

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Ontiveros said. “One of the things that we believe in is providing the best service we possibly can,” Ontiveros said. “If I cost more, then the campus has to pay more, and tuition will probably cost more. So by controlling my cost, I am also helping control tuition.” Mathematics freshman David Pappachan said he knows tuition is extremely expensive and while it can be frustrating, it is nice to

feet of the supply line,” Early said. “Since Christmas, I have had very few complaints. I have checked the water personally and we have had good flow everywhere.” However, Early said even when everything is operating correctly, it’s difficult to ensure everyone, especially those on higher floors, has the amount of hot water they need. “Every lavatory, every set of showers, every laundry room has a separate hot water line that runs from the basement all the way to the top of the building — that’s about 140 times in West alone,” Early said. “If you are on the 14th floor and the water is having to travel from the basement, it takes longer to get there.” Because Austin water has a higher level of calcium, buildups in pipes can also cause issues with hot water, Early said. “Over time, calcium will build up in the pipes, and it usually builds up the most at the water heater,” Early said. “Periodically we have to go in there and do some repairs on the pipes. It doesn’t matter which building it is.” Despite these repairs, public health freshman Anney Vo said she has had consistent problems with hot water this semester. “I usually shower either at really random times of the day, like 3 p.m. or 3 a.m., to get hot showers,” Vo said. “It’s still an issue.” Singh said he also hasn’t noticed a difference in water temperature on his floor. “It’s definitely still a problem,” Singh said. “I would not recommend

know there are ways it is also being reduced. “College expenses are extremely high, but you still have to start somewhere,” Pappachan said. “I think it’s important to have a power plant on campus, especially if it cuts costs.” Ontiveros said cutting energy and production costs is the right thing to do, not only for tuition reasons but also environmental ones. Scott Tinker, a geoscience professor who specializes in energy, said he thinks this is a step in the right direction.

w i o w fi f 2 c

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that anyone live in Jester West above the 6th floor.” Early said for those students still dealing with hot water problems, they should file maintenance requests. “I think we have got it to a point

“I’m thrilled with what UT is doing,” Tinker said. “It makes sense. We should continue to engage that way and I love the vision. You start thinking about it, you start improving.” The plant is looking to continue cutting costs and energy in the future, and Ontiveros said he is always striving to do better. “Since I can’t really compare myself against others, I compare myself against myself,” Ontiveros said. “So how am I doing year over year, day over day, against myself.”

| the daily texan staff

now where we can handle things on an individual basis,” Early said. “This summer we do plan on doing some additional work just to make sure we don’t have any issues in the future as well.”

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“If somebody is saying, ‘I don’t think this is extreme behavior,’ but they had participated in (hazing) then whoever is hearing that...needs to understand the point of reference of the speaker,” Cumberland said to The Daily Texan. “Otherwise it perpetuates an offender defending bad behavior within organizations.” On Friday, the Cumberland family will have

their first in-person dialogue with the University about hazing reform. Cumberland said the University has been “welcoming (him) to the table” on discussions about preventing hazing. “I want them to have the chance to ask me about our recommendations and for us start a fruitful dialogue about it,” Cumberland said to The Daily Texan. “There’s nothing right now that I’ve heard from University that makes me think it would be anything different than that.”

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

LEGISLATURE

Online voter registration could increase accessibility, cut cost By Katelyn Balevic @KatelynBalevic

Seven bills have been filed in the Texas Legislature to implement electronic voter registration, which would allow citizens to register to vote online instead of by mail. Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, said at least 38 states already have online voter registration, and Texas should too. “Online voter registration is a bipartisan, common sense way to make it easier for eligible voters to participate in our democracy and to ensure the accuracy of our voter rolls,” Watson said in a statement. “Contrary to some of the rhetoric we hear, we can and should do both of these things.” Watson filed Senate Bill 734, one of the seven bills, which would require the Texas secretary of state to implement online voter registration. In late January, the Office of the Secretary of State’s office identified 95,000 registered voters in Texas who the office said may not be legal citizens of the United States but instead noncitizen, legal residents who are therefore not eligible to vote. The office found that 58,000 of those people voted since 1996. Bruce Elfant, Travis County voter registrar, said online

voter registration would give the state a cleaner database to verify the citizenship of voter registration applicants. “We’re dealing with paper applications and occasionally people check the wrong boxes,” Elfant said. “If you’re registering to vote online, and you accidentally check that you’re not a citizen, you won’t be able to complete the transaction. With a paper application, they can be incomplete or wrong and they go through.” Elfant said in the dozens of states that have online voter registration, such as Arizona, it has proven to be cheaper, more accurate and secure. “70 percent of (Arizona) citizens (reported they would be interested in registering) to vote online, and they cut their cost from 83 cents a card to 3 cents a card,” Elfant said. “Pew Research Center found that for the people who register electronically, their data was 5 times more accurate.” Online registration will also save Travis County labor costs, Elfant said. “On the voter registration deadline before the November election … we received 40,000 paper applications, and they had to be sorted, interpreted for handwriting and transcribed within ten days,” Elfant said. This is the third session in which legislators are pushing for

electronic voter registration. The initiative has lacked bipartisan support in the past because Republicans were worried it would give Democrats an advantage or lead to hacking, said Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir. “I think the Republicans finally figured out that it is good for everybody,” DeBeauvoir said. “Electronic registration is one of the ways we can update our files more quickly and more accurately. They need to quit being paranoid about it.” Elfant said online voter registration would be just as safe as any other action done on the secretary of state’s website. “If we’re worried about computer hacking, we really need to take down texas.gov, because you’re transacting business that involves sensitive information and money, and it’s behind the same firewall,” Elfant said. “So if we don’t think voter registration will be secure, then we can’t have confidence with any online transaction with the state of Texas.” Maya Patel, vice president of TX Votes, said online registration would increase accessibility, especially for students. “We’re all about making voting more accessible,” said chemistry junior Patel. “Students really like doing stuff from their phones, and it’s a lot easier to submit a form online.”

sue dinh

| the daily texan staff

saba rahimian | the daily texan staff After Student Government representatives voiced a need for lighting improvements in West Campus the Austing City Council and SafeHorns initiated a study to identify the lighting issues. West Campus should see improvements as early as this summer.

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will take five years to design and install new LED lights throughout the West Campus. Costs will be covered by the city’s five-year Capital Spending Plan for 2019–2023 and Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Budget, according to the memo. Safety advocacy nonprofit SafeHorns worked with Joel Meyer, pedestrian coordinator for Austin Transportation Department, to help initiate the study, SafeHorns president Joell McNew said. McNew said she is disappointed by the time line to address all lighting issues. “I think it’s extremely disappointing that the findings came back that it’s not even up to standard,” McNew said. “That is disgusting honestly, that they knew they were allowing all this building to come and they knew this area would become so populated, yet during the

process there was never oversight to have accountability for the process.” Allie Runas, chair of the West Campus Neighborhood Association, said she thinks the five year time line is

It’s very exciting to know that the repairs that are happening are also going to be upgrades.” ALLIE RUNAS

ENGINEERING SENIOR

reasonable, considering it as an investment in the neighborhood. Runas, electrical and computer engineering senior, said Austin Transportation

Department is taking steps in the right direction to “modernize” West Campus when the study found only 23 of the 1,148 lights to be LED. “Austin and UT have definitely set themselves up to be institutions where we’re embracing a more eco-friendly future, and … we’re not putting our infrastructure where our mouth is,” Runas said. “It’s very exciting to know that the repairs that are happening are also going to be upgrades.” Runas said students usually live in West Campus for two or three years, so many students who helped point out problem areas in West Campus will not be living there to see the completed lighting recommendations. “I know it’s frustrating that we’re not going to see that realized when we’re residents,” Runas said. “It’s a really great feeling to know that we’re making future Longhorns’ lives better.”

copyright patrick slevin, and reproduced with permission From left to right, Cristal Martinez, Sarah Chu, Angie Ferguson and Barbara Reyes are the first class of Draylen Mason Fellows. Draylen Mason was a 17-year-old future Butler School of Music student when he was killed by a package explosion last year.

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allow students to learn about different social issues that are affecting the city and nation. “We’re excited that we can encourage other programs to include social justice into their music program,” Slevin said.

Douglas Dempster, dean of UT College of Fine Arts, said UT helped Austin Soundwaves when the program was just beginning, and the University currently provides the program with concert halls where the students can perform. Dempster also said he had the opportunity to meet Mason. “I remember watching him

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at concerts and recognizing his talent,” Dempster said. Monica Balleza, a health and society and radio-television-film sophomore, said she knew Mason from Austin Soundwaves. “If he knew you he was always encouraging you,” Balleza said. “You could see he really loved music.”

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LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

COLUMN

hilda rodriguez

| the daily texan staff

Let’s encourage interdisciplinary study By Neha Dronamraju Columnist

According to a 2014 New York Times article, interdisciplinary study is a competitive necessity in the workplace. Creativity is gradually replacing critical thinking as the essential marketable skill, and a multifaceted education instills creativity in those who seek it. Colleges across America are starting to emphasize open curricula to accommodate a well-rounded education. However, rigid requirements impede a student’s ability to obtain such a degree at some universities. Pursuing an interdisciplinary education at UT is more difficult than it should be because of the University’s stringent core requirements. As a STEM major with an interest in both science and humanities, I thrive in an environment where I am able to take classes in both fields. In high school, I was taking classes just to fulfill graduation requirements, and I looked forward to college and the promise of exploring different fields of study. During my first semester, however, I found myself in the same place — unable to find creative outlets due to restrictive core and major requirements. In order to double major or complete certificates in conjunction with a major, many students either have to take 18–20 hour semesters or delay

their graduation. Anh Vu, a biology and Plan II freshman and Polymathic Scholar, agrees that double majoring in two different colleges can be exhausting. “Because I’m planning to graduate in four years, I had to take 18 hours my first semester here just to fulfill the freshman Plan II and Polymath requirements,” Vu said. “It was definitely really hard at first, because I was adjusting to college. You have to be really organized and on top of things to do well.”

Pursuing an interdisciplinary education at UT is more difficult than it should be because of the University’s stringent core requirements.”

Organization and discipline appear to be obvious steps to success, but juggling a pivotal transition and an extremely heavy course load can be discouraging to freshmen. Interdisciplinary study at UT can be manageable for some students. Vu is determined to stick with both of her majors, and she plans to extend her

interdisciplinary study into her career. “Currently the plan is to go to medical school and then pursue a longterm career in health policy, perhaps in government or international organizations, so I’m definitely going to stick to my current path, though it will be challenging,” Vu said. Vu is ready to step up to the challenge of an arduous academic life in pursuit of her goals, but she should not have to compromise her mental health or school-life balance to do so. While students such as Vu are able to take this path, even she agrees that the workload is daunting. UT should encourage students to merge different fields of study rather than make it difficult for them to do so. Options exist to improve this system. There could be a greater selection of classes that count for multiple requirements or an option to petition classes to count for more than one requirement. UT’s Bridging Disciplines Program, a program that allows students to supplement their major with a secondary specialization, could be advertised more to prospective students. This will allow them to start planning their interdisciplinary study early. What starts here changes the world, but only if students are given the time and freedom to explore and create innovative ideas through an interdisciplinary education. Dronamraju is a public health freshman from Dallas.

COLUMN

Students deserve lenience in ‘no exceptions’ policies By Henry Corwin Columnist

Bryce Reiner was in the hospital vomiting uncontrollably just days before he was supposed to take an exam in his UGS class. Although this clearly hindered his ability to prepare for the test, his professor did not excuse him from taking the test on the day it was administered, Reiner said. “I said that I’ve been really sick … and (asked) if it is okay if I move this test,” Reiner, a physical culture and sports sophomore, said. “She (said), ‘No. You’ve had time to prepare. You should be prepared for this. I’m sorry but I can’t make any exceptions.’” Reiner said he had documentation from the hospital proving he was truly sick, and therefore didn’t understand why he was not allowed to take the test at a different time. “I just didn’t really see how that made sense,” Reiner said. “How am I supposed to prepare for this if I’m literally in the hospital?” Professors’ “no exceptions” policies about missing exams or deadlines shouldn’t really be “no exceptions.” When students have an excuse for needing a makeup exam or an extension,

professors should examine their reasons on a individual professor to decide whether or not case-by-case basis and use reasonable judgeto excuse a student. ment to determine whether or not a student “We encourage students to talk to their inshould be excused. If their case is reasonable structor about situations that arise,” Slagle and legitimate, prosaid. “It is the faculfessors should be ty member’s discrewilling to grant extion to excuse abceptions for situasences or class work tions that are out of or not to. If a stustudents’ control. dent is not satisfied According to the with the outcome Despite documentation University’s Genafter speaking with eral Information their instructor, from the hospital ... Catalog, UT does a student can apRasouli said he received have policies for peal to the departattendance and fiment chair and the a grade of ‘zero’ and nal examinations. dean’s office.” instead had to take a However, after conAdvertising jutact with the Office nior Pedrum Ramore difficult, optional of the Registrar, I souli found himself final exam.” was not able to find in a similar situaa specific policy retion to Reiner’s in garding students the spring of his who have to miss sophomore year. regular exams or Rasouli was in the class work deadlines during the semester due hospital with pneumonia just three days to illness. Kendall Slagle, the communications before his exam and had to travel home to coordinator for the Office of Executive Vice recover, causing him to miss the exam. DePresident and Provost, said it is up to each spite documentation from the hospital and

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.

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.

desperate explanation of his situation, Rasouli said he received a grade of “zero” on the exam and instead had to take a more difficult, optional final exam to replace that score. “I just thought it was unfair because I had to study for a test that was over a lot more (material),” Rasouli said. Although these policies are made uniform for all students to ensure fairness, there should be some room for interpretation and exceptions made for unique cases. The same concept is applied to laws in the United States. One law may seem right at one point in time, but new unique cases have caused laws to be reinterpreted and changed over the course of American history: Brown v. Board of Education, Miranda v. Arizona and Roe v. Wade. A judge can issue an opinion that varies from accepted law so long as they have a legal basis for doing so. Professors should do the same when it comes to their policies. In the cases of Reiner and Rasouli versus their professors, the unique situations of both of these students should be enough for the professors to rule against the accepted laws. Corwin is a journalism sophomore from Long Island, New York.

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.

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TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

MOVIES

‘Black Panther’ Oscar nominations put representation of black community at forefront of awards circuit

“Black Panther” makes Academy Awards history with seven nominations, including Best Picture.

By Maegan Kirby @mkirby_11

With the upcoming 91st Academy Awards on Feb. 24, the seven nominations for “Black Panther,” including Best Picture, is a culturally historic moment for the Academy and black filmmakers. “Black Panther” was written, directed and largely made by black filmmakers and actors, bringing increased diversity to the screen and to the film industry. Its nomination carries the social impact of African-American pride and excellence that has resonated with the world and within the film industry. Winston Williams, co-founder and executive director of Texas Student Media will keep you connected Austin’s Capital City Black Film with daily links to the news, sports and culture Festival, agrees. He said the stories shaping the UTPanther” community. “Black Oscar nominations are a continuation of black talent that has been prominent in the film industry and inspires

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the new generation of upcoming creators and filmmakers. “I think (the nomination) says, ‘Here’s the proof that the black voice, black creativity and black opportunity (have) always been present in film,’” Williams said. “It says, ‘So can you. You can achieve the highest level of accomplishment in your craft because the opportunities are available.’” As a comic book movie, “Black Panther” has broken down the genre bias which caused past films to be snubbed, namely “The Dark Knight” in 2008. Journalism freshman Sola Kantai said the sense of excitement that the success of “Black Panther” brings to young African-American media influencers is giving new motivation to black creators. “You can be any person and produce any type of movie and be recognized as long as you touch someone,” Kantai said “That’s what’s important.” Ya’Ke Smith, a

radio-television-film associate professor and Academy Award nominated filmmaker, said that black-created films such as “Moonlight” have preceded, but “Black Panther” has a social reach like no other and is a true representation of bold, black excellence. “The beautiful rendering of blackness was not only a breath of fresh air, but it was inspiring because it was unlike anything I’d ever seen on that large of a scale,” Smith said. “It speaks to the African-American experience both past and present. It frames our struggle, our resilience, our greatness and our ability to overcome against all odds, for all the world to see.” As a worldwide acclaimed filmmaker and teacher to a new generation of creators, Smith can attest to the nomination of “Black Panther” bringing more inclusiveness for African-American representation on the screen and behind the scenes. “It broadens the scope of the

types of stories that filmmakers of color will not only be able to pitch, but actually see come to fruition,” Smith said. With “Black Panther” being a technically and artistically acclaimed film, Smith believes it measures up to the other ‘Best Picture’ nominations despite being the first of its genre. Even if it does not win, it’s nomination is already considered a watershed moment for the Academy, African-American filmmakers and the audience who find pride and representation in the film. “A lot of (black film) narratives are posited around surviving the system, overcoming the odds, fighting against racism and saving the world,” said Smith. “I hope that ‘Black Panther’s’ success creates a space where the black experience can finally be portrayed in film with a sense of normalcy and not merely as a fetish for mainstream consumption.”

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 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 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 50 ___ economy 1 Oklahoma’s ___ Air Force Base 53 E’en if 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) W I L D T H I N G I N K I N 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

Edited by Will Shortz 1

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PUZZLE BY JEFF SLUTZKY AND DEREK BOWMAN

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52 Grind, in a way

7 4 1 9 54 Drifter 2 3 56 Savoir-faire 8 1 57 Anthem starter 6 7 58 Italy’s Lake ___ 5 2 60 Pizza delivery Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,0009 past 5 puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay. 3 8 53 Mr. with a “Wild Ride” at Disneyland

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Longhorns Care! Lorem ipsum

Look out for your friends and stick together during a night out

It’s what 9 out of 10 Longhorns do. @UTBruceTheBat

2018 UT-Austin National Social Norms Center Survey

ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

SOFTBALL

Texas stays perfect, tops Cal Another dominant run-rule win keeps the Longhorns rolling.

ryan lam | the daily texan file Pitcher Miranda Elish winds up a pitch in Texas’ 8-0 win over Boise State on Feb. 9 at Red & Charline McCombs Field. Elish is one of four players who transferred from the University of Oregon this year to continue playing for newly-minted head coach Mike White, Oregon’s former head coach, in Austin.

By Sydney Tasman @sydneytasman

he Longhorns added one more run-rule victory to their record Thursday by beating California, 100, in five innings at the Clearwater Invitational. Through five games, the Longhorns are averaging 8.4 runs per contest after scoring in four out of the five innings against the Golden Bears. “We just want to play the game the right way,” UT head coach Mike White said of his goals going into this weekend’s tournament. “Play it hard, have good defense, good offense, and respect our opponents.” The new look

Longhorns have started each of their games with an aggressive approach. Their first road matchup Thursday was no exception as Texas was again able to capitalize on talented pitching and strong bats at the plate. With Texas only up 1-0 at the bottom of the first inning, it was beginning to look good for the Golden Bears. But with two on base and one out, the Longhorns responded with clutch plays after pitcher Miranda Elish struck out one more and caught a bouncer back to the circle. The second and third innings brought more leadoff doubles from Cal, but the Golden Bears couldn’t finish on any opportunities as Elish was

Miranda is a competitor. She is the most competitive person I’ve ever met in my entire life and that says something … No one’s gonna beat her to anything.” MARY IAKOPO CATCHER

able to strike out three players, giving the Longhorns enough momentum to put up three runs in the next inning. The Oregon transfer allowed Cal only three hits and struck out five batters

in a complete game. Elish allowed just one walk. “Miranda is a competitor,” catcher Mary Iakopo said Wednesday. “She is the most competitive person I’ve ever met in my entire life and

that says something … No one’s gonna beat her to anything.” Iakopo transferred from Oregon shortly after Elish to continue playing under White, who was the previous head coach for the Ducks. The fourth inning is where Texas began to pull away by bringing in three runs, needing just one more for a run-rule victory. Second baseman Janae Jefferson was a factor in allowing the Longhorns to put points on the board, bringing in one run and then scoring herself. The top of the fifth saw three more runs from the Longhorns. Third baseman Malory Schattle and pinch runner Ki’Audra Hayter tacked on

two runs. Moments later, Jefferson made another plate appearance, one that would end the game on an RBI single. “I’ve been mainly just focusing on being more aggressive,” Jefferson said of her goals for this weekend. “And laying out for balls that I know I can get to and being more challenging on defense.” The sophomore is batting an average of .533 this season, the highest of any Longhorn through five games. The Longhorns will continue to play through Saturday, with two games Friday. Texas faces Florida Atlantic at 11:30 a.m. and LSU at 3 p.m. On Saturday, the team will face Kentucky at 9 a.m.

BASEBALL

Longhorns’ veterans, new faces ready for season opener By Daniela Perez @danielap3rez

Texas starts its season Friday against Louisiana for the second consecutive year. The Longhorns went 2–1 against the Cajuns last year. Ranked 23rd on D1Baseball.com, the Longhorns head into 2019 coming off a 4223 regular season and an appearance at the NCAA College Baseball World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Following the annual alumni game earlier this month, head coach David Pierce still had several unanswered questions about his team. “We have some real comfort with (Ryan) Reynolds at third, some questions marks on first,” Pierce said following the alumni game. “But the outfield is really starting to fall into place.” These questions, however, expand further. On the pitcher’s mound, Blair Henley was the obvious choice as the opening day starter, as he is the only arm on the roster with over 50 innings of experience. However, the Longhorns announced Tuesday that Bryce Elder would be their starter on Friday. “He’s up to 93 (mph),” Pierce said. “He was by far the best pitcher today.” Coming off a 6–1 record during his freshman campaign, Elder had a strong preseason arm that knocked off veteran Henley. Elder will have to compete to keep his starting spot against Henley, though. Elder recorded 5.55 earned runs on average last season while Henley finished with a 3.32 ERA. During a radio appearance on 104.9 The Horn, Pierce confirmed that Henley is expected to start Saturday. Meanwhile, catcher DJ Petrinsky appeared to be dealing with a small injury during the alumni game, but should be ready to face the Ragin’ Cajuns. “We are still just resting his arm, he’s had a little bit of a step back,” Pierce said. “But he should be ready by opening day.” If Petrinsky is out of the starting lineup,

katie bauer | the daily texan file Outfielder Duke Ellis prepares to swing at a pitch in Texas’ game against Sam Houston State on March 21, 2018, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin. Ellis is set to be one of Texas’ impact players in the outfield heading into the 2019 season.

catcher Michael McCann will start behind the plate. Despite some challenges, the Longhorns have a solid freshman class capable of replacing the loss of shortstop David Hamilton to injury and five more players to the MLB Draft over the offseason. “The young guys have to step up for us to make it far, and I think they will,” Elder said. Outfielder Eric Kennedy, who was named to MaxPreps All-American first team, is expected to be a standout freshman for the Longhorns.

Infielder Bryce Reagan, another newcomer to Texas, is likely to be a power hitter as well. With a lot of new pieces heading into this season, Pierce said he is focused on developing these young talents into starters on the squad. “Reagan is a guy that has to focus on one position,” Pierce said. “He’s young, he’s learning calls and coverages.” Another standout for Texas is pitcher Coy Cobb. The freshman has been slated to start Sunday’s game, adding to the crowded list of

starters on the roster. “The bad side of (the pitcher competition) is that guys have to separate themselves from it,” Pierce said. “But, we need those guys and we need that competition.” Although these freshman lack experience, Texas feels confident going into its season opener. “I think we’re very ready,” Elder said. “I think last year the new guys saw all the success we had. I think the younger guys see as a team we are getting better day by day.”

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

MUSIC

21 Savage’s detainment, release sparks immigration debate

copyright erika goldring, and reproduced with permission British-born, Atlanta-raised rapper 21 Savage was released from detainment on bond, but still faces potential deportation.

Students discuss rapper’s recent troubles with visa. By Celesia Smith @celsmit

n 2018, ICE removed, on average, 700 undocumented immigrants from the U.S. every day. 21 Savage, a 26-year-old British-born rapper who calls Atlanta home, currently faces the same fate as the 256,000 immigrants who were deported last year. 21 Savage, formally known as Shayaa

Bin Abraham-Joseph, was taken into custody by law enforcement on Sunday, Feb. 3. The young rapper was released this past Wednesday on bond. News of 21’s detainment and release has since made dozens of headlines and sparked many questions throughout his fanbase and beyond. Connor O’Neill, Plan II and government sophomore, said 21’s detainment came as a shock because of his status as an Atlanta-based rapper similar to Childish Gambino and Gucci Mane. O’Neill said these deep U.S. roots, made apparent in various lyrics, play a part in his opinion regarding 21’s potential deportation. “(21 Savage) constantly references Atlanta. Even the 21 in his name is an homage to a group in Atlanta,”

O’Neill said. “All he really knows is Atlanta and the U.S. I think he’s got a strong case for staying here. It’s his home.” Despite 21’s fame, his situation remains similar to thousands of others. Denise Gilman, director of immigration studies at the UT School of Law, said she followed the case closely. She said that it could be a catalyst for students to seek knowledge regarding immigration policy. “(21’s case) shines a spotlight on a vast detention system that people don’t always know about,” Gilman said. “The fact that somebody with long-term connections and such a high profile was put into that situation shows how common it is for an individual immigrant to be detained.” Gilman’s prediction rings true for some UT

students. Robert San Soucie, Plan II and computer science sophomore, said 21’s case places spotlights not only the detention system, but also on ICE. “(People) should look at what is happening with the 21 Savage case and think about those who aren’t multi-millionaires, who don’t have Jay-Z’s backing, who have next to nothing and are fleeing violence,” San Soucie said. “Before ICE was created, (the government) did not round up immigrants the way they do now.” However, some students have different sentiments regarding 21’s detainment and ICE’s involvement. Business freshman Mitchell Etter said 21’s case detainment is no different than any other, save for its

high-profile nature. “The case shows that (the immigration system) doesn’t discriminate socioeconomically,” Etter said. “(The government) should try to stick strictly to the laws they’ve written about immigration. I don’t think there should be any gray areas.” If deported, 21 Savage could be barred from the U.S. for up to 10 years. Although seemingly severe, 21’s situation is comparable to many throughout the country. While students have differing opinions regarding immigration policy and 21’s situation, the immigration discussion continues. “This case works as an avenue for people to get informed,” O’Neill said. “It’s just a microcosm of what is happening throughout the U.S. on a larger scale.”

GAMES

Jackbox Games provides game night alternative By Abby Hopkins @abbyhopkins_

Game nights are traditionally viewed as friends and family gathered around a table with a board game or deck of cards. But developers, such as Jackbox Games, are changing this narrative. Jackbox Games is a video game developer that creates electronic party games. It competes with board games to entertain on game nights, leaving many conflicted on whether or not the technology takes away from shared experiences. Brooke Hofer, Jackbox Games marketing manager, said they aim to create an environment that motivates people to spend time with those around them instead of detaching. “We live in a time where everyone is on their smartphones all the time, looking down and not really interacting with one another,” Hofer said. “Our goal is to create really engaging and meaningful moments that bond you with the people you’re with.” To play, users open a browser on their device, go to jackbox.tv and enter the room code displayed on the game screen. Most games support up to eight players, with room for 10,000 audience members to influence the outcome of the game.

“You could be watching a stream from someone in Japan, and at the exact same moment, in Texas, join on your phone and play that game along with them if they’re streaming it,” Hofer said. Although Jackbox Games was founded in 1995, Hofer said they underwent some struggles until releasing a Party Pack in 2014. They now have five Party Packs, each including five unique games, which are available on a variety of platforms, including Apple TV, Nintendo Switch and Xbox. Niko Papageorge, mechanical engineering sophomore, said he enjoys the games because of their accessibility and strong social connection he feels. “Even when we do play (Jackbox Games), we’re all still sitting next to each other,” Papageorge said. “We’re still all laughing if something’s funny. We’re still all making fun of each other if a drawing is bad.” On the other hand, Patrick Joseph, electrical engineering senior and vice president of Texas Table Top, a UT organization centered on playing board games, said he sees less engagement when playing. “I’m not trying to say that board games are the only way to enjoy things,”

barbra daly | the daily texan staff Jackbox Games creates electronic party games, leaving many conflicted on whether or not the technology takes away from shared experiences had during general game nights.

Joseph said. “But what I noticed was everybody was using the screen and their phone to interact with each other, so there’s almost no talking.” While Joseph said he plays and enjoys Jackbox Games occasionally, he prefers board games because they of-

fer more imagination. And he said he’s not alone. “Board games have definitely become more popular in the past three years while I’ve been here at UT,” Joseph said. “I think a lot of people want to find a way to interact with people that doesn’t require technology.”

The dilemma between electronics and face-to-face interactions is one Mike Brooks, a licensed psychologist in Austin, has researched and written about. He suggests there is room for both kinds of experiences. The key, he said, is finding activities that bring people together.

“In a game like Jackbox Games, even though we have our own screens as we’re playing the game, it’s all a shared experience that we’re having,” Brooks said. “Those things enhance our well-being and help us create deeper relationships.”