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SPEEDWAY PLAZA 10-3 ,
1900
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019
volume
119
issue
NEWS
OPINION
LIFE&ARTS
SPORTS
Peace Corps Prep Certificate officially launches at event this evening. PA G E 2
The University should provide open forums for political discussion. PA G E 4
Embrace or opt out: students experience difficulties with Spanish program. PA G E 8
Aitor Fungairino escapes turmoil in Venezuela to find opportunity at Texas. PA G E 6
UNIVERSITY
CITY
Campus projects waste money, resources
Pedestrian deaths rise City experiences record number of traffic deaths in 2018 as UT records zero.
By Grace Dickens @dickensgrace
With UT estimated to grow 10 percent every decade, there are constantly construction projects around campus, some of which include the demolition and replacement of buildings. Director of Sustainability Jim Walker said the University doesn’t take building demolition lightly. “It’s not really a simple calculation if the building is more expensive to renovate than replace,” Walker said. “I can see where someone could have that kind of concern, but it’s very expensive to renovate and it’s very expensive to build new.” Walker said buildings are only torn down if the systems within them, such as heating or air conditioning, are outdated or if the structure of the building does not allow for upgrades to meet modern needs. David Rea, associate vice president for campus planning and project management, also said buildings will only be demolished if it’s in the interest of cost and future accommodation. “The Campus Master Plan envisions that most existing buildings on campus will remain and be renovated over time,” Rea said. “Over the past 25 years, campus has completed many full building renovation projects.” However, Katherine Stowe, landscape architecture graduate student, said she believes construction projects on campus could be more mindful of the effects the construction changes could have on the future of campus. She said the Frank Erwin Center was an example, which is being demolished and rebuilt in a new location to make room for the expansion of Dell Medical School’s new medical district outlined in the Campus Master Plan. Stowe said on the plan for the new medical district, there are two large buildings planned to be built that are labeled “health science gateway,” which will create a more
By Hayden Baggett @hansfirm
he University and West Campus did not see any pedestrians hit and killed by vehicles in 2018, but the City of Austin recorded the largest number of pedestrian-traffic fatalities in more than 10 years, according to Austin Police data. Out of 74 total traffic fatalities in 2018, the data indicated 31 of the fatalities were pedestrians — the largest annual count of pedestrian-traffic fatalities since 2008. The last time Austin approached this number was 2015, when police recorded 29 pedestrian-traffic fatalities. Dustin Farahnak, a UT Police Department officer, said several factors contribute to campus street safety and the lack of pedestrian deaths at UT, including constant police presence and a 15-mph speed limit. “Beyond speed, enforcement and lighting, I also have seen that communication and demands from our community are greater,” Farahnak said in an email. “We hear (from faculty and staff) when scooters, carts and cars are driving poorly, disregarding crosswalks or otherwise causing concerns … UTPD tries to be responsive to these concerns.” Despite UT being free from pedestrian fatalities, Farahnak said he personally encounters at least one pedestrian-traffic accident every six weeks. “The risk of an auto versus pedestrian collision exists on campus,” Farahnak said. “We must all be cautious and take our safety into our own hands. Being aware of our surroundings and being patient are two vital steps to being safe when travelling.”
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emma overholt
Joel Meyer, pedestrian coordinator for the City of Austin, said most pedestrian traffic fatalities occur in either suburban or highspeed areas, because these areas aren’t designed for safe walking. In turn, Meyer said UT’s lack of pedestrian deaths can be attributed to its high concentration of pedestrians. “Around campus and West Campus, the streets are actually a lot narrower, people are going a lot slower and there’s also a lot of pedestrian activity there,” Meyer said. “Because
there’s so many people walking, it actually creates this safety in numbers situation where people are looking out for pedestrians and expect them to be there.” It is difficult to identify the reason for the 2018 spike in pedestrian-traffic fatalities, Meyer said, but the Austin Transportation Department is taking some concrete steps to stop the increase from becoming a citywide trend. “There’s not a lot of opportunities for pedestrians to
| the daily texan staff
cross the street safely, so we’re looking at how we can retrofit our city to try to make them safer,” Meyer said. To help, Meyer said the Austin Transportation Department received $4 million from Proposition G last November designated for pedestrian safety. “We’ll be using that to install more crossings around town to give pedestrians a safe place to cross the street,” Meyer said. “That’s one way
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CONSTRUCTION
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STATE
STATE
Introducing Curious Capitol: Answering your Texas lege questions
Heartbeat bill gains traction in Texas legislature
By Megan Menchaca @meganmenchaca13
Editor’s Note: Curious Captiol is a new project frome the Texan where reporters collect and answer questions submitted by readers related to the current Texas legislative session. To submit a question, fill out the Curious Capitol form on www.dailytexan.com or fill out the embed form in any Curious Capitol story.
Is there something you’d like to learn about the Texas Legislature? An issue or lawmaker you’d like The Daily Texan to cover? Or even just a more in-depth look at a bill that was recently introduced? I’m Megan Menchaca, the Texan’s first engagement editor, and I’m interested in hearing from you. Last year, the Texan launched Curious Campus, a new series where we collected and answered nearly a dozen questions
submitted by readers just like you. As the engagement reporter, I looked into submissions about topics ranging from early voting to whatever happened to the Starbucks inside DKR. But there’s a lot of questions left unanswered. That’s why we’re not only continuing Curious Campus this semester, but we’ll also be launching Curious Capitol, a series solely dedicated to answering any questions you have about what goes on inside the Texas Capitol. For the next few months, you can ask us anything that you’ve wanted to know about the Texas Legislature. Before the 86th legislative session even began, lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills tackling issues like marijuana legalization, funding for mental health services,
LGBTQ rights and immigration — all of which will have significant effects on Texas residents. And if you’ve been wondering what these bills mean for UT-Austin or even why the Legislature only meets for 140 days every two years, Curious Capitol is the place for you. Here’s how it’ll work: Similarly to last semester, you’ll submit your questions to Curious Capitol in a form located on the Texan’s website and at the bottom of stories related to the Texas Legislature. Then, the engagement reporters will investigate until they find answers to the questions asked by you and other members of the UT community. So, Longhorns: What are you curious about? Ask the Texan your questions online or whenever you see me in person, and I’ll get you answers.
By Katie Balevic @KatelynBalevic
The Texas “heartbeat bill” that would outlaw abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected is gaining traction in the Texas legislature. Within a week of being filed on Feb. 7, House Bill 1500 had 39 co-sponsors. By Tuesday, it had 52. “The Texas heartbeat bill ensures that unborn children exhibiting a heartbeat are protected from the cruel practice of abortion,” said Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, in a statement to The Daily Texan. “Put simply, if the heartbeat is detected, the baby is protected.” Versions of the heartbeat bill have been filed every session since 2013, and while the bill hasn’t been assigned to committee, Cain said this year is more promising. “2019 is the year of the heartbeat bill,” Cain said. “Eleven states have filed heartbeat bills in 2019. I’m humbled to
see the growing wave of support this and other heartbeat bills are receiving across our state and nation.” Abigail Aiken, public affairs assistant professor and an expert in reproductive health, said a fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. “At that point, many people don’t even know that they are pregnant,” Aiken said in an email. “So, the bill essentially aims to leave people with no choice when it comes to making a decision about whether or not to continue a pregnancy.” On Tuesday, the Young Conservatives of Texas held a rally favoring the bill in the West Mall. “If there’s a heartbeat, that child is clearly alive, clearly a baby and can’t be aborted,” said Lillian Bonin, YCT spokesperson and government junior. “If the woman would have preferred to get an abortion, it would be
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