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INSIDE OPINiON
NEWS
A local school district will offer insurance benefits for employees’ domestic partners
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Freshman Johnathan Gray is improving each week
LIFE&ARTS PAGE 12
SPORTS PAGE 7
STATE
Enrollment increases across Texas By Bobby Blanchard
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dailytexanonline.com | $1.25
Finding and making the best grilled cheese in Austin.
4 Our message to both this campus and the Supreme Court: race cannot be ignored.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Enrollment at public universities is increasing across Texas, not just at UT-Austin. Texas A&M University, the University of North Texas, Texas State University, Texas Tech University and the University of Houston all saw increased enrollments this
year. This is the 15th consecutive year Texas State’s and the fourth consecutive year Texas Tech’s enrollments have increased. Texas Tech admissions director Ethan Logan said the downturn in the national economy has contributed to statewide increased enrollment, among other factors. “Generally, when you have a downturn in the
economy you have an upturn in enrollment,” Logan said. “The economy starts to depress, and there are a lot of folks who want to go to college to improve the opportunity to get a job and make a good wage.” UT-Austin admitted 8,092 first-year students this fall, which is a 13.2-percent increase from last year and its largest in history. UT’s
total enrollment is the second largest in the school’s history at 52,213. The University did not plan to admit so many students this year. Every year, the University offers admissions assuming that some students will decline admissions offers. More students than anticipated accepted admission offers. While UT faced problems
PHILANTHROPY
with its increased enrollment, including housing issues, other institutions were expecting or working for their increase. Texas A&M’s total enrollment has reached more than 50,000. This is the first time A&M has passed the 50,000-student milestone. In an email, Texas A&M
ENROLL continues on page 6 NATION
SCOTUS to hear case on race based admissions
SPORTS
Molly McCage has made a big impact so far, even though she is only a freshman
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By Matthew Stottlemyre
LIFE & ARTS
friends buying,” Hammad Rizvi said. “But out of all the sales that we’ve had, it’s a lot of people who we don’t even know. To me it has been somewhat of a shocker.” Farhad Rizvi said they had been advertising the sandals with Facebook advertisements and word-of-mouth through friends and family. Farhad Rizvi said he initially had the idea for the company in 2010, his junior
UT officials are in Washington, D.C., today for oral arguments in a Supreme Court case whose outcome will have implications for how universities can factor race into admission decisions. Abigail Fisher sued the University in 2008, claiming its consideration of race as a factor for some students’ admission unfairly discriminated against her as a white applicant. The case has reached the Supreme Court, and the court will likely rule by the summer. Oral arguments Wednesday will include statements from attorneys representing both sides of the case and from U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr., who will represent the federal government in supporting the University’s position. UT admits three quarters of each freshman class automatically based on high school class rank. It admits the remaining quarter under a system that considers an applicant’s race, among many other factors. The court’s newest member, Justice Elena Kagan, has removed herself from any role in deciding the case be-
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Hump Day takes on sex music.
TODAY “Last Dance”
The award-winning documentary will be screened today from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Harry Ransom Center Prothero Theater. The film on the Pilobolus Dance Theater and author Maurice Sendak is free and open to everyone.
Personal statement The Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling is hosting a personal statement workshop in Jester A115 from 5 to 6 p.m. The event is free with an RSVP.
Video game development
The Computer Science Undergraduate Advising Center is hosting an information session about the video game development track in computer science. The event is from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in ACE 2.402. It is free for current CS students with an RSVP.
Pu Ying Huang | Daily Texan Staff Brothers Farhad Rizvi and RTF graduate Hammad Rizvi share a room with their inventory of shoes. The two are running Shamak, an Arabic-style sandalcompany, whose proceeds help educate children in South Asia.
Sole sales give back
Brothers’ sandal brand Shamak promotes fashion, charity By Bobby Blanchard A duo of brothers is bringing stylish, Arabic-style sandals to America while raising money for education in South Asia. Radio-Television-Film graduate student Hammad Rizvi and his brother, University of Texas at Dallas alum-
nus Farhad Rizvi, are the cofounders and creators of the company Shamak. The two sell Arabic-style sandals that are made and imported from Pakistan. Proceeds from the sandal sales provide supplies and schooling costs for children in South Asia. “I think people really like the idea of buying something cool and giving back at the
CAMPUS
Government senior Blake Medley, treasurer of the University Democrats, assits students registering to vote during Hook the Vote at Gregory Plaza Tuesday night.
Today in history In 2006
On Oct. 10, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion, making it Google’s most expensive purchase at the time. In the previous year, Google had spent $130.5 million buying a total of 15 small companies. YouTube also announced its new partnerships with Universal Music Group, CBS Corp. and Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
same time,” Farhad Rizvi said. The sandals’ prices range from $65 to $78. At checkout customers choose whether they want a portion of the price to go toward funding a textbook, a uniform or a need-based scholarship. Shamaksandals.com launched online Sept. 18, and Hammad Rizvi said they sold 500 pairs of sandals in the first week, emptying their inventory. “I thought that once we started, it would be just
Shelby Tauber Daily Texan Staff
Hook the Vote provides tables on campus to register students By Carly Coen Students flocked to tables across campus Tuesday to prepare for the forthcoming election on the last day of voter registration. Hook the Vote, a nonpartisan, student-run organization to promote voting and voter registration to UT students, hosted its
final day of voter registration tables throughout campus. Although students have had opportunities to register earlier in the year, the tables received their largest turnout Tuesday, Billy Calve, Hook the Vote director, said. Calve, who is a government senior, said the organization sets up tables to raise voter awareness and
to ensure students register to vote. The organization’s usual efforts were supplemented with additional tables on Gregory Plaza and a voter registration rally that lasted until midnight. Calve said getting students registered to vote is important, especially since students’ schedules are
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UNIVERSITY
City council to vote on frat’s demolition project By Joshua Fechter The Austin Planning Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to recommend denying historical status to the former home of a UT physics professor. This decision contradicts the Austin Historic Landmark Commission’s June recommendation to
grant the house historical status and deny UT’s chapter of Phi Gamma Delta permission to demolish the house. The fraternity wants to demolish the building and build underground parking, a soundproofed room designated for celebrations and a new facility that would house
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Emily Ng | Daily Texan Staff The Austin Planning Commission recently voted to deny the house of former UT Professor S. Leroy Brown historical landmark status that would have prevented the home from being demolished.