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INSIDE
Thursday, September 27, 2012
facebook.com/dailytexan Bridging the gender gap: how unbiased is science?
Football seniors look to make impact in final season at Texas. SPORTS PAGE 6
LIFE & ARTS PAGE 8
STATE
State rep. in online fight with alumnus By Mary Ellen Knewtson A state representative told a UT alumnus last week to go to Afghanistan if the United States was not sensitive enough for him, and said Wednesday she stands behind her statement. State Rep. Debbie Riddle, RTomball, made the remark after UT alumnus Abdul Pasha, now in his second year at South Texas College of Law, responded to Rep. Riddle’s Facebook status be-
moaning the military’s sensitivity training. Pasha posted a link to an examiner.com article about the training and instructions to “go educate yourself.” Riddle told Pasha to act like an American and stand up for the military. “If you can’t do that then go where people are sensative [sic] enough for you — I guess that would be Afghanistan,” Riddle wrote on the thread. The conversation, originally
RIDDLE continues on page 2
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Get a grip fellow - if you want to be an American act like one and be proud of our country and stand up for our military. If you can’t do that then go where people are sensative [sic] enough for you - I guess that would be Afghanistan - where they still live like they are in the Stone Age... — Debbie Riddle, State representative
OPINION
By David Maly
5
for a reasonable approach to skateboarding helped change the policy. “Skateboarding has always represented a sustainable form of transportation that, if coupled with safety measures, could be beneficial to the University as a whole,” Juarez said. Juarez said it was difficult to get the policy change off the ground because it had to be approved
Three UT Greek organizations have issued apologies after controversy over their ethnic-themed parties spread during the last few days. UT’s Zeta Tau Alpha and Delta Delta Delta sororities and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity apologized for any offense they may have caused the UT community in three separate statements. All three organizations say they had no negative intentions with their theme parties. Although ethnic-themed parties are nothing new in the UT community, tensions were heightened after a “fiesta-themed” party, hosted by the UT chapters of Zeta Tau Alpha and Delta Delta Delta, made headlines Friday in Burnt Orange Report and Monday in The Daily Texan. The party was filled with guests wearing attire associated with Hispanic stereotypes, including ponchos, sombreros and fake mustaches. Two guests wore shirts that read “illegal” and “border patrol.” Word then began to spread via Facebook that the UT chapter of Alpha Tau Omega was planning an
SKATE continues on page 2
GREEK continues on page 2
NEWS
Texas Venture Labs looks to help local startups take to market, lead and succeed.
6 SPORTS
LIFE & ARTS
Local restaurant brings environmental and social awareness to Southern cooking.
TODAY SOTU
President William C. Powers Jr. will deliver his seventh State of the University address. The event will begin at 3:45 p.m. at the Iden B. Payne Theatre and will be broadcast online and on the Longhorn Network, as well as campus cable channels 11 and 13.
Flu shots
University Health Services will hold a flu shot clinic from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at SSB G1.310. Shots will be availble from no cost to $10.
Suicide workshop
Interactive workshop designed to cultivate education about suicide and risks of suicide among faculty and staff. The event will take place at 12 p.m. at NOA 4.106A.
Today in history In 1939
On Sept. 27, 1939, Poland surrendered to invading Nazi armies after just 26 days of resistance, marking the beginning of WWII.
R - Tomball
Sororities, fraternities send out apologies
How UT’s holistic review track record conflicts with its Fisher argument.
10
State representative
UNIVERSITY
CAMPUS
4
David Ash takes on Oklahoma State with a bit more experience on his side.
Debbie Riddle
John Smith | Daily Texan Staff / Associated Press Members of Texas Downhill skate freely near Twenty-fourth street and Speedway Wednesday evening under UT’s lifted ban this fall allowing skateboards, scooters and roller skates on campus. People using these means of transportation are to operate safely and follow proper traffic rules such as stopping at stop signs. See video online: bit.ly/dt_skate
Time to free skate University allows skating on campus By Kenny Chilton Skaters have taken to the streets with newfound liberties on campus this fall. Parking and Transportation Services revised its policy to allow skateboards, scooters and in-line skates on campus everywhere bicycles are allowed. Under the new policy, skating may
only be used as a mode of transportation and not for tricks or stunts. Nikolas Lazaris, president of student skateboarding organization Texas Downhill, said the support from Parking and Transportation Services legitimizes skating as transportation and Texas Downhill as a student organization. Texas Downhill first registered with the University almost a year before skateboarding was first allowed
SYSTEM
Student regent power may expand with vote
on campus. “I have already noticed more riders on campus and Texas Downhill has tripled its size since last semester,” Lazaris said. “There are a lot of riders on campus after the policy change.” Members said the group grew from fewer than 10 regulars last year to more than 30 this semester. Alternative transportation manager Blanca Juarez said passionate students who advocated heavily
CAMPUS
The bells in the UT Tower were installed in 1936 and 1986. Starting Nov. 1, they will be out of commission as they undergo a renovation project.
By Alexa Ura University governing boards commonly include student representatives, but most student regents, including the UT System’s student regent, are forced to advocate for students without a vote. State senators discussed the possibility of a voting student regent during last week’s Texas Tribune Festival, an annual series of panels and speakers. Current UT System student regent Ashley Purgason said the UT System Board of Regents takes her representation of the student perspective into consideration without the weight of a vote. UT regents, the governing body of the UT System, are appointed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry for six-year terms.
Ashley Purgason UT System student regent
Perry also appoints the UT System student regent based on recommendations from System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa. The state Legislature authorized student regents in 2005. Since then, UT System student regents have served one-year terms in a non-voting capacity.
REGENTS continues on page 2
Photo courtesy of UT Tower
Repairs to silence Tower bells By David Maly The chime of UT’s carillon bells will soon be absent from campus as a three-month construction project draws closer. For the past four months, the bells have been in partial operation for a separate construction project.
From Nov. 1 until Jan. 31, the carillon bells housed in the UT Tower will be out of commission for a $71,000 project to repair years of wear and tear, Bill Throop, director of project management and construction services, said. Throop said the bells have been in partial operation for the last four months because
a $331,000 walkway was being built around them. He said the bells will resume normal operation Thursday and continue until the November project begins. Throop said he feels it is important for the University to preserve the bells, as they
BELLS continues on page 5