The Daily Texan 2014-02-07

1

COMICS PAGE 6

LIFE&ARTS PAGE 8

SPORTS PAGE 5

Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

@thedailytexan

facebook.com/dailytexan

Friday, February 7, 2014

dailytexanonline.com

UNIVERSITY

Shared Services specifics released

By Madlin Mekelburg @madlinbmek

Kevin Hegarty, executive vice president and chief financial officer, submitted a response to a Faculty Council resolution requesting more information about the Shared Services Plan on Thursday morning.

In his response, Hegarty agreed to add a non-administrative faculty member nominated by the Faculty Council Executive Committee to the Shared Services Steering Committee. Hegarty also included information about the role of management-consulting company Accenture in the implementation of Shared Services

and a list of the University units that volunteered to participate in a pilot version of the plan.

The plan consists of a list of recommendations — scheduled to be submitted to President William Powers Jr. in the coming months — designed to cut costs through the centralization of human

resources, finance, information technology and procurement services at UT. The plan also outlines the elimination of at least 500 jobs, which, according to University officials, will take place primarily through natural attrition and retirement.

Faculty Council passed a resolution requesting

more information about the plan at their January meeting. The resolution, authored by the Faculty Council Executive Committee, asked Hegarty to share specifics of the Shared Services Plan with the public. It passed by a vote of 28-3.

SPECIFICS page 2

CITY

Local comedy gem stands up for Sixth

By Alyssa Mahoney @TheAlyssaM

Sixth Street comedy show Esther’s Follies changes week to week to keep up with current events, but the show’s owners said they are opposed to certain larger changes, including planned renovations on Sixth Street, which they said would disrupt the historical community feel of the area.

Shannon Sedwick, coowner of the comedy show, said she is not in favor of the city’s plan to redesign the street — which would include widening sidewalks, planting trees and updating plumbing and infrastructure — because she thinks it would destroy the historical nature of the street.

Sedwick said she supports increasing retail businesses in the area, but she thinks some of the city’s proposed

COMEDY page 2

Helen Fernandez / Daily Texan Staff

Esther’s Follies cast members Ellana Kelter, Donnie Loa, Shannon Sedwick and Nathalie Holmes rehearse a skit about Cedar Fever. Esther’s Follies has been performing political satire, magic and musical comedy on Sixth Street for 37 years.

bit.ly/dtvid

POLICE

Police school for citizens prepares for 80th session

By Julia Brouillette @juliakbrou

Many people wouldn’t consider spending the night in an Austin Police Department patrol car to be a positive experience. But since the establishment of the police department’s Citizen’s Police Academy in 1987, nearly 2,000 have graduated from the academy and been in those patrol cars.

The academy, which will begin its 80th class on Feb. 11, consists of lectures, demonstrations, tours and handson activities featuring many of the department’s divisions.

“The main goal is to educate the community to where they get involved and gain a better understanding of how the police department runs and why we do what we do,” police department officer Jermaine Kilgore said.

The academy allows students to join a police officer on a 10-hour patrol shift and sit in the helicopter used for pursuits, search-and-rescue and firefighting.

“When you get that experience of doing a ride-along with an officer, you sit with them for 10 hours, so you really get to see from beginning to end what they go through,” police academy alumna Melinda Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, who serves as president of the Austin Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni

ACADEMY page 2

UNIVERSITY

SYSTEM

Secretary of Energy says diversity is vital

New task force promises transparency

By Justin Atkinson @jusatk

U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said in a speech Thursday at the University that he attributes progress in the field of renewable energy to the efforts of immigrant citizens.

“The president has been very clear that immigration will be a major focus

this year,” Moniz said. “The Department of Energy can’t avoid that major pushes in the investment of clean energy have come from people who came to this country, were educated in this country and have now contributed to our economy.”

Moniz, who was a professor at the Massachusetts

ENERGY page 2

Daulton Venglar / Daily Texan Staff

Dr. Ernest Moniz, secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, gave a talk in the Avaya Auditorium on Thursday morning.

By Madlin Mekelburg

At their meeting Thursday, the UT System Board of Regents approved recommendations made by board Chairman Paul Foster that call for expanding public access to the System’s website.

@madlinbmek

The UT System Board of Regents approved Chairman Paul Foster’s recommendations for transparency and approved the establishment of a Task Force on Intellectual Property at their meeting Thursday.

Foster’s recommendations will be implemented through revisions to the Regents’ Rules and Regulations. The changes call for expanding public access to the System website, which lists all open record requests that have been filed, by publishing the requested documents publicly alongside each request. The changes also seek to specify which individuals are allowed to speak on behalf of individual regents and the board as a whole.

Foster said he thinks regents should be able to ask questions and pursue information through the Freedom of Information Act. “Members of the Board

Amy Zhang Daily Texan Staff

of Regents have the responsibility and the right to ask questions, seek information, and the public also has a right to know — that is the law,” Foster said.

“But beyond that, such transparency is how we get better.”

Regent Wallace Hall said he appreciated the clarity Foster’s recommendations provide in terms of when requested information will become available. “[I want to applaud], to

the extent when a regent asks for information, that you reaffirm the individual right of the regent to request information of their own capacity as opposed to acting only as a board, which I think is important,” Hall said. “It should not only be the right, but the duty of regents.”

Hall is currently under investigation by the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations. Some state

legislators accused Hall of overstepping his duties as a regent by filing open records requests with the University for more than 800,000 pages of documents. State legislators have also accused Hall of conducting a “witchhunt” against President William Powers Jr. Regent Alex Cranberg said he thinks Foster’s recommendations will help increase transparency in

TASK FORCE page 2

2 2

Friday, February 7, 2014

FRAMES featured photo Volume 114, Issue 99

CONTACT US Main Telephone (512) 471-4591 Editor Laura Wright (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor Shabab Siddiqui (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Multimedia Office (512) 471-7835 dailytexanmultimedia@ gmail.com

Jonathan Garza / Daily Texan Staff

Ciara Blossom works on a dress she is handmaking for the Acro Jam event.

Sports Office (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com

COMEDY

the Red Hot Chili Peppers and with some other acts,” Sedwick said. “This was a very incendiary time because punk rockers were big.”

Sedwick said she thinks the company tries to keep political commentary and current events balanced.

“We shouldn’t just be putting down Republicans — we should be putting down Democrats, too,” Sedwick said. “We do have a lot of stuff about Rick Perry because he’s just so easy.”

Ellen Cameron, a Plan II and business senior, said she saw the show last spring and particularly enjoyed how the troupe interacted with audience members.

“It’s also really cool how they use their space — there’s a window behind the stage, and so you can watch people outside stop and stare, confused,” Cameron said.

Cast member Shaun Wainwright-Branigan said

one of his fondest memories involved a bystander on the street about 15 years ago. He said the troupe was doing a bit outside when one cast member decided it would be funny to squirt water in the face of a bystander, and the man began to chase him inside the building.

“We chased the guy out of the building,” WainwrightBranigan said. “You just saw Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny tearing off after this guy — in our costumes and everything.”

Sedwick said she thinks old historical buildings should continue to be featured on the street.

“Old awnings would be great, [but] I don’t think it’s a good idea to put more trees,” Sedwick said. “I think that would block the old buildings and everything from the 1930s to the 1880s is here, and we should embrace what we have here.”

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Wright Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Ayala, Riley Brands, Amil Malik, Eric Nikolaides Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shabab Siddiqui Associate Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elisabeth Dillon News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordan Rudner Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Antonia Gales, Anthony Green, Jacob Kerr, Pete Stroud, Amanda Voeller Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julia Brouillette, Nicole Cobler, Alyssa Mahoney, Madlin Mekelburg Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Reinsch Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brett Donohoe, Reeana Keenen, Kevin Sharifi Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Mitts Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hirrah Barlas, Bria Benjamin, Alex Dolan, Omar Longoria Multimedia Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlie Pearce, Alec Wyman Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sam Ortega Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan Garza, Shweta Gulati, Pu Ying Huang, Shelby Tauber Senior Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Barron, Jackie Kuenstler, Dan Resler, Bryce Seifert Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Smothers Associate Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren L’Amie Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eleanor Dearman, Kritika Kulshrestha, David Sackllah, Alex Williams Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stefan Scrafield Associate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Hummer Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evan Berkowitz, Garrett Callahan, Jori Epstein, Matt Warden Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Massingill Associate Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Hadidi Senior Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cody Bubenik, Ploy Buraparate, Connor Murphy, Aaron Rodriguez, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Vanicek Director of Technical Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeremy Hintz Associate Director of Technical Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Stancik Senior Technical Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Shen, Roy Varney Special Ventures Co-editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Blanchard, Chris Hummer Online Outreach Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred Tally-Foos Journalism Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michael Brick

variety of data, including an explanation of Accenture’s role in Shared Services.

In his response, Hegarty said Accenture played a role in the Project Management for the Committee on Business Productivity, which aims to identify opportunities to cut University costs. Hegarty said Accenture also played a role in developing data for the steering committee to determine the potential success of Shared Services at UT. According to Hegarty, the combined cost of these services is more than $4 million.

Hegarty said there is no current contract with Accenture.

The resolution also asked Hegarty to disclose which University units have already volunteered to participate in a pilot version of the plan. Hegarty provided a list of 11 units that have volunteered, including the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Education, the McCombs School of Business, the Moody College of Communication, the Jackson School of Geosciences,

the Dell Medical School, the Portfolio of the Chief Financial Officer, the Central Business Office, the President’s Office and the University Athletics Administrative and Business Affairs.

Hegarty also provided a list of higher-education institutions which have already implemented their own versions of Shared Services, which UT will be observing. The list includes multiple campuses at the University of California, the University of Michigan and Yale University.

Hillary Hart, engineering senior lecturer and chair of Faculty Council Executive Committee, said she appreciated Hegarty’s prompt response.

“The more I know about this and compare it to how things were done at Michigan and Yale — the two other Shared Services at universities I know the most about — we are just approaching it so differently,” Hart said.

“I think [Hegarty] made a really good start on responding to the resolution and providing the information we requested.”

Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Atkinson, Nicole Bueno, Kate Dannenmaier, Rachel Ruiz, Alex Wilts Multimedia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helen Fernandez, Miriam Rousseau, Daulton Venglar, Amy Zhang Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Caraveo, Jacob Martella Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ali Breland Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tara Frels, Cameron Peterson, Claire Yun Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shannon Butler, Alyssa Creagh, Erin Davis, Cole Durso, Amanda Nguyen, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Pederson, Justin Perez, Life&Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carmen Rising

Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees Meeting

Business and Advertising

Friday, February 7, 2014

Life & Arts Office (512) 232-2209 dtlifeandarts@gmail.com Retail Advertising (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising (512) 471-5244 classifieds@ 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.

COPYRIGHT Copyright 2013 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.

TOMORROW’S WEATHER Low High

70

47

I look forwad to getting to know you and your needs.

continues from page 1 measures are aimed at closing bars.

“I’m afraid that those who are wanting the winding sidewalks are mainly wanting to get rid of the shot bars,” Sedwick said. “I don’t feel like forcing people is a good idea.”

Sedwick said a 1981 fire that destroyed the original site of Esther’s Follies made her realize how integrated into the community the company had become.

“After the fire, we kind of woke up to the fact that we meant more to the community than we knew,” Sedwick said. “That’s when I started becoming more a part of the community.”

In the rebuilding process, the troupe rented the Ritz and shared the stage with some now-famous bands.

“We shared the stage with

SPECIFICS

continues from page 1 “We would like to emphasize the need in all discussion on campus for transparency,” said William Beckner, mathematics professor and chairelect of Faculty Council, at the meeting. “We would like to have information about how the pilots are progressing.”

The resolution requested a

This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25 Permanent Staff

Issue Staff

(512) 471-1865 | advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Interim Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Serpas, III Executive Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chad Barnes Business Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Heine Advertising Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CJ Salgado Broadcasting and Events Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Event Coordinator and Media Consultant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsey Hollingsworth Campus & National Sales Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carter Goss, Lindsey Hollingsworth Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ted Sniderman Student Assistant Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rohan Needel Student Acct. Execs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dani Archuleta, Aaron Blanco, Hannah Davis, Crysta Hernandez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robin Jacobs, Erica Reed, Mayowa Tijani, Lesly Villarreal Student Project Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aaron Blanco Student Office Assistant/Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mymy Nguyen Student Administrative Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dito Prado Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Hublein Student Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karina Manguia, Rachel Ngun, Bailey Sullivan Special Editions/Production Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Gammon Longhorn Life Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ali Killian Longhorn LIfe Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Huygen

The Daily Texan (USPS 146-440), a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78705. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX 78710. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Daily Texan, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713.

News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (Texas Student Media Building 2.122). For local and national display advertising, call 471-1865. classified display advertising, call 4711865. For classified word advertising, call 471-5244.

Entire contents copyright 2012 Texas Student Media.

The Daily Texan Mail Subscription Rates One Semester (Fall or Spring) $60.00 Two Semesters (Fall and Spring) 120.00 Summer Session 40.00 One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer) 150.00 To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media', P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904, or to TSM Building C3.200, or call 471-5083.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Texan, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713.

Texan Ad Deadlines

2/7/14

Monday .............Wednesday, 12 p.m. Thursday.................Monday, 12 p.m.

Tuesday.................Thursday, 12 p.m. Friday......................Tuesday, 12 p.m.

Word Ads 11 a.m.

Wednesday................Friday, 12 p.m. Classified (Last Business Day Prior to Publication)

ACADEMY

continues from page 1 Association, said the program helps counter misconceptions the public may have about the police department.

“I feel as though the media sometimes tends to relay the negative about the police department, and they don’t always relay the good things about what they do,” Rodriguez said.

According to Rodriguez, one common assumption is that officers spend the bulk of their time ticketing drivers.

“In reality, there’s just far too much crime out there for them to be worrying about some of those petty things, such as speeding,” Rodriguez said. “They’ve got bigger fish to fry, so to speak.”

Each class of academy students is diverse and typically includes aspiring law enforcement officers, reporters, citizens and UT students, alumna Susan Reed said.

“We’ve always got a lot of orange T-shirts here,” Reed said.

Reed said the hands-on aspect of the program can be daunting, but the experience gives citizens a comprehensive education about police work.

“The officers are there to really give you an outstanding look at how they do

ENERGY

continues from page 1 Institute of Technology before his appointment as secretary of energy, said the development of more efficient energy sources is an important nationwide issue.

“There is no ambiguity about the need to lower greenhouse gas emissions,” Moniz said.

Moniz, who spoke with engineering students about their ideas on renewable energy, said the solution to clean energy problems will require creating opportunities for various ways to fix the issues.

“There is no single lowcarbon solution that will be the magic answer everywhere,” Moniz said.

“What we need to do is enable all of the fuels, all of the technologies, to have a marketplace position in a future lowcarbon economy.”

University Provost Gregory Fenves said he believes the goals of the University were in sync with those of Moniz’s department.

“When we look at the mission of the

TASK FORCE

continues from page 1 the System.

“I’d also like to applaud the rules change,” Cranberg said. “I think it will help us be able to get much more clarity as to what the extent and requirements would be to satisfy various information requests, and provide clarity also with the general public as to what is actually being asked for.”

NEWS

their work every day, how they interact with citizens and how they interact with each other,” Reed said.

Officers from the SWAT unit, bomb squad, mounted patrol and forensics and homicide divisions give lectures and demonstrations in the weekly classes.

Jack Darby, former student in the academy and creator of the community policing website krimelabb, said riding along in a patrol car shed light on some of the department’s biggest challenges.

“One way they analyze their usage of time is how much time is committed to responding to calls and specific tasks they’re responding to versus being proactive,” Darby said. “It’s not like their free time is used for donuts and coffee, it’s used for productive purposes as well. A lot of times it’s working on resolving issues and things that are not immediate.”

According to Rodriguez, the program offers a valuable insight into the police department and its operations.

“You get to see what these people are dealing with day in and day out,” Rodriguez said. “You don’t want it to be over, you learn so much and it’s really just an eye-opening experience. It really changes how you feel and think about the police department.”

Department of Energy and compare that to what we do at the University of Texas, there is tremendous alignment in our education mission, in our research mission, and also in how we get our innovations out to serve the world through entrepreneurship and communication,” Fenves said.

Engineering professor Michael Webber, who introduced Moniz, said he has been impressed with the secretary’s performance since his appointment in May. “He works hard, he hustles for the American people and he’s an advocate for energy solutions that stand the test of time,” Webber said.

Moniz said his department hopes for a more diverse workforce in future years.

“When we look at what is going to be the resource needed to get the kind of energy system we want mid-century, we’re going to need a really good workforce,” Moniz said.

“We just don’t have an energy workforce that reflects our demographics and our future demographics.”

The board also approved the establishment of a Task Force on Intellectual Property. Hall and UTArlington President Vistasp Karbhari will co-chair the committee.

“Task Force members will be specifically asked to … consider best practices in public University Systems or peer organizations for the disposition and management of intellectual property,” Foster said.

Executive Committee Meeting 12:00 p.m.

Board of Operating Trustees Meeting 1:00 p.m.

Flawn Academic Center Room #328 2304 Whitis Avenue

Visitors Welcome

We encourage any community member who has any kind of temporary or permanent disability to contact Texas Student Media beforehand so that appropriate accommodations can be made. Anyone is welcome to attend.

• Individual leases • 6 locations 2-4 blocks from campus • Cable and internet included • 24 hour fitness facility Download our Free iPhone App

The Daily Texan • Texas Student TEXAS T Television • KVRX 91.7 FM • EN D STU IA Texas Travesty • Cactus Yearbook • MED Longhorn Life

www.quartersoncampus.com 512-531-0123

W&N 3

NEWS

3

Friday, February 7, 2014

UNIVERSITY

Record four university faculty honored

By Madlin Mekelburg @madlinbmek

On Thursday, National Academy of Engineering announced that four professors in the Cockrell School of Engineering were elected to the academy this year.

Those elected were Gregory Fenves, provost and engineering professor; Thomas Edgar, director of the Energy Institute and chemical engineering professor; Yale Patt, engineering and computer science professor; and Bob Schutz, aerospace and mechanics professor.

Fenves, Edgar, Patt and Schutz are four of 67 new members and 11 foreign

Yale Patt

Bob Schutz

Edgar Thomas

Gregory Fenves

Engineering professor

Aerospace & mechanics professor

Chemical engineering professor

Provost & engineering professor

associates elected to the academy in 2014, making UT the institution with the highest number of new members elected this year.

Sharon Wood, interim dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering and member of the academy,

said she thinks this honor will help to attract higher caliber students.

“I think it really enhances our reputation, and it shows that our faculty are at the forefront of their fields,” Wood said. “I’m extremely proud of all the

faculty, and the fact that we have this external recognition makes it clear that other people think highly of them too.”

According to Sandra Zaragoza, spokeswoman for the Cockrell School of Engineering, the

Cockrell School has the fourth most members in the academy nationwide.

At Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting, Chairman Paul Foster applauded the four professors, as well as President William Powers Jr., for their achievement.

STATE

Requirements for high school graduation reduced

By Alyssa Mahoney @TheAlyssaM

The Texas State Board of Education’s vote to eliminate algebra II as a public high school graduation requirement will decrease the student body’s diversity and college readiness, according to associate professor of education Julian Heilig.

The state’s minimum foundation program dictates the 22 credits a student must complete to graduate.

The program will require three math credits instead of four after the changes go into effect for students entering high school in fall 2014.

Heilig said African-American and Latino students disproportionately receive high school diplomas that have lower degree requirements.

Heilig said measures such as House Bill 5, the bill that allowed for the elimination of the algebra II requirement,

will have a disparate effect on the students.

“Our state is changing, and we really want our University to represent the state,” Heilig said. “[If we] don’t have students that are college-ready or [they] don’t have the right credentials from high school, then what it will do is impact the diversity of UT over the long term.”

Heilig said in order to be competitive applicants, students must have four years of math, science and English.

“If you don’t start early on the pathway to college, then by the time a student is a junior and decides he wants to go to college, it’s too late,” Heilig said.

Texas Education Agency spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said algebra II is still required for students in the top 10 percent of their graduating class to be eligible for guaranteed admission to a state-funded public university.

“We encourage students

STUDENTS ADMITTED IN SUMMER/FALL 2013 Admits (including PACE): 15,335 From Texas high schools: 12,517

to determine what plan they want to choose, and one of the things we emphasize is that students consider including the Distinguished Achievement Program, especially if they want to attend a four-year university,” Culbertson said.

Culbertson said the bill aims to increase coursework options that will allow students to graduate and to reduce the number of required standardized course exams from 15 to five.

“The goal is to create more paths to graduation for students,” Culbertson said. “It mostly gave [school] districts more flexibility.”

Laura Lavergne, assistant to the director at the Office of Admissions, said University

applicants who exceed high school coursework requirements may benefit during the application review process.

Lavergne also said certain colleges within the University have a calculus readiness requirement for admission.

The requirement may be met by attaining a minimum score on the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate calculus exam, or the Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces exam.

Out of 15,335 students admitted to the University for the summer and fall 2013 semesters, 12,517 students graduated from Texas public high schools, according to Lavergne.

Heilig said after compulsory education was

[If we] don’t have students that are collegeready or [they] don’t have the right credentials from high school, then what it will do is impact the diversity of UT over the long term.

—Julian Heilig, education professor

established in Texas, the state created vocational tracks for students who were considered incapable of receiving college degrees. He said the bill eliminating algebra II as a requirement is reminiscent of this historical narrative.

“It’s been reframed as ‘students need an option,’” Heilig said. “It’s not actually students who are making these choices — it’s the state and those districts.”

NEWS BRIEFLY

UTPD investigates West Campus assault

City and University police are investigating a reported assault that occurred near the intersection of 25th and San Gabriel streets around 12:30 a.m. on Monday.

A female student told police she was grabbed from behind, knocked down and pinned to the ground by an unidentified male. Although she was able to ward off the attacker, she could not get a detailed physical description of him before he fled the scene, according to the report.

UTPD sent a campuswide email Wednesday afternoon requesting that anyone with information related to this incident contact the Austin Police Department.

The alleged assault occurred six blocks from 25th and San Antonio streets, where another student reported witnessing a possible kidnapping around 1 a.m. on Tuesday.

No one has been reported missing so far.

Senior police officer Veneza Bremner said APD detectives have no reason to believe that the two reports are related. “[The Tuesday incident] was closed that night when we didn’t find anybody,” Bremner said.

“The other case is still being investigated.”

Bremner said Monday’s reported assault would not cause police to reopen an investigation on Tuesday’s possible kidnapping, because no victims have come forward.

Because of the ongoing assault investigation, police are more visible in the area, Bremner said, but patrols will not increase in West Campus.

“The officers are already out there patrolling all the time,” Bremner said. “They’re not going to add more officers.”

— Julia Brouillette

Have a great green idea?

CAMPUS

SUBMIT IT FOR FUNDING FROM THE UT GREEN FEE!

Proposal applications due Sunday, March 9th, 2014 THE UT AUSTIN GREEN FEE COMMITTEE IS NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FOR THE 2014-2015 ACADEMIC YEAR AND BEYOND.

Download the application BOOKLET AND BUDGET SHEET AT

www.utexas.edu/sustainability/greenfee.php Miriam Rousseau / Daily Texan Staff

UT professors Daina Berry, left, and Shirley Thompson discuss the movie “12 Years A Slave” on Thursday. The roundtable included perspectives on race and gender portrayed in the movie.

Reading race in film: UT public forum discusses ‘12 Years a Slave’

By Kate Dannenmaier @kater_tot7

Although it’s impossible to truly capture the experience of slavery on film, professors at a discussion Thursday said “12 Years a Slave” came closer than any movie yet.

The discussion was organized by the University’s Texas Institute for Literary and Textual Studies — a yearlong, interdisciplinary program focused on “Reading Race in Literature and Film.” A panel of professors from UT and Austin Community College led the discussion of “12 Years a Slave,” the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black American who was kidnapped and enslaved for 12 years in the 19th century.

Mark Cunningham, a radio-television-film professor at ACC, said that the amount of violence shown in this film was insignificant compared to the reality

of slavery.

“You know that visually, no matter how difficult it is or how hard it is to watch this film, that this is nothing,” Cunningham said.

Shirley Thompson, an American studies associate professor, said the film made the violence inflicted on slaves especially glaring in scenes where it seemingly erupted out of nowhere.

“The way to get at a truth about slavery and violence is to juxtapose violence, or put violence up against the mundane,” Thompson said.

Eddie Chambers, UT associate professor of art and art history, said he didn’t think the amount of violence was excessive, but that violence shouldn’t be necessary for slavery and the struggles of African-Americans to be taken seriously.

“We always have to prove that our experiences and our historical trauma — and indeed our present day

challenges — are genuine, and are tangible and are tactile,” Chambers said.

Cunningham said while some complain that there aren’t enough stories being told about African-Americans that aren’t about slavery, the stories that are told don’t get enough attention.

“There are other stories to tell, but you didn’t go see those movies,” Cunningham said. “‘Fruitvale Station’ made $16.1 million. What’s the excuse for that?”

“Fruitvale Station” is a 2013 film about Oscar Grant, an African-American man killed by police in Oakland, Calif., in 2009.

Jordan Metoyer, economics and urban studies senior, said the discussion inspired her to learn more about slavery.

“I thought the talk was informative,” Metoyer said. “[It had] the right amount of nuance and a real acceptance of the panelists’ own unsure feelings about the film.”

All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to submit ideas.

Attend a workshop to maximize success Questions?

EMAIL

greenfee@austin.utexas.edu

Friday, February 7th 12-1 PM SAC 1.118

Sunday, February 9th 2-3 PM SAC 1.118

Sunday, February 16th 2-3 PM SAC 3.106

Thursday, February 20th 12:30-2 PM SAC 3.112

4A OPINION

LAURA WRIGHT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / @TexanEditorial Friday, February 7, 2014

QUOTES TO NOTE

4

TAKE YOUR SHOT

Quotes to note: $13,000 degrees Friday Firing Lines for week of Feb. 3: TFA and course credits and Davis on concealed carry “Yes. And state government should be sensitive to private property owners — including governmental, education, religious, health care and other institutions — to determine whether to allow open carry on their own properties.”

— Wendy Davis in response to the AP question, “Do you support ‘open carry’ of handguns in Texas and why or why not?”

“I’m surprised by it. I don’t think it’s a good signal to our children in this state that people can open carry something that is so dangerous and intimidating to others.”

— Frances Schenkkan, board member of Texas Gun Sense, in response to Wendy Davis’ gun control proposals.

“If you’re with [Gov. Chris Christie], he gives you all sorts of political favors. …

What’s happening in New Jersey is in a lot of respects a mirror image of what you see here in Texas with Rick Perry and Greg Abbott.”

— Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa’s response to Christie’s upcoming visit to Texas this coming Thursday.

“If you have a lab that gives you two hours worth of credit, but you’re consistently spending five hours a week in a lab, why shouldn’t you get something that accurately represents the amount of work that went into your project? We commonly hear that from engineering and natural sciences students. It is certainly something the University should take a closer look at and be proactive on.”

— Andrew Clark, Senate of College Councils president, on the argument that students shouldn’t spend more time in class than they get credit for. “[We listened] to what national and regional employers are saying they really want: graduates with critical thinking skills who are quantitatively literate, can evaluate knowledge sources, understand diversity and benefit from a strong liberal arts and sciences background. This isn’t just another business degree.”

— Van Davis, director of innovations for the The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, explaining the launch of the new the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Program, an online three-year degree program that will have a total cost between

COLUMN

Marijuana decriminalization good for Texas’ health, equality

By Ali Breland

Daily Texan Columnist @alibreland

At The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland two weeks ago, Rick Perry spoke in favor of decriminalizing marijuana, stating, “What I can do as the governor of the second largest state in the nation is to implement policies that start us toward decriminalization and keep people from going to prison and destroying their lives.”

Though Perry’s words seemed progressive, they were still just that — words. Words that probably reflect a political rhetoric for Perry’s anticipated national ambitions in 2016.

Perry’s advocacy for decriminalization didn’t include any endorsement of specific policy measures. His statement appeased the pro-marijuana crowd without alienating him from his base; from a political perspective, it’s the best of both worlds. The fact that Perry can endorse decriminalization and potentially walk away without taking too much flack from conservatives is indicative of a growing sentiment in favor of reducing drug penalties.

The changing sentiment is for good reason: Decriminalizing marijuana is highly beneficial for our justice system, our state’s racial equality, and potentially, our health.

Cheyanne Weldon, executive director of the Austin Chapter of the National Organization of the Reform of Marijuana Laws, put the benefits in context for Texas: “There are lot of benefits economically and socially from not arresting 80,000 people a year for marijuana possession,” she said. “We’ll save $10,000 per arrest.”

Benefits to the justice system don’t just help us economically; it also is also a significant step toward racial equality. According to the New York Times, blacks are four times as likely as whites to be arrested on marijuana possession charges, despite the fact that, according to the ACLU, there is little difference in the usage rates of marijuana between the two races.

A comprehensive ACLU report released last May cited initiatives like the Edward Byrne

There are lot of benefits economically and socially from not arresting 80,000 people a year for marijuana possession. We’ll save $10,000 per arrest.”

— Cheyanne Weldon, Executive Director of the Austin Chapter of the National Organization of the Reform of Marijuana Laws

The racial disparity between usage and arrests is a blunt example of institutional racism. Decriminalization won’t solve this problem... but it will be a step in the right direction.

Justice Assistance Grant Program as providing incentives for racial profiling. Programs like this factor in the total number of annual arrests in the performance measures of local law enforcement, and in so doing, arguably encourage increased arrest rates.

University of California, Los Angeles psychology professor Phillip Atiba Goff elaborated on this in the New York Times. He said that police departments can concentrate on minority and lower-income areas to meet arrest quotas. These kinds of policies exacerbate abhorrent racial issues surrounding marijuanarelated arrests.

In Austin, black people make up about 8.1 percent of the population, according to the 2010 census. According to the Austin Police Department, however, black individuals make up about 28.1 percent of those arrested on marijuana charges. So if the ACLU’s marijuana usage statistics are correct, then this number is indicative of Austin’s own race issues in law enforcement.

The racial disparity between usage and arrests is a blunt example of institutional racism.

Decriminalization won’t solve this problem at its core, but it will be a step in the right direction.

There are also potential medical benefits to decriminalization. According to an article published in The Lancet — a medical journal — marijuana is less addictive and harmful than alcohol and tobacco, two legal inebriants. Aside from being relatively innocuous, it can greatly help fight nausea and the loss of appetite from chemotherapy and reduce pain caused by multiple sclerosis. Research has shown that it may be able to help with irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, migraine, cancer growth, abnormal heart rhythms, Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia, incontinence, bacterial infections, osteoporosis, intense itching, Tourette’s syndrome and sleep apnea.

Of course, we shouldn’t be too quick to jump on the medical marijuana bandwagon, as more research of the drug is needed. Even so, decriminalization is the first step in allowing scientists to legally undertake research to provide a definitive answer on the potential health benefits of marijuana.

There are many benefits to decriminalization, but Perry’s comments, which were probably made in an attempt to frame himself as more politically libertarian, aren’t a promise of future beneficial policies. Even so, they are a potentially significant step towards a policy that could greatly benefit Texas.

Breland is a Plan II senior from Houston.

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.

Every Friday, the Daily Texan editorial board will publish a selection of tweets and online comments culled from the Daily Texan website and the various Daily Texan Twitter accounts, along with direct submissions from readers.

Our intention is to continue the tradition of the Firing Line, a column first started in the Texan in 1909, in which readers share their opinions “concerning any matter of general interest they choose.” Just like in 1909, the Texan “will never express its approval or disapproval of opinions given under the [Firing Line] header.” In other words, take your shot.

Submissions can be sent to editor@dailytexanonline.com.

NOT ILLEGAL TO BE HOMELESS “It is not illegal to be homeless.” This statement shows the superficiality of the writer’s worldview. If the writer had ever experienced homelessness, perhaps they would realize that it is indeed illegal to make your home on the street. No-loitering ordinances are structured to move-along-now those individuals who basically have nowhere else to go. Guadalupe St. has long been a place of congregation, not just by individuals who don’t have class or work to attend. The University of Texas is not the most important thing in the world. Students who attend this school deserve a safe environment, the same way any citizen does. Implicating the homeless has always been the easiest scapegoat because no one advocates for the homeless. If we’re just going on anecdotal evidence here, I have been more frightened for my safety surrounded by good-ol’-boy football fans — who most presumably have homes — raging over a perceived slight by an out-of-towner. Where are the advocates for safe sport watching when you need them, eh?

— Erin Shook, Research Assistant, Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, in response to Ally Triolo’s opinion column, “Homeless Population on Campus pose threat to UT students.”

CREDIT HOURS COUNT Letitia Hopkins @SoulSistahSings Sounds nice til people can’t receive fin aid due to having too many credit hours according to fed guidelines.

—In response to the Editorial “Students shouldn’t spend more time in class then they’re getting credit for.”

I teach a 3 credit hour class that has a lab (PGE 334), and it is listed as 2 hours lecture and 2 hours lab. In additon to the 2 hours of lecture each week, I try to assign another 4 to 6 hours worth of homework and reading. For the two hours of lab each week, most of the work is completely finished during lab time. That means I expect the students to do approximately 8-12 hours of work each week for that 3 credit hour class. In weeks where I have no lab, we meet for lecture for 3 hours per week, and I try to provide another 6 to 9 hours of homework and reading outside of lecture, again adding up to 12 hours of work each week. I think most faculty see these as the guidelines for workload, but for individual students the work may take more or less time. — Jon Olson, Associate Professor, Geology, in response to the editorial “Students shouldn’t spend more time in class than they’re getting credit for.”

THE FACTS ABOUT TFA I would like to respond to Ms. Lucy Griswold’s opinion piece on Teach For America — “Teach [For] America can’t offer real solutions to education inequality” — published on Feb. 4, 2014. Griswold’s piece presents an interesting perspective. However, she makes a few errors.

I should say that Teach For America has made it possible for me to take advantage of amazing opportunities. I was part of the recruitment team that helped the University of Texas at Austin become the top contributing university to the 2013 corps.

I also took advantage of the opportunity to intern on the recruitment team at TFA’s Manhattan headquarters.

Griswold makes a few factual errors in her opinion piece. One of the most glaring is that she claims “TFA was a way to [teach in an under resourced district] while getting a master’s degree for free.” The link that she provides debunks her claim. TFA corps members may receive $5,350 grants in AmeriCorps funding that can be used to help pay for a graduate degree or repay qualified student loans. That is hardly receiving a master’s degree “for free.” It is true, however, that many TFA corps members are required to or choose to complete a M.Ed. while they teach.

Second, Griswold mistakenly attempts to link Teach For America to an attempt to “[apply] business practices such as increasing competition, emphasizing data and evaluation and promoting efficiency in the educational sphere.” Her argument is based on TFA “being funded in large part” by the Walton Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The assertion “TFA is funded in large part” is false, and the link between those two groups’ donations and corporatization is not clear. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is listed along with

More work can be done to increase diversity in the teaching force and create a better environment for children. However, TFA is taking an active role in the issue by recruiting people of color into the teaching force.

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | E-mail 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.

Arizona State University, The Dream Fund at UCLA and the UCLA Foundation as “Champion Investors.” The Walton Foundation is listed as providing at least $5 million in support of TFA in fiscal year 2011.

However, at least $10 million was donated to TFA from states and the federal government. TFA receives donations from a wide range of groups and does not seem to rely more heavily on either of the foundations Griswold mentioned. I am not sure why using data or being efficient in the educational sphere is a bad thing. I hope that educators will make the most informed decisions possible when deciding what’s best for their students. Still, a much stronger link to any proved agenda between corporations and Teach For America is needed for her argument to be taken seriously.

Finally, Griswold’s comments on Teach For America’s training is concerning. Griswold insinuates that TFA corps members do not receive enough training to be effective teachers. Yet, principals and school leaders are overwhelmingly pleased with their decision to hire TFA corps members and continue to do so. Griswold then quotes corps members who state that they were “learning on [their students]” and who felt that conversations around race were “superficial” and “offered little insight to corps members of color.” I — and many within Teach For America — will point out the need for better diversity training. However, it seems that Teach For America is doing more to correct for racism in education that traditional teaching routes. In 2011 only 17 percent of the U.S. teaching force were people of color. This matches with only 12 percent of traditionally prepared teachers being people of color. In contrast, 38 percent of Teach For America’s corps was made up of people of color. More work can be done to increase diversity in the teaching force and create a better environment for children.

However, TFA is taking an active role in the issue by recruiting people of color into the teaching force.

My goal in replying to Griswold is not to convince anyone to apply to Teach For America. Rather, I think facts are important — maybe it’s the data thing — as people form their views on TFA. — Joshua Tang, history senior, in response to Lucy Griswold’s opinion column “Teach [For] America can’t offer real solutions to education inequality.”

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 (@TexanEditorial) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

SPTS 5

5

STEFAN SCRAFIELD, SPORTS EDITOR / @texansports Friday, February 7, 2014

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Holmes, Horns seek eighth straight

By Garrett Callahan @CallahanGarrett

After seven straight wins, Texas has moved from the hunter to the hunted.

The Longhorns (18-4, 7-2 Big 12) sit in second place in the Big 12, despite starting 0-2 in conference play. Texas produced four straight wins against ranked opponents before narrowly escaping against TCU, and now heads north to Manhattan, Kan., to face Kansas State (15-7, 5-4 Big 12) on Saturday.

“We got to understand that we put ourselves in the position to win the Big 12 Championship, but we also put ourselves in [the] position that teams are going to want to beat us every night,” junior forward Jonathan Holmes said.

The Wildcats were part of a four-team spread that Texas was able to overpower late last month, which helped it enter the rankings for the first time since 2011. Holmes hit a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to win the contest for the Longhorns against No. 22 Kansas State.

That win continued a streak for the Longhorns, which currently puts them at No. 15 in the polls after a huge upset victory against No. 6 Kansas last Saturday.

Texas is off to its best 22game start since the 20102011 season, when it started 19-3. That start puts the Longhorns in a position they haven’t been in in quite some time — at the top of the pack.

“We are a good team,” head coach Rick Barnes said. “But it is such a fine line between winning and losing, that if you start drinking the poison and think that you are there, it all gets away.”

Against TCU, who sits in the bottom of the conference, the Longhorns lacked the intensity and aggressiveness that propelled them past four ranked opponents. Texas escaped with a 5-point victory, despite its worst shooting of the season.

If the Longhorns continue to play down to their opponents, they will have even greater trouble against Kansas State, who is striving to get back into contention after

NETS

NCAAB ARIZONA

OREGON

When sophomore guard Brady Sanders suits up for each game, she knows she owes more than 40 minutes of play to her teammates.

As the self-described “energy player” on the team, Sanders doesn’t just average the most minutes (25.8) on the court. And she doesn’t just boast the best 3-point field goal percentage on the team. Sanders makes sure that before the game, during and after, she’s the loudest and proudest competitor there is.

“I hope [competitors] say, ‘That girl never stops,’” Sanders said. “‘She plays 40 minutes, she’ll keep going at you even if her shot’s not falling and she’s an energy player.’”

More often than not, Sanders’ shot is falling. Averaging 11.8 points per game through the last four games,

WEEKEND PREVIEWS MEN’S TENNIS CHRIS CARAVEO

Coming off their fifth shutout of the season, the Longhorns will travel north for two matches this weekend with a higher ranking in front of their name.

Texas moved up four spots to No. 10 in the ITA Rankings after they scored two wins against ranked opponents on Jan. 26, in Nashville, Tenn.

The Longhorns put themselves in good position by taking early control of their six matches last weekend — all wins — and by winning the doubles point in each one. Texas faces less pressure to win at more positions, needing only three singles wins instead of four after doubles play.

Juniors Lloyd Glasspool and Soren Hess-Olesen will lead the way for Texas in doubles with a 5-0 dualmatch record and a No. 5 national ranking.

The team will have two more chances to improve their doubles streak when they face No. 31 Michigan on Friday, followed by No. 22 Illinois on Sunday.

she executes her own offense. But she also feeds her teammates both words of encouragement and the ball.

Against Texas Tech, Sanders led the team with four assists.

It is those fundamentals she takes pride in.

“I make the hustle plays, do the little things that sometimes goes unnoticed but to me and to the team, I know they’re important,” Sanders said. “As long as everyone’s contributing to the team, I’m not the type of person to need all the attention.”

And yet, Sanders garners significant attention from her teammates as she emerges as the vocal leader of the team. She said the personalities among the team require her to “yell to get her voice heard.” But head coach Karen Aston sets Sanders’ words apart from her teammates.

“She’s very loud, doesn’t

losing three of its last four games. The Wildcats started conference play 3-1 before coming to Austin, which began their small downward spiral.

But Barnes isn’t worried about his team’s new status and the risk that comes with it.

“February is a separation

month or a catch-up month, whatever you want to call it,” Barnes said. “There are a lot of games left to play. But I’m not going to buy into the ‘just cause we’re ranked people are going to play any harder.’

I think Kansas State would play just as hard if we were 7-2 or 2-7. I believe that.”

mind talking a lot on defense and ‘leading,’ so to say,” Aston said. “[She] understands that’s what her role is.”

Sanders doesn’t just sport a loud voice. She’s naturally animated, too, whether it’s her fist pump or kicking her legs after drawing a charge.

“I can’t control what I do,” Sanders said. “I just get so excited and caught up in the moment — literally something just comes over me.

I just have a huge passion for basketball and even if it’s not me doing something good, I just get so excited for my teammates.”

Sanders’ teammates get excited for her, too. They’ve grown together since last year, as they play what Aston describes as a “maturity game.” Fellow sophomore Empress Davenport said they’ve learned together.

“Since we clocked so many minutes [last year],

After a long offseason of facing the same batters and the same pitchers, the first tournament of the season is an exciting moment for teams.

Playing five games over the course of three or four days allows coaches to see who their starters will be conference play starts, and young players are able to get used to the college game.

“Going into the first tournament is always exciting,” junior pitcher Gabby Smith said. “It’s preseason and it’s just so much fun.”

The Longhorns will play their first tournament of the year away from home for the first time since 2007, electing to compete in the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette, La. Texas will face North Carolina, Louisiana-Lafayette, Purdue and Northern Iowa in the three-day tournament.

While Texas comes in as the highest-ranked team in the tournament — ranked No. 10 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association — they’ll face stiff competition, particularly from Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Ragin’ Cajuns are coming off of a run to the Super Regional where they fell to Michigan. This season, they are ranked No. 13 in the preseason ranking and pitcher Jordan Wallace is looking to

continue her success from a year ago when she was 32-9 with 382 strikeouts.

The Longhorns swept all three games the two teams played last year, but head coach Connie Clark knows it will be different this time around playing in Lafayette.

“They usually draw pretty well and they really enjoy their softball down there,” Clark said.

Texas will face North Carolina in its first game of the tournament. The Tar Heels finished last season 40-21 and made it into the NCAA tournament. They return 10 of their key players, including pitcher Lori Spingola, who went 30-15 last year with a 2.50 ERA and 304 strikeouts.

Clark said starting the season with both of those teams will be a needed challenge for the Longhorns.

TOP TWEET Mack Brown @UT_MackBrown

“It’s good to know life has a lot to offer you, but even better to know that you have a lot to offer life. Unknown - So go for it”

SPORTS BRIEFLY George, Wall, Lillard in NBA Dunk Contest Lauren Ussery / Daily Texan Staff

Despite an up and down season for the Longhorns, the energy of sophomore Brady Sanders has fueled the charge.

we know what to expect,” Davenport said.

But in its first season matchup against Iowa State on Sunday, Texas might not know what to expect. Before the Longhorns adjusted to the “maturity game,” the Cyclones swept them last season en route to a second-place finish in the Big 12. Texas (15-7, 6-4)

has grown since then — and the team is just inches ahead of Iowa State (16-6, 5-6) in the competition.

Sanders thinks her team “beat ourselves in the games we lost,” and doesn’t think “there’s a limit on what we can be.” Come Sunday, Sanders will see how long Texas’ growth spurt will actually last.

Longhorns open season with tough tourney @ViewFromTheBox

CINCINATTI

Texas faces the Wildcats led by Holmes, who recorded 20 points and a careerhigh 16 rebounds against the Horned Frogs. Holmes has averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds in his last two contests and is expected to once again lead his team in Saturday’s matchup.

SOFTBALL

By Jacob Martella

UCONN

Pu Ying Huang / Daily Texan Staff

Junior forward Jonathan Holmes has played huge for Texas during its seven-game win streak and leads the team with 13.7 points per game this season.

Brady Sander’s energy on, off court fuels Texas @JoriEpstein

NBA SPURS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

By Jori Epstein

SIDELINE

“I think that’s exactly what we need to get these young players into the fire as quickly as we can,” Clark said.

The Longhorns are coming off of a 6-1 win over LSU in their opening game of the season. Senior shortstop Taylor Thom boosted the Texas offense with a threerun home run in the fifth to put the game out of hand.

Junior pitcher Gabby Smith allowed only one unearned run and struck out two in the complete game.

The Louisiana Classic is part of a tough non-conference schedule for Texas, who will also play Arizona State, Michigan and Washington — all of which are ranked in the top 10 going into the season. With seven freshmen joining the Longhorns for 2014, senior shortstop Taylor Thom said the team’s

focus for the tournament and the rest of the non-conference schedule will be consistency.

“There are a lot of new faces out there and not a lot of experience, so we’re just going to have to continue to work through the ups and downs,” Thom said.

But now that the Longhorns are playing someone other than themselves, Smith said they’re ready to go out and have fun.

“I know we’re all really anxious to have a different opponent,” Smith said. “It’s going to be good to see different batters.”

When NBA All-Star weekend heads to New Orleans this month, defending slam dunk contest champion and Toronto Raptors forward Terrence Ross will be joined by a plethora of stars ready to take his crown.

Sources told ESPN. com that All-Stars Paul George (Indiana Pacers), John Wall (Washington Wizards) and Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) will highlight the annual Slam Dunk Contest.

Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes and Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore will round out the six-man field.

The contest, which has historically been the highlight of AllStar weekend, has lost its luster the past couple of years with minimal star power competing in the event.

These additions should go a long way in bringing back the buzz to the annual dunk-off.

50 YEARS OF SCUBA DIVING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS Feb. 1964 - Feb. 2014

UNIVERSITY SCUBA CLUB Help Us Celebrate Our 50th Anniversary Friday, February 7, 2014 7:00 P.M. Scholz Garden, North Room 1607 San Jacinto Austin, Tx Everyone Welcome CASH BAR Shweta Gulati / Daily Texan Staff

Junior Gabby Smith starred for Texas against LSU on Thursday, pitching seven strong innings.

—Matt Warden

6 COMICS 6

Friday, February 7, 2014

COMICS

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Friday, February 7, 2014

Edited by Will Shortz

Crossword ACROSS

32 Prefix with phobia 33 Basilica honoree 34 Former silkworms 36 Time indicator, of sorts 37 Media giant that owns the Detroit Free Press 39 4-Down inventory 40 Gedda or Ghiaurov of opera fame 41 “Cap’n ___” (Joseph C. Lincoln novel) 42 “Phooey!”

45 Singer who said “People make music to get a reaction” 46 “Tastes terrific!”

47 Actress Gardner 48 Oriole rival 49 Junior senator from Texas

1 Bite-size sweet 10 Complains loudly 15 Locomotive 16 1946 University of Pennsylvania invention 17 1950s-’60s sitcom headliner 18 Instagram filter 19 What many cats play 20 It’s snowy in Florida 22 Left 23 Oxygen tent locale, briefly 24 Home of Harpers Ferry: Abbr.

25 Flock member 27 Literary adverb 28 Dundee denial 29 Nikkei unit 30 Salmagundi

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE I R M A

B E A R U O P D O A N

A C C E P T E D

F L O R E T

R U S S I A

G R O F E

R S A P H I N N O L A T I C S T H I W G E A A N C T T O I E O N N T P E

A D E L E M A R I N A T E D

L U S T S O L E S C H A I

L O V E C H I L D D O E R R

A M A T H I A V R E M P D E E A R N R U T S

Prep to the highest degree.

F O R O N E S E L F F

L O A N E R

A C C E S S

T H E R E

M A T T R L E O S A S

U N L O O S E S

S K Y E B A Y

51 Food whose name means “feathers” 53 Eatery 54 Nuclei 56 Profession for Laura Bush before the White House 58 Rushed 59 “Cinderella” stepsister 60 Perfect 61 Type-A types DOWN 1 Linguistic 30-Across 2 Record glimpsed on Norman Bates’s Victrola 3 1-Down, e.g.

4 Michelin Guide recommendations 5 Lun ___ (Tuptim’s beloved in “The King and I”) 6 Certain rate-hike circumvention 7 Pizzeria supply 8 One logging in 9 Cashes in 10 “___ on Prop …” (campaign sign) 11 Over 12 Many “Jackass” stunts 13 In a state of nirvana 14 Not stay together 21 Online realm since 2006 24 Common British Isles shader

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

9

10

15 17 20

21

23

24

25

28

29

30

32 34

13

14

43

44

22 26

27 31

33

35

36

37

38

39

40 45

54

12

18

19

49

11

16

46 50

51 55

41

42

47

48

52 56

58

59

60

61

53 57

PUZZLE BY BARRY C. SILK AND BRAD WILBER

26 “Where you book matters” sloganeer 31 Some Olympic coups 32 It’s 8 for O 34 Artery 35 Not going astray 37 Trattoria dish 38 Delay

39 Midway missile 42 Cook, as Swiss steak 43 Erle Stanley Gardner pseudonym 44 Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, in “The Lion King” 50 Fraternity letter

52 Hombre, once

53 Techno- tack-on

55 Dict. demarcation

57 Sidebar requester: Abbr.

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554.

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information.

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

MCAT® | LSAT® | GMAT® | GRE® Available:

8

No. 0103

In Person

LiveOnline

Use promo code DailyTexan$150 to save $150 on classroom prep.

PrincetonReview.com | 800-2Review

SUDOKUFORYOU

SUDOKUFORYOU SUDOKUFORYOU t

t

9 9 44 2 1 88 2 1 9 7 2 9 7 2 33 7 3 7 3 3 9 5 5 8 8 3 9 11 6 6 44 2 8 9 66 2 8 9 5 5 4 4 33 7 8 6 7 8 6 11

t

3 3

6 6

3

6

Today’s solution will appear here next issue Today’s solution will appear here next issue

33 99 22 11 77 44 88 55 66

55 66 77 88 22 33 11 99 44

11 44 88 66 55 99 77 22 33

66 55 44 33 88 11 99 77 22

77 88 99 22 66 55 33 44 11

22 11 33 99 44 77 66 88 55

88 44 99 77 33 22 55 11 66 44 77 55 33 99 11 66 22 88 22 55 44 11 66 33 99 88 77

9 4 S 2 1 8 U 9 7 2 3 D O 7 3 K 3 9 5 8 1 U

CLASS/JUMP 7

RENOIR

continues from page 8 opportunity to hear him speak openly about his work and about his family — how he has been raised in the fine arts and the influence that his father and his great grandfather has had on him,” said Jacquie Martinez, Russell’s associate gallery director. “There’s a lot of oral history that he shares whenever you are with him.”

Alexandre Renoir recalls

UNS AD IRNE FOR ONL

E! E R F d wor

ad s

7

Friday, February 7, 2014

only

stories of his life and family to guests, such as how his great grandmother used to model for his great grandfather. In addition to stories, Alexandre Renoir often does live painting at his showings, allowing guests to observe his artistic process.

“He’s doing a live painting, which I’m excited to see,” said Savannah Stait, Russell’s art and framing consultant. “His style is so different and his pallet is so saturated. It will be interesting to see how people

receive his artwork since it crosses over with the other impressionists, but it’s definitely his own.”

The Russell collection began incorporating contemporary artists into its gallery of exclusively classic artists, such as Picasso and Monet, seven years ago. Alexandre Renoir’s work compliments the gallery since he artfully bridges traditional and contemporary style.

“I started off a purely masters gallery, and I’ve always

had my permanent collection, so it was a natural fit to combine the two — to show the old and new,” Russell said.

Among his original pieces, the collection contains several works that pay homage to Alexandre Renoir’s great grandfather, such as a colored lithograph of the famous painting “The Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881.”

“It’s interesting to look back at his great grandfather and see where art has come

in comparison and watch it evolve,” Russell said.

Saturday’s reception, along with the artworks, will provide a memorable experience for traditional and contemporary art fans alike.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone to come enjoy the masterworks that we have as well as today’s living master artist,” Martinez said. “To have direct lineage present is a phenomenal opportunity — one you don’t get too often.”

CLASSIFIEDS THE DAILY TEXAN

Self-serve, 24/7 on the Web at www.DailyTexanOnline.com

766 Recruitment

$5,500-$10,000 PAID EGG DONORS SAT>1100/ACT>24/GPA>3.0 N/ Smokers, Ages 18-27. All Races Needed Reply to: info@egdonorcenter.com

790 Part Time

I’M LOOKING for a part time personal assistant age of 28/60, which I’m going to be paying $400 each week.

If interested, contact munvyest709@gmail.com ASAP

791 Nanny Wanted AFTER-SCHOOL NANNY Family in River Place (620 & 2222) needs a nanny for after-school care of our three kids; a girl (13), a boy (10), and a puppy (1). Primary duties include providing transportation to after-school activities, walking the dog, and homework help. Must have own transportation and available afternoons Monday through Friday. 512-773-2752

792 Temporary Holiday Help Wanted

DELIVERY DRIVERS WANTED for Edible Arrangements on Valentine’s Day! Make $100-$250.

Come to 507 Pressler, Austin TX 78703 to apply

875 Medical Study

Seeks College-Educated Men 18–39 to Participate in a Six-Month Donor Program

Donors average $150 per specimen.

Apply on-line

www.123Donate.com

890 Clubs-Restaurants WORK ON CAMPUS!! The UT Club is now hiring part time servers. Typical shifts are 10:00am3:30pm, and 4:00pm-10:00pm.

Pay averages $11.50/hour. Apply in person or send resume to mike.mosel@ourclub.com

SEE WHAT OUR

ONLINE SYSTEM

has to offer, and place YOUR AD NOW!

www.utclub.com

Sell Textbooks SCIENCE FICTION: After a global catastrophe, how will we rebuild our world? What vision will we follow? And who will corrupt it?

WILDERNESS, a science fiction novel, is by Alan Kovski. Available via Amazon.com SCIENCE FICTION: Changes may be genetically engineered, outside us or inside us, with or without our consent. WONDERS AND TRAGEDIES, a science fiction novel, is by Alan Kovski.

Available via Amazon.com SCIENCE FICTION: The future may be beautiful, terrible, bewildering. People will have to deal with it somehow. REMEMBERING THE FUTURE: science fiction stories by Alan Kovski.

Available via Amazon.com

DANCER

continues from page 8 during her pregnancy and her move to Austin.

“I think as an artist, when you leave that part of you out for a significant length of time, you don’t even realize what’s missing until you put it back in,” Patel said. “As soon as I brought back dance into my life, I felt I was a better mom, a better wife and a better person. I was complete again.”

ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its officers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, printing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement.

All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.

DailyTexanClassifieds.com

LIFE&ARTS

REMEMBER! you saw it in the Texan DailyTexanClassifieds.com Sign up for the Daily Digest and receive coupons DAILY! Scan this code >

8 L&A

8

HANNAH SMOTHERS, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR / @DailyTexanArts Friday, February 7, 2014

Indian dance featured in play DANCE AND THEATER

By Kritika Pramod @kritika88

Preya Mangalat Patel began dancing at the age of four. Now, as artistic director and choreographer at the Devi School of Dance in Austin, Patel teaches a small group of young students Bharatanatyam — an Indian classical dance form.

Patel and her troupe will perform a special garba piece, a traditional Indian dance, during the staging of the “Little Red Chunari” at the Austin Scottish Rite Theatre this weekend.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Patel was introduced to dance by her mother who encouraged her to enroll in dance classes.

“My mother loves me a lot,” Patel said. “When I was young, she put me into whatever dance classes were available at that time.”

When she was six, Patel met her guru — Kalashri Asha Gopal, founder and director of the Arathi School of Dance in Phoenix. Gopal was the only Bharatanatyam teacher in the small Indian community in Arizona at the time. As a young dancer, Patel lived to hear the beats and the rhythms and learned dance styles like ballet, tap and jazz, and other Indian classical dance forms like Mohiniattam, Kathak, Kuchipudi and Odissi.

“When you’re younger, you’re shown the moves and you’re told to show the right expressions,” Patel said. “But you are not necessarily feeling the dance. It was some time during my Arangetram that I truly fell in love with classical dance.”

A proud moment for most classical dancers, Arangetram is the debut on-stage performance of a classical dancer that usually takes place when the dancer is 13 years old.

“Once I found the passion for classical dance, I realized the depth and the scope of it when it comes to abhinaya and telling stories,” Patel said.

“I feel like I still have a long way to go.”

Abhinaya, a concept in Indian classical dance, is the art of expression requiring a different set of skills and experiences. One has to be proficient at depicting expression and drama through dance.

Patel graduated as a dance major from Scripps College in Claremont, Calif., in 1994.

Shortly after, she decided to pursue a condensed, oneyear program in cytology from a school in Las Vegas because she wanted space to pursue what she was truly devoted to.

“I chose to pursue cytology because it allowed me a lot of flexibility,” Patel said.

“It allows me the freedom to be a mother and a wife, to dance and to have a job.”

Patel knew the kind of dance she really wanted to do all her life was Bharatanatyam.

“You can be quite creative with [Bharatanatyam] if you have the time and if you have the passion for it while still adhering to the traditions of it,” Patel said. “You can find things that appeal to different audiences as well.”

Having studied under several gurus, Patel said she has learned from each one of them.

“The more you are exposed to, the more you are able to find your own path,” Patel said.

“That’s what sets you apart

ART

Shelby Tauber / Daily Texan Staff

Preya Mangalat Patel, artistic director and choreographer at the Devi School of Dance in Austin, and her troupe will perform a special garba piece, a traditional Indian dance, during the staging of the “Little Red Chunari” at the Austin Scottish Rite Theatre this weekend.

from other dancers.”

In 2007, Patel moved to Austin, and that was when she reconnected with her childhood friend from Phoenix, Sumana Sen Mandala, who had recently started a semi-professional dance group called Stage Sanchaar. Mandala and Patel, both students of guru Gopal, had completed their Arangetram under her.

Patel and Mandala performed together with the Stage Sanchaar troupe to raise awareness and funds for The Arts and Fitness Program for Young Children in Austin and in 2010 they staged a dance production titled “The Power of You.”

“Just as a good actor is able to get into the role, Preya as a talented dancer is able to get into the role,” Mandala said. “She is a versatile and beautiful dancer and she is very professional.”

During her involvement with Stage Sanchaar, Patel also met Minnie Homchowdhury, a trained Bharatanatyam dancer from India, who has been pursuing the dance form for more than 25 years.

“Preya is a complete performer,” Homchowdhury said.

“The stage loves her. She is well-versed in both the Western and Indian styles of dance.”

In October 2013, Patel started her dance school with

Multimedia Local dancer teaches classical Indian dance at the Devi School of Dance dailytexanonline.com seven students. She trains them in her guru’s style of Bharatanatyam and wants her students to be proficient and comfortable with the form before moving on to other styles of dance.

“I really enjoy teaching,” Patel said. “I’m becoming a better dancer being a teacher, because I tend to look into things deeply, wanting to

LITTLE RED CHUNARI When: Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Where: Austin Scottish Rite Theatre Admission: $6-$9

answer any question that can come from the students.”

For Patel, classical dance has been a significant part of her life and she believes dancing has kept her focused and organized. The only time she has spent away from dance was

DANCER page 7

MOVIE REVIEW| ‘THE MONUMENTS MEN’

Clooney’s newest directorial attempt falls short, continues mediocre streak

By Alex Williams @alexwilliamsDT

Courtesy of Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery

A local gallery is hosting the work of Alexandre Renoir, a descendent of the famous impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir.

Son of famed Renoir clan to visit gallery

By Carmen Rising @carmen_rising

It isn’t hard to tell that Alexandre Renoir’s brightly colored landscapes and vivid florals come from a long-standing family tradition of impressionism. Alexandre Renoir is the great grandson of French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and through the end of February, the Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery on Sixth Street is hosting a collection of his paintings.

Alexandre Renoir is a contemporary impressionist painter, depicting subjects similar to those of the masters with a modern spin. He paints classic flowers and landscapes with a pallet knife to create thick, bold textures rather than delicate brushstrokes. Unlike older impressionists who used subdued

colors, Alexandre Renoir’s pieces are full of vibrant color.

“He’s influenced by the masters in terms of imagery, but he has his own style,” gallery owner Lisa Russell said. “When you think contemporary you’re thinking abstract and very modern. Not a lot of credit is given to the fact that there are contemporary traditionalist or impressionist artists that do an amazing job.”

Alexandre Renoir will visit the gallery on Saturday, Feb. 8 from 11-1 p.m. Children will be able to meet the artist and paint with him. That evening, the gallery will host a free reception with the artist to give the public an opportunity to meet Alexandre Renoir and enjoy his work.

“People will have the

RENOIR page 7

There’s a long list of actors who have tried their hands at directing, but only a few truly achieve success.

For every Ron Howard or Ben Affleck, there are 10 Danny DeVitos — the actorturned-director responsible for the disastrous “Duplex.”

George Clooney’s directorial career is neither a decisive disappointment nor a smashing success, but after five films one would expect Clooney would have gotten a little better. He’s made four mediocre films as well as one great one, “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Unfortunately, “The Monuments Men” continues Clooney’s cold streak, failing to establish any narrative purpose, vivid characters or even a discernible personality.

Set in the tail end of World War II, “The Monuments Men” tells the true story of a group of art historians tasked with saving art stolen by Nazis. Frank Stokes (Clooney) divides the group, sending them to various corners of the European front to track down some select artifacts.

“The Monuments Men” boasts a truly impressive ensemble cast, including Clooney backed by the likes of

Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Jean Dujardin, but there’s not a single memorable character among the bunch. Blanchett is the only cast member whose performance could be considered memorable, alternating between a charming and cold character that exists purely for narrative convenience and is disregarded in the film as soon as possible.

Everyone else is playing variations of their publicly established personas. But there are some moments, such as Murray listening to a recording of his daughter singing a Christmas carol or Damon accidentally stepping on a possibly defunct land mine, that allow for some pathos to sneak in.

Even the film’s approach to its characters is misguided.

After a playful set of introductions, “The Monuments Men” takes a sitcom-esque approach to its characters, pairing them off and sending them on separate adventures.

As Clooney ping-pongs between the various members of his ensemble, a tonal inconsistency sets in, with wry comedic set pieces and sarcastic exchanges mixed in with sappy, repetitive death scenes and some mythologizing.

But perhaps the film’s greatest misstep isn’t its

Claudette Barius / Associated Pres

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows from left, Sam Epstein, John Goodman, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bob Balaban in a scene from “The Monuments Men.”

scattershot approach to character work, but the utterly inconsequential nature of the film itself. Clooney’s directorial hand is workmanlike, staging each sequence with baseline competence but little flair or originality. Ultimately, he’s unable to justify his own film’s existence. Telling a story about war heroes in a bland, forgettable fashion has been done many times before, but to make a film about the importance of art in such an artless, manufactured and unfocused fashion borders on an act of hubris.

Despite having little worth mentioning, “The Monuments Men” isn’t a terrible film, just a film unworthy of the considerable

THE MONUMENTS MEN Director: George Clooney Genre: Historical Drama Runtime: 118 minutes

talent on either side of the camera. It feels like a first draft of a great story, adrift in its tone and lazy in its character work. Clooney’s disappointing, mediocre effort is destined to accumulate as little fanfare as the film deserves.

an adve

rtising spec

Find the latest news on the lives of longhorns in a Today special addition to the Daily Texan. November 28

APRIL

ial editio

n of The

27, 2012

Daily Texa

n

Thro

wing

Inc

luding adua ...

Tio

BY PER n ParTy SON

a gr

alT gr

ad Pro

NAME

BY PER graMS SON NAM E

grad

Pro

BY PER graMS SON NAM E

TEST PREP ...and

Much

More!