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Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
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Monday, February 24, 2014
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UNIVERSITY
POLICE
Degree progress to dictate registration time
APD chief apologizes for arrest comments
By Madlin Mekelburg @madlinbmek
When students register for fall classes starting in April, registration-access time will be determined by how close students are to completing their degree — not their classification. David Laude, chemistry professor and senior vice provost for enrollment and
graduation management, said the current system for determining registrationaccess time, with students classified as seniors registering first and freshman registering last, is “broken.” “Over the last couple of decades, there has been this trend toward students earning semester credit hours through placement credit or summer credits, so that it’s
very common for a student to arrive on campus and achieve sophomore or even junior standing — even as a freshman,” Laude said. “The problem is that we have dramatically shifted the number of students we would refer to as seniors … where there are far, far more of that particular population than anyone else.” According to Laude,
about 39 percent of students are currently classified as seniors and, therefore, register on the first two days. Laude said after the new system is implemented, approximately 22.5 percent of students will register within the first two days. Laude said he saw the possibility to create a more spe-
By Julia Brouillette @juliakbrou
David Laude
REGISTRATION page 2
Vice provost for enrollment and graduation management
For Kansas, there’s no place like home
Pu Ying Huang / Daily Texan Staff
Freshman point guard Isaiah Taylor struggled to no end against the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday night. Taylor scored just five points and grabbed four rebounds after a 23-point domination when Kansas came to Austin Feb. 1. Kansas beat Texas 85-54.
Jonathan Holmes shoulders Jayhawk burden alone / Page 6
Art Acevedo, Austin Police Department police chief, issued a public apology Saturday after dismissing public outcry over a pedestrian’s arrest and saying Austin police officers’ actions should not be considered controversial, given that officers in other cities sexually assault civilians. Acevedo made his original comments at a press conference Friday, one day after a public outcry when APD officers arrested 24-yearold Amanda Jo Stephen for crossing an intersection at a red light. “In other cities, there’s cops who are actually committing sexual assaults on duty, so I thank God that this is what passes for a controversy in Austin, Texas,” Acevedo said at the press conference Friday. “Thank you, Lord … that we actually have the audacity to touch somebody by the arm and tell them, ‘Oh my goodness, Austin Police, we’re trying to get your attention.’” Acevedo also said he felt the public was overreacting to the officers’ treatment of Stephen. “Quite frankly, she wasn’t charged with resisting, and she was lucky I wasn’t the arresting officer because I wouldn’t have been quite as generous,” Acevedo said. “I don’t buy that you can’t hear an officer yelling at you to stop . … I’ll give the benefit of the doubt initially, but, when the officer is right by you and you can see the that and he’s looking at your face,
JOGGER page 2
CAMPUS
UNIVERSITY
TSM board discusses budget constraints, prospect of cutting Texan print schedule By Nicole Cobler @nicolecobler
In the face of serious financial shortfalls, the Texas Student Media board discussed a budget proposal that would include reducing The Daily Texan to a weekly, rather than daily, printing schedule at its meeting Friday. A final vote to determine the budget is scheduled for next month. Texas Student Media, known as TSM, oversees five properties — The Daily Texan, The Texas Travesty, KVRX, TSTV and the Cactus Yearbook — and has faced increased budget shortfalls as ad revenue declined nationally over the last several years. Dave Player, TSM board president and third-year law student, said moving to a weekly paper would not necessarily improve funding
Sam Ortega / Daily Texan Staff
Texas State graduate Alejandro Fernandez holds up a Venezuelan flag during a rally in the Main Mall on Saturday afternoon.
Students protest lack of civil rights in Venezuela By Nicole Bueno @itsmorebueno
Sarah Montgomery / Daily Texan Staff
TSM board member Jeff Cohen, right, discusses the logistics for changing The Daily Texan’s print schedule at the TSM meeting Friday.
for the paper because reduced print costs would be paired with reduced ability to run advertisements.
“There’s some scenarios where, if we go weekly, we don’t actually save money because of that loss of ad
revenue,” Player said. TSM senior program
TSM page 2
Students and members of the Austin community rallied on the Main Mall on Saturday in support of recent protests staged by Venezuelan students demanding free speech, among other civil rights.
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Project Connect proposes urban rail and bus rapid. PAGE 3
Police chief’s comments are aggressive, disturbing. PAGE 4
Mark Payton and Texas hand Stanford two losses. PAGE 5
Julie Westerman has worked in six countries. PAGE 8
Astronomy professor discusses white dwarf stars. PAGE 3
Support for LGBTQ rights is new norm for Dems. PAGE 4
Slow rebounding costs Texas 81-64 to Iowa State. PAGE 6
SocialToast app helps people connect on Sixth Street. PAGE 8
Get to know the Student Government candidates in our extensive video interviews. dailytexanonline.com
The rally, coordinated in part by the Brazilian and Venezuelan Student Association, or BRAVEN, included flags and signs stating “Say NO to Communism” and “#PrayForVenezuela.” The attendees then formed the letters “SOS” in front of the
PROTEST page 2 REASON TO PARTY
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