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Tuesday, September 23, 2014
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UNIVERSITY
NATIONAL
Powers gives final State of UT address
‘It’s On Us’ effort urges students to take action
By Alex Wilts @alexwilts
During his ninth and final State of the University Address on Monday, President William Powers Jr. said one of the keys to making UT the best public university in America involves being able to take specific program designs and use them to focus on the University’s large-scale mission of achieving excellence. Powers, who will step
down from his post in June, said one example is the Freshman Research Initiative, a program intended to teach students to solve problems and find new solutions, therefore creating innovative thinkers. “Lectures by faculty who create the knowledge are good experiences for our students, but they just give our students the product of research,” Powers said. “They don’t expose our students to the process of
research with all of its dead ends, failures and frustrations. The Freshman Research Initiative does. So we get more bang for our buck by designing the FRI the way we do.” Powers praised the signature courses of the School of Undergraduate Studies for their ability to expose students to the thought processes of disciplines outside their chosen major. Powers said more classes should be
POWERS page 2
By Christina Noriega @crismnoriega
Sarah Montgomery | Daily Texan Staff
UT President William Powers Jr. gives his last State of the University address Monday afternoon.
CLUB SPORTS
Varied trends may affect intramural registration By Alex Wilts @alexwilts
A losing Texas Longhorns football team may not only affect game attendance but also registration for intramural flag football, according to a Division of Recreational Sports official. Between 2011 and 2013, the number of total registered teams for intramural flag football in the fall decreased 12.9 percent, from 387 to 337, according to Rec Sports. As of Monday, there are 284 teams registered for this season. Darci Doll, senior assistant director for Rec Sports, said the registration deadline has been extended to Friday to give teams more time to sign up. Doll said the highest number of flag football teams in recent years was 416 in fall 2006, a few months after Texas’ national championship win at the Rose Bowl.
REC SPORTS page 2
Sarah Montgomery | Daily Texan Staff
Scott Jermain, Plan II and pharmacy senior, runs down the field, ball in hand, Monday night during an intramural flag football game at Whitaker Fields.
CAMPUS
The launch of a national campaign Friday addressing sexual assault prevention on college campuses highlights University efforts to tackle sexual violence, according to a University health official. President Barack Obama announced the “It’s On Us” campaign, the latest effort from an ongoing White House initiative to reduce the number of sexual assaults among college students. The campaign encourages bystander intervention, particularly from men, through public service announcements featured nationwide. According to Obama, about one in five women is sexually assaulted during college, but only 12 percent of victims report the assault. Erin Burrows, health education coordinator at the Counseling and Mental Health Center, or CMHC, said the “It’s On Us” campaign can start conversations about the role of students in sexual assault prevention. “This campaign is really about what students can do at the grassroots level to take action,” Burrows said. The University program BeVocal, which launched in April, addresses tactics students can use to prevent violence, such as sexual assault, suicide and domestic violence. Jane Morgan Bost, the associate director of Prevention and Outreach Services
OBAMA page 2
CAMPUS
UTPD offers rape aggression defense courses By Natalie Sullivan @natsullivan94
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
The Counseling and Mental Health Center showcases signs discussing Suicide Prevention Week.
Suicide Prevention Week starts, spreads awareness By Adam Hamze @adamhamz
The Counseling and Mental Health Center began its annual “Suicide Prevention Week” on Monday to combat death by suicide, which, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, is the second leading cause of death among college students. Suicide Prevention Week first took place at the University
in 2009 and primarily focuses on spreading awareness and promoting self-care. Monday’s event aimed to inform students on the importance of listening to those who are struggling with mental health. Marian Trattner, suicide prevention coordinator for the Counseling and Mental Health Center, or CMHC, said it is important to show
PREVENTION page 2
A group of 25 women learned how to perform choke holds, kicks, punches and eye gouges in UTPD’s training room Monday night. The women were participating in a UTPD-offered 12-hour rape aggression defense course, which is designed to teach women selfdefense techniques they can use against attackers. UTPD officer Carolina Villarreal, who teaches the rape aggression defense course, or RAD classes, said it aims to provide women with information about what to do in dangerous situations. “We focus on awareness — how women can be attacked, different targets that attackers look for, how attackers think,” Villarreal said. “In case of an attack, we want women to know how to defend themselves and survive.” Villarreal said the course
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
UTPD holds a three-day class to educate women in self defense. The class aims to teach women techniques to defend themselves against assaults.
is broken into three separate sessions, which typically run about four hours each. “First, we talk about how to minimize risk, awareness, date rape and how to avoid unsafe situations,” Villarreal said. “Then we practice offensive and defensive
tactics, and participants get the chance to practice with equipment.” According to Villarreal, the classes provide a safe environment for women to practice real-life situations. “At the end of the course, we do an optional simulation
where women face off against a supposed attacker,” Villarreal said. “Everybody’s in protective gear — pads, headgear, and extremities — so it provides a controlled environment where women can practice these
REASON TO PARTY
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFE&ARTS
ONLINE
Guest lecturers discuss disparities in health care. PAGE 3
‘School choice’ could raise some concerns. PAGE 4
Behind Swoopes, football team prepares for Kansas. PAGE 6
UT student designs and builds eco-home. PAGE 8
UC-Davis professor talks about his new book. PAGE 3
Professor Jeremi Suri discusses Scottish vote. PAGE 4
Horns need major upsets to win Big 12 football title. PAGE 6
UT student leaves soccer for flute career. PAGE 8
Keep up with all of the latest UT news and stories on The Daily Texan’s website. dailytexanonline.com
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