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LIFE&ARTS PAGE 8
COMICS PAGE 7
SPORTS PAGE 6
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015
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WEST CAMPUS
Noise ordinance impact muted By Wynne Davis @wynneellyn
Many Greek groups in West Campus still do not know the exact requirements of the city sound ordinance, after the city promised to provide details in a meeting last fall, according to Daniel Warner, government senior and former president of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity.
The Oct. 1 ordinance, which seeks to reduce sound levels in West Campus, requires organizations to apply for a permit through the Austin Center for Events at least three weeks before an event. Warner said the lack of specific guidelines has hampered his organization’s event planning process. “During this meeting, I had asked these [city] officials if
it were possible to compile a list, including City of Austin ordinances and statutory law, that would have applied to us,” Warner said. “One of the speakers had notified us that they would ‘send us the link’ with all of the city’s ordinances and codes.” Warner said the event permits have not been approved in a timely manner, making it difficult to organize events.
According to Austin Police Department Sergeant Alfred Trejo, the ordinance is not new to the city, but the code will be held to a stricter standard in the West Campus area. Trejo said organizations were required to previously get approval from the fire department before hosting outdoor parties, but the application has been updated to include approval from
multiple city departments. According to Andy Polasek, computer science junior and director of the Taos Co-op, many West Campus residents have decided to no longer host public parties as a result of the permit requirement. “It’s really hard to go through the permitting process,” Polasek said. “Some of our buildings
ORDINANCE page 3
STATE
Abbott, Patrick promise ‘new day in Texas’ By Eleanor Dearman @ellydearman
As Texans from across the state gathered at the Capitol to watch the governor and lieutenant governor’s inauguration, Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick emphasized their goals of lowering taxes and securing the TexasMexico border. In his inauguration speech, Abbott established the goals he will prioritize as governor. Following the ceremony, attendees gathered on the Capitol lawn for a barbecue and parade. The Future of Texas Ball, an event that takes place after the governor’s inauguration, will be held this evening. Abbott said his path to the governor’s office was an improbable one. Abbott is paralyzed and in a wheelchair after a tree fell
TEXAS page 2
Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan Staff
Greg Abbott waves to supporters at the inaugural parade Tuesday afternoon. Abbott is the first new governor of Texas in 14 years, replacing fellow Republican Rick Perry.
bit.ly/dtvid
NATION
Obama lays out vision for college subsidies By Jackie Wang @jclqnwng
In his sixth State of the Union address Tuesday, President Barack Obama called for wider access to higher education and implored Congress to fully subsidize the cost of community college for qualified students. “Forty percent of our college students choose community college,” Obama said. “Some are young and starting out. Some are older and looking for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to transition back into the job market. Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt. … I want to work with this Congress to make sure Americans already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn’t derail anyone’s dreams.” History professor Jeremi Suri said he appreciated Obama’s emphasis on training people for higher-paying job fields, such as coding, nursing and robotics. “More and more, anyone who wants to succeed in society needs a college education, needs to be a knowledgeable worker,” Suri said. “It’s also true
OBAMA page 3
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
POLICE
Rady, Strickland vow to complete platform
UTPD utilizes social media
By Samantha Ketterer
Student Government President Kori Rady and Vice President Taylor Strickland are currently halfway through their terms.
@sam_kett
With half of their yearlong terms behind them, Student Government President Kori Rady and Vice President Taylor Strickland said they hope to use their remaining time in office to extend and perfect the initiatives they implemented in the fall semester. In the fall, SG members authored a resolution in support of having the Flawn Academic Center open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This semester, Rady said the FAC will retain extended opening hours, but cut back slightly to 24 hours a day, five days a week. “The plan is to work with [the FAC] to take away 24/7 because Fridays and Saturdays weren’t getting that heavy of usage,” Rady said. “We’re meeting with a roundtable group in the next couple of weeks, I hope, but I don’t want
Marshall Tidrick Daily Texan Staff
to make any promises. We hope that it’ll be back this semester, as it was quite successful.” Cherry Chau, human biology and chemical engineering junior, said she uses the FAC to study late at night because of its proximity to West Campus, but a change from last semester’s 24/7 policy would not interfere with
her study habits. “Until finals come, people don’t really study on Fridays anyway,” Chau said. “If the [FAC] was open Sunday through Thursday, that would be good. I wouldn’t mind the reduction.” Rady said the Student Services Budget Committee, a collective effort between SG, Graduate
Student Assembly and faculty members, approved $52,000 in additional funding to continue Safe Ride, a student driving service that provides users with rides home from downtown Austin. The additional funds will double the size of the program, Rady said.
SG page 3
By Wynne Davis @wynneellyn
Police departments across the nation now use Yik Yak, a social media app, to monitor crime reports. Campus police departments in South Dakota and Wisconsin started using Yik Yak, which functions as an anonymous, GPSbased message board, to monitor criminal activity on campus and aid in criminal investigations. Under the application’s privacy policy, information is disclosed to law enforcement officials when necessary to prevent or respond to illegal activity. According to UT police spokeswoman Cindy Posey, UTPD is not currently monitoring Yik Yak activity on and around campus. “It’s a possibility, but I can’t say for sure that we’ll do it,” Posey said. Posey said she was
We keep an eye on everything, just looking for anything that might rise to the level of concern, but just like any other police department would. —Cindy Posey, UTPD spokeswoman
informed of other campuses’ use of Yik Yak at a social media conference in January. “I thought it was very interesting that they were doing it, and I got on it and looked at it and checked it out,” Posey said. “I can see where it could be useful for law enforcement.” Biology senior Makenzie Harris said she thinks
UTPD page 2
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015
NEWS
FRAMES featured photo Volume 114, Issue 81
CONTACT US Main Telephone (512) 471-4591 Editor-in-Chief 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 Sports Office (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office (512) 232-2209 dtlifeandarts@gmail.com Retail Advertising (512) 475—6719 lhollingsworth@austin. utexas.edu Classified Advertising (512) 471-5244 classifieds@ dailytexanonline.com
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Civil engineering freshman Wesley Sloger stands on the corner of Sixth and Lamar on Tuesday night.
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TEXAS
continues from page 1 on him while jogging in Houston 30 years ago. “I am living proof that we are living in a state where a young man’s life can literally be broken in half, and yet, he can still rise up and be governor of this great state,” Abbott said. As governor, Abbott said he plans to focus on policies involving infrastructure, water, education and job growth. Abbott said that in order for job growth to continue in Texas, there
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.
CORRECTIONS The Jan. 20 edition of The Daily Texan incorrectly labeled Wes Anderson. He is a philosophy alumnus.
UTPD
A headline on page one in the Jan. 20 edition of The Daily Texan incorrectly stated the number of delays Pointe on Rio leaseholders have experienced. The leaseholders have been delayed four times.
continues from page 1
Page three in the Jan. 20 edition of The Daily Texan contained a misspelling. Our photographer went to Alamogordo, Mexico.
TOMORROW’S WEATHER High
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Russia is the largest country in the world.
UTPD might benefit from monitoring UT’s Yik Yak feed, but she hasn’t seen any posts involving illegal activity. “From what I’ve seen, Yik Yak is more about jokes than drug exchanges,” Harris said. “But if most of the investigations lead to a dead end … I don’t see the point in obsessing over an iPhone app that just seems to provide entertainment for procrastinating and
This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25 Permanent Staff
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Riley Brands Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Berkeley, Cullen Bounds, Noah Horwitz, Olive Liu Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jordan Rudner Associate Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brett Donohoe, Jack Mitts News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julia Brouillette Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anderson Boyd, Danielle Brown, David Davis, Chanelle Gibson, Adam Hamze, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natalie Sullivan Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wynne Davis, Eleanor Dearman, Samantha Ketterer, Jackie Wang, Josh Willis Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taiki Miki Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Liza Didyk, Matthew Kerr, Kailey Thompson Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Dolan Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Virginia Scherer, Kelly Smith, Iliana Storch Multimedia Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Resler, Lauren Ussery Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Zhang Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carlo Nasisse, Griffin Smith, Ellyn Snider, Marshall Tidrick, Daulton Venglar Senior Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Conway, Hannah Evans, Bryce Seifert Forum Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amil Malik Internal Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Sparr Editorial Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Antonia Gales Senior Opinion Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordan Shenhar, Claire Smith Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kat Sampson Life&Arts Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Lopez Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cat Cardenas, Elisabeth Dillon, Bri Zamora Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garrett Callahan Associate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evan Berkowitz Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nick Castillo, Claire Cruz, Jacob Martella, Aaron Torres Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsay Rojas Associate Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert Lee Senior Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Crystal Marie, Connor Murphy, Isabella Palacios, Amber Perry, Rodolfo Suarez Special Projects Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Voeller Tech Team Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miles Hutson Social Media Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sydney Rubin
Issue Staff
Life&Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Estefania de Leon Editorial Cartoonist/Illustrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erica Ndubueze Sports Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drew Lieberman, Ezra Siegel
Business and Advertising
(512) 471-1865 | advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald Johnson Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Serpas III Broadcasting and Events Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus & National Sales Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rohan Needel Student Account Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea Avalos, Keegan Bradley, Danielle Lotz, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Destanie Nieto, Xiaowen Zhang Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Hublein Student Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Silkowski, Kiera Tate Special Editions/Production Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Salisbury
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 2014 Texas Student Media.
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must be a focus on education during his term as governor. “These great minds will not be molded by a cookiecutter approach of teaching,” Abbott said. “Instead, they will be the product of great teachers that recognize the value and uniqueness of each student.” Patrick emphasized similar issues in his inauguration speech — border security, lower taxes, education and Second Amendment rights. He also said he would work to reduce the cost of higher education.
bored college students.” Posey said the department does monitor other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, for potentially useful information. The department has public profiles on both sites. “We keep an eye on everything, just looking for anything that might rise to the level of concern … just like any other police department would,” Posey said. Alex Patlan, communication sciences and disorders senior, said he thinks it is intrusive for police to monitor student social media activity, even when posts are public. “Plenty of people use social media as an outlet, and I am all for [being cautious about] what you put on the Internet, but I know I don’t intend for law enforcement to read up on my profiles,” Patlan said.
I don’t see the point in obsessing over an iPhone app that just seems to provide entertainment for procrastinating and bored college students. —Makenzie Harris, Biology senior
“In higher education, we must reduce the cost of skyrocketing tuition that is pricing many middle class families out of college and saddling students with huge debt upon graduation,” Patrick said. Patrick also included a running call-and-response chant during his speech, continually asking the crowd, “What day is it?” and prompting the response, “It’s a new day in Texas.” Some Texans, such as Fredericksburg resident Ed Stein, traveled hundreds of miles to attend the
I am living proof that we are living in a state where a young man’s life can literally be broken in half, and yet, he can still rise up and be governor of this great state. —Greg Abbott, Governor
day’s events. “I hope that they live up to what they say,” Stein said. The Longhorn Band also attended the ceremony, playing classic songs, such as “The Eyes of Texas,” at the ceremony.
“It is an honor for the Longhorn Band to be invited to participate in historic events such as these,” Longhorn Band director Robert Carnochan said. “The fact that Governor Abbott is a UT alumnus makes it that much more special.”
W&N 3
NEWS
3
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
CITY
City Council considers altering decision process By Jackie Wang
This year, Austin City Council will have public hearings to promote public participation in local government, a priority of Mayor Steve Adler. The first public hearing Thursday will discuss how the Council will govern under the 10-ONE system.
@jcqlnwng
Members of the Austin City Council are considering making structural changes to the Council’s decision-making process and will discuss the proposed changes at a public hearing Thursday. The Council, which began its term Jan. 6, will discuss moving government hearings to committees before making decisions at general, public meetings. City Council member Kathie Tovo, the only City Council member who has served previous terms, said restructuring a new decision making process is among council’s top priorities. Tovo said not all hearings would be restricted to committee meetings. “We are soliciting feedback from the public,” Tovo said. “Most hearings will be moved to committees, but some will still have to be heard in front of the Council, such as zoning and annexation. There are [topics] required by city ordinance, and some by state law, to be heard in front of Council.” Mayor Steve Adler said he thinks the restructuring will make public engagement more meaningful. “Every district representative is chairing a citywide committee and needs to develop a citywide constituency,” Adler said. “Traffic,
congestion and affordability are citywide issues. Since those are most pressing, we’ve come out of the box real quickly to restructure the way we do government.” Adler said he did not realize how much the public wants to participate in local government before his election. “One of the real takeaways was the sheer number of people that were calling offices when we weren’t there,” Adler said.
“It was overwhelming — the number of people who want to talk with one and all of the City Council members.” The City Council will hold a public discussion about moving hearings to committees before coming to an ultimate decision at a general Council meeting. City Council member Ann Kitchen said she appreciated how the City Council united to tackle its first initiative. “I’m excited that we
were able to do that unanimously,” Kitchen said. “We learned at orientation ways we can continue to work together for the things that we all [agree upon]. I think everybody is working on the same page. There are some differences across the districts in terms of how we fix things, but we’re all in agreement [on this].” Last week, the new City Council completed a three-day orientation.
r the nvittoric ong-continues from page 1 obert even had to get new blueprints fact drawn up, just so we could is a submit good enough prints.” that Polasek also said many coop members are relunctant to host public events because of increased police presence during parties. Trejo said when his unit inspected parties at three fraternities he said typically have loud outdoor entertainment, two of the three
fraternities had moved the entertainment inside in an effort to comply with the stricter codes. Trejo said the residents of the fraternity who did not comply received a written warning. “Tickets are a last-resort measure the police use to gain compliance,” Trejo said. “In the case of the music permit issue on West Campus, I’m willing to bet there were several times where the police showed up and gave a
verbal warning.” Despite stricter enforcement of the ordinance in West Campus, economics sophomore Akram Sirafi said he did not notice a lot of noise before the implementation of the ordinance and has not noticed any difference since. Trejo said his unit would not make any changes in enforcement, including during the Greek community’s annual weekend-long Roundup event in March. Allison Young, accounting
junior and president of the University Panhellenic Council, said sororities are working to comply with the codes and are still planning on having philanthropy and recruitment events this spring and next fall. “Our Panhellenic community is used to changes being made every year,” Young said. “Individual sororities will make the necessary changes in order to continue to host events that support their philanthropies.”
ORDINANCE
OBAMA
continues from page 1 many people are priced out of the market, so providing them with better aid makes better sense.” University Democrats President Michelle Willoughby said she does not think financial burdens should keep people from going to college. “I think that public education is the most important thing that the state and country funds, because it educates future leaders,” Willoughby said. “But public education is taxpayer dollars, so, if we stop after 12th grade, we’re not maximizing on our investment. I think it’s important that everyone
Daulton Venglar Daily Texan Staff file photo
who wants access to higher education can have it. Just from a financial standpoint, it doesn’t make sense.” Suri said while access to higher education is important, he had hoped the president would address issues of quality of education as well. “Getting [people] to school is the most important thing, but equally important is providing them with the best college education,” Suri said. “I think they could also do more by investing in research, teaching, in infrastructure of community colleges and less well-endowed institutions.” Obama urged Congress to set aside politics to work with his “practical, not partisan” ideas.
I want to work with Congress to make sure Americans already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn’t derail anyone’s dreams. —Barack Obama, President
“We believed we could prepare our kids for a more competitive world,” Obama said. “And today, our younger students have earned the highest math and reading scores on record. Our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high. And more Americans finish college than ever before.” Suri said Obama’s speech
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would not affect how well Republicans and Democrats work together in Congress. “His saying won’t [change anything]; the question is whether voters and public interest groups start saying that,” Suri said. “What’s going to change is if those watching say we don’t want anymore government shutdowns, partisanship.”
Tovo said she enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the other City Council members. “I had an opportunity to meet with all Council members and do introductions — to hear their ideas and share mine,” Tovo said. Adler said orientation is meant to be informative, but it’s also a chance for new members to discuss ideas. “The session on open meetings generated a lot of
conversation,” Adler said. “We have to find the right balance in that area. A lot of it is nuts and bolts — not romantic or sexy stuff, but important stuff.” City Council member Ora Houston said the logistics of City operations are the most challenging to learn. “There’s so much to learn, and now I can see how the City operates behind the curtain,” Houston said.
Illustration by Albert Lee | Daily Texan Staff
SG
continues from page 1 “We served over 3,000 students overall [last semester] and gave them rides home for free, preventing drinking and driving and giving them another option to be safe while enjoying the experience that is college,” Rady said. Strickland said SG will continue to plan Upperclassmen Shadowing Day, a goal Rady and Strickland introduced in their original campaign platform in spring 2014. The event would pair freshmen with seniors, with the hope that seniors can provide advice about the major selection process. Students will be able to attend classes with their senior counterpart.
“We really like that students have engaged us,” Strickland said. “A lot of things we’ve done have been from students’ recommendations and things that students really want to see. We just want to keep that going … and make this the campus [students] want to be on.” Rady said SG will push to make student IDs an acceptable form of voter ID, and work to plan a unified student tailgate before football games. Strickland said she hopes last semester’s changes will remain in effect after her tenure ends. “We’re going to be fighting until the end,” Strickland said. “Nothing is dead in our eyes. We’re going to be pushing for all of our platform points, so we’re really excited to see things develop.”
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RILEY BRANDS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / @TexanEditorial Wednesday, January 21, 2015
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
Our take on Tuesday’s speeches Write for the Texan to uphold tradition going back 115 years Our take on Abbott’s inaugural address Associate Editor Noah M. Horwitz put it well Tuesday in his blog post when he noted the departure of outgoing Gov. Rick Perry’s moderate conviction politics and the arrival of incoming Gov. Greg Abbott’s brand of right-wing lunacy. “Fast forward to today, and everything has changed,” Horwitz said. “Compared with Abbott and Dan Patrick, the new lieutenant governor, Perry is on the centrist end of his state party.” The new governor bore him out on this point Tuesday morning. If you want any indication of where Abbott’s moral compass lies, look no further than his inaugural address. While unsurprising for its policy proposals, including unsnarling traffic, implementing new solutions for drought-stricken towns and lessening the creeping influence of the federal government on state affairs, the “More We Must Do” speech, so titled for the anaphoric exhortations to do more for and better by the people of Texas, was shot through with references to religion, the Scriptures and, surprisingly but tellingly, the modern evangelical anthem “You Raise Me Up.” We’ve reviewed each of Perry’s inaugural addresses, and as we suspected and remembered, none were as overtly religious as Abbott’s was Tuesday. Much was made during the gubernatorial campaign of Abbott’s rock-ribbed conservatism and whether or not it would exceed Perry’s. Abbott has left us in absolutely no doubt about that. If he can be said to have done one thing extremely well Tuesday, it was to have differentiated himself right out of the gate from his predecessor. We do not grudge the man his religion. He is entitled to it just as anyone else is. But the effects of his infusion of religion into the office could be manifold. As Abbott has made abundantly clear, his religion drives everything. That wouldn’t be such a problem if it didn’t harm the less privileged so disproportionately and lead to policies that skirt the First Amendment. His faith is the justification for his objection to abortion rights and climate change policy, to name just two issues, as well as his support for such overtly religious displays as the Ten Commandments on state property. The U.S. Constitution enshrines the right of the people to be free from “law[s] respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The idea was that no one should be punished for not adhering to the dominant religion. But under Abbott, as well as fellow traveler Patrick, we have to wonder even more than we
did with Perry whether that will remain true. We fear what this will mean for the future course of Texas politics, because while Abbott is just one man and will only be governor for so long, his actions could have ramifications that could be felt for decades to come. Only time will tell. Our take on the State of the Union Tuesday night’s State of the Union address by President Barack Obama was reminiscent of — as President Lyndon B. Johnson was so fond of saying — Grandma’s nightgown. That is, it covered everything. In a sometimes rambling and hard-to-follow fashion, Obama laid out his legislative and political priorities for the remainder of his presidency. Of course, given the recalcitrant Republican majority in Congress, none of these ideas are anything more than pipe dreams. Most important, in our view, Obama reiterated his earlier proposals to allow Americans of all ages and backgrounds to attend community college with no cost to them. “Lower the cost of community college,” Obama said, “to zero.” Obama also called for an ambitious plan to reconfigure the taxation scheme at the federal level, specifically by enacting a broad swath of tax cuts for the middle class in forms such as generous credits for child care. The plan would pay for the relief by raising taxes on the more affluent Americans, particularly by considerably hiking the capital gains tax. At a time of growing inequality that threatens to tear apart the seams of the American dream, we stand by the president in his plan to not only address the crisis but allow most people to go home with more money in their pockets. On other fronts, we were pleased to see Obama rehash some earlier commitments that are still important today. A major infrastructure bill is certainly a good start, though we would hope the federal funds could be used for a myriad of purposes: both new roads and mass transit projects. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), who delivered the Republican response, made a point of drudging up the trite Keystone XL Pipeline, the construction of which is still held up in congress. A pipeline is good, but like Obama said, a more expansive proposal would be even better. Sadly, few-to-none of these good ideas will ever come to fruition, because of a Congress that cares about little other than scoring political points and staying in their Tea Party base’s good graces. It would be naïve of us to think the proposals have a prayer of passage. But we hope they do nonetheless.
COLUMN
New session provides some hope of educational reform By Claire Smith Senior Columnist @clairseysmith
On Jan. 13, the 84th Legislature of Texas convened. Following a gubernatorial campaign that focused heavily on potential improvements to Texas’s education system, thanks in large part to the platform of Democratic candidate Wendy Davis, the legislature will vote on several bills this session that regard primary education in Texas. UT students should pay attention to several upcoming bills because, as future taxpayers, it will affect members of our campus in addition to the general landscape of primary education in Texas. Although Wendy Davis did not win the gubernatorial election, one of the biggest dreams of her education platform may be realized should the Legislature pass House Bill 124, authored by Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio. HB 124 proposes the expansion of free pre-kindergarten education to include children that are unable to speak or comprehend the English language, homeless, educationally disadvantaged or are/ever have been under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services, in addition to the children of active duty servicemen and children who have lost a parent while serving in the armed forces (as the law currently stands). HB 124 is an enormous step forward in aiding the facilitation of early childhood education for children whose education is compromised by means outside of their control. House Bill 256, authored by Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, also seeks to give opportunities to those whose opportunities for educational success are at risk. Although the state’s compensatory education fund already lends help to pregnant students and student-parents, HB 256 proposes an expansion of the monetary assistance for some of the state’s students that are most likely to drop out due to outside influences. HB 256 would provide child care services or assistance with child care expenses for student-parents at risk of dropping out of school, or help with paying the cost of day care or assisted transportation through a life skills program in schools. Aiming to help student parents at risk of dropping out of school, HB 256 would empower student-parents to get a high school diploma and ensure the care
of their children while they’re at school. Though dissenting representatives may argue that it is not the responsibility of the state to fund the child care services of students who chose to become parents, HB 256 is only an expansion of aid that already exists—aid that the state has already decided it is responsible to provide. HB 256 is an investment in a future generation of taxpayers by giving the student-parents the greatest opportunity to succeed (and give back to the state) financially. Other bills, though well intentioned, may not be pragmatic. House Bill 387, authored by Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, proposes to take $1 billion out of the economic stabilization fund, colloquially known as the ESF or Rainy Day Fund, to distribute evenly among Texas school districts for the purpose of raising teacher salaries. As public servants who have dedicated their lives to the education of our society’s youngest generations, teachers certainly deserve the highest salary that can be afforded. Furthermore, every UT student owes their current educational situation to at least one teacher along their individual path to higher education. However, the Rainy Day Fund is not the place from which to draw these necessary funds. The Rainy Day Fund was created to be a savings account for the state, not a means of paying for normal funding. To use it as such will create a dangerous precedent for the state. The one-time extraction of $1 billion to increase teachers’ salaries would leave teachers unsatisfied two years from now when the 85th Legislature may not vote to extract another $1 billion to continue funding their increased salaries. Though increasing teachers’ salaries is a noble endeavor, and one I hope to see lawmakers pursue further, HB 387 is remiss in its proposal of using a finite and unreliablyfluctuating account to pay for a permanent increase in teacher pay. The upcoming legislative season may affect several changes in the landscape of primary education in Texas. Although members of the UT community have passed out of the direct influence of bills that endeavor to reform Texas’s education system, UT students should remain vigilant in their voice over bills that could affect them as taxpayers or parents. Smith is a history junior from Austin. She writes about state politics.
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.
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Editor’s Note: Tryouts for opinion and all other Daily Texan departments are currently underway and will continue until Friday, Feb. 6. Apply online at www.dailytexanonline.com/ employment or walk into our basement office at 2500 Whitis Avenue. If you’re a student at UT, either just starting or returning, it’s safe to assume that you’re interested in learning valuable skills, preparing for a career and making a name for yourself. If you fit that description and don’t have a multimillion-dollar NFL contract awaiting you, there’s no better place at UT to accomplish all three of those goals than The Daily Texan. However competent a writer you are before you start at the Texan, your skills will grow more than you ever expected as a result of the job. At the Texan, you’ll learn through practice and example how to quickly produce intelligent, professional and compelling work on a deadline. The Texan provides the chance to hone ways of thinking that are different from what you’ll learn in a classroom. You’ll represent something much bigger than yourself alongside some of the most talented and driven members of the UT community, while developing friendships with people who will both encourage and inspire you. The friendships you’ll make while working toward a common goal will likely be some of your strongest. As an opinion columnist in particular, you’ll have your views read, considered and critiqued by an audience of thousands on one of the nation’s biggest university campuses. You’ll choose your topic so you can find what’s important to you, and you’ll have a space to show the rest of the 40 Acres why your issue of choice should be important to all of us, too. As wide-ranging as your column’s impact can be, the words will be yours to show off, now and for years to come.
Of course, you’re not at all limited to the opinion pages. The skills you’ll learn as a columnist will help prepare you to work in most other departments of the paper, although it isn’t necessary to write opinion columns before working in other areas of the Texan. The versatility of this publication allows people to try out the writing departments, as well as the more visual and behind-the-scenes aspects of the paper, sometimes even simultaneously. Once you graduate, it’s difficult to find the chance to work in so many different areas of an office over a short period of time, but at the Texan, this is not only allowed, but encouraged. The Texan began as a weekly publication in 1900 and began publishing twice a week in 1907. In 1913, the student body voted to make the publication daily, and in 1915, the paper became free to the public — a subscription had formerly cost $1.25 per year. Texan staffers report not only campus and local news, but also more wide-ranging, historical news, sometimes traveling across Texas — or even the U.S. — for a story. The Texan has thoroughly covered stories ranging from President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 to the 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in West. Our first priority is ensuring students remain wellinformed of news developments — both local and national — that affect their lives, and as a Texan staffer, you can play an important part in this mission. Obviously, this is a hiring pitch, but let it also serve as a word to the wise. The Texan is one of the largest and most award-winning student newspapers in America, and Texan staffers go on to great things in a multitude of industries. Many of them can attribute much of their success to their time here. Don’t let the opportunity go to waste.
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Erica Ndubueze | Daily Texan Staff
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.
CLASS 5
SPORTS
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015
VOLLEYBALL
continues from page 6 page like Eckerman’s, Bell was the heart and soul of the team. When she wasn’t on the court, she could be seen pumping up her teammates on the sideline — especially when the Longhorns won key points. Of course, when it comes to replacing these players, Texas still has a wide range of options. Throughout the season, Elliott called this team the deepest he’s ever had, and many skilled players, who would be starters on other teams, didn’t really get a chance to see the court on a consistent basis. Freshman libero Cat McCoy, who rarely played as though she was a freshman, is returning to the team. McCoy ended the year leading the team with 394 digs and 16 reception errors and became the defensive leader for the Longhorns’
back row. Both setters — redshirt sophomore Nicole Dalton and true sophomore Chloe Collins — will return, giving Elliott the option of once again running the two-setter system he used this year. And sophomore middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, who was unstoppable at times through the middle, will come back after landing on the NCAA Division I All-Tournament team. Texas will undoubtedly return next season as the favorite in the Big 12, a popular pick to make it to the semifinals and a contender for a national championship. Between now and the start of the 2015 season, the Longhorns’ main task will be to configure a new winning strategy. “That’s what you do,” Elliott said. “You pick up the pieces and build a new puzzle and try to figure it out again. That’s the fun part.”
Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan file photo
After helping Texas win a national championship her sophomore year, outside hitter Haley Eckerman fell short her next two years. Now, the Longhorns must look to build a championship team without their offensive stalwart. Luckily for them, they have the talent.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Hilton Coliseum important to Kansas and Iowa state By Ezra Siegel @SiegelEzra
No free ride for Kansas The last 10 Big 12 regular season titles belong to Kansas, but the No. 11 Jayhawks (15-3, 4-1 Big 12) have a tough road as they work toward an 11th consecutive conference title. Last year, the Big 12 sent an NCAA-high seven teams to the tournament, and the conference is proving its depth once again this year. The Big 12 ranks first in RPI and has six top-25 teams appearing in the latest AP poll, with nine of the 10 teams being ranked or receiving votes this season. During the first few weeks of conference play, the Jayhawks were tied for first in the Big 12 after signature wins against Oklahoma State, No. 21 Baylor and No. 19 Oklahoma. Although they have succeeded thus far, Kansas has a tough schedule ahead of them featuring seven matchups against ranked teams, three of which
are road games. Nevertheless, the Big 12 is Kansas’ to lose. Iowa State makes statement against Kansas All eyes were on Ames, Iowa, as No. 9 Iowa State (143, 4-1 Big 12) fended off No. 11 Kansas in a national TV matchup. The Cyclones won despite a late-game comeback by the Jayhawks for an 86-81 victory Saturday. The victory was a notable home win for the Cyclones, who have won 31 of their last 33 games at Hilton Coliseum, and who boast a 10-0 home record this season. The win was a key victory for the Cyclones, who have their eyes on a Big 12 title. The Cyclones will try to keep their momentum going with games against first-place Kansas State and Texas Tech this week. Kansas State starts strong After early struggles and a 7-6 non-conference record, Kansas
State (11-8, 4-2 Big 12) was surging with four straight wins, including victories against No. 19 Oklahoma and No. 21 Baylor until their loss at Iowa State on Tuesday 71-77 loss at Iowa State on Tuesday. Defense has been a key factor in the Wildcats’ recent success, as they have held each of their opponents to 63 points or fewer during their win streak. Although they were tied for first and had a chance to ignite their tournament push, the Wildcats’ momentum faltered after their loss to the Cyclones. OK. State falls out of top 25 Oklahoma State’s hot start has come to a halt recently, as the previously ranked Cowboys (12-5, 2-3 Big 12) dropped three of their last four after starting the year 11-2. While the Cowboys faced stout competition in January, with matchups against four top-25 teams, they struggled
Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan file photo
Junior forwards Perry Ellis (left) and Jamari Taylor have Kansas perched atop the Big 12 standings yet again. They’ve won 10 straight regular season Big 12 titles.
defensively, surrendering 63 points or more in conference losses, including an 82-65 loss against No. 19 Oklahoma in a rivalry game.
Despite the Cowboys’ recent setbacks, the team still has potential, with two of the conference’s top-three leading scorers: junior guard Phil
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GARRETT CALLAHAN, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Wednesday, January 21, 2015
MEN’S BASKETBALL
There is a block party at the Erwin Center By Drew Lieberman
SIDELINE NBA THUNDER
@DrewLieberman
It’s no secret the Longhorns boast plenty of size this season — six of their 10 scholarship players are listed at 6 feet 6 inches or taller. Size in the frontcourt gave the team a fighting chance against No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 5, and after a half of play, the teams entered the break knotted up at 26. Ultimately, however, the Wildcats — who have 10 players 6 feet 6 inches or taller — were able to prevent the Longhorns from doing what they do best: block shots. Texas blocked a season-low one shot and allowed the Wildcats to pull away early in the second half and maintain their lead through a longhorn comeback at the end of the game. This contest was an anomaly compared to the nearly eight shots the Longhorns have, on average, blocked per game this season. After Monday night’s game, they still lead the nation in blocked shots with 139 in 18 contests. Sports-Reference’s advanced metrics on blocked shots estimate that 21.3 percent of the 2-point field goals attempted by Texas’ opponents have resulted in blocks, which is the best rate in the nation. Kentucky and UNLV are tied for second at 19.9 percent. If Texas continues to reject opponents’ shots at this rate, the Longhorns will
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Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan file photo
Junior center Prince Ibeh and a tall frontcourt for Texas are sending back shots at a record pace. They are second in the nation in blocks per game, while first in total blocks and percentage of shots blocked.
finish the season with the highest Sports-Reference block percentage since 20092010, when Mississippi State finished the season at 23.6 percent. Leading the blocking charge is freshman forward Myles Turner, who swats 12.2 percent of opponents’ two point attempts when he is on the floor. That number leads the conference among qualified players. Through 18 games Turner has blocked 48 shots, giv-
ing him a promising shot of breaking the University record for blocks in a season — 92 by Chris Owens in the 2000-2001 season — in what will likely be his lone season in Austin. Turner is not the only player with a shot at setting a school record. If the team continues its current pace of blocking shots, it’ll easily shatter the program record of 206 set last season. Overall, this team has rejected 13.4 percent of field goals attempted
by opponents, which is easily the highest percentage by a Texas team since the 19791980 season, when blocked shots were first recorded. Solid interior defense is nothing new for a team led by head coach Rick Barnes — 12 of the 13 Texas teams that have blocked the highest percentage of opponent shots on record were teams coached by Barnes. The Longhorns should get their hands on plenty of shots this Saturday when they host
No. 11 Kansas Jayhawks, who have had 99 of their field goal attempts sent back this season — the second most in the nation. Although the quantity of shots the Longhorns block does not really seem to correlate with whether the team wins — the team is averaging 7.25 blocks in losses and 7.86 blocks in wins — Texas has proven to be elite in that regard this season and is swatting its way into the record books.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
No offense, but lack of it hurts Texas’ title hopes @Evan_Berkowitz
Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan Staff
For the Longhorns to have a chance, they need sophomore point guard Isaiah Taylor to return to old form after returning from a broken wrist. In Monday night’s game he led the team with seven rebounds and six assists to go along with 13 points.
gerous pass around the arc. The bigs struggle to get open. Penetration is minimal. And worst of all, the team shoots poorly. In Big 12 play, the Longhorns are shooting an abysmal 38 percent from the field. Since going down with an injury, sophomore guard Isaiah Taylor hasn’t been the same. Even he admits it. He’s scared of attacking the rim. That floater that was once so beautiful looks flat. Taylor’s drives are timid — they lack the boldness
that originally made him great. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery called Taylor the most important player on the team, and when he isn’t playing at 100 percent, the Longhorns aren’t a factor. Even their once-dominant defense has been exposed by Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Are the Longhorns dead in the water? Not quite. The team is still strong on the defensive end, and
since going zone for two full games — for the first time in head coach Rick Barnes’ 17-year stint — they’ve held good opponents to 49 points per game. Junior center Cam Ridley has also been dominant as of late. Freshman standout forward Myles Turner has as pretty a mid-range shot as I’ve seen. If senior forward Jonathan Holmes and Taylor both play at the level they
demonstrated at the beginning of the season, this team can make a run. I don’t know about a title run — but a run nonetheless. Texas State’s coach proclaimed about the Longhorns, “I see them as an Elite Eight team at least, unless they have a bad day somewhere.” I wouldn’t be that bold. The Longhorns are a possible Sweet 16 team right now. But it wouldn’t take much to trip them up.
VOLLEYBALL
After falling short, Texas must replace star seniors By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox
For the second straight season, the Texas volleyball team fell one game short of its ultimate goal — a national title. At the NCAA semifinal round, tournament Cinderella team BYU dominated Texas in the first two sets, and Texas couldn’t quite pull off
TOP TWEET Myles Turner @Original_Turner
Only freshman in a class of seniors… gotta be the most awkward thing
SPORTS BRIEFLY Nneka Enemkpali’s season cut short
Although No. 8 Texas fell to No. 3 Baylor on Monday, the most painful blow of the night was senior forward Nneka Enemkpali’s season-ending ACL injury. “My heart goes out to Nneka,” head coach Karen Aston said. “It is never easy to see a studentathlete’s career cut short like this. Nneka has been the heart of our program for quite some time, and, as we move forward, she will continue to play a vital role on this team from the sidelines.” Enemkpali fell to the floor while trying to grab an offensive rebound in the first half, and started crying as she grabbed her left knee. Enemkpali is Texas’ leading scorer and rebounder.
By Evan Berkowitz I think this team is good enough to win a national title. That was my thought on Nov. 14, after Texas walloped North Dakota State on its opening day. And coming from me, that was saying something. I’m often a tad pessimistic about Texas sports. Before the North Dakota State game, I’d predicted Texas football wouldn’t make a bowl game — although they ultimately squeaked one out. I didn’t think Texas baseball would sniff Omaha last season, and they finished a game away from the title. So my hopeful thought came as a surprise, even to me. But sure enough, on opening night, I felt uncharacteristically hopeful for the Longhorns. The players looked confident, so I felt confident too. By the end of the night, I felt wowed. To clarify, I didn’t think Texas would win a national title — No. 1 Kentucky was the clear front-runner, No. 2 Virginia was solid all the way around and No. 5 Duke had the best player in the country. But I thought they could win. And that was something. Two months later, I regret my venture into optimism. Right now, I see a Texas team with way too many holes on a stagnant offense. The wings seem glued to their positions, as if they’re waiting for a dan-
Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas Cowboys, 35-31, in Miami.
a much-needed comeback, falling in four sets. “[Our players] gave us a chance to get back, and I’m just really proud of what this team has accomplished this year and what Khat Bell and Haley [Eckerman] have done for this program,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said after the Dec. 18 loss. “And it’s always hard when you’re not ending the season with a ‘W.’”
Now, as the spring semester begins, the Longhorns’ main tasks will be maintaining the momentum built up by another deep postseason run and replacing two very key players: graduating seniors Bell and Eckerman. During her time at Texas, Eckerman maintained a notable presence in Gregory Gym and across the nation with her massive jump serve and
one of the hardest hits in the country. Where Eckerman led, the team followed. In the regional final against North Carolina, the Longhorns struggled in the second set, as the Tar Heels’ triple-block approach against Eckerman held her to only two kills and one attack error. North Carolina won the set, 25-18. But Eckerman led Texas back with four kills in the third
set and five kills and an ace in the fourth set to close out the win. Finding a new leader to fill Eckerman’s shoes won’t be easy. Going into next season, Texas will also need to find a way to replace Bell’s emotional leadership. Although her stats don’t jump off the
VOLLEYBALL page 5
Softball assistant gets pro gig in Dallas
Dallas Charge, a new expansion franchise of the National Pro Fastpitch, named assistant softball coach Jennifer McFalls as head coach Tuesday. After a standout career as a member of USA’s gold medal-winning national team in 2000, McFalls served alongside Texas softball head coach Connie Clark’s for five years. “I am thankful to have the support from the University of Texas and Coach Connie Clark to coach in the NPF this summer,” McFalls said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to coach the first NPF team in Dallas. I had tremendous support growing up here playing the game, and now I am excited to continue helping the sport develop at the professional level.” The Charge will begin on June 3 as the fifth affiliate of the league and the first in Texas since the Texas Thunder left for Rockford, Illinois, in 2007. — Evan Berkowitz
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COMICS
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
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KAT SAMPSON, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @DailyTexanArts Wednesday, January 21, 2015
MUSIC
Singing talent not required for new UT choir By Estefania de Leon
The Whistling Choir is currently in its second semester. The group hopes to attract members of all skill levels.
@estefaniadeleon
The Whistling Choir, a new ensemble of UT students, strays away from traditional means of making music — this choir whistles instead. The group, founded last December by three music students — freshman Benjamin Stevenson, junior Nicholas Clark, and sophomore Adam Lundell — whistles everything from classical to pop music. The choir hopes to increase its presence on campus by recruiting potential whistlers, no experience required. The group’s first meeting of the semester is Thursday. “We want to make whistling more of an art form,” Stevenson said. “We want to expand it from something people do while they walk on the side of the road to something people can come into a concert hall and hear.” The choir held its first practice last semester to discuss logistics and organizational goals. The founders worked to determine everyone’s whistling range and practiced performing “Joy to the World.” The group, comprised of about 12 students, will focus on boosting the size of the ensemble this semester. “We are going to have some arrangements and try our best to have everyone come together and sound as in tune as possible,” Lundell said. “We also want to design some repertoire for the
Marshall Tidrick Daily Texan Staff
concert that the audience will enjoy.” Joshua Miller, conductor of the Collegium Musicum choir and a teaching assistant for the Butler Opera Center, said he first learned about the Whistling Choir after passing by a promotional poster. “I am interested to see what music they use,” Miller said. “I can imagine that the repertoire could be limiting because of the limited range of the human whistle.”
There are typically four parts in a traditional choir: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Within these sections, there are roughly four octaves of singable notes. The range for whistling is more limited, creating challenges when it comes time to perform in a concert hall. “My personal whistle only has about one octave,” Miller said. “That would not carry in performance hall without a microphone. Comparing
it to a normal choir is really impossible because the whole premise of a choir is the text — the sung word. It might be more fair to call this a whistling orchestra or band.” Despite these limitations, the group plans on performing throughout the semester. The dates and times of its performances have not been set. “We don’t want to treat it any differently than any other music forms, so we will be
rehearsing much like a choir or band would,” Clark said. “I think we’ll be doing an hour a week. It is going to be difficult the first time to see what exactly we’re capable of doing, but it will be a fun learning year.” The Whistling Choir is mostly comprised of music majors, but the group’s leaders are trying to cultivate an inclusive learning environment, according to Stevenson. Stevenson said he sees the choir as an
opportunity for students to learn new skills, such as arranging music. He also wants the group to be an educational experience for people who do not have extensive knowledge in music. “Whistling is another way people can make music with their body,” Stevenson said. “When it’s properly developed and used together, it can be a really interesting experience for listeners and performers.”
SCIENCE
Donating blood is A-Positive way to help others, save lives
By Robert Starr @robertkstarr
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series on blood donations. The second installment, which focuses on what happens to blood after it has been donated, will run in the paper tomorrow. Doctors once treated sick patients by draining their blood until the patients became euphoric — and even then, the patients often died. Today, doctors rarely take blood from sick patients, except in small doses. Instead, the blood comes from healthy people — and only those who voluntarily give it up. The problem is that most people aren’t donating. While 38 percent of the country’s population is eligible to give blood, less than 10 percent actually do. The basic eligibility
requirements for donation are simple: Donors need to be in good health and weigh over 115 pounds. Anyone who meets the requirement can head on over to their local blood donation center. Once there, potential donors enter a small, private room to answer a short survey about their medical, travel and sexual histories. “We’re asking questions that ensure you’re healthy enough to donate blood, as well as if your blood is safe to transfuse to a patient,” said Justine Garza, director of business development at The Blood Center of Central Texas. These short, basic surveys aren’t without controversy. Gay and bisexual men — about one in six of whom are HIV-positive — cannot donate blood unless they have been celibate since before the original “Star Wars” movies came out. This ban comes from the Food and Drug Administration, and not from the blood centers — and it was enacted in a time before there was a way to test blood for HIV. The FDA recently announced that it favors modifying this
requirement, but it could take months or even years for any change to take effect. Answering “yes” to certain questions may prompt followups from the doctor, but few answers automatically prevent someone from donating. Donors are allowed to have tattoos and piercings, for instance, as long as the body modifications were administered using sterile equipment or more than one year ago. Once donors have gone through the questionnaire, they’re given a mini-physical. During the examination, the donors will have their pulse, temperature and blood pressure checked. They will also receive a finger-stick to determine their red blood cell count. After this preliminary screening process, donors move to the blood donation room, where they lie in a bed. They can read, make conversation or Snapchat with friends while a trained phlebotomist — a person who draws blood — does all the work. The whole process is completely safe and only takes about an hour. Garza
BLOOD DONATION
1
Fill out a 50question survey about your health and travel.
Eat a healthy meal prior to donation and stay hydrated. After your blood draw, enjoy a free snack and drink.
2
Get a miniphysical on site to check blood pressure, temperature and other vitals.
Blood donation is safe. This helps to guarantee donor and patient safety during the donation and reception processes.
3
Sit back and play on your phone while the technicians draw your blood.
Don’t lift anything after blood draw! (This is a great excuse not to help your friend move out of their dorm.)
Graphic by Paepin Goff and Alex Dolan | Daily Texan Staff
recommends donors share any fears they may have with the technicians ahead of time. “Donors should let their phlebotomist know that they’re really nervous about [the process],” Garza said. “That’s really helpful for the person that’s drawing their blood to know. They can help them through that.” After the donation, the
donor walks to a room in the back of the blood center to eat cookies, drink juice and relax for a few minutes until they feel comfortable walking out on their own. After a brief respite, they’re encouraged to eat a good meal, stay hydrated and avoid heavy lifting and alcohol. And that’s it: This basic process is all a donor has to do to save up to three lives.
“Everybody has it; everybody needs it; why not share?” said Cindy Rowe, public relations manager for the blood center. So what happens to the blood once the donor leaves? Check out Science Scene tomorrow to learn about the next part of the blood’s journey — how the blood makes its way to a new body.
ART
Student-run photography blog showcases ‘Humans of Austin’ By Cat Cardenas @crcardenas8
Deep secrets and personal life experiences are not stories people are usually willing to share with a stranger on the street, but Brandon Stanton’s ability to coax confessions from strangers is what led to the viral success of his photo blog, “Humans of New York.” Three friends in Austin are now following suit. The idea of getting strangers to open up inspired the founders of “Humans of Austin” to start their own photo blog. In their first month, the project’s founders — Michael Tran, University of St. Augustine physical therapy graduate student, UT neurobiology senior Kolby Vidrine and UT radiotelevision-film junior Preston McNabb — interviewed and
photographed more than 50 people whom they believe represent a “visual anthropology of Austin.” “We want to be representative of the whole city,” Vidrine said. “We want to bring a real connection to people and find a story within each person we talk to and photograph. Everyone who reads it should be able to find something about it that they can identify with.” Although Humans of Austin may be similar in style to Humans of New York, the trio is determined to set its blog apart. While Humans of New York centers around often-emotional anecdotes, the founders of Humans of Austin want their content to be more uplifting and inspiring. “New York is already an established city, and Austin
is still growing,” Vidrine said. “There’s a certain weirdness here — an openness between people who can be anyone they want to be. There’s no box they have to fit into.” Each of the founders brings varying personal experiences and passions to the project. Tran said he uses his experience as a psychology undergraduate to understand his subjects better. He prefers having subjects take posed shots with captions that elicit emotional responses. McNabb said he is partial to candid photos. “I even tell my family to make each other laugh when I take their pictures because I want to capture a genuine connection — the look on someone’s face when they share something they might have never shared before,” McNabb said.
Getting strangers to feel comfortable is important to Humans of Austin, Tran said. By asking simple questions — Who are you? Why are you here? What makes you happy? — the photographers encourage the subjects to open up. Once the conversation starts, it is easier for the photographer to gain insight. “We want the questions to feel natural,” Tran said. “The goal is to get [each person] to say something they have not before, and the moment you ask the right question, you begin to see into their lives. The hard questions are the simple ones. They elicit deeper feelings, and that’s what we’re trying to get out.” By connecting their viewers to the others in their community, the Humans of Austin bloggers hope
Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan Staff
Radio-Television-Film junior Preston McNabb, neurobiology senior Kolby Vidrine and Michael Tran, St. Augustine physical therapy graduate student, run the blog “Humans of Austin.”
to reestablish human connections they believe society is losing as a result of modern technology. “This project has shown me how Austin is a changing entity,” Tran said. “I have
friends who grew up here who tell me how different it was just 10 years ago, and I want to be part of documenting that change. I want to show us as humans evolving with this city.”