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UNIVERSITY
STATE
TA task force calls for lighter workload
Abbott aims to recruit high-profile researchers
By Samantha Ketterer @sam_kett
The College of Liberal Arts TA task force released recommendations Thursday addressing issues concerning graduate TAs and assistant instructors (AIs). The recommendations include defining TA responsibilities more clearly, alleviating the amount of grading and increasing job security.
The task force distributed a survey to 1,300 current or former TAs and AIs assessing their satisfaction with current job policies. The task force received 681 survey responses. Based on the responses, the task force put together a report of recommendations, which will be passed off to chair members and committees for consideration, according to Esther Raizen, COLA associate dean for
research and graduate studies. “The College is committed, from the dean down, to making sure their recommendations are seriously considered and implemented to the degree that it’s possible,” Raizen said. The recommendations included both a contract between the TA and the professor and a TA handbook. Justin Doran, task force member and spokesman,
said both measures are intended to decrease confusion about job responsibilities and to protect TAs from excessive amounts of work. According to the report, 26 percent of survey respondents work more than 20 hours a week. “One of the things that we found is that [a majority of the] time of graduate teaching assistants is spent on grading,” Doran said. “Grading is a chore. It’s extremely time
consuming because it increases linearly with the number of students you have.” Doran said he hopes initiatives, such as the contract, will help avoid unnecessary amounts of grading. The task force will reconvene at the end of the semester to review their recommendations. The Graduate Student Assembly will look at the issue
COLA page 2
STATE
Legislator, protestors disrupt Muslim rally By Eleanor Dearman @ellydearman
State Rep. Molly White (R-Belton) drew criticism Thursday after asking Muslim visitors to the Capitol to “renounce Islamic terrorist groups” during an event UT students helped plan. About 600 people attended Muslim Capitol Day, an annual event hosted by the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, to voice their legislative priorities and advocate for religious tolerance. Rep. White, who is out of town visiting her district, instructed her staff to tell Muslim visitors to publicly pledge allegiance to American law. “I did leave an Israeli flag on the reception desk in my office with instructions to staff to ask representatives from the Muslim community to renounce Islamic
PROTEST page 2
Michael Baez | Daily Texan Staff
Muslim students and community leaders walk away from the Capitol after a rally hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Thursday morning. Thursday marked the eighth annual Muslim Capitol Day.
By Josh Willis @joshwillis35
Gov. Greg Abbott proposed the creation of a fund Thursday to incentivize universities across the state to hire prestigious faculty. Under Abbott’s new proposal, the University Research Initiative, colleges and universities across Texas would be eligible to receive a portion of the fund to recruit nationally recognized, established researchers to join their faculties. The money would come from the elimination of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, founded by the legislature at the request of former Gov. Rick Perry in 2005. The fund, currently worth $485 million, was created to give Texas an advantage in the technology field. Fifty percent of the TETF fund would go to the Texas Enterprise Fund, a fund to attract and retain businesses in the state. The other half of the TETF would go to the Higher Education Coordinating Board to fund the University Research Initiative. According to a statement released by the governor’s office, researchers who qualify under the proposal would be either a Nobel Laureate, Academy Member or someone of an equivalent achievement level. In the statement, Abbott said he encouraged universities to recruit
ABBOTT page 2
CAMPUS
CAMPUS
Professor discusses book on black British artist histories
Students exhibit handmade furniture
By Chris Mendez @thedailytexan
According to Eddie Chambers, art and art history associate professor, black artists from Africa, South Asia and the Caribbean faced exclusion from British art galleries and museums because of their race and ethnic backgrounds. In a lecture Thursday, Chambers discussed his book, “Black Artists in British Art: A History Since the 1950s,” on the undocumented history of black British artists who included elements of their heritage into their art. Chambers said many of the artists incorporated their struggles with identity into their work because of the influence of their immigrant parents. “A generation of people who [were] born to migrant parents — primarily Caribbean migrant parents — came [to England] in the mid ’50s to late ’60s,” Chambers said. “All these tussles of retention and assimilation are present in the works of these artists.” Cherise Smith, director of
the Warfield Center of African and African American Studies, said many black British artists have not received attention for their work, even though they remain a prominent part of the British art community. “It’s important to study because it’s an important part of British culture and all of art history that has been left out until now,” Smith said. “Curators just didn’t recognize artists of color who were black and who were of Asian descent as recognizable artists.” The artists started their own exhibitions in the 1980s as part of the Young British Artists (YBA) movement, which influenced contemporary artists such as artist-turned-director Steve McQueen and Chris Ofili, who incorporates elephant dung into his paintings. “The effects of the YBA continue right up to the present day,” Chambers said. “They’ve influenced several generations of artists that’ve come up after them.”
ART page 2
By Rund Khayyat @thedailytexan
Students from the architecture school showcased their furniture pieces at an exhibition Thursday. Specialist Mark Macek taught six architecture students, many of whom had no prior experience with woodcrafting, in his wood design class. They learned about several species of wood, studied furniture design history and visited local craftsmen. “What’s unique about furniture is that humans use and interact with it,” Macek said. “Students have to be very tactile.” Architecture graduate student Grace Dixon said the course helped her learn basic woodcrafting skills and apply her knowledge to construct something practical. “I didn’t even know how to operate power tools before the course, but Mr. Macek guided us along the way,” Dixon said. Although the students plan to pursue various careers in architecture and
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
The Materials Lab showcased finished furniture pieces created by students in Mark Macek’s wood design class.
design outside of woodworking, Macek said they learned valuable skills that will help them in their respective fields. “They share a common objective, which is to learn how to build,” Macek said. “Designers need to understand the process of making their designs. The only
way to truly do this is by physically using the tools and materials.” Architecture graduate student Jordan Teitelbaum said learning about the steps that go into making a furniture piece will help him apply similar skills to architectural design. “As a designer,
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understanding the process of building will allow me to design in a much more intelligent way,” Teitelbaum said. Macek gave students six weeks to work on their projects. Teitelbaum said he and other students worked
EXHIBIT page 2 REASON TO PARTY
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Friday, January 30, 2015
NEWS
FRAMES featured photo Volume 115, Issue 89
CONTACT US Main Telephone (512) 471-4591 Editor-in-Chief Riley Brands (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor Jordan Rudner (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 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.
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
National Rent-A-Fence employees Jaquarius Jenkins and Anthony Fresch disassemble a fence recently used for construction near the FAC on Thursday.
CORRECTIONS In the Jan. 29 edition of The Daily Texan, the article “Recent graduate to release first art book” included three quotes copied verbatim from a USA Today article title “Texas student uses visual art to inspire social change.” The Daily Texan takes all instances of plagiarism seriously and formally apologizes for the violation of our readers’ trust. In the same article, Lakeem Wilson was misidentified as a cofounder of Red Throat House. He is a contributor.
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2015 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
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I wish this were Russia
PROTEST
continues from page 1 terrorist groups and publicly announce allegiance to America and our laws,” White wrote in a public Facebook post. “We will see how long they stay in my office.” Government senior Usama Malik, vice president of UT’s Muslim Student Association, said Muslims should not have to work harder to prove their patriotism. “It’s kind of a double standard,” said Malik, who organized the event. “Seeing her comments [does] not really enrage us. It just shows us that we have a lot of work to do in this country, and that this attitude of having to apologize for the actions of others needs to end once and for all.” Shiyam Galyon, who graduated from UT in 2012, traveled from Houston with the Syrian-American
Council for the rally. Galyon said people of all religions should have the right to assemble and voice their opinions. “When a group wants to organize for their rights, we want to support that,” Galyon said. While visitors from across Texas rallied for the seventh annual Muslim Capitol Day, protesters arrived holding signs with phrases such as, “Save America, Stop Islam,” and interrupted the rally speakers throughout the event. Rick Ellis, a protester at the rally from Axtell, Texas, said he thinks Muslims should not practice their religion in America. “If they want to come as Americans, fine,” Ellis said. “If they want to come and live as Muslims, go back to the Middle East.” Muslim Student Association President Rawand Abdelghani, psychology junior, said she was disappointed
that the protesters interrupted the rally, which was meant to be peaceful. “Most Muslims, especially the younger generation, were born in the U.S., and they consider themselves Americans and part of the community,” Abdelghani said. “It was meant to be an event that brought the community together and brought Muslims together, Muslims and non-Muslims.” Malik, the event coplanner, said it is university students’ responsibility to address people’s ignorance about Islam. “It’s now imperative for us to take this to another level and defend Islam from these types of things,” Malik said. “Because we understand where the hatred is coming from and what the types of ignorance are — in light of this country’s history — and how to combat that.”
COLA
continues from page 1 of TA rights in its upcoming Graduate Student Bill of Rights legislation, according to Elizabeth Cozzolino, GSA student affairs director. She said both the task force and GSA might face problems enforcing the recommendations. “Even if the recommendations are expected by the college, there is no enforcement mechanism,” Cozzolino said. The goal is to get TAs to work only 20 hours a week, Doran said, but that may mean increasing the number of TAs and decreasing their pay. “We would love it if there were more graduate TAs, but as I understand it, there is a set budget for teaching assistants and assistant instructors, and that money hasn’t increased for many years,” Doran said. The survey found 64 percent of students surveyed were dissatisfied with their current TA compensation based on
their typical workload. As a result of increased living expenses, TA stipends are approximately $3,500 less than the cost of attending the University, according to Raizen. She said the number of TAs decreased by 12 percent between 2008 and 2013. “Over time, Austin also has become so expensive that the cost of living here has skyrocketed, and we have not kept up,” Raizen said. The task force proposed the option for TAs to receive stipends over a 12-month period, as opposed to the current 9 months. “We don’t have money, and there’s no question that we want to increase TA stipends, because [TAs] don’t meet the cost of attendance,” Raizen said. “If we reduce the number of TAs at some point, we’ll get to the point where we will not be able to do what we [need] in terms of instruction. There needs to be some new thinking about resources that we can apply.”
ART
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Maryam Ohadi-Hamadani, an art history graduate student who studies black British artists, said she understands the importance of studying this unknown part of art history. “The fact that there’s been so little written on this part of history,” Ohadi-Hamadani said. “So having any sort of book that is able to bring anything to that is interesting.” Chambers said he wanted to write the book to document the history of artists who continue to diversify the art community. “The art world now is very different than how it was 20 or 30 years ago,” Chambers said. “As for the presence of black artists in the British art world, I think it’s still quite tenuous.”
Mariana Muñoz | Daily Texan Staff
Eddie Chambers, art and art history associate professor, discusses his book “Black Artists in British Art: A History Since the 1950s” at the new Black and Latino Studies Building on Thursday afternoon.
ABBOTT continues from page 1 Business and Advertising
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researchers who specialize in math, science, technology and engineering. UT System spokeswoman Karen Adler said the TETF has given some money to higher education in the past, but Abbott’s plan would benefit the UT System schools to a greater degree. “The Emerging Technology Fund has been beneficial to higher education, and we are grateful for it,” Adler said. “We appreciate Gov. Abbott’s recognition of the value of the state helping universities recruit faculty to advance learning, research and the state’s economy and look forward to working with him and the legislature as his proposal works its way through
the process.” UT spokesman Gary Susswein said although the administration is still reviewing the governor’s proposal, it looks like a step in the right direction. “Obviously, one of the keys to maintaining and increasing your excellence as a university is to have the very best faculty,” Susswein said. “They create a robust learning environment, they help students, and they help foster world-changing research. Having the resources to be able to hire the best faculty, who, in turn, help cultivate the best students, is very important.” The elimination of the TETF will not adversely impact Texas’ economy,
EXHIBIT according to Abbott. “Texas will continue to make meaningful and effective investments in job creation,” Abbott said. “Now, we must also harness our resources to elevate Texas’ higher education institutions as integral participants in our economic advancement.” Abbott said his plan will attract renowned researchers, help stimulate the state’s economy and benefit Texas universities. In his plan, Abbott said Texas universities have the potential to have five schools among the top 10 in the country. “Texas will be home of the research centers and great minds that will transform the next generation,” Abbott said.
continues from page 1 about 100 hours outside of class in the woodshop — four to eight hours a day — to complete their pieces. The exhibition took place in the University Co-op Materials Lab, which features a library of over 27,000 materials, including translucent concrete and aerogel — the lightest material on Earth. Architecture senior Claire Fontaine works in the lab and encourages students to take advantage of all the resources it offers. “The Material Lab is a hidden gem on campus,” Fontaine said. “It is an amazing resource and reference for all UT students, professors and even professionals around the area.”
W&N 3
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Find out more at aldiuscareers.com Welcome to more. McCombs Business Career Fair Date: 2/4/15 Time: 12:00 – 5:00pm Location: UT Rec. Sports Center, 2nd Floor
Informational Dinner: Date: 2/19/15 Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm Location: AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center 1900 University Ave, Austin, TX 78705
1st Interview: Date: 2/20/15 Time: 8:00 – 4:00pm Location: McCombs Business School
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ALDI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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RILEY BRANDS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / @TexanEditorial Friday, January 30, 2015
EDITORIAL
COLUMN
Charlie Hebdo shootings should force discussion among UT media By Caroline Covington Guest Columnist
Marshall Tidrick| Daily Texan Staff
Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference following his victory over Wendy Davis in November.
Abbott’s higher ed plan laudable Throughout the long governorship of Rick Perry, which extended throughout the first one and a half decades of this century, a key cornerstone of economic policy was investment funds. Ostensibly, they would provide incentives, subsidies and other advantages to job-creating entities, enticing them to do business in this state and — in the process — stimulating the economy. In practice, however, these programs were thinly veiled slush funds, in which Perry’s friends and benefactors would all too often receive plush payouts. Numerous audits suggest the economic benefits were minimal. Accordingly, we were excited to hear that Gov. Greg Abbott proposed the elimination of one of these funds, the Texas Emerging Technology Fund. Since its creation 10 years ago, it has doled out hundreds of millions of dollars. In 2011, the state auditor’s office penned a scathing report that lambasted the fund’s lack of transparency, prompting many to question its underlying effectiveness. Make no mistake: The elimination of this example of crony capitalism would be good for Texas. But it was Abbott’s suggestion for the fund’s replacement that truly elated us. The new governor’s plan would take half the ETF money and forward it into a new fund named the Governor’s University Research Initiative. This fund, in turn, would provide matching funds for any state university that seeks to recruit renowned faculty, namely Nobel Prize laureates and members of the National Academy. There would be an exception for any university that seeks to poach faculty from another Texas school, but anywhere else across the
nation would be fair game. Abbott’s office particularly homed in on academics in the so-called “STEM” category of science, technology, engineering and math. Unfortunately, Abbott’s plan dedicates the remainder of the ETF money to another controversial Perry-era slush fund: the Texas Enterprise Fund. The TEF was particularly in the news during the gubernatorial election last year, when unscrupulous dealings of some of its beneficiaries came to light. In light of the positive steps Abbott took in heralding the elimination of the ETF and pledging more money toward university faculty improvement, we are disappointed to see some continued commitment to cronyism. However, most importantly in our view, this proposal shows Abbott’s continued attention to academic and scholastic excellence within institutions of higher education. This sharply contrasts with Perry’s typical approach of treating higher education like a business and attempting to squeeze the most products out regardless of other costs. Abbott understands that the true value of a college education extends to something deeper, something that transcends just the classes one takes. A huge part of that boils down to the quality of the professors at the school in question. Be it his recent picks for state universities’ respective boards of regents or this recent action, Abbott has truly blazed a new trail on higher education issues that is markedly different from his predecessor’s. It is more pragmatic, less ideological and far more centrist. We hope higher education is not the only issue he takes that approach on.
I’m not proud to say that in the over halfdozen times I’ve been to France, I never even noticed Charlie Hebdo. But I think it’s safe to say that Charlie Hebdo was unknown to many other Americans before the tragedy earlier this month. Americans’ lack of knowledge was clear when the public outcry, “Je suis Charlie,” seemed to morph into what sounded like “Je suis Charlie?” followed by “Wait, who exactly is Charlie?” The media seemed equally confused. Reports, broadcasts and tweets documented a mixture of assertions about freedom of speech and voices of anger about a lack of sensitivity toward French Muslims. Weeks after the event, I’m still struggling to come to a resting point on the issue. My understanding has reached a frustrating dead end and I feel conflicted and powerless. The only solution, I believe, is to shift the debate to an arena where I have some influence. Here at UT, we can all learn from the events at Charlie Hebdo to start building our own brand of satire. We’re in a perfect microcosm for debating free speech, cultural issues and the merits of irreverence, and we have the luxury (and liability) of instant feedback from the campus community. Let’s start the experiment! We already have our very own humor publication, the Texas Travesty. These Onion-ites in training have the capability of pushing our buttons for a higher purpose and I think we should let them push a little harder. The Travesty is primarily an entertainment and humor paper. Chris Gilman, the Travesty’s editor-in-chief, says the publication is open to covering controversial issues in a tasteful manner. But would our student body be open to this? A recent discussion about satire and Charlie Hebdo with my fellow journalism students showed just how divided and sensitive we are. Some were offended by the magazine’s apparent mocking of religion in general, not just Islam. “I’ve seen the cartoons of the pope,” said Teresa Mioli, a Latin American studies master’s student and journalist. “That like makes me mad as a Catholic.” Others vented frustration at how uptight everyone seems lately. “People will keep getting offended,” said journalism master’s student Andrea Nedorostova. “That’s something you cannot change.” But, Nedorostova says, the blow of pointed commentary can be softened with humor that can appeal to everyone. “If they make it really funny and let’s say 90 percent of people laugh at it, I think that’s a success,” she says, especially when international stu-
dents and people of various ethnicities and backgrounds all get the joke. The portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad offended the Travesty’s own illustrator and graphic designer, Hazel O’Neil, who says she doesn’t accept the excuse that Charlie Hebdo is an equal opportunity offender. These interactions have taught me that students value cultural sensitivity just as much as the ability to have a thick skin. So how do we translate these values into our own campus legacy of satire? For starters it should exist. The Travesty does a good job of lightly poking fun at issues, and has rightly avoided attacking “low-hanging fruit,” Gilman said. But they could shape themselves into a respected voice for dissent, or at least irreverence, on major issues that affect the campus community. The Travesty already has the will and intelligence to do this. Gilman has said that UT’s Student Government is ripe for satire. He wants to poke fun at how its insular nature may lead to a lack of perspective from student leaders. “It’s pretty much predetermined who’s going to run and who’s going to win [in Student Government],” Gilman says. We also need to utilize the hundreds of experts on campus to help make our brand of satire intelligent. These experts can push our satirists to be as informed as possible before taking a crack at an issue. We can harness this knowledge to make our satire legacy less about provoking and more about starting a discussion. And the discussion certainly wouldn’t be onesided, with the Travesty holding all the cards. Social media provides readers the opportunity to give instant feedback. This would either help build a thick skin for Travesty writers, or help refine their message. The Travesty’s increasing presence over the past two years is evidence that it’s prepared to engage with the campus community, but its meager record of complaints, says Gilman, may mean it’s not challenging readers enough. Lately, it feels like we’re in an era of apathy. Perhaps our devices are satiating our emotional needs, but that can’t last forever. Now is the perfect time to shake things up and grab students’ attention. Satire is the perfect medium to bring difficult issues to the fore without boring students or scaring them away. Most of us will never fully relate to the French experience after Charlie Hebdo. All we can do is create our own legacy of satire at UT to know what it’s like to balance free speech with the sensitivities of marginalized groups. We can’t be afraid to offend, but let’s let our offenses serve the highest purpose possible. Covington is a journalism graduate student from Laguna Niguel, California.
COLUMN EDITORIAL
Write for the Texan to uphold a tradition going back 115 years 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 multi-million-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.
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.
Mariana Gonzalez| Daily Texan Staff
GSA President Brian Wilkey speaks at Tuesday’s meeting.
GSA tackles graduate housing By Olive Liu
Associate Editor
Improving graduate student housing options has been discussed for years at the University. The average wait time for graduate students to rent a University apartment is one-and-a-half years — about as long as it takes most master’s students to finish their degree. To tackle this problem, the Graduate Student Assembly last semester formed a special housing committee consisting of six members. Its progress was discussed at Tuesday’s GSA meeting, the first of the semester. “We have been hearing from our constituents for many years that they want to have a place that’s close to campus and affordable,” GSA President Brian Wilkey told the Texan. GSA Vice President Vance Roper told the Texan that the housing committee has been design-
SUBMIT A FIRING LINE OR GUEST COLUMN | E-mail your Firing Lines and guest columns to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be between 100 and 300 words and guest columns between 500 and 1,000. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.
ing surveys, planning to do focus groups to determine the ideal housing for graduate students. However, their work won’t be easy. The cost of living in Austin has been rising for years now, and the options closest to campus tend to be centered on undergraduates. The good news, according to Wilkey and Roper, is that administrators are listening to graduate students’ concerns and often turn to GSA for information about graduate student housing needs. To answer their questions, the committee will continue to gather information from the graduate student body in the coming months to best tailor its solutions. As a graduate student, I applaud the committee’s dedication to better accommodating UT’s large community of graduate students. Liu is an advertising graduate student from Beijing.
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.
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GARRETT CALLAHAN, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Friday, January 30, 2015
SIDELINE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
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NCAAB
Aston records 150th win as coach
(1) KENTUCKY
MISSOURI
By Courtney Norris @courtneyknorris
Head coach Karen Aston finally captured a major milestone Thursday night. Aston achieved her 150th victory with the No. 14 Longhorns after beating No. 24 Oklahoma in double overtime 84–81. “Just really, really proud of our basketball team,” Aston said. “Obviously we’ve been through some adversity the last couple of weeks. We’ve been in a little bit of a lull, but hopefully this will give us some excitement.” Freshman guard Ariel Atkins started things off by winning the tip and immediately putting two points on the board for Texas. However, the Longhorns found themselves behind for most of the first 30 minutes despite Atkins’ 7 points in the first half. At the break, Oklahoma led 33–30, and the Sooners started the second half with 4 straight points that forced Aston to call a timeout. That’s when Texas started its comeback. Junior guard Brady Sanders knocked down a 3-point shot, closing the gap to within 10. Shortly after, sophomore center Kelsey Lang drew a foul and completed a 3-point play, leaving Texas down by only 4 points. The Longhorns held Oklahoma to just 38.5 percent shooting in the second half and out-rebounded the Sooners 31–28. Several
NHL STARS
SENATORS
NBA KNICKS
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TOP TWEET Vance Bedford @CoachBedfordUT Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan Staff
Freshman guard Ariel Atkins dominated the game for the Longhorns with 21 points in the 84-81 double overtime win Thursday night.
players finished with multiple blocks, including junior center Imani McGee-Stafford, whose block late in the game pushed the momentum back to Texas. McGee-Stafford also had her best game since returning from her injury, but the win mattered more to her. “I didn’t even know I had a good game until now,” McGee-Stafford said. “I just care about winning. It’s nice to know I am playing better, but I’m just focused on winning.”
Following Sanders’ layup that tied the game, junior guard Empress Davenport made two free throws, giving the Longhorns the lead with 5:30 left. However, Oklahoma would eventually even it up to send the game to overtime. One extra period wouldn’t be enough, though, as the game went into a second overtime. With a minute left, Lang scored to give Texas the lead, which it held for the remainder of
Everybody that came in the game contributed, which is what I said all along from the very beginning this team has to be about. —Karen Aston, Head coach
the game. “A lot of players made a lot of plays,” Aston said. “Everybody that came in the game contributed, which is what I said all along from the very beginning this team has to
be about.” Atkins tallied a careerhigh 21 points, while four other Longhorns shot in the double-digits. Texas will take on TCU in Fort Worth on Sunday.
Longhorns shine in OT vs. Oklahoma By Jeremy Thomas @JeremyOBThomas
Late in the second half against rival No. 24 Oklahoma Thursday night, No. 14 Texas once again found itself trying to pull out a late win. With 13:49 left in the game, the Sooners held an 8-point lead, but the Longhorns erased the deficit on a 17-9 run to tie the game and send it into double overtime, in which they eventually prevailed 84-81. Head coach Karen Aston said she thought the team’s resilience was intrinsic to its victory. “Obviously we’ve been through some adversity the last couple of weeks,” head coach Karen Aston said. “I thought we didn’t let [the game] get away from a mental perspective. This team had fight in it tonight. They never showed any signs that they were down on themselves.” The Longhorns (15-4, 4-4) did have a lot to feel down about in the month of January, finishing this month with an even .500 record.
The Longhorns went 2-4 in a six game stretch in the middle of the month to push them four games out of the conference lead. Moving into the latter half of the conference schedule, the Longhorns will work to prevent opponents from outscoring them in the second half. In eight games this month, the team has only outscored three opponents in the second half. In all of its losses, Texas was outproduced by a total of 143-108. Aston said the team learned more from those losses than its wins. “In the last couple of games that we lost, we had certain points where we can reflect back and say, ‘these are things that we need to learn from,’” Aston said. “And tonight we took those and didn’t make the same mistakes again, which I really thought was the difference [tonight].” The Longhorns also saw injuries in January, which included senior forward Nneka Enemkpali, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Junior center Imani McGeeStafford finished the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1994
Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith wins the Super Bowl MVP after Dallas beats Buffalo, 30-13, in Super Bowl XXVIII.
SPORTS BRIEFLY Former Longhorns set to play in Alumni Game Ellyn Snider Daily Texan Staff
The injuries have pushed inexperienced players straight into the mix, making bench points critical for the Longhorns as they enter the latter half of the conference schedule. So far this season, Texas has averaged nearly 23 points per conference game off the bench. Aston said everyone had an equal part in Texas’ success over the Sooners on Thursday. “I said all along from the very beginning this team has
WEEKEND PREVIEWS
to be about [that],” Aston said. “This is by far one of the best team wins and team performances of the year.” Junior center Imani McGee-Stafford, who scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, said she knows it is important to take every opportunity to claim a win. “All of the older people remember freshman year, and we remember how losses can spin out of control,” McGeeStafford said. “So we knew
that we needed a win and get our confidence back up.” Despite their struggles, the Longhorns will still look forward to the next few months. Freshman guard Ariel Atkins said she hopes the team will build momentum off the adversity they’ve faced. “If you noticed, after everything that happened we huddled together, and that was our way to bring each other back into the focus and focus on the team goal,” Atkins said.
MEN’S SWIMMING | RACHEL WENZLAFF
TRACK & FIELD | AARON TORRES
Each year, the Texas men’s swimming and diving team quietly climbs their way to the top — and this year should be no different. The Longhorns have comfortably retained the No. 1 national spot since Dec. 11 and will look to protect their rank in this weekend’s double-dual meet against No. 14 Arizona and SMU. In their last meeting with SMU, almost exactly two years ago, the Longhorns cruised past the Mustangs by a 76-point margin. And about one year later, Texas handed the Wildcats a defeat
Texas will split up to compete in the Howie Ryan Invitational and the UW Invitational this weekend. The Longhorns are sending a small group — most of whom are sprinters — to the Howie Ryan Invitational in Houston, hosted by the University of Houston. The Howie Ryan Invitational will feature top-25 talent in the men’s and women’s hurdles. On the women’s side, junior Mobolaji Adeokun currently ranks No. 24 in the country with a time of 8.42 seconds. Sophomore Spencer Dunkerely-Offor ranked No. 31 this season with a time of 7.95 will compete in the men’s hurdles. He will face off against Houston’s Isaac
194-153. Four Longhorns — John Murray, Clark Smith, Will Licon and Joseph Schooling — hold the country’s top times in five individual events. Texas also holds the nation’s fastest times in the 200-medley relay and 200-freestyle relay. Most impressively, and most recently, two Longhorns earned international recognition. Sophomore Jack Conger secured the world’s best time in the 100-butterfly at the USA Swimming Arena Pro Swim Series with senior Tripp Cooper coming in a touch behind him with the world’s second
What is the percentage of college players that make it into the NFL? Answer As of 2012, it is 2.4%
Jack Conger Sophomore
best time in the event. Texas takes to the water at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center for this weekend’s meet at 5 p.m. on Friday and continuing into Saturday afternoon.
Williams, who is ranked No. 1 in the country with a time of 7.72. Texas will send its pole vaulters and throwers to Seattle for the UW Invitational, hosted by the University of Washington. Junior All-American pole vaulter Reese Watson will have his hands full as he goes up against some of the best pole vaulters in the country. Three athletes who are currently in the top 10 will compete in the men’s pole vault. Junior pole vaulter Kaitlin Petrillose, the defending NCAA champion, is currently ranked No. 9. Petrillose will compete against University of Washington’s Diamara Planell Cruz, who is ranked No. 22.
With the official start to the 2015 season two weeks away, the Longhorns will take to the diamond in the annual Alumni Game on Saturday. The current Longhorn lineup will go up against some of the best to play at UFCU Dicsh-Faulk Field, including pitcher Huston Street, outfielders Drew Stubbs and Jordan Danks, and catcher Taylor Teagarden. Street, who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, is the most notable name of the alumni with the 2005 American League Rookie of the Year, two All-Star game appearances and 275 saves in his 10-year career. In addition to the former players who have made a name for themselves in the major leagues, the alumni team features two players who led the Longhorns to an appearance in the College World Series last year: Mark Payton and Nathan Thornhill. In the MLB draft last June, the Minnesota Twins selected Payton in the 31st round, and the Philadelphia Philllies selected Thornhill in the 13th round. The current Longhorns will be available for autographs before the game and fans arriving early can play catch in the outfield. The Longhorns will officially open up the season on Feb. 13 in Houston with a four-game series against Rice. —Jacob Martella
6 SPTS 6
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Friday, January 30, 2015
MEN’S BASKETBALL When junior center Cam Ridley has scored in double-digits in Big 12 play, the Longhorns were 3-0. But in each of the four losses, Ridley has scored fewer than 10 points, and Texas has taken more outside shots.
WEEKEND PREVIEWS
MEN’S TENNIS | MICHAEL SHAPIRO
Ethan Oblak Daily Texan file photo
Longhorns focus on feeding big men By Peter Sblendorio @petersblendorio
Fresh off their second consecutive loss and fourth defeat of conference play, the Longhorns enter Saturday’s road game against No. 20 Baylor desperate for a win. If they fail to leave Waco with a victory, the team’s already remote chance of earning a regular season Big 12 title will likely be over. In the past two seasons, the winner of the Big 12 finished conference play with only four losses. And in each of the seven years before that, the conference champion finished with fewer defeats than that. Texas already sits at 3–4 in conference play with little room to add to the loss column. Not losing again is far easier said than done. Texas has struggled to take advantage of its
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size against No. 9 Kansas and No. 15 Iowa State. The team frequently settled for outside jumpers instead of getting the ball down low. Even though the Longhorns finally found their 3-point stroke late in their loss to the Cyclones on Monday, they realize their real strength is an edge in size. “We know that we are an inside-out team,” sophomore point guard Isaiah Taylor said. “We have a lot of size in the inside. We have plays where we get it to our bigs.” Baylor presents a different challenge in its above-average size for a Big 12 team, especially in junior forward Rico Gathers, who leads the team with 11.9 rebounds per game. Although Baylor rivals the Longhorns, Texas still has
We know that we are an inside-out team. We have a lot of size in the inside. We have plays where we get it to our bigs. -Isaiah Taylor, Point guard
the size edge with 6-foot-9 senior center Cam Ridley and 6-foot-11 freshman forward Myles Turner. Texas must feature these big men as much as possible, taking advantage of their size. The Longhorns have also struggled in recent games on defense. Their 2-3 zone has been exposed, as the guards on both Kansas and Iowa State had little trouble getting past Texas’ perimeter defenders. Baylor also boasts a talented squad of perimeter players, including junior forward Taurean Prince, who leads the Bears with 12.2 points per game. Senior
guard Kenny Chery also averages 11.0 points per game and rarely leaves the floor. While Texas tries to make these adjustments, head coach Rick Barnes said the team needs to make changes quickly to keep any hope of a Big 12 title alive. “I think there is a sense of urgency every game,” Barnes said after the Kansas loss. “There is a long way to go. … I do believe that we could win every game we play. I think we could go on a run and do it, but we aren’t going to do that until we understand what goes into it.”
Following back-to-back home victories to start the ITA Kick-Off Weekend, the Texas men’s tennis team will attempt to bring home its fifth straight victory Saturday. The Longhorns travel to Dallas this weekend to take on undefeated Southern Methodist University at the SMU Tennis Complex. Both teams are undefeated so far this season. However, Texas remains ranked No. 9 in the nation, while SMU is currently unranked. Last season, the Longhorns cruised past the Mustangs in their season opener, winning by a score of 7 — 0. Junior Søren Hess-Olesen produced a strong performance — one of many from Texas during the match. Hess-Olesen, a two-time All-American and reigning Big 12 Player of the Year,
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has been the catalyst for the Longhorns again this season. He has won his last six matches, including back-to-back straight set victories against No. 46 Minnesota and No. 33 Florida State. Following Saturday’s match, Texas will have two more home matches before heading to Chicago for the ITA National Indoor Championship on Feb. 13.
WOMEN’S TENNIS | REANNA ZUNIGA After a shutout loss to Vanderbilt Sunday, No. 23 Texas women’s tennis (1–1) looks to redeem itself this weekend against Rice (1–2). The match will be the first home contest for the Longhorns this season at the Weller Indoor Tennis Center. Both teams started the season at the ITA Kick-off Weekend event last weekend, but neither team advanced to the National Women’s Team Indoor Championship in February. The Longhorns defeated DePaul 4–3 before losing to Vanderbilt, earning them a second place finish in the fourteam tournament. Rice travelled to Illinois but lost both matches and placed fourth. Texas is the third of six consecutive top-40 opponents
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Søren Hess-Olesen
Breaunna Addison Sophomore
the Owls play this season, and Rice has yet to defeat a ranked team on the road. At the top of the lineup for Rice is senior Natalie Beazant, who was ranked No. 24 in the preseason singles rankings. Two-time All-American sophomore Breaunna Addison will lead the lineup for the Longhorns.
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8 L&A
KAT SAMPSON, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Friday, January 30, 2015
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Students find work through virtual internships By Marisa Charpentier @marisacharp21
Corporate communications senior Stephanie Robalino walks out of class and heads to a nearby coffee shop. She has a few hours to kill, so she sits down and flips open her laptop. Instead of turning on Netflix or sifting through Buzzfeed articles, she rebuilds a company’s website and analyzes competitors. By the time her next class rolls around, she’s earned $30. Robalino is part of the trend of students across the nation working in virtual internships. From the comfort of a coffee shop between classes or her bedroom at 1 a.m., Robalino completed a seven-month-long internship for Too Good Strategy, a business-consulting agency. She helped build a new website for the company, researched competing agencies and organized her boss’ notes — all done without stepping foot in the office. “Virtual working in general is pretty normal,” Robalino said. “You see a bunch of people working in coffee shops every day. It was a big selling point for me.” Virtual internships allow people to gain experience while working remotely for a company. Interns communicate with their employers via email, text, Skype and other forms of digital communication. Over the past few years, websites such as Internships. com and InternMatch.com have added virtual options to their sites. “I’d say that it’s growing, and it’s a huge value added for students,” said Robert Vega, director of career services in the College of Liberal Arts. “You can do a virtual internship with someone, say in San
Mariana Gonzalez | Daily Texan Staff
Corporate communications senior Stephanie Robalino completed a seven-month-long virtual internship for Too Good Strategy, a business-consulting agency. Virtual internships allow students to gain experience while working remotely.
Francisco or London, during the semester.” Instead of going into the office for meetings, Robalino had weekly 20-minute phone calls with her boss and the rest of the team. She logged her 10 hours a week on an online accounting software and earned $10 an hour. “I wanted an unstructured environment,” Robalino said. “I like being able to work on my own time and not be tied down by certain time restrictions.” Over the summer, journalism sophomore Jazmyn
Griffin interned at an online music publication called ABScream Media, but her boss lived nearly 2,000 miles away in Boston. She interviewed musicians and wrote stories for the site at the same time she was taking summer classes at UT. “You get to write for a type of publication that may not be available in your area,” Griffin said. “Some people live in the middle of nowhere, so they might not have a local music magazine that they could be a part of.”
While this type of internship eliminates commuting to work, provides flexible hours and saves companies workspace, it comes with challenges and criticisms. “Some of the challenges for students, especially for those where it might be their first professional opportunity, are, ‘How do you communicate with a supervisor virtually?’” Vega said. “‘How do you receive feedback? How do you become integrated into a team when you might be the only person who’s not in the office?’”
FILM REVIEW | “AMIRA & SAM”
Courtesy of Drafthouse Films
‘Amira’ explores multicultural relationships @TalkingofPelham
Although “Amira & Sam” takes place in New York City, the film concentrates on a small, intimate love story. This isn’t a flaw; the story is compact and tight. It may seem difficult to make a romanticcomedy about a soldier who’s returned from overseas, but director and writer Sean Mullin succeeds by pulling the story away from the actual war. He focuses intensely on the strongly developed main characters, who are a joy to watch. Military veteran Sam (Martin Starr) returns from combat overseas and finds work as a security guard, while unsuccessfully trying to make it as a stand-up comedian. When completing a favor for friend and fellow veteran Bassam (Laith Nakli), he has an awkward encounter with his friend’s niece Amira (Dina Shihabi) — an illegal Iraqi immigrant. They meet for a
second time when Bassam asks Sam to hide Amira from the police, who are threatening to deport her. Slowly, the pair grow closer and eventually fall for one another. Determined to not be separated, the two seek a way to keep Amira in the country. The strongest aspect of the film is the relationship between the leads. The pair has wonderful chemistry and serves as a perfect example of opposites attracting — Amira is brash and initially dislikes authority figures, whereas Sam is introverted and ambitious. Shihabi manages to make the abrasive Amira incredibly likeable through her boldness in acting. Starr gives the timid and reserved Sam a sharp, quiet sense of humor. It’s enjoyable seeing the relationship of these two unfold through a series of lighthearted sequences, such as when Sam takes Amira boating on New York’s bay. The culmination of their
rarely engaged in a learning experience worthy of academic credit.” Robalino was one of those exceptions and gained credit for her internship. Even though these internships rarely qualify for credit, career services in colleges across campuses continue to promote these virtual opportunities. “I definitely see this as a big thing,” Robalino said. “I think that millennials are different in the way that we want more freedom out of our jobs in general.”
CITY Veteran Sam (Martin Starr) and Iraqi immigrant Amira (Dina Shihabi) build a beautiful and convincing relationship in “Amira & Sam.” The film explores multicultural relationships and the struggles of returning veterans.
By Alex Pelham
Vega said the lack of a structured learning environment is one reason why virtual internships often do not qualify for academic credit. The College of Liberal Arts, for example, does not allow students to use their virtual internships to gain academic credit. Similarly, the Moody College of Communications’ website states that the “college will award academic credit for virtual internships in very rare instances.” The college reasons that “an intern left to learn by themselves … is
relationship, detailed in the film’s surprising ending, is incredibly heartwarming and satisfying. Although the story tackles tough themes, such as a struggling veteran readapting to civilian life, the movie isn’t bogged down by these serious topics. Sam isn’t a battleworn soldier struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. He’s just trying to readjust to life by talking with old friends and engaging in his passion for comedy. The film’s humor, packed with clever one-liners, certainly helps alleviate these serious undertones. Despite the strong leads, the secondary characters fall flat. Sam’s cousin Charlie (Paul Wesley) plays a scumbag businessman who has little else to offer. Amira’s uncle Bassam is decent as a caring guardian, but he gets very few scenes. A lack of variety also plagues the secondary cast. With the exception of Bassam, every other minor character
is a businessman or stockbroker. The main reason Mullin includes this group of New York socialites is to highlight how Amira and Sam are outsiders in the world of wealthy business leaders. The film briefly explores issues of race and cultural understanding between the two groups. A prime example is when a socialite asks Amira whether she is “required” to wear her hijab. Despite Mullin’s attempt to insert his message, it’s still jarring that a subplot about business deals and the 1 percent is juxtaposed with a romantic story. “Amira & Sam” offers a small, complex love story between two people with incredibly different backgrounds. Despite its weak secondary characters, the film manages to keep the focus on the main, emotional crux of the tale. Ultimately, Mullin successfully enacts his vision of a multicultural romantic-comedy through two brilliant characters.
Thrift shop provides affordable vintage By Katie Walsh @thedailytexan
From his childhood in Mexico, Frank Vega distinctly remembers the foreign look of Michael J. Fox’s Nike Air Mags in “Back to the Future.” “You see [actors], and you want those type of clothes,” Vega said. “The movies influenced a lot of people and showed them what America was like.” Vega now co-owns Monkies Vintage and Thrift with Martin Escobedo. Located behind the recently closed Veggie Heaven on Guadalupe Street, Monkies offers reasonably priced vintage clothing. The fashion of Hollywood stars in the ’80s sparked Vega’s lifelong passion for vintage clothing. Since moving to the U.S. 20 years ago, Vega has been in the vintage clothing industry for 15 years. “With vintage clothing, it can be a half-century old and still kicking it,” Vega said. “They made things that lasted back then. Now, companies want their clothes to go bad so that you will buy more.” According to Vega, Monkies’ prices and fearless fashion taste set it apart. Vega said he thinks expressing individuality through clothing is important, especially in a city such as Austin. “We are not afraid to put something weird out there,” Vega said. “You can go to the mall and buy an Abercrombie T-shirt, but chances are that you’re going to see multiple kids wearing that same shirt. But you’re not going to find another kid wearing [someone’s] grandfather’s World War II jacket.” Abby Myers, Plan II, Asian studies and international relations and global studies sophomore, said she agrees. Myers, an avid thrifter, said she is a proponent for one-of-a-kind
goods at low prices. “Actual vintage finds at reasonable prices make Monkies the Drag’s best hidden gem,” Myers said. The store has a wide variety of clothing for sale. Customers can find ponchos, 1930s-style cocktail dresses and vintage sports jerseys. The store selectively sifts through warehouses of secondhand clothing and flea markets across the country looking for vintage pieces. “We’ll take anything that catches our eye,” employee Rigo Escobedo said. Every week, they add new pieces to the shelves and upload photos of the noteworthy items Instagram and Facebook. Customers can comment or call the store to request to hold a piece that catches their eye. Following the request, customers can pick up the item in-person or have it be shipped through the store’s Etsy account. Vega wants customers to know that prices are not set in stone. “Finding vintage clothes is like dating,” Vega said. “If you find something you love, and it looks good on you, then we want you to have it. It’s not like GAP with small, medium and large sizes. It’s unique — one size — so if it fits you, then we will try to make it happen.” The store plans on moving into a larger building in the future. The new location will include a tattoo parlor in the back and additional space for clothes. Happy hours, which the store holds twice a month, will continue. During these happy hours, customers receive 25 percent off any purchase. “We want the atmosphere of the store to be relaxed,” Vega said. “We want you to know that you’re going to find something cool. Because when you look good, you work better, and you feel good about yourself.”