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Thursday, February 5, 2015
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UNIVERSITY
Parking permit costs to increase By Josh Willis @joshwillis35
UT will begin charging more for each parking permits across the board starting Sept. 1, in line with a report from the UT Parking Strategies Committee. The increases will apply each year for at least the next five years. Under the new plan, commuter student and surface staff permits will increase in cost by an average of $6 per year. Most resident garage permits and
commuter garage permits will increase an average of $23 each year. Faculty permits will see an average increase between $10 and $33 each year, and administrative permits increasing an average of $64 per year. The committee opted to adjust each permit separately, fearing that an equal increase to all the permits would make some options unaffordable. “Across-the-board increases place a larger burden on lowcost permits and, as such, potentially on those in the university community least able
to afford such increases,” the report said. Gerald Harkins, associate vice president for Campus Safety and Security, said the report focused on ways the parking permit fee system could be priced closer to market rates of universities similar in size to UT. The permit rates at UT are considerably low compared to other universities of similar size around the state. For a student surface lot permit, UT-San Antonio, Texas Tech and Texas A&M charge $145
and higher, whereas the current surface lot permit at UTAustin is $120. According to the report, the staff at UT-San Antonio, Texas Tech and Texas A&M can purchase permits starting at $335, $236 and $356, respectively. The lowest staff permit at UTAustin starts at $142. The goal of increasing parking permit fees is to better cover the cost of the Parking and Transportation Service. Since PTS is an auxiliary department of the University, only money from permit fees, garage fees
and citations fund the cost. Tom Brown, government junior and member of the Parking Strategies Committee, said the increased funding for PTS is necessary for the services they provide the University. “Parking and Transportation does more for our campus than meets the eye,” Brown said. “PTS provides funds for campus safety and security, which houses the Emergency Preparedness Department, Environmental Health &
PERMIT page 3
POLICE
APD, UTPD target crime on the Drag By Wynne Davis @wynneellyn
Officers from both UTPD and the Austin Police Department started a more focused initiative to minimize crime homeless people commit on Guadalupe Street. APD officer Darrell Grayson said the main area of focus is a 10-block stretch from Martin Luther King Boulevard to 29th Street. Grayson said officers have seen a larger congregation of the community’s homeless population around the artists’ market on 23rd Street. Many of those individuals receive services from the surrounding churches, as well as food from some of the businesses, according to Grayson. The two police forces
DRAG page 2
Marshall Tidrick | Daily Texan Staff
UTPD officer Jorge Cuellar patrols the 23rd Street Artists’ Market area as part of a new initiative to safen the streets for students. UTPD officers will more frequently patrol West Campus as part of this initiative.
bit.ly/dtvid
CAMPUS
UT, A&M urge more state funds for research By Eleanor Dearman @ellydearman
UT and Texas A&M set aside a long-standing rivalry and worked together on the seventh Orange & Maroon Legislative Day to advocate for the schools’ common legislative priorities, such as state funding for research. UT and A&M students and alumni met with state legislators at the Capitol on Wednesday to discuss education and research needs. The institutions’ priorities are restoring state higher education budget cuts, building research centers and supporting tier-one research. A constant theme throughout the discussions was stabilizing, or possibly decreasing, tuition costs without compromising current research and education standard. Student Government President Kori Rady attended the event and said he was glad to be working with A&M students to set goals for the 84th legislative session. “I think we are all in tune with what is really important, which is getting our education at our institutions and others in higher ed funded at the right level and the level that keeps them at their high standing and competitive — not only in Texas but nationally,” Rady said. Mark Hussey, interim president of Texas A&M, said funding for higher education has a large effect on the state. “Texas A&M and the University of Texas make a difference in our state, and
FUNDING page 2
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FOOTBALL
Researchers create world’s thinnest silicon transistor
National Signing Day in the books @SiegelEzra
By Zainab Calcuttawala @thedailytexan
Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering invented the world’s thinnest silicon transistors, which use less energy, generate less heat and pave the way for longer battery life and lighter electronics. Silicon transistors are used in electronic devices and allow or block electricity to operate like valves. Deji Akinwande, electrical and computer engineering assistant professor, supervised the silicon transistor research team, which worked in collaboration with the Italian Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems. The team arranged the honeycomb structure — after coating it with a layer of alumina, a compound composed of aluminum and oxygen — to create the new transistor, which is only one-atom wide. Sanjay Banerjee, engineering professor and director of
By Ezra Siegel
Our mutual interest in transistors led us to exchange expertise and develop the alumina coating that made silicon’s stability possible. —Deji Akinwande Electrical and computer engineering assistant professor.
the Microelectronics Research Center, said transistors are the “brain” of electronics. “Have you ever felt the bottom of your computer heat up?” Banerjee said. “This is because the transistors use electricity to control the functions of the computer. The heat is a residue of that process.” Until last year, scientists
TRANSISTOR page 3
With National Signing Day officially in the books, head coach Charlie Strong proved his recruiting strengths on one of the country’s biggest stages. “We were able to meet our needs,” Strong said. “Our guys did a great job of selling this program.” The Longhorns’ 2015 recruiting class is the best Texas list since 2012 — ranked No. 11 nationally and No. 1 in the Big 12, according to 247Sports. Strong added 28 signed recruits and displayed the ability to recruit both in state and around the nation. He reeled in 10 outof-state prospects, five of whom come from Florida. “The state of Texas will always be our ground,” Strong said. “[But] I don’t mind going out of state to win a battle.” The Longhorns’ most important commitment of the day came from fourstar Rockwall running back
Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan Staff
Texas football head coach Charlie Strong adds a highly ranked recruiting class to his team Wednesday on National Signing Day.
Chris Warren, who chose Texas over Washington. Warren, who is ranked No. 8 among running backs, gives Texas another option in a backfield that struggled to produce consistent yardage in 2014. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Warren has a unique blend of size and
speed, which showed in his senior year when he rushed for over 2,300 yards and 34 touchdowns. “[Warren] is a big old strong back,” Strong said. “He has enough speed and quickness to get outside.” While many expected Warren to choose Texas,
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Julian Bond speaks on modern civil rights issues. PAGE 3
A discussion with the campus executive chef. PAGE 4
Men’s basketball drops fourth game in overtime. PAGE 6
UT club pushes for progressive drug legislation. PAGE 8
Try out for The Daily Texan.
Mellon grant to allow for more faculty diversity. PAGE 3
Union compost program to reduce campus waste. PAGE 4
Texas wins big after 2015 National Signing Day. PAGE 6
What binge-watching Netflix says about your mood. PAGE 8
dailytexanonline.com
Strong surprised experts Wednesday, as he flipped two prospects who were previously committed to other schools. Strong flipped four-star Aledo receiver Ryan Newsome, who originally chose
SIGNING page 6 REASON TO PARTY
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