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Friday, February 6, 2015
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SYSTEM
McRaven: Dream Act ‘morally right’ By Josh Willis @joshwillis35
UT Chancellor William McRaven said he supports allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates to attend UT System universities at an event hosted by the Texas Tribune on Thursday. McRaven said the state already pays for the education of undocumented students and questioned the idea the state shouldn’t continue to provide similar assistance for
those students as they pursue higher education. “The state of Texas has paid to get [undocumented students] through high school, and, to think that we are not now going to help them get a college education, to me as an educator, I think it’s not right for us to do that,” McRaven said. McRaven emphasized that undocumented students will still be required to pay tuition for their education. “If it is about educating the young men and women
of Texas, young men and women who are — oh, by the way — going to pay in-state tuition, it’s not like we’re giving them a free education,” McRaven said. “I think it is the morally right thing to do.” McRaven said his position as chancellor means his first priority is assuring quality education for all Texans. “My job is to help educate the young men and women of Texas; that’s what I do — it’s why I took this job,” McRaven said. “All the other
things that are along side this, all the other issues that kind of circulate around it — [they are] not as important to me as educating the young men and women of Texas.” Gov. Greg Abbott partially endorsed the law, signed by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry in 2001, which allowed undocumented students to pay in-state tuition when attending public colleges and universities across the state. This was the first such law signed in the United States. According to a statement
from Abbott’s office, “Governor Abbott believes that the objective of the program is noble, but the law as structured is flawed, and it must be fixed.” In an interview last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said denying undocumented students in-state tuition rates was a question of fairness to the students who are fully documented citizens. “Simply put this way: You have one spot left; you have a
TUITION page 2
SYSTEM
Diversified portfolio shields endowment By Josh Willis @joshwillis35
University of Texas Investment Management Company officials released a report Thursday detailing the effects of falling oil prices on the Permanent University Fund (PUF). The PUF is an endowment containing 2.1 million acres in West Texas that was created by the Texas Constitution in 1876 to benefit the UT and Texas A&M University systems. According to Mark Warner, managing director of natural resources investments, falling oil prices over the course of the last four months slightly hampered the assets UTIMCO manages, which total $34.5 billion. Domestic oil prices declined by 60 percent from a peak in late April 2014 before bottoming out in late November 2014. However, over the five months, the endowment maintained a return of 4 percent. Bruce Zimmerman, UTIMCO chief executive officer and chief information officer, said the investments made under UTIMCO are made safely to protect the funds that support
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
Bruce Zimmerman, CEO of UTIMCO, met with UTIMCO board members Thursday morning. The conference covered topics such as UTIMCO investments and how foreign oil activities may affect the University’s endowment and the Permanent University Fund.
the UT System schools. “Our first line of defense is a diversified portfolio because, generally, not everything is going up at the same time, and,
generally, not everything is going down at the same time,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman said falling oil prices from April to
CAMPUS
November could actually help raise the endowment’s value. “Our best guess, our best projection, is that the supply shock — excess supply, lower
prices — is actually a slight positive for the endowment,” Zimmerman said. “Now, it’s
ENDOWMENT page 2
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LEGISLATURE
Texas Senate threatens to cut women’s health budget By Jackie Wang @jcqlnwng
Specialized clinics that offer breast and cervical cancer services, such as Planned Parenthood, will be the lowest priority recipients for women’s health care funding if the Texas legislature passes the proposed Senate budget for 2016-2017. The Senate budget, known as SB 2, would require the Texas Department of State Health Services to distribute funds for breast and cervical cancer services based on a three-tiered system. The bottom tier includes non-public entities, such as Planned Parenthood, that provide breast and cervical cancer screening, but not comprehensive care. The three-tiered system is built to ensure funding first goes to clinics unaffiliated with abortions, according to state Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services. “We always want to ensure that we have an adequate provider base to appropriately serve low-income Texas women who need access to comprehensive women’s health services,” Schwertner said. “At the same time, the people of Texas have clearly indicated that they don’t want to see their state tax dollars delivered to abortion providers. It’s really a question of resources.” State Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said the tiered funding plan would be a blow for low-income women in the state. “I’m very concerned that
HEALTH page 2
WORLD
Panel: Regulating corporate To further international relations, speech threatens expression Russia should partner with NATO By Lauren Florence
By Nashwa Bawab
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@thedailytexan
Russia should develop a long-lasting partnership with NATO to help the involved countries face the challenges of the 21st century, according to Sharyl Cross, professor and director of the Kozmetsky Center at St. Edward’s University. Cross spoke on campus Thursday about the fluctuating relationship between NATO, Russia and the U.S., from the Cold War until today. NATO is a intergovernmental military alliance which includes 28 North American and European countries. Cross said she believes it is important for Russia to be seen as part of Europe and be economically involved with NATO. “NATO has the exceptional capacity to bring nations together,” Cross said. “I would
NATO has the exceptional capacity to bring nations together. I would say that the enlargement and increased cultural diversity [of NATO] has only aided the alliance.
Putting regulations on corporate speech might indirectly threaten private citizens’ right to free speech, according to KUT journalist David Brown, a panelist in a discussion Thursday about limits on commercial speech. The panel, which was hosted as part of the Dialogues on Free Speech Series, introduced different topics of commercial speech, such as the relationship between free speech and truth in advertising. The speakers, who included journalists, professors and attorneys, used experiences from their fields to present their perspectives on how commercial speech can change the way people express themselves. People, similar to corporations, are guilty of trying to sell
certain images of themselves through social media sites, Brown said. “Attempts to regulate the internet will ultimately end up squashing our speech,” Brown
said. “People like the idea because it seems to be a slap in the face to big corporations, but I feel that this idea will be bad for
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OPINION
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ONLINE
History professor discusses Lyndon B. Johnson. ONLINE
Landlords shouldn’t play the victim on vouchers. PAGE 3
Anthony Fera still hopes to land NFL job. PAGE 5
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” inspires exhibit. PAGE 6
Professors work to improve solar panels. ONLINE
Run for SG to get involved.
Davis looks to lead softball in the circle again. PAGE 5
“Jupiter Ascending” proves dull and uninspired. PAGE 6
Movie review: “Seventh Son” falls flat, despite rich original source material.
Carlo Nasisse | Daily Texan Staff
KUT journalist David Brown speaks as part of a panel on commercial speech at the College of Liberal Arts on Thursday. The panel was part of the Dialogues on Free Speech Series, designed to generate discussions among students on issues of free speech.
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SPEECH
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—Sharyl Cross, Professor and director of the Kozmetsky Center
say that the enlargement and increased cultural diversity [of NATO] has only aided the alliance. Russia is a major player and a major force that should not be discounted.” Although their cooperation is important, Russia and NATO countries will not be able to create an alliance overnight, Cross said. “I would argue that it’s a mistake to isolate Russia,” Cross said. “I don’t think that is the solution … Think longterm, be patient, define your objectives, be realistic, know
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that there will be setbacks but know also that there’s a lot at stake.” Nick Hemlock, international relations and global studies senior, said he did a capstone project focused on the 2008 Russian and Georgian war and has attended several of Cross’ previous lectures on Russian and Eurasian studies. “I liked her multifaceted approach and that she uses lots of different sources, because,
NATO page 2 REASON TO PARTY
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