1
COMICS PAGE 7
SPORTS PAGE 6
LIFE&ARTS PAGE 8
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
@thedailytexan
facebook.com/dailytexan
Monday, April 20, 2015
dailytexanonline.com
bit.ly/dtvid
LEGISLATURE
UNIVERSITY
Texas likely to pass ‘open carry’ bill
Affordability to remain focus for new UT president
By Elly Dearman @ellydearman
The open carry of handguns state-wide is one step closer to being legal. The Texas House gave initial approval to its version of the open carry bill, HB 910, on Friday. The Texas Senate approved its version of the
bill in March. HB 910 would allow licensed handgun carriers to openly carry their guns in a holster. The open carry of long guns and rifles is already legal in the state. Rep. Larry Phillips (R-Sherman), primary author of the bill, said he thinks the bill will expand Texans’ rights under
the Second Amendment. “This bill goes too far for some and not far enough for others, but I think its a good start to show that we as Texans can be respectful and still protect ourselves,” Phillips said. Representatives were set to debate the bill Tuesday, but Rep. Trey Martinez
Fischer (D-San Antonio) pointed out a technical error that postponed discussion. The error was resolved the same day. Martinez Fischer and Rep. Borris Miles (D-Houston) brought up points of order Friday, but the points were overruled. One of Martinez Fischer’s points was in
response to an amendment Rep. Allen Fletcher (R-Cypress) filed that would allow the concealed carry of handguns on college campuses. “This amendment has to do with what a licensed holder may or may not do,” Fletcher said. “This is the
could get an automatic dunk for the officer in the tank. The fraternity raised $896 dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society during the event. UTPD bike patrol officer
CHARITY page 2
TUITION page 2
OPEN CARRY page 2
UTPD officers face dunk tank for charity By Wynne Davis @wynneellyn
Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan Staff
UTPD Sgt. Ashley Griffin participates in Phi Kappa Sigma’s first Dunk A Cop event Friday afternoon. The fundraiser benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
and it impacts people in ways you can’t even imagine, so when [Garcia] reached out to me, I said, ‘Yeah, this is something we can get behind and help,” UTPD officer William Pieper said. Besides helping raise money for the cause, Pieper
said UTPD enjoys partnering with organizations on campus for different events. “In addition to raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, it gives us an opportunity to get out into the public and let people see that we’re not just
the law,” Pieper said. “We’re not just out there writing tickets and things of that nature. We’re concerned about community building.” During the event, participants could buy two throws for $2, three for $5 and for $10, participants
@joshwillis35
As President William Powers Jr. prepares to step down from office, he said he hopes affordability and accessibility remain priorities for the new administration. Powers said although he has worked to keep cost and access primary focal points during his presidency, there is still work left for the next UT president — likely Gregory Fenves, executive vice president and provost, who was recently named the sole finalist for the position. “We’re always looking for ways [to be] more productive,” Powers said. “It’s not just reducing cost; it’s the relationship between cost and output.” Improved four-year graduation rates have helped reduce the burden on students and their families who can now pay less in tuition, Powers said. “There’s a lot of discussion and, rightly so, about affordability and the resources that a family has to devote to public higher education,” Powers said. “We’re sensitive to that.” An accountability report UT produced found that between 2000 and 2014, the four-year graduation rate improved by roughly 15 percent. The use of scholarship money is another valuable tool in taking on the cost of education for students, Powers said. “One way [to improve affordability] is scholarship money. We’ve raised a lot of it. We use a lot of it,” Powers said. “A quarter of our students don’t pay any tuition. The average student pays about half the full sticker
POLICE
Officers from the UT Police Department plunged into cold water Friday in an effort to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as part of Phi Kappa Sigma’s first Dunk A Cop event. The event originated at Virginia Commonwealth University, and its ability to engage the police departments with their local communities while also raising money helped it spread to other schools, according to Zach Garcia, Phi Kappa Sigma’s vice president of philanthropy and finance senior. “[Our campus] has a huge population of 50,000. I think it’s always cool to see students engaged with the local police department in a different way than everything you hear through campus watch,” Garcia said. “This definitely brings a different realm and energy because it allows the student body to interact with the local police in a different environment.” Officers were happy to participate in the event for the sake of battling cancer, Garcia said. “Cancer is a terrible disease,
By Josh Willis
UNIVERSITY
CAMPUS
New website targets prospective students By Caleb Wong @caleber96
Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan Staff
From left to right, Soo Jeong Kim,Yong Min Lee and David Nielsen perform in an art piece about a family that leaves North Korea as part of Liberty in North Korea’s Awareness Day.
Students strive to help North Korean refugees By Zainab Calcuttawala @zainabroo94
The UT chapter of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) urged students to send letters of solidarity to the North Korean people during its biannual day of awareness for the human rights violations occurring in North Korea.
The event Friday aimed to educate the University community about the human side of the political crisis in North Korea, according to Sarah Choi, UT LiNK chapter’s vice president and cellular and molecular biology junior. The current turmoil
KOREA page 3
After nearly three years of planning, University administrators launched a newly redesigned utexas. edu Thursday. Mike Horn, director of digital strategy for University Communications, said the redesign focuses on information about admission and financial aid to attract prospective students. Although current students are the primary users of the UT website, they access most of their content through secure portals such as UTDirect, Canvas and Blackboard, Horn said. “The next biggest audience group [of the website] was prospectives,” Horn said. “Their needs are not being met in the way that we want, and we really focused this redesign on prospective students.” The website redesign also serves as part of a broader
Screenshot of utexas.edu
University administrators launched a newly redesigned utexas.edu Thursday. The redesign aims to give information about admission and financial aid to prospective students.
initiative to help current students, Horn said. MyUT, a personalized student portal intended to help increase graduation rates, is tentatively scheduled to launch in the fall. “It’s going to include some features like integrated
calendars, a new mobilefriendly design [and] single sign-on connections to tools like Canvas and other services so you don’t have to login over and over again,” Horn said. “It’s going to become more customizable and
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFE&ARTS
ONLINE
The first floor of the PCL will undergo renovations. PAGE 3
SG should oppose AR 3, BDS legislation. PAGE 4
Orange-White scrimmage highlights new offense. PAGE 6
KUT host John Aielli reflects on 50 years of work. PAGE 8
Catch the latest in science news around the web.
The search continues for a new Moody College dean. PAGE 3
Texas football game day needs an upgrade. PAGE 4
Hinojosa’s big day lifts Texas past Kansas. PAGE 6
“Unfriended” makes the most of a creepy premise. PAGE 8
Read our album recommendations. dailytexanonline.com
provide information relevant to the time of year and your major and interest.” Administrators first approached University Communications and Information
WEBSITE page 2 REASON TO PARTY
PAGE 7
2 2
Monday, April 20, 2015
NEWS BRIEFLY
FRAMES featured photo
thedailytexan
Volume 115, Issue 140
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 Life & Arts Office (512) 232-2209 dtlifeandarts@gmail.com
continues from page 1
Classified Advertising (512) 471-5244 classifieds@ 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.
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.
continues from page 1
Low
81
64 Drugs.
price because of the grants and tuition they get or financial aid they get.” Undergraduate studies freshman Kayla Potter said that although affordability has not been an issue for her personally, she believes high out-of-state tuition makes attracting talented, nonTexas students a challenge. “I think in-state tuition isn’t ridiculous,” Potter said. “Out-of-state tuition has stopped a lot of my friends from places like California because the tuition is so high.” Powers said there is not one single answer for making higher education affordable while maintaining a national reputation for quality. “We want the education to improve — undergraduate
WEBSITE
TOMORROW’S WEATHER
High
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
Aviation electrician Lorenzo Taylor performs maintenance on a Navy helicopter at Austin Bergstrom Airport on Sunday. Taylor and his squadron will fly the helicopter from Florida to Arizona, where it will be retired after more than 30 years in service.
TUITION
Retail Advertising (512) 475—6719 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com
Technology Services to create a new website in summer 2012, Horn said. Public relations senior Hayley Fick, digital strategy intern for University Communications, said the website redesign tried to avoid mistakes other college
This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25 Permanent Staff
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Riley Brands Senior Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Noah M. Horwitz Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Berkeley, Cullen Bounds, Olive Liu Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jordan Rudner Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brett Donohoe, Jack Mitts News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julia Brouillette Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . Anderson Boyd, Danielle Brown, David Davis Jr., 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 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, Marisa Charpentier, Elisabeth Dillon 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 Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert Lee, Connor Murphy Senior Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crystal Marie, Isabella Palacios, Amber Perry, Rodolfo Suarez Special Projects Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Voeller Tech Team Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miles Hutson Social Media Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sydney Rubin Editorial Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Chen
Issue Staff
Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew Adams, Nashwa Bawab, Zainab Calcuttawala, Caleb Wong Multimedia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Foxx, Joshua Guerra Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . Jason Epstein, Caroline Hall, Bradley Maddox, James Rodriguez, Michael Shapiro, Ezra Siegel Life&Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Duncan, Charles Liu Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mitchell Hughes Ralph, Michael Johns, Steven Stein Page Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Goodwin Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alyssa Aguilar, Angelica Guajardo, Natalia Ruiz Comic Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sarah Alerasoul, Brianna Graves, John Pesina, Leah Rushin
Business and Advertising
(512) 471-1865 | advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald Johnson Business/Operations Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Serpas III Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Denise Twellmann Account Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Carter Goss, Allysun Gutierrez Advertising Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shukree Shabazz Digital Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Curt Yowell Student Account Executives. . . . . . . . . Keegan Bradley, Emma Brown, Alex Unger, Marianne Locht, Alejandro Diez Student Assistants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MyMy Nguyen, Dito Prado Senior Graphic Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Hublein Student Designers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jannice Truong Special Editions/Production Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Salisbury
The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. 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. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (HSM 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2015 Texas Student Media.
The Daily Texan Mail Subscription Rates One Semester (Fall or Spring) $60.00 Two Semesters (Fall and Spring) $120.00 Summer Session $40.00 One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer) $150.00 To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.
Texan Ad Deadlines
4/20/15 Monday .............Wednesday, 12 p.m. Thursday.................Monday, 12 p.m. Tuesday.................Thursday, 12 p.m. Friday......................Tuesday, 12 p.m. Word Ads 11 a.m. Wednesday................Friday, 12 p.m. Classified (Last Business Day Prior to Publication)
curriculum, better advising, better undergraduate studies — and to be a good value for the inputs that we’re putting into it,” Powers said. “There’s no single bullet. We just always keep trying to do it as efficiently and as high quality as you can.” UT System Chancellor William McRaven said he shared Powers’ concern regarding affordability and accessibility at a press conference in March. “A lot of [concern] is about affordability and access in terms of how do we ensure that we get more students in our system writ large across the UT System, make it affordable to them [and] make sure that good education is accessible,” McRaven said. It is dangerous for UT System institutions to swing too far in either direction
with regards to affordability versus the quality of education, McRaven said. “This is a balancing act — to make education as affordable as can be but still as high quality as it can be,” McRaven said. “Frankly, the students that are looking for a high-quality education, if
they don’t think that we’re giving them a high enough quality education, they will go outside the state.” The UT System Board of Regents is expected to name Fenves as the next president Monday, after he was selected as the sole finalist in late March.
websites often make. “[We would see that a website] looked good, but it wasn’t necessarily responsive or as functional,” Fick said. “We are trying to strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality.” The new website design uses a template that can be applied to college and departmental websites through con-
tent management platform Drupal, Horn said. Finance sophomore Julie Ding said she experienced problems finding information about certain programs, such as study abroad, using the new website. “When you’re trying to look up specific information for a program or something, it’s very hard to locate that using the
University website,” Ding said. Lauren Greiner, international relations and global studies sophomore, said she believes the new website is cleaner and easier to use. “It’s a longer website, instead of just having a shorter scroll distance and all this tiny little text everywhere,” Greiner said. “It just looks cleaner.”
Marshall Tidrick | Daily Texan Staff
President William Powers Jr. hopes that the new administration also prioritizes accessibility and affordability.
Name: 3514/re:fuel-Jimmy John’s; Width: 19p4; Depth: 8 in; Color: Black, 3514/ re:fuel-Jimmy John’s; Ad Number: 3514
NEWS
Search for new Moody College dean to continue
After several months of searching and rounds of finalist interviews, Gregory Fenves, executive vice president and provost, said he will continue the search for the new dean of the Moody College of Communication. Fenves, who is also the sole finalist to succeed President William Powers Jr., sent an email to Moody College students, faculty and staff announcing his decision to continue the search following discussions with the search committee. He said he will appoint an interim dean until a new dean is selected. “I will work with the search committee on phase two of the process,” Fenves said in the email. “In the meantime, I will announce an interim dean appointment as soon as possible.” The dean interviewed three candidates, all of whom were brought to campus — Larry Pintak, founding dean of the Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University; Dafna Lemish, current dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts at Southern Illinois University; and Thomas Hollihan, communication professor at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. In a March email, Fenves said a fourth unnamed candidate pulled out of their candidacy. After more than 10 years in the position, current Moody Dean Roderick Hart will step down from his position in May. He announced his plan to resign in August. Barry Brummett, cochair of the dean search committee, said he understands the motive for continuing the search. “Ultimately, it was going to be the provost’s decision,” Brummett said. “I do think I can say that his motive is to get the best dean possible with prospects for really continuing the wonderful work that Dean Hart has done. I think he felt that looking for some more candidates will achieve that goal.” —Samantha Ketterer
CHARITY
continues from page 1 Jason Rask signed up to sit in the dunk tank throughout the day, even though it was his day off. “I’ve been up there twice already but probably been dunked at least 20 times,” Rask said. “It’s cold — especially when you get out because they filled it up with the hose pipes coming out of the building, and that’s really cold water.” Rask said he enjoyed watching the students’ reactions. “It’s just a good cause. … Cancer is a serious thing, so if we can raise money to help find cures, then I’ll donate my time any time I can,” Rask said. “[The best part has been] the interactions with all the students. I mean, they seem to like dunking us.” Austin visitor Will Dorrance and his friends came across the event and decided to participate. “We just happened to stroll across [the event], and I actually have a friend who
Cancer is a serious thing, so if we can raise money to help find cures, then I’ll donate my time any time I can.
OPEN CARRY
phrase “nursing home” to “nursing facility” when referring to facilities where open carry is not allowed. The other amendment lightens the penalty for openly carrying a gun in a location with the proper signage displayed to prevent open carry. The penalty for disobeying the signage would change from a class A misdemeanor to a class C misdemeanor, resulting in a fine of up to $200. Additional reporting by Jackie Wang.
continues from page 1 campus protection amendment to campus carry and is acceptable to the author.” Fletcher, who also authored the House’s campus carry bill, HB 937, ultimately withdrew the measure. Representatives are set to debate campus carry at a later date. Two of the 18 proposed amendments to the bill were approved. One amendment rewords the
—Jason Rask, UTPD bike patrol officer
has lymphoma, so as soon as I heard the cause, I knew I wanted to participate,” Dorrance said. After he paid for unlimited throws, Dorrance said he appreciated the event because it made donating more accessible. “Making it easy for others to help and donate is important, and I think a lot of times people want to get involved and donate money, so I think when you bring an event like this to the masses, you can really make that money for a good cause,” Dorrance said.
W&N 3
NEWS
3
Monday, April 20, 2015
UNIVERSITY
CAMPUS
PCL to expand study spaces on first floor By Caleb Wong @caleber96
One-third of the floor space on the first floor of the Perry-Castañeda Library will be renovated into the Learning Commons before the fall semester, according to UT Libraries employees. The Learning Commons, which will be comprised of approximately 20,000 square feet of the floor, will include the University Writing Center, currently in the Flawn Academic Center, as well as learning labs and the media labs. Students will be allowed to study or collaborate on group projects when the areas are not in use for instruction or writing consultations, according to Michele Ostrow, head of the teaching and learning services for University of Texas Libraries. Other universities’ recently opened collaborative spaces spurred UT Libraries to build the Learning Commons, Ostrow said. “We wanted to include new teaching spaces since the spaces that we use right now in the libraries are not anywhere that students can find,” Ostrow said. “They’re not really set up to help students learn from each other and to do collaborative projects.” The consolidation of student academic services in the PCL will make it easier for students to use the services they need without walking across campus, Ostrow said. “We refer people to the writing center all the time, and I would just venture to say that most of them don’t make all the way to the second floor of FAC,” Ostrow said. “They just
Chris Foxx | Daily Texan Staff
Classics professor Thomas Palaima speaks at the Harry Ransom Center on Friday afternoon about UT’s declining percentage of black students and faculty. Panelists discussed instituionalized racism at universities in light of recent controversies.
Panelists discuss institutionalized racism By Nashwa Bawab @nashwabawab
In light of several recent investigations into racially insensitive fraternity misconduct around the nation, including one involving the UT Fiji chapter, panelists discussed Friday institutionalized racism at universities. Although the black population in Texas is 12.4 percent, the University’s faculty is 3.5 percent black and the student body is 4.1 percent black — percentages that have been declining since 2010, according to Thomas Palaima, panelist and UT classics professor. “Part of what I think is missed within the institution
KOREA
continues from page 1
started in 1945 when Cold War geopolitics split the peninsula into North and South Korea. “We wanted to emphasize the people side of North Korea, instead of the politics,” Choi said. “There is an abuse of human rights that is going on in North Korea apart from the nuclear issue and the dictatorship.” The national organization focuses its efforts on using the funds University chapters raise to rescue refugees. Otherwise, Chinese officials would send these refugees back to North Korea, where they would face likely imprisonment in concentration camps, Choi said. “When North Korean refugees leave the country, they cross the [Yalu] River to enter China, a country that does not recognize their refugee status,” Choi said. “LiNK headquarters sends rescue teams to China to help the refugees get refugee status through the U.S. or South soonKorea. Basically, we are an knewunderground railroad.” Dor-
nlimsaid event ating
othte is a lot o get oney, ng an asses, that ause,”
of higher education is essentially contact with the experience of the people who are targets or an understanding of what it must feel like [to be targeted],” Palaima said. “If you have a small dye in the big sea, how are you ever going to change the color perspective?” In the current system, college students might not realize that they benefit from discrimination or fully understand the harm of perpetuate stereotypes, according to Rachel Quist, Plan II and art history senior. Coming in close contact with people who have different backgrounds is one viable solution, Quist said. “What I think is a huge problem is the way in which Most of the $3,500 it takes to rescue a refugee is used to convince officials in China and North Korea to release the refugees into the hands of LiNK rescue teams, according to Kirstin Helgeson, UT LiNK chapter’s social media chair and linguistics and mathematics sophomore. “3,500 sounds like it is a lot of money for just one person, but really most of it is used for bribery, which is sad,” Helgeson said. The UT LiNK chapter has helped save a total of 12 refugees since its founding in 2006. LiNK uses $500 of the funds to help provide educational scholarships to the refugees, said Amy Kridaratikorn, LiNK member and advertising junior. Kridaratikorn said the way LiNK clearly outlines how the organization intends to use the funds makes her confident about its philanthropic efforts. “For LiNK, you raise a set amount of funds, and then you save a refugee,” Kridaratikorn said. “Later on, they send you [the refugee’s name] and a thank you note from them, so I know exactly who my efforts are helping.”
behaviors that are directly harmful to disenfranchised groups are normalized in society in such a way that they become invisible to the people who might actually do things to stop it,” Quist said. “I grew up unaware that we were not in a post-racial society until I entered into a less homogeneous environment, and I heard what people had to say, and I heard about their real experiences that are nothing like my own.” One way to deal with racial divisions is to force integration, according to Ryan Rafols, government senior and former UT Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter president. “We don’t have a very
diverse culture and population at UT. We like to think we do, but when you look at actual statistics, it’s not very high,” Rafols said. “So we can either accept more people of diverse backgrounds at the University and let things play out over time, or we can do forced integration and programs.” The problem has less to do with fraternities and more to do with the unchanging dynamics of institutions, including universities, according to Palaima. “You’re not going to eliminate [racism] unless you change the institutions, and even make people realize there have to be changes in attitudes,” Palaima said.
We wanted to include new teaching spaces since the spaces that we use right now in the libraries are not anywhere that students can find. —Michele Ostrow, Head of UT Libraries teaching and learning services
leave, and so if we just say, ‘Let’s take you to the writing center,’ and we walk 10 feet around the corner, then they’re actually going to get that help.” UT Libraries communications officer Travis Willmann said external funding for library projects, such as the Learning Labs, is difficult to secure because UT alumni are less attached to the UT Libraries than individual colleges and schools. “The library has the folks who use our resources,” Willmann said. “We don’t necessarily have the same sort of alumni or same sort of loyalties that the individual colleges and units have.” Kai Lockhart, international relations and global studies freshman, said she believes the Learning Commons will make it easier to find study spaces and collaborate on group projects. “When I try to study in PCL, it’s … really crowded and hard to find somewhere to sit,” Lockhart said. “The way that this new layout looks … you can have a lot of other people with you when you’re studying [with groups].”
CAMPUS
Dodge, duck, dip, dive, dodge for charity By Matthew Adams @MatthewAdams60
Spirit group Texas Royals raised money for the Darrell K Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer’s Disease with its first-ever philanthropy event, Dodging for DKR, Sunday. The research fund began in 2012 after the University’s winningest football coach, Darrell K Royal, died from the disease. Following Royal’s death, his wife, Edith, helped create the fund to help prevent and defeat Alzheimer’s. Madison Westbrook, Royals philanthropy chair and biology junior, said 18 teams signed up to participate in the dodgeball tournament. Westbrook said she was excited about the turnout because it was the group’s first time hosting its own philanthropy event. “Royals has been around
Name: 3673/Silverleaf; Width: 29p6; Depth: 5 in; Color: Process color, 3673/Silverleaf; Ad Number: 3673
for about two years, but we have not hosted or put on event like this before,” Westbrook said. “We have been involved with profit shares and ‘jewels,’ where our new classes [have] to raise $500 before they are initiated. This was a good experience to host an event but also raise money for a good cause.” Royals had two teams participate in the tournament before its last team was eliminated in the second round. Iron Spikes, another UT spirit group, had three teams competing in the semifinal round. One of its teams, the Dodgefathers, ultimately won the tournament. Eddie Babbe, computer science junior and Dodgefathers member, said participating and winning was a bonding experience for his class. “This is a good win because we are the rookie
Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Exercise science junior Ryan Robinson competes in the Texas Royals’ Dodging for DKR tournament Sunday evening.
class at Iron Spikes,” Babbe said. “With all of our different schedules, we spent time bonding by getting up at 6 a.m. several times a week, and we would play basketball or dodgeball together.” Waid Barfield, economics senior and member of the second-place team from the Delta Chi fraternity, said their team’s focus was on creating an
entertaining experience to raise money for the research fund. “We were just excited to participate in a good cause,” Barfield said. “We try to be involved in other groups’ events because it is the least we can do to come out and support another group’s cause.” Westbrook said all of the money raised will be given to the research fund.
Name: 3688/YMCA; Width: 29p6; Depth: 5 in; Color: Process color, 3688/YMCA; Ad Number: 3688
DISCOVER
YOUR PASSION YMCA Job Fair
Aquatics and Summer Camp Counselor Opportunities... Plus, FREE PIZZA! Wednesday May 6 - 6:30-8:00pm YMCA Association Offices, 3208 Red River St., Suite 100 Saturday, May 9 – 12:30-2:30pm North Austin YMCA, 1000 W. Rundberg Ln.
We’re looking for cause-driven leaders to work for a causedriven organization. Camp Counselor Requirements: • 18 years of age • High School Diploma/GED Aquatics Staff Requirements: • Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Certifications – Note: YMCA Certification classes offered
Learn more at AUSTINYMCAJOBS.ORG
RILEY BRANDS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / @TexanEditorial Monday, April 20, 2015
4
COLUMN
To inspire Texas football fans, game day events need an upgrade By Mitchell Hughes Ralph Guest Columnist
Austin, we have a problem. Since losing the 2010 BCS Championship to Alabama, the Texas Longhorns football team has been far from great, compiling a record of 36-28 (23-20 in Big 12 play) over the last five seasons. The fans have been worse. They’ve stopped showing up. It’s not that fans aren’t attending the games. According to the NCAA, Texas had an average home attendance of 98,976 in 2013. Although attendance is slightly down since the days Texas was contending for championships, there are a lot of people in Darrell K. Royal Stadium on Saturdays. It just doesn’t feel like it. The atmosphere in the stadium is abysmal. When I came to Austin as a freshman in 2012, I expected an electric environment. I saw it once. Against West Virginia in 2012, the stadium was shaking. Texas was undefeated at the time. But should the fans only be interested when the team is good? Where is our pride in our school? Sadly, the passion of Texas students and fans, when it comes to football, comes and goes with the wins. This happens for every school to an extent; fans are always craziest when more is at stake. But folks who travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, to see the Tennessee Volunteers will tell you their crowd is wild for every game. They haven’t won more than seven games since the 2007 season. The Texas crowd should be no different. It should be loud, and it should be difficult for opposing teams to play in Austin. Texans claim it is all about football here, and Texas is the marquee program in this state. Our students and fans need to act like it. What makes college football unique is the passion of the students. Many Texas students with tickets don’t even attend the games. Lowerclassmen can move forward and fill the voids left by
juniors and seniors who don’t attend. The bleachers in the south end zone are still half empty at kickoff. The student section should be rowdy. It should be crazy. It should not be boring. But it is. To revive this fan base, the Texas Athletic Department needs to take a long, hard look at the gameday events, traditions and festivities on and around campus. Tailgating is a popular pregame activity and always will be. But where are the events unique to Texas? The Stadium Stampede happens several hours before the games, but there isn’t currently much buzz about it. It isn’t a must-see event for anybody visiting Austin for a game. It’s time to create new traditions and new events that leave visitors clamoring about the gameday experience in Austin, even if they aren’t Texas fans. Before the game, the city’s abundance of musical talent should be utilized by having live music on and around campus during tailgating hours. After all, people do call Austin the “Live Music Capital of the World.” What about Austin’s many food trucks? Get those near the stadium for gameday. The South Mall is an iconic area of the Texas campus that needs to be incorporated into the experience. They held a Chiddy Bang concert there in 2013 with the stage right in front of the Tower, and it was a great experience. Here’s my vision of a memorable game day event: a live music or DJ event with the South Mall full of Texas fans in burnt orange including school songs and chants led by someone on stage. This would be something to talk about but only if all the fans, especially students, buy in and get loud. Instead of the current Stadium Stampede, the Texas band and football team could attend this event two hours before the game to create additional hype for the crowd. The walk to the stadium could run from the symbol of our campus and our school pride (the Tower) straight to the stadium. This is just one idea of an event that
Victoria Smith / Daily Texan Staff
could get the Texas football players, campus and the culture of the city more involved in a fan’s gameday experience. The stadium experience could also use some improvements. The speakers inside the stadium need an upgrade for better music and sound quality. More replays and highlights could be shown to further immerse fans into the game. Although an unpopular idea with the Athletic Department, moving more students closer to the field and into the lower deck would improve the student section. The student section isn’t that great right now, but they’re still the rowdiest group at the game. Many fans want alcohol to be served inside the stadium, especially since Texas games are, in a
sense, an NFL equivalent in Austin. These are just a few ways the stadium could be improved for fans. I hear fans asking for change. But nothing has changed since I came to school here in 2012. There have been no significant upgrades to gameday inside or outside the stadium. Every year students and fans receive email surveys about how games can be improved. I don’t know if Texas fans just aren’t responding or if the school isn’t listening. Or maybe big changes are currently in the works. What I do know is that entering the 2015 season this fall, it’s time. Ralph is a mechanical engineering junior from Allen.
COLUMN
COLUMN
SG should vote down BDS bill, AR 3 BDS movement’s motives go beyond By Michael Johns & Steven Stein just seeking justice for Palestinians Guest Columnists
Students at the University of Texas are always willing to voice their beliefs, and those voices often lead to real, material changes in the world. Student-led groups and Student Government work together to express concerns, but as a student body, we have the duty to make sure our speech is valuable, relevant and warranted. UTDivest and the language of the prodivestment AR 3 represent a scenario where UT students are speaking out on issues beyond their level of responsibility. SG is responsible for both representing the student body and allocating resources on behalf of that body. It serves as our collective voice, and as such, can speak for whom we want to manage our endowment. Picking an investment manager is no easy task, but the University of Texas Investment Management Company has done a stellar job managing the second-largest endowment in the US. Portions of our more than $25 billion are carefully invested in over 2,000 public equities like the ones mentioned in AR 3: Cemex, HP, Proctor & Gamble, etc. This is done through a Fund-of-Funds model, meaning UTIMCO allocates the endowment to a number of third-party investment managers, who then select equities to buy. UTIMCO itself does not directly buy and sell equities with endowment money, according to Bruce Zimmerman, UTIMCO’s CEO and Chief Investment Officer. This management style is common to large endowments due to the amount of resources needed to allocate billions of dollars. Because the decision to divest lies with third party managers and not UTIMCO, AR 3 is misdirected and represents a misunderstanding of how our endowment is managed. As a student body, our responsibility is to make sure our endowment rests in the hands of a manager who will carefully and effectively grow the fund over its lifespan. As students who are not industry-trained investment managers, we are not responsible for evaluating third party managers and their individual investment decisions. The UT System maintains a Board of Regents that oversees the selection of management and supervises high-level decisions for the University and the other System campuses. However, their responsibilities do not include micromanagement. The Board does not decide what classes will be offered next semester, which textbook a professor issues for a class or which video is shown in that class. Because the Board does not have all of the relevant information to make lower-level decisions, it is in their best interest to find managers to make those decisions instead. Similarly, it is not in students’ best interest to try to micromanage UTIMCO by telling it
which managers to use and which companies to invest in. Rather, they can help find qualified professionals who can understand the nuances of managing investments. These managers have a responsibility to ensure their portfolio companies are ethically operated in ways that are not overtly harmful to any group of people. This responsibility is dutifully carried out through meaningful analysis. Investment managers go above and beyond to vet every single equity. This includes multiple weeks of intense company research and financial valuation modeling. Students simply do not have the necessary time to read company filings or complete the extensive due diligence needed before making multimillion dollar investments. UTIMCO and third party managers have access to information students do not, and therefore can make more informed decisions on whether a company is worth investing in. Students need to acknowledge an investment management company is not the place to make a political statement and understand UTIMCO makes deliberate decisions using the best information it can compile. Stepping back from an investment manager’s perspective, students who feel passionately about either side of the political debate should take a closer look at companies that are operating in Israel and the economic benefit they provide to Palestinians and Israelis alike. For example, metalworking company ISCAR, owned by publicly traded Berkshire Hathaway, employs 3,000 Israelis, of whom half are Arab. ISCAR’s founder, Israeli Stef Wertheimer, was awarded the Oslo Business for Peace Award in 2010 for his efforts to use manufacturing facilities to unite Israelis and Arabs. Over 20 percent of Intel’s international property, plant and equipment are centered in Israel, and wages from those operations flow into the economies of both Israel and disputed territories. These are companies who bridge the political divide and promote cooperation and mutual economic gain. Divestment from these beneficial industries would not just be a vote against cooperation but a vote that would directly harm the Palestinian economy. No company is perfect, and that fact cannot be disputed. But it is UTIMCO’s job, not the UT student body’s, to make this determination. Student Government should oppose AR 3 not for political reasons, but because the legislation speaks on behalf of students who are not qualified to micromanage more than $25 billion. The Board of Regents votes on managers, not stocks, and Student Government should do the same. Johns is a business honors and finance sophomore from Fort Worth. Stein is a business honors and finance sophomore from Houston.
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.
By Noah M. Horwitz Senior Associate Editor @NmHorwitz
Recently, the Palestine Solidarity Movement, in concert with other forces, proposed a resolution in Student Government urging the University of Texas Investment Management Company to divest itself from companies that the PSM deems to facilitate the oppression of Palestinians. Specifically, the resolution is part of a broader platform of boycotts, divestment and sanctions that has been proposed by likeminded individuals nationwide. I agreed with my compatriots on the Texan’s editorial board last Friday when we rightly recommended that the Student Government vote down this asinine resolution because it is not SG’s role to meddle in “foreign policy squabbles.” That much is true. But it is also true that this resolution, like any part of the misguided BDS movement, is hypocritical, anti-Semitic and wrong. Proponents of BDS claim that such tactics are necessary to dissuade Israel from continuing its illegal occupation of Palestine. They have also been emboldened by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent dishonorable comments opposing the creation of an independent Palestinian state, an ostensible Israeli policy goal for the past 22 years. I, for one, certainly agree that Netanyahu’s comments are inexcusable and some of Israel’s conduct is nothing short of egregious. But punitive measures against the whole of Israeli society, such as the divestment considered by the university, are most definitely the wrong way to voice opposition to the many foreign policy mistakes that the Netanyahu government has made. Countless other countries around the world, including Armenia, China, India, Russia and
...punitive measures against the whole of Israeli society... are most definitely the wrong way to voice opposition to the many foreign policy mistakes that the Netanyahu government has made.
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.
Turkey, to name a few, occupy others’ lands. Plenty more, including Georgia, Morocco and Serbia, have dragged their feet on recognizing breakaway regions as independent. Where is the controversy and, more appropriately, where are the organized punitive measures? There are none, of course, because disagreeable foreign policy actions do not necessitate the collective punishment of a politically, culturally and ethnically diverse group of people such as the Israeli public. Comparisons to the South African apartheid, as the BDS movement regularly makes, are hyperbolic and incorrect. During apartheid, blacks in South Africa were systemically denied their basic civil rights nationwide. They were denied rights based solely on the color of their skin, and no other rationale. In Israel proper — that is, the portion of the nation outside of the Palestinian territories that are the Gaza Strip and the West Bank — all citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion, are granted full civil rights. More than a million Arab citizens enjoy all the rights and privileges of Israeli society, including the right to partake in all portions of the Israeli welfare state, vote and hold public office. Palestinians in the occupied territories face discrimination and unneeded roadblocks to self-determination, but they are simply not victims of apartheid; rather, they are victims of a dragged-out war with a neighboring nation. The comparison to the apartheid is simply, to say the least, one of apples and oranges. Sadly, though, BDS is not about seeking justice for Palestinians. Instead, it is about seeking to stigmatize, isolate and otherwise attack the Jews in our two-thousand year quest for a homeland. As reported in a New York Times op-ed, the leaders of BDS have revealed that their true quest is not an independent State of Palestine, peacefully coexisting side-by-side with an independent State of Israel. Omar Barghouti, one of BDS’ founders, was quoted by the article as saying that he does not want “a two-state solution,” instead advocating for “a Palestine next to a Palestine.” National leaders of BDS like Barghouti want one Palestine and no Israel. I support a two-state solution, as do almost all of the American-Jewish community and a majority of the Israeli public. Sadly, Netanyahu does not appear to share this sentiment. He does, after all, have a lot of company in that position, including the Ayatollah of Iran, Hamas and the BDS movement. Prejudice, hatred and bigotry, be it Netanyahu’s islamophobia or BDS’s anti-Semitism, have much more in common than their proponents may admit. Horwitz is a government senior from Houston.
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
5
Monday, April 20, 2015
SOFTBALL
continues from page 6 “I’m happy that we have a pitching staff that can handle that.” Senior Gabby Smith took the mound in the second game and displayed her skill in a pitching duel with Iowa State senior Stacy Roggentien. In the bottom of the first, junior center fielder Lindsey Stephens reached on a triple, scoring shortly after on a wild pitch. Once Texas scored two more, Iowa State countered in the fourth when junior center fielder Brittany Gomez scored on a sacrifice fly for the Cyclones’ first run of the game. The Cyclones brought the game within one when junior infielder Aly Cappaert launched a long ball to right-center to bridge the gap to 3–2. “With a close game, I thought to just attack the
hitters, get ground balls, no walks,” Smith said. “I think that was the key.” Despite a Cyclones leadoff single to start the seventh, Smith recorded a putout and her 10th strikeout of the night to clinch the win for Texas. “We were not able to have Tiarra [Davis] get up and go, which bodes well for [Sunday],” Clark said. “But I thought both Gabby and Erica attacked the strike zone really well.” In the final game of the series, sophomore Tiarra Davis posted the start for the Longhorns. While Davis started out slow, she was able to quickly recover. Walking Gomez at the lead-off position, Davis suffered an earned run in the first. But that would be the last Cyclones run of the game. In the second inning, Davis recorded a pair of strikeouts in a one-twothree inning, sparking the
beginning of a Longhorns offensive stint. After a strong holdup in the first few frames, the Longhorns cracked the Cyclones defense in the bottom of the fourth when junior second basemen Stephanie Ceo scored on a dropped ball at the plate to put the Longhorns ahead, 2–1. After two more insurance runs from the Longhorns and seven strikeouts from Wright in the relief spot, the Longhorns picked up the 4–1 win. On the weekend, Texas pitchers stuck out 30 and held Gomez, who entered the series with a team-best batting average of .448, to just three hits and two runs. With these three wins, Texas has beat Iowa State in 45 of the 46 contests and moves into a second-place tie in the Big 12. Texas takes on Texas Tech beginning Friday in Lubbock in its fourth conference series.
RIGHT
continues from page 6 seven-run fifth inning, all of which came with two outs. It was the most runs Texas had scored in an inning since their home opener on Feb. 17. Hinojosa capped his day off with a two-run shot over the wall in left field to complete the cycle — the first Longhorn since Kyle Russell in 2007 to do so. Junior left fielder Ben Johnson came through in a major way as well, drilling two home runs to left, knocking in three runs and coming up a triple shy of the cycle himself. Freshman designated hitter Joe Baker hit a two-run shot of his own had four RBIs. “We make a lot of fly ball outs, so when that wind [was blowing] out today, our batters’ eyes got about as big as silver dollars,” Garrido said. “They were very excited about knowing that their fly balls were going to make it over the warning track and over
Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan Staff
Junior infielder C.J Hinojosa went 4-for-6 at the plate and hit for the cycle in Sunday’s blowout win over Kansas.
Three innings later, Johnson legged out an infield single to give Texas its first extra-inning win since March 13. But Kansas got its revenge Saturday night with a walk-off home run in the ninth to set up the rubber match Sunday. The series win pulled Texas back up above .500 in conference play and moves the Longhorns to two-and-a-half games back of Oklahoma for first place in the conference.
the fence.” Before Sunday’s offensive spark, the Longhorns nearly fell victim to another late-game disappointment Friday night. With the game tied at two in the bottom of the 11th, Kansas opened the frame with a walk and a single and then loaded the bases after a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk. But senior pitcher Ty Marlow got the next batter to hit into a double play to end the threat.
WEEKEND RECAPS
TRACK AND FIELD | BRADLEY MADDOX
ROWING | JAMES RODRIGUEZ
No. 10 Texas fell to No. 7 TCU by a score of 4–1 Saturday, its second loss in as many matches. The Longhorns’ match in Fort Worth was their final regular season match of the season, and the loss dropped them to fourth in the Big 12 standings. Saturday marked Texas’ second-consecutive conference loss, both against teams ranked in the top 10 of the ITA rankings. Texas struggled from the outset against TCU, as the Longhorns lost the doubles point as well as the first two singles matches to fall behind the Horned Frogs, 3–0. No. 5 senior Søren Hess–Olesen was the lone Longhorn to win a match, defeating No. 44 senior Nick Chappell, 6–3, 6–4. The victory marked Hess– Olesen’s 100th win at the singles position in a Texas uniform, making him the ninth player in Texas history to reach the 100-victory
Torrential rainstorms and more than a little bit of hail foiled many plans this weekend throughout the state. This proved problematic in Waco as the Michael Johnson Classic was forced to call it a day with five events remaining. But even storm fronts and nasty weather couldn’t stop Texas’ track and field team from gathering a couple more wins in what continues to be an impressive season. Junior Courtney Okolo and senior Clint Harris won Texas’ two titles this weekend at Baylor. Okolo, who remains on the Bowerman Trophy watch list, won the 400-meter dash in a time of 50.99 seconds, the new Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium record. Her teammate, sophomore Kendall Baisden, finished second with a time of 51.22 seconds. Harris collected his first win of the season with a winning discus throw of 55.21 meters (181-2). He qualified for the NCAA
With the spring season heating up, Texas traveled to Clemson, South Carolina, to compete in the Clemson Invitational. The No. 14 Longhorns, who are ranked nationally for the first time since 2012, defeated five top-20 opponents and posted one firstplace finish. Saturday’s morning session included three battles between Texas and No. 10 Washington State in the varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four races. Washington State edged out the Longhorns to take first place in all three races. In each race, the Longhorns finished no more than a oneand-a-half seconds behind Washington State. In the afternoon session, the Longhorns posted a time of 6:22.8 in the varsity eight but finished second. The second varsity eight took third. The varsity four and second varsity four teams both claimed second place behind Virginia. The Longhorns began Sunday’s competition by
MEN’S TENNIS | MICHAEL SHAPIRO
SØren Hess-Olesen Senior
mark. Hess–Olesen holds a .730 winning percentage as a Longhorn, the highest winning percentage of any Texas player with 100 career victories. The Longhorns (18–5, 2–3 Big 12) finished under .500 in the conference for the first time since 2011– 2012. In a conference with four teams ranked in the top 10 of the ITA rankings, Texas holds the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 Men’s Tennis Championship, which begins Friday in Waco.
Courtney Okolo Junior
Outdoor Championships in 2012–2013 in the event and will look to get some more podium time in the coming weeks as the outdoor season heats up. Next weekend marks a major benchmark for the team as the Longhorns head to the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States. The Penn Relays, held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field, have gone on since 1895 and have been known to attract more than 15,000 participants and 100,000 spectators.
CLASSIFIEDS T
D
T
AILY Name: CLASSIFIDES; Width:HE 60p0; Depth: 10 in; EXAN Color: Black, CLASSIFIDES; Ad Number: UNS AD IRNE FOR ONL
E! FRE d wor
ad s
only
Sophomore
challenging No. 12 Indiana in the varsity eight race, eventually finishing second. The Longhorns experienced similar results in the second varsity eight race, finishing second. The Longhorns’ varsity four boat then took the first victory of the weekend, beating out Syracuse and Indiana to finish first with a time of 7:21.4. Texas closed out the weekend with a second-place finish against Indiana in the second varsity four race. Texas will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, for the Dale England Cup next weekend.
ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its officers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, printing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.
Self-serve, 24/7 on the Web at www.DailyTexanOnline.com 760 Misc. Services
360 Furn. Apts.
370 Unf. Apts.
THE PERFECT LOCATION! Five minutes to campus, with pool, shuttle and Metro, shopping, parking, gated patio, summer rates available.
PRE-LEASE WEST CAMPUS TODAY!!! Studios starting at $795 and 1-1’s starting at $850.
2 FREE YORKIE PUPPIES
Now pre-leasing for summer/ fall move-ins. Located at:
Century Plaza Apts. 4210 Red River 512.452.4366
Diplomat - 1911 San Gabriel
THEY ARE MALE AND FEMALE CONTACT ME AT richardlawson383@gmail.com FOR MORE DETAILS
jerryl.hargrave@gmail.com Park Plaza and Plaza Court Apts. 915 & 923 E. 41st St. 512.452.6518 apartmentsinaustin.us
Red Oak - 2104 San Gabriel Envoy - 2108 San Gabriel Rio Grande Square - 2800 Rio Grande
350 Rental Services
Montage - 2812 Rio Grande Call us direct at (512) 499-8013 or visit us at
APARTMENT?
560 Public Notice Sign up for the Daily Digest and receive coupons DAILY!
Sign up for the D and receive coup
dailytexanclassifieds.com Scan this code > Scan
870 Medical
Barranca Square - 910 W. 26th
LOOKING FOR AN I can help! Just let me know what you want and I will offer the best options at the best price. This is a free apartment locator service. I am a licensed real estate agent whose fees are paid by the apartment. kelli@ hunterrealestategroup.com or 512-599-2882
www.wsgaustin.com
austinapartmentspecials.com
Monticello - 306 W. 38th St
RECYCLE
Emily Walker
PRE-LEASE HYDE PARK TODAY!!! Studios starting at $795 and 1-1’s starting at $850. Now pre-leasing for summer/ fall move-ins. Located at: Melroy - 3408 Speedway Le Marquee - 302 W. 38th St Call us direct at (512) 499-8013 or visit us at www.wsgaustin.com
Seeks College-Educated Men 18–39 to Participate in a Six-Month Donor Program
Donors average $150 per specimen. Apply on-line
www.123Donate.com
recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle
TEXASNT STUDDEIA The Daily Texan • Cactus Yearbook • Texas Student Television ME • Texas Travesty • KVRX 91.7 FM
TEXAS STUDENT MEDIA BOARD OF OPERATING TRUSTEES
TSM IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR STUDENT MANAGER & EDITOR POSITIONS.
POSITION
APPLICATION DEADLINE
TERM
KVRX Station Manager
4/20/15
June ‘15 - May ‘16
TSTV Station Manager
4/20/15
June ‘15 - May ‘16
Travesty Editor
4/20/15
June ‘15 - May ‘16
Cactus Yearbook Editor
4/20/15
June ‘15 - May ‘16
The Daily Texan Managing Editor (Summer)
4/20/15
June ‘15 - August ‘15
The Daily Texan Managing Editor (Fall)
4/20/15
August ‘15 - December ‘15
APPLICATION DROP OFF: HSM BLDG Business Office
Questions? Contact us at: admin@texasstudentmedia.com
Download the Application and visit our website for more information: www.utexas.edu/tsm
Sign up for the Daily Digest and receive coupons DAILY!
Sign up for the D and receive coupo
Scan this code >
Scan t
super tuesday COUPONS
every week
6 SPTS
6
GARRETT CALLAHAN, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Monday, April 20, 2015
FOOTBALL
Swoopes, Heard battle for starting role
SIDELINE NCAA SOFTBALL TEXAS TECH
By Aaron Torres @aarontl11
Coca-Cola versus Pepsi. Chocolate versus vanilla. And now: Swoopes versus Heard. Whether junior Tyrone Swoopes or redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard should start at quarterback for Texas is a polarizing question. Both quarterbacks finished Saturday’s Orange-White scrimmage with similar stats — leaving unsettled the allimportant question of who should start come fall. By the end of the game, it appeared both Swoopes and Heard were in the same positions they had when spring practice started. “Ty is still our No. 1 guy,” head coach Charlie Strong said. The Texas team (Orange) beat the Horns team (White), 27–16, Saturday to conclude Texas’ spring practice. During the first half of play, Swoopes quarterbacked the Orange team, which consisted of the first-team offense and second-team defense, and Heard quarterbacked the White team, which consisted of the second-team offense and first-team defense. “I feel good about [the quarterback competition],” said Swoopes, who finished 17for-31 with 159 yards and one rushing touchdown. Heard put up similar numbers, going 20-for-29 with 177 yards, one interception and a rushing touchdown. “I really tried to distribute the ball to the good
OKLA STATE
KANSAS
TULSA
NCAA BASEBALL SANTA CLARA
TCU
Amy Zhang | Daily Texan Staff
Junior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes remains the number one option according to head coach Charlie Strong. At Saturday’s Orange-White scrimmage, Swoopes went 17-for-31 for 159 yards and one rushing touchdown.
playmakers,” Heard said. “This offense is really built for that, so I really try to put the ball in those guys’ hands.” Heading into Saturday’s scrimmage, Texas aimed to display its new fast-paced offense, where players would sprint to the line of scrimmage after a play was over to get another play started as soon as possible. But the offensive pace was not as consistent as Strong hoped. “You want to see the pace
be a little quicker,” Strong said. “Just looking to the sideline trying to get [the signals], it’ll be quicker because that’s what you like to see — just a quicker pace, more up tempo.” While the offense is new for the Longhorns, both quarterbacks are familiar with the tempo. Toward the end of Heard’s high school career, Guyer High School quickened its offensive pace. Swoopes ran the same type of offense at Whitewright High School.
“I’m really excited about [the new offense],” Swoopes said. “It’s pretty much what we’ve all done in high school. We’re all used to the up-tempo, nohuddle kind of the thing, so it’s just kind of getting us back to our ways.” Other aspects of the Texas offense shined. Sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman showed particular strength, scoring one touchdown and racking up 84 yards on 12 rushes.
“It’s always fun when you watch big D’Onta run behind his pads. … He’s a guy that can run behind his pads and move people out of the way,” Strong said. With the end of spring football, the next time the Longhorns take the field will be Sept. 5 against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Strong will hope to have his team and, most importantly, a starting quarterback ready in time.
FOOTBALL
Longhorns defense showing improvement By Ezra Siegel @SiegelEzra
With a battered offense, Texas’ bright spot in 2014 was its defense — and if Saturday’s Orange-White game is any indication, the defense can still hold its own. During the spring scrimmage, the Longhorns’ defense, which ranked No. 25 in total defense in 2014, showed potential in its first time on display since spring practice started. Junior safety Dylan Haines said earlier in the week that turnovers were a focus this offseason, and the improvement in that regard was on display Saturday. The second-team unit forced two turnovers while also adding five sacks and seven tackles for loss, ultimately only giving up one touchdown. “I feel like we’re in a good place,” junior defensive end Hassan Ridgeway said. “I feel like with all of the injuries, we’ve showed that we can come through, and we can still go out there and play.” Much like last season, the defensive line excelled in
containing the run and generating a pass rush. Head coach Charlie Strong pointed to senior Shiro Davis, sophomore Poona Ford and Ridgeway as standouts on the defensive line, but he said he was especially impressed with junior Bryce Cottrell, who picked up a sack and two tackles for loss. “You talk about Bryce [Cottrell], he is faster; he is someone that’s coming on that we’re going to need to come on for us,” Strong said. Behind the defensive line, the linebacker corps also succeeded despite only having four healthy linebackers on scholarship. Junior Timothy Cole topped off his strong spring, leading the unit with seven total tackles and two sacks, while senior Peter Jinkens made six tackles of his own. Freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson also shined with a few big hits and a forced fumble, which redshirt freshman linebacker Edwin Freeman returned for a touchdown. “[Jefferson] is always seeing and making plays,” Ridgeway said. “He may not do exactly it
The defense battled through a number of injuries Saturday. However, players still feel that they’re in a good place.
Griffin Smith Daily Texan Staff
the right way, but he’s going to be there to make the play.” Like the linebackers, the secondary was thin, with three cornerbacks held out with injuries. Junior cornerback Bryson Echols and redshirt freshman cornerback John Bonney benefited most from increased playing time, as Echols grabbed an interception, and Bonney impressed fans with two crushing hits. The secondary still saw continuity with both Haines and
SOFTBALL
sophomore safety Jason Hall getting starting nods. Hall particularly impressed with solid coverage, including a pass breakup that almost went the other way for 6. “I expect [Hall] to really develop and come into his own and really stand up and become a leader back here and especially in the back end,” Strong said. “As big and strong as he is, we need him to play like that all the time.” Although they showed
potential Saturday, the Longhorns are still riddled with injuries. With three starters returning from injury among several other contributors, competition will be deep in the summer. “We can be a dominant group; that’s not the problem,” Ridgeway said. “We just have to make sure we come together as a group. And when people come back from injuries, we need to make sure we have everybody together and do what we need to do.”
BASEBALL
Texas puts Cyclones in a tailspin Hinojosa, Longhorns take down Jayhawks
By Jason Epstein @jwepstein96
In its third conference series of the season, Texas took all three games against Iowa State, largely on the strength of its pitchers. The Longhorns (31–12, 6–3 Big 12) entered the matchup coming off a UTArlington victory Wednesday and carried the momentum for the team’s second Big 12 sweep of the season. In the first game, which was played Saturday afternoon because of weatherrelated delays, freshman Erica Wright (12–6) stepped up to the mound, shutting out Iowa State (21–20, 3–6 Big 12), 8–0. She walked just one batter, allowed just one hit and struck out eight. Texas jumped to a 1–0 lead in the first, but
By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox
Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Senior pitcher Gabby Smith pitched a complete game Saturday. Smith racked up 10 strikeouts while allowing five hits.
extended it to 5—0 by the end of the second. In the fifth inning, junior catcher Erin Shireman connected on a two-RBI double to end the game early on a run-rule with Texas up by eight — its sixth run-rule win at home
this season. “This is two weekends in a row where we’ve had to push to get in doubleheaders because of weather,” head coach Connie Clark said.
SOFTBALL page 5
For almost a month, the Longhorns struggled to piece together key hits and big runscoring innings. They had only one three-run inning in their last 12 games and failed to score more than four runs in all but one game in that span. This Sunday, those struggles all came to an end. Texas’ bats woke up in a big way, and the team took its first series victory since late March. Texas batters pounded out 23 hits, five home runs and went 8-for-16 with runners in scoring position in a 16–7 win Sunday over Kansas to take the series. “It puts us right in the
running and keeps us in the race,” head coach Augie Garrido said. Junior shortstop C.J Hinojosa, who came into the series in a bad funk, found himself at the center of the re-emergence of the Longhorns offense. He kicked off the scoring with an RBI double to left in the third inning and then scored himself on a double by freshman first baseman Michael Cantu a short while later. Two innings later, Hinojosa came through again with a runner on base, lining a triple to the gap in right-center field and scoring senior right fielder Collin Shaw. Hinojosa’s shot came as part of a
BASEBALL page 5
TOP TWEET Quandre Diggs @qdiggs6
Kyrie the scorer that Bron needs because that’s not what Bron does best.
SPORTS BRIEFLY Texas has strong outing in Dallas
Playing in a tournament for the second weekend in a row, Texas volleyball went 2–1 in the Lone Star Classic College Showcase in Dallas on Saturday. The Longhorns got off to a good start, defeating North Texas in two sets, but then dropped their second match of the spring in a 2–1 defeat to Texas A&M. Texas rebounded with a two-set victory over Texas Tech. The tournament featured teams from Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The Longhorns will close out their spring season against UTSA at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Austin. —Jacob Martella
Longhorns defeat No. 23 New Mexico
The No. 2 men’s golf team earned a split Saturday at the Red Raider Shootout in Lubbock. The Longhorns first faced No. 23 New Mexico, which they defeated in a tiebreaker. Redshirt senior Brax McCarthy finished square with his opponent, as did freshman Doug Ghim. The Red Raiders defeated senior Kramer Hickok and freshman Scottie Scheffler, leaving sophomores Beau Hossler and Gavin Hall to win it for the team in a tiebreaker. Hossler beat senior Sam Saunders, 6-and-5, and Hall beat freshman Gustavo Morantes, 6-and-4. In the second match of the afternoon, Texas fell to No. 10 Texas Tech. Of the six Longhorns in competition, only Hossler and Hickok won their matches. Both won, 1-up. Next up for the Longhorns is the Big 12 Championship, held from April 27–29 in Tulsa, Oklahoma . —Caroline Hall
COMICS 7
COMICS
7
Monday, April 20, 2015
Name: 3532/Princeton Review; Width: 29p6; Depth: 1 in; Color:
SUDOKUFORYOU 4
1 2
5 6 4
8 3 4 6 1 6 9 8 5 1 4 5 5 3 6 8 5 4 9 7 6 7 1 5 6 8 3
matey. This scurrvy beast is today’s answerrrrrr. out, or it’ll be the the fishes for ya!
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
1 9 6 3 5 2 7 4 8
2 3 7 4 6 8 9 5 1
8 4 5 7 1 9 3 2 6
9 5 2 8 3 1 6 7 4
4 7 8 5 9 6 2 1 3
6 1 3 2 7 4 5 8 9
7 2 1 9 4 3 8 6 5
5 6 9 1 8 7 4 3 2
3 8 4 6 2 5 1 9 7
8 L&A
8
KAT SAMPSON, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Monday, April 20, 2015
CITY
Austin radio host celebrates 50 years of work By Cat Cardenas @crcardenas8
KUT radio host John Aielli owes his lengthy 50-year radio career to a stroke of luck — and to a desperate job search he conducted as a teenager. In 1963, Aielli had just been accepted into the UT, but the price of room and board proved a roadblock to his enrollment. Aielli deferred his acceptance in order to save up for school and embarked on a job search, finding employment at a local radio station. Three years later, Aielli was finally enrolled in UT, and he had started work at KUT 90.5 FM. His periodic fill-ins for different hosts turned into a full-time job after graduation. He continued to work his way up the KUT ranks, and he began hosting his own show, Eklektikos, in 1985. In the 30 years he has hosted the show, Aielli has followed the same formula for his show — which is to say, no formula at all. From 6–9 a.m., Aielli plays a wide variety of songs, accompanied by strange commentary that is more often than not unrelated to the songs he is playing. His strange ramblings inspired the tribute twitter account “Shit John Aielli Says.” “The show is just something that I love doing,” Aielli
said. “Largely, what I do is inform the public about what’s going on in the community. It’s about finding connections and just about being an idiot and provoke people to have a good time.” After 50 years in radio, Aielli said he’s witnessed a number of changes in the music industry. When he first started Djing. Aielli said classical music often dominated the station, but, one record at a time, different types of music began to gain more airtime. “Back then, we played a lot of classical, and then it completely changed,” Aielli said. “I remember it was 1963 or ’64, and this guy comes in, hands me this record and tells me to play it right now. It was ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand,’ and I thought it was the most raucous thing I ever heard in my life. Right after that, [The Beatles] became huge.” Aielli’s radio career gave him the chance to witness global changes beyond the music industry. When Aielli wasn’t DJing, he occasionally reported on current events, including President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the Vietnam War. Aielli said he remembers the newsroom atmosphere when Kennedy was assassinated. “When I started working, John Kennedy was president, and I was on the air when he died,” Aielli said.
Griffin Smith | Daily Texan Staff
John Aielli stands in front of a wall of CDs at the KUT studio in the Belo Center for New Media. According to Aielli, this wall is a small sample of the music available to him at both KUT and his personal music collection.
“We had a newsroom next to us, and it had an AP wire machine, and the bells were going crazy. I’ll never forget that. It was one of the first times I realized just how messed up the world could be.” His co-workers and listeners know Aielli for his quirky personality. Coworker Jay Trachtenberg, another UT alumnus, calls Aielli’s eccentricities both lovable and frustrating.
Whether noting Aielli’s ritual habit of doing headstands when arriving at the office or observing his aversion to wearing headphones during his show — which at times has resulted in a few minutes of dead air — Trachtenberg said there’s no denying that Aielli is one of a kind. “Everybody here has John Aielli stories,” Trachtenberg said. “We came from this generation where radio
was more of a free-form thing, and John never left that behind. I think at the end of the day, love him or hate him, when he hangs up his spurs, you won’t hear anything like that on the radio again.” Aielli said even after 50 years of work, he continues to look forward to each new day. “You never know what’s going to happen,” Aielli said. “I lucked out. I wound up by
Multimedia
To hear Aielli describe his career at KUT 90.5, check out our video at dailytexanonline.com.
default doing something that I really, really love. I get to be in the world of music playing records and talking to musicians. I can’t be happier than that.”
MUSIC
Rock and roll music has lost its political edge By Chris Duncan
Daily Texan Columnist @chr_dunc
Late last year, former KISS bassist and singer Gene Simmons said what everyone was thinking. In an interview with Esquire, Simmons declared rock to be dead. “The death of rock was not a natural death,” Simmons said. “It was murdered. You’re better off not even learning how to play guitar or write songs and just singing in the shower and auditioning for ‘The X Factor.’ Where are the creators?” Simmons makes a valid point in arguing that rock, a genre based in aggressive guitar riffs and counterculture themes, has strayed from its roots. After the turn of the century, rock never found its base, switching from challenging anthems to noncontroversial messages. While songs such as U2’s
“Beautiful Day” found a resurgence after the 9/11 attacks, most bands simply stopped questioning authority. The protest songs of the ’60s are mere memories to people such as state Rep. Elliot Naishtat (D-Austin). “Having grown up in New York City, in the era of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and The Beatles, I think the content and messages of rock music have become diluted,” Naishtat said. No response to 9/11 came from bands such as Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down and Metallica, all of whom had previously churned out songs criticizing the evil of corporations and the corruption of law enforcement. Green Day threw around insults left and right in several albums before 2000, examining drug culture and the sanity of modern society, but the group released its neutral rock opera,
American Idiot, in 2004, and fans have been lukewarm to this change. Electrical engineering junior Srikar Dandamuraju said he notices the differences between the themes of older and modern rock. “Older rock was less superficial, relates better to human nature and strikes a deeper chord,” Dandamuraju said. “Modern rock music can be shallow at times. Their lyrics can appear a little nonsensical.” The made-for-radio rock that emerged came without any controversial content. Bands such as 3 Doors Down and Linkin Park had the aggressive chords but lacked any real message. Record labels received part of the blame. Their censorship of what little political content bands did muster prevented controversial songs, such as The Strokes’ “New York City Cops,”
from reaching a wider market. What happened to rock ’n’ roll? Why did rock musicians fear the genre’s protest roots during the conflicts in the Middle East when America needed it the most? Whether it was media’s influence, the role of the United States in the world or a change in what was acceptable to society, something flipped a switch, and, suddenly, Bill O’Reilly was playing the White Stripes on his show, “The O’Reilly Factor.” Aerospace engineering freshman Nicolas Diaz, a fan of both classic and modern rock bands, doesn’t necessarily care that rock music has changed its direction from themes relating to current events to ideas closer to the writers themselves. “Bands used to write about contemporary issues for their time,” Diaz said. “Now, it’s not necessarily about important topics but issues closer to their
hearts. That’s not a bad thing, just an evolution.” Rock artists have begun to fight back, but any sense of dangerous rebellion has migrated to other genres. From hip-hop to R&B and even EDM, artists push barriers in their discussion of race, politics and world affairs. Does rock music still have a place in today’s music landscape, or is the genre in its final encore?
Illustration by Lindsay Rojas | Daily Texan Staff
FILM REVIEW | ‘UNFRIENDED’
Director adapts ghost story to fit modern age in ‘Unfriended’ By Charles Liu
@CharlieInDaHaus
Ghosts have leveled up from haunting houses to haunting the internet in “Unfriended,” a found-footage horror film set entirely on one computer screen. The story revolves around a group of friends’ interactions on Google, iMessage, Skype and Facebook as they talk to each other even while being tormented by a ghost. The concept of cyberhaunting and the webcam gimmick sound dumb, but “Unfriended” takes advantage of its central premise with surprising cleverness. The film opens with the main character, Blair (Shelley Hennig), watching the suicide video of her deceased cyber-bullied classmate, Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman). Blair’s boyfriend, Mitch (Moses Jacob Storm), calls her on Skype, and the rest of their friends soon join them. When a mysterious seventh
person joins the call using Laura’s account, the friends assume the mystery user is a glitch or an internet troll. When the stranger threatens to kill them if they leave the call and begins to reveal how they have secretly sabotaged each others’ lives, the teens realize the entity is Laura’s vengeful spirit. One by one, Laura attempts to brutally murder each friend as their relationships with each other crumble apart. “Unfriended” demonstrates a striking understanding of how modern audiences actually use the Internet. Even as she’s Skyping her friends, Blair simultaneously sends messages, chooses new songs to play on Spotify and browses Facebook. It isn’t distracting — it’s realistic. Director Levan Gabriadze and screenwriter Nelson Greaves exploit audiences’ familiarity with the online world by twisting the familiar and innocuous sounds of Facebook notifications and incoming Skype calls. Under their direc-
tion and script, the sounds become malevolent alarms. The film starts off slow, but once it gains momentum, it develops into a roller coaster ride fraught with thrills and jump scares. The actors do an excellent job arguing, screaming and crying as Laura’s revenge unfolds. It’s unfortunate that Gabriadze poorly presents the characters’ deaths. Their webcam feeds glitch and freeze during those scenes, making it hard to understand what is going on. The script also has its fair share of purely humorous moments. The characters act like real teens, teasing one another and making dirty comments. Laura occasionally takes control of Blair’s Spotify account and plays happy-golucky tunes with titles and lyrics that ostensibly match the events on screen but clash with the horror that is actually unfolding. Some of the friends’ arguments draw a few laughs, too.
UNFRIENDED Running time: 82 minutes MPAA: R Score: 7/10
“Unfriended” suggests that the line between the bullies and the bullied is blurrier than it seems. All the characters appear to be genuinely nice at the start of the movie. Eventually, Laura shatters the audience’s perception of each character by charging them with various acts of lies and deceit. Each teen is equally a victim and a perpetrator of bullying. “Unfriended” illustrates the idea that anyone can bully someone else and asks people to consider how their
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Blair (Shelley Hennig) and her friends are puzzled by an anonymous caller who appears in their Skype chat.
actions affect others. Some parts of “Unfriended” don’t work. Blair relies heavily on a sketchy website’s instructions for how to interact with angry ghosts, rendering her just another dumb teen in a long line of dumb teens in horror movies. Whenever the characters try to flee Laura, they have to take their laptops so their webcams can stay on their frightened faces. It’s an unwelcome
reminder that we’re watching a movie, and these people aren’t real. “Unfriended” provides some effective scares and thoughtful social commentary throughout its brisk 82-minute runtime. It’s an innovative take on the found-footage genre worth watching. After it’s over, the ring of a Skype call might make chills run down your spine.