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COMICS PAGE 7
LIFE&ARTS PAGE 8
SPORTS PAGE 6
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STATE
CITY
Smoke from Bastrop fire reaches UT
City council to consider ride-hailing regulations
By Zainab Calcuttawala @zainabroo94
Brush fires that began Tuesday in Bastrop have spread to an area of 3500 acres and are 10 percent contained, according to reports from the Texas A&M Fire Service. Bastrop County declared a state of disaster Wednesday afternoon after estimates of the fire’s size grew from 375 acres to more than 1500 acres. The fire was 50
percent contained Wednesday morning. Firefighters from 12–15 agencies across Texas have been called into the Bastrop area to aid in the relief efforts, Mike Fisher, deputy director of the office of emergency management for Bastrop, said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. The efforts of firefighters over the past two days led to the rescue of UT MD Anderson Cancer Research Center located in Bastrop County.
Fisher said the fire will likely continue for several more days. “I don’t see the end of this anytime soon,” Fisher said. “Our local firefighters have been here for over 24 hours and they’re exhausted.” Smoke also spread from Bastrop County to Austin Wednesday morning. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TECQ) air monitoring sites measure the amount of particulate matter found in the atmosphere, including
dust, smoke, chemical residue from power plants and more. According to the data from the monitoring sites, levels in the Austin area reached a high of 51.4. The high Tuesday was 17. Although the particulate matter levels were elevated in area, the particulate matter decreased by day’s end and air quality was still considered “good,” according to the air quality index using by TCEQ. The index considers levels 1–50 to be in the “good” range, levels 51–100
to be the in the “moderate” range and levels 101–150 to be in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range. Sensitive groups include people with breathing disabilities, such as asthma. People with breathing impairments should make decisions about whether to go outside based on the severity of their illness, according to TCEQ media relations manager Andrea Morrow. The National Oceanic and
FIRE page 2
CAMPUS
UT permits support animals for 8 students By Nashwa Bawab @nashwabawab
While most incoming students spent their summer buying shower caddies and deciding which posters to bring to their dorm, one freshman was going through the process of bringing his emotional support animal — a cockatoo — to campus. Biology freshman Brady Lee, who lives in Jester West and said his emotional support cockatoo, Alpine — or Al for short, is therapeutic to his social anxiety and depression. “She gives me someone to come back to everyday,” Lee said. “She is a very tactile animal — cockatoos are — which means that she likes to cuddle, so that’s really good for comfort in general so that’s basically what I do with her. I’ll come home and I’ll play with her and I’ll cuddle her and it’s like a stress reliever.”
ANIMALS page 2
Thalia Juarez | Daily Texan Staff
Biology freshman Brady Lee is one of eight students approved for the fall of 2015 to have an emotional support animal in his dorm. Lee says having his pet cockatoo Alpine live with him is a stress reliever.
CAMPUS
By Lauren Florence @laurenreneeflo
Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft may soon have to comply with stricter background check regulations and pay an annual operating fee after mobility committee recommendations. At an Austin Mobility Committee meeting Oct. 7, council members proposed the regulations for transportation network companies which include all vehicle-forhire apps such as Uber and Lyft. City council is expected to approve an amendment to city code regarding fees for transportation network companies at Thursday’s meeting. The mobility committee should then consider the amendment no later than Nov. 16. Stricter background checks would impose barriers for drivers, according to a Lyft press release, and Austin would be an outlier compared to 40 other cities where stricter regulations have been imposed without requiring fingerprinting. The tougher background check would have no benefit to public safety, according to the press release. “Lyft does not currently operate in any city that requires fingerprinting and has been forced to pause operations in cities that implement the measure,” the press release read. “Lyft’s safety screening processes are thorough and rigorous, but also
UBER page 2
UNIVERSITY
PCL holds bake sale for cancer society Professor wins prize for battery research
By Claire Allbright @claireallbright
The Perry-Castañeda Library held its annual bake sale Wednesday to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The initiative was a part of The Hearts of Texas State Employee Charity campaign which occurs in October every year. Susan Hallgren, senior library specialist in the Bibliographic Database Management Department, has organized the event since 2005 and said the American Cancer Society was important to donate to. “I feel everyone knows someone who is affected by cancer, so if we can raise money and do what we can for research to help that cause and find a cure for this illness, it would be great,” Hallgren said. Loretta Acevedo, a retired library employee, said she was pleased the funds were going to the American Cancer So-
By Rachel Freeman @rachel_frmn
Morgan Boone | Daily Texan Staff
Sarah Brandt, librarian for first-year programs, serves treats at the annual Perry-Castañeda Library bake sale Wednesday morning.
ciety. Acevedo said her sister died from cancer at the age of 38. “I know how cancer can affect not only the individual, but family and friends and loved ones,” Acevedo said. “So I always think the
cancer society is a good thing to support. It was pretty devastating to all of us as a family.” Hallgren said the bake sale has raised $1,130, making it the most successful bake sale in PCL history. This exceeds
the previous record of $983 from last year. Acevedo and her husband, Stephen Stein, a manager in Computer Services at the library, helped bake items for the sale.
PCL page 3
Mechanical Engineering UT Professor John B. Goodenough was recently awarded the Eric and Sheila Samson Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels from Israel’s prime minister and science, technology and space minister. “I was surprised and honored to learn about it by a phone call from Israel,” Goodenough said in an email. “I am pleased that [my work] has enabled the wireless revolution that is empowering the poor as well as the rich of the world to communicate across the world. I am pleased that my work has contributed to the developing field of materials science and engineering.” Goodenough won the award for his research on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are used globally as a
GOODENOUGH page 2 REASON TO PARTY
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFE&ARTS
ONLINE
Students march for Paris Climate Summit. PAGE 3
Student political groups are valuable to democracy.
PAGE 4
New softball duo add to team. PAGE 6
Author Sandra Cisneros discusses new book. PAGE 8
Watch our science scene video about the difficulty of remembering names at
UT libraries host coding worskshop. PAGE 3
Students can turn apathy into engagement. PAGE 4
Longhorns rushing ability paying off. PAGE 6
Memory processes affect ability to remember names. PAGE 8
dailytexanonline.com
John Goodenough
Mechanical engineering professor
source of alternative energy for cellphones, laptops and other wireless devices, according to the University press release. Goodenough shares the win with professor Jay Keasling of the University of California, Berkeley, for his work on genetic engineering. The 1 million dollar award is the world’s largest monetary prize awarded in the field of alternative fuels. Good-
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Thursday, October 15, 2015
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NEWS
thedailytexan
Volume 116, Issue 46
CONTACT US Main Telephone (512) 471-4591 Editor-in-Chief Claire Smith (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor Jack Mitts (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Multimedia Office (512) 471-7835 dailytexanmultimedia@ gmail.com Sports Office (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office (512) 232-2209 dtlifeandarts@gmail.com Retail Advertising (512) 471—1865 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com
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Sophia Bogat, second year astronomy physics student and John McClellan, a 2012 alumni, engage in acro-yoga on the Main Mall on Wednesday evening.
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GOODENOUGH continues from page 1
enough plans to donate his winnings to UT in thanks for the university’s support of his research, according tto the press release. The selection committee called Goodenough a “pioneer” for his invention of the first lithium-ion battery. This wasn’t Goodenough’s first major award. President Barack Obama presented Goodenough with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2013.
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.
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This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25 Permanent Staff
Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Claire Smith Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Adam Hamze, Kat Sampson, Jordan Shenhar Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Mitts Associate Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Zhang News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Ketterer Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony Green News Desk Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sameer Assanie, Rachel Lew, Josh Willis, Caleb Wong Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew Adams, Nashwa Bawab, Zainab Calcuttawala, Lauren Florence Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cameron Peterson Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Myra Ali, Megan Hix, Kailey Thompson Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virginia Scherer Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lillian Michel, Kelly Smith, Iliana Storch Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryce Seifert Senior Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Evans, Heather Finnegan, Lilian Smith Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daulton Venglar Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Tacy Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Carpenter, Joshua Guerra, Graeme Hamilton, Thalia Juarez, Rachel Zein Forum Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Walker Fountain Senior Opinion Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Dolan, Noah M. Horwitz Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Danielle Lopez Life&Arts Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cat Cardenas, Marisa Charpentier Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katie Walsh, Alex Pelham Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jori Epstein Associate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob Martella Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Akshay Mirchandani, Blanche Schaefer, Michael Shapiro, Aaron Torres Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert Lee Associate Comics Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amber Perry, Lindsay Rojas Senior Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Connor Murphy, Isabella Palacios, Victoria Smith, Melanie Westfall Special Ventures Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madlin Mekelburg Special Ventures Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julia Brouillette, Eleanor Dearman, Graham Dickie, Jackie Wang Special Ventures Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rachel Zein Social Media Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Duncan Public Outreach Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny McKay Technical Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Li Senior Tech Team Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nicole Cobler, Adam Humphrey, Sam Limerick, Cameron Peterson Editorial Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Chen
Issue Staff
Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claire Allbright, Estefenia Espinosa, Rachel Freeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jameson Pitts, Ashley Tsao, Selah Maya Ziegelboim Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nick Castillo, Rachel Greenspan, Bradley Maddox, Ezra Siegel Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Hanks, Danielle Leighninger, Ryan Steppe Page Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasturi Kulkarni, Victoria Othold Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morgan Boone, Zoe Fu, Gabriel Lopez, Matt Robertson Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Seth Murchison, Chester Omenukor, Kiersten Stegmen, Rachel Tyler Life&Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brandi Davis, Eva Frederick, Maluly Martinez
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Sonya Chyu, business and Plan II freshman, said learning that such a prestigious professor is at the University is surprising. “I know UT tries to have a global approach but it’s surprising how impactful of a person we have here,” Chyu said, referring to Goodenough. “It’s inspiring to have someone like that here. It shows that though you might have to work for it there’s great opportunities here. Learning this makes me regard UT faculty as a whole higher now.” Chemistry junior Tara Tough said she was not surprised to learn about Goodenough’s accomplishments. “Before I came here I listened to lectures from professors so I knew coming in this was an awesome school with good professors,” Tough said. “Learning this makes me more proud about the school, it shows our motto is true. The fact that we get to learn from such great professors who are making such a big impact in the world is awesome.”
FIRE
continues from page 1 Atmospheric Association issued a fire weather warning for 22 counties in Central Texas, including Austin. The report states humidity values in the region are expected to decrease further over the course of Thursday, making it easy for fires to start and spread quickly thereafter. Travis County, along with 143 other Texas counties, has currently placed bans on outdoor burning of any kind due to drought conditions, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The association said it urges people in the specified counties to refrain from starting any fires until the dry weather conditions subside. As of Wednesday night, nine homes had been lost and 150 were under threat, according to the Texas A&M Fire Service.
RECYCLE
your copy of
UBER
continues from page 1 streamlined to ensure that everyone, including parttime drivers, can participate.” Uber sent an email to Austin Uber riders Oct. 6 which asked them to sign a petition against the regulation of ride-hailing companies and urged riders to oppose Council member Ann Kitchen’s “toxic plan.” “Ride-hailing is moving Austin forward. Recent news reports indicate DWI crashes in Austin dropped 23 percent since ride-hailing entered the market,” the petition read. “And more than 50 percent of drivers live in East Austin, where one in three trips begin or end. Now’s the time to go forward - not backwards.” Uber has provided more than 2.5 million rides in Austin the past year and there are more than 10,000 local drivers earning money through Uber, according to the petition. “Ridesharing is improving transportation choices for all Austinites, reducing drunk driving and creating economic opportunities in communities that need it,” the release read. According to Ed Kargbo, president of Yellow Cab Austin, there are five known transportation network companies operating in Austin, but he said Uber and Lyft are the only two which are usually discussed. It will take baby steps to
ANIMALS
continues from page 1 A cockatoo is one of many animals allowed on campus for students who may require comfort or service animals for support. While service animals are specifically trained animals that help those with disabilities, emotional support animals can be any type of animal deemed necessary to afford a person with a disability any comfort they may need, according to Emily Shryock, assistant director of Services for Students with Disabilities. According to Shryock, there are currently eight students approved to have emotional support animals for fall of 2015, and that number is increasing every year. “I think that people are starting to recognize that it’s an accommodation for disabilities, and it is something that they can request, contributing to the increased number that we are seeing,” Shryock said. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Illustration/Photo by Albert Lee | Daily Texan Staff
get there, but Karbo said from a standpoint of public safety there needs to be a policy where everyone who provides transportation for profit goes through the same background check process. “Currently, anybody that drives a limousine, a shuttle, a pedicab, the golf cart, a cab — everybody that does ondemand transportation for compensation goes through a process by which they’re fingerprinted to properly identify the individual who wants to participate in the industry, and then subsequently doing a background check on them,” Kargbo said. The fingerprint background checks are already required by Yellow Cab for taxi drivers Kargbo said. He said they are an important
public safety measure, especially with the country’s high rates of identity fraud. Kargbo said the proposed annual operating fee would either be a charge the company pays per driver or a one to two percent cut of the company’s annual local revenue, which depends on the option the company chooses. He said he questions why the city would have one group of companies paying fees when, currently, companies like Uber and Lyft pay nothing. “They are actually getting a pretty good deal so I’m not quite sure why they would complain about it,” Kargbo said. “Even if they pay two percent of gross revenue… they would essentially be complaining about paying $54 per car when we pay $450 per car.”
public entities must provide accommodations for those with disabilities, which can sometimes include emotional support animals. They are not protected by the same laws that apply to service animals. In order to receive approval for an emotional support animal, students must request a housing accommodation and provide supporting documentation of their disability, Shryock said. Shryock said the student must have a disability, and there must be a connection between the person’s disability and the therapy the animal provides in order for an animal to be considered emotional support. “A lot of people will say, well my dog makes me happier or less stressed, and, if you’re a dog person, that’s probably true for everyone,” Shryock said. “What we’re looking at is does this person have a disability and how does it impact their functioning, what is the animal’s role in helping to manage that disability.” Environmental science
freshman Julianne Dewar said she almost decided to sneak her rabbit into her dorm last year and wishes UT allowed more students to bring their pets to campus. “After a hard day you want to pet something fuzzy, and you’re not allowed to which sucks,” Dewar said. “I don’t know if its a top priority, but I think I would like to see a change with UT’s rules on [pets.]” Although he is happy to have Al living with him in Jester West now, Lee said it took him a few months to research about UT’s emotional support animal policy and wishes there were more resources for students to learn about their options. “It’s not widely known at all that you can have support animals, and I feel like its really beneficial for people with symptoms with anxiety and depression,” Lee said. “As long as they can help themselves by going to counseling, I feel like then there should be no problem allowing emotional support animals to continue that treatment.”
W&N 3
NEWS
3
Thursday, October 15, 2015
CITY
CAMPUS
Fossil Free Texas holds march for Paris Climate Summit at UT By Selah Maya Zighelboim @SelahMaya
Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff
Sam Burns, Technology Director for the School of Information, teaches a room full of students the fundamentals of Git & GitHub during Wednesday night’s Learning Commons workshop.
Workshop teaches open coding collaboration tools By Jameson Pitts @jamesonpitts
Students learned how to use software development tools Git and GitHub to control version and file changes in programming projects at a Learning Commons workshop at the Perry-Castañeda Library, Wednesday night. Sam Burns, technology director for the School of Information, led the first half of the workshop, which focused on introducing students to the complex systems. Burns said Git and GitHub enable team members to manage changes to a project, like a more powerful version of Google Docs. “These tools facilitate open-source development,” Burns said. “Lots of developers around the world can work together without messing up the master version.” Computer science freshman Eric Liu said he came to
learn about Git so he could stay organized in future group projects. “I’ll probably be using [Git] this Saturday at the Game Jam,” Liu said. “We spend Saturday and Sunday working with a group of people on a game based on a theme they provide us at the competition.” Mary Jo Lucas, a 1986 UT graduate who works in the information industry, said she heard about the workshop at a meeting for the organization Women Who Code and decided to attend to learn about new technologies. “I mainly do development for financial applications,” Lucas said. “Young guys come in and they already know this stuff, and they don’t have time to show me.” Burns said working with unfamiliar coding tools like Git can be frustrating, but it only takes practice. “The more you do it, the better and easier you’ll be at
it,” Burns said. “If you want to just practice with text files, you’ll get a better sense of it.” The workshop was hosted by a partnership between UT Libraries and the student chapter of the Association for Information Science and Technology and its sister organization, Advocating for Women in Technology. Kristin Sullivan, graduate student in the School of Information and communications director for both organizations, said she hoped the event would get more people interested in coding. “We’re trying to broaden our reach beyond the School of Information,” Sullivan said. “We thought having an event here in the Learning Commons space, outside of the iSchool which is kind of far-removed from campus, would be a good opportunity to bring people out and teach about Git as a digital resource.”
With the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris a little more than a month away, Fossil Free Texas organized a march through campus Wednesday afternoon to create momentum for climate change reform. Fossil Free Texas member and Middle Eastern studies doctoral student Matthew Chovanec said he does not know if the Paris Climate Summit will result in climate change action, but he believes it is more likely to if world leaders see large numbers of people marching for climate change action. “As we saw with the march last September in New York, putting people in the streets makes a big difference,” Chovanec said. “I don’t really have as much faith in the leaders that are going there as I do in the people who are forcing them to make strong commitments.” About 10 people attended the march, which began on Speedway between Jester and the Perry-Castañada Library and continued north along Speedway to the East Mall. Chovanec said he organized the event to be a bike ride through campus, but when most people did not bring bikes, he changed the event to a
PCL
continues from page 1 “I wanted it to be very successful, so I baked and baked all of this stuff,” Acevedo said. “We have so many good cooks in the library — a lot of them chipped in.” Finance senior Hoai Truong purchased a piece of pumpkin pie and a cookie from the bake sale to share
Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff
Matthew Chovanec, Middle Eastern studies doctoral student, leads a student march through Speedway Wednesday afternoon.
march instead. According to Chovanec, the Paris climate talks will be the largest climate talks since the Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009, which he said did not bring about the change he wants. Fossil Free Texas is planning on having another march for climate change at the Capitol on Nov. 29, the day before the climate summit. The march in November is part of an international effort by 350. org to hold marches around the world and demand action at the Paris Climate Talks, according to Chovanec. Last year, an estimated 400,000 people attended the People’s Climate March in New York City, which was widely reported to be the largest climate change rally
in history. Wildflower Unitarian Universalist Church climate action team chair Susan Lippman, who attended the People’s Climate March, said she is concerned about climate change, but she believes the situation will improve. “It looks like perception of the severity of climate threat is increasing around the world, almost from the grassroots up,” Lippman said. Kinesiology sophomore Chris Seo said he does not think the Climate Change Summit will result in effective climate change action. “Personally, I do care about climate change,” Seo said. “I just don’t know how much change will come out of it, so I don’t expect much.”
with a friend while studying for an accounting exam. Truong said she was pleased to know her purchase was going toward a good cause, especially one she was personally connected with. “I have a good friend back home whose mom passed away from cancer, so it does touch home a little bit,” Truong said. Hallgren said she was un-
sure of when the bake sale began, but the tradition has grown in popularity each year around campus as other departments now want to contribute to the cause through baking goods and buying products. “We actually have a pretty big following now from the UT community, so folks look for us every October,” Hallgren said.
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Scott Kennedy, director of the Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy, speaks Wednesday evening at the kickoff event of the China Speaker Series.
Your resource to graduate programs in Texas and beyond.
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Panelists discuss US-China relations, diplomatic strategy By Ashley Tsao
Dewar @tsaoashley ed to her America’s current strategy ishes of engagement with China nts to has not been successful and pus. is not likely to improve withyou out change, according to thing Scott Kennedy, director of t al- the Project on Chinese Busiucks,” ness and Political Economy ow if at the Center for Strategic think and International Studies. hange “The hope of Washington ts.]” is that the more you engage py to China, the more they’ll like m in us,” Kennedy said. “That’s a aid it pipe dream.” hs to Joshua Eisenman, assistant emo- professor for public policy, pol- said the U.S. has had a conwere sistent policy of engagement dents with China for generations. ions. “There is now a question wn at about whether or not this has sup- been successful in stopping feel China from disrupting the ficial region,” Eisenman said. “As a toms result, people are asking for a pres- containment approach.” ng as It would be more approelves priate to have a U.S. stratng, I egy that combines engagehould ment with containment, wing according to Kennedy. mals Man-Han Gu, Chinese inment.” ternational student and pub-
lic affairs graduate student, said she does not believe the U.S. should take aggressive policies towards China. “I feel that both countries have an interest in each other,” Gu said. “More knowledge about the other side will help to relieve the status quo.” There are key actions the U.S. can take to improve their strategy with China, Eisenman said. “First, America must obtain more information about the nature of Chinese decision-making and Chinese policy makers,” Eisenman said. “Then, the U.S. must be more modest because we seem to think we have more influence in China than we have. Lastly, American policy makers should speak more about policy messages instead of their personal opinion.” China must also take action to cooperate with the U.S. about maritime security in places such as the South China Sea, according to Kennedy. “The U.S. Navy patrolling the South China Sea is not a threat,” Kennedy said. “They could sign a code of conduct with other islands in the South China Sea, but instead
“I feel that both countries have an interest in each other.”
................................................
—Man-Han Gu, Chinese international student and public affairs graduate student
they are militarizing it.” Gu said the best way for each nation and its students to improve relations is to simply have a better understanding of each other. “UT students can also benefit from trying to focus on U.S.-China relations,” Gu said. “For example, if you are a business major or an energy major, it is likely that you will be working with Chinese people in the future.” Kennedy spoke at the kickoff event of the China Speaker Series created by the Robert S. Strauss Center and the Center for East Asian Studies. The series was created to encourage conversations about policies regarding China’s role in international affairs.
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4 OPINION WALKER FOUNTAIN, FORUM EDITOR | @TexanEditorial Thursday, October 15, 2015
4
A WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF THE DAILY TEXAN EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
FORUM
The Texan Talks: Student political engagement
By Walker Fountain Daily Texan Forum Editor @wf_atx
This week, the Daily Texan Forum will showcase contributions from various students who are working to engage students in the 2016 election. Although we are more than a year away from Election Day, the first caucuses and primaries will begin shortly after the New Year. Soon, students will soon find themselves casting ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries in Texas, which occur on Super Tuesday, March 1, 2016. And the election is beginning to heat up in earnest. The first Democratic presidential debate occurred Tuesday night, while the Republican field has already gone through two
debates, with a third planned for late October. While there may be a disconnect between campus and the debate stage, there are several groups of students working to get Longhorns engaged in the process. Among them is John Falke, a university-wide representative, who hosted and moderated an on-campus debate between various student groups, including University Democrats, College Republicans, Young Americans for Liberty and the International Socialist Organization. Also featured on our page is Sasha Parsons, the Student Government civic engagement policy director, who oversees Hook the Vote, SG’s voter
registration initiative. Finally, Ashley Alcantara, the communications director for University Democrats, will be writing about her organization’s goals and strategy relating to campus engagement in the 2016 election. Thursday morning at 11 a.m., we will have an in-person discussion about this crucial issue, in the Texas Union Sinclair Suite. I encourage you all to come out to hear more about what these students have planned as a crucially important election begins to take shape. Fountain is a government senior from Pelham, New York.
FORUM
Student political groups valuable to democracy By John Falke
Daily Texan Forum Participant
On Monday, Oct. 12, I had the opportunity to moderate a political debate between the College Republicans, University Democrats, International Socialist Organization and Young Americans for Liberty. Over 200 students showed up for the event, and a great discussion regarding relevant federal issues relating to the current presidential election season took place. For me, the interest in this forum came as no surprise. UT, after all, has a long history of civic engagement, from Vietnam War protests that enveloped student culture in the ’60s and ’70s, to rallies and marches at the Texas State Capitol, to the removal of a confederate statue. Although there was a range of topics covered throughout the debate and obvious divisions in party policies, all four groups showed moderate consensus for key issues that are affecting university students, such as immigration, the United States’ social agenda, campus carry, equal pay and the unemployment rate. Many of the participants highlighted the need for compromise within the United States political system, and most were optimistic at the prospect of electing fresh leaders who are willing to cross the aisle. College students are a huge voting bloc, and if mobilized in an effective manner, we can alter the political landscape. However, it seems that candidates often lose focus on
Since college-aged citizens make up over 20 percent of the United States’ national voter base, presidential candidates should see a need to accommodate our calls for action and advocate heavily on behalf of the broader student base. student issues when they experience the apathy of millennials that plagues the political process. This is an enormous problem. Since college-aged citizens make up over 20 percent of the United States’ national voter base, presidential candidates should see a need to accommodate our calls for action and advocate heavily on behalf of the broader student base. As a college student, you are expanding your life experience heavily. You are given the opportunity to grow as a person, to learn new things and to gain an understanding of the world. You are being enfranchised and empowered with a great opportunity to shape your future by casting a vote in the presidential election. Although every policy discussed in the debate might not affect you right now, chances are, they will in a few years. Make a mark on UT’s political culture and take part in the great activism and dis-
Zoe Fu | Daily Texan Staff
On Oct. 12, the Young Americans for Liberty, College Republicans, University Democrats and International Socialists Organization participated in a Student Government-sponsored debate.
cussion that has been an integral part of the UT student experience! Throughout the semester, I have seen student groups that support presidential candidates pop up all around campus. Each group seems to have incredibly passionate individuals backing up the grassroots campaigns that envelope UT’s culture throughout presidential elections. This is so valuable to democracy because there is insufficient student participation in elections nationwide. UT is
setting the standard, and I am proud to attend a university where political affairs are so widely talked about and promoted. Engage in the presidential selection process by watching debates and discussing public policy, choose a candidate and be sure to vote in the presidential primaries on March 1, 2016! Falke is a business honors and supply chain management junior from Houston. He is a university-wide representative.
FORUM
FORUM
Turn apathy into engagement Believe your opinion should matter, then register to vote By Sasha Parsons
Daily Texan Forum Participant
Civic life should be an institutional part of student life. When students see that their voice matters, they will continue to be engaged. College years are a critical time to begin participating in civic life. This is the time granted to us to exponentially increase our knowledge on a wide range of issues and get hands on experience with how they are addressed. Students who find their voice in civic matters, participate in elections and create dialogues with peers are setting themselves up for a life engaged with the democratic process. Through Hook the Vote, Student Government is leading the effort to register 10,000 new voters during this academic year. I believe that each student can find at least one issue in which he or she has a vested interest. We have to capitalize now on the increased attention our voices have since we are young. Most people will vote in many local and their first presidential election while in college. As a public institution of higher education, I believe UT is responsible for making this the best, most informed experience possible. Voter apathy is preventable, and I think the best antidote is seeing changes in government that occur due to personal participation. Student Government and the Senate of College Councils are the most direct way for students to make institutional changes in their lives as students. The Civic Engagement Agencies of Student Government provide an outlook for those looking for broader and more long-term involvement. As the policy director for these agencies I help connect UT students to officials at local, state and federal levels and increase voter turnout through Hook the Vote. We are looking for creative and engaging ways to get students into the habit of voting. Over the summer 30 resident assistants were deputized, and deputization events are held regularly. You can now register to vote via SMS and more polling stations are being set up around campus. Student Government is working on allowing UT IDs on election day.
With early and absentee voting, students have ample opportunity to influence elections in Austin or in their home counties. The City Relations Agency sends a representative to University Area Partners (UAP) meetings. Currently they are gathering student opinion on lighting in West Campus, parking meters and sound ordinances that will be reported to neighborhood boards and City Council. These are issues that students live through every day. On the state level, the University of Texas is always under scrutiny, and has shaped many policies. People already care about the issues we want to connect them to, they just don’t always know how to voice their concerns. Campus carry is a great example of a political debate in which students are willing and excited to participate. Unfortunately that debate has gained popularity after the passage of the legislation. Is this effort a waste of time? Should we leave civic engagement to those already well versed in politics and trust that the minority that turns out to the polls will make decisions in everyone’s best interest? If we’re happy with the current system and the results it produces, that may be a good argument. However, I believe that we shouldn’t be content and that there is always room for improvement. We live in a diverse country with so many voices that are worth hearing. Some of these people don’t see the political process as accepting or accessible. If we don’t actively seek to include as many people as possible in elections, we risk stagnation and losing the progressive spirit that will “make America great again.” If students are introduced to civic life through issues they feel strongly about, apathy can evolve into engagement. Through direct conversation with policy makers now, students can begin to shape the political environment they live in. The dramatic and entertaining start of the 2016 election cycle alone will boost campus efforts to get students to the polls. Parsons is a marketing and Plan II junior. She is the Student Government civic engagement director.
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 Ashley Alcantara
Daily Texan Forum Participant
If you’ve never voted before, or even if you have, the process can seem daunting. When do I vote? What is going to be on the ballot? Am I able to vote? And these questions aren’t unwarranted. Voting in Texas can be an overly complicated process, especially for students who move frequently, have a million things to do besides voting and who might be unfamiliar with the process. But voting isn’t hard once you know how. In fact, you can send a text right now and receive a voter registration form in the mail. If you text “register” to 48683, Travis County will mail you the form, and it takes about a minute to fill out. Then you mail it back, and you are now eligible to vote! And if you go to the polls (which are in the FAC) during the two weeks of early voting, you won’t have to wait in a long line. And voila, you’ve just exercised your constitutional right in under 15 minutes total. While voting seems hard at first, it can be made extraordinarily easy. But none of this matters if you don’t want to vote. The biggest problem facing young voters, and one that no amount of simplification of the voting process can change, is apathy and disinterest towards voting. If someone doesn’t want to vote because they don’t care, then an explanation of how to register to vote is going to get nowhere. First, students have to realize that every election matters and is applicable to their lives. While everyone knows about the 2016 presidential election (in which young voters will also be extremely important), there are other races that will be on the ballot in 2016, and there’s even an election this year on Nov. 3. While these races are less exciting, the smaller
SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.
Do you like riding Uber/Lyft? Are you concerned about the price of your rent? You have the ability to affect both by voting for City Council. Don’t like campus carry? Do you pay tuition at UT? You should be voting for your state representative and senator. the race the more likely it is to directly affect you. Do you like riding Uber/Lyft? Are you concerned about the price of your rent? You have the ability to affect both by voting for City Council. Don’t like campus carry? Do you pay for tuition at UT? You should be voting for your state representative and senator. The list goes on, but the fact of the matter is that elections impact your life. You should be exercising your right to vote. Once you decide that you want to vote, University Democrats will be there to help you do it. We’ll be registering students to vote on the West Mall and Gregory Plaza, as well as elsewhere, up until the 2016 election. We’ll register you to vote in Travis County, tell you what’s on the ballot, and how to actually vote. Or you can send a text to register to vote and see what’s on your ballot at votetravis.com. You have options and can do what’s most convenient for you, but first you have to make the decision that your opinions should matter. Alcantara is a Plan II junior from Houston. She is the communications director for University Democrats.
RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanEditorial) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.
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Thursday, October 15, 2015
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Mechanical engineering professor Carolyn Seepersad has been working on new material structure called the negative stiffness honeycomb. The honeycombs are impact-absorbing structures that can be used for many different protective products.
break his heart when I left. DT: How has your identity as a Latina shaped you as a writer? SC: I think a lot of Latino writers tend to focus a lot on identity. As the child of an immigrant father and a Mexican-American mother, you always feel a little bit displaced, ignored, slighted and vilified. In history, you’re not included in an admirable and loving way so you’re always questioning where you belong. You’re in the leftovers of the city, you look around and think that this can’t possibly be your home because you’re never made to feel at home.
Joshua Guerra Daily Texan Staff
UT material design resists repeated impacts By Eva Frederick @evacharlesanna
The creators of UT’s new shock insulation technology know that when human safety is at stake, every choice counts. For several years, mechanical engineering professor Carolyn Seepersad, researcher Michael Haberman and their team of graduate students have been working on a new material structure called the negative stiffness honeycomb. The NS honeycombs are versatile impact-absorbing structures that can be modified for use in many different protective products, such as padding in military helmets, bicycle helmets and car bumpers. The design, which can be made with different materials depending on its application,
is composed of repeating cell structures with both straight and curved beams. “The major benefit of the technology is the ability to tailor it to what you want,” Haberman said. The NS honeycombs can be made to absorb different amounts of impact for various force thresholds. For example, a honeycomb providing insulation in a car bumper would be designed to withstand more force than one in a bicycle helmet. Haberman said this makes NS honeycombs a much more versatile form of shock absorption than other existing technology. Current impact protection designs include the traditional hexagonal honeycomb structures and foam materials. Traditional honeycombs are used in vehicles such as cars and
airplanes and absorb shock proficiently but crush on impact. Foam, which is used in helmets and athletic protection, is more durable but absorbs less shock than honeycombs. The curved beams of the NS honeycombs snap from one stable state to another, similarly to the way slap bracelets work. This allows the NS honeycomb to absorb a substantial impact, and then bounce back to its original shape. In a press release, Seepersad said the new technology could reduce or prevent many blunt-force injuries. The NS honeycomb incorporates aspects of positive and negative stiffness. Positive stiffness is the property of a material to resist being deformed by a force. On the other hand, with negative stiffness technology, stored energy inside the
material works with the force exerted to help the deformation proceed. When stabilized with other materials that exhibit positive stiffness, negative stiffness materials have a huge potential for shock absorption and dampening. Funding for the research came partially from a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, which was interested in the potential of the NS honeycombs as protection in combat situations. “Whether you’re serving our country in uniform, playing in a big game or just driving or biking to work, the potential for multiple collisions or impacts over time — however big or small — is a reality,” Seepersad said in a press release. The NS honeycombs have been featured in
magazines such as Popular Science and appeared in a video on the big screen at UT home football games. Seepersad said the next step is integrating negative stiffness honeycombs into products that are available to the public. He has patented the structures through UT and is currently collaborating with the University Office of Technology Commercialization to reach out to companies that may be interested in licensing the design. “On the University campus we can only take it so far,” Seepersad said. “We can develop the technology, we can prove the technology, we can show proof of concept for different applications, but then at some point a company has to take it and implement it into one of their products.”
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DT: What inspired you to write “House On Mango Street?” SC: When I wrote that book, I wrote it to survive. I wrote it as I was writing my poetry thesis. I was almost at the end of my education, and I wanted to go home crying and quit. I got angry and I decided to write the story I never had. I wrote the story that I didn’t get in my lifetime. DT: How has your writing helped you through the more difficult times in your life? SC: “Caramelo,” the big ten-year novel, came at a time of so much loss in my life. There was a lot of death, a lot of betrayal, a lot of people leaving me, and that book was my life raft. The times in my life when I wasn’t writing were when I became depressed and suicidal. It keeps me sane.
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JORI EPSTEIN, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Thursday, October 15, 2015
STAT GUY | FOOTBALL
Longhorns thrive in ground game By Ezra Siegel
MLB
Sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman runs past Oklahoma defenders on Oct. 10. The Longhorns beat OU 24-17 and Foreman ran for 117 yards.
@SiegelEzra
Texas historically excels at running the ball. All-time rushing greats like Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams ran out of the stadium’s tunnel. More recently, stars like Jamaal Charles and Cedric Benson have led the team to success. Last season, Texas’ run production dropped. The team averaged just 3.8 yards per carry — ranking No. 94 nationally — which prompted head coach Charlie Strong to change the offensive scheme. After moving to a spread offense this season, the Longhorns once again excel in the run game. This year, Texas leads the Big 12 in rushing attempts and ranks in the top 45 in rushing yards. In the last two weeks, the Longhorns rank No. 14 nationally on the ground. Additionally, Texas has already rushed for 100-yards in six games. The Longhorns play their best when they run the ball early and often. In wins against Rice and No.
SIDELINE
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19 Oklahoma, Texas rushed on at least 73 percent of its plays. In both of those wins, the team gained over five yards per rush and scored at least one rushing touchdown. Additionally, in an explosive 44-point performance against California, the Longhorns averaged over five yards per carry and scored six rushing touchdowns.
The team’s running backs provide a unique spark in a pass-heavy conference. Senior running back Johnathan Gray can make defenders miss with his shifty running style. Additionally, sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman consistently churns out hard-fought yards with his power. He’s racking up an outstanding 6.2
yards per carry on the season and has run for 100 yards in both of his last two games. But redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard remains the Longhorns’ greatest rushing asset. Heard is averaging 4.9 yards per carry this season — No. 6 among quarterbacks in yards per game. In Texas’ four highest scoring
performances, Heard ran on at least 30 percent of the teams’ rushing attempts. There’s no question that the Longhorns have the talent to run the ball. Texas’ success on the ground now relies on playcalling and execution. The 2-4 start isn’t what the Horns hoped for. But the team is finding its identity pounding the ball.
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BIG 12 NOTEBOOK | COLUMN
No clear favorite in Big 12 championship race By Nick Castillo
Daily Texan Columnist @Nick_Castillo74
Does anybody want to win the Big 12? No. 2 Baylor and No. 3 TCU lead the conference, but even they haven’t been incredibly impressive. Sure, the Bears beat Kansas 66-7 on Saturday. Baylor really put it on the vaunted Jayhawks’ defense, which ranks No. 116 in total defense. The Bears have scored 64.2 points per game in five wins this season, which is impressive, except that four wins came against SMU, Rice, Lamar and Kansas. Baylor should be able to put up 100 points against those teams. “You can find challenge everywhere,” Baylor head coach Art Briles said after Saturday’s game. A weak nonconference schedule isn’t a legitimate challenge for a top-three team. Baylor’s only potential obstacles to winning a third Big 12 championship are TCU, an epic collapse against an unworthy opponent or — even worse — an abundance of flags from an Alan Eck-led
officiating crew. TCU’s threat to a Big 12 title poses questions as well. The Horned Frogs demolished Texas 50-7 but struggled against Kansas State, as Wildcat head coach Bill Snyder almost performed another act of wizardry. TCU has displayed unimpressive moments as it struggled early in the season. But the Horned Frogs are definitely trending upward right now, especially with their last game of the season at home against Baylor. Oklahoma looked like a contender before Saturday’s loss to the Longhorns. Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield had put up impressive stats leading up to the Cotton Bowl letdown. Texas entered the game off its blowout loss to TCU appearing fractured, with players fighting on Twitter. Did you really want to beat the Longhorns and contend for a Big 12 Championship, Sooners? Retweet for yes or favorite for no. “All in all, they kicked us and won the football game,” Oklahoma head
Mack Brown @ESPN_ CoachMack
“No one has ever made himself great by showing how small someone else is.” Irvin Himmel
TODAY IN HISTORY Rachel Zein | Daily Texan Staff
TCU senior quarterback Trevone Boykin looks to pass against the Longhorns on Oct. 3. The Longhorns lost 50-7 and Boykin threw five touchdown passes.
coach Bob Stoops said. “There’s not much else to say about it.” Maybe Oklahoma was just ready to play its instate rival Oklahoma State and forgot to gear up for the Longhorns. If it’s any consolation, Oklahoma, the Cowboys almost forgot about Texas, too. Texas nearly beat them
before the Longhorns’ inept special teams mishandled a snap on a punt by freshman punter Michael Dickson. It was one of many lucky breaks Oklahoma State has caught this year. The Cowboys appear to be the conference’s dark horse. They’re undefeated and look ahead to a
favorable schedule, with home games against TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma. Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia all have at least one loss. Without a few breaks, each is out of the running. The question still remains: Does anybody want to win the Big 12?
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@MaddoxOnSports
Pitcher Paige von Sprecken and outfielder Reagan Hathaway may be the missing pieces the Longhorns need to take them back to the College World Series. The two young stars arrived through different routes, but they ended up in the same place: as newcomers to Texas softball. Hathaway joins the team as a freshman while von Sprecken, a sophomore, transferred from the University of San Diego. “USD wasn’t the right fit for me,” von Sprecken said. “My mom suggested I look at Texas. So when I came to visit, I fell in love with the campus. I started talking to coach Clark and everything just fell into place.”
Hathaway, a Kansas native, said she enjoys playing college ball with such a talented group. “I’m surrounded by these great players, so it’s fun to play with people at the same level,” Hathaway said. “It’s humbling, but I don’t feel like any less of a player than when I was in high school.” As a junior at Olathe Northwest High School, Hathaway told her school paper, The Raven Daily, she knew her hitting prowess could lead to lofty heights. “I think this will be a good experience,” she told the Daily. “I might get to play in the College World Series.” But before Hathaway and the Longhorns contend for playoffs, they must use games like Thursday’s fall game against Blinn College as
When I came to visit, I fell in love with the campus. I started talking to coach Clark and everything just fell into place. —Reagan Hathaway, Freshman Outfielder
preparation. The two teams play at 6:30 p.m. at the Red and Charline McCombs Field. Clark usually focuses on the task at hand, but, when examining her roster, she said she sees great potential for regular-season play. “What I like best is how well they fit into the clubhouse,” Clark said. “Paige and Reagan just fell right into place.”
1989
Wayne Gretzky passed Gordie Howe as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer.
SPORTS BRIEFLY Women’s hoops picked to finish second
Two new additions find fit in fall By Bradley Maddox
TOP TWEET
Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Intramural football crown decided Whitaker Field was crowded with fans Wednesday night who watched “It Was a Touchdown” take on the “Dirty Sacks” in the 2015 UT coed ‘A’ flag football championship. It was a Touchdown took the title 15-12 on a game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Davis Kinville. There was no score for a majority of the first half until the Dirty Sacks intercepted the ball, leading to a touchdown drive. It Was a Touchdown remained scoreless at the end of the half despite
advancing downfield. On the second possession of the second half, It Was a Touchdown completed three passes to get up the field. They eventually scored on a touchdown catch from receiver Connor Davis, who went on to score the game-winning touchdown as well. “Nothing tops this,” coach Kyle Jamis said. “These guys are the best since Vince Young.” —Rachel Greenspan Read the full article at dailytexanonline.com
Big 12 coaches picked the Longhorns to finish second in the conference in a preseason poll. Coaches could not vote for their own team in the poll. Baylor finished No. 1 in the poll with 80 points, while Texas finished with 70 points. The Longhorns received one first place vote. The Oklahoma Sooners finished close behind Texas with 69 points. The team is coming off a 105-54 loss to UConn in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last year. Guard Lashaan Higgs was named the preseason Big 12 freshman of the year. Ariel Atkins, Imani Boyette and Kelsey Lang were all named Big 12 honorable mentions. The team opens the season at home against UTSA on Nov. 14. —Akshay Mirchandani
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Thursday, October 15, 2015
Reason to Party by Lindsay Rojas
Name: 3974/Princeton Review; Width: 29p6; Depth: 1 in; Color:
Name: CROSSWORD; Width: 29p6; Depth: 5.5 in; Color: Black, CROSSWORD; Ad Number: -
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matey. This scurrvy beast is today’s answerrrrrr. t out, or it’ll be the the fishes for ya!
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DANIELLE LOPEZ, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Thursday, October 15, 2015
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Arbitrariness of names baffles memory Multimedia
Find out more about why people forget names in a video at dailytexanonline.com
By Maluly Martinez Benavides @thedailytexan
Most people will agree it’s not very hard to recognize an acquaintance on the street. Remembering their names, on the other hand, is a totally different matter. In general, people remember other peoples’ names less accurately than other information about them. Information such as the occupations or hobbies of new acquaintances are much easier to remember than their names, according to a study published by the British Journal of Developmental Psychology. This holds true even when the name of an occupation and the name of a person are the same. In a similar study in the British Journal of Psychology, subjects had more trouble remembering a man’s name was Mr. Baker than remembering he was a baker. To “remember” involves three distinct cognitive processes. First, the brain forms a new memory through the process of encoding; second, it retains this memory through the process of storage; and
third, it recalls stored memories through the process of retrieval. When people forget something, they may be experiencing a problem with any of these three steps. Psychology professor Zenzi Griffin said the arbitrary relationship between people and their names makes personal names essentially meaningless and can make them hard to encode and retrieve. Names are especially susceptible to the tipof-the-tongue phenomenon — the frustrating sensation of knowing a word but being unable to produce it — an issue associated with the retrieval process. “Names pick out individuals rather than kinds,” Griffin said. “If you learn the word ‘tree’ by looking at a tree, you will be able to recognize other trees. If you meet one person named John, it’s not going to help you recognize other people named John.” Griffin said attentiveness can also play a part in the difficulty people have remembering names. When students are called to introduce themselves on the first day of class, they’re unlikely to be invested in learning other students’ names, so they won’t. They may even be experiencing the “next-in-line”
Illustration by Melanie Westfall | Daily Texan Staff
effect — focusing on their own introduction rather than listening to others. However, Griffin said that these social aspects can’t always explain why names are difficult to remember. “Even when people are motivated, it can be quite difficult to learn and retrieve names,” Griffin said. Names are especially hard to encode and retrieve because they don’t create concrete images in people’s minds. Other nouns rely on visual cues that make them easier to remember. In fact, personal names are as
hard to remember as made-up, nonsense words because they signify just as little. Gillian Cohen, a cognitive psychologist formerly at Oxford University, compared people’s ability to remember the names of characters versus their possessions. She introduced a sentence to participants’ such as, “This man is called Mr. Collins; he has a boat,” and people would recall the boat more frequently than Mr. Collins’ name. Cohen then introduced sentences where a nonsense word substituted the object such as,
Editor’s Note: This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
By Cat Cardenas @crcardenas8
Matt Robertson Daily Texan Staff
History professor to showcase work at Austin Book Festival @thedailytexan
In UT history professor Steven Mintz’s latest book, “The Prime of Life: A History of Modern Adulthood,” he argues strict familial norms are a thing of the past. Mintz is the author and editor of 14 novels which largely focus on the history of American families and growing up in the U.S. On Sunday, he will be one of many authors presenting their work at the Texas Book Festival, and will discuss how people are using phrases such as “comingof-age” and “settling down” later in their lives. In his recent work, Mintz touches on what it means to be an adult today and the way it has changed over the course of history. His book argues that in general, health is better, people are more affluent and that today’s world is more individualized. “There are positives, but with that, it is more difficult to define a course in life,” Mintz said. “There is no set rule book, and people are
showed that subjects retrieved descriptive names of cartoon characters more easily than non-descriptive ones. More participants remembered names such as Pink Panther or Grumpy than Garfield or Gargamel. Similarly, Griffin said descriptive nicknames are much easier to retrieve than personal names. “I had a friend that people called ‘the fridge,’” Griffin said. “He was huge, and because it was meaningful, you’d remember it.”
Sandra Cisneros explores latest novel, inspiration
History professor Steven Mintz is the author and editor of 14 novels including his most recent “The Prime of Life: A History of Modern Adulthood.” Mintz will discuss the changing culture of familial norms presented in the book at the Texas Book Festival on Sunday.
By Brandi Davis
“This man is called Mr. Collins; he has a wesp.” People were able to remember Mr. Collins’ name about as often as his “wesp.” Creating associations between a name and a person is one of the best strategies people can use to remember names more effectively. For example, Griffin suggested that if a new acquaintance introduces herself as Joy, it will be easier to remember her name by noticing that she is either extremely cheerful or ironically gloomy. A 1998 study in Memory, a peer-reviewed journal,
excessively pressured and stressed. I wanted to understand this paradox.” Mintz said the fact that the average college graduate will have 11 different jobs in three different career fields proves people are no longer confined by rigid roles. He said they now have more freedom to define their own lives. “This is scarier than spending the rest of your life in one job,” Mintz said. “Careers hinge more on taking chances, on being a risk taker, being an entrepreneur than it did a half a century ago.” Because of these expectations, women in the 1970s typically had two or three kids by the age of 20. But since then, Mintz said the roles of adulthood have changed drastically. “It’s harder to grow up now, economically,” Mintz said. “It’s difficult to have a career because it requires advanced education and experience that many people don’t have. Adulthood is synonymous with stress and independence, but there’s an
alternate definition of adulthood: being sophisticated and confident, being mature and knowledgeable.” Mintz has helped create programs to bring students into STEM fields such as cyber security, biomedical sciences and criminal justice. He said he aims to lead students into fields that offer more promising career opportunities and valuable learning experiences. “I feel that I’m helping shape the future of education,” Mintz said. “I’m helping students have a more successful academic experience.” Stephanie Coontz, a bestselling author of books such as “Marriage, a History” and “The Way We Never Were,” has known Mintz since 1988. After they both released their debut novels the same year, she and Mintz met through the Council on Contemporary Families, a foundation that provides research about American families. She said that in his writing, Mintz takes every side of an issue into account. “A good thing about Mintz is that he digs very deeply
COMING OF AGE, SOONER OR LATER
Where: Texas State Capitol, Capitol Extensions Room E2. 026 When: Sunday, 2:15 -- 3 p.m.
into his history and research,” Coontz said. “He doesn’t take a one-sided argument. He looks at all different components of a topic.” Mintz said he’s looking forward to the Texas Book Festival because it’s a “who’s who” of authors. He’s excited the state has given books and reading so much recognition. “In different stages of life people read books that alter the way we see ourselves and the way we see the world around us,” Mintz said. “I’m excited to be part of a book festival that creates a buzz surrounding reading culture.” By working to create pathways that bring many students to fields that have high attrition rates, Mintz has helped create programs in STEM fields such as cyber security, biomedical sciences and criminal justice.
Author Sandra Cisneros spent her childhood traveling between the U.S. and Mexico, embracing her dual identities by writing about them. Her novels, including her most famous book, “The House on Mango Street,” center around characters based on her neighborhood and are framed by themes of home, identity and belonging. This year, the MacArthur Fellowship recipient released “A House of My Own: Stories From My Life” — an autobiographical novel that focuses on her home and the events that followed after she left it. The Daily Texan spoke with Cisneros about her latest book and her experiences as a Latina writer. The Daily Texan: Do you remember the moment you first knew you wanted to be a writer? Sandra Cisneros: Oh yes. When I was 11 years old in the Humboldt Park Library. I just wanted my name on the spine of a book. I know that sounds so silly and superficial, but I wanted some kind of permanence. My brothers would always tease me about how I was going to grow up and get married and change
SANDRA CISNEROS Where: Central Presbyterian Church When: Saturday, 3 -- 3:45 p.m.
my name. They’d say I wasn’t a real Cisneros, but I wanted to show everybody. DT: How does your latest book differ from your past work? SC: My other stories were loosely based on my neighborhood. [“A House of My Own”] is my life, it’s much different than that. I try to set the record straight. It’s really peeling the layers back so you can see who the woman behind the story is. I hope it gives people some clarity, I try to be very precise. DT: Part of your most recent book discusses you leaving your parents’ home. Do you think your life would have been different if you hadn’t decided to do that? SC: I probably would’ve had a different life. I wouldn’t have been able to reinvent myself with my family around, I would’ve been locked into the life that they expected of me. It was incredibly hard, though. I was my father’s favorite child, just imagine. It broke my heart to
HOUSE page 5
Photograph Courtesy of Makers
Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros released her autobiographical novel, “A House of My Own: Stories from My Life” earlier this month.