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LIFE&ARTS PAGE 5
COMICS PAGE 6
SPORTS PAGE 7
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SYSTEM
McRaven discusses Houston expansion By Caleb Wong @caleber96
Chancellor William McRaven conceded to being “guilty as charged” of not collaborating with lawmakers on a plan to expand the UT System in Houston during a higher education board meeting Thursday. After receiving backlash from Houston-based lawmakers and civic leaders, McRaven said in a meeting with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that he should have discussed the plan
with lawmakers and higher education officials, according to the Austin AmericanStatesman. McRaven said he did not want to disclose the price of the land being bought by the UT System to prevent the price of the land from rising. “It probably would have been a good idea [to consult with the coordinating board],” McRaven said. “If the word gets out, the next thing you know, the price goes up.” In his strategic plan for the future of the UT System, McRaven said he
hoped to build a 300-acre campus in southwest Houston near the downtown area to increase UT System research funding and advance underdeveloped research projects. A UT System press release said the System did not intend to duplicate the efforts of existing UT home institutions and would convene a task force primarily composed of Houstonians to advise on possible uses of the land. The land would cost a total of $450 million over 30 years,
HOUSTON page 2
Fischer plans to support a $15 minimum wage, push for student debt relief and oppose the expansion of firearms on campus. “As progressive Democrats,
The School of Social Work has partnered with Recreational Sports to create an experiential learning course for students and help the Austin community. The School of Social Work piloted the course in the fall 2015 semester. According to Chris Burnett, the course instructor and RecSports’ senior assistant director, students undertake a two-semester curriculum that combines leadership training, group work and recreational sports skills. In the fall, students worked with Caritas of Austin and Foundation Communities to help people transitioning out of homelessness. The experience helped students mature by teaching them how to process their emotions and handle difficult situations after college, Burnett said. This spring, the students will train to teach rock climbing to women and children from the Settlement Home of Austin and then use the experience to discuss overcoming challenges. “By taking this approach to the realities of homelessness and leadership through experience, we put students in an environment that makes them explore emotions and ideas that make them uncomfortable — and that’s good,” Burnett said. “We all go through assumptions and generalizations in life. Understanding welfare and homelessness through this hands-on approach is
FISCHER page 3
COURSE page 2
Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan file photo
UT System Chancellor William McRaven said Thursday that he should have discussed plans to expand the UT System into Houston with lawmakers and higher education officials.
By Forrest Milburn @forrestmilburn
Mike McGraw | Daily Texan Staff
UT Alumnus Huey Rey Fischer talks to students at the Sanchez Building on Thursday evening. Fischer is running to represent House
are attorney Aspen Dunaway, former Austin ISD president Gina Hinojosa, attorney Kenton Johnson, former NARAL ProChoice Texas counsel Blake Rocap, attorney Matt Shrum and UT law professor Heather Way. While concurrently speaking
NATIONAL
Hands-on leadership class helps community @rundkhayyat
Fischer campaign calls for student voters
Each of the other candidates in the race have previously stated in interviews with The Daily Texan that they plan to reach out to the large base of student support residing in the district. The other six candidates — all Democrats — in the race
CAMPUS
By Rund Khayyat
CITY
Around 20 students gathered on campus Tuesday to support recent UT graduate Huey Rey Fischer in his race for House District 49, eager to begin registering their fellow students at the launch of Students for Huey, a student campaign group. Fischer’s campaign aims to actively reach out to voters on campus in anticipation of the Feb. 1 voter registration deadline. The group plans to use social media, tabling on campus and speaking to student organizations, all efforts Students for Huey can help with. “If students wanted to, they could decide this election, and this is what we’re riding on,” Fischer said. “This is the first time in 25 years that students have had this opportunity to elect somebody to the Texas House that looks like them ... and who understands their issues intimately.” Fischer, a former legislative aide and 2014 graduate, is vying to replace Democratic State Rep. Elliott Naishtat — who has represented West Campus since 1990 — against six other candidates after the incumbent announced in December he would not seek re-election.
bit.ly/dtvid
to other organizations on campus, Fischer, a former president of University Democrats, will speak to UDems members on Feb. 7 in an attempt to secure a highly coveted endorsement from the student group. If elected to the state House,
WORLD
UT student hosts TEDx event Ph.D. candidate researches on televised Senate broadcasts power of theater on refugees By Wynne Davis @wynneellyn
By Vedant Peris
The U.S. Senate’s televised broadcasts have impaired its ability to discuss important political issues, according to a UT student who gave a talk during a TEDx event in Reno, Nevada. William Dodd, a economics and rhetoric and writing senior, presented the talk to more than 350 people at a TEDx event that aired online Jan. 18. TEDx events are designed to spread ideas and encourage intellectual collaboration. In his talk, Dodd identified what he called “The Senate’s Failed Experiment,” or what he sees as the Senate’s inability to have collaborative non partisan conversations, in part because the sessions are aired on television.
Dodd said he first saw evidence of this phenomenon when he worked in Washington D.C. as an intern in 2013 and watched a
congressional hearing. “’Who are [the senators] talking to?’ That’s really what
UT Ph.D. candidate Bart Pitchford is raising money to research how Syrians living in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan use theater performance to help rebuild their community and identity. The Zaatari Camp was established in 2012 to host some of the 7.6 million displaced Syrians fleeing ongoing civil war violence in their country. The camp currently holds just under 80,000 refugees, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Pitchford, a war veteran, was deployed in an Army psychological operations division to Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen, where he helped
NEWS
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REASON TO PARTY
100th anniversary of ‘Hot Science, Cool Talks’. PAGE 3
Refugees must be seen as more than a number. PAGE 4
Men’s basketball set to take on No. 3 Kansas. PAGE 7
Behind the scenes look into ACL’s first episode. PAGE 8
Students to present at SpaceX competition. PAGE 3
Athletics dodges a bullet and gains an opportunity. PAGE 4
Women’s basketball hosts Oklahoma on Saturday. PAGE 7
Drunk actors perform in “Shit-faced Shakespeare”. PAGE 8
Looking for ways to enjoy the (relatively) cold weather? Check out our five favorite ideas in a video recap at dailytexanonline.com
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@v_hobbes
Alec Ploof | Daily Texan Staff
William Dodd, a senior economics and writing senior, returns to UT to finish his last semester after giving a TEDx talk to over 350 people in Reno, Nevada.
TEDX page 2
develop theater programs that addressed issues about social justice. He hopes to raise enough money to finance his research using a UT HornRaiser page. Pitchford hopes to go to Jordan this weekend and stay until the end of May to research theater performances in the Zaatari Refugee Camp, where at any given moment over a half-dozen theater projects are in rehearsal or in play. Theater is suited to populations where political rights have been lost or denied, and can be used to reimagine citizenship in a way that supports refugee’s political and social rights, according to Pitchford. “Theater becomes a safe space, and allows you to imagine different possibili-
ties about how life can exist,” Pitchford said. “When we do performances, we are usually looking at slices of life that present things that concern us.” Pitchford hopes to document theater performances so they can be discussed — so the voices of Syrian refugees may be heard. Performances can also act as a method of protest for refugees as they seek citizenship, according to Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, an assistant professor of theater and dance. “If you consider that the suffering experienced by those displaced and disempowered is physical and psychical in nature, then you can see that theater programs respond to
REFUGEE page 2
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Friday, January 22, 2016
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NEWS
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Volume 116, Issue 84
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Daniel Ellenberger, a graduate student in the College of Pharmacy, extinguishes a fire as a part of his portable fire extinguisher training on Speedway on Thursday afternoon.
COURSE
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a powerful experience.” The instructors gave students tools that helped them develop real-world experience in leadership, social work senior Elizabeth Cook said. “Before this class I didn’t see myself as a leader, and I thought you had to be in an official role to lead others,” Cook said. “I now see that we each have the ability to lead our peers and use our privilege and strengths to work towards goals.” Burnett believes pushing students will help them better develop these leadership qualities. “We don’t just show up,
REFUGEE
continues from page 1 the circumstances of suffering,” Bonin-Rodriguez said in an email. Zaatari is becoming a
This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25 Permanent Staff
Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Claire Smith Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexander Chase, Davis Clark, Mary Dolan, Mohammad Syed Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Zhang Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nick Castillo, Jackie Wang News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wynne Davis Associate News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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Tom Li Senior Tech Team Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Humphrey, Sam Limerick Podcast Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony Green Associate Podcast Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lillian Michel Editorial Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Chen
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TED X
work and leave,” Burnett said. “[The students] have dinner with these residents, so there is a powerful engagement. … That’s an experience they’ll never forget from this class.” Applied learning and development senior Hannah Ross said each class session had specific challenges the students had to solve together. “It was unlike any other course I’ve taken at UT,” Ross said. “It encourages cooperative work but also pushed each of us individually to conquer fears and rely on strength we didn’t know we had.” Burnett believes the experiential learning structure should also be implemented
in other subject areas. “It’s much more engaging,” Burnett said. “[The students] have to talk and debrief each other, which is quite painful for [them]
because so much communication is through social media. There’s a way to put this approach in many more educational experiences that will deepen the learning.”
permanent settlement as some refugees having lived there for more than two years. Now, the UN is working with global non-profit organizations and corporations to brainstorm ways to develop this small area into a sustainable city.
Pitchford said Syrian refugees developing a sense of community through theater will only draw them closer to this self-sufficiency. Kira Stein, a biology and theater and dance junior, also appreciates the potential of
theater performance to bring people together. “Fine arts give me a sense of belonging and community,” Stein said. “I get to connect with others from different backgrounds who share a passion for the same art form.”
HOUSTON
universities are not businesses. Universities operate on taxpayers money. That money belongs to the taxpayers,” Wilson Sr. said. In a letter to McRaven, Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) said the System’s expansion could adversely affect the ability of Houston-based institutions to remain competitive for faculty and research dollars. “In my 42 years of service in the Texas legislature, I have not seen such an affront to the legislative process and conservative
deliberations of the higher education community,” Whitmire wrote. “I would strongly urge the University of Texas leadership to hold off on any action … until the Legislature reconvenes.” Even as McRaven acknowledged communication shortcomings with other higher education officials, he emphasized the plan would benefit the state as a whole. “This is about helping the people of Texas, not just Houston,” McRaven said. “I intend to make this unique opportunity a reality.”
continues from page 1 McRaven said Wednesday to the House Higher Education Committee. Welcome Wilson Sr., chairman of the University of Houston’s political action committee, said that a new System campus in Houston would inhibit the ability of Houston-based higher education institutions to receive limited resources and would not be a good use of taxpayer money. “Competition may be good for business, but
continues from page 1
Courtesy of Chris Burnett
Some social work students are enrolled in part two of an experiential leadership course that focuses on helping the community.
I asked,” Dodd said. “That’s when I saw the cameras on the wall, and then I was, like, well there it is: [The seanators are] talking to the world. That’s going to go on their Facebook page in a few hours, and [the taping is] going to be tweeted out and go on their YouTube.“ Although Dodd first noticed the problem as an intern, he researched the problem in-depth when he chose it as the topic for his rhetoric and writing honors thesis that he wrote last year. Associate rhetoric and writing professor Linda Ferriera-Buckley, who served as Dodd’s thesis advisor, said Dodd really wanted to work on an idea he could bring to the people, which he did at the TEDx event shortly after submitting his thesis. “It was amazing at how quickly he brought it to the next level,” Buckley said. “He’s figured out how he can create opportunities. … It’s about effecting change in society — change that he knows to be vital, and I admire that.” During his talk, Dodd said the legislature isn’t always at a standstill. He referenced former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial in the ’90s, when the committee hearings were not televised. When the cameras are off, senators are able to participate in a more open discussion and not worry about arguing their political party’s ideals, Dodd said. In order to remove cameras from the floor, Dodd said the senators just had to have a majority vote, a fact his friend Robert Maxwell, who attended the event, said he was surprised to learn. Maxwell said he thinks removing cameras from the floor would be a good idea, but it could lead to some complaints from viewers. “I think there would adverse knee-jerk reactions by many constituents who would initially view the movement as nothing more than another way to increase the opacity between us and our elected officials,” Maxwell said in an email. Giving the talk was a cathartic experience, Dodd said, and one well received as members of the audience came up to him after the talk saying they were going to call their senators. “That is the ultimate compliment, because that really means the talk wasn’t about me, and people were talking about the message and not the messenger,” Dodd said. “I think that means I did my job.”
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Friday, January 22, 2016
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
512 Hyperloop advances in design competition By Jasleen Shokar @jasleenshokar
A group of UT undergraduates known as the 512 Hyperloop Team has created a design of a Hyperloop pod, or high-speed transportation system, and will present it in College Station this weekend. “The Hyperloop involves moving a pod resting on air bearings at nearly supersonic velocities through an evacuated tube,” said Michael Rakavina, mechanical engineering junior, founder and captain of the 512 Hyperloop team. “The implications would mean being able to get from Austin to Dallas in 30 minutes.” The students will present the design as part of a design competition by SpaceX, a technology company that specializes in aerospace transport. In August 2015, SpaceX founder Elon Musk wrote a paper about his idea for highspeed ground transportation. As part of an initiative to promote student innovators Musk proposed a competition that encouraged students to design their own Hyperloop pods. “Our pod, named the Auroch, an ancestor of the Longhorn, will glide on a cushion of air,” aerospace engineering sophomore Matt Morris said. “Think air hockey, but the puck shoots the air instead of the table.” The competition, which was open to anyone, began in early September and final designs were submitted
The 512 Hyperloop team will present their design of a Hyperloop pod, or high-speed transportation system, in College Station this weekend for a design competition by SpaceX.
in December. Out of over 1,200 teams, the 512 Hyperloop team is one of only 124 teams to qualify for the next round. This weekend the team will present their pod design at Texas A&M University in order to gain feedback, alter designs and receive final approval to construct the pod. “The team aims to develop a working prototype of a Hyperloop pod, capable of moving at 330 mph,” said Khushbu Patel, aerospace engineering senior and lead on the project. Computer Aided Design, or CAD models, were used to design the pod, mechanical engineering freshman Alex Choi said. “One of the issues that has come up is the technical limitation that we have,” Choi said. “For instance, one of our fluid simulations would have taken over 80 hours to run. Because of this, we had to design simplified models which would both emulate the original simulation and be runnable within a reasonable time frame.” On Monday, the team launched a fundraiser through the UT Hornraiser website and hopes to raise $15,000, a portion of the $50,000 required for construction. The team hopes to reach out to corporations for additional donations. The 512 Hyperloop team will compete against other finalists in Hawthorne, California, at a test track constructed near SpaceX headquarters in June.
Courtesy of 512 Hyperloop
STATE
UT graduate students begin Hill Country Alliance study By Ellie Breed @elliebreed
Twelve graduate students from the School of Architecture, along with regional planning experts, have partnered with the Hill Country Alliance to publish a study containing strategies to protect the Texas Hill Country and its resources. The Alliance is dedicated to preserving natural resources in the area, which reaches from northern San Antonio to western Travis County. The recently published study proposes establishing a Hill Country Endowment to finance conservation and infrastructure improvement efforts, distinguish between areas suited for preservation and areas suited for development, and establish a Hill Country Trinity Water Conservation Area to manage the use of groundwater. The continued growth of surrounding metropolitan areas and their influence on the landscape is a concern for
NEWS BRIEFLY
UT System Regent Hall files new appeal UT System Regent Wallace Hall filed an appeal Thursday afternoon against Chancellor William McRaven in an attempt to access to confidential student records in the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals. The appeal came after a judge dismissed the case in December. A February report, commissioned by the UT System, found that found several dozen under-qualified students may have been improperly admitted to UT System schools through admissions connections. Hall then requested to access unredacted student records, which contain applicants’ personal information, from the System. McRaven said Hall could access redacted versions of those records for privacy reasons, but Hall said the redacted records are useless without identifying information.
the area, according to Britin Bostick, a community and regional planning graduate student who was involved in the study. “The delivery of resources to large and growing urban areas often results in infrastructure construction that utilizes eminent domain to reduce project costs,” Bostick said. “This burdens landowners, devalues their property values and the routes often destroy beautiful, uninterrupted landscapes.” The students, with the help of visiting professor and project leader Robert Yaro, did land surveys in the area and researched its features to determine how best to preserve its resources. Nearby cities’ dependence on the Edwards Aquifer made preserving it a high priority for researchers, according to Fritz Steiner, School of Architecture dean. “Both San Antonio and Austin rely on surface and groundwater from the Hill Country for their water supply,” Steiner said.
“It is extremely important to the cities to preserve the Edwards Aquifer so we have a good supply of water into the future.” Along with environmental concerns, the researchers also considered the importance of preserving the culture and heritage of the Hill Country. The study also proposed modifying land development practices by establishing conservation communities that would consider the area’s rural character when planning developments. Business freshman Katie Conover, who does equestrian training at a ranch in the Hill Country, said the area has a rich cultural history that could fade due to its continued development, if not protected. “The Hill Country has so many ranches and farms that have been passed down through generations and small towns that have a very quaint feel to them,” Conover said. “These areas continue to develop, though, and I sometimes worry that they will lose the unique feel that the Hill Country has always had.”
In a statement Thursday, System officials said they had expected Hall to appeal the dismissal. “We were anticipating the appeal,” a System spokesperson said. “Last week, Regent Hall’s attorney filed a motion for expedited consideration of his appeal, which Chancellor McRaven did not oppose.” After the lawsuit was filed, the Board of Regents approved an admissions policy in August to curtail the number of underqualified applicants to UT System institutions by requiring presidents of each institution to personally approve each admission case under a limited set of guidelines. However, Hall has continued to pursue the case, attempting to access documents that Kroll, a corporate investigations firm, used to create the report, according to the Texas Tribune. When the lawsuit was first filed in June, McRaven said in a statement that a regent’s actions are not above the law. “Where federal or state law
makes confidential information that relates to a specific individual, whether it is private health information or an individual student’s protected information, it is our duty to ensure that we strictly comply with those confidentiality requirements,” said Chancellor McRaven in a statement. “I regret that Regent Hall believes the lawsuit is necessary or appropriate, but I am confident that my actions are in compliance not only with what the law requires, but also with what is in the best interest of our students, patients, and employees across the UT System.” Hall’s lawyer, Joseph Knight, said Hall would be filing an appeal in December after the judge dismissed the case. “Both sides recognized, as did the judge, that the final word in this case would come from an appellate court,” Knight said to The Dallas Morning News. “This is just step one.” —Caleb Wong
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
‘Hot Science’ lecture series celebrates centennial episode By Catherine Marfin @caaatheerineee
With stunt men, tornado clouds and a 13–foot long TRex puppet named Manny, “Hot Science — Cool Talks,” lecture series held on campus six times a year, will be celebrating its 100th episode in style. For its 100th episode, the series is partnering with the Austin Independent School District and will hold the lecCourtesy of Julia Clarke ture this Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Geology associate professor Julia Clarke will be featured in AISD’s brand new Performing the 100th episode of “Hot Science — Cool Talks.” Arts Center. Within 60 hours indicator of how important in science, specifically scienall 1,200 seats were sold out, and successful this program tific research happening on Banner said. is,” Duke said. “What sci- UT’s campus. “It’s wonderful to have sci“The things that are hapentists do is cool, and this entists engaging with the comprogram allows even non- pening at UT would not as easmunity in this way,” outreach experts to get excited about ily get publicized if it weren’t program coordinator Melinda for our series,” Banner, who scientific research.” Chow said. “The fact that over Prior to each lecture, the talk is also the series’ co-founder, a thousand seats were reserved series holds a public commu- said. “The research happenin less than three days speaks nity science fair with hands- ing here would otherwise take to the value of this series in on activities for students of all years to get into textbooks, and our community.” ages. For the 100th episode, we want people to get excited The lecture, co-emceed by the lecture’s science fair will about it now.” geology professor Jay BanSince its first episode, the feature Steve Wolf, ATX Dino’s ner and music professor Bob mascot, “Manny the T-Rex,” program has experienced imDuke of the podcast “Two and 25 other exhibits, present- mense growth. Over 17 years, Guys on Your Head,” will ers and interactive demonstra- the series has expanded from feature geology associate crowds of 400 to accommotions of scientific concepts. professor Julia Clarke, a leadSince its founding in 1999, dating crowds of 1,200 people. ing researcher in the field of “Every event we do is spe“Hot Science — Cool Talks” dinosaur evolution. Clarke’s has gained national recogni- cial,” Banner said. “Seeing evpresentation, titled “The Setion for its efforts to engage eryone doing the hands-on accret Lives of Dinosaurs,” will the public in STEM topics. The tivities and discovering things explore what science has series, which is held live and for themselves is amazing. revealed about dinosaurs. broadcast online, dedicates It’s a great way to get people “This milestone is a huge itself to engaging the public involved in science.”
FISCHER
continues from page 1 we know the past 20 years of playing defense against the Republicans has gotten us nowhere,” Fischer said. “If we want to start leading this state again, then we need to push back with an agenda that is positive, progressive and truly meaningful.” Fischer’s campaign officials believe his progressive campaign platform, as well as being the only openly LGBT candidate in the race, will help encourage students to not only turn out but to also choose him at the ballot.
“I think it’s really cool that someone who is queer [and] is the son of a formerly undocumented immigrant is also running because generally those viewpoints are not represented in the legislature as it stands,” economics and math senior Daniel Chapman said. Fischer said he would need about 3,000 students to support him in order to win a majority and avoid a runoff election. “We are going to gun for as many as possible, because the sky’s the limit with 52,000 students here on campus,” campus director Doug Snyder, business and government freshman, said. “Ideally, we’d
love all of them to register to vote.” Fischer’s campaign is confident it can secure enough support to win and avoid a runoff election through increased turnout from the competitive primaries on both sides for president. “We anticipate a spike because the Texas primary is going to matter this year,” campaign director Allison Heinrich said. “We’re going to reach as many [voters] as we can through outreach on campus, working in the communities, spreading the word and really just making sure folks we meet know about this election.”
4 OPINION
CLAIRE SMITH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | @TexanEditorial Friday, January 22, 2016
4
COLUMN
Future is promising for student-athlete balance By Davis Clark
Daily Texan Associate Editor @DavisClarkDT
The verdict is in: The University of Texas’s athletic department has been cleared of alleged academic dishonesty and, in some respects, applauded for its academic efforts. On Jan. 13, a third-party investigation mandated by President Fenves early in his tenure delivered an encouraging review of the state of academics in the University’s athletics department. In light of the investigation’s favorable conclusion, the NCAA will not pursue any further investigation or proceedings of its own. The athletic department can be satisfied beyond just official proof of innocence as many facets of its academics earned commendation. UT student-athletes cumulatively earned a GPA of 3.08 in the fall of 2015 and not one was on academic probation. The academic resources, such as facilities and tutors, available to student-athletes as well as the requirements expected of them were singled out for praise. The report surely provides immediate relief in the face of a potentially damaging hit on the reputation of the University and its athletic department. But, over time, the most critical element of it will likely become its proposals for future action. Athletic departments at the nation’s largest universities now wield immense power at their respective institutions.
In the face of this rising power, universities are faced with a dilemma: how to balance lucrative on-field success with rigorous academic training expected of all students. Their huge fan bases and ever-increasing financial power have granted them large independence from — and even influence over — the academic side of universities. This trend poses a real threat to the vaunted (and contentious) NCAA ideal of a “student-athlete.” In the face of this rising power, universities are faced with a dilemma: how to balance lucrative on-field success with rigorous academic training expected of all students. Fortunately, the academic proposals of the type mentioned within the report establish a streamlined balance. The proposals center upon structural rearrangement. The athletics department should consider, according to the report, establishing stronger connections between the largely in-house operations of the athletic department and the University’s traditional academic offices. Offering student-athletes an academic advisory outlet outside the athletics department, perhaps through the office of the provost, would
Jenna Van Hofe | Daily Texan file photo
lend much-needed integration. Also, ensuring student-athletes consult regularly with advisers in their respective colleges, rather than over-relying upon those within the athletic department, would integrate athletic and academic spheres. If such changes — and others like them — are implemented, it would aid studentathlete education and, in so doing, contribute to the greater goal of ensuring that the academic goals of university life are not entirely eclipsed by sporting con-
cerns. These types of changes are imperative to reestablishing the ultimate goal of being a student. With student-athletes spending dozens of hours a week on practice, traveling for events and posturing for potential professional careers, it is tempting to let slide the academic emphasis at the heart of college life. But the importance of an education for personal development and long-term financial success cannot be overstated. Clark is an English senior from Dallas.
COLUMN
It is past time to adopt a balanced budget amendment By Daniel Hung Guest Columnist @Texaneditorial
On Jan. 8, Governor Abbott called for a constitutional convention to adopt nine proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Among the most important of the proposed amendments is the balanced budget amendment, which would require Congress to not spend more than it receives. Almost every U.S. state, as well as some other countries such as Germany, is required to balance its budget. Balancing the budget is common sense. No government can constantly spend more than it has without going bankrupt, and America will face this dire result if it does not pass a balanced budget amendment. In 2000 the national debt was $5.7 trillion and 44.7% of the GDP; today it is $18.9 trillion and 115% of the GDP. Throughout these years, not only was there a failure to pass a balanced budget, but the U.S. ran immense budget deficits which tripled the national debt. In 2015 the Federal Government received $3.249 trillion but spent $3.688 trillion, thus running a $439 billion deficit which was added to the national debt. It is just as problematic that the interest payment alone on the national debt was $430 billion in 2014. This path is unsustainable, and we only have to look at Greece to see where we will be in the near future if the U.S. does not start balancing its budget and paying off its debt. Just ten years ago Greece had about the same debt-to-GDP ratio
To ensure that future generations receive the same benefits as those today, the U.S. needs to adopt the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. we have today. Politicians of both parties lack the political will to balance the budget, thus they should be required to do so through a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Opponents claim that requiring Congress to balance the budget would leave it unable to act in times of national emergencies, such as war or economic recession. These opponents, however, tend to ignore that the proposed balanced budget amendment does create exceptions for such emergencies. Other opponents claim that balancing the budget would involve painful cuts to government spending. But by not cutting spending today, we are all but ensuring even more devastating cuts to government spending in the future. For example, perhaps to balance the budget today we will need to make cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, defense spending and more. On the other hand, if we do not balance the budget today, future generations might not even get the benefits of these programs. The examples set by states such as Texas and countries such as Germany
Illustration by Justin Cheon | Daily Texan Staff
prove balancing the budget is not only doable, but the right thing to do. To ensure that future generations receive the same benefits as those today, the
U.S. needs to adopt the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Hung is a second-year law student from Brownsville.
COLUMN
Refugees should be seen as more than just numbers By Khadija Saifullah
Daily Texan Senior Columnist @Coolstorysunao
When President Obama gave his final State of the Union address, one guest in attendance ensured that he had not forgotten about resettling refugees. Refaai Hamo, a scientist and Syrian refugee, was featured on the renowned photoblog Humans of New York this past month when Syrian refugees were preparing to embark on their new journey to the states. The father of four told HONY the story of his precocious knack for science as a child. Starting from the bottom, he pursued a PhD while working construction jobs at night, and later married his college sweetheart. Once an established professional, Hamo built his family a compound. Hamo’s life story prior to the Syrian War can be likened to the “American dream.” His compound was later destroyed in
the midst of the civil war, leaving his family members either injured or killed. “We survived but we’re dead psychologically,” Hamo said in his HONY interview. “Everything ended for us that day. That was our destiny.” Following the Paris attacks in November and San Bernardino in December, a number of state governors and Republican presidential candidates called for a halt to Syrian refugee resettlement. Refugees like Hamo show the value of such individuals, who come from different walks of life and struggles that caused them to lose everything in the war. Yet, they are still hopeful for the bright future that America can provide for them. Despite being a brilliant scientist in Syria, Refaai was unable to get a job as an engineering teacher in Turkey. This included a university that was using the textbook he wrote himself. “I still think I have a chance to make a difference in the world,” Hamo said. “I have several inventions that I’m hoping to patent
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.
once I get to America.” In response to publicizing the inventor’s story on the HONY blog, photoblogger Brandon Stanton not only received increased attention from his 16 million Facebook followers — who donated over $700,000 in the course of three days during the holiday season — but from President Obama, who read and responded to Hamo’s emotional story. “Welcome to your new home,” President Obama commented in response to the story, calling Hamo an inspiration. “You’re part of what makes America great.” Texas, as the state that resettles the most refugees in the nation, is at the forefront of the refugee inclusion issue. Hamo’s story, like that of thousands of other refugees from Syria, is an example of the sheer wealth these individuals have. They are working individuals like ourselves, whose dreams were squashed because of the civil war, but are still hopeful for a new start. Instead of viewing refugees as aliens to the country, we should understand that they
SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | E-mail 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.
Texas, as the state that resettles the most refugees in the nation, is at the forefront of the refugee inclusion issue. have more in common with us than we realize. “I was thrilled when I heard that President Barack Obama is welcoming us into the United States,” Hamo said in a statement. “I felt that hope was revived as well as the strength to continue my dreams and ambition in my new country. I am so proud and honored to be in this country and look forward to one day becoming an American citizen so that we can be part of making America a strong and great country.” Saifullah is a neuroscience sophomore from Richardson.
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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Friday, January 22, 2016
THEATER & DANCE
‘Shit-faced Shakespeare’ arrives in Austin By James Rodriguez @jamie_rod
The first time Daniel Berger-Jones performed in a Shakespeare play while drunk, he initiated a yoga competition onstage and managed to pull his leg behind his head in a whiskeyfueled feat of athleticism. Such antics are all in a day’s work for the classically trained actors of Shit-faced Shakespeare, a touring theater troupe that performs serious Shakespeare plays with one drunken cast member thrown into the fray. The brainchild of Lewis Ironside and fellow actor Christopher Snelson, Shit-faced Shakespeare debuted in the UK in 2010 and expanded to Boston last spring under the direction of Gabriel Kuttner and Berger-Jones. In addition to the Boston and UK casts, the show will open in Austin at the Spider House Ballroom this Friday, where audiences can expect a raucous, booze-filled production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” “The thing is these were once very lively, interactive bits of theater, and that’s just almost dead,” Ironside said. “People go to Shakespeare, and they appreciate it. We don’t like that. We want people to come to our shows and actually enjoy them. And we work bloody hard to make sure that the show that underlies it is good.” UT alumnus Isto Barton is part of the newly formed Austin cast. As a student, Barton spent two summers studying and performing Shakespeare as part of UT’s Shakespeare at Winedale program. Now, Barton will prepare to add an element of improv to his Shakespeare performances, as the
Mike McGraw | Daily Texan Staff
Shit-faced Shakespeare is a touring troupe of classically trained actors who perform Shakespeare plays with the added wrinkle of one drunken cast member. Daniel Berger-Jones said that having a different drunken actor each show keeps the play fresh and interesting for both the cast and the audience.
sober actors must move the play along in spite of the single inebriated actor. “One of my favorite things about any play is when something goes horribly, horribly wrong and you have to figure it out and make it work,” Barton said. “This whole show is based around the idea of entering that little bit of chaos.” Berger-Jones and Ironside recall instances of partial or full nudity, power tool-wielding drunkards and swordfights conducted with prosthetic limbs
borrowed from audience members. Each actor gets chosen to drink based on a rotation and starts drinking four hours before the show. “It’s a blast, and it’s a blur,” Berger-Jones said. “You’re trying to be cognizant of the audience. At the same time, you’re trying to fuck with your friends onstage, and it’s super fun. That said, I think most of the laughs actually come from the sober cast bouncing off of the unexpected thing that the drunk just threw at them.”
Audience members are encouraged to interact with the actors and audibly react to what is happening onstage, making the performances more similar to the Elizabethan atmosphere of Shakespeare’s productions. They can also stop the show at any time if they believe the drunk actor is in danger of sobering up, at which point the actor will have to drink more. Despite the debauchery during the play, Berger-Jones said one of the most important parts of the show is taking care of
the drunk actor when the curtain closes. “You have to be supportive because these actors are in their absolutely most vulnerable state in the world,” Berger-Jones said. “Who knows what’s going to come out of you when you’re drunk? There’s an excessive amount of bravery on the parts of these actors to be willing to put themselves in this situation.” Some have referred to Shit-faced Shakespeare as a gimmick, but Ironside said he embraces the label.
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“The word gimmick has its roots in a physical trick or device a magician will use in order to show you one thing but really give you another,” Ironside said. “And to me, that’s exactly what we do. We’re fooling an audience into actually enjoying the Shakespeare that they’re watching.”
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JACOB MARTELLA, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Friday, January 22, 2016
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Texas hopes to upset No. 3 Kansas By Jacob Martella
Senior guard Javan Felix drives past an Iowa State defender on Jan. 12. Felix had 17 points in Texas’ win over No. 6 West Virginia on Wednesday night.
@ViewFromTheBox
Head coach Shaka Smart, junior guard Isaiah Taylor and senior guard Javan Felix sat slumped at the podium following a loss at TCU on Jan. 9. Neither Smart nor the two veteran guards had much to say after losing 58-57 to the Big 12’s worst team. But two weeks later, a much different vibe surrounds the team. The Longhorns head into their showdown at No. 3 Kansas on Saturday riding a threegame win streak, including two wins over ranked opponents — Texas beat thenNo. 17 Iowa State last week and No. 6 West Virginia on Wednesday night. Felix said Texas’ new mentality has been its biggest difference. “Ever since then, we’ve made a conscious effort to come out aggressive, not only in the games but each and every day in practice so it can be a habit for us,” Felix said. Despite the wins, the last three games haven’t been pretty for the Longhorns, who now sit tied for second in the Big 12. Outside of the overtime win over Iowa
Rachel Zein Daily Texan Staff
State, Texas has struggled to shoot, hitting just 40 percent in the last two wins. But the key for the Longhorns has been finishing games. Against TCU, the Longhorns failed to hit the clutch shot, but the win streak has seen a wideranging cast come through in the end. Junior guard Kendal Yancy said Smart’s insistence on being more aggressive has helped them pull out close wins.
“If we come in with an aggressive mindset and wanting to win and compete, we’re pretty hard to beat,” Yancy said. But keeping that going against Kansas, where Allen Fieldhouse isn’t a home court advantage as much as it’s a near-guaranteed win for the Jayhawks, is a much different story. The Jayhawks haven’t lost in Lawrence since 2014 and have won more consecutive Big 12 titles —11— than lost
games at home — 9 — during head coach Bill Self ’s 12 years at the helm. Texas hasn’t won at the “Phog” in its last four tries. The last win came in 2011 when Tristan Thompson and J’Covan Brown took the floor for Texas. Top Big 12 teams, Baylor and Oklahoma, have already fallen victim to Kansas’ home success. Felix said the most difficult part of playing at Allen Fieldhouse is the fans
surrounding the court. “It’s hard to hear,” Felix said. “They’re up and into it the whole game. It’s a really good environment.” The Longhorns know the 11-time reigning Big 12 champs won’t be an easy out. Still, they’re looking forward to potentially notching another win against a ranked team. “Let’s go have fun, play loose, play aggressive, play together,” junior forward Shaquille Cleare said.
Sooners visit Erwin Center on Saturday @AllThatJasss
The last time No. 6 Texas (17-1, 6-1 Big 12) played No. 19 Oklahoma (13-4, 4-2 Big 12) at the Frank Erwin Center, the Longhorns needed 50 minutes of regulation to seal the deal. After 13 ties and 14 lead changes, the Longhorns escaped with an 84-81 win in double overtime. Then-freshman guard Ariel Atkins led Texas with 21 points, while then-junior center Imani Boyette added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Then-sophomore guards Peyton Little and Gioya Carter led Oklahoma with 16 points apiece. The rivals will meet once again at the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday at 11 a.m. Head coach Karen Aston said having a rival game on Texas Exes weekend adds to the importance of the game. “Exes weekend is a big deal to us and playing Oklahoma is a big deal,” Aston said. “It’s home.”
Aston said she hopes Saturday’s matchup will have a similar showing to the Baylor game. Just under 9,000 fans attended that game last Sunday, compared to the 2,813 people who showed for last year’s matchup between the Longhorns and Sooners. “It’s great that everyone showed up,” Aston said. “It was a great matchup and all of that, but so is Oklahoma at 11 a.m. next Saturday. And we would love to have more than 1,000 show up for that game or two.” Regardless of who is in the crowd, Aston said the goal of hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament is still within reach. “The main thing is we really do want to focus on trying to put ourselves in a position to host and we’re in that position right now,” Aston said. In order to host, Aston said winning on home turf is incredibly important. Texas is 2-1 at home against ranked opponents this season. OU is 0-2 against
The men’s and women’s track and field teams will split up this weekend with the majority of the teams heading to Birmingham, Alabama, while the throwers and pole vaulters compete in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In Alabama, the Longhorns will compete in the Power Five Invitational. Four of the competing men’s SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25 and two women’s SEC teams are also ranked. Throwers and pole vaulters will be traveling to New Mexico for the Cherry and Silver Collegiate Invitational. The meet will feature nationally top-ranked specialists, including five of the top 25 women pole vaulters in the nation. The No. 3 women’s team is coming off many victories from the meet at A&M last week, including freshman Teahna Daniels’
ARKANSAS
66 No.9 IOWA
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Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan file photo
Senior center Imani Boyette boxes out against Stanford on Dec. 13. The Longhorns take on the Sooners at home on Saturday at 11 a.m.
ranked opponents on the road. The Sooners are coming off a blowout 92-53 win against Texas Tech on Wednesday. Senior forward Kaylon Williams leads the Sooners in scoring and
rebounding with 14.0 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. The Longhorns are coming off from a road win at TCU. Boyette leads Texas with 13.0 points and 10.1 rebounds a game. Texas leads the series
27-23. The Longhorns have 998 all-time wins in program history and are just two short wins of becoming just the fifth NCAA Division I women’s basketball program to reach 1,000 all-time victories.
TENNIS
record-breaking performance in the 60-meter. “It was very impressive by Teahna to open up that fast,” head coach Mario Sategna said. “It wasn’t just her time, but here she is beating her teammate, Morolake Akinosun, one of the most decorated athletes we have on campus.” Daniels and Akinosun recorded the second and third best times for the 60-meter in the nation last week. They will compete against other top ten runners in the 60-meter from Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama this weekend. “The last meet boosted my confidence a lot because I didn’t know how I would come into my first collegiate meet,” Daniels said. “Morolake has been one of my supporters and we’ll be going head-to-head all season. It’ll be a good season for both of us.” The No. 2 men’s team is also bringing record-setting competitors to Birmingham
2006
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scores a careerhigh 81 points in a win against the Toronto Raptors.
TOP TWEET Mack Brown @ESPN_CoachMack
“‘All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.’ Walt Disney”
Men’s tennis travels to ITA Kick-Off
Texas set to travel across country Longhorns ready to travel to Alabama By Leah Vann
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SPORTS BRIEFLY
TRACK AND FIELD
@Vanntastic_Leah
KENTUCKY
TODAY IN HISTORY
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
By Jasmine C. Johnson
SIDELINE
after placing second at the meet last weekend at the Texas A&M Team Invitational. Redshirt junior AJ Bailey, a Texas A&M transfer, recorded the sixth-best overall 200m time in school history last week. “It was a long time coming, and there was a lot of stress and pressure on him to go to his old track last week, but he looked good in that burnt orange,” Sategna said. “It was good to see him competing.” Junior Ryan Crouser, the three-time NCAA champion of the shot put, will join the group going to Birmingham this weekend to familiarize himself with the location of the national indoor championships, which will be held in March. “It’s a new venue for us, so we want to make sure we give those athletes who will be there for the National Championship an opportunity to get the lay of the land,” Sategna said.
By Alana Kaufman @akauf810
The Longhorns will return to action this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Texas will compete against Alabama, Penn and Purdue. The tournament will kick off the ITA regular season for women’s tennis and will take place in 15 different locations across the country, each showcasing four college teams. Texas will send its entire roster to compete in the event. Seniors Breaunna Addison and Lana Groenvynck, junior Neda Koprcina, sophomore Dani Wagland and freshmen Chelsea Crovetti, Katie Poluta and Daniella Roldan will all be partaking in singles match play. In the doubles draw, Addison and Wagland, who have a winning overall record of 9–4, will team up. Koprcina
Breaunna Addison Senior
and Groenvynck will pair up in hopes to add a win to their 2–8 record. Freshman duo Roldan and Poluta will compete as first-time doubles partners. Texas will start the tournament squaring off against Purdue on Saturday and will either face Alabama or Penn on Sunday. The winner of the tournament will advance to the ITA National Indoor Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, on Feb. 5.
The Longhorns return to action this weekend at home at the ITA KickOff Weekend. Texas welcomes No. 21 Florida, No. 15 Texas Tech and No. 17 Ole Miss. The tournament will take place in 15 different locations across the country, each showcasing four college teams. All teams will be competing for 15 available spots in the upcoming ITA National Team Indoor Championship at The University of Virginia. Texas will have a nineman roster competing in the event. Senior Michael Riechmann, junior George Goldhoff, sophomores John Mee and Adrian Ortiz, freshmen Colin Markes, Harrison Scott, Johnny Goodwin and Rodrigo Banzer and redshirt freshman Julian Zlobinsky will all participate in the singles and doubles draws. In doubles play, Ortiz will team up with Riechmann, Goldhoff will pair off with Zlobinsky, Banzer will be with Scott, and Mee and Markes will be a doubles duo. Last year, the Longhorns came out strong, defeating Minnesota 4-1. They continued their streak and took down Florida State 4-1, securing them a spot at last years ITA National Team Indoor Championship. At the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, Texas walked away with two wins. Texas will face Florida at 10 a.m. Saturday and will square off against Texas Tech or Ole Miss. Matches will be played at the Weller Indoor Tennis Center, with the championship match on Sunday. —Alana Kaufman
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CAT CARDENAS, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Friday, January 22, 2016
Iconic show celebrates four decades of music After Willie Nelson filmed the pilot for Austin City Limits, co-creator Bill Arhos used the tape to pitch the show to PBS. The show began production, approaching Asleep at the Wheel to perform on the first episode of the series in 1976. The Daily Texan spoke with the band’s frontman Ray Benson, ACL audio engineer David Hough and photographer Scott Newton to discuss the iconic television series 40 years later. By Cat Cardenas @crcardenas8
Ray Benson | Asleep at the Wheel frontman Before the famous Austin skyline backdrop framed ACL artists’ performances, Asleep at the Wheel appeared on the first episode of the fledgling show’s inaugural season in 1976. With the series’ production just beginning, the band’s frontman Ray Benson said they didn’t think much of getting asked to perform. “It was their first year, so we just kind of did our own thing,” Benson said. “We had no idea that it would last this long and be as important as it is to so many people.” Benson and the band have appeared on the show 10 times since their first appearance. The show set out to recreate the atmosphere of local venues and showcase rising trends such as progressive country. As the show went on, Benson said he witnessed its focus shift to include acts from all over the world. “The whole idea was to show-
case Texas and what was happening in the clubs,” Benson said. “It was just a gathering of people excited to hear some music.” With the focus on the audience, Benson said artists were more comfortable treating the television show like a regular gig. The show’s staff members also placed an emphasis on the artists’ visions for their performances. “At ACL, they just say, ‘Go,’” Benson said. “They ask for your approval; they let you mix your songs if you want. They’re very concerned the artist gets to present the show they want.” Looking back, Benson said the band has changed and grown in the years since the show, but he’s still impressed with where they started. “To be honest, I was pretty amazed at how good we were at such a young age,” Benson said. “We just wanted to play our music and have the performance focus on that.”
Courtesy of Scott Newton
Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson performed with his band for the first episode of Austin City Limits in 1976. Forty years later, he reflects on that performance and how Asleep at the Wheel has changed.
David Hough | ACL audio engineer
Marshall Tidrick | Daily Texan Staff
David Hough, ACL audio engineer and UT alumnus, had a love for music and electronics from an early age. He has been working with ACL since the very beginning.
When ACL audio engineer and UT alumnus David Hough was in high school, he played the drums and mic’d up the jazz band he had with friends. He wanted to pursue music, but with the Vietnam War drafting musicians to perform for troops overseas, he decided to study electrical engineering at UT. “I kept sneaking over to the music department as much as I could because it was what I really wanted to do,” Hough said. Shortly after graduating, Hough worked at KLRN where he met ACL co-creator Bill Arhos and several other people instrumental in the creation of the iconic TV show. When it came time for the show’s first episode, Hough as-
sumed the role of audio engineer, a position he’s maintained from day one. Though he’s been there for decades, Hough said in the early years of ACL, he briefly flew to California, where he considered moving to pursue another job but couldn’t bring himself to leave the family he found at the show behind. “Everyone [in California] wanted to hire me,” Hough said. “I came back confident, and that’s when we started getting that family feeling. I didn’t need California. I didn’t need the money. What was more important to me were my friends.” Since then, Hough said the show and the equipment he used to record it with continued to evolve together. But once
each taping is through, his 40-year-old routine remains the same — he shuts the door to his soundproof room, letting the music fill the space so he can focus on piecing together the episode’s audio. For years, Hough has worked with the show’s musicians. He said the friendly atmosphere that kept him there is what attracts the musicians as well. “When Johnny Cash came to the show, he was used to Nashville’s style,” Hough said. “He came to our show just terrified. But after he finished the first song, he realized no one was going to stop him, and the audience was paying attention to his performance. Afterward, he said it was the most pleasant experience he had on television.”
Scott Newton | ACL photographer After spotting an empty spot in the front row of a Rolling Stones concert, UT alumnus and ACL photographer Scott Newton snagged the seat, took out his camera and 30 shots later began his career photographing musicians. “When I got back to Austin with these shots, people were throwing $50 a picture at me,” Newton said. “I’d never heard of anyone doing [photography] for a living, but right then the light bulb went off.” He briefly worked at the University as a photojournalism professor but left just a year and a half later to pursue his photography full-time. A few years later, when a friend intro-
duced him to ACL producer Terry Lickona, Newton applied to become the show’s photographer. Without any formal training, he turned to his education on the Ancient Greeks for inspiration. Instead of photographing the musicians themselves, Newton said he tries to photograph the muse he sees within them. “You’re shooting the essence of things,” Newton said. “Photons can’t bounce off of energy and spirit, but that’s what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to pass on the experience. I’m trying to show you what muse I felt, the message that was there.” In the 37 years Newton worked
for the show, he said the constantly rotating door of acts kept his photography fresh, and he lets himself dance to the music if he ever gets stuck. “If you throw yourself into the music, it’ll take you to new and interesting places,” Newton said. “The spirit that flows through musicians is always interesting. It takes me to new angles.” At the end of the day, Newton said it’s his love of photography that keeps him going. “I’m getting recognition, and I’m making money, but all of that is just secondary,” Newton said. “Once I get a camera in my hand and someone’s performing — it’s just heaven.”
Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel has performed at ACL with the band 10 times during the show’s 40-year run.
As ACL expanded to include national acts, Ray Charles appeared as one of the first non-Texas acts. The performance, which included “Georgia on My Mind,” is among Ray Benson’s favorites.
A life-changing experience for photographer Scott Newton was when singer Leonard Cohen made a rare TV appearance on ACL on Oct. 31, 1988.
Mike McGraw | Daily Texan Staff
Scott Newton is a photographer with 37 years of experience covering Austin City Limits. Newton said he tries to capture the message behind the music so his audience will feel what it was like to be there.
Austin artist Stevie Ray Vaughn took the ACL stage for a second time in 1989, delivering a memorable performance of Buddy Guy’s “Leave My Girl Alone” just one year before his death.
Loretta Lynn, who was inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame in 2014, was a repeat guest on the series.
Photos courtesy of Scott Newton