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COMICS PAGE 7
NEWS PAGE 3
SPORTS PAGE 6
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
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Wednesday, February 3, 2016
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT
SG votes to limit campaign spending By Rachel Lew @rachelannlew
Student Government passed Assembly Bill 9 with amendment, which proposed to reduce the amount of money that candidates are allowed to spend on their campaigns, on Tuesday. Student body president Xavier Rotnofsky and student government administrative director Amber Magee proposed AB 9, “Amending Student Government Campaign Finance
Limits in the Election Code,” to address the issue of diversity in Student Government. After Speaker of the Assembly Tanner Long did not comply with the Student Government Supreme Court’s ruling, debate resulted in an Assembly vote on AB 9 to pass it, 24-7. The passing of AB 9 with amendment means the bill will be applied to first-year representative elections and all elections thereafter. AB 9 will not be applied to the upcoming March elections. Magee said she thinks the
amendment was an easy way for the bill to pass, but does not think Student Government acted in the best interest of all students this year. “This year simply had too many personal investments... to amend spending limits for the March elections,” Magee said. “Some of the very representatives that opposed AB 9 because of their strategies are running for reelection...The student body needs to hold these students accountable,
The UT System’s endowment returns shrunk 5.3 percent to $24.1 billion, according to data released last Wednesday by an association representing university business officers. The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) found the system’s endowment, which is managed by the University of Texas Management Company (UTIMCO), underperformed compared to the average rate of return for the 2015 fiscal year, slipping into third place behind Yale University in terms of endowment size. The endowment funds are used to finance critical University operations, such as faculty salaries, financial aid and scholarships. The system’s endowment un-
the down markets and generate a little less return in the up markets,” said Kelley. “You don’t know how
City Council members are expected to choose between rolling back recently approved regulations on ridehailing companies or putting the issue on the ballot for voters to decide at their upcoming meeting Thursday. On Tuesday morning, Austin City Clerk Jannette Goodall announced she had verified enough petition signatures — at least 20,000 by law — from supporters of ride-hailing companies to force the council to decide on its next move. Officials with Ridesharing Works for Austin, the coalition of six nonprofits supported by Uber and Lyft who organized the petition drive, said they hope the council will vote to roll back regulations stipulated in the petition, which would keep in place regulations approved by the council under former Mayor Lee Leffingwell in 2014. “Simply voting to reinstate the Leffingwell rules on Thursday would honor the will of over 65,000 Austinites who signed the ridesharing petition without incurring the cost of an election,” said Caroline Joiner, Ridesharing Works for Austin treasurer. “This is the fastest, easiest and most affordable way forward and will avoid the risk of a ridesharing shutdown in Austin.” Ridesharing Works for Austin began collecting signatures for the petition after
ENDOWMENT page 2
RIDE-HAILING page 2
Angie Huang | Daily Texan Staff
Amber Magee, a senior public health and society major speaks at a Student Government session on Tuesday night.
SPENDING page 2
ENDOWMENT FUNDS 2015 Endowment 2014 Endowment % Change in Market Value Funds Funds
Rank
Institution
State
1
Harvard University
MA
$36,448,817,000
$35,883,891,000
1.6
2
Yale University
CT
$25,572,100,000
$23,894,800,000
7.0
3
The University of Texas System
TX
$24,083,150,000 $25,425,922,000
-5.3
4
Princeton University
NJ
$22,723,273,000
$20,995,180,000
8.2
5
Stanford University
CA
$22,222,957,000 $21,446,006,000
3.6
Source: The National Organization of College and University Business Officers/Infographic by Lillian Michel
derperformed compared to the average rate of return across all U.S. college and university endowments, 2.4 percent. UT received about $350
million last year from the Permanent University Fund, and the negative change in market value should not significantly affect this year’s returns, according to Scott
City Council to vote on ride-hailing regulations @forrestmilburn
UT System endowment falls 5.3 percent @caleber96
CITY
By Forrest Milburn
UNIVERSITY
By Caleb Wong
bit.ly/dtvid
Kelley, UT System’s chief business officer. “Our investments tend to be a little more conservative, meaning that we would lose less money in
CAMPUS
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Students look ahead to Super Tuesday voting
UT app aims to help students succeed
By Forrest Milburn @forrestmilburn
All registered Texas voters can head to the polls to pick their preferred candidate in either primary during the early voting period, which starts Feb. 16. The March 1 election day, also called Super Tuesday because of the 14 total states scheduled to vote, will be the final voting opportunity for Texas residents. These states will head to the polls after the four early states — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — have made up their minds. While all of the early voting states have minimal delegate counts, Texas — at 155 for Republicans and 252 for Democrats — will be the biggest prize at this point in the primaries. Government assistant professor Bethany Albertson said she sees Democratic students in Texas enthusiastically supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) over former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, and Republican students looking at Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). “I think it will be interesting to see [a] strongly proSanders student body, [and] how they experience a set of primaries that favor the other candidate,” Albertson said. “On the Republican side, I see students more enthusiastic about Cruz and Rubio.” On Monday, campus organizations — including Hook the Vote, UT Votes and University Democrats — were out in front of Gregory Gymnasium registering lastminute voters. After the midnight deadline, the organizations had registered a total of more than 4,000 students throughout the semester, with 2,500 coming from that day alone. “It definitely blew my expectations out of the water,” said Ashley Alcantara, Hook the Vote director and Plan II and international relations and global studies junior.
VOTING page 3
By Audrey Zhang
“Thrive at UT” is an app that focuses on key concepts such as mindfulness, self-compassion and gratitude. It was created to help students with their well-being.
@thedailytexan
The University of Texas launched the mobile application “Thrive at UT” Monday, taking an innovative step to use technology to promote student well-being. The app was designed to help students practice behaviors that support health and academic success. It emphasizes key concepts such as mindfulness, self-compassion and gratitude by guiding students through excersises that promote these behaviors. “The app gives us the opportunity to continue practicing well-being on the go,” said psychology junior Gustavo Molinar who helped give feedback on “Thrive.” “It’s a preventive measure, so students can go in and use it whenever, or review a concept they learned about mindfulness or gratitude.” Molinar said the app has many features that make it easier for students to learn about new topics. “‘Thrive’ is interactive,” Molinar said. “You click on the topic and it gives you
Stephanie Martinez Daily Texan Staff
some information about it, and you can reflect on your experience. ” The app is available for iPhone users and allows users to share their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It also provides the option to enable notifications and remind students to use behaviors they have learned. Elena Bizer, integrated health counselor at the Counseling and Mental Health Center and a developer of the app, said “Thrive” is more userfriendly than other resources for students. “We wanted to use the op-
portunities that are unique to mobile technology,” Bizer said. “There’s information about well-being in a book or website, but what’s unique about an app is that you select notifications and even if you get distracted, the app can continue to engage you.” “Thrive at UT” includes many testimonials from UT students about how they have dealt with problems at college. Accounting junior Jackson Clifford, a student who is featured on the app, said he participated to try to help others. “I decided to share my story because I struggled to
find my identity, self-esteem and community early on in college,” Clifford said. “One person’s testimony on how they overcame their struggles can help someone going through something similar.” The app helps students practice positive behaviors and approach health holistically, Clifford said. “More often than not we are not conscious of how our community emotions and mindset impact our overall wellness,” Clifford said. “From the small quotes to daily reminders, the app provides an interactive platform to be mindful.”
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFE&ARTS
ONLINE
REASON TO PARTY
Geoscience school hunts for dinosaur fossils. PAGE 3
Using DDT as a solution to Zika is problematic. PAGE 4
Texas recruiting is in full swing for National Signing Day.
PAGE 6
UT alumnus’ book details Austin history. PAGE 8
Artist Ann Hamilton talks about her political artwork. ONLINE
Proposed SG bill is key to increasing accessibility. PAGE 4
Junior center Kelsey Lang has big role off the bench. PAGE 6
Spin studio caters to West Campus students. PAGE 8
Missing your favorite TV show from the 90’s? Check out a few shows that are getting modern reboots at dailytexanonline.com
PAGE 7
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Wednesday, February 3, 2016
SPENDING
RIDE-HAILING
and upcoming elections provide a stage for that.” Rotnofsky said he cares deeply about AB 9 because he did not have to spend a lot of money to run. “It’s just a misconception that keeps people from running for positions that they would be really good at because they think they can’t afford it, and that’s just not fair,” Rotnofsky said. “The spending limits propose a barrier because people think they have to spend a lot of money.” Austin James Robinson, who filed to run for student body president, said AB 9 is a poorly timed but essential bill that could positively affect future elections. “Although it does suck in general that AB 9 comes at a time right before campaigning, it is still necessary to ensure there is not such an economic gap between candidates who can easily supply that money and candidates who may not be able to use as much,” said Robinson, a youth and community studies senior. Robinson said he believes AB 9 will make the difference it proposes to make.“It will further close that socioeconomic status gap between candidates in general, and could even result in people who would usually be put off by the fact that their opponents can spend $1,000 to run in the future,” Robinson said. “I believe anyone wanting to encourage change on campus should be able to run and have the chance of winning — not just those candidates with money and resources.” Jenny McGinty, liberal arts representative and Plan II sophomore, said UT has fundamental campaigning differences compared to other schools that have smaller expenditure limits. “I’m in full support of trying to engage nonSG people into the campaigns, but campaign expenditure amounts allow students to reach out to communities they’re not a part of through flyers, tshirts, website designs and handouts,” McGinty said. “I think that the numbers that Magee is trying to cut down are arbitrary.”
the council voted to include fingerprint background checks and other regulations in a December ordinance. After initially hoping to gather around 30,000 signatures — 10,000 more than what is required — supporters ended their petition drive with 65,103 signatures. Council member Kathie Tovo, who voted in support of the increased December regulations and represents the district that includes UT, said she is inclined to support the motion to put the issue on the ballot, which residents would vote on in May. “At this point, I’m going to listen to the conversation and public comments on Thursday and next week,” Tovo said. “I think the voters need to step forward and weigh in.” Uber driver Safi Jenkins, a human development and family sciences junior, said she believes the council should put the issue on the ballot so voters can make the final call whether to keep fingerprint background checks in the city code. “I think the people should have a say, but a more informed say,” Jenkins said. “I can understand people wanting to feel more safe…. but I think it’s important for voters to know that Uber is really against [the background checks].” The council is set to vote on which direction to take with the petition at its meeting this Thursday.
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Volume 116, Issue 92
CONTACT US Main Telephone (512) 471-4591 Editor-in-Chief Claire Smith (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor Amy Zhang (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Multimedia Office (512) 471-7835 multimedia@ dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising (512) 471-1865 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Classified Advertising (512) 471-5244 classifieds@ dailytexanonline.com
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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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News Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Daniel, Elizabeth Huang, Anusha Lalani, Audrey Zhang Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lauren Hanks, Danielle Leighninger, Kasey Salisbury Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alana Kaufman, Sam Williams Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jesse Hanna, Angie Huang, Stephanie Martinez-Arndt Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tiffany Hinojosa, Laura Moyer, Sian Rips Illustrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rachel West Life&Arts Writer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keely Wirries
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NEWS
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ENDOWMENT
continues from page 1 long it will ride it [the down market], but historically, it’s always come back.” Endowment returns for 2015 reflect the lowest endowment returns in three years, according to the NACUBO report. John Walda, NACUBO president and chief executive officer, said the lower average is of great concern. “On average, institutions derive nearly ten percent of their operating funds from their endowments,” Walda said in a statement. “Lower returns may make it even tougher for colleges and universities to adequately fund financial aid, research and other programs that are very reliant on endowment earnings and are vital to institutions’ missions.” The loss in the endowment can be attributed to lower oil and gas prices and the stock market, according to Bruce Zimmerman, CEO of UTIMCO. Funds managed by UTIMCO also include the Long-Term Fund, which helps fund student support services, such as graduate and undergraduate scholarships and fellowships at UT-Austin. The negative endowment returns will not affect the distribution of student support funds at UT-Austin this spring. However, if endowment returns remain consistently low over several years, they may affect the amount distributed to fund student scholarships and fellowships, according to Jamie Cantara, executive director of endowment services at UT-Austin. Cantara said the market value for the endowment is $755 million, and $37 million is distributed every year to faculty scholarships, fellowships and more for students. “It’s been consistent, and that’s where that averaging over a long period of time helps,” Cantara said. “Students should care about it.” It is too early to predict whether lower investment returns will continue for the 2016 fiscal year, according to Ken Redd, NACUBO’s director of research and policy analysis. “We do know that financial markets have been very volatile for some time now, and that volatility may continue into the future,” Redd said in an email.
Name: 4421/Dean of Students; Width: 29p6; Depth: 20 in; Color: Black, 4421/Dean of Students; Ad Number: 4421
W&N 3
NEWS
3
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
FRAMES featured photo
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
thedailytexan
UT researchers search for fossils in Antarctica By Hannah Daniel @hannnahdaniel
Annie Huang | Daily Texan Staff
A man rides a skateboard at House Park Skatepark on Tuesday afternoon.
VOTING
continues from page 1 Public relations junior Catherine Horton, an undecided voter, said she registered last night with Hook the Vote because she wanted to be more civically engaged. “We’re the ones who are going to be going out into the work force soon,” Horton said. “I feel like it’s important for us to be informed, so we can have a say in how our country works.” Students will get the chance to vote at the FAC from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. when early voting starts. The early voting period will end on Feb. 26. “Just like we saw a lot of people put off registering to the last day, a lot of people are going to wait until election day,” Alcantara said. “It makes it so much easier when students vote early, because it’s on campus and it’s all day.”
Infographic by Lillian Michel | Daily Texan Staff
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Faculty and students from the Jackson School of Geosciences and the Moody College of Communications traveled to Antarctica in search of dinosaur fossils Tuesday as part of a sevenweek expedition. This is the third expedition under the Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project (AP3), a research initiative consisting of a team of different experts from all over the world. The primary goal of the initiative is to answer questions about Antarctica’s role in the evolution and migration of vertebrates at the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. Julia Clarke, a professor in the department of geological sciences as well as a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, will serve as the leader for this team. Matthew Koshmrl, radiotelevision-film graduate student, will document the expedition. Christopher Torres, graduate student in ecology, evolution and behavior, is also part of the AP3 team. Previous expeditions have revealed Antarctica is an important location regarding bird evolution, and laid the foundation for the current mission. James Proffitt, a geological sciences graduate student who is supervised by Clarke, said the research conducted at the Jackson School of Geosciences has a wide scope. “Paleontological research at JSG [Jackson School of Geosciences] covers a broad spectrum of scientific fields, studying ancient organisms with a variety of methodologies while also having a strong focus on understanding species that
Dr. Clarke travels to Antarctica with students to try and find the earliest fossils of modern bird groups... [and] contextualize the importance of the fossils. —James Proffitt, Geological sciences graduate student
are alive today,” Proffitt said in an email. “Dr. Clarke travels to Antarctica with students to try and find the earliest fossils of modern bird groups, but our projects also seek to understand living birds to contextualize the importance of the fossils.” Political communications junior Sydney Hope said the importance of the AP3 team’s research extends beyond geoscience students. “I’m definitely interested in this research, especially since people from UT are looking into it,” Hope said. In addition to its scientific significance, the research being conducted by the team holds personal meaning for some students, such as Julie Gonzalez, environmental science senior and president of the Undergraduate Geological Society. “Julia Clarke’s involvement is especially exciting since she has been one of my most inspiring professors throughout my time in the Jackson School,” Gonzalez said. “The fact that she is a woman in geoscience is an even bigger plus that motivates me to someday be as influential as she is.”
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4 OPINION
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CLAIRE SMITH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | @TexanEditorial Wednesday, February 3, 2016
COLUMN
DDT is an unviable solution for Zika Benroy Chan
Daily Texan Senior Columnist @BenroyChan
About a year after Ebola terrorized the American public, Zika has emerged as the new, mysterious virus to be feared. The virus spreads through infected Aedes mosquitoes and is believed to cause microcephaly — a birth defect associated with incomplete brain development. In response, the World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency on Monday, and now, experts are searching for solutions. As no vaccine or cure currently exists for Zika, the only way to prevent infection is to avoid bites by mosquitoes carrying the virus. Reducing mosquito populations would aid this effort, and to do this some individuals have insisted on bringing back DDT — a highly persistent insecticide which was banned in the United States in 1972. Considering the chemical’s extensive damage to wildlife populations and possible carcinogenic effects, these proposals should be discarded. DDT’s widespread use began in 1945 due to its low cost, effectiveness and versatility. However, environmentalist Rachel Carson called its use into question when she published her epochal book “Silent Spring” in 1962. Carson focused on the damaging effects humans have on the natural world and helped spur public awareness for the environmental movement. “Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species — man — acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world,” Carson said in “Silent Spring.” The book highlighted the effects of DDT
Time and time again, humans have created seemingly harmless solutions to problems, only to see unintended consequences surface. on bird populations, explaining how fish absorbed the chemical in their fatty tissues, and when consumed, transferred it to birds in a process called bioaccumulation. The presence of DDT in these birds caused noticeable eggshell thinning and lowered their reproductive success, leading to eventual declines in populations. To no surprise, the chemical industry attacked Carson by saying her findings were only speculation, even though several studies proved them to be true. But if environmental damage does not hit close to home for DDT supporters, they should consider possible risks to humans. Several groups such as the Department of Health and Human Services, International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Environmental Protection Agency classify DDT as a possible human carcinogen. Using DDT again could eliminate the threat of Zika, but bring on other complications such as cancer. Time and time again, humans have created seemingly harmless solutions to problems, only to see unintended consequences surface. Leaded gasoline prevented engine knocking and the possibility of subsequent explosions, but hurt the public with lead-related health
HORNS UP, HORNS DOWN
Illustration by Albert Lee | Daily Texan Staff
problems. CFC’s were a safe substitute for toxic refrigerants, but depleted stratospheric ozone levels. We have already learned that DDT curbed mosquito-borne illness at the cost of wildlife populations, and proposals to end its ban would bury lessons learned from past environmental catastrophes. To prevent future generations from making the same mistakes, science education must teach sustainability. The University of Texas at Austin does just that by offering Sustaining a Planet — an undergraduate course focusing on environmental problems and the challenges in overcoming them. Biochemistry freshman Melissa Lam completed the course last fall and said she believes the environment is easily disrupted
by human activity. “The natural world is something humans are far from fully understanding,” Lam said. “When humans act in ways ignorant of the delicate balance between natural systems, we often face serious consequences.” Instead of relying on DDT to stop Zika, humans should take less damaging precautions. The Center for Disease Control recommends wearing long-sleeve clothing, staying indoors and avoiding travel to affected areas. If humans follow steps to ensure their personal safety, the effects of Zika can be lowered without compromising other aspects of the environment. Chan is a journalism freshman from Sugar Land.
COLUMN
SG Bill can increase minority access to student government Mubarrat Choudhury
Daily Texan Senior Columnist @Mubarratc
Illustration by Rachel West | Daily Texan Staff
Among other news, Baylor really sucks Editor’s Note: Horns Up, Horns Down is a production of The Daily Texan Editorial Board.
HORNS UP: STUDENTS REGISTERING STUDENTS On Feb. 1, the last day to register for the upcoming elections and primaries, while some of us were rotting our brains through television programming like “The Bachelor,” the better among us stayed up until midnight heroically registering fellow students and Longhorns so they could have their opinion count in the real-world’s most dramatic rose ceremony ever: Super Tuesday on March 1. While our generation is often lampooned for its penchant for apathy and resistance to emotional authenticity, the student voice should have a say in one of the most controversial presidential elections in living memory. Thank goodness some Longhorns recognized that.
HORNS DOWN: NO MORE WINTER SWEATERS On Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil finally emerged from his hole, only to deny the good folks of Texas any winter. Now, this may not seem like such a bad thing. Who doesn’t want to wear flip-flops in February without looking ridiculous? Well, those of us who spent part of the holiday shopping season getting winter clothes, for starters. Yes, this does mean that the ugly, knit sweater your grandmother gave you (and you begrudgingly took) can live to waste space another season. So welcome, spring, you beautiful disaster.
HORNS UP: BYE-BYE, BAYLOR Long ago, a university by the name of Baylor was created. Many were unsure of the reason of its existence, seeing as it held no educational value in a place of no value. On Monday, our men’s basketball team gave Baylor the purpose that no one knew existed. Whether it be in football, basketball or literally any academic standing, Baylor serves to lose to Texas. The title of “Texas’ Loser” is something that has constantly been passed around and this week we are proud to say that Baylor has come take their crown. We salute you Baylor, we salute you.
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.
Bernie Sanders’ political revolution may be seeping into college politics — the UT-Austin student government introduced Assembly Bill 9 Tuesday to reduce the amount of money candidates are able to spend on campaigns. The purpose of the bill is to increase the diversity in Student Government, and if passed, be a more forward-thinking piece of legislation than any current U.S. government law. Currently, the campaign spending limits allow students $1,023 for executive alliance elections, $614 for Universitywide representatives and $409 for college representatives. The new bill would dramatically reduce those limits to $511, $204 and $153 respectively. Taral Patel, biology and government senior and student government chief of staff, talked about the limitations of the current campaign finance allowances. “Lots of students simply do not have $1,000 — or two months of rent — on hand to wager for running and trying to win an elected position in a student organization,” Patel said. Even on a national level, campaign finance and its influence on government elections has become a contentious social issue for many Americans. And with the advent of the U.S. Supreme Court case law that allows unlimited political contributions by both corporations and individuals, various forms of corruption have arisen in the U.S. government. One of these forms of corruption manifests in the lack of diversity within Congress, where 80 percent are white, 80 percent are male and 92 percent are Christian. Comedian Dean Obeidallah wrote in The Daily Beast about the problem with the lack of diversity in American government. “Look, I don’t care if you are liberal or a conservative,” Obeidallah said. “It’s impossible to make the claim that our Congress accurately reflects the demographics of our nation. And it’s not missing by a little
Even on a national level, campaign finance and its influence on government has become a contentious social issue for many... but a lot. If Congress accurately reflected our nation on the basis of race, about 63 percent would be white, not 80 percent. Black [men and women] would hold about 13 percent of the seats and Latinos 17 percent.” Although the problem with diversity in UT’s student leadership is not quite as extreme as that within the federal government, it does paint a picture of what the bill is trying to prevent. And since UT has a slightly more diverse population than the nation, it has even more of an obligation to promote diversity by increasing access to student government for various minority groups. Amber Magee, public health senior and UT Student Government administrative director, talked about the hopeful effects of the proposed bill. “This legislation will hopefully have more students filing for election that aren’t typically seen in Student Government,” Magee said. “We are hoping to further diversify the students who feel represented by Student Government and who make use of the resources and access that Student Government has.” The University of Texas at Austin constantly boasts its motto, “what starts here changes the world.” In Assembly Bill 9, the University has a chance to make good on that promise. The students, then, must seize the opportunity to pass legislation so inclusive and progressive that even the federal government has no parallel. Choudhury is an economics freshman from Dallas.
ONLINE Our commentary doesn’t stop on the page. For more of our thoughts on the issues of the day, check out our blog, A Matter of Opinion, at dailytexanonline.com.
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.
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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JACOB MARTELLA, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Texas in line for big signing day FOOTBALL
Recruits leave with Strong impression By Samuel Williams @smwilliams27
Just a year ago, Texas head coach Charlie Strong recruited the ninth best class in the nation per ESPN rankings. Yet today, his 2016 class stands just inside the top-30. That could all change on National Signing Day. For some schools, these recruits offer a chance to maintain a dominant position in college football; for others, it is a chance to make a name for themselves. And yet, for a certain few like Texas, it is a mustwin opportunity to reestablish the historic dominance of their programs. Strong has led the Longhorns to a lack-luster 11–14 record over the last two seasons, but ESPN’s National Director of Recruiting, Tom Luginbill, said he believes the coaching staff has made recruiting changes that will help the program. “You are seeing Charlie Strong and his staff slowly but surely make more inroads with the high school coaches across Texas, and as a result making more of an impactful, lasting impression on kids across the state of Texas,” Luginbill said in a media conference call. In his time at Texas, Strong has waited much longer to complete his recruiting classes compared to previous coach Mack Brown, who often built the majority of his recruiting classes a year in advance. “I just think the time to scrutinize and evaluate is resonating with kids in relationship to them knowing this Texas staff is invested and doing everything they can to avoid making errors and make the best possible decision going forward,” Luginbill said.
Luginbill believes that waiting longer benefits schools as well because they have more time to look at “critical factors” like mental competitiveness, temperament, academics and psychological profile. “At the end of the day, this is all about avoiding misses,” he said. “That’s what makes recruiting so dangerous, the more it becomes accelerated.” For Texas, big names are still on the table, including the top two safeties per 247Sports Brandon Jones and Deontay Anderson. Fourth-ranked outside linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch will be announcing his decision Wednesday, in addition to fourth-ranked inside linebacker Dontavious Jackson, per 247Sports. Texas stands a good chance to snag Jones, McCulloch and Jackson, with an outside shot at Anderson. All four players will announce their decisions on ESPNU. Some lesser-known names also offer the Longhorns a chance to add to the 17 players that have already committed. Four-star defensive tackles Jordan Elliott and Chris Daniels decommitted from Michigan and Oklahoma, respectively, and are considering joining Strong’s class. Three-star safety Chris Brown and four-star defensive tackle Stephon Taylor both appear to be leaning towards Texas, according to 247Sports. If all goes well Wednesday, Luginbill said Texas could possibly land a top-15 class. “I think Texas is going to end up being somewhere around 21 verbal commitments and signees,” predicts Luginbill. “If you look at it right now, Texas has an opportunity to make a big jump with a lot of players.”
Sam Ortega | Daily Texan file photo
Currently in his third Texas recruiting class, head coach Charlie Strong and the Longhorns are expected to make some big splashes with top recruits today on National Signing Day.
Longhorns anticipate exciting National Signing Day By Mark Skol Jr. @markskoljr
National Signing Day should provide for an entertaining 24 hours for fans across the country as Texas tries to bolster its roster after a disappointing 5–7 2015 campaign. Here are four things to watch out for today. Texas to flip some recruits Head coach Charlie Strong has been actively recruiting players that have already committed to other schools to try a taste of life as a Longhorn, and it has provided for some down-tothe-wire action. Four-star offensive guard Patrick Hudson is currently a soft commit to Baylor; however, there are some questions about how strong his commit is to the Bears, especially after he tweeted
some pictures of Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, captioned as “just reflecting on some things.” Four-star defensive tackle Jordan Elliott is another interesting case. Elliott has officially committed and decommitted from four colleges now, the last being Michigan. After taking an official visit to Texas two weekends ago, Elliott could be another possible flip in favor of the Longhorns. Latest social media trend Throughout the recruiting process every year, UT players and coaches generate a hashtag for use on Twitter to try and sway recruits. The phrase “#LetsRide” has been a common slogan in the last two recruiting cycles, but the main hashtag players have been using this year is
“#Believe.” It wouldn’t be surprising if the coaches and players came up with another hashtag once players start committing. Texas’ rise into the top 10 According to ESPN’s football class rankings, the Texas recruiting class currently stands outside the top 30 in the country and only has the fourth-best class in the state of Texas. But that doesn’t mean things won’t change. With only 17 recruits currently committed to the 2016 class, Texas has a lot of room to grow. If Texas is able to land four-star safety Brandon Jones as well as four-star outside linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch, the dominoes will begin to fall in favor of Texas, and the Longhorns will shoot up the rankings quickly. It is very likely that Texas will land several ESPN Top 300
recruits, and that could put them into the top-10, or close to it. Player commitment times to watch Most of Texas’ targets are committing today on National Signing Day on ESPNU’s Recruiting Day Special. Here are the times the recruits will be making their decisions: Jones and four-star defensive tackle Mike Williams will be making their decisions at 8 a.m. CT. Four-star linebacker Dontavious Jackson, along with four-star safetys Deontay Anderson and Chris Brown, will be committing sometime during the 9 a.m. hour. McCulloch and Hudson will announce in the 10 a.m. hour. Texas’ target four-star defensive tackles Stephon Taylor and Elliot will make their selections at noon.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Kelsey Lang makes most of role behind Imani Boyette By Tyler Horka @TexasTy95
Junior center Kelsey Lang jumps off the bench for most games — she’s started in only five contests this season for the No. 6 Longhorns. But that doesn’t mean her role isn’t significant. Lang faces the duty of backing up senior center Imani Boyette, who last week was named the best center in col-
lege basketball by two coaches — including her own. “Any team is hesitant whenever [Boyette] is in there blocking everyone’s shot,” Lang said. Boyette leads Texas with 3.3 blocks per game. But Boyette’s ability to block shots often lands her in foul trouble. When Boyette hits the bench, head coach Karen Aston leans on Lang. That exact scenario played out Saturday against Kansas
State. Boyette picked up two early fouls and was forced to sit out the remainder of the first half. Enter Kelsey Lang. She finished the half with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting. Boyette had zero points at the break, but Texas still led by eight. “I was really pleased with Kelsey Lang,” Aston said after the 66–51 victory. “I thought she was the difference in the
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game. She came in and asserted herself in the first half, and she gave us some stability.” Lang has been stable for the Longhorns all season. She averages 7.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 55.7 percent from the field. She also shoots 78.6 percent from the free throw line, second best on the team. Aston often relies on a small lineup filled with the plethora of guards she has on her roster. Nevertheless, Lang and Boyette still play alongside each other when facing frontcourts that rival the Longhorn centers in height. Boyette said that she enjoys playing with Lang in those rare occurrences because of the way the two complement
“I thought she was the difference in the game. She came in and asserted herself in the first half, and she gave us some stability.” —Karen Aston, Women’s basketball coach
each other’s game. “Kelsey has more finesse and is a better shooter than I am,” Boyette said. “So if she shoots it and misses, I can get the rebound, and if I am inside banging, then I can kick it out to her.” Aston said that the two struggled to play alongside one another last year, getting confused when making
switches on defense. With Boyette playing in her last season at Texas, she’s making use of the dual center combination while she still can. “I think both of them have improved on their one-onone defense,” Aston said. “They have a better mindset about it and moving forward I feel very comfortable with them playing together.”
Stephanie Tacy | Daily Texan Staff
Junior center Kelsey Lang has done a solid job off the bench for Texas, averaging 7.1 points per game and shooting 55.7 percent from the field.
COMICS 7
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Wednesday, February 3, 2016
SUDOKUFORYOU
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8 L&A
CAT CARDENAS, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Wednesday, February 3, 2016
8
CITY
UT alumnus’ book links past, present Austin By Elizabeth Hlavinka
UT alumnus Michael Barnes is the author of “Indelible Austin,” a book about the unique stories of Austin. Barnes is a social columnist for the Austin American-Statesman where he writes about Austin’s people, places, culture and history.
@hlavinka_e
Within a collective 50 years, father and son Buster and Jack Robinson avoided disastrous floods, disposed of an abandoned truckful of snakes and used the incessant train horn of the Zilker Zephyr as their morning alarm clock each day. As caretakers of Zilker Park, the family resided in an antique cottage concealed by the dense foliage in the heart of the park. When UT alumnus Michael Barnes heard about the Robinson family legacy, he knew he had come across one of Austin’s many hidden treasures. As a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, Barnes has written pieces about the city’s people, places, culture and history for the past 30 years. His new book, “Indelible Austin,” links historical accounts of the city to the people who reside in Austin today. Robinson’s family legacy is one of many anecdotes included in the book. “Indelible Austin” is categorized into themes like “Park Gems”, “Our Neighborhoods” and “Old Austin Meets New Austin,” but instead of reciting textual histories, Barnes tells the life stories of the people and places involved in the book. He said he gets his inspiration from exploring the city block by block, and observing life from the ground level. “I’m a walker,” Barnes said. “I let the city tell me its story. I look, listen, stop and
Jesse Hanna Daily Texan Staff
talk to older people to ask them about what it’s like [to live] in Austin. When you’ve actually walked all the streets in the neighborhood and observed it carefully, then you can learn about the time [period].” As a result, Barnes often finds stories that have previously gone untold. He met with Ima Warden, a 93-yearold Austin native who has lived on South 1st Street since 1932. Warden told Barnes she isn’t bothered by the noise and business from the restaurant Lenoir, her present-day neighbor, but she could recall her frustration when, years
ago, the mailman’s horse would poop in her yard while the mailman delivered her letters. Kim McKnight, the Austin Parks and Recreation planner, has worked with Barnes on several projects that have more to do with landmarks and the city’s parks, including his story on the Robinsons and the Haskell House in West Austin, a rare surviving example of a freeman’s home. Peter Tucker, a former slave, purchased the land and built the house in 1875. Eventually, the property was donated to
the city and today exists as a museum. McKnight said this is just one example of the legacies Barnes detailed for the book. “Rather than putting into print a story that’s been told dozens of times, [he] puts into print a story that’s not yet been told,” McKnight said. “Those [stories represent] some of the populations in our city that are underrepresented populations.” Once Barnes began to tell these stories, it didn’t take long for him to build an audience. He said when his stories are published he receives feedback from his
readers, who have additional links to the histories he has shared. The process has helped to develop the rich, Austin community. “You’re always working on it and everyone’s helping,” Barnes said. “By the time the story is done, not only have you had all this help, but you have build an audience. They are, themselves, a part of the story then.” UT alumnus Ben Sargent, a retired cartoonist for the Statesman, said even though Barnes’ stories are about people and places of the 1900s, they are still relevant today. Sargent
said it’s important to put the city we know today in context, and to understand where it came from — especially in such a rapidly changing town. To him, he said, this is what makes the city home. “For any kind of community — whether it’s a family, a community or a town — shared stories are the basis of the culture and the common memory,” Sargent said. “That’s what he’s brought together in his book for Austin. He has such a talent for letting people know what’s there all around them that they may not notice.”
WEST CAMPUS
Cyc Fitness offers innovative group exercise classes By Keely Wirries @thedailytexan
Forty-seven high-performance stationary Schwinn bikes, flashing strobe lights, blaring music and the smell of sweat greet new members as they walk in the door at Cyc Fitness. Located on 23rd Street near the Pearl Street intersection, Cyc Fitness attracts not just gym rats, but also UT students and beginner cyclists. Classes, which run at least four times a day, combine a normal spin class with sports-inspired weight lifting moves in an effort to engage cyclists’ entire bodies throughout the workout. Instructor Ellie Julier said Cyc classes push cyclists to do sprints, hills, jumps, hovers and climbs. At Cyc, cyclists exercise their upper body by holding small sand
bag weights while spinning, which creates more tension in the upper body and engages the ab muscle, pushing the cyclist further than in typical spin classes. “It is a very high-intensity workout. You can burn anywhere from 500 to 800 calories in a class,” studio manager Heather Barnard said. “We want people to see results, so we even have a hashtag so people can share their stories and spread the word — #PartyOnABike.” Spin started as a low-impact alternative to running, but Julier said in the years since, it has become a major workout sensation. “[There’s] no way spin is a fad,” Julier said. “It’s already been around a long time. It will just continue to evolve. There was a huge spin revival in the ’90s with rave culture, so it will
probably, like with anything, experience peaks and valleys, but I think we provide such an exceptional and valuable product that it keeps people coming back and wanting more.” Julier said Cyc primarily caters to the college crowd, attracting many UT athletes and members of UT’s Greek system by creating a young, fun-loving atmosphere. “[Cyc Fitness] has a ton of UT students that come and want to sweat, and for a couple of weeks, we did a thing where we made rides for all the different sororities, and we went and even visited them at their houses.” Julier said. “UT students are a huge part of our demographic.” Since opening the Austin location in October 2012, Julier said she’s seen the studio’s demographic expand beyond
her expectations. “Many different types of people come here,” Julier said. “We have people in their 60’s who come three times a week and kill it, we have people who come in at 7 a.m. every day before work and never miss a class.” Cyc Fitness’ original location is near the University of Wisconsin, but the company now includes five branches in cities such as Boston, Atlanta and New York City. Barnard said Cyc’s mission is to provide a full-body workout in a limited amount of time. “There are not that many workouts that can be this short and get these results,” Barnard said. “At Cyc, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what a normal spin class can do, and we do that by incorporating many different aspects all in one 45-minute session.”
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Illustration by Victoria Smith | Daily Texan Staff