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Thursday, February 11, 2016
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CITY
Naishtat reflects on 25-year tenure By Forrest Milburn @forrestmilburn
No one expected the Jewish Democrat from New York City to win the 1990 race for Texas state House District 49, especially with the incumbent Republican running attack ads that asked Austin voters if they wanted Elliott Naishtat — “a liberal social worker from New York City” — as their next representative.
“Until I was elected, it was written in the Texas Constitution that if you’re from New York City, you can’t serve in the Texas Legislature,” said Naishtat, jokingly. “When I ran, a lot of people said, ‘You don’t have a chance, you’re from New York City, you’re a Yankee, you’re a carpetbagger.’” Naishtat went on to defy expectations in November, defeating the incumbent Re-
publican by more than 10 percentage points. Since his 1990 win, he has not faced anything more than minimal opposition in any of his primaries or November general elections. After serving for more than two decades, Naishtat unexpectedly decided in December not to seek re-election for his seat in 2016, despite there being no possibility of a competitive challenger from either party. After his decision
— prompted by health concerns and a desire to pass the torch to the next generation — the number of candidates to replace him quickly grew as seven Democrats and no Republicans announced they would make a run for the seat. “There are a few who stand out a little bit more than a couple of the others, but I’m very pleased with the level of quality and competence, the energy, the passion, of everyone
who is running,” Naishtat said. With HD 49 encompassing all of West Campus and UT, Naishtat said it has been an honor to have consistently fought for issues close to students, including the campus carry bill passed last session that allows concealed carry of firearms on campuses. Naishtat, a strong opponent of guns on campuses,
BOWLING page 2
Breakdown of Texas campus carry 1%
Fewer than of students have licenses to carry. At the time campus carry was passed in Texas, it became the 8th state to pass campus carry.
23 states allowed col-
lege to prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons on campus. Source: UT-Austin campus working group, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Infographic by Kelly Smith | Daily Texan Staff
after they implemented campus carry, there was a professor who had an accident in class and shot himself in the foot right in front of his students,” said Valentine, a Plan II lecturer. “Most of them won’t have an accident. Eventually,
somebody will.” Texas became the eighth state to allow campus carry in June 2015 when Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 11, requiring Texas public universities to allow concealed carrying of guns on campus. Every
By Cassandra Jaramillo @cassandrajar
CAMPUS CARRY page
By Caleb Wong
campus won’t have an accident, but he said a prohibition on campus carry would mostly eliminate the possibility gun accidents on campus. “Idaho implemented campus carry not too long ago, and on the first week of classes
Union to pin higher prices on bowling
private university in Texas that has made a decision on campus carry chose not to allow guns on campus. Erick Bruno, a member of Students for Concealed Carry,
NAISHTAT page 2
Many expect smooth campus carry rollout Anticipation and uncertainty about campus carry has increased, especially as UT prepares to release campus carry rules within the next few weeks, ahead of the Aug. 1 implementation date. However, members from various groups involved in studying campus carry said they expect a relatively smooth rollout for the law’s implementation. After studying other schools that have already implemented campus carry, Student Government President Xavier Rotnofsky said he expects the uncertainty about campus carry to gradually subside. “We also found that a lot of these schools that have campus carry now haven’t necessarily seen an increase in gunrelated violence and things like that,” said Rotnofsky, a Plan II senior who is on the UT campus carry working group. “It’s sort of like a perception issue. It goes to the minds of people that campus carry is a thing. The environment around campus sort of stabilizes.” Matthew Valentine, a member of the faculty group GunFree UT, said most people who carry a concealed handgun on
CAMPUS
UT students will pay 25 cents more for bowling at the Texas Union Underground if the University approves a rate increase later this month. The University Unions board met Jan. 29 and with a unanimous vote passed for a new 2016 rate structure. The Texas Union Underground, which offers bowling and billiards, has not seen its prices increase since at least 2007, according to Union Underground data. The twelvelane bowling alley, built in the 1960s, is in need of facility improvements, board members said. Jennifer Zamora, director of student programs at the University Unions, said she presented the proposal to streamline prices for bowling and help pay for lighting and electric features. “The way it was in the past, if you were bowling during the day, then it was $1.50, and then if you bowled at night, it was $2.00,” Zamora said. “Well, that makes it hard sometimes to communicate how much it is to come bowl.” Glow Bowl, the Texas Union Underground’s blacklight bowling experience, will see prices increase 50 cents from $2.50 to $3.00 for UT students. “If you wanted to do Glow Bowl and shoes, you’re still going to be able to do it for under $5,” Zamora said. “For us, it’s really important for the Union Underground to be
CAMPUS
@caleber96
bit.ly/dtvid
CITY
STATE
UT Immigration Clinic assists detainees Airbnb, City Council
clash over regulations
By Elizabeth Hlavinka @hlavinka_e
UT clinical professor Elissa Steglich has seen the despair and fear that resides in Texas detention centers firsthand. One woman she spoke to, a tailor from Central America, terrified by gang threats and the sound of gunshots down her street, fled to the United States with her daughter. Another made the journey with her 13-year-old son, who had not attended school in three years for fear of gang recruitment. Steglich, along with other members of the UT Immigration Clinic, is representing several families detained in the South Texas Family Residential Center and the Karnes County Residential Center — two south Texas centers that hold only women and children immigrants. The families — migrating mostly from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — are seeking
By Caleb Wong @caleber96
DETENTION page 2
Lizzy*, a senior at UT, makes $300 a month, but she doesn’t work a traditional on-campus job or get the money from her parents. Instead, she charges guests to stay in a room in the bohemian-themed West Campus apartment she shares with three roommates through Airbnb, an online marketplace that matches property owners with people looking for a place to stay. Inspirational quotes on the wall, maps and African-themed poles and totems line the walls of the apartment, which has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Airbnb. After paying a 3 percent service fee to Airbnb from her earnings, she makes enough to purchase groceries and other necessities. She described hosting through Airbnb as not only
Illustration by Melanie Westfall | Daily Texan Staff
asylum in the United States, fleeing gang violence in their home countries. UT Immigration Clinic founder Barbara Hines said because residents aren’t allowed to leave the premises, the detention centers are in
violation of the Reno v. Flores decision of 1993. They are also not licensed as child welfare facilities, although a decision is currently being made whether to grant the centers that license. “These are not childcare centers,” Hines said.
“The government says it’s a residential facility, but when you talk to any of these children or moms, they will tell you it’s a prison.”
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UT research links asthma to common cold. ONLINE City Council approves space for art community. ONLINE
Point: Campaign spending limits foster diversity. PAGE 4
Longhorns take down Oklahoma State. PAGE 6
“Deadpool” delivers action and comedy. PAGE 8
Check out our Hug a vegan day video at
Counterpoint: Money does not win SG elections. PAGE 4
Softball prepares for season opener. PAGE 6
Professors recommend favorite literary works. PAGE 8
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a way to make money but also meet interesting people from around the world. “It’s much more personal,” Lizzy said. There’s only one problem: She’s breaking the law. Her apartment complex prohibits her from unofficially renting her apartment to guests, according to the lease she signed. The City of Austin requires her to obtain a type-one short-term rental license to host paying guests, which costs $285 for the first year and $235 every year afterward. Lizzy, who asked to remain anonymous, said she already knew the apartment did not allow her to rent her place through Airbnb but said she did not know the City required her to obtain a license. “[I wouldn’t pay the City fee]
AIRBNB page 2 REASON TO PARTY
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