1
SPORTS PAGE 6
LIFE&ARTS PAGE 8
COMICS PAGE 7
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
@thedailytexan
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
facebook.com/dailytexan
dailytexanonline.com
bit.ly/dtvid
CAMPUS
CAMPUS
Traffic citations affect UT bicyclists
University statement may prompt gun litigation
By Mikaela Cannizzo @mikaelac16
Disregarding stop signs is the most common bike violation on campus and results in the most citations for biking incidents per year, according to UTPD. According to bicycle citations records, UTPD has issued 82 citations for bike violations within the past five years. A total of 68 of those citations were issued for disregarding a stop sign. UTPD has only issued one
citation in response to a bike violation this year so far. The incident involved a biker disregarding a traffic control device. UTPD officer William Pieper said other violations, such as traveling above the 15 mph speed limit and failing to yield to pedestrians, also happen occasionally. “We see [disregarding stop signs] frequently,” Pieper said. “Occasionally, we’ll have a failure to yield right of way, which is usually the result of a collision
happening where a bicyclist hit a pedestrian on a crosswalk or something of that nature.” Pieper said bikers are required to follow the same laws as motor vehicle drivers and violations are typically classified as class C misdemeanors. Violators typically receive a fine in which the amount is determined by the specific violation, but usually does not exceed $500.
BICYCLE page 2
By Caleb Wong @caleber96
Maddox Price | Daily Texan Staff
Cyclists bike through the intersection of Speedway and East 24th Street on campus.
CITY
Austin flow artists get campus fired up By Elizabeth Hlavinka @hlavinka_e
When international relations senior Gwam Puerta notices a dip in the party’s energy, he wets his hair, lathers his beard in Vaseline and sets a torch on fire — ready to bring the crowd to life. Puerta is one of many students in a community of fire spinners, a form of flow art — or the practice of manipulating various props, such as staffs, hula-hoops and poi balls attached to the artist by a chain or string. Some artists practice with LED equipment, producing light shows with their movements, while others, like Puerta, spin, throw and breathe fire. “You’re not playing with fire; you’re dancing with fire,” Puerta said. “So when you’re out there, you’re in the moment. I’m not thinking much about anything. That’s the beauty of it.”
FIRE page 5
Zoe Fu | Daily Texan Staff
George Robertson breathes fire at the 21st Street Co-Op on Monday night. Gwam Puerta, 21st Street Co-Op “fire senpai,” and his group of friends perform fire shows at parties and special events hosted by the Co-Op.
ALUMNI
Both Students for Concealed Carry and Gun Free UT have suggested they might file litigation in response to UT President Gregory Fenves’ decision regarding campus carry. “SCC is confident that the University’s gun-free-offices policy and empty-chamber policy will not stand up to legal scrutiny; therefore, our Texas chapter will now shift its focus to litigation,” the Texas chapter of Students for Concealed Carry said in a statement on its Facebook page last week. Gun Free UT also said it may consider filing litigation against the state of Texas. The organization declined to comment further on the specifics of its legal strategy, but said it was fighting to protect academic freedom in the classroom. “There’s a lot of evidence that shows the presence of guns changes the way people behave, and I think everyone is concerned that the presence of guns will inhibit the discussion of controversial issues and possible dispute over grades or other matters,” said Max Snodderly, neuroscience professor and chair of the Gun Free UT legal committee. The possibility of litigation comes after Fenves said he would adopt all 25 recommendations of the UT campus carry working group last Wednesday, including allowing handguns in classrooms, the common areas
LITIGATION page 3
OFFBEAT
Texas senator receives Student helps create ‘Trillary Clinton’ site Moody alumni award By Forrest Milburn
By Elizabeth Huang @lizzthewiz
Texas Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) will receive the Moody College of Communication Outstanding Alumna Award on April 17. The award is given annually to one Moody College graduate who has made outstanding contributions to society and gone on to a distinguished career, Moody director of communications Nicolas Hundley said. Moody College faculty and staff were asked to compile a list of eligible nominees, and Moody College Dean Jay Bernhardt chose Zaffirini, the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas Senate, from that list. Zaffirini said the award is incredibly meaningful to her because the education she
received at Moody College “changed her life.” “I am immensely appreciative,” Zaffirini said. “I am forever grateful for lessons learned from great teachers and from great UT professors.” Zaffirini, who represents Senate District 21, was chosen because of her legacy as a Texas Senator and communicator, Hundley said. “Her legislative accomplishments … demonstrate the importance of communication in campaigning, representing constituents and furthering discussion with other senators to pass legislation,” Hundley said. Susan Nold, director of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life, a Moody College institute that seeks to increase
ZAFFIRINI page 3
Max Parks, an astronomy and physics senior, has created a comical website featuring presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, in light of this year’s presidential election.
@forrestmilburn
Anyone looking for stances on immigration or college debt reforms from Hillary Clinton, candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, won’t find any piece of substantial information at TrillaryClinton.org. Instead, page viewers will see a grid of repeating GIFs of Clinton dancing insync to Kanye West’s song “Power,” while a clock shows visitors how long they’ve “trilled” for. While other “gag” websites such as tedcruzforamerica.com — which asks visitors to immigrate to Canada — seem to have more mocking intentions, TrillaryClinton.org was just a way to have some fun during an election season filled with “political fervor,” according to
“Hotter than Burning Man. Better than a Rave. The best party of the year.”
Mary Pistorius Daily Texan Staff
the website’s owner. “The fact that we’ve been talking about this election for two years is kind of terrible,” said Max Parks, an astronomy and physics senior who co-owns the website with his friends. “We simultaneously want people to be involved in politics, but I just wish it wasn’t
… such a reality show.” Parks, who maintains his voter registration in his home state of Virginia, said he and some of his more politically active friends decided to design and launch the website on Dec. 27, when they were all discussing the election back home during winter break.
“We’re not making fun of Hillary Clinton, we’re not making fun of Kanye West, we’re not making fun of anyone,” Parks said. “We’re just entertaining and hopefully getting people thinking, at least.” The sentiment shown by
TRILLARY page 2
Name: 4480/Carnaval Mike Quinn Market; Width: 60p0; Depth: 2 in; Color: Process color, 4480/Carnaval Mike Quinn Market; Ad Number: 4480
Austin’s Brazilian-Style Mardi Gras Non-Stop Dancing Totally Uninhibited Revelry Nearly 100 Drummers! Live, Pulsating Music All Night Long
“Best Public Bash” Texas Monthly
Feb. 27, 2O16
www.SambaParty.com
Palmer Events Center
2 2
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
FRAMES featured photo
NEWS
thedailytexan
Volume 116, Issue 107
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
The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com.
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2016 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.
TOMORROW’S WEATHER
High
71
Low
40
Shoutout to Kelly for the donuts.
Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff
Mathematics senior Juan Carlos Moreno studies in the Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library on Tuesday evening.
BICYCLE continues from page 1
TRILLARY continues from page 1
Intersections are the most common locations where bikers violate traffic laws because of a large crowd of people moving in various directions, Pieper said. French sophomore Barrett Smith said she received a warning from an officer for running the stop sign on 24th Street and Speedway while biking through campus. Smith said she was not aware of the enforcement of bike laws on campus and does not see other bikers following the same rules as a driver would. “Bikes don’t follow traffic laws because they’re not cars,” Smith said. “It takes so much more energy to stop at a stop sign and then start going again, and as a [cyclist], you’re going slow enough and you’re small enough that you can just kind of dodge obstacles.” Anthony Jreij, biochemistry and Middle Eastern
Parks is one of many in a generation that candidates are finally reaching out to as a crucial voting bloc in 2016. Whether it’s former Texas Republican Ron Paul’s libertarian message in 2012 or Sen. Bernie Sanders’s “Feel The Bern” slogan in 2016, candidates have started realizing that student voters — a group that historically has stayed home on election day — can be mobilized with the right message and outreach. “It’s so much easier to engage, but … it’s almost like a fight for who can create the most content that is appealing and gets people to their websites,” said College Republicans President Madison Yandell. “You can’t get on social media without seeing something about the presidential campaign, [and] it’s an extremely vital way for reaching youth voters.” TrillaryClinton.org isn’t Clinton’s only brush with internet notoriety. After Clinton stepped down from her role as Secretary of State following President Barack Obama’s re-election in 2012, social media blew up with memes and T-shirts featuring photos of Clinton on an airplane as she
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natalie Sullivan News Desk Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellie Breed, Estefania Espinosa, Rund Khayyat, Catherine Marfin Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mikaela Cannizzo, Cassandra Jaramillo, Rachel Lew, Forrest Milburn, Caleb Wong Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cat Cardenas Life&Arts Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Megan Hix, Katie Walsh Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Duncan, Elizabeth Hlavinka, Charles Liu Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob Martella Associate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Akshay Mirchandani Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Clay, Tyler Horka, Michael Shapiro, Mark Skol Special Ventures Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eleanor Dearman Special Ventures Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nashwa Bawab, Marisa Charpentier, Aaron Torres Special Ventures Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jesús Nazario Science&Technology Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ellen Airhart Associate Science&Technology Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eva Frederick Forum Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Walker Fountain Senior Opinion Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benroy Chan, Mubarrat Choudhury, Laura Hallas, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noah Horwitz, Leah Kashar, Khadija Saifullah Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kailey Thompson Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vera Bespalova, Nicole Farrell, Michelle Zhang Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Iliana Storch Associate Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Smith Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sammy Jarrar, Elizabeth Jones, Lillian Michel Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Evans Senior Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlotte Carpenter, Heather Finnegan, Monica Silverio Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rachel Zein Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daulton Venglar Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zoe Fu, Joshua Guerra, Gabriel Lopez, Mike McGraw, Stephanie Tacy Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melanie Westfall Associate Comics Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsay Rojas, Victoria Smith Senior Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Cheon, Albert Lee, Connor Murphy, Isabella Palacios Social Media Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Akshay Mirchandani Technical Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Li Senior Tech Team Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Adam Humphrey, Sam Limerick, Junyuan Tan Podcast Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony Green Associate Podcast Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lillian Michel Podcast Technical Producers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zeke Fritts, Sam Groves Editorial Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Chen
Issue Staff
Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Aguilar, Alexander Chase, Andrew Kirsop, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah “An Incredible” Lanford, Danielle Leighninger Sports Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Helwick, Jasmine Johnson, Adair Odom News Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emma Acosta, Hannah Daniel, Elizabeth Huang, Brendalys Lebron Multimedia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophia Castano Page Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate Dukes, Alessandra Monnerat Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Moyer, Chester Omenukor, Tin Rodriguez, Jessica Vacek Life&Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James Rodriguez, Sebastian Sada, Kartik Sridhar Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janhavi Nemauwarkar Illustrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nick Osella, Sian Rips Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natalie Hinson, Mary Pistorius, Maddox Price, Marshall Tidrick, Briana Vargas
Business and Advertising
(512) 471-1865 | advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald Johnson Business/Operations Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Serpas III Account Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brady Beal, Allysun Gutierrez, Celeste Schurman, Shukree Shabazz Student Account Executives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camilo Sanchez, Andrew Serice Student Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jannice Truong Special Editions/Production Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen Salisbury
The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (HSM 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2016 Texas Student Media.
The Daily Texan Mail Subscription Rates One Semester (Fall or Spring) $60.00 Two Semesters (Fall and Spring) $120.00 Summer Session $40.00 One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer) $150.00 To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.
Texan Ad Deadlines
2/24/16 Monday .............Wednesday, 12 p.m. Thursday.................Monday, 12 p.m. Tuesday.................Thursday, 12 p.m. Friday......................Tuesday, 12 p.m. Classified Word Ads 11 a.m. Wednesday................Friday, 12 p.m. (Last Business Day Prior to Publication)
studies sophomore, said he does not ride a bike around campus but believes bikers should stay safe and follow the rules of the road. “They put themselves in harm’s way, should a car not expect them to run a stop sign,” Jreij said. “As a biker, they agree to follow the laws that other vehicles do, and if they are putting people in danger, then a ticket might be necessary.” Focus patrols, an initiative in which officers monitor a certain location that has high reports of violations, help officers enforce bike laws, Pieper said. He said officers usually warn students for the first few days, but then start writing tickets if violations continue in the area. Pieper said UTPD collaborates with Parking and Transportation Services to hold presentations on transportation safety for students. To remind students of bike laws, Pieper said UTPD also includes a notice on Campus Watch reports and sends occasional email blasts of the rules. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure that we all remain safe on our roadways,” Pieper said. “We all need to do our part to make sure we’re safe, and the people we’re sharing the road with are safe.”
Name: 4027/Trudy’s; Width: 19p4; Depth: 6 in; Color: Black, 4027/Trudy’s; Ad Number: 4027
peered down at her cell phone with a solemn expression. “She was considered pretty generally to be an iconic badass,” said Plan II sophomore Charlie Bonner, chairman of UT Students for Hillary. “I don’t think that’s gone. I think there are a lot of us who still see her that way.” If his website does anything other than getting a
laugh out of someone, Parks said he hopes it at least makes students think more about their impact on presidential campaigns and other races around the country. “I think this election in November will be unprecedented in a number of ways,” Parks said. “I think that the more the Internet gets involved … the more everyone will be involved.”
RECYCLE
your copy of Name: 4466/re:fuel-National Security ; Width: 19p4; Depth: 10 in; Color: Black, 4466/re:fuel-National Security ; Ad Number: 4466
W&N 3
NEWS
3
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
GAMES & TECHNOLOGY
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Election board hears candidate’s complaint By Forrest Milburn @forrestmilburn
Natalie Hinson | Daily Texan Staff
ForeverCard founders Michael Barnes, left, Jose Bethancourt and Zulian Tjuatja won $5,000 at the BodyHacking Con 2016 Startup Pitch Competition. The ForeverCard app allows people to scan any business card directly into their phones.
UT students win cash prize for business card mobile app By Emma Acosta @cb_acosta
Three UT students won a $5,000 prize Saturday at the BodyHacking Con 2016 Startup Pitch Competition for pitching their crowd-favorite application ForeverCard. In 2014, educational administration graduate student Michael Barnes and business honors and finance senior Zulian Tjuatja began working on ForeverCard, an application that allows users to scan any business card directly into their phones. After acquiring the help of lead developer, business freshman Jose Bethancourt, they were able to launch the app in the summer of 2015.
ZAFFIRINI
continues from page 1 civic involvement, said Zaffirini is a wonderful role model for Moody students. “She is a testament to how one person, equipped with knowledge and talent, can become a powerful advocate for public institutions and often over-looked or underrepresented interests and individuals,” Nold said. The education she received at UT helped her master skills that were critical to
LITIGATION
continues from page 1 of residence halls and study areas such as the library and dining halls. Guns would continue to be prohibited at ticketed sporting events, in laboratories with volatile chemicals, in patient-care areas and in areas where K-12 groups are present. Fenves also announced the creation of a committee to decide how campus carry rules would be implemented. “It has been a very difficult decision balancing legal requirements with maintaining a productive educational environment,” Fenves said at the press conference following UT’s initial press release on campus carry. Michael Newbern, Students for Concealed Carry spokesperson, said the group would closely monitor the implementation committee’s actions. Newbern said UT’s restrictions on guns in laboratories may unlawfully limit the rights of graduate stu-
♲
“For me, the problem we were trying to solve was very significant,” Tjuatja said. “Around McCombs, everyone is always networking and exchanging contact information, so business cards were an annoyance to me.” ForeverCard was one of 10 finalists asked to pitch in the competition out of 70 candidates. The team presented to a public crowd of around 70 people and close to 140 livestream viewers. Nursing sophomore Jessica Nguyen said the app could be a helpful tool for students and future employers. It could help with networking at campus events geared toward finding employers after graduation, Nguyen said. “I know a lot of people
her success on the campaign trail, Zaffirini said. “When my primary and general election opponents each outspent me 2-to-1, I won with less money,” Zaffirini said. “I could write my speeches and press releases, plan much of my advertising and public relations and once produced a one-hour live call-in cable television talk show — with less than a 24-hour notice.” Although some have belittled the usefulness of her
go to career fairs that are offered here on campus,” Nguyen said. “If those companies are aware of this app and don’t mind, then it’s easy to just sync up that information. I think it’s a good way to keep up with who you talked to at career fairs also.” Wendy Mejia, UT alumna and technical sales representative for Zello, a local walkie-talkie app, said she sees the value of the application in customeroriented markets which rely on customer information such as names, titles and company email. “I think users that can benefit from this app are companies with a sales force, and companies who have a strong [customer
Ph.D. in communications, Zaffirini said it helps her even now as a senator. “What greater asset could a senator have when required to rise to present a bill and to be prepared to debate any of 30 other senators?” Zaffirini said. Zaffirini also challenged UT students to surpass the achievements of current UT alumni. “Alumni are not asking you to be like us,” Zaffirini said. “We are asking you to be significantly better.”
It has been a very difficult decision balancing legal requirements with maintaining a productive educational environment.
—Gregory Fenves, UT President
dents to carry weapons, and said firearm carrying rules could lead to negligent discharges of firearms on campus. He declined to comment on specific aspects of the litigation, including whom the group would consider suing. “The implementation committee still has the opportunity to get it right,” Newbern said. “We will be offering to work with them to help them get it right, but if they decide not to get it right, then someone is going to come along, and someone’s going to enlist the help of a judge so they can understand it.” When asked if UT’s interpretation of the campus carry law would withstand legal scrutiny, J.B. Bird, UT’s director of media outreach,
RECYCLE
your copy of
said several distinguished legal minds had reviewed the rules, including a former Texas Supreme Court Justice and Steven Goode, chair of the campus carry working group. “Like the other public universities in Texas, we’re overseeing the complexities of implementing this new law,” Bird said. Xavier Rotnofsky, student body president and a member of the working group, said besides litigation, he thought it would be worthwhile to fight for public universities’ ability to opt-out of campus carry. “Moving forward, one of the battles to fight is to once again try to get public universities the same privileges private universities have,” Rotnofsky, a Plan II senior, said.
♲
relationship management] platform,” Mejia said. “An app like ForeverCard is great to have when meeting new customers, making a sale or at a convention where you meet several key contacts.” The ForeverCard team hopes to expand their sales and marketing divisions to help promote the app and fix bugs with the money they won. They also plan on hiring more people to help Bethancourt keep up with the development work. “I can’t believe [the process started] two years ago — it’s such a long time now,” Tjuatja said. “To me the app is sort of my baby. … I want to see it through and make it better and better.”
The Election Supervisory Board heard a complaint Tuesday from a candidate for Student Government communications representative, who claims an associate editor for The Daily Texan had malicious intentions when filing an inaccurate complaint against the HelgrenKim campaign. During Tuesday’s hearing, journalism and economics senior David Maly alleged Plan II junior Alexander Chase, the sole candidate for Daily Texan editor-in-chief, had misrepresented himself during his two hearings in front of the ESB and the SG Supreme Court. Maly said Chase had agreed with the Supreme Court’s ruling, but repeatedly stood by his initial complaint during Tuesday’s hearing. “As we saw, there were half a dozen new contradictions from [Chase] during this hearing,” Maly said. “If anything, I think this strengthened my complaint that he’s being dishonest here.” Chase initially submitted a complaint against the Helgren-Kim campaign for what he perceived as early campaigning and soliciting of support from a sitting member of the editorial board. ESB first heard the complaint, ruling unanimously
check out
ONLINE
in favor of Chase. “I submitted this wanting to understand how to go about it,” Chase said during Tuesday’s hearing. “I felt that the Election Supervisory Board would have been able to guide me on this. I felt fairly strongly that there was something rotten … that ‘support’ there did not seem like work.” After Helgren-Kim appealed the ESB ruling, the Supreme Court overturned the ESB’s decision, ruling the Helgren-Kim campaign had not committed any election code violation. Supreme Court Chief Justice Zach Stone attended Tuesday’s hearing to clarify any questions from the board regarding the court’s decision. “The Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over Texas Student Media elections, but we do share an election code,” Stone said in a statement Monday. “If we heard this case we would seriously consider Mr. Chase’s disqualification.” The campaign had to have known or found out about his position on the Texan’s editorial board through his Facebook page when he was approached for support, Chase said. A decision from the board should come at approximately 9 p.m. tomorrow night, 24 hours after the hearing, board members said.
stories videos photo galleries dailytexanonline.com
Name: 4497/Texas Exes; Width: 29p6; Depth: 10 in; Color: Process color, 4497/Texas Exes; Ad Number: 4497
4 OPINION
CLAIRE SMITH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | @TexanEditorial Wednesday, February 24, 2016
COLUMN
Student protests are not useful Mubarrat Choudhury
Daily Texan Senior Columnist @MubarratC
A recent survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA found that today’s college freshman are more likely to engage in political activism than ever before. It goes without saying that students have had a plethora of social injustice issues to pick from this past year. Whether that be racial tensions at the University of Missouri, concerns about Syrian refugees or campus carry — you name it, if there’s a problem in the world, UT students have probably rallied against it. Although students may be increasing their engagement on campus via activism and protests, the truth is there is very little chance that such activities will translate into any change. Students ought to engage in other actions within the political process — instead of rallying for a cause on the South Mall for one day, students should simply show up to the polls on March. Don’t get the wrong idea — protests have worked in the past. Without them, the world wouldn’t have witnessed the suffrage movement or the anti-apartheid movement, and the Arab spring would be nothing but a desert mirage. But there is a fundamental difference between big protests that come from the legitimate grievances of people who are sincerely concerned about the status quo than a bunch of students that have a general interest in an issue that show up at one spot on campus for a day. Political pro-
Although students may be increasing their engagement on campus via activism and protests, the truth is there is very little chance that such activities will translate to change. tests are movements. They last weeks to months to years. They have leaders, and they are organized. Moises Naim, contributor for The Atlantic Magazine, writes that protests need organization and leadership to succeed. “The problem is what happens after the march,” Naim said. “More often than not, it simply fizzles out. Behind massive street demonstrations there is a rarely a well-oiled and more permanent organization capable of following up on protesters’ demands and undertaking the complex, face-to-face and dull political work that produces real change in government.” Campus protests don’t grow into large political movements. Before students become compelled to march down Speedway, they should show up to vote on March 1. Engaging in protests without voting is counterintuitive. Voting is the most direct action for citizens to enact change. Unfortunately, it’s a power that the majority of college student fail to exercise. According to a study of the Harvard Institute of Politics, fewer than a quarter of voters between the ages of 18
Illustration by Nicholas Osell | Daily Texan Staff
to 29 show up to the polls. Given rising political activism and the potential for great change, this low voter turnout is problematic. Millennials are quickly becoming the majority of eligible voters, according to the nonpartisan States of Change Project. This year, there will be as many millennials as baby boomers. College students have the potential to see the change they want in government, as long as they vote. With the way the United States’ political process agenda functions, voting alone isn’t enough. Instead of spending money of rally posters, students ought to spend it on a SuperPAC that centers around issues
that matter to them. Although major presidential-affiliated SuperPACs have a huge influence in national politics, there are SuperPACs that have been created specifically for issues regarding college students, such as DePaul University’s Student Debt Reform PAC. Protests are not something that any other campus needs right now. Rather, students ought to participate at the polls or engage with student centered SuperPACs. At the end of the day, it will not only lead to more substantial change but a much quieter campus. Choudhury is an economics freshman from Richardson.
COLUMN
Marijuana discussion should include environment Benroy Chan
Daily Texan Senior Columnist @BenroyChan
Support for marijuana is at an all-time high. 58 percent of Americans want it legalized, and four states, along with Washington D.C., have already done so. Opinions on legalization’s implications on health, crime and finance continue to dominate media attention. But one of the benefits that remains curiously absent is its environmental impact. Despite the controversy surrounding marijuana, people need to remember that it’s just a plant — an organism requiring extensive amounts of water and energy to produce. To avoid trouble with the law, illegal growers create artificial environments for indoor plant growth, keeping it discreet and hidden. This process requires the constant use of energy-intensive tools such as artificial lighting, dehumidifiers and more. But if marijuana cultivation became legal, growers could produce the plant outdoors, reducing this high demand for energy. The energy used to grow marijuana accounts for approximately 1 percent of the total energy produced in the United States, according to a study published in the journal Energy Policy. This amount may seem insignificant, but for every one kilogram of finished marijuana produced, there is an estimated 4,600 kg of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is known to contribute to global climate
Despite the controvery surrounding marijuana, peope need to remember that it’s just a plant — an organism requiring extensive amounts of water and energy to produce. change, and taking steps to reduce our impact is crucial. Making recreational marijuana cultivation legal could reduce these emissions in two impactful ways. First, it would allow growers to produce the plant outdoors or in greenhouses because they would no longer need to hide from the law. Second, it would give growers incentives and requirements to reduce their energy usage in utility rebates and energy efficiency requirements. In the study, energy analyst Evan Mills said policymakers should pay more attention to the environmental impacts of marijuana as well as the avenues for incentivizing more energy efficient cultivation. “Energy efficiency requirements can be found within most building codes in the country,” Mills said in an email. “Additionally there are all sorts of voluntary programs and policies such as utility rebates, ENERGY STAR ratings, etc.” Still, enforcing laws and shutting down
Illustration by Sian Rips | Daily Texan Staff
illegal growers would eliminate all environmental impacts. But this is invalid because if demand exists, someone will supply it whether it is legal or not. The debate, then, should no longer attempt to reduce usage; it should mitigate harm. Business freshman Armando Torres said he thinks the fear of marijuana is unjustified and that laws can’t stop people from using it. “People are always going to smoke it, whether it is legal or illegal,” Torres said. “If it is legal, then more money for the state. If it
is illegal, people will find ways to get it and more money for the illegal dealers.” At the University of Texas at Austin, marijuana use is present even though the drug is illegal in the state. Last spring, 19.1 percent of students reported using marijuana in the last 30 days. Instead of fighting a hopeless battle to end marijuana use, policymakers should legalize it and begin the process of reducing its negative environmental impacts. Chan is a journalism freshman from Sugar Land.
COLUMN
Consumers must reject fast fashion retailers Janhavi Nemawarkar Daily Texan Columnist @janhavin97
The social and environmental tolls of the fashion industry are explored in the 2015 documentary The True Cost. Familiar images of couture-laden runways and enormous Black Friday crowds are juxtaposed with shots of cramped sweatshops, collapsed factories and landfills overflowing with clothes. The unethical practices of fast fashion must be combatted with conscious spending on the part of consumers. “Fast fashion” is the proliferation of cheap clothing inspired by current luxury trends. The low costs of stores such as Zara, H&M and Forever 21 entice college students, many of whom cannot afford more expensive clothing. The clothes are inexpensive and low-quality, and consumers buy and throw them out in large quantities. This can only be sustained by outsourcing
labor to countries with paltry regulations. In 2015, H&M and Next admitted Syrian child refugees were working in their clothing factories in Turkey. This year, a factory in Bangladesh that made clothes for H&M and J.C. Penney caught on fire, exposing a lack of adequate fire safety measures. These events are symptoms of consumers’ voracious demand for cheap clothing with little regard for the workers. Not only do fast fashion companies take advantage of their employees, but they also exploit the environment. Chemicals and pesticides harm the fields that grow fiber for cloth, and masses of supposedly “disposable” clothing sit in landfills for years. Consumers hold a great deal of power over companies to change their unsustainable and inhumane practices. Dominique Bobbio, an international relations senior involved in University Students Against Sweatshops, wrote in an email that she encourages students to take responsibility in challenging corporations. “If [students are] not comfortable with the
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.
way a corporation is operating, then organizing actions, delivering letters to store managers, and engaging in social media actions have all proven to be effective means of pressuring corporate giants to change their ways,” Bobbio said. Alternatives to large corporations exist. Retailers such as Everlane, People Tree, Raven + Lily and American Apparel offer fair trade clothing that ensure sustainable, ethically produced clothes. Ellie Wendland, a student involved in both Spark Magazine and University Fashion Group, discussed the importance of buying less, higher quality clothes. “Instead of getting caught up in the consumer culture of buying new cheap and trendy pieces each season, students could purchase fewer more classic items that are produced ethically and will last longer.” Although the prices might seem steeper to the college student on a budget, buying several well-made items costs about the same as inexpensive items that require constant replacement. The fashion industry appears to be a
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.
“Fast fashion” is the proliferation of cheap clothing inspired by current luxury trends. The low costs of stores such as Zara, H&M, and Forever 21 entice college students … monolith that single consumers cannot change, but just as upstart fast-fashion stores have significantly changed the fashion industry, mass consumer support of ethical practices can exact a more positive change. Because of the dangers current fashion industry models pose to its workers and the environment, we simply cannot afford to do anything less. Nemawarkar is a Plan II freshman from Austin.
RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanEditorial) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.
CLASS 5
LIFE&ARTS
5
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
MOVIE REVIEW | ‘TRIPLE 9’
‘Triple 9’ suffers from narrative weakness By Sebastian Sada @sseebbaasstian
The mark of a great crime drama is its ability to persist in the minds of moviegoers. “Triple 9,” in this respect, falls short of greatness. In this feature written by UT alumnus Matt Cook, a band of criminals and like-minded cops are coerced into executing a difficult heist. Their turmoil with the Russian mafia leads them to plot the murder of one of their own (Casey Affleck), hoping to use the crime’s status as a 999 incident, in which all police arrive at the scene, to commit their heist without cop interference. The complex processes of development and execution serve as catalysts for blackmail, crime and betrayal, and the action-packed sequences that follow saturate the film with the momentum audiences crave. From the outset, “Triple 9” has the workings of a truly
remarkable film. Led by an all-star cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie and Aaron Paul, the film seizes the opportunity to capitalize on its performances, suffusing characters with a significant amount of dialogue that drives each scene. The stellar performances delivered by Kate Winslet and Woody Harrelson are indicative of Cook’s quest for excellence, dominating the story and captivating viewers over the film’s two-hour duration. Editor Dylan Tichenor stands victorious in constructing “Triple 9’s” swift pace, and Oscar winner Atticus Ross triumphs in contributing to its pulsating score. However, as commendable the film’s cast and crew may be, its incompetent narrative fails to redeem it from mediocrity. The strength, vigor and vibrancy of each performance fails to reverberate in the film’s screenplay, providing an experience that prioritizes style over
TRIPLE 9
Led by an all-star cast of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie and Aaron Paul, “Triple 9” ultimately falls short. The crime drama is showing at all major theaters this week.
Running Time: 115 minutes Rating: R Score:
substance. At its core lies a lack of substantive dialogue, which, in a film largely dependent on it, causes the film to fall short. Combined with its off-beat humor, insignificant melodrama and underwhelming tension, the screenplay culminates in forgettable sequences that permeate a film designed to be monumental. The absence of significant character development in “Triple 9” forces viewers to observe, rather than embrace, moments of shock and surprise. Characters intended to be likable or relatable seem distant from the start, creating a viewership that is largely observant rather than engaged in the material. With its barrage of clichés and ethnic/racial tropes, the film loses
Courtesy of World View Entertainment
its flair and purported originality, giving way to typical cinematic conventions that give way to mediocrity. The thrill of simulated violence falls flat under the weight of its ultimately weak narrative, disappointing moviegoers who want to be thrilled from start to finish. Nonetheless, “Triple 9”’s well-executed sequences, though few and far between,
FIRE continues from page 1 Puerta learned to spin fire three years ago at the 21st Street Co-Op, when a friend taught him some basic moves in a crash course. He said flow art helped him relieve stress, and he would often practice during study breaks. Over time, his moves became muscle memory, and he was able to practice with live flames. He and a group of friends started performing at parties and special events hosted by the Co-Op. “It sounds scary at first, but once you get over [that fear], you’re safe,” Puerta said. Today, Puerta is the 21st Street Co-Op fire master — more colloquially known as the fire senpai — and puts on the community’s fire shows, ensuring they run smoothly. He has also taught over 20
students at the Co-Op moves ranging from the butterfly, a move in which two poi are used to create the image of a butterfly’s wings, to more intricate ones, such as the three-beaded-weave, which produces two full circles of flames on each side of the performer’s body. Puerta taught UT alumna Alex Colella when she was living in the Co-Op last semester. Colella said it took her a month to feel comfortable graduating from her practice equipment, a sock stuffed with tennis balls, to a flaming poi. Neither Colella or Puerta have seen a flow artist seriously injured during a performance. In order to maintain this level of safety, one person, whom they call the firefly, manages the
fire-extinguishing equipment in case of emergency. Colella said the scariest part of spinning is the deafening sound of the poi, whizzing by her ears as she spins. “I was definitely nervous [at first],” Colella said. “You worry about whether you’re varying things up enough for people, but people don’t really care. People enjoy it regardless.” The flow art scene expands beyond the UT campus. Colella is a member of Austin Flow Jam, a local community of over 800 artists who gather each Tuesday on the State Capital grounds. Co-creator Kira Bolin helped start the group with her boyfriend in June 2014 in an attempt to bring together a flow art community. Since then, the group
has grown rapidly. “Recently, Austin has started becoming one of the cities that has a huge flow scene,” Bolin said. “It’s hard to get in any other towns because it’s kind of different. We tend to be a more openminded community than your regular go-to-barsand-drink kind of people.” Bolin said flow art has helped develop a community of like-minded people within Austin and helped her grow, personally, too. “It’s changed the way I live and the way I think,” Bolin said. “I think it has to do with that meditative state you get in, where nothing else matters, and all you’re focusing on is what you’re doing in the moment. It really odes help us become better human beings.”
draw considerable appreciation from moviegoers. The film’s fast-paced, visually-rich opening is worth noting for its compelling delivery. Its climactic heist, likewise, serves as redemption from the plague of dull dialogue. Noteworthy scenes like these, however, fail to compensate for the
CAMPUS
E! E R F ad s
only
CLASSIFIEDS
add yours at texanmedia.org
ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its officers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, printing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.
Self-serve, 24/7 on the Web at www.DailyTexanOnline.com
370 Unf. Apts.
870 Medical
REMEMBER!
d wor
Name: 4478/Arbor Car Wash; Width: 19p4; Depth: 4 in; Color: Black, 4478/Arbor Car Wash; Ad Number: 4478
Coupons
THE DAILY TEXAN S Name: CLASSIFIDES; Width: 60p0; Depth: 10 in; Color: Black, CLASSIFIDES; Ad Number: UN AD IRNE FOR L ON
NOW LEASING WEST CAMPUS! Studios starting at $950 and 1-1’s starting at $1,150. Pre-leasing move-ins.
for
monotony that pervades much of the film. Though infused with a few thrilling sequences, its inability to maintain interest makes it a tough pill to swallow for fans of classic crime dramas. If seeking an evening at the movie theater, it would be best to invest in a more worthwhile experience.
summer/fall
Located at: Diplomat - 1911 San Gabriel Red Oak - 2104 San Gabriel
Seeks College-Educated Men 18–39 to Participate in a Six-Month Donor Program
Donors average $150 per specimen. Apply on-line
www.123Donate.com
Envoy - 2108 San Gabriel Barranca Square - 910 W. 26th Rio Grande Square - 2800 Rio Grande Montage - 2812 Rio Grande Call us direct at (512) 499-8013 or visit us at www.wsgaustin.com NOW LEASING HYDE PARK! Studios starting at $875 and 1-1’s starting at $950. Now pre-leasing for summer/ fall move-ins. Located at: Melroy - 3408 Speedway Le Marquee - 302 W. 38th St Monticello - 306 W. 38th St Call us direct at (512) 499-8013 or visit us at www.wsgaustin.com 512-499-8013
760 Misc. Services
DISSERTATION WRITING BOOTCAMP
SEE WHAT OUR
Texan
ONLINE SYSTEM has to offer, and place YOUR AD NOW!
REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE
texanmedia.org
PICK UP TEXAS TRAVESTY NOW!
Think before you trash it!
Intensive dissertation writing skills class. Email info@phd. coach or go to www.phd.coach.
790 Part Time TEMPORARY HELP NEEDED iPhone app user acquisition, earn $500, make your own schedule. Contact garret@rallychat.us for details
791 Nanny Wanted TUTOR/NANNY NEEDED For 1st grade twins in Tarrytown: Mon, Wed, Thu 2:45-5:00 weekly through June 1 Tutor in reading, help complete minimal homework and drive to activities as needed Text or call Elizabeth 512-964-3918
recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle
You saw it in the
twitter: @burnt_x fb: /burntx snapchat: burnt_x instagram: @burnt.x
6 SPTS
6
JACOB MARTELLA, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Wednesday, February 24, 2016
SWIMMING & DIVING
Cox seeks second-straight Big 12 title By Adair Odom
SIDELINE NCAA MEN (2) KANSAS
@adair_odom
Big 12 pennants hang over the pool at the Lee and Joe Jamail Swimming Center. The podium is spruced up for the victors. The stage is set for the Big 12 championships that start tonight, and Madisyn Cox is ready to defend her Big 12 Swimmer of the Year title. “I just want to do what I can do right now with where I am in my training,” Cox said. “I just want to perform how I think I should perform.” The meet is nothing new for the junior from Lubbock. Cox enters this week as a five-time Big 12 champion and a member of the U.S. Swimming National Team. But she’s quick to give advice to the freshmen taking part in the biggest meet of their lives thus far. “It’s not as big of a deal as it seems,” Cox said. “It kind of seems crazy — walking in, all this stuff everywhere — the Big 12 logos — and it kind of seems a little intimidating. But when you’re in your race, it’s the same pool, the same water, the same turns as it’s been all year, so just kind of take a step back from the whole glam of it and swim your race.” The No. 4 Longhorn women’s team comes into the conference championships looking for its fourth-straight Big 12 title, something that Cox has been very much a part of. She holds three career
(19) BAYLOR
TCU
TEXAS TECH
(6) MICHIGAN ST.
OHIO STATE
Zoe Fu | Daily Texan File Photo
Junior swimmer Madisyn Cox heads into this week’s Big 12 swimming and diving championships looking for a repeat of last year’s performance, where she won the Big 12 Swimmer of the Year award.
Big 12 individual titles, as well as two career Big 12 relay titles. But Cox isn’t looking at the big picture. Instead, she’s focusing on the little moments. “You can’t think of doing great things, you can’t go into it with the mindset of ‘Texas is going to win this,’” Cox said. “You just break it down into all the little things and just take it step by step.” Women’s head coach Carol Capitani said Cox’s chances of holding onto her
Big 12 Swimmer of the Year title are high. “She’ll perform really well, but she may have some competition with some of our other kids winning their events,” Capitani said. But Cox and the women’s team won’t be the only ones in the pool looking to continue a streak. The No. 1 ranked men’s swimming and diving team is also preparing to compete in the Championships, with head coach Eddie Reese at the helm. In his 38
BASKETBALL
years coaching the men’s team at UT, Reese has won 36-straight conference titles. The men will be led by junior Jack Conger, who holds the NCAA, American, U.S. Open, Big 12 and school records in the 200yard butterfly and junior Will Licon, a three-time NCAA champion. “If you work them as hard as we work them all year, and you finally come to a meet where you let up a little bit, they don’t have any problem wanting to go fast,”
Reese said. While the Big 12 Championship is important for both teams, Cox’s eyes are on a much bigger prize. “The Big 12 Championship is a tune up meet for NCAAs,” Cox said. “NCAAs is the big goal of the year, but Big 12s is important. It’s where you see what you’ve done all year, you see where you are, what you need to work on and what things you need to think about in practice to progress to the [National Championships].”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Longhorns focused on keeping win steak alive By Jasmine C. Johnson @AllThatJasss
Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Former texas assistant coach head coach Ken McDonald has found success as the head coach of the Austin Spurs. McDonald has led the team to a 21–13 record so far this season.
Former Texas assistant coach leaving mark in NBA D-League By Steve Helwick @naqwerty3
Austin Spurs coach Ken McDonald called a timeout late one Saturday night at the Cedar Park Center, as his team trailed by three. He rapidly moved his hand, addressing figures drawn up on his whiteboard as his entire team gathered around. When the timeout concluded and the players were ready to execute his strategy, he continued to call out to his players until the ball was inbounded. Even after the play commenced, he commanded orders and motioned at his players. At any given moment on the hardwood, he is focused on one thing only — winning. McDonald fostered that focus on winning under former Texas head coach Rick Barnes. After achieving AllAmerican honors in junior college, McDonald was given the opportunity to play for Barnes at Providence. When his playing days finished, he immediately entered the coaching business. In 1994, Barnes offered McDonald a coaching position at Clemson. Ten years later, he reunited with his longtime
mentor as an assistant coach for the Texas Longhorns. “Coach [Barnes] is like a dad to me. From recruiting, to offering me a scholarship, to giving me an opportunity in the coaching business, I’m forever in his debt,” McDonald said. “It was a special time to be a part of the Longhorn team during that stretch.” McDonald was a part of four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 106 wins while coaching under Barnes, the most in a four-year period in Texas program history. The Longhorns won two Big 12 titles and earned two Elite Eight appearances with McDonald as an assistant coach — honors Texas has not achieved since his departure in 2008. McDonald also helped develop some of the Longhorn’s best players in LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant. McDonald left in 2008 to take over the head coaching position at Western Kentucky, but returned to the Austin area in 2012 as an assistant for the then-Austin Toros. He took over the head coaching duties in 2013. Now 20 miles from UT, McDonald remains successful. He led the Spurs to the
second-best record in the NBA D-League last season and received the honor of coaching in the league’s AllStar Game on Feb. 14. “What stands out about [McDonald] is that he’s an aggressive guy. He’s a guy that wants to win, and that’s something that’s special about him,” Austin Spurs small forward Deshaun Thomas said. “When he played, he never took plays off. He always executed, and that’s one thing he preaches.” Described as “hungry” by Thomas, McDonald is constantly setting goals for himself and his team. As the Austin Spurs lead the Southwest Division for a secondstraight year, he proves he is a proficient leader. Not unlike the players he coaches, McDonald hopes the focus he developed under Barnes pays off with an NBA job. “[NBA] opportunities are hard to come by. I’m taking care of what’s in front of me and trying to help my players get better. Everyone’s trying to better their situation here,” said McDonald. “The goal would probably be to be in an NBA environment with a team.”
There are losses. And then there are good losses. According to head coach Karen Aston, No. 8 Texas’ 56-74 loss to Oklahoma on Valentine’s Day was the latter. “I think we were definitely in the self-check mode,” Aston said. “As bad as the OU loss was in our minds, it may have reset our buttons a little bit.” Though Aston was reluctant to watch video of the loss, she is pleased with how her team has responded since, particularly their latest 73-50 win against West Virginia. “Sunday, for example, was really good because it seemed like they let go of a lot for whatever reason and just decided to play,” Aston said. While Aston said her team appeared to be playing loosely against WVU, they still took better care of the ball than they have all season. The nine turnovers Sunday tied a season-low, and Aston said her team noticed the improved number. “I asked them yesterday what they were most pleased about, and the first thing that came out of their mouths was ‘turnovers,’” Aston said. Limiting turnovers might have played a role in the Longhorns impressive win, but senior center Imani Boyette said the team’s high energy was also a determining factor.
“I think we have been having conversations within the team and us specifically with just having fun and being who we are and not trying to worry about everything,” Boyette said. “Letting the outcome be whatever it is as long as we are having fun and playing hard.” Going forward, Aston said she expects her team to continue playing relaxed, using last season’s post-season run as motivation. “I think they’re going to be able to reflect, first of all, on last year’s run and remember how fun that was and the opportunity this year to actually have the first two at home,” Aston said. “And maybe do better and go farther than we did last year.” Last season, the Longhorns finished a 24-11 season with a Sweet 16 loss to No. 1 seed UConn. With just three regular-season games remaining, the Longhorns have already matched last season’s win total, and have guaranteed at least a second place finish in the Big 12. Though Aston said she’s proud of what they’ve accomplished, she’s not content. She is, however, pleased with their effort lately and said she hopes to see that same effort tonight as they face Texas Tech (11– 15, 2–13) at 6:30 p.m. “I hope that we can continue that and move forward this week with the same type of performance,” Aston said.
Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Head coach Karen Aston and the Longhorns will look to build on their win over West Virginia when they take on Texas Tech.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1980
USA Olympic Hockey defeats Finland, 4-2, to win gold medal.
TOP TWEET Javan Felix @JavanFelix3 “People are about as happy as they make their minds up to be. Happiness comes from within not an outside influence”
SPORTS BRIEFLY Women’s golf finishes tournament in fifth
The Longhorns shot five-over par and moved up one spot in Tuesday’s final round for a fifthplace finish at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate. Texas finished the event with a score of 15-over. Junior Haley Mills posted her best performance of the season, finishing in a tie for third with a score of four-under. Mills was the only Longhorn to card two rounds under par in the tournament. Senior Natalie Karcher finished eight shots back of Mills with a four-over score, while sophomore Sophia Schubert ended the tournament fiveover par. Junior Julia Beck and senior Tezira Abe finished off the pace for Texas, finishing with scores of 15over and 17-over. Florida took the team title with a score of twounder. The Gators were just one of two teams to finish with a score under par. Michigan State’s Sarah Burnham and LSU’s Sydney Cavin each overtook Stanford’s Lauren Kim on the final day to share the individual title at five-under. The Longhorns will be back in action on March 7 and 8 at the UNF Collegiate in Jacksonville, Florida. —Jacob Martella
COMICS 7
COMICS
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
2 9 7 6 2 7
7
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
1 3 4 1
8 4 7 6 1 4 3 9 5 2 9 5 3 2 8 7 5 5 4 7 2 9 6
SUDOKUFORYOU
4 2 6 8 7 9 5 1 3
3 9 8 4 5 1 6 7 2
5 1 7 3 2 6 8 4 9
8 3 1 9 6 7 2 5 4
6 4 2 5 3 8 7 9 1
7 5 9 1 4 2 3 8 6
2 8 3 7 9 4 1 6 5
9 7 5 6 1 3 4 2 8
1 6 4 2 8 5 9 3 7
8 L&A
8
CAT CARDENAS, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Wednesday, February 24, 2016
MUSIC
Annual festival celebrates improvised music By James Rodriguez @jamie_rod
On a spring night last year, Ignaz Schick, a turntablist from Berlin, and Michael Zerang, a percussionist from Chicago, took to the stage in one of the hippest boroughs of Germany’s capital. Before diving into their set, the unlikely duo took a moment to thank the man who facilitated their meeting in Austin just months earlier. That man is Chris Cogburn, a musician, curator and organizer of No Idea Festival, an annual festival showcasing improvised music. Cogburn draws from an extensive network of musicians to craft ensembles specifically for the festival, introducing musicians who often meet only moments before beginning an improvised set on stage. Cogburn pairs musicians in the hopes that the friendships and collaborations will continue into the future, as was the case with Zerang and Schick, who performed alongside a trumpet player from Beirut and a double bass player from Mexico City at last year’s festival. “It was, for me, the best set of the festival,” Cogburn said. “You have a group of people who have never played together as an ensemble, and, from beginning to end, it was just masterful improvisation. Which is to say, everybody
NO IDEA FESTIVAL Where: Variety of venues (check www.noideafestival. com for current year’s info) When: Thursday to Sunday Admission: Ranging from free–$20 based on venue
was able to play their music, everybody was really listening. It was amazing.” Now in its 13th iteration, this year’s No Idea Festival will run from Thursday to Sunday in Austin at a variety of venues, including the Museum of Human Achievement and the Blanton Museum of Art. The festival will also move to Houston for one day on Monday. Cogburn said his hopes of joining the fledgling experimental music scenes in Austin and Houston provided the impetus for starting the festival. “At the time, I was going back and forth [between Austin and Houston] a lot trying to play as much as I could, and there wasn’t a lot going on,” Cogburn said. “I did the festival in June of 2003 as a way to bring those two scenes together to try to initiate a collaborative spirit or exchange between the two cities.” That year’s lineup was made up of roughly 16 artists from Houston and Austin, but the festival quickly grew internationally soon after. Out of 20 musicians playing this year’s
Marshall Tidrick | Daily Texan Staff
UT alumnus Steve Parker is a three-time returning performer for No Idea Fest. The annual festival celebrates improvised music and aims to bring musicians together in collaboration.
festival, eight live outside of the United States. Steve Parker, a UT alumnus, trombonist and three-time returning performer at No Idea Festival, said the opportunity to meet new musicians is the primary appeal of the festival. “You just start to settle into ruts when you play with people you’re more familiar with,” Parker said. “Whereas with No Idea, you don’t
really know what to expect until you start. I think it’s definitely more exciting. It also forges new artistic relationships, social relationships. So I think it’s a great catalyst for creating new work.” Damon Smith, a Houstonbased double bass player in his fifth year with No Idea, said the different pairings every year make each festival unique.
“Especially when you have this level, where everyone is somebody who uses improvisation seriously in their work, it’s all pretty high-level musicians,” Smith said. “Once you play together, you find the music that only exists between you two or you three.” At each No Idea Festival, new collaborations emerge, and old friendships are rekindled.
Cogburn said he hopes the festival continues to serve its purpose of connec ting musicians. “I don’t want to just present great music,” Cogburn said. “That’s not the festival. The festival is collaborative with a purpose. The camaraderie is pretty special. I hope to keep that energy and process alive, because ultimately that’s what the festival is.”
TELEVISION
Television networks adapt to success of streaming services By Kartik Sridhar
Daily Texan Columnist @Kartik_42
Television networks have recently been disrupted by the emergence of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Offering convenience in addition to exclusive content, streaming services have transformed the modern television landscape. Mary Beltran, associate professor of media studies, said streaming services have gained an edge in recent years. “Streaming is more daring, independent and youthoriented and wanting to do new kinds of stories, [while] networks traditionally have more involvement in the creative process of the shows,” Beltran said. Shows such as “Master of None” and “Transparent” exemplify such heightened creativity by pushing the envelope in terms of both storytelling and casting. Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None” seems to have struck the right balance between familiar and new. The show displays its desire to tell a new story by casting an Indian-American as the lead, deviating from the heavily stereotyped way that South Asians have been depicted in various shows and films. Despite the notion that an IndianAmerican lead may only cater to a niche market, the show remains accessible to a wide audience by exploring themes of dating, family and career “Transparent,” a show about a family and their transgender father, benefits from the creative freedom offered by streaming services.
Courtesy of Amazon
decisions that most people in their 20s can relate to. “Transparent” is another example of the freedom streaming services give writers and producers. “Transparent” creator Jill Soloway has said Amazon provided her with an opportunity that television networks could not have matched. “I feel like I had more creative freedom than I’ve ever had in my life,” Soloway said in an interview with Forbes. “I’m really nervous someone is going to find out and take it away. It was revelatory.” Revolving around a family that learns their father identifies as a woman, “Transparent” brings the topic of transgender tolerance to the forefront of the show. In a year in which transgender Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner was the runner-up for Time Person of The Year, the show relates to prominent social issues. This validates the forward-thinking nature of streaming content, as it continues to push the boundaries further than television networks seem to have been willing to go. The audience’s demographic plays a major role in the success of streaming versus television networks. Beltran said younger and more openminded audiences prefer streaming, and certain cable networks have picked up on it. Networks such as USA and FX are leading the network push, while the Big 4 (FOX,
ABC, NBC and CBS) seem to lag behind. “While the Big 4 networks sometimes don’t want to change too much based on their viewership and network executives, certainly some of the cable networks are interested in being more cinematic and complicated in the stories they tell,” Beltran said. Television networks are adapting to become more thoughtful and innovative and are being rewarded for doing so. The new USA show “Mr. Robot” best exemplifies this move toward more intricate story lines. The show took home Best Drama at the Golden Globes, a first for the USA Network. Starring Egyptian-American lead Rami Malek, the show tells the story of a vigilante hacker recruited by an anarchist to target the heads of greedy corporations. By casting a non-white lead and exploring relevant political topics such as corporate greed and influence, “Mr. Robot” signals that television networks are borrowing the traits that have led to widespread success for streaming content. Though the Big 4 have been slower to adapt, Beltran said broadcast network shows are making positive strides in casting and content. “Empire, and Scandal and the Shonda Rhimes shows definitely are showing that we have seen a positive upswing in people of color in lead roles,” Beltran said.
@thedailytexan
Follow us for news, updates and more. Name: 4500/University Co-op; Width: 29p6; Depth: 10 in; Color: Black, 4500/University Co-op; Ad Number: 4500