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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2017
@thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com
Volume 118, Issue 18 CAMPUS
NATIONAL
Past DEA agents give accounts on hunt for Escobar By Michael Hankins Issue Reporter
andre fernandez| daily texan staff
Activists protest in front of State Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office after President Donald Trump’s DACA decision on Tuesday.
US court will hear SB 4 arguments By Chase Karacostas Senior Reporter After a temporary block, U.S. 5th Circuit Court will tune their ears. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals announced Thursday it will hear arguments Sept. 22 on Senate Bill 4 following State Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to stay the temporary block of the law.
After SB 4, the “sanctuary cities” law was signed by the governor in May, a legion of counties and cities, including Austin, began filing lawsuits against the state to have the ban on sanctuary cities declared unconstitutional. Federal judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio issued a temporary injunction on Aug. 30 to temporarily block the Sept. 1 implementation of SB 4. The plaintiffs of the case requested the injunction to maintain the status quo, arguing that the law
could cause irreparable damage if enforced. “There is overwhelming evidence by local officials, including local law enforcement, that SB 4 will erode public trust and make many communities and neighborhoods less safe,” the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas said in the injunction. In response, Paxton asked the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to keep the decision because the court deemed even voluntary
compliance of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainer requests unlawful. He also called the court’s conclusion that the state violated the Fourth Amendment by complying with these requests “fundamentally flawed” because local officials have cooperated with federal officials in enforcing immigration laws for decades. “The district court’s order should be immediately stayed
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Eager students crowded into Hogg Auditorium Thursday night to hear a talk given by former Drug Enforcement Agency agents who led the hunt for infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. Agents Javier Pena and Steve Murphy gave their accounts of the events leading to Escobar’s downfall at the event, hosted by UT Campus Events + Entertainment. Escobar recently became a household name because of the increasing popularity of the Netflix original show Narcos, which follows Escobar’s early and criminal life. According to the agents, Escobar worked his way up through the Columbian criminal underground before he founded the Medellin drug cartel. Pena said Escobar committed petty crimes throughout his youth before finally venturing into smalltime drug trafficking in the late 1970s. “Pablo Escobar grew up poor,” Pena said. “He grew up in Medellin, Colombia, with his first cousin, Gustavo Gaviria. They started stealing hubcaps, cars and all of a sudden they started moving one, two, three keys of coke.” After Escobar’s first foray into drug smuggling, he expanded his operation rapidly, Pena said. His operation soon
ESCOBAR page 3 UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY
Grant funds first-ever Siberia by Southwest study abroad program
New McCombs graduate school building will open in December
By London Gibson Senior Reporter
Students and educators from 12 states will convene at UT next summer before departing for the first ever Siberia by Southwest, a new study abroad program in one of the most remote regions of the world. The UT Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies was awarded a grant from the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program of the U.S. Department of Education in July to start the 10-week program,
which will take place at Irkutsk State University in South Central Siberia. “It’s actually a very exciting opportunity for people to explore a part of the world that is very remote and hard to get to,” said Julia Mickenberg, interim director of the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. “It’s very unusual in terms of study abroad.” The program will focus on Russian language and culture with an emphasis on geography, energy and the environment, Mickenberg said. The region is known for its environmental significance;
Irkutsk State University is near Lake Baikal, the deepest and largest freshwater lake in the world, as well as a variety of energy resources. “It’s a really beautiful city that’s also got this interesting mix of indigenous culture, but also classic Russian culture,“ Mickenberg said. “There’s also interesting energy and natural resources going on.” The grant, worth almost $200,000, fully funds airfare, housing, tuition and some meals for the people selected. Though the participants will
By Tehreem Shahab Issue Reporter
Robert B. Rowling Hall, a graduate school for the McComb’s School of Business, is scheduled to open in December 2017. The approximately $185 million project started construction in December 2014. The building will span 497,500 square feet and is located on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Guadalupe Street, adjacent to the AT&T
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brooke crim| daily texan staff
Rowling Hall, located on the intersection of Guadalupe Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, is expected to open in December 2017.
NATIONAL
Betsy DeVos announces plans to change Title IX By Maria Mendez Senior Reporter
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced her plans to change Title IX System guidelines for sexual assault and harassment cases on college campuses in a press conference at George Mason University Thursday morning. Emphasizing universities’ failure to protect students, DeVos said the
current guidelines set in place by the Obama administration are not clear enough and cause universities to neglect students’ right to due process. “Washington has burdened schools with increasingly elaborate and confusing guidelines that even lawyers find difficult to understand and navigate,” DeVos said. “The truth is that the system established by the prior administration has failed too many students.”
Under former president Barack Obama’s “Dear Colleague” letter, universities were strictly directed to take sexual assault accusations seriously or risk being defunded. Following this directive, universities, including UT-Austin, moved quickly to accommodate sexual assault survivors and punish accused students while also receiving a wave of lawsuits from accused or expelled students.
UT President Gregory Fenves was sued over Title IX in August by a UT student who was suspended for five semesters after being accused of sexual assault in the spring of 2016. The lawsuit said the student, who was declared innocent by a University Title IX hearing officer, was wrongfully suspended and that Fenves’ action sets a precedent that would “result in the suspension of thousands of young men and
women who attend the University and would unjustly interrupt their access to public education.” After hearing students’ complaints and the stories of lawsuits, DeVos said she consulted various universities and legal experts, ultimately deciding to draft new guidelines. “Survivors, victims of a lack of
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Friday, September 8, 2017
CAMPUS
Harvard professor talks research, scholarship
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By Julia Vastano Issue Reporter
Acclaimed Harvard professor Gary King visited campus Thursday to open a dialogue with public affairs students about political science methodology and research. King is the Albert J. Weatherhead III University Professor — one of Harvard’s 26 most distinguished faculty title — and director of the Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Science. The LBJ School of Public Affairs hosted King as he gave an interactive talk aimed at encouraging an ambitious research agenda for graduate scholars. “The secret sauce of universities is us all being here,” King said. “We can do everything else online. Interaction with folks is what gives you ideas in research; the key to discovery in your research is the intellectual community.” King spoke about quantitative data and research as a part of the Inspire Series, a new program at the LBJ School that facilitates interactions between researchers and scholars who have left an indefinite mark on their fields in order to push students into new ways of thinking. King answered and posed questions for over an hour, drawing from the history of
professional inquiry, cutting edge data sharing techniques and his own scholarly research in political science. Public affairs graduate student Heidi Kale said she is now reconsidering her perspective on her research because of King’s talk. “Right now I am rethinking the tension between quantitative methods and qualitative methods of research,” Kale said. “We usually think of them as methodologies that are distinct, that butt heads or that disagree. Now I am thinking about how I can marry the two methods in my academic career.” Following the interactive session, King gave a more formal talk about government censorship and social media in China. Along with the LBJ School, the talk was co-hosted by the sociology department and the Population Research Center. Claire Hewitt, a law and global policy studies graduate student, said she found King’s presentation to be a rare opportunity. “A lot of my undergraduate work was for distinction theses, and I have been doing major research projects for the past two years now,” Hewitt said. “Now that I am a graduate student, I’d like to develop my research further. Having the father of political methodology come to LBJ really makes an impact going forward in
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DEVOS
SB4
due process and campus administrators have all told me that the current approach does a disservice to everyone involved,” DeVos said. DeVos said her guidelines will set a clearer definition of sexual misconduct and prevent overreach from universities. The guidelines will be drafted in the following months. “Due process is the foundation of any system of justice that seeks a fair outcome. Due process either protects everyone, or it protects no one,” DeVos said. “We will seek public feedback and combine institutional knowledge, professional expertise and the experiences of students to replace the current approach with a workable, effective and fair system.”
pending appeal, as this injunction has far reaching public safety consequences,” Paxton said in his motion to stay the injunction. “Senate Bill 4 is wholly valid, and the state has every right to prohibit its own localities from having sanctuary city policies.” Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, UT Immigration Clinic alumna, said she spent the summer preparing for the implementation of SB 4. Lincoln-Goldfinch said much of the Hispanic
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Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced plans to change Title IX guidelines.
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have to pay a deposit to secure their spot, most of the program will be paid for. “What’s great about this program is that students who could not necessarily afford a program could afford to do this because the costs are minimal,” Mickenberg said. Mickenberg said the center will prioritize students who do not have access to advanced Russian courses, particularly those from community colleges and historically black colleges and universities. “(UT is) meant to be a resource … for people across the whole nation,” Mickenberg said. “We really want to make sure we give that opportunity to people who haven’t had the chance to study advanced languages.” The program is not exclusive to students. To draw in participants who are interested in education careers, the program will be open to K-16 educators as well, said Rhiannon Jones, outreach
coordinator for the center. “This department has been interested (for years) in finding new ways to take UT students and students from other universities to Russia beyond Moscow, beyond Petersburg, beyond the typical Slavic experiences,” Jones said. The U.S. Department of Education declared the center a National Resource Center, which means the department provides the center funds to operate as a base for international studies in the southern region. Graduate coordinator and assistant director of the Center, Agnes Sekowski, said participants will be able to study the language in a more unique and immersive way compared to other study abroad programs. “We think it’s really important to be able to offer students the opportunity to go abroad and really interact with the culture they’re in,” Sekowski said. “Pretty much anybody can get a flight to Moscow, but who goes to Siberia?”
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“It’s not just a traffic ticket. It’s not just going to jail. It’s literally a life-changing moment.” —Eveling Crisostomo, Senior social work student
community in Austin doesn’t have a deep understanding of what the law does, and most of them just know that it’s a “big scary law” that could negatively affect them. “Lots of people who are in legal status or on their way to legal status are just terrified of police officers now, which is not good for community safety,” Lincoln-Goldfinch said. “(Law enforcement’s) job is to maintain safety and have a good relationship with the entire community, including the immigrant community.” Lincoln-Goldfinch said the injunction was a major step
“What if a cop stops you now?” social work senior Crisostomo said. “It’s not just a traffic ticket. It’s not just going to jail. It’s literally a life-changing moment if it ever were to happen, being deported to a place you have not been to in years.” Crisostomo said she’s doing her best to stay optimistic because the case is still weeks away from being decided. “We have to hope that we’re not going to get deported,” Crisostomo said. “You build your whole life around hope, because if you don’t do that, then you destroy yourself.”
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forward, but until the law is thrown out completely her clients won’t rest easy. Despite this, she said she believes the law will side with them in the case. Throughout the legislative session, undocumented student Eveling Crisostomo said she was frightened by the law and kept hoping it wouldn’t get passed. Now, she said her family is preparing for the potential repercussions of SB 4 surviving the courts. Recently, her father suggested not driving anymore to eliminate the risk of traffic stops.
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my graduate research.” The event was open to the public, and King will spend two days meeting with students and faculty in the LBJ school and the government department before returning to Harvard.
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TODAY Sept. 8
harper yatvin| daily texan staff
Harvard professor Gary King speaks to public affairs students about political science methodology and research Thursday afternoon.
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MCCOMBS
continues from page 1 Executive Education and Conference Center. Laurie Lentz, communications manager for financial and administrative services, said there will be a large number of new facilities that students and faculty can utilize. “The building will have multiple types of classrooms, all outfitted with the latest AV,” Lentz said in an email. “It will also have a central atrium that will promote overlapping communities, a workout facility, glass elevators and a parking garage.” Tina Mabley, the assistant dean and director of Texas Masters in Business Administration, said Rowling Hall’s location near the AT&T Center will help advance the education of graduate students. “We’re situated right around the corner of the 40
Acres between downtown and campus,” Mabley said. “We see Austin as a laboratory for our students, and we engage with a lot of the business community, so the location creates a nice access point between the AT&T Conference Center and campus.” Finance senior Maysa Alqaisi said having another building for graduate business students will create better experiences for all McCombs students. “It does sometimes feel a bit congested trying to share the building with not only other undergraduate students but also MBA students,” Alqaisi said. “Having all those students go to Rowling Hall and having the McCombs building all to ourselves can create a more educational experience for McCombs students beyond the one we already have.” Last year, Alqaisi was an
undergraduate McCombs representative in the Senate of College Councils where post-construction plans were discussed with David Platt, associate dean of undergraduate programs. “We were talking about what would happen after Rowling Hall is built and McCombs is left for undergraduate students,” Alqaisi said. “Dean Platt was actually talking about changing a lot of the rooms and making them more accessible to students. So I think this renovation of McCombs is going to be really exciting for students.” Mabley said she hopes undergraduate students will see Rowling Hall as a future home. “In the Red McCombs building, we have undergraduates who come into the business program, and Rowling Hall will give them an aspirational place to come for a second degree,” Mabley said.
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2017Friday, September 8, 2017
CAMPUS
UT professionals unite to tackle drug abuse By London Gibson Senior Reporter
aw is y her espite es the m in
This school year, UT’s leading scholars from a variety of fields will work together to combat drug use, one of the dominant social issues modern youths face. The Youth Substance Misuse and Addiction Pop-Up Institute, led by Lori Holleran Steiker, will unite a network of professionals to tackle one of the fastest-growing causes of death in the nation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in January that the number of national overdose deaths has been steadily increasing for 15 years and has reached rates of more than 50,000 deaths per year. “We’ve got more kids dying nationally from drug use than ever before,” said Steiker, director of instruction, engagement and wellness with the School of Undergraduate Studies. “It’s the most important work in the world, as far as I’m concerned.” The Institute is comprised of more than 30 professionals and community members who work in fields ranging from health care to communications. The Institute meets for the first time today and will continue meeting several times a month for the rest of the academic year. Steiker said some projects initiated during the year may continue after the Institute closes next summer. Heather Larkin, Steve Hicks
lative stuo said e law uldn’t d her e poSB 4 ently,CAMPUS drive the
courtesy of julie mcelrath
Scholars from various parts of UT are coming together to tackle substance abuse among young people–a growing cause of death in the U.S.
School of Social Work associate professor and director of the National Homelessness Social Work Initiative, said the Institute allows professors who are normally separated on campus to meet and work together on one issue. “Our goal is to help make it a healthier world,” Larkin said. “We have so much important
expertise and knowledge that can be applied to solving some of the more challenging problems of our time.” Aside from promoting drug awareness via publications, on-campus talks and a website, Steiker said the Institute may plan a daylong conference at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center next May or
June. Steiker said she hopes the Institute will qualify for a grant to follow up the seminar with a national conference to end the year. Steiker has initiated other programs to aid with drug prevention and recovery in the past, including helping found Austin’s first recovery high school, University High School, in 2014. A
recovery high school provides a place for people who have experienced addiction to return to after treatment and finish their education without fear of relapse. Though the recovery high school is independent of UT, it was created in collaboration with partners at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work on campus. The institute is not the first time the University has attempted to address substance misuse. UT’s Moore-Hill Residence Hall is designed to house students in recovery and those abstaining from alcohol, and $10 million of a $25 million donation by UT System Board of Regents Vice Chairman R. Steven Hicks will be set aside for education related to recovery. Aside from sponsoring community partners, UT is one of the only schools in the country to stock an antidote to opioid overdoses in residence halls, said Lucas Hill, an assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy and participant in the pop-up institute. “I think at UT we’re proud to have probably one of the most progressive and recovery-oriented campuses in the country,” Hill said. “We recognize that even though Texas or Austin may not be the epicenter of substance misuse … we could lead change nationally.”
LGBTQ organizations host new-student welcome event By Sara Schleede Issue Reporter
Hundreds of queer and transgender students of color, as well as allies, gathered on the East Mall Thursday night to tie-dye shirts and to celebrate the start of a new school year. s you The Queer and Trans Peoeniorple of Color Agency hosted its just a annual BLOQ Party, an event going that aims to welcome queer hangand transgender people of were color, particularly freshmen orted beenor transfer students, to the campus community. s do- James Che, director of opmisticerations for QTPOCA, said weeksthe number of students who expressed interest in the event . we’rewas encouraging. relationships rted,” “Building buildwith those folks has been realhope,ly rewarding,” said Che, a geothat,science and humanities senior. f.” “Seeing how many people have been interested in getting involved even before getting to
UT is really delightful.” Che said that LGBTQ groups on campus have hosted BLOQ Party for at least 10 years. Che was first introduced to UT’s LGBTQ community when he attended the event as a freshman. “It’s wild that three years later I’m running the same event that I came to when I first arrived,” Che said. Students browsed booths promoting various organizations and social causes, tiedyed shirts with the QTPOCA logo and picked up slices of pizza. Social work senior Mika Shivers has attended BLOQ Party for the past four years. Shivers said the event is unique because it ensures safety and support for any identity. “I think it’s really important for incoming students to have an event that’s out here in public and to have a bunch of queer people and allies congregated in a space feeling safe,” Shivers said. “I
think that’s so vital.” Biomedical engineering freshman Ronnie Castillo said BLOQ Party is vastly different from his hometown of Humble, Texas, where conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity rarely occur. “This is a big transitional time, and it’s this portion of our lives where we really get to know ourselves and what we want to do with our lives,” Castillo said. “These sort of events really give us an outlet for that side of ourselves that might’ve been repressed in our younger years.” BLOQ Party was organized in part by the Multicultural Engagement Center, which hosts six student-run agencies for different marginalized groups. “The (QTPOCA) community has been my support network,” Che said. “Whenever I’m feeling down, I know that I have people to reach out to.”
alexander thompson| daily texan staff
Former DEA agent Steve Murphy signs a student’s book after his Narcos lecture at Hogg Auditorium Thursday night.
ESCOBAR
continues from page 1 encompassed every facet of the cocaine supply chain, from production to distribution. In the early years of his reign, Escobar was left largely unchecked by government officials, many of whom were afraid to prosecute him for fear of their lives, Pena said. To further cement his status, Escobar cultivated a Robin Hood-like image that captivated the poor masses of Colombia, Pena said. To many Colombians, Escobar was a self-made man who gave generously to many poor communities, especially in his hometown of Medellin, but Escobar’s notoriety and his reputation for ruthlessness
began to grow. “Escobar killed anyone who opposed him,” Murphy said. “The killings culminated in the assassination of Colombian presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan, who wanted to extradite Pablo to the United States.” The assassination of a presidential candidate precipitated Escobar’s fall from grace with the Colombian populace. As Escobar’s popularity and influence waned, it became easier for agents such as Pena and Murphy to infiltrate the drug lord’s organization, Murphy said. This eventually culminated in an intense shootout in 1993 that left the former kingpin dead. Brendan Miller, a math and computer science junior who attended the talk, said he was
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angela wang| daily texan staff
Students gather at the East Mall Thursday evening to celebrate the start of a new school semester. The annual BLOQ party was hosted by the Queer and Trans People of Color Agency.
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Escobar killed anyone who opposed him. The killings culminated in the assassination of ... Galan.” —Javier Pena, Agent
surprised by the details of the agents’ accounts. “I didn’t know what (the talk) was going to be when I walked in,” Miller said. “I had heard of (Escobar), and I knew some vague details, but I didn’t know the extent of his crimes.”
4 OPINION
4
JANHAVI NEMAWARKAR & VIK SHIRVAIKAR FORUM EDITORS
@TexanOpinion
Friday, September 8, 2017
Forum: Student perspectives on DACA, asexuality Janhavi Nemawarkar and Vik Shirvaikar Forum Editors
For many, the Trump administration’s decision this week to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is just the latest iteration of the blatantly xenophobic platform the president ran on. But for the students on this campus who are personally affected by this news, students who are an integral part of this university and its culture, the announcement also brings considerable
worry and uncertainty for the future. Today, we feature op-eds from two students who can speak directly to the impact that this decision will have, particularly on the hundreds of DACA recipients who call the 40 Acres home. Our first guest columnist is Sam Cervantes, a DACA recipient himself. Cervantes serves as head of public policy for the University Leadership Initiative (ULI), a youth-led organization based in Austin, Texas, that advocates for the rights of the undocumented community at the local, state and national levels. He tells his family’s story and calls on
Congress to turn the broad bipartisan support for DACA into a bill that provides a stable and long-term solution for young immigrants across the nation. Next, we feature guest columnist Jacob Peña, the deputy director for District 7 of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Peña argues that the discontinuation of DACA was a purely political move, and that it has no logical grounds in terms of economic vitality, public safety or patriotism. For our final column, we turn to the continuing issue of LGBTQ representation in
Greek life. Today’s Life & Arts page features stories on people in fraternities and sororities who identify as part of the LGBTQ community. As a companion piece, we highlight the perspective of an anonymous fraternity member who discusses his own experience as an asexual person in Greek life. As always, we’d love to hear from you on these topics or anything else — don’t hesitate to email us at editor@dailytexanonline.com. Nemawarkar is a Plan II and government junior from Austin. Shirvaikar is a math and economics junior from Frisco.
GUEST COLUMN
GUEST COLUMN
Educated, unafraid, undocumented
Regarding DACA, Sessions said it best
By Samuel Cervantes Forum Contributor
My family migrated to Houston, Texas, 15 years ago from Monterrey, Mexico. When I was five years old, my parents saw their financial stability depleting. There were moments when my parents could not afford to buy milk or other basic necessities. My dad would travel between states for his job, but the commute and the long hours were not enough. Mexico, although it was our home, was no longer a place to thrive. The American dream — or what my parents refer to as las oportunidades del otro lado, “the opportunities on the other side” — embodied a spirit of courage that inspired my parents to sell all of our belongings, salvage what they could in one suitcase and leave with a few hundred pesos. My story is one of the 141,000 DACA recipients in Texas, 800,000 nationwide. DACA beneficiaries flourished from obtaining employment authorization, allowing them to become lawyers, doctors, engineers, tech pioneers and respected innovators in their individual fields of expertise. DACA represents a relief continually fought for by the unwearied toil of undocumented immigrants in which those struggles were rewarded in temporary deportation relief and work authorization. President Trump disregarded and ignored the safety and livelihood of millions of immigrant families along with the diligent efforts of the immigrant youth to thrive in a country where opportunity should continue to exist. In the span of five years, DACA has proven to be an asset to the United States and each state
and locality therein while creating a groundwork for immigrant youth to engage, contribute and better our society. There aren’t any dubious results, no data to show alarming defects. The program works, as DACA recipients contributed an astonishing $11.7 billion in state and local tax revenue. This is our home: It is where we went to school, where we learned how to drive, where we worked our first job and where we will continue to live. The termination of DACA is not a Republican or Democratic decision. There is overwhelming support within both political parties to provide to thousands of young immigrants opportunity for immigration status adjustments. President Trump’s decision is yet another immoral and heartless attempt to chip away the strength and determination of the immigrant community as part of his deportation scheme. To all my undocumented peers, it is okay to cry, it is okay to be fearful and it is okay to mourn the death of a life-changing program. You are not alone. We will heal together and channel our resilience to demand a concrete legislative solution — one that does not dehumanize our existence as bargaining chips and jeopardize the safety of our of valiant parents. I, alongside the University Leadership Initiative, call on Congress to take manners into their own hands and pass the DREAM Act without heightened immigration enforcement or an ineffective, divisive border wall. Cervantes is a government and communication studies junior. He serves as head of public policy for the University Leadership Initiative.
Juan Figueroa | Daily Texan Staff
Government and communications studies junior Samuel Cervantes officiates a ULI press conference following Trump’s decision on DACA on Tuesday afternoon.
By Jacob Rafael Peña Forum Contributor
“Why would he do this?” is something I have been asked too many times since the Trump administration decided to phase out the DACA program. It is a question with merit and it doesn’t take a government student like myself to understand that it was an entirely political move. Political, in the negative sense of the word that is used by most people today who abhor politics because they associate it with lies,
It is evident that the crime of being a six-year-old child who follows their parents has not been forgiven.” pretentiousness and prodigality. President Trump’s move is political because its grounds on economic vitality, general welfare and patriotism are fallacious. The facts are that the persons whose lives are at stake with this policy contribute significantly to our economy, collectively have no criminal record and, most importantly, are just as American as any other student at The University of Texas. It seems pretty simple to understand that when nearly 800,000 people are employed, they will contribute substantially to a country. A study by the Center for American Progress (CAP) supports this by stating that the loss of jobs currently held by DACA recipients will cost the US about $460 billion in GDP over 10 years, while locally, Texas would take a $6.1 billion annual hit in GDP. Any guess who has to take care of making up for a loss like this? The American worker and taxpayer. And it’s not like we have 800,000 people lined up ready to fill every position left by a DACA recipient, positions which CAP states are mostly in specialized fields such as tech and education, especially not at a rate of 7,234 jobs lost per week. What’s more, the average cost of deportation for one person in 2016 was about $10,000. Multiply that number by 800,000 and try not to fall out of your seat. As for an appeal to safety and ‘law and order,’ ending DACA also has no grounds. While rhetoric from the hardright may paint a picture of undocumented immigrants as “killers, drug dealers,
and rapists,” DACA recipients are not permitted to have anything resembling a criminal record. This same idea came up when the Texas Legislature was debating Senate Bill 4, which, among other things, would have allowed university police officers to inquire about students’ immigration status upon detainment. The logic simply isn’t there. If a person is living in a situation where their entire lawful purpose is to obtain an education, serve in the military and/or work, why would they even consider committing a crime? If anything, DACA recipients are held to a higher moral standard than the average American. What’s more, an assertion that DACA is “unconstitutional amnesty to ‘illegal aliens’” is also completely false. Amnesty implies that a crime was forgiven, and since we are having this conversation, it is evident that the crime of being a six-yearold child who follows their parents has not been forgiven. In addition, DACA was not ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2015. While not considered amnesty nor unconstitutional, DACA was also never a panacea for this incredibly painful issue. DACA just showed America what can happen when 800,000 young red, white and blue-blooded Americans — who grew up pledging their allegiance to our flag, who sit next to us in class, who saved lives when Harvey hit and who have built their entire lives here — are allowed to thrive. Past an economic argument, this is an issue of humanity and moral conscious. Allies are needed now more than ever. The Trump administration’s policy of ‘America First’ is not reflected in ending DACA. In fact, with the overall cost to the American taxpayer and workforce, it stymies the country’s prosperity. This decision, coming at a time when our state is rebuilding after natural devastation, does not put America first. It further divides our country between left and right, and puts in front a political agenda designed to send marginalized people back into the shadows. President Trump claimed earlier this year that he would treat DACA recipients with “heart” — this decision shows just how fickle he is. Jeff Sessions said it best: “Societies where the rule of law is subject to political whims and personal biases tend to become societies afflicted by corruption, poverty and human suffering.” Peña is a government junior. He serves as deputy director for District 7 of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and as co-director of the Student Government State Relations Agency.
GUEST COLUMN
Asexual students face unique struggles, misunderstandings By Anonymous Forum Contributor
We live in a culture which is saturated with sex in all aspects, ranging from our music, entertainment and advertising to our conversations, thoughts and motivations. The vast majority of people experience sexual desire of some kind and are able to thrive in this environment. However, for the approximately one percent of the population who identify as asexual and do not experience sexual attraction to any gender, living in a sexualized world can be confusing and frustrating. Asexuals face unique struggles in that we don’t face outright persecution or hate, which groups such as racial minorities have to deal with. Rather, our struggles stem from the fact that our sexuality is unknown by most people and virtually ignored by society. I am just a regular college student — I’m
active in my fraternity, I’m a lifelong Longhorn and I love studying on the 40 Acres. However, there is one thing that differentiates me from my peers. Growing up, I simply never felt attraction to anybody, which led to years of me feeling confused and broken, until I finally discovered asexuality and found the Asexual Visibility and Education Network — an online community of asexuals. Since then, I have grown to accept myself for who I am and I realize that there is nothing wrong with me; I was simply made differently than most people. The issues faced by asexuals are exacerbated on a college campus, where it seems like most people are obsessed with sex and cannot comprehend how asexuality as an orientation could exist. When I confide in people about my asexuality, more often than not I am met with reactions ranging from disgust and misunderstanding to confusion and outright denial. Asexuality has
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.
virtually no media representation beyond serial killers and psychopaths such as Dexter Morgan and is never discussed in the media besides a few articles, the total of which I can count on my hands. This lack of visibility has led to a nearly complete lack of awareness, which than leads to one percent of the population being left feeling alone, vulnerable and misunderstood by the rest of the world. Being asexual in a fraternity where I am constantly surrounded by overt sexuality and nonstop talk of sex can be a lonely experience. While I am thankful for the connections provided by my fraternity brothers, which I would otherwise not have in my life, it hurts to know that when it comes down to it, a majority of them would not accept my asexuality as valid or see me in the same way as when they assumed I was straight. My hope in writing this is that I can spread awareness in
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The issues faced by asexuals are exacerbated on a college campus, where it seems like most people are obsessed with sex and cannot comprehend how asexuality as an orientation could exist.” any way I can, so that future generations of asexuals don’t have to deal with the same struggles that I face on a daily basis. With the immense progress made as a society in recent years on issues such as gay rights, I am confident that this dream will one day become a reality.
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CLASS 5 5
Friday, September 8, 2017
CAMPUS
LGBTQ students gain more Greek life options By Morgan O’Hanlon L&A Editor
With organizations recruiting across the 40 acres, UT students are on the hunt for their own niche in a community of 50,000. Students have plenty of options with over 1300 clubs to join, but the task of choosing only a few can be daunting — especially at an age when young adults are only just beginning to come to terms with who they are. After coming out after her sophomore year at UT, alumna Lauren Ferguson was faced with a similar choice. Having recently reconciled with being LGBTQ, Ferguson decided to fully embrace her identity by helping others do the same. Inspired by the special bonds she said Greek organizations help foster, Ferguson began the search for an all-inclusive organization, which led to her to creating a chapter of the LGBTQ Greek organization Gamma Rho Lambda. “UT had such a gracious and blossoming Greek life, and it just felt like GRL needed to be a part of that,” Ferguson said. Although she’d originally considered rushing a Panhellenic Council sorority, Ferguson said she was afraid her sexuality would make her feel like an outsider in one of those organizations. “That isn’t to say that UT Panhellenic Greek (organizations) make people feel like outsiders … I think that’s not the case at all. I think, just as someone who was newly out, I felt anxious,” Ferguson said. For social work sophomore Noah Flores, joining gay fraternity Delta Lambda Phi was part of the comingout process. “Through joining the first official LGBT organization that I’ve been in, (it) really helped me come out to my family — and I ended up
When I first joined (Delta Lambda Phi), I honestly had a view that other fraternities were kind of homophobic. There was a stereotype about that, but then as I started doing more stuff with Greek life, I realized that’s not the case.” —Noah Flores, Social work sophomore
gabby lanza| daily texan staff
Gamma Rho Lambda sibling Avery Cummings wears her Greek organization’s letters and shows off their hand signal.
doing so the semester after,” Flores said. Although, like Ferguson, Flores was initially interested in joining a traditional Greek life organization, he ultimately decided against rushing an Interfraternity Coucil because he was uncertain he’d be able to relate with fraternity brothers about being gay. “When I first joined (Delta Lambda Phi), I honestly had a view that other fraternities were kind of homophobic,” Flores said. “There was a
stereotype about that, but then as I started doing more stuff with Greek life, I realized that’s not the case.” Despite his changed perspective on Interfraternity Council Greek organizations, Flores said LGBTQ social organizations such as Delta Lambda Phi provide an unparalleled connection to the LGBTQ community. Ferguson said safe spaces, especially in the South, like those provided by Gamma Rho Lambda help students who
may be coming from small towns where they might have been one of the few, or the only, LGBTQ individuals they knew. “(A lot of our members) came from a place where (they) were really afraid to be themselves and didn’t know how to identify,” Ferguson said. Oftentimes, Ferguson said, the common struggles of LGBTQ students in Texas actually bring them closer together. “I love Tau chapter a lot, and there’s a lot of really strong people in there, and I think it’s
because they work so hard to create a space where they feel safe,” Ferguson said. Originally from Amarillo, Avery Cummings, a radio-television-film junior and Gamma Rho Lambda member, knows exactly this feeling. Coming to UT as a transfer student, she said her Greek organization’s delayed recruitment process significantly contributed to its welcoming atmosphere. “One, it helps people to get more comfortable with their schooling and not have to be as stressed out,” Cummings said. “Two, it allows us not only to attract freshmen students, but also transfers.” Although Cummings said most Greek societies lack minority representation, she hopes to distinguish her chapter of Gamma Rho Lambda by increasing the groups it represents. “Not only do we accept everyone, we give them a space to talk about that,” Cummings said. “We want there to be space for everyone to talk about how their intersectionality fits into all this.”
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MICHAEL SHAPIRO SPORTS EDITOR
@texansports
Friday, September 8, 2017
VOLLEYBALL
Texas sweeps competition in home opener By Justin Martinez Sports Reporter
There are few things you can consistently count on in Austin: hot weather, good barbecue and some great Texas volleyball. After five straight road matches to start the season, the No. 5 Longhorns returned to their beloved 40 Acres on Thursday to host the American Campus Classic. The burnt orange kicked off their doubleheader with a noon match against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Freshman outside hitter Lexi Sun shined in her home debut, recording five kills in the first set as the Longhorns claimed a convincing 25-3 win. “(Sun) showed some really good composure,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “She played well in all facets of the game. Her serves were solid, her blocking was great and she just produced.” The tides looked to be changing for the Islanders in the second set, though, as the team capitalized on a pair of Longhorn errors to force a 10-10 tie. But Texas squashed any hopes of a comeback, imposing its will from that point on. Sun finished off the set with a bullet of a spike down the line, securing the 25-15 victory and giving Texas a commanding 2-0 lead. The Longhorns kept their foot on the gas in the closeout set, finishing off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with a 25-20 win to give them the 3-0 sweep. Senior middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu looked sharp in her first home match since 2015, tallying 10 kills with a team-high attack percentage of .714.
“It was just nice being home today and having our fans behind us,” Ogbogu said. “Our fan base is very engaged, and it helps us carry the momentum into each set.” Texas faced a short turnaround as the team shifted its focus to the night match against the University of Denver. Both squads struggled to create any separation in the first set until Ogbogu ignited the offense, recording three kills and two blocks to earn the 25-19 victory. “Denver is a really scrappy team,” Sun said. “We knew we couldn’t take them lightly because they run a really fast offense. It was really important for us not to take any plays off.” Denver kept fighting in the second set, rallying to tie the score at 23. And once again, Ogbogu came through. The senior scored the final two points to give the Longhorns a 2-0 series lead. The Pioneers never recovered, and Texas completed the sweep with a 25-17 win in the third set. Ogbogu finished with 11 kills and 7 blocks on the night. “We made sure to call some plays for (Ogbogu) late in the game,” Elliott said. “She was working hard, and she really produced for us in both matches.” But Texas’ work is far from finished. The Longhorns must now prepare for their Friday matchup against the top team in the country in No. 1 Minnesota. “(Minnesota) is No. 1 for a reason,” Ogbogu said. “We expect to see a very disciplined team, but we’re just excited to play them and show them what we got.”
brooke crim| daily texan staff
Senior Chiaka Ogbogu leads the Longhorns past a pair of opponents in Thursday’s double-header at the American Campus Classic.
FOOTBALL
SOCCER
Quarterback, defense both question marks heading into Saturday’s game
By Dalton Phillips
By Trenton Daeschner
Senior Sports Reporter
Associate Sports Editor
Head coach Tom Herman has his hands full with question marks on both sides of the ball heading into game No. 2 of his tenure at Texas. The two issues facing Herman on Saturday? For one, the Longhorns could trot out a true freshman quarterback in what’s essentially a must-win game. Granted, Texas is a 26.5-point favorite at home this Saturday against San Jose State. But the Longhorns were also 19-point favorites over Maryland last Saturday, a contest ending in a 51-41 defeat. Sophomore quarterback Shane Buechele suffered a bruised throwing shoulder in the middle of the game against Maryland and woke up on Sunday morning in pain according to Herman. Buechele still finished the game and threw for 375 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for a touchdown. But Texas’ signal caller was forced to miss practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and will be a game-time decision. Much of the focus this week has shifted toward freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who will start if Buechele is not ready by Saturday. Ehlinger has taken the first-team reps in practice this week in Buechele’s stead. Sophomore Josh Covey and junior wide receiver Jerrod Heard, who played quarterback for the Longhorns his redshirt freshman year, have also taken backup reps.
Longhorns prepare for undefeated clash
zoe fu| daily texan staff
Freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger could make his debut for the Longhorns on Saturday against San Jose State. Sophomore quarterback Shane Buechele is a game-time decision after suffering a bruised throwing shoulder in last Saturday’s game against Maryland.
“Shane’s our starting quarterback — if he can play, he’s gonna play,” Herman said at his Monday press conference. “Is Sam ready? No, not right now. But he will be. He’s close. He’s as close as any true freshman I’ve ever been around. So I think him getting these reps this week, he’ll respond.” Ehlinger starred at Austin’s Westlake High School and was a long-time commit for the Longhorns before entering the 40 Acres. Throughout spring and preseason camp, Herman remained adamant that there was an open competition between Buechele and Ehlinger, refusing to officially name a starter until the Monday before the season opener against Maryland. On Wednesday, offensive coordinator Tim Beck
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confronted the possibility of Ehlinger getting his first start as a true freshman on Saturday afternoon. “I think the team will follow him,” Beck said. “I think the coaches respect him. He’s a hard-working young man, a great student and he does everything right. How do you not follow one of those guys? And he plays really, really hard.” The other issue facing Texas on Saturday is its defense. The Longhorns were gashed in both the running and passing game Maryland. The Terrapins completed 12 of 15 passes, throwing for 219 yards, while collecting 263 yards on the ground. It was not the grand debut defensive coordinator Todd Orlando envisioned. “It’s on me,” Orlando said. “These kids played hard. We need to clean up
some of the fundamental work. That was the biggest thing. I’ve told them, I said, ‘Hey, listen, let’s not make this game define who we are.’” Herman said the Longhorns were “going to win with great defense” prior to the start of the season. But after last Saturday, the subpar Texas defense of the past two seasons reared its ugly head again. Players stressed this week that they can’t play in fear of making mistakes if they’re going to right the ship. “I think we all have to play a lot more looser and not try to play perfect,” senior linebacker Naashon Hughes said. “Just go out and try to make the plays that we can and understand that we’re not going to be perfect each and every play, but just going hard will help us.”
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After last week’s cancellation against California, Texas remains eager to showcase its talent against a top program. That chance comes Friday evening as the team hosts No. 25 Colorado at Mike A. Myers Stadium. The matchup features two of the nation’s top defenses, and a single score from either side will likely be the winning one. The Buffaloes’ backline has yet to give up a goal six games into the season. The Longhorns’ defense, anchored by sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Curry, has only allowed two. Fortunately, tight games are where this Texas team thrives. The Longhorns are a perfect 4–0 in one-goal matches, a much-improved area from last season, where they posted a 2–8 record in games decided by a single score. “I think last year we had a lot of obstacles we had to face, but overall as a team I think we’re better connected and (have) better chemistry,” redshirt sophomore forward Mikayla Flores said. “I think we are more dynamic this year than we were last year.” That is certainly the case when it comes to the team’s multiple scoring threats. In five games, four separate players have delivered game-winning goals, a rare luxury which may prove key to breaking Colorado’s smothering defense. “It’s not the same person
scoring every game, and that’s great,” Flores said. “It’s a different person almost every single time. To have that ability, I don’t think a lot of other teams have that.” Leading the charge for Texas is the emerging duo of sophomore forward Cyera Hintzen and freshman forward Haley Berg. The former club teammates have accounted for four of the team’s eight goals, and earned 10 of the 24 total points this season. But Friday isn’t the Longhorn’s only weekend obstacle. On Sunday, Texas will face Northeastern, a team boasting a 4–2 record. Facing the Huskies will offer another tough turnaround for what is sure to be a Friday-night slugfest. Still, head coach Angela Kelly embraces the challenge. For a program eyeing a bid in the NCAA tournament in December, a demanding weekend is exactly what they’ve been preparing for. “If you’re going to win the NCAA tournament anywhere in the program’s future, you have to be able to play Friday-Sunday,” Kelly said. For now the team remains focused on staying perfect. One program is going to receive a notch in the loss column after Friday. Texas is doing everything it can to ensure that it’s Colorado. “Colorado is a quality squad,” Kelly said. “(They) did exceptionally well in the Pac-12 last year. We’re in for a battle. And we’re excited about that.”
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charlotte carpenter| daily texan staff
Redshirt sophomore forward Mikayla Flores prepares to lead her team past undefeated No. 25 Colorado.
COMICS 7 7
Friday, September 8, 2017
CROSSWORD; Black
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
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atey. This scurrvy beast be today’s answerrrrrr.
SUDOKUFORYOU
8 2 4 5 9 7 1 3 6
6 9 5 3 1 8 7 4 2
3 7 1 4 6 2 5 9 8
2 1 7 6 5 9 4 8 3
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MORGAN O’HANLON LIFE&ARTS EDITOR
Friday, September 8, 2017
@thedailytexan
UT student discusses her struggle with sexual identity in her sorority
illustration by mel westfall | daily texan staff
illustration by mel westfall | daily texan staff
By Hannah Plantowsky L&A Reporter
During a full sorority chapter meeting, one girl asked if everyone felt comfortable with an LGBTQ individual becoming a member of the house. Without thinking, Angela* announced her identity as bisexual to the entire room. She said her immediate reaction was anxiety and fear, but then her sisters greeted her with overwhelming positivity. After that meeting, Angela said she feels closer and more open with her sisters. But although her sorority members always practice acceptance and inclusivity, she said her identity as bisexual is not entirely embraced. “Where most people are concerned, they see me with guys. I take guys to date events, so I present (myself ) as a straight female,” Angela said. Despite being immediately supported by her sisters, Angela said she still feels discouraged to pursue women. “If you saw someone making out with their date and their date was a girl, it would be talked about for sure — and not always in the best way,”
Angela said. “If you live with girls all the time and you’re in a girls’ sorority, the thought that you’re attracted to a woman might make people not want to be close to you,” Angela said. “I haven’t pursued women as much as I would have if I hadn’t gone Greek, just because I don’t want to alienate myself further.” Although Angela is a member of both the LGBTQ community and the Greek community, she said LGBTQ representation in Greek life is fairly nonexistent. She said her sorority sisters have never done anything to make her feel uncomfortable, but that, for the most part, people in other houses ignore sexuality for their own comfort. “In some fraternities, it’s a big deal if a guy comes out and says he’s gay,” Angela said. “There is one (bisexual) guy I know who will never come out because his brothers constantly make gay jokes. That sort of culture really discourages people from coming out or experimenting or feeling really comfortable around their brothers or sisters.” *Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of sources.
LGBTQ member of sorority recounts appreciation of sisters’ acceptance By Hannah Plantowsky L&A Reporter
After being involuntarily outed as bisexual to her entire sorority, Quinn* said her sisters’ responses shocked her. Before rush week even began, and before Quinn even walked through the doors of any sorority house, a friend of hers messaged another girl in the sorority she was rushing, revealing her sexuality. Though the message was intended to be flattering and provide a holistic image of the incoming freshman, it caused a lot of anxiety for Quinn. “I wasn’t super open about it at that point, and I remember finding out that everyone knew, and I was crying in the middle of my dorm room because I thought that they weren’t going to want me,” Quinn said. “All I kept thinking was: This was Greek life in the South, so no one was going to accept it.” She said her original fears of not being accepted were quelled once she joined the sorority and everyone welcomed her with open arms. “It could’ve gone such a different direction, and there could’ve been a really negative reaction,” Quinn said. “I’ve found a lot of amazing friends in
my sorority who are totally supportive, and I’m able to talk about it with them openly. Though Quinn struggles being the only LGBTQ individual in her pledge class, she said she really enjoys being able to provide answers when her peers have questions about their own sexuality. “There are girls in my sorority who have come to me with questions because they are starting to have certain feelings, and it’s awesome that they can come to me and I can be that person,” Quinn said. “They ask me about my process and my feelings, and I feel really lucky that I can help them figure out their own feelings.” Though her sexuality was revealed before she was ready, Quinn said everyone knowing has only benefited her experience in her sorority by proving that her sisters accept every part of her. “When I was outed, I was freaked out that no one would want me,” Quinn said. “Apparently though, someone stood up and said, ‘If you have a problem with that, you can get over it.’” *Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of sources. No members of the Panhellenic Conference or IFC are disclosed in the story.
6266/UT Athletics; Process color
Fraternity member reflects on sexuality in his organization
illustration by mel westfall| daily texan staff
By Hannah Plantowsky L&A Reporter
When he was handed his bid to the fraternity, the first thing Henry* said was, “I’m gay.” The older man handing him the bid, already a member of the fraternity, responded: “We know. We don’t care.” Henry signed with them and became a member of their fraternity. Henry said he has always felt welcomed and accepted by his brothers, even though most of them had never had a close gay friend before him. He said that being one of their only gay friends has allowed him to enlighten and inform them. “I remember my sophomore year, everyone in my pledge class started asking me when I was going to take a guy to a formal, and it definitely meant a bigger deal to me than I think it meant to them,” Henry said. Eventually, Henry did bring a man as his date to an event, and he said all of the members of the fraternity were excited for him. Though he has felt largely supported in his own fraternity, Henry said that Interfraternity Council as a whole is not the most conducive environment for LGBTQ individuals. “In fraternities, in general, there
is more of a culture or dynamic that focuses on masculinity in a way that can be intimidating for queer people,” Henry said. “It seems like there is a constant masculinity quotient that everyone is not necessarily trying toward, but there is an overarching theme that people play to and being gay doesn’t necessarily fit in with that.” Henry said one of the main reasons for the low representation of LGBTQ in Greek life, aside from the typical deterrents from joining, is that there are men in fraternities who are still closeted or haven’t come to terms with their sexuality yet. “Greek life can be seen as or can be inhospitable toward the LGBTQ community because it is a very heteronormative environment and all of the traditions that come with Greek life and the attitudes are sculpted through straight people, so it’s not necessarily the most welcoming environment,” Henry said. Henry said he was cautious going into Greek life but feels confident in his choice to be a part of it. *Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of sources. No members of the Panhellenic Conference or IFC are disclosed in the story.