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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2017
@thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com
Volume 118, Issue 19 NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
Fine Arts gets creative
DeVos’ Title IX remarks spark mixed reactions, confusion
By London Gibson Senior Reporter
A new school for design and creative technologies has been added to the College of Fine Arts. The College of Fine Arts continued its series of expansions within the last year, opening a new commercially-focused school for design and creative technologies
last week. The School of Design and Creative Technologies launched immediately for the fall semester, a year after the college added two new degree plans and opened up a space in the Fine Arts Library for technology in design fields. The school is expected to become the largest academic unit in the College of Fine Arts, said
Doreen Lorenzo, director of the Center for Integrated Design. Lorenzo will lead the new school as assistant dean. “We have a unique opportunity to reinvent how the fine arts are taught,” Lorenzo said in an email. “Research shows us that more and more companies are eager for students who understand design, which in theory can affect all areas
of business.” The College of Fine Arts faced a 20-year decline in enrollments until recently, said Doug Dempster, dean of the college. With the addition of two new majors last fall and the new design school, Dempster said he predicts the college will grow from a recent low
By Maria Mendez Senior Reporter
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos reopened concerns about sexual assault on college campuses by announcing Thursday a decision to draft new Title IX sexual misconduct guidelines in the following months. DeVos said universities’ failure to protect students, whether they are sexual assault offenders or survivors, are due to the current guidelines set in place by the Obama administration’s “Dear Colleague” letter. DeVos said these guidelines are unclear and lead universities to neglect students’ right to due process. The 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter directed universities to take sexual assault accusations seriously or risk being defunded under Title IX, a law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender. Linda Millstone, UT’s interim Title IX coordinator, said the “Dear Colleague” letter also allowed affected students academic accommodations and the right to pursue both criminal and academic punishment against students that commit sexual misconduct. “The ‘Dear Colleague’ letter shifted things,” Millstone said. “It said the complainant has more control than (they) had in the past and also said institutions have to be more responsive.”
CREATIVE page 2
ashley nava| daily texan staff Traveling pianist Adam Lozoya performed on Friday, Sept. 8 on campus. He has played in more than half of the 50 states.
thedailytexan
Featured photo
DEVOS page 3 CAMPUS
Campus safety still prioritized one year after Be Safe launches By Ashley Liu Senior Reporter
The UT Police Department is continuing to promote campus safety awareness as the Be Safe campaign reaches its one-year anniversary this fall semester. UTPD originally launched the Be Safe campaign in fall of 2015 with the goal of changing the culture of campus safety but didn’t begin a more aggressive campaign agenda until the fall
of 2016, after the on-campus death of dance freshman Haruka Weiser earlier that April. One year later, the average number of service calls per week for UTPD has almost doubled, according to UTPD’s “My Campus Watch” archives. UTPD spokesperson Cindy Posey said that although she has no statistical confirmation yet, she hopes there is a positive correlation between the campaign and the increase in police outreach.
Service Calls Made During the Last Week of August 2016
“UTPD has made great strides in promoting their community policing,” Posey said. “You see more presence in West Campus, more bike patrol and more officers on foot. We want to be friendly and forward. We are not only enforcing the law — we’re also here to help and offer any kind of assistance.” The safety campaign’s first stage sent out three messages
332
2017
777 Source: UTPD Campus Watch Archives
infographic by mingyo lee | daily texan staff
BE SAFE page 3 STATE
House District 46 candidates offer varying backgrounds, similar plans By Chase Karacostas Senior Reporter
Candidates for Texas House District 46 met with constituents on Saturday and promised increased education spending, criminal justice reform and easier voting methods for future elections.
Sheryl Cole, former Austin Mayor Pro Tem; Philip Emiabata, former Pflugerville council member candidate; Ana Cortez, Manor ISD school board trustee; and immigration lawyer Jose “Chito” Vela gathered at the Austin Public Library for a candidate forum Saturday hosted by activist group Left Up To Us. Current HD 46 representative Dawnna Dukes, who is currently
indicted on abuse-of-office charges, was invited to the forum but was not in attendance. The candidates, all Democrats, offered similar views on various hot-button political topics. All of them advocated for reduced criminalization of drug offenses to shrink incarcerated populations and decrease penal system spending.
“(Drug possession felonies) are devastating charges,” Vela said. “They absolutely destroy somebody’s life … I would make all drug possession offenses misdemeanors.” The four candidates also concurred on how to handle undocumented immigrants and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Cortez and Vela
NEWS
OPINION
LIFE&ARTS
SPORTS
Texas Exes Black Alumni Network holds Black Homecoming. PAGE 2
University fees reflect disrespect for students. PAGE 4
The Texan’s guide to this fall’s most anticipated blockbusters. PAGE 8
Ehlinger fulfills dream in first start for Longhorns. PAGE 6
UT Athletics Front Strip; Process color
CANDIDATE page 2