1
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017
@thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com
Volume 118, Issue 25
UNIVERSITY
Fenves names new deputy of government relations By Chase Karacostas Senior Reporter
Starting Oct. 16, Jay Dyer, former legislative director to Gov. Greg Abbott, will serve as deputy to UT President Gregory Fenves for government relations. In his new position, Dyer will manage all University contact with the legislature
and other state agencies for funding, research and student support issues. During legislative sessions, he will advise the University president on pending legislation that could affect the University. Dyer is an alumnus of the College of Liberal Arts, where he majored in government and is a graduate of the School of Law. “Jay brings tremendous
knowledge and experience in state government as well as a deep commitment to the University of Texas,” Fenves said in a press release Tuesday. Fenves also said Dyer will be an asset in accomplishing the University’s legislative goals, such as maintaining affordable education for students. “As the state’s flagship
university, our future depends on having the trust of the Texas Legislature and state leadership, being accessible and affordable for students and their families and providing value to the entire state,” Fenves said in the press release. Dyer served as senior counsel while Abbott was attorney general. During this
time, Dyer also was selected to serve on the oversight committee for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. After Abbott was elected governor, Dyer was promoted to legislative director. He worked directly with the legislature in this role from 2015 to 2017 for two regular sessions and one special session.
“It was an honor and privilege to serve the state of Texas as a part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration,” Dyer said in the press release. “I very much appreciate the opportunity to return to the University of Texas, and I look forward to helping UT build upon its wellestablished commitment to excellence.”
SYSTEM
POLICE
Regents appoint Tucker as new chairwoman
illustration by geo casillas daily texan staff
In one week, nine possession cases Substance abuse is higher at start of new academic year, UTPD says By Ashley Liu Senior Reporter
The UT Police Department has encountered nine individual cases of marijuana possession since last Tuesday, a higher number than usual. Police Lt. Greg Stephenson
said although he has no statistics to confirm an increase in on-campus use of marijuana, he does think students tend to commit more substance abuse at the beginning of the fall semester. In Texas, marijuana usage is illegal, and the possession of two ounces or less is a Class B misdemeanor. “The abuse of marijuana is a common problem among big campuses like UT,” Stephenson said. “We try to protect students from endangering their own health and mental being.”
Stephenson said UTPD now has the discretion to give out tickets instead of jailing offenders who are accused of using or possessing marijuana. “It’s a better way to allocate our resources,” Stephenson said. “There is also diversity in how intoxicated the offender is. If the students look like they’re not endangering themselves, then we write a ticket instead of arresting them. This procedure leaves more jail space and is more time efficient.”
Susan Kirtz, interim manager of the Office of Health Promotion at University Health Services, said the number of marijuana arrests might not reflect the actual amount of usage. “Just because UTPD’s crime log says they’re catching more students does not necessarily mean that there are actually more students using marijuana,” Kirtz said. The Spring 2017 National College Health Assessment
MARIJUANA page 2
STATE
Straus calls for Confederate plaque removal By Chase Karacostas Senior Reporter
On Tuesday morning, Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus called for the removal of a “blatantly inaccurate” Confederate plaque located next to the Texas Capitol rotunda on Tuesday morning. In a letter to the State Preservation Board, SPB, Straus said the plaque described an incorrect depiction of the Civil War, and Texans are “not well-served” by inaccurate information about history. The plaque
says the Civil War was neither an act of rebellion nor primarily about slavery. “We have an obligation to all the people we serve to ensure that our history is described correctly, especially when it comes to a subject as painful as slavery,” Straus said in the letter. Gov. Greg Abbott, the chairman of the SPB and one of the letter’s recipients, could not be reached for comment at press time. The plaque sparked controversy last month when
STRAUS page 2
anthony mireles| daily texan staff
Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus called for the removal of the “Children of the Confederacy Creed” plaque located in the Texas Capitol on Tuesday morning. Straus described the plaque as being an incorrect depiction of the Civil War.
courtesy of the ut system board of regents
Sara Martinez Tucker will serve as the UT System Board of Regents’ new chairwoman. Tucker was elected by the board on Tuesday.
By Maria Mendez Senior Reporter
Sara Martinez Tucker was elected to lead the UT System Board of Regents as its new chairwoman on Tuesday. Regent Tucker, a UT alumna, was nominated by Regent Paul Foster to succeed him, and she was elected by the rest of the Board of Regents at a special board meeting Tuesday, according to a UT System press release. The nine regents on the Board govern all 14 UT System universities and health institutions. “It has been an immense honor to serve as chairman of the board these last four years, but it was time to pass the gavel to a new leader,” Foster said in the press release. “It was a pleasure to nominate Regent Tucker, who has brought great insight and guidance to the Board over the last two years.” Tucker, a Laredo native and Dallas resident, was first appointed as a UT System regent by Gov. Greg Abbott and approved for a six-year term by the Texas Senate in 2015. Prior to becoming a regent, Tucker also served as
NEWS
OPINION
LIFE&ARTS
SPORTS
Target in Dobie will provide new jobs on campus. PAGE 2
Columnists discuss the prospects of new technologies. PAGE 4
DJ FROOOT produces fresh tunes from West Campus. PAGE 8
Texas volleyball defeats UTSA on the road in sweep. PAGE 6
6267/UT Athletics; Process color
under secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, the highest-ranking education official in the United States, for former President George W. Bush. UT President Gregory Fenves said in a statement that he looks forward to working with Tucker, who is an experienced education official and a Distinguished Alumna of UT. “I’ve enjoyed collaborating with Chair Tucker over the past two years on student success initiatives at UT Austin and am excited to work with her even more closely in her new leadership role for the UT System,” Fenves said. “As a former U.S. Under Secretary of Education, she also has a deep knowledge of higher education and understands the support that UT System institutions need to accomplish their missions.” As under secretary, Tucker oversaw all policies, programs and activities related to higher education, federal student aid and adult vocational training. During this time, Tucker helped create the centralized college resource website college.gov
REGENTS page 2
2 2
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
UNIVERSITY
MARIJUANA
Assoc. News Editor Catherine Marfin, Kayla Meyertons News Desk Editors Paul Cobler, Hannah Daniel, Lisa Dreher, Lisa Nhan, Wesley Story Senior Reporters Chase Karacostas, London Gibson, Jenan Taha, Reagan Ritterbush, Ashley Liu, Maria Mendez Enterprise Reporters Forrest Milburn, Will Clark Copy Desk Chief Bella McWhorter Associate Copy Desk Chiefs Ryan Steppe, Taylor Presley, Morgan Kuehler, Kirsten Handler Design Editor Rena Li
Senior Sports Reporters Alex Briseno, Drew King, Steve Helwick, Dalton Phillips Double Coverage Editor Vanessa Le Comics Editor Geovanni Casillas Assoc. Comics Editor Melanie Westfall, Victoria Smith Senior Comics Artists Channing Miller, Rachel Tyler, Alexis Acevedo, Amber Perry Social Media Editor Alexandria Dominguez Assoc. Social Media Editor Forrest Milburn Sr. Social Media Editor Giselle Suazo, Carlos Garcia Science&Tech Editor Julianne Hodges
Associate Design Editor Sunnie Lee Senior Designer Mallika Gandhi, Mingyo Lee, Aaliyah Jenkins Video Editor Thomas Negrete Assoc. Video Editor Monica Silverio, Courtney Joyney Senior Videographer Faley Goyette, Petyon Young, Van Hershey, Taylor Herselman, Audrey Black Photo Editor Juan Figueroa
Assoc. S&T Editor Freya Preimesberger, Sarah Bloodworth Senior S&T Reporters Areeba Khwaja, Aditya Singh Podcast Director Zeke Fritts Assoc. Podcast Director Sam Groves, Morgan Kuehler, JT Lindsey Digital Operations Director Anna Wang Editorial Adviser Peter Chen
ISSUE STAFF Sports Writers Keshav Prathivadi
Columnists Jeff Rose, Spencer Buckner
L&A Writer Ruben Paquian
Reporters Zachary Guerrero, Emily O’Toole Copy Editors Elizabeth Huang, Thanvi Thodati, Susana Lugo Designers Anna Kate Hutton, Kendall Jordan
S&T Writer Jennifer Liu Photographers Anthony Mireles, Megan Canik Comic Artists Adria Twyman, Serena Romero, Bixie Mathien, Ivan Moore
CONTACT US MAIN TELEPHONE (512) 471-4591
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Laura Hallas (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Michelle Zhang (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com
NEWS OFFICE
(512) 232-2207 news@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.
STRAUS
continues from page 1
AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Sept. 6
HI LO
TOMORROW Sept. 7
95º 76º
HI 92º LO 73º
*referring to a cinnamon stick* is that a pumpkin blunt?
BUSINESS & ADVERTISING (512) 471-8590 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director Gerald Johnson Business/ Operations Manager Frank Serpas III Advertising Manager Emily Cohen Assistant Advertising Manager Colten Crist
Account Executives Tim Bauer, Brady Beal, Paulina Siller Product Manager Stephen Salisbury Senior Graphic Designer Amanda O’Brien Production Zac Crofford
THE DAILY TEXAN MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES $60.00
One Semester (Fall/Spring)
$120.00
Two Semesters (Fall & Spring)
$40.00
Summer Session
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.
ADVERTISING DEADLINES Monday
Wednesday, 12 p.m.
Tuesday
Thursday, 12 p.m.
Wednesday Thursday Friday Classified Word Ads
Friday, 12 p.m. Monday, 12 p.m. Tuesday, 12 p.m. 11 a.m. (Last Business Day Prior to Publication)
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2017 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.
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 2017 Texas Student Media.
Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, asked for its immediate removal from the wall near his office in the Capitol in his own letter to the SPB. “Those are both counterfactual statements, and correcting them is important to people who respect and love the truth,” Johnson said. “We want people to feel like our Capitol is a place where everyone is welcome … (so) we’re not going to let lies that overt go over unchallenged.” As for the plaque’s new home, Johnson said he is fine with anywhere that is not the wall of the Capitol. “It has no business in the Capitol,” Johnson said. “It’s pretty worthless as a piece of historical fact, and that’s what the Capitol should have in it: historical fact.” Johnson is also demanding the removal of all remaining Confederate statues in and around the Capitol. He said the Confederacy exemplified treason and white supremacy and should not be honored with placements around the “greatest shrine” to Texas’ values, i.e. the Capitol building. SPB executive director Rod Welsh responded to Johnson’s letter a few days later and said the SPB had initiated a review of both the plaque and the remaining Confederate monuments on the Capitol grounds. The letter did not include when Johnson would meet with the SPB to discuss the monuments nor a date when the plaque near his office would be removed. For now, the SPB has to figure out whether or not the legislature’s approval is required to take down the plaque. If not, Johnson said it is likely that the plaque could be taken down within a few weeks.
$250,000
1
$200,000
10
$150,000
20
$100,000
30
$50,000
40
Source: National Science Foundation
News Editor Ellie Breed
Assoc.Sports Editor Trenton Daeschner
09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15
Assoc. Managing Editor Matthew Adams, Natalia Ruiz
Sports Editor Michael Shapiro
UT’s ranking amongst most funded institutions in the U.S.
08
Managing Editor Michelle Zhang
Sr. Life&Arts Writers Stephen Acevedo, Chris Duncan, Acacia Coronado, Albert Zhao
NSF research funding over the years
20
Forum Editors Vik Shirvaikar, Janhavi Nemawarkar
Assoc. Life&Arts Editor Justin Jones, Daisy Wang
07
Life&Arts Editor Morgan O’Hanlon
20
Senior Columnists Emily Vernon, Noah Horwitz, Michael Jensen, Josie MacLean, Sam Groves, Emma Berdanier, Ryan Young
20
Senior Photographer Carlos Garcia, Angel Ulloa, Brooke Crim, Katie Bauer, Gabriella Lanza
09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15
Assoc. Editors Cuillin Chastain-Howley, Caleb Wong, Jaree Campbell, Liza Anderson
By London Gibson Senior Reporter
08
Assoc. Photo Editor Gabriel Lopez
20
Editor-in-Chief Laura Hallas
UT receives $18.8 million for R&D
07
PERMANENT STAFF
taken by UT students shows 59.4 percent have never used marijuana or related substances. In contrast, 19.9 percent of students reported they had used marijuana within the 30 days prior to taking the survey. “Marijuana is not one of our priorities,” Kirtz said. “We don’t see students use (marijuana) on a regular basis, and we don’t have any student report on the negative effects of marijuana use.” Kirtz said the assessment shows the perceived percentage of students who have never used marijuana was only 6 percent, compared to the actual 59.4 percent. Plan II sophomore Christina Rios said she expects higher marijuana use at the beginning of the school year because that is when some students first gain exposure from new social circles. “I think students are a lot more likely to try new substances when they are exposed to peers who use them,” Rios said. “The first two months of school are usually when students, especially freshmen, see marijuana for the first time and decide to try it out.” Rios said that instead of taking an aggressive approach in catching marijuana abusers, UTPD should use an educational approach to tackle the issue. “Just like (with) alcohol, you can’t eliminate weed,” Rios said. “But at the same time I’m glad UTPD is protecting students from hurting themselves. Marijuana can be just a quick phase, but it also has the potential to turn into something more lethal when the student gets careless.” Biochemistry sophomore Jacquelyn Chan said she believes the spike in marijuana possession-related arrests will eventually die down without interference from UTPD. “I think most of these offenders are just kids fresh out of high school trying something new,” Chan said. “UTPD can’t possibly arrest everyone who has ever done marijuana. It would be a waste of our resources.”
20
This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25
20
continues from page 1
infographic by rena li| daily texan staff
The National Science Foundation awarded UT two unite a variety of professional backgrounds to work separate grants worth a combined $18.8 million for on developing advanced materials, said CDCM diresearch and development this month. rector Edward Yu. Research in this area could have The University announced the launch of a $15.6 applications in battery technology, water filtramillion center focused on materials research on tion and quantum computing, said Yu, a computer Monday, six days after revealing UT engineers engineering professor. would receive $3.2 million to help lead a nation“My overall goal is not only to advance research al center focused on converting natural gas into in the directions we’ve proposed but to really help to transportation fuel. build this community of researchers and Chemical engineering professor Joan educators and investigators at all levels,” Brennecke was selected as the deputy Yu said. “My hope is that we’ll be able to director of the natural gas research cenhave this for a very long time.” ter, called the Center for Innovative and Research in this area Although CDCM is run entirely by Strategic Transformation of Alkane ReUT professionals, CISTAR’s administracould have applisources, CISTAR. She said funding from tive headquarters will be at Purdue Unications in battery versity in West Lafayette, Indiana. UT the National Science Foundation allows UT professionals to conduct research serve as a secondary research base, technology, water will they would not be able to otherwise. with additional aid from Northwestern “It’s with this funding from the federal filtration and quan- University, the University of New Mexgovernment that we have the opportuniico and the University of Notre Dame. ty to do the more basic research … that tum computing.” CISTAR will be given $3.2 million over will make it possible for us to make ima period of five years. —Edward Yu, provements and breakthroughs,” Bren- Computer engineering professor CDCM will receive $2.6 million per necke said. “This isn’t something that a year for six years, but the center has the company can go out today and just do.” potential to last longer, Yu said. At the end of the UT is in the top-fifth percentile of 905 institu- funded period, CDCM can apply to be refunded for tions funded by the National Science Foundation. another six years. The most recent data from their website shows that Both centers will have opportunities for gradin 2015, UT ranked 30th in the nation for most re- uate students and undergraduate students to get search funding received. involved. Chemical engineering professor Benny The materials research center, called the Center Freeman will be supervising student research withfor Dynamics and Control of Materials, CDCM, will in the CISTAR program.
However, if the legislature has to vote on the removal, then the issue could end up waiting until 2019. The plaque was placed in the Capitol in 1959 by the Children of the Confederacy, an organization that operates under the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The UDC was unable to be reached for comment prior to publication. Student body president Alejandrina Guzman, who assisted in orchestrating the removal of four Confederate statues from the South Mall shortly before classes started, said she supports Straus’ call to remove Confederate monuments from the Capitol. “Knowing that (Straus) is saying this in front of everybody — that’s bold,” Guzman said. “I’m dumbfounded (at) the fact that it’s been there (for decades) and it’s wrong … It should not be celebrated. It shouldn’t be honored either.”
CAMPUS
Target to open under Dobie in October, creating 50 new jobs By Emily O’Toole General Reporter
A new scaled-down Target is scheduled to open inside Dobie Twenty21 this October, bringing student necessities and new jobs to campus. The store opening will create more than 50 new jobs on campus, according to KVUE. Two job fairs are scheduled to take place this month at the Target location in North Austin on Research Boulevard and Ohlen Road from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. — one this Thursday and one on Sept. 29. History freshman
Marisa Flores, who used to work at a Forever 21 in her hometown of San Antonio, said this store opening offers a convenient employment opportunity because of its proximity to campus. “I had to leave Forever 21 because I came to school here, but I’d work at Target since it’s not a far walk,” Flores said. “It’s an easy commute.” Government freshman Vanessa Dejeux said while she does not have experience in retail, she’s hoping to get a job at Target that would be compatible with her hectic schedule. “Target’s open late,
so I could work after class,” Dejeux said. “I don’t know how picky they’ll be, but it would be really convenient.” Dobie is a private dorm and shopping center located on campus at the intersection of 21st and Guadalupe streets. The new Target will be the first of its kind in Austin, one with a specialized inventory designed to cater to the needs of college students and provide a quick shopping experience. Although the 22,000-square-foot store’s inventory may not be as
TARGET page 3
6081/Trudy’s; Black
REGENTS
continues from page 1 and directed the disbursement of almost $70 billion in federal student loans during the 2008 financial crisis, according to the UT System website. Tucker also helped fund education for Hispanic students as the CEO of the nonprofit Hispanic Scholarship Fund, after having been a long-time executive for AT&T. “Having the opportunity to work with extraordinary board members, system administration leaders and visionary university presidents to ensure that UT students and patients have access to the best possible outcomes is and will always be my top priority,” Tucker said after her appointment.
T N
HAPPY HOUR
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 2PM TILL 7PM
BOTTLE BEER $3.00
DRAFT BEER $4.00
HOUSE MEXICAN MARTINIS $7.00
HOUSE RITAS $4.00
CAZADORES SILVER MEXICAN MARTINIS $8.00
DEEP EDDY FLIGHT $5.00
TEXAS STAR · 409 WEST 30TH ST., AUSTIN, TX 78705 · 512-477-2935
W&N 3 3
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
POLICY
Bipartisan bill helps homeless attain education Senior Reporter
A recent national bipartisan bill aims to remove barriers to college for students facing homelessness or transitioning out of foster care. The Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act, introduced to the U.S. Congress on Sept. 12, would facilitate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, process for unaccompanied youth and push universities to expand support for homeless students nationwide. “For many students, higher education can be a ticket to the middle class, so it is vitally important that students from all walks of life have the chance to go to college,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, one of the four bill sponsors, in a press release. Federal laws, such as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, mandate states to ensure homeless students receive equal access to education, resources and support. Support for unaccompanied homeless students often becomes limited after high school. However, 89 percent of the unaccompanied homeless youth counted nationwide on a single night in 2016 were between the ages of 18 and 24, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “The needs of students in homeless situations vary on case-by-case situation, but the truth is, there’s not a lot that is available as far as direct funding and direct access to higher education,” said Jeanne Stamp, director of the Texas Homeless Education Office. Under state law, youth transitioning from Texas foster care are eligible for tuition waivers and Pell grants if they enroll in college before the age of 25 via university foster care liaisons, which the recently introduced bill would like to expand similarly nationwide.
For homeless college students in Texas, however, assistance is currently limited to FAFSA aid, Stamp said. The FAFSA application currently requires students to provide parental information unless they can prove to be unaccompanied youth through a high school or college official. If passed, the introduced bill would allow more students to apply for aid as independent unaccompanied youth or homeless students, said Christine Gauger, UT financial aid assistant director. However, Stamp said colleges do not have workers to identify homeless students such as at K-12 schools. “One of the difficult things is just identifying students in homeless situations when they’re not (living) on a college campus,” Stamp said. “(For) kids that are maybe couch surfing, staying from place to place, maybe staying in their car … the college might not even know about it because they don’t really have a process for identifying those kids.” Gauger said UT’s financial aid office does not currently track students that apply for FAFSA as independent unaccompanied youth. Tym Belseth, a former foster care student and a researcher at the School of Social Work, said the number of former foster care students at UT is very small because many do not make it to college, despite the available financial aid in Texas. Often, homeless or foster care youth such as Belseth have to change schools or move towns multiple times growing up. Belseth said this instability makes it even harder to graduate and learn the life skills necessary for college. “I do appreciate people considering this issue because it shows their hearts are in the right place, but it’s not going to be fixed that easily,” Belseth said.
Homelessness among young adults ON A SINGLE NIGHT,
36,000
unaccompanied youth were counted as homeless.
11%
555,000 unaccompanied youth and young adults
EXPERIENCE A HOMELESSNESS EPISODE
OR
3,824 PEOPLE
>50%
ARE UNDER AGE 18
ARE UNDER AGE 18
Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness
By Maria Mendez
infographic by rena li| daily texan staff
CAMPUS
Texas Political Union debates North Korea as nuclear state By Zachary Guerrero General Reporter
Texas Political Union, TPU, members debated Tuesday whether or not North Korea should be a nuclear state, considering issues of safety and diplomacy. The weekly public debate was held in Parlin Hall, where TPU and audience members shared their views about the growing power of the dictatorship. During the event, atr tendees discussed opposI ing viewpoints — students y such as government jue nior Alex Walheim said North Korea should be m allowed to have nuclear weapons, while opponents e argued North Korea’s nud clear weapons should e be detained. t Walheim said he bee lieves North Korea should be accepted as a nuclear o state because America’s current strategy against k North Korea is causing more harm than good. e s s
“We’re punishing them for having and testing nuclear weapons, which is an inevitability, rather than (for) actually using nuclear weapons,” Walheim said. “I’m worried … that if North Korea keeps testing nuclear weapons, we’re gonna get into a conflict about that when we can otherwise avoid it. Accepting them as a nuclear state would give us a little bit of bargaining power to help them direct their nuclear program in the way it should be directed.” Walheim acknowledged reports from last month that North Korea had fired a nuclear missile over Japan and said it was a provocative move, but that the U.S. should not retaliate. Following the debate, audience members had the opportunity to present their own arguments. Biology freshman Elizabeth Contreras said the U.S. should not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state because she thinks the instability of
the North Korean government makes diplomacy harder to achieve. “I also think that the issue of safety is something we have to consider,” Contreras said. “We’re going to have more … American citizens than usual in the (South Korean) region within the next five years (for the Olympics), so this issue is something we have to address now. Contreras argued that by allowing North Korea to continue to develop nuclear weapons, the U.S. may be empowering them to use the weapons, and so different measures should be taken. TPU president Daniel Orr said the debate aligned with TPU’s mission to promote discussion and further civil engagement. “We come from the premise that there are many aspects to citizenship — going out to vote, being politically active in campaigns,” Orr said. “The basis for political life is political interaction.”
carlos garcia| daily texan staff
Target is set to open a new store that is catered towards the needs of college students on campus. The store is said to offer 50 new jobs for the Longhorn community.
TARGET
continues from page 2 extensive as that of other Target stores, this location will still carry college essentials like dorm gear, clothing, hygiene and beauty products, groceries, technology, grab-andgo meals and UT apparel. “We’re able to serve more guests by adding
flexible-format stores near top universities across the country,” said Mark Schindele, Target senior vice president, in a written statement to the Austin American-Statesman. “We’re thrilled to open our first flexible-format store in Austin and to join the Longhorn community.” Pre-public relations freshman Danielle Kane
said she normally shops at the Target on I-35, which is more than three miles from campus, but is excited to have one within walking distance. She said she hopes the store’s selection does not suffer as a result of its smaller size. “I hope there’s as many products from the regular Target as they can put into the smaller one,” Kane said.
Brain Juice; Process color
angel ulloa | daily texan staff
Economics senior Gauthier Fally speaks at the Texas Political Union debate on Tuesday evening. The debate was held over the issue on whether or not North Korea should be considered a nuclear state.
NEWSCAST
Tune in on Fridays at 5 p.m. at soundcloud. com/thedailytexan
25% OFF COUPON CODE UTBRAINJUICE www.BrainJuice.me Valid til 11-1-2017
Follow us on Instagram: @Naturalbrainjuice Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NaturalBrainJuice
4
LAURA HALLAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
@TexasOpinion
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
COLUMN
COLUMN
illustration by geo casillas | daily texan staff
Audio manipulation threatens dialogue By Spencer Buckner Columnist
illustration by mel westfall | daily texan staff
NASA needs better leadership By Sam Groves Senior Columnist
Back on the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump bemoaned the state of the American space program: “Look what’s happened with our whole history of space and leadership,” he told a crowd in Florida. “Look what’s going on folks. We’re like a third-world nation.” This was back in August 2016, when the odds of a Trump victory still seemed, well, astronomical. But a funny thing happened on the way to a permanent Democratic majority and now, one year later, President Donald Trump has the chance to make NASA great again. To that end, after nine months in office, Trump has nominated Oklahoma Congressman Jim Bridenstine to serve as NASA administrator, pending confirmation by the Senate. But if Trump wants to improve the agency and restore American leadership in outer space, Bridenstine is the wrong choice. Back in July, my fellow columnist Ryan Young wrote that to become a better agency, NASA requires a clear vision. He was right — under inconsistent leadership, NASA has suffered from constantly shifting visions for the agency’s future. Bridenstine will only make this worse. He wants to refocus NASA’s mission on putting American astronauts back on the moon, which is a perfectly noble goal — just as noble as it was seven years ago, when it was abandoned by the Obama administration in favor of landing American astronauts on Mars. Bridenstine would continue a pattern of instability that has made it difficult for NASA to establish a clear vision of the future. The agency’s long-term mission, mired in fits and starts, will remain that way as long as it is radically altered by each
incoming administration. Moreover, if NASA is to organize manned missions to the Moon, let alone to Mars, it will need two things: money and expertise. Bridenstine brings neither of these things to the table. He is a politician, not a scientist, with a political history that would make him a liability to the agency. The congressman belongs to the unabashedly right-wing House Freedom Caucus, opposes same-sex marriage and other civil rights for LGBTQ people and has repeatedly expressed skepticism toward climate change. Of course, Bridenstine is welcome to his own opinions. But the idea that the leader of a scientific organization would espouse such unscientific views is unseemly at the very least. More importantly, Bridenstine’s political baggage could jeopardize funding for NASA by bringing unwanted controversy to an organization that has historically been above partisanship. As for scientific experience, Bridenstine has none to speak of, which sets him apart from previous NASA administrators. And while Bridenstine’s mission to boldly go where no man so lacking in qualifications has gone before is certainly audacious, it could spell disaster for the agency. Just ask Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a Trump ally, who told Politico he thought Bridenstine’s leadership “could be devastating for the space program.” Rubio understands why no politician has ever served as NASA administrator. So does fellow Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, who said that “the head of NASA ought to be a space professional, not a politician.” Rubio is a Republican, and Nelson is a Democrat, but they’re both right, and Texans who care about the future of an organization that invests so heavily in our state should be concerned about Bridenstine’s nomination. Groves is a philosophy junior from Dallas.
COLUMN
LGBTQ facial recognition software opens door to dangerous possibilities By Jeff Rose
groups, such as GLAAD and Human Rights Campaign, rightly fear that the findings could result in a loss of privacy for the LGBTQ community. But in vilifying the research itself, these A world where people could be hunted down with fa- groups are missing out on a larger, more pressing takeaway. cial recognition technology able to determine whether or “We used widely available off-the-shelf tools, publicly availnot they’re part of the LGBTQ community could be right able data and methods well known to comaround the corner. puter vision practitioners. We did not Privacy concerns in the the LGBTQ community have ariscreate a privacy-invading tool, but rather en surrounding a recent study by two Stanford University reshowed that basic and widely used methsearchers regarding how existing technologies may be able ods pose serious privacy threats,” the reto predict someone’s sexuality based on their facial features. searchers said. LGBTQ groups should “There is an urgent need for making policymakers, the general work towards educating the public, public and (LGBTQ) communities aware of the risks that they especially the LGBTQ community, might be facing already,” the study’s authors wrote. LGBTQ on how these current and emerging groups and others need to heed the warning the study puts technologies pose risks to privacy. forth and work with policymakers to tackIf policymakers were to create le the issue, rather than denounce more protections for human rights credible science. and enforce them, it would create Researchers used existing a more tolerant world where lostechnologies like facial recogniing your privacy might not be as tion technology, artificial intellimuch of a risk. gence and computer algorithms I hope Austin’s large LGBTQ to scan over 35,000 pictures of community, 5.3 percent of its individuals who identified as eipopulation, the third highest ther heterosexual or homosexual. The in U.S. metropolitan areas, illustration by rachel tyler| daily texan staff will recognize the importance results were startling: The algorithm they used could correctly distinguish of this study and the issue it between heterosexual and gay men 81 highlights, and call for Texas polipercent of the time and between hetcymakers to work toward a more tolerant world. erosexual and lesbian women 71 percent of Ultimately, it’s time to face the privacy dangers of facial the time. recognition technology. The potential implications of the study are terrifying. LGBTQ Rose is an english sophomore from The Woodlands. Columnist
In an age of media manipulation, the American people have been struggling to figure out what’s real. With realistic-looking photos of President Trump saving cats and leading boat rescues in Houston after Hurricane Harvey — he didn’t — circulating the internet as authentic, technology’s power to warp the fabric of reality continues to reaches new heights. While these images are at best humorous and at worst misleading, they represent the tip of the iceberg of media manipulation. Adobe’s new VoCo program promises to be the equivalent of Photoshop for audio recordings. Using only twenty minutes of recorded voice audio, it can realistically synthesize a subject saying anything a user can type into the program. While this technology was demonstrated almost flawlessly with humorous effect using a conversation between famed comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, VoCo’s impact on truth-finding is no joke. In both the public and judicial sphere, audio is a critical source of finding and establishing truth. For instance, when then-candidate Donald Trump’s infamous “Access Hollywood” tape emerged, it was undeniable that it was Trump’s voice on the
In a society where people are disagreeing on facts and not just opinions, having a clear and informed grasp of the truth is vital in ensuring productive dialogue continues to exist.”
tape. In the courtroom, audio can be a critical aspect in proving a defendant’s guilt — or solidifying their innocence. The credibility of audio is recognized because technological limitations have historically rendered it nearly impossible to realistically manipulate — limitations which are now disintegrating. Imagine if a Voco-fabricated tape emerged of what convincingly sounds like a conversation between a top Trump advisor, or even the President himself, and a Russian official colluding over the 2016 election. A tape like this could not only be a political weapon against the President, and perhaps result in legal consequences, but, if discovered to be fake, could also render a chronic distrust toward using audio as reliable evidence of guilt. Courtrooms in particular have a stringent set of guidelines to ensure the use of legitimate audio, meaning that innovations such as Adobe’s VoCo could disrupt proceedings in which determining the legitimacy of audio evidence becomes too difficult. Thankfully, Adobe’s developers are considering placing a an auditory watermark on VoCo-edited audio to help ensure consumers and courtrooms alike know the difference between real and altered content. While promising, safeguards like this have traditionally been easy to crack, and thus highly unreliable. Regardless of its effectiveness, a simple watermark doesn’t change the fact that this software and programs like it will no doubt be used to confuse Americans and sow distrust in officials and institutions — one of the key strategies that highly partisan dealers of fake news utilize today. As writer Maria Konnikova noted in an article for Politico, “When we are overwhelmed with false, or potentially false, statements, our brains pretty quickly become so overworked that we stop trying to sift through everything.” With new programs like VoCo making lies look more convincingly like the truth, the sifting is going to get a lot tougher — and the manipulation of the truth a lot easier. In a society where people are disagreeing on facts and not just opinions, having a clear and informed grasp of the truth is vital in ensuring productive dialogue continues to exist. Developers of VoCo must understand the power they hold over the truth itself, and thus ensure that consumers know when audio has been manipulated. Adobe’s responsibility to safeguard the truth in today’s society cannot be overstated, especially when our perception of reality hinges on it. Buckner is a Plan II and government freshman from Austin.
COLUMN
Texas must prioritize public education over high school football By Audrey Larcher Senior Columnist
When I moved to Texas at the beginning of my high school career, I joined Lake Travis’ dance program. I didn’t know that, in this state, dance actually meant drill team, and drill team meant going to football games every weekend. Nonetheless, I stood in the bleachers every Friday, shaking pom-poms for my peers after a tackle. But although I spent countless hours at the stadium, I witnessed more of football’s impact when I was off the field. Whether by diverting administrative support from different extracurriculars or permeating classroom discussions, the sport seemed to overshadow other important aspects of education. So when the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Lake Travis High School’s head coach earned $155,156 annually — compared
to the average $49,758 salary the district pays teachers — I wasn’t surprised. But my alma mater isn’t the only one with these particular priorities. A large number of other high schools across the state dole out six-figure salaries to their head coaches as well. The report’s findings send a clear message to our state: football deserves more support than any other part of school — including the professionals in actual classrooms. These enormous salaries prompt the question of what Texans are paying for when it comes to football programs. Our state’s education system exists to equip children with the tools necessary for success. Sports can help us meet that goal, instilling a slew of positive traits in students. Yet I developed team building skills, perseverance and work ethic in my high school dance program, and my instructor did not demand compensation anywhere close to what hundreds of
football coaches see. The stadiums that high school teams play in offer entertainment, not learning enrichment. Allen Independent School District spent $60 million so 18,000 spectators could enjoy the Friday night lights in the state’s largest stadium for a single high school. Several districts have erected jumbotrons, which help audiences watch plays but don’t do a lot for students working hard to improve endurance. Katy upgraded its stadium with bond money before remembering it had an elementary school to be built. These investments all go toward improving an audience experience, not maximizing what students gain from sports. It would be reasonable for our state to spend money on retaining coaches who help students improve their integrity or work ethic, but we also need teachers in order to accomplish this goal. While several students might spend time on
the field, a greater number of students spend more time in classrooms, where leadership and guidance from well-equipped teachers goes a long way. If Texas wants to improve its education system, we must work to make teachers comfortable enough in their occupation to excel. Actually legalizing teacher unions would be a positive first step, if our legislators were capable of conjuring up some respect. In the face of our state education system’s serious shortcomings, the obscene disparity between football coach and teacher salaries is not only an insult to educators, but a true disservice to students. There are many barriers we must cross if we want to remedy our public schools. Diverting energy from frivolous football expenditures will not solve all of them, but it will at least help us focus on what really matters — actual education. Larcher is a Plan II and rhetoric and writing sophomore from Austin.
5
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
GENTRIFIED
continues from page 8
megan canik| daily texan staff
Espadas De Brazil offers the Brazilian steakhouse dining experience at a smaller level for a fraction of the price.
BRAZIL
continues from page 8 provide them with anything that they ask for,” Figueiredo said. Unlike many food truck owners who aspire to someday open a brick and mortar, Figueiredo said she and her husband do not currently have any plans to expand in that manner. “It’s just such competition right now in the restaurant industry, and we believe that we don’t have to be like another churrascaria in order to be big,” Figueiredo said. “Owning four or five trailers in the Austin area will be just as successful.” Working out of a truck certainly doesn’t affect the quality of the food served at Espadas De Brazil. Although it isn’t an allyou-can-eat set up, the portions are enough to make customers full. The sides alone are phenomenal. One in
particular, the Lua Brazilian cheese bread, is delectably satisfying. It has a fairly mild flavor, and the cheese serves as a catalyst for maximum moisture in the bread, which goes exceptionally well with grilled meat. Another notable side dish is the mandioca frita, or yucca fries. Although there are only five per order, they’re huge and delicious. The crunchy breading on the outside, the greasy fried yucca on the inside and the drizzle of spicy mayo over it all result in a side that’s far better than the truck’s potato-based fries. There’s no question that the food at Espadas De Brazil is good. The problem is, once you get past the sides and onto the entrees, the options get significantly more expensive, mostly ranging from $12 to $18. This is understandable, as quality steak and pork usually cost at least that
check us out
ONLINE
much, if not more, but many West Campus residents will not be able to afford these meals on a regular basis. That isn’t to say you can’t still dine at Espadas De Brazil on a budget. The picanha sandwich, in particular, is a great option for students who want to enjoy good steak on limited funds. The sandwich contains fresh-sliced top sirloin, melted American cheese and a mixture of sauteed veggies and tomato on a warm hoagie roll. The sandwich is like a higher-quality Philly Cheesesteak, and it’s fantastic. It costs $9.50, which students regularly drop on sandwiches at Fricano’s Deli. It’s well worth the price. Espadas De Brazil has the potential for success in Austin, but the key to their success and expansion may be in marketing their high-quality meats to Austin professionals instead of students.
between the kind of the art object, and the artist,” Lee said. “It engages with the audience in a totally different way.” Studio art junior Brooke Johnson, another Fleet performer, said the location where Cage Match takes place was also an essential element to the formation of the group’s art. “It’s literally this antique cage that’s on wheels that was used to transport hay like a really long time ago,” Johnson said. “It’s really cool, really rusty, so it’s been repurposed as this kind of outdoors space for art to take place in.” Because it’s in East Austin, Lee said the cage and museum stand out from most of their surroundings. Lee said the contradiction between the space’s purpose and the space’s location is the
Using the same base materials, the other performers worked on building walls inside the cage, not verbally communicating with the audience. “A certain manipulation and presentation of those materials by (‘professional artists’) defines that materials’ worth to the public,” Lee said. Although “Work in Progress” received a spectrum of reviews from the audience, some members believe that those who didn’t take it well didn’t see it satirically. “That’s a fine line to ride when you’re being self-critical,” Lee said. “Yes we are critiquing the system of the arts in Austin, but we also profit off of that. Not that that alleviates us of any ethical responsibilities, but it acknowledges what needs to be acknowledged.”
brooke crim| daily texan staff
Haley Hill, a member of the Fleet Performance Collective, is a performer in the show “Work in Progress.” The production uses power tools to critique the Austin art community and its role in gentrification.
RECYCLE
stories videos photo galleries
subject of their piece. “Something about that location in Austin has so many connotations of defiantly gentrification, but also of just the city in general having this perpetually regenerative process,” Lee said. “Austin is always becoming a new thing every minute; there are things being built and torn down immediately.” Lee said part of their goal with the performance was to address not only the labor of craftsmen but also the labor of those who build the spaces for creation. They wanted to address what form of labor is paid attention to and what form is not. To accomplish this, two performers worked on a table by making freshly cut blocks of wood with the collective’s logo painted on it. They were giving the blocks to the audience for a suggested donation.
your copy of
thedailytexan.com
Newscast tune in on Fridays at 5 p.m. at soundcloud.com/ thedailytexan
CLASSIFIEDS; Black
TIFF’S TREATS IS HIRING
WE VALUE YOUR TIME!
NOW OFFERING SAME DAY CROWNS WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. DELTA DENTAL AND MOST INSURANCES ACCEPTED
811 E 32nd St | Austin TX 78705 | (512) 306-0601 www.AquaDentalAustin.com
Tiff’s Treats Cookie Delivery is looking for happy, hard-working people who are quick on their feet, passionate and LOVE customer service to deliver treats to our customers! Drivers use their own vehicles for delivery and must have a valid driver’s license and insurance. Delivery Drivers Earn: $10/hour plus tips and delivery fees for a total averaging $15-20/hour. TO APPLY please visit our website at: www.cookiedelivery.com
WELDING ENGINEERS WANTED Calling all welding engineers! Check out career opportunities in the exciting field of metal additive manufacturing!
THIS WEEK IN TEXAS ATHLETICS FRIDAY, SEPT. 22 | 7 P.M.
SOCCER VS. IOWA STATE MIKE A. MYERS STADIUM
FREE Texas Soccer team photo for the first 200 fans!
www.optomec.com
MEDICAL
Donate Sperm, Get Paid! Healthy men, age 18-39 apply at
SUNDAY, SEPT. 24 | 1 P.M.
SOCCER VS. WEST VIRGINIA MIKE A. MYERS STADIUM
CACTUSYEARBOOK.COM
FREE Texas Longhorns Argyle socks for the first 100 fans!
YOUR PURCHASE SUPPORTS STUDENT JOURNALISM
UT STUDENTS!
THE DAILY TEXAN LONGHORN LIFE TEXAS TRAVESTY CACTUS YEARBOOK BURNT X KVRX RADIO TSTV
TO PURCHASE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT VISIT WWW.SINCE1791.US
THE BIG TICKET MORE THAN JUST A TICKET.
Just $175 gets you access to all regular season Texas Athletics home events. That's over 120 games, matches, and meets on the Forty Acres!
TexasSports.com/BigTicket TexasSports.com/FacStaffTix TexasSports.com/Tickets 512-471-3333 digest.texasstudentmedia.com 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 offi cers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, print-ing 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.
Reduce • Reuse • Recycle
6 SPTS
6
MICHAEL SHAPIRO SPORTS EDITOR
@texansports
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
FOOTBALL
Buechele earns majority of first team reps By Trenton Daeschner
Herman also praised Ehlinger for the way he played in only his second start as a true freshman. “For the circumstances that he was in, playing the defense that he was in and in the environment that he was in, he played well,” Herman said. “(It was his) second college football game, so there’s a lot of improvement still to go, but we’re happy with where he is.”
Assoc. Sports Editor
Head coach Tom Herman met with the media for a second-straight day on Tuesday. Here are three notes from Tuesday’s practice. Buechele helps Ehlinger in start against USC Sophomore quarterback Shane Buechele — still nursing a bruised throwing shoulder — was forced to stand on the sideline for a second-straight game during Texas’ 27-24 double-overtime loss to USC on Saturday night. But that didn’t stop Buechele from contributing to the offense. On Tuesday, Herman praised Buechele for helping freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger from the sideline during the USC game. “I thought that one of the best things I’ve seen from Shane in the nine months I’ve been here was how hard he coached Sam Ehlinger in the USC game,” Herman said. “During the game, (Buechele) was always by his side … He was Coach Buechele for that game.”
Quarterback saga continues Tuesday provided no major updates about the Longhorns’ quarterback quandary. Herman said after the USC loss on Saturday and in his Monday press conference that Buechele would receive a majority of the first-team reps in practice if fully healthy. During Tuesday’s practice, Herman said Buechele took 60 percent of the reps with the first team, while Ehlinger took the other 40 percent. “I thought both of them looked good,” Herman said. “I asked Shane toward the end of practice how he was feeling, and he said, ‘Coach, I feel
good.’ We’ll continue to monitor his progress.” Herman said redshirt junior Jerrod Heard did not take reps at quarterback during Tuesday’s practice and moved back to working with the wide receivers. With just over a week before the Longhorns play Iowa State on the road, Herman once again made it clear who the starter would be if he had to make an immediate decision. “If we played today, yes, Shane would start,” Herman said. “But, tomorrow is a new day.” Imade moves back to offensive line Redshirt freshman Tope Imade arrived at Texas in 2016 as an offensive lineman, but he moved to the defensive line this past summer. On Tuesday, Herman said Imade is back working with the offensive line this week in order to try and provide the Longhorns more depth at the position group. “That’s gonna be a crash course for him,” Herman said. “But he’s a big body that can — in an emergency, by next
juan figueroa| daily texan staff
Texas quarterbacks Shane Buechele (7) and Sam Ehlinger (11) walk off the field following USC’s 27-24 double-overtime victory in Los Angeles on Sept. 16.
Thursday — hopefully get in somebody’s way.” Herman said on Monday that the Longhorns only have five offensive linemen that he feels comfortable with playing in a game. The Longhorns’ depth issues on the
offensive line have been welldocumented up to this point. Junior left tackle Connor Williams suffered a torn meniscus and sprained MCL and PCL in Saturday’s game against USC. Williams will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his
left knee and has no timetable for a return. Redshirt junior right tackle Elijah Rodriguez is already out indefinitely with an ankle injury, and redshirt freshman guard Patrick Hudson is out for the year with a torn ACL.
VOLLEYBALL
Texas enters Big 12 play after UTSA sweep Longhorns improve to 8–2 overall on the season, but this victory didn’t come easily, despite the final scoreboard suggesting otherwise. “I don’t feel like we’ve been great,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “We’ve got to buckle down and be good for long periods of time.” Both teams matched each other point-for-point to begin the first set before Texas rode an 11-4 run to increase its advantage from 8-7 to 19-11. Texas never ceded
By Kesha Prathivadi Sports Reporter
“La Decima.” What may simply mean “the tenth one” to others now holds a special meaning for the No. 6 Texas Longhorns. Texas’ 3-0 sweep of UTSA improved its all-time record against the Roadrunners to a perfect 10–0 as the Longhorns took care of business in their final match before conference play begins. With the win, the
the lead, and closed out the set with a comfortable 25-18 margin of victory. The Longhorns benefitted from strong offensive play in the first set, with sophomore outside hitter Micaya White adding five kills to spark Texas’ run. “We just need to play like that all the time,” senior libero Cat McCoy said. “(Our play) just runs so smoothly, (with) everyone doing their jobs.” A 5-0 spurt provided the
FOLLOW US
HOUSE; Process color
Texas Student Media will keep you connected with daily links to the news, sports and culture stories shaping the UT community.
joshua guerra| daily texan file folder
Sophomore outside hitter Micaya White attempts a block during the NCAA Volleyball Championship in 2016.
“Our energy levels, how we play the game (and) moving the ball was at a much higher level at the end of those games,” Elliott said. The Longhorns faced a similar situation again in the third set, finding themselves in a 22-17 hole late in the frame. Requiring another comeback, Texas strung together eight straight points, highlighted by a kill from team captain Chiaka Ogbogu, to seal the deal in front of a program record crowd of 2,711 in San Antonio. When entering a road environment, the Longhorns have become accustomed to
opposing crowds showing up in numbers to rally behind their team. Although Texas took home the victory, this proved to be one of many tough battles the Longhorns can expect to encounter away from Gregory Gym throughout non-conference play. “We’ve been on the road in a lot of crazy environments,” McCoy said. “It’s just a good way to test us over the season, and it’s really going to help us later on in the year.” The Longhorns will kick off their conference schedule against West Virginia in Morgantown on Sept. 23. First serve is set for 12 p.m.
FOOTBALL
TEXAS
{
Longhorns an early advantage at the beginning of the second set, but the Roadrunners’ relentless attack helped them claw back into the game, utilizing a 7-0 run to capture a 12-10 lead. Five kills from UTSA junior outside hitter Marijeta Runjic pushed the Roadrunners to a set point against Texas, but a 3-0 sequence from the Longhorns concluded the set. Texas topped off the run with an emphatic kill from junior outside hitter Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani to seal a 26-24 victory in the frame. “(Coming from behind) says a lot about the toughness of the whole team,” McCoy said. “I’m really proud of the way we fought back.” With its back against the wall yet again, Texas’ pointat-a-time philosophy worked to its advantage at the end of that second set. A kill by Bedart-Ghani at set point tied the score at 24, and that scoring play snowballed into her set-clinching kill to gain a critical 2-0 lead in the match.
Big 12 Notebook: Week 3 By Michael Shapiro Sports Editor
As the Longhorns traveled west last week for a date with the USC Trojans on Saturday night, the rest of the Big 12 continued its out-of-conference slate in the final week before Big 12 play. Here’s how the conference fared in week three. Sooners, Cowboys roll The two highest-ranked teams in the Big 12 had no problem dispatching their respective opponents on Saturday, as Oklahoma dismantled Tulane 56-14 while Oklahoma State left Heinz Field in Pittsburgh with a 5921 victory. Both squads still reside in the top 10 of the AP Poll following their decisive victories, with Oklahoma sitting at No. 3 and Oklahoma State at No. 6. One week after Sooners qu ar te r b a ck Baker Mayfield tossed his name into Heisman consideration following Oklahoma’s win over then-No. 2 Ohio State, it was Mason Rudolph’s time
to shine in week three. The senior Oklahoma State quarterback decimated the Pittsburgh defense in the first half, sprinting out to a 35-0 lead midway through the second quarter. By game’s end, Rudolph had tallied 497 passing yards on 23 completions, tossing five touchdowns. The two teams look to be the premier squads in the Big 12 this season, with each sporting national title aspirations. They’ll face off on Nov. 4 at Oklahoma State, and possibly again in the Big 12 Championship Game on Dec. 2 in Arlington, Texas. Wildcats offense struggles After posting 55 points in each of its first two weeks, Kansas State’s offense sputtered against SEC competition in week three, losing to Vanderbilt 14-7 in Nashville. The Wildcats were able to produce significant yardage on the ground against the Commodores, rushing for 201 yards, but failed to move the ball through the air. Quarterback Jesse Ertz struggled mightily, going just 10-28 on the evening for 76 yards. Throw in two interceptions, and it was a game
to forget for the senior. Kansas State will face winless Baylor next week before heading to Austin for a weekfive battle with the Longhorns. TCU wins shootout The No. 16 Horned Frogs improved to 3–0 on the season on Saturday after racking up 56 points against visiting SMU. The victory marked TCU’s third consecutive double-digit victory, including a 28-7 win over Arkansas in week two. Leading the way for the Horned Frogs was senior quarterback Kenny Hill. The former Texas A&M signal caller threw for 365 yards, totaling four touchdowns. Hill has now completed 75 percent of his passes on the year, throwing just two interceptions. Hill’s competition will certainly get stiffer next week, though. TCU is slated for a trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Saturday for a matchup with the Cowboys and their explosive offense. For TCU to take down one of the top teams in the Big 12, Hill will need to continue his impressive play through the season’s opening weeks.
COMICS 7
7
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
CROSSWORD; Black
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
6 5 3 9 1 4 8 7 5 1 6
7 4 2
2 1 4 8
7 9 7
1
6 4 1 2 4 5 4 3 9 1 2
SUDOKUFORYOU 5 6 3 4 7 2 1 8 9
2 7 8 1 3 9 6 4 5
1 9 4 5 6 8 2 7 3
9 5 1 2 4 7 3 6 8
8 3 2 9 5 6 7 1 4
6 4 7 3 8 1 5 9 2
4 1 5 7 9 3 8 2 6
7 8 9 6 2 5 4 3 1
3 2 6 8 1 4 9 5 7
8
MORGAN O’HANLON LIFE&ARTS EDITOR
@thedailytexan
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
MUSIC
Local DJ Frooot mixes student life, sweet beats By Chris Duncan Senior L&A Reporter
Sitting in the corner of her freshman dorm, aspiring DJ Paty Gomez-Palacio toyed with her Pioneer controller, producing impromptu mixes for her pregame. When her friends jokingly urged her to pick a DJ name, Gomez-Palacio closed and opened her eyes, picking the first thing she saw: fruit. This proved to be a catalyst for Gomez-Palacio’s DJ career as Frooot. What started as productions for friends evolved into gigs at frat parties across Texas and a victory at the recent Monster Energy Outbreak Tour Campus DJ competition. Although Gomez-Palacio has been a music-lover her entire life and DJing since she received a controller for her 16th birthday, it wasn’t all love at first sight. “I would play on it all the time for a year and a half or so,” Gomez-Palacio said. “Senior year of high school I stopped, put it on a shelf and didn’t touch it until second semester freshman year. I went home for winter break and saw it, and I thought it would be fun to mess around with for pregames.” Gomez-Palacio never intended to perform for a large crowd, but an invitation to open for London-based DJ TroyBoi at Zeta Beta Tau’s 2017 RoundUp party came her way when the fraternity’s opener bailed on short notice. “I’d never played in front of that many people,” Gomez-Palacio said. “Eventually I said I’ll do it. The show
went really well, and immediately after, someone from Fiji came up to me asking me to play their opener. Ever since that day I’ve just been getting asked to play shows.” Relying on her skills to craft spontaneous sets, Gomez-Palacio brings 200 or more tracks with her to every show, using everything from the High School
What Paty does is use songs that are classics and others that are in the deepest, darkest corners of SoundCloud.” —Tristan Thompson Radio-television-film junior
Musical soundtrack to “Welcome to the Jungle” to create an unexpected and exciting performance. Radio-television-film junior Tristan Thompson, a Frooot fan and friend of Gomez-Palacio, said he first met the DJ in passing at a New Orleans music festival. Over time, they started working on films together and bonded over their mutual love of various music genres. “When it comes to playing music, a lot of songs are crowd-pleasers,” Thompson said. “What Paty does is use songs that are classics and others that are in the deepest, darkest corners of SoundCloud. She’s one of the most talented people I’ve
ever met in my life.” Gomez-Palacio doesn’t advertise her performances, but said she gets a natural high when she’s on stage. After one of her close friends suggested she enter the Austin segment of the Campus DJ competition, Gomez-Palacio applied, hoping to get her name out as a local performer. “I came on early, around 11,” Gomez-Palacio said. “I saw 40 familiar faces in the crowd, which was super cool. It was also cool to see a lot of people I didn’t know get super excited about me.” Evan Shapiro, co-founder of the Campus DJ tour, said Frooot’s success at the competition was because of three strengths — her live performances, originality and potential. “For a lot of DJs, it’s not just the music,” Shapiro said. “There’s also a large performance and online component, posting mixes and having a fan base. We want to see something that we can showcase.” Hinting toward her future in music, Gomez-Palacio said she wants to continue to work on original compositions such as her first single, “Mango.” Her advice to aspiring DJs is to practice everything they can. “This was basically handed to me on a silver platter,” Gomez-Palacio said. “But now that I’m trying to get more gigs around Austin, I had to learn how to jump, yell into the mic, all of that crazy stuff. Once you start playing places that aren’t just small parties, it becomes a real show.”
6288/House Ads-TSM - Director’s; Process color
TODAY TIME: 10 AM - 3 PM | PLACE: SPEEDWAY PLAZA
FUN, SWAG, FREE FOOD SAMPLES, HOUSING OPTIONS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES SAC AREA Austin Screen Printing Capital Metro Capital One Chick-Fil-A Martin Luther King Blvd. Extend-A-Care for Kids Fairfax Cryobank Fasten GrubHub Media Science Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union Varsity Pizza Woods Fun Center GREGORY PLAZA AREA Aqua Dental Dell High Brew Coffee Kunik Orthodontics McCombs School of Business Whole Foods Market JESTER AREA Lyft Minute Rice Student Universe The Pizza Press TxDot U.S. Marine Corps
UTEXAS.RENT TENT 2400 Nueces American Campus Communities (The Block, The Castilian, Crest at Pearl, 26 West, Texan & Vintage West, The Callaway House) Aspen Heights West Campus Ballpark- North, South, East & West Dobie Twenty 21 Lyft Pointe on Rio Regents West Rio West Shade Tree Lemonade Skyloft Texan 26 The Nine Villas on Guadalupe and Venue on Guadalupe West Campus Living OAKS LOUNGE AREA Boohoo Brain Juice Continuum Ministies Ebay HeyDay Cold-Brewed Coffee Immotor PPD Development Princeton Review Snarf’s Sandwiches Trudy’s UFCU UT Athletics Unibees Wildflower OB/GYN
courtesy of paty gomez-palacio
Paty Gomez-Palacio, professionally known as DJ FROOOT, found her niche performing for parties around Austin, but aspires to take her DJing to the next level.
FOOD REVIEW | ESPADAS DE BRAZIL
New Brazillian food truck rolls up to West Campus By Stephen Acevedo Senior L&A Reporter
Elaborate salad bars, endless meat skewers and green and red coins have all become synonymous with Brazilian steakhouse dining. The folks at the new Espadas De Brazil food trailer have taken that experience and shrunk it down to a more informal, grassroots level. Based on traditional Brazilian churrascarias, Brazilian restaurants that specialize in skewered meats in an all-youcan-eat style, and Espadas De Brazil serves up high-quality grilled steak,
chicken and pork. “My husband was the general manager of a churrascaria for about 20 years in total, and I have about 10 years of restaurant experience as well,” owner Alina Figueiredo said. “We decided our dream of starting our own special thing could be a reality when we joined forces.” Figueiredo said while Espadas De Brazil operates on a smaller level than a traditional churrascaria, it still offers an identical quality of food for a fraction of the price. “Instead of going to a churrascaria and spending $50 per person,
if you come here as a couple, you spend about $35$40 tops (combined), and you get probably almost the same experience,” Figueiredo said. In addition to better prices for the style of food, Figueiredo said Espadas De Brazil also offers customers better all-around service. “We make sure to take care of (our customers) the way they would in a Brazilian steakhouse, where you just go outside, you say ‘hi,’ you start up a conversation, and you just clean their plates up and
BRAZIL page 5
ART
UT performance group critiques gentrified art By Ruben Paquian L&A Reporter
Dressed in the same navy Dickey’s overalls, a quintet of performers use an array of power tools to create quality handmade objects out of wood and paint. The scent of sawdust lingers in the air over the mock construction site. Over the sound of buzzing tools, the performers offer simple blocks of wood described as artisan crafts to the audience — a critique on Austin’s art scene. Earlier this month at the Museum of Human
Achievement, an art gallery just east of I-35, five UT students participating in the Fleet Performance Collective put on their first performance of “Work in Progress.” Their show, a pop-up shop, aims to critique Austin’s art community and its role in gentrification. “Work in Progress” is a part of the Cage Match Project, a program curated by art lecturer Ryan Hawk, who met the six Fleet performers while serving as their teaching assistant for an introduction to performance class
last semester. Ever since, Fleet’s members have been meeting biweekly to collaborate and prepare for future shows. “We worked really well together, so we wanted to continue doing that,” said Emily Lee, Fleet performer and studio art junior. Lee said Fleet is attracted to the medium of performance art because it uses the human body as the vehicle to express complex and thought provoking ideas to its audience. “It blurs the lines
GENTRIFIED page 5