The Daily Texan 2017-11-09

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Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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Volume 118, Issue 62 CAMPUS

CITY

Speedway lacks easy access for physically disabled By Allyson Walker News Reporter

panies),” Konana said. “There’s going to be an entire ecosystem that is going to develop around it. Hopefully our students can work with Amazon, and Amazon is going to come to UT for talent and expertise.” Amazon announced its intentions to establish a new headquarters in September and promised to bring up to 50,000 jobs to the surrounding areas,

Navigating Speedway construction is not easy for government junior Archer Hadley. Hadley, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, is reassessing how he gets around UT in a time when some accessibility features are being altered for the sake of development. “Have you ever been in a marathon or a race or something, and at the beginning of the race, they put you all in like a little section that’s gated off?” Hadley said. “That’s how it is when you’re rolling down Inner Campus Drive or Speedway in a wheelchair.” Temporary ramps, alternate routes and tighter pathways have been implemented on campus due to construction. Speedway construction will not be completed until early April 2018 when almost all Speedway bricks are replaced, said Jim Shackelford, director of Capital Planning and Construction. Buildings in construction are required to comply with Texas Accessibility Standards and the American Disabilities Act. The department does its best to ensure accessibility and address student concerns, Shackelford said. “We make changes as

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illustration by mel westfall| daily texan staff

Amazon may be too big for Austin By London Gibson Senior News Reporter

UT experts weigh pros, cons of tech giant’s possible move to Austin. With Amazon on the hunt for its second North American headquarters, the company promises to bring a big name, big research and big jobs to the city it chooses — and with Austin in the running, it might

mean some changes for UT. If Amazon were to establish a base in Austin, it would bring with it increased job opportunities for students and faculty as well as increased status for the city as a tech community, according to UT business and technology experts. However, although the company may come bearing gifts, it might also bring with it higher living cots and increased competition. Everything may be bigger

CITY

in Texas, but some experts said Amazon might be a little too big for Austin. Prabhudev Konana is the academic director for the Master of Science in Business Analytics program at UT. He said for any large company in a major city, the schools in the area benefit from its economic impacts and the companies benefit in turn from the schools’ resources. “Amazon is one of the largest and fastest-growing (com-

CAMPUS

UT Dell Medical Carpentry shop unveils custom School expands lectern for student body president health care access By Grace Speas News Reporter

By Anna Lassmann News Reporter

Dell Medical School is working to expand access to local health providers for communities in Austin, as highlighted in the 2017 Community Benefit Report. The report, released by the school in August and updated on Monday, said the number of doctors in residency in Travis County has grown almost 32 percent since 2012 to include 287 residents and is projected to grow to more than 300 residents by 2020. “There’s a very high percentage of residents that remain practicing in Texas,” said Stephen Scheibal, spokesperson for Dell Medical School. “What the expanded residency programs do is enhance the pipeline of physicians into communities.”

Five years ago from Monday, Travis County residents voted for a proposition to create the Dell Medical School on Nov. 6, 2012. The report has been released annually since the school opened to its inuagural class in 2016, detailing the impact of the school on Austin. Six medical residency programs are now operating in CommUnityCare Health Centers and include 130 residents and 49 faculty members, according to the report. CommUnityCare centers act as primary care centers across Austin. “It brings the academic prowess to the clinical environments and helps to expand the possibility for caring for more folks who are under-resourced,” said Alan

DELL page 3

As Student Body president Alejandrina Guzman entered the quiet auditorium, dimly lit in an orange glow, she saw her custom-made lectern for the first time. Crafted in UT’s carpentry shop, the lectern, or podium, is modeled after the one used by President Gregory Fenves and former student body presidents during commencement ceremonies. “My whole life, I’ve learned to just adapt, so I did not expect this,” said Guzman, who uses a wheelchair. “I know being inclusive is a standard, but the fact that you are all here, and you took the time to meet me and make this, is amazing.” Doug Bolin, associate director for University Events, said the

ashley ephraim| daily texan staff

Student Body president Alejandrina Guzman was presented with a custom-made lectern to fit her needs on Nov. 8 in the SAC auditorium. Her new lectern was crafted in UT’s carpentry shop and it is hers to keep even after she leaves UT.

University got the idea for the lectern when faculty realized Guzman needed a custom-made piece to

accommodate her as a physically differently-abled person. Although he needed to change the size of

NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson discusses personal challenges. PAGE 2

Democrats should stop expecting Texas to turn blue. PAGE 4

Texan writer returns from Spain with stories to tell. PAGE 8

Versatile Ashley Shook leads Texas volleyball to sweep over TCU. PAGE 6

the lectern, Bolin said he wanted the style to match

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Thursday, November 9, 2017

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much as it’s practicable,” Shackelford said. “In some cases, someone may ask for a change that creates an unsafe condition for construction, and we wouldn’t be able to do that. We try to the greatest extent possible to accommodate the disabled community.” Emily Shryock, assistant director of UT’s Services for Students with Disabilities, said SSD tries to act as a liaison for students when they have concerns about accessibility due to construction. These concerns could involve missing signage or accidental ramp removal, Shryock said. “We’ve definitely had more (complaints) since the Speedway construction has started,” Shryock said. “When they (change) the area where they’re doing construction they always send us the plan of what they’re planning to do so that we can look at it and make sure the accessibility routes are being maintained.” Government junior Caroline Graves, who has used a wheelchair since she

was two years old, said she deals with issues that stem from construction. These include trying to ride down makeshift curb cuts, which make it hard for some students in wheelchairs to balance themselves. “Sometimes, they’ll block paths that were the accessible route to get places, so you’ll have to work around that in general,” Graves said. “If they have a lot of debris out, it doesn’t feel great if you have to go over it with any mobility device in general.” There are some disruptions that are unavoidable when it comes to construction, Shackelford said, but he hopes students will remain patient throughout the construction process. “We recognize that it’s a challenge, and we try to mitigate and minimize the disruption to the greatest extent possible, understanding that some disruption is going to be inherent with construction,” Shackelford said. “I guess the overriding word would be: Be patient, because, when the construction is finished, it will be far better than it was when we began.”

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ashley ephraim| daily texan staff

A few signs around Welch Hall indicate alternate accessible routes for students with disabilities to take. Due to extensive construction on Welch Hall, many students with physical disability have been forced to use these temporary routes to get to their destinations.

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Budd Innocence Center provides exoneration help

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Students, faculty and members of the public met on Wednesday evening in the UT School of Law to celebrate the opening of the Budd Innocence Center, a program within the school dedicated to overturning wrongful convictions. Speakers took to the courtroom podium to praise the importance of the center and others like it. “If I’m trying to describe to anybody in the world the great nobility, importance and value of the work that comes out of this law school, especially of our clinics, the very best example I can give them is the work we do exonerating prisoners who are innocent of the crimes which they are convicted,” said Ward Farnsworth, dean of the School of Law. Previously named the Actual Innocence Clinic, it was renamed and turned into a

center after receiving a donation from the Budd family, Farnsworth said. Rodney Ellis, UT alum and Harris County Commissioner, said the purpose of any innocence clinic is to give people who originally didn’t have the means to hire a good lawyer the opportunity to prove themselves innocent once convicted. Innocence projects and clinics like the Budd Innocence Center help people get out of jail when they can’t afford bail by proving them innocent of any charges, Ellis said. The Sandra Bland case was a perfect example of this, as she was kept in the Waller County jail overnight because she could not make the $500 bail, Ellis said. “But if she’d had $500, she would not have done that,” Ellis said. “Most people don’t have $500.” Barry Scheck, a lawyer who was a member of O.J. Simpson’s defense team and

now works with innocence clinics, said the Budd Innocence Center is part of a network of innocence centers that seek to provide the opportunity to defend oneself post-conviction to people all over the U.S., as well as internationally. “This is an international civil rights movement,” Scheck said. “Our mission is to free wrongfully convicted people and reform the systems of their unjust imprisonment anywhere in the world.” Law student Elizabeth Esser-Stuart said working in clinics while in law school is good, because it gives her job experience before being able to work in a practice. “The clinic has been the best experience I’ve ever had,” Esser-Stuart said. “It really teaches you how to be a lawyer before you actually have the chance to practice and to do it under the supervision of the best lawyers that are out there.”

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continues from page 1 according to The New York Times. Austin and cities across the nation declared interest in serving as base for the new location. Brian Richter, assistant professor at the McCombs School of Business, said Amazon’s migration down south might mean that students looking to study technology and business will be more drawn to UT. “We’d probably see an uptick in people interested in Austin and moving to Austin for MBA programs,” Richter said. “It would make Austin more attractive and therefore make McCombs more attractive.” A flood of people moving to Austin would mean a higher cost of living, Richter said, and a big name like Amazon could also lead to more competition in the job market, and, in turn, less job diversity. In regards to infrastructure, it is possible that Austin just does not have room for a such a large company, he said. McCombs lecturer Bradley Gold, said Austin and the University can prepare for the flood of growth, which would soften the blow and make Austin more desirable as a headquarters. “The city of Austin itself

CARPENTRY

continues from page 1 the original. “We wanted to make sure that she had something that shows her as the president in the way that other presidents have been given that platform, literally,” Bolin said. Bolin approached the supervisor of the carpentry shop, Armando Blanco, to draw up plans for the piece. Blanco made a plywood prototype in early October and met with Guzman weeks later to verify the measurements were correct. Blanco said it took him one week to craft the lectern for Guzman. “This is the most meaningful thing I have done at UT,” Blanco said. “She deserves this. She is the president of the student (body) of a major university. How many people can actually

The city of Austin itself is playing catch up with the growth that we have here — we’ve become a victim of our own success.”

—Bradley Gold McCombs lecturer

is playing catch up with the growth that we have here — we’ve become a victim of our own success,” Gold said. “So bringing another large company, especially a company with 50,000 people, will bring challenges.” With 238 competing locations for the headquarters, Austin faces competition that might help make improvements in the city regardless of whether it scores the bid, said Nathan Jensen, a liberal arts and business professor. “I think this type of competition is most productive if we use this as an opportunity for us to reflect on what we can do in Austin to help grow business,” Jensen said in an email. “It is also a time for us to reflect on … how we can position UT students to compete for these jobs.”

say that?” Guzman said she has used a music stand for past speeches and is touched by the determination of Blanco and others to accommodate her. “That’s really powerful to me, to see that it’s beyond a job description,” Guzman said. “It’s what they wanted to do, and the fact that they took time to do this is really meaningful.” When Guzman graduates, the University seal will be removed from the lectern and she can use it as a gift for further public speaking, Bolin said. “I’m here, in this position, in this moment of time,” Guzman said. “But I know that when I have left UT, if there is another student who wants to do this kind of stuff and they also happen to be differently-abled physically, then they know it can be done for them too.”

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anthony mireles | daily texan staff

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Featured photo

Army ROTC cadet Kyle Hrncir evades defenders from the Navy ROTC flag football team to score a touchdown in the Tri-service President’s Cup on Wednesday morning at Frank Denius Fields.


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Thursday, November 9, 2017

LECTURE

Former Intel CFO sparks inspiration in students By Meara Isenberg News Reporter

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When he was a UT student, a young Stacy Smith was inspired by a lecture he heard from former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Now, returning to the University as the former CFO of Intel, he was the one in that seat. “Steve painted this reality distortion around him, that whatever you believe walking in, when you walked out, you believed what he believed,” Smith said. “He had this sense that technology was going to change the world in a positive way. That was the reason I joined Intel.” Smith, who now serves as group president of manufacturing, operations and sales at Intel, visited the Engineering Education and Research Center on Wednesday evening to share his life experience at the Fortune 500 company. “The ability of somebody like Stacy Smith to share their experience with the students, to tell them what they’ve encountered since the University, it can both relate to them and see

e n n -DELL scontinues from page 1 t nSchalscha, chief medical offircer for CommUnityCare. The first class of medical students, now in their second year, are currently working in community clinics and hospitals through support from Central Health, which works t to provide access to health care to people with low inn comes, said Ted Burton, seo nior director of communications for Central Health. o “(The students) are caring for our patient population in a n variety of settings throughout Travis County,” Burton said. t “We believe very passionately s that everyone should have access to the best care this community can provide.” l The Department of Wome en’s Health in the Dell Medt ical School is working to c redesign the prenatal and

f I

ashley nava| daily texan staff

Former Intel CFO and UT alumn, Stacy Smith, discusses the importance of data analytic skills as they mark the difference between discussing facts and opinions.

a glimpse into the future of who they might become,” said Jay Hartzell, dean of the McCombs School of Business and a moderator of the lecture. Smith became CFO just as the 2008 recession hit. He said coming to grips

postnatal care system to make the care accessible to women with low incomes or without insurance by moving providers to outlying communities, said Rebecca Rogers, associate chair of clinical integration and operations, women’s health. “These are the women at highest risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and premature babies,” Rogers said. “If we can get them engaged in prenatal care, we can get the moms healthier (and) hopefully institute some preventive measures to decrease preterm deliveries and have better outcomes for the women of the state.” The medical school has also teamed with local and state partners such as Integral Care, Central Health and Seton Healthcare Family, to integrate mental health care with primary care to make it

more accessible, according to the report. “The patient population that we serve faces a number of barriers,” Burton said. “Making access easier and cutting down on having to drive from one clinic to the next is a really important milestone for the people we serve.” The Center for Place-Based Initiatives within the Dell Medical School has also collected ideas from the community to address priorities in health for Travis County citizens. Ten of the submitted ideas are now being developed by the Department of Population Health. “The idea there is a lot of times, people in communities have the best insight, both in terms of the needs of that community and ideas for addressing those needs,” Scheibal said.

CAMPUS

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shawn johnson | daily texan staff

Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson speaks to attendees at Delta Gamma’s biannual lectureship series. She reminds listeners to follow the heart and to do things with passion.

Shawn Johnson discusses personal victories, difficulties By Ross Burkhart News Reporter

Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson is no exception to being a student who feels overwhelmed by the constant pressures of everyday life. The unusual challenge of being a 16-year-old girl representing her country in the Olympic Games made Johnson’s rise to glory a difficult one, she said. “The world will set expectations for you,” Johnson said. “I can tell you, I’ve stood on an Olympic pedestal, and I’ve felt purposeless.” Johnson visited campus on Wednesday to discuss values and ethics in Delta Gamma’s bi-annual lectureship series. Johnson said she completely felt a loss of identity during the 2012 Olympics after she fell short of a gold medal in the individual allaround competition. “I remember the day

waking up after the Olympics, it felt like I ran into a brick wall,” Johnson said. “You just have to find a community that will build and restore your hope.” Later, to her own surprise, Johnson would go on to win a gold medal on the balance beam apparatus. Johnson said it was this courage to pick herself back up that inspired her to begin speaking publicly to other young women. Biology freshman Claire McCutcheon said Johnson’s humble words about her career is encouraging as a student. “It was really cool to hear someone that has had so many accomplishments still talk about her failures and humble herself in that way,” McCutcheon said. “That was really encouraging to me that we’re all kind of in the same boat.” Johnson said that she thinks society pushes kids too hard to pursue things

they aren’t pleased with, and it’s become an issue. “You can see in society today that we push kids too hard, and I hate it,” Johnson said. “I don’t care if you’re good at something, whatever you do should be what you want.” Undeclared freshman Kate Gonzalez said she felt inspired to pursue what she desires most. “Being a first-year (student) at a big university like UT, I’ve been recently contemplating what I want to do since I’m undeclared,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve been pursuing nursing, but I also have a big passion for dogs. During her talk, I was actually considering what I love.” One of Johnson’s strongest messages came when an audience member asked her to recite one of her favorite quotes. “‘If you think you can, then you will,’” Gonzalez said, quoting Johnson.

with running the company during a period of uncertainty was one of his greatest challenges. “When you didn’t know whether we’d stepped off into the abyss of another depression, whether financial

markets were going to start shutting down around us, that was one of those trial-by-fire things,” Smith said. “We didn’t get everything right, but we got more right than wrong.” Smith said Intel has grown from memory manufacturing to working with analytics and the cloud, focusing on autonomous driving and virtual reality. He said data is what links everything together. “One of the biggest trends that is pushing the market over the next five years is going to be how much data is generated and collected,” Smith said. “My one piece of advice is anything that you can do to build your statistics skills or your data analytics skills is critical.” Listening intently from the front row, business freshman Inara Haque said his advice opened her eyes to the importance of data as the basis of everything. “He was talking about how Steve Jobs came to him while he was an undergraduate at Mccombs and influenced him,” Haque said. “I was just sitting there like ‘Wow, this is me, with Steve Jobs being Stacy Smith.’”

DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL BY THE NUMBERS

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6

percent of students from the first class of medical students are working in community clinics and hospitals.

medical residency programs are now operating in CommUnity Health Centers and include 130 residents and 49 faculty members The Dell Medical School collected over 100 community ideas to improve health care and are now developing 10% of those ideas.

32%

increase in the number of medical residents in Travis County since 2012

infographic by mingyo lee| daily texan staff


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LAURA HALLAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

@TexanOpinion

Thursday, November 9, 2017

COLUMN

COLUMN

UT, professors should do more to work with introverts By Sarah Alarcon Columnist

I’m the goofy girl who laughs loudly and gets kicked out of a Trump rally. People are surprised when I reveal that I’m a closet introvert. Being introverted isn’t always synonymous with shyness, but we do need time alone to reflect, process, create and energize. Introverts thrive in lower-stimulation environments as opposed to extroverts who prefer stimulation in order to feel their best. Our society overvalues what Susan Cain, author of “Quiet,” describes as the “extrovert ideal,” and too often introverts are dismissed as less than or lacking. Studies show that 96 percent of leaders report being extroverted, and more than half of

illustration by weatherly sawyer | daily texan staff

Texas won’t be blue anytime soon By Jacob Kunz Columnist

When Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R) announced that he would not run for re-election in 2018, Texas Democrats saw an opportunity to finally take back Texas. But if they don’t take an active role in addressing the shifting demographics of Texas voters, this red state will only turn redder. Progress Texas, a group that “(pushes) back on the Texas right-wing,” recently published a report indicating Texas’s increasing Hispanic and millennial population of voters as a key aspect of an impending shift in the state’s political climate, citing census data that shows 39 percent of current residents are Hispanic, another 13 percent are African American and almost 5 percent are Asian Americans. While Texas is seeing an increase in voter demographics commonly associated with liberal values, predicting that this will result in a swing left assumes an oft-cited and

flawed view of a Hispanic voting bloc and ignores state precedent. Not only are the two groups that Progress Texas focuses on known for their low turnout rates, Hispanic voters have never held a monolith of political values, with some trending towards conservative politicians. Texas — moreso than any other state — cultivates a shared identity among immigrants and natives, explained Chuck DeVore, the vice president of National Initiatives for the Texas Policy Foundation, in a report. DeVore cites Gov. Greg Abbott’s strong reception following his campaign trips through the predominantly-Hispanic Rio Grande Valley as evidence of strong conservative leanings among Hispanic communities. In the four main counties that make up the Valley, the Republican share of the vote has grown from about 32 percent in 2002 to 36 percent for Abbott in 2016. The Valley isn’t alone in this trend toward Republican support. In the last 20

years, the margin between the two parties has widened in the House and Senate and the congressional delegation. Since George Bush’s gubernatorial win in 1994, Republicans have held every single statewide office in Texas. If the makeup of political affiliation in Texas’s population is truly shifting to the left, there would be evidence of a Republican demise. However, not only is there a lack of this evidence, the Republican margin in the governor’s race has significantly increased every year since 2006. As young liberal voters grow into the voting age and Texas’ Hispanic population grows more prominent, we may come to expect a greater Democratic turnout in the Lone Star State. But until then, if Democrats want to capture voters and turn the tide of Texas politics, they must push for broader acceptance from the people of Texas they seem to rely on. Kunz is an English freshman from New Braunfels.

COLUMN

College Task Force projects student voices By Emily Vernon Senior Columnist

At the end of last month, Austin city officials announced the formalization of a College Task Force that will represent student voices in city government matters. Many of UT’s student leaders are pushing for both campus administrators and Student Government officials to exercise control over the force’s member selection process — a move that potentially makes the most sense. That is, if such power is handled with care. Much like SG itself, this task force must be comprised of representative voices. The non-SG voices will hopefully come through faculty appointments, but that doesn’t absolve SG of its responsibility in ensuring diversity in the force. Its appointments must reflect the student body and be cognizant of not only race and gender, but also where appointees are from. This is a city task force — it’s especially important to hear voices from various cities and towns. Our student body comes from all over. One hundred and eighteen different countries and each of the 50 states are represented in our 18 separate colleges on campus. Each student carries a unique perspective, and while it’s impossible to be entirely representative in a more than likely small task force, SG must try its best to be as inclusive as possible. Knowledge of how a city should operate and serve its population will vary depending on personal experience, and extensive discourse will ultimately lead to informed decisions. A homogeneous group of white males simply won’t cut it, nor will a group of people that all grew up in similarly wealthy Texan suburbs. For that matter, it’s even important SG’s appointees aren’t all from Texas. Different states structure

illustration by ivan moore | daily texan staff

cities differently, and we may be able to learn a thing or two from fresh out-ofstate perspectives here in Austin. Many SG officials fought tirelessly to get this task force finalized, fulfilling their promise to provide representation and advocacy for students. It’s SG in its finest form, and is undoubtedly a change that will better serve students. But it’s important that in their call for greater representation in city government, SG doesn’t forget representation on campus. SG officials have an opportunity to back up their claims about the importance of diversity. Once a diverse selection committee is chosen, these select few must ensure they give heed to the student body’s opinions. There must not only be continual checkins with students, but members of the task force must also be willing to listen. A small

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.

committee, no matter how diverse, is going to have a limited view and can only do so much. Collaboration is key. This task force is an excellent opportunity for college students’ voices to be heard. UT’s campus alone is the size of a small city, and when you factor in Austin Community College, St. Edward’s University, Concordia and Huston-Tillotson, a substantial part of the city’s population — and the source of a part of the city’s income — is college students. We have a voice and we deserve to be heard. But it’s important that SG officials remember that “we” is the collective 40,000-plus students on campus. We come from all over, we have opinions and we deserve to be represented. Vernon is an anthropology and rhetoric and writing junior from The Woodlands.

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

As a society, we need to reevaluate the importance of contemplation and take pride in decisions that come from sound reasoning.”

senior executives believe that it’s a liability for leaders to be introverted. Introverts are artists, deep thinkers, problem solvers and integral members of our community. Instead of trying to change introverts, we should celebrate them and accommodate their needs so they can produce great work. UT professors should support introverts by balancing class discussion and group work with opportunities to work independently on projects and papers. Between one third to one half of Americans are introverts. With these numbers in mind, it is imperative that professors consider introverts when designing lesson plans and assignments. Introverts like senior English senior Jennifer Fleury thrive studying independently and believe that class participation shouldn’t be mandatory. “Being forced to participate in class by answering questions is deeply uncomfortable … and I don’t feel I should be judged or graded based on my willingness to do so,” Fleury said. For many students, group projects and solo presentations are a nightmare. While it’s important for all students to be challenged and pushed outside their comfort zones, it’s also essential to consider that sharing is not as helpful in the learning process for certain students. Lessons and assignments should be made with introverts in mind. If a college class is devoted solely to class discussion, professors risk the same students sharing every time. Instead, professors should provide alternatives and give introverts a chance to shine. Teachers could let students rehearse their thoughts with peers before sharing, submit reflections through Canvas, or post to a class blog. Group work should be minimal or optional. If students are asked to present, they should have the option of doing it with a partner. It’s a good idea to ask introverts to stretch themselves, just like extroverts are expected to work alone, but professors need to assess their classes and work for their students and not against them. As a society, we need to reevaluate the importance of contemplation and take pride in decisions that come from sound reasoning. Not only do we need to encourage quiet leadership, we also need to allow creative students space to delve into creative work. We need to encourage students in liberal arts, business, STEM, architecture, design, art and music to work independently, as solitude is a catalyst for innovation. The theory of relativity and the work of Dr. Seuss would not have been produced if their authors didn’t have time alone to develop their ideas. Introverts don’t want to be pitied. Instead, work with us. Give us space and time alone to create and contemplate. Once we acknowledge and honor the strengths introverts possess, we will become a more balanced university that empowers introverted students to become leaders in their unique, quiet way. Alarcon is a UTeach Liberal Arts student from Austin.

RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.


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Thursday, November 9, 2017

SOUND ON SOUND

Places to see rescheduled Sound on Sound headliners By Pierson Hawkins Life&Arts Reporter

Last month when the second iteration of Sound on Sound Fest was canceled, fans of the camping festival were disappointed to hear that all the festivities — from jousting to dancing in the disco dungeon — would be postponed indefinitely. According to a news release from the festival promoters, a major investor pulled out, forcing organizers to cancel. Luckily, many of the bands from the fest’s stellar lineup were rescheduled to play at local venues. Grizzly Bear Friday, Nov. 10 ACL Live 8 p.m. Grizzly Bear finally returned after a five-year hiatus with Painted Ruins, a more emotionally driven, electronically tuned departure from their previous works. While retaining

VOLUNTEERS

continues from page 8 to 1000 people on a boat that’s sinking, where the vast majority of people can’t swim,” Wainwright said. Over the past few months, Wainwright has noted a shift in Libya. Across the Mediterranean, Italy is a popular destination for refugee arrivals. But in recent months, the number of arrivals has decreased by more than 80 percent. Human rights activist like those at Proactiva believe Italy is negotiating with Libyan warlords to stave off the flow of migrants. Wainwright says this further jeopardizes the lives of refugees and puts their rescuers in danger as well. Recently, warning shots were fired at one of Proactiva’s vessels, and they were intercepted by members of the Libyan coast guard. This has caused them to

their signature sound of harmonizing vocals, worn out snare drums and orchestral build-ups, the multi-talented quartet remains the center of indie rock. As one of the few headliners to be featured in a rescheduled show, Grizzly Bear is a must-see act for those who were hoping to catch a glimpse of them at the fest.

LCD Soundsystem and Roxy Music. This double bill of DJ sets should set the perfect tone for the cool autumn weekend ahead.

Lindstrøm with Juan Maclean Friday, Nov. 10 Cheer Up Charlies Doors open at 8 p.m.

With their combination of surf and punk, The Frights throw back to those angsty high school years. This group looks like an unassuming bande à part, but hidden behind their prep school visage is a delightfully rowdy energy. If you don’t come for the music — a catchy duo of guitar and bass matched by fuzzed out vocals — come for the environment. Join in on the mosh pit or partake in a stage dive, you may find a new way to let off steam from a week of midterms. Hockey Dad plays the good cop over the course of the night with an emphasis on pop and rock elements. Don’t mistake this

Lindstrøm has been producing music since 2000, slowly generating credibility in the competitive world of electronic music from his home country of Norway. By infusing repeating synth progressions and dream-like melodies, Lindstrøm has become known for pioneering the “space disco” genre adapted by other acts like Hot Chip and Cut Copy. Similarly, Juan Maclean advanced from a roadie to a signed

pull back their rescue operations further away from the coast, which places refugees at risk. “People are unaware of what’s happening in Libya,” Wainwright said. “It just shows how vile the human race can be if they want to be. Not just in Libya but other countries to Libyans. It’s horrific.” Despite the increasing danger, Proactiva’s lifeguards are dedicated to pressing on. “If there is one single life that may be adrift, we’ll be there,” Sabe said. “No one should have to die in the sea.” Editor’s note: The Daily Texan’s Helen M. Powell scholarship gives one current or ex-staff member the opportunity to travel and report outside of Austin. This year’s recipient, Cat Cardenas, traveled to Spain to write about the country’s present-day issues.

The Frights with Hockey Dad Saturday, Nov. 11 Cheer Up Charlies Doors open at 7 p.m.

illustration by sophia solomon| daily texan staff

artist on James Murphy’s celebrated DFA Records. Throughout their shows, the multi-instrumentalists move from extended atmospheric jams to remixes from the likes of

doubleheader’s young age for a lack of experience. Ariel Pink with Mile High Club Sunday, Nov. 12 Cheer Up Charlies Doors open at 6 p.m.

Time to get weird. Ranging from airy cyber-punk drones like “Nostradamus & Me” to classic pop covers with “Baby,” Ariel Pink transforms the night into a retro adventure. The lo-fi rockers morph from Elvis Costello to Sgt. Pepper’s Beatles with their chameleon-like act. Listening to them is like stumbling from an ‘80s videocassette recording to the summer of love. Mile High Club complements the main act with a more laid-back approach. Utilizing twangy guitar chords and wobbly synths, the band evokes contemporaries like Homeshake and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. This show promises to be a perfect farewell to the musicpacked weekend.

SPANISH

continues from page 8 it’s something that disrupts the narratives you’ve believed for 30, 40, 50 years, it’s really traumatic to get rid of these wrong ideas and change your mind.” But studying the war has caused Gonzalez-Ruibal to leave behind some of his own notions as well. “As I started reading about it, I realized it wasn’t such an obvious conflict between good guys and bad guys,” Gonzalez-Ruibal said. While Gonzalez-Ruibal has also studied non modern societies in Ethiopia and Brazil, the Spanish Civil War is different because, despite the fact that the dictatorship has been over for 42 years, the issues that it created are still alive today. The most prominent example is Catalunya. During Franco’s dictatorship, residents of the country’s autonomous region were often subject to censorship, exile and a total suppression of their language and culture. For many Catalans, the violent response of the Spanish police force during the independence referendum on Oct. 1 was seen as an echo of the suppression they

copyright cat cardenas, and reproduced with permission

Students and teachers crowd around to document the discovery of a bomb during an acheological dig in Madrid.

experienced during the dictatorship. At a time when the country is seeing these decades-long tensions boil over, Gonzalez-Ruibal said it’s more important than ever to study the source of the conflict. “The main challenge of the Spanish Civil War is that it’s an ongoing conflict,” Gonzalez-Ruibal said. “It’s not something that stopped in 1939 and not even in 1979 (with the end of

the dictatorship.) Most of the things that were at stake then are still at stake today.”

Editor’s note: The Daily Texan’s Helen M. Powell scholarship gives one current or ex-staff member the opportunity to travel and report outside of Austin. This year’s recipient, Cat Cardenas, traveled to Spain to write about the country’s present-day issues.

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MICHAEL SHAPIRO SPORTS EDITOR

@texansports

Thursday, November 9, 2017

VOLLEYBALL

Versatile Shook leads Texas in sweep over TCU By Justin Martinez Sports Reporter

Respect the setter. Freshman setter Ashley Shook prides herself in facilitating for her teammates, preferring to deliver an onpoint pass to a hitter rather than elevating for a kill of her own. But the Plainfield, Illinois, native took matters into her own hands Wednesday night when Texas hosted TCU at Gregory Gym, leading the Longhorns to a clean 3-0 sweep. Shook created havoc for the Horned Frogs in the first set, catching them off guard on three separate occasions with a dump down the heart of the TCU defense. Shook did it all for Texas, recording 13 assists, three kills, three digs and an ace in the first set as the Longhorns cruised to a 25-17 victory. “It just worked out that way,” Shook said. “I try not to predetermine what I’m going to do, but (TCU) wasn’t really on me and the passes were perfect, so I just took it.” The Horned Frogs responded in the second set, though, tying the score at 22 and forcing Texas to burn a timeout. But with

As a coach, the one thing I don’t like playing against is setters that can dump, (Shook) brings that to the table.” —Jerritt Elliott Head Coach

TCU forced to respect Shook on offense, the Texas hitters broke free. Sophomore outside hitter Micaya White tallied five key kills, and Shook set up the final three points for her teammates as the Longhorns edged out a tight 25-23 win. “As a coach, the one thing I don’t like playing against is setters that can dump,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “(Shook) brings that to the table and keeps (defenders) off balance. It increases our chances of winning.” The Longhorns left no doubt in the closeout set, erupting for a 7-1 run to give them a 13-7 lead. The Horned Frogs finally broke, surrendering 12 of the final 19 points as Texas earned a 25-14 victory to

carlos garcia| daily texan file

Freshman setter Ashley Shook, 9, delivers a set during the Longhorns’ 3-0 sweep over TCU on Wednesday night at Gregory Gym. Shook did it all for Texas on Wednesday night, recording 43 assists, five kills and seven digs in the Longhorns’ victory.

complete the sweep. Shook finished the outing with 43 assists, five kills and seven digs in the win. White also joined in with a team-high 14 kills. The win improves the Longhorns’ Big 12 record to 12-0 with just four matches remaining on

the regular-season schedule. Texas has dominated in conference play, winning seven of those 12 matches in the form of a sweep. But with a championship on their minds, the Longhorns still know there’s room for improvement. “We need to work on not

letting teams catch up on us,” senior outside hitter Ebony Nwanebu said. “We need to play like how we did in that third set.” The Longhorns now shift their focus to a road match against No. 24 Iowa State on Saturday. The Cyclones enter the match as winners

of six of their past seven outings, including a 3-1 victory over No. 11 Kansas. “We need this one,” Elliott said. “It’s good for RPI, and it’s good for our team. We’re going to learn where we stand in the conference, so we’ve got to take care of this one.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

LONGHORNS IN THE NFL

In more ways than one, senior Former Longhorns help NFL teams prepare for playoff pushes Brooke McCarty is engaged By Donnavan Smoot Sports Reporter

We are just over halfway through the NFL season and teams are starting to gear up for playoff runs. As we enter Week 10, some former Longhorns are helping their teams in a big way. Here is how they performed this past week: Lamarr Houston Houston was signed by none other than the Houston Texans a month ago after the injuries to J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus. In the three games since joining, Houston has four tackles and a forced fumble, including a scoopand-score this past week against the Colts. The eight-year defensive end brings stability and a veteran presence to a young defense trying to keep its team in the AFC South race. Houston will take the field next on Sunday afternoon when the Texans head to Los Angeles for a date with the Rams.

Alex Okafor During the New Orleans Saints’ six-game winning streak, the team’s defense has stepped up in a big way, led by former Longhorn Alex Okafor. Through eight games this year, Okafor has 33 tackles, including six in Sunday’s 30-10 win over Tampa Bay. He’s already exceeded his career-highs in tackles and forced fumbles. The fourthyear linebacker tallied another half sack last week, which brings him to 3.5 on the season. His next chance to rack up his sack total will come on Sunday as the Saints travel to Buffalo to face the Bills. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. Kenny Vaccaro Also fueling the Saints this year is Okafor’s teammate, Kenny Vaccaro. The former Texas safety has nabbed three interceptions this season along with 39 tackles. He even scored a touchdown this year, scooping a fumble recovery in the end zone against the Lions.

Vaccaro and the rest of the Saints’ defense have seen a resurgence in 2017. The defense will need to continue its hot play for New Orleans to make its first run to the Super Bowl since 2009. Brian Orakpo Orakpo had his second consecutive four-tackle game in Sunday’s contest as the Titans beat the Ravens. The former first-rounder has started off slowly this season, with just 1.5 sacks through the season’s halfway point. Orakpo’s struggles have surprised many after he recorded a 10.5-sack campaign in 2016. Orakpo should have a good opportunity to record a sack this week against the Bengals, who are allowing three sacks per game. As the Titans try to stay afloat in the race for the AFC South crown, they need their veteran linebacker to step up and lead their defense to playoff caliber.

carlos garcia| daily texan file

Senior guard Brooke McCarty dribbles past a defender in an NCAA tournament game against N.C. State last season. McCarty recently got engaged to her longtime boyfriend.

By Drew King Senior Sports Reporter

When senior guard Brooke McCarty rises up for a hesitation dribble, she always makes the same face. She raises her eyebrows to her forehead. Her eyes grow big. She stares like a deer in the headlights right before crouching back down and zooming past her defender. She made a similar face when her boyfriend of nearly eight years proposed to her. Kamron Williams, a 22-year-old All-Volunteer Force officer in the Navy, met McCarty in the seventh grade in League City, Texas, and started dating her in high school. After he graduated from Class A school, he paid her a visit in Austin and decided to finally pop the question on Oct. 11. That morning, McCarty invited Williams to watch her practice. Williams declined so that he could set his plan in place. “Man, I was so nervous,” Williams said. “That whole day I was practicing in the mirror.” Williams later showed up to practice unannounced. When the team was finished, head coach Karen Aston called him up to talk to her players. He only needed to speak with one of them. Williams dropped to his left knee and asked McCarty

to marry him. “I thought he was going to give a speech about hard work and being in the Navy,” McCarty said. “I was just so overwhelmed with excitement. It was just an emotional time.” McCarty nodded her head, and her teammates swarmed her immediately before Williams could even put the ring on her finger. She

One personal goal I have this year is just to have fun. If you let all the other stuff influence you, it’s not going to be any fun.” —Brooke McCarty Senior point guard

eventually escaped her teammates’ clutches and joined her new fiance. For now, the couple is holding off on wedding preparations. With Williams returning to his naval base in Norfolk, Virginia, and McCarty entering her final season as a Longhorn, the pair decided it would be best to wait until next year. In the meantime, McCarty will focus on retaining her role as a leader of the team. She uses her previous experiences to

determine how she approaches her current teammates. During her first year on campus, she struggled to find an upperclassman to look up to. “Freshman year was really hard because I didn’t trust anybody older than us,” McCarty said. “I kind of just looked up to the people around me, like my class. I just looked up to them because we were kind of in the trenches together.” It wasn’t until McCarty’s sophomore season that she opened up and latched onto former Longhorn Celina Rodrigo, a fellow point guard who knew the ins and outs of Aston’s system. McCarty now makes it a point to set the example for her younger teammates. “I’ve been in their position that they’re trying to get to,” McCarty said. “(I’m trying to) be someone they can rely on. Being someone who shows that, no matter what, you can’t let Coach see you sweat.” McCarty hopes she can lead Texas on another deep run in March. But, despite Texas’ No. 2 ranking, she’s trying not to set any expectations too large. “One personal goal I have this year is just to have fun,” McCarty said. “If you let all the other stuff influence you, it’s not going to be any fun.” McCarty will play in her final season opener for Texas against Stetson on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m.


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Thursday, November 9, 2017

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8

MORGAN O’HANLON LIFE&ARTS EDITOR

@thedailytexan

Thursday, November 9, 2017

BROCCOLI

Plan II, Liberal Arts Honors students collaborate By Hannah George Life&Arts Reporter

A Plan II student, a liberal arts honors student and an Aggie fall down a staircase. “Ow,” the Aggie says. “I meant to do that,” the LAH student says. “When you really think about it, why do we have stairs in the first place?” the Plan II student says. One only needs to turn to the UT memes page for evidence of Plan II’s reputation for eccentricity and intolerability. But to see how Plan II channels that notorious reputation into productivity, their theatre troupe, the Broccoli Project, offers the best example. The Broccoli Project started in Plan II, and while largely made up of Plan II majors, it’s expanded to encompass members from the rest of UT’s schools. Nicholas “Who” Ray, a Plan II senior and co-producer of the Broccoli Project, said the eccentric character troupe is a product of the unconventional plays members pitch democratically each semester. They do not, however, fit into a well-balanced diet. “We are a student-run, highly democratic theatre troupe, which focuses on dark comedies and avant garde plays,” Ray said. “But I don’t want to say avant garde because that’s pretentious as hell.” Broccoli has put on many unconventional plays in its time, including “Spanish

illustration by nina brocolli| daily texan staff

Tragedy,” a bloody puppet show complete with a Splash Zone and a Scientology Christmas Pageant Musical. These groundbreaking endeavors into the new frontier of theatre may ruffle some feathers, but it’s one giant leap for these intellectuals. Ray said the project he’s most proud of was a show the troupe performed a few years ago called “Oral Dad,” in which a young man

communicates with his dead father through a ouija board tattooed on his tongue. (We don’t have any jokes for this part of the article, that’s just what the play is actually about.) In the cut, The Broccoli Project is rolling up “Gallathea,” a play by John Lyly first performed in 1588, with Liberal Arts Honors’ troupe, “Foot in the Door.” Patrick Greer, Plan II sophomore and

Gallathea co-director, said Gallathea is a samesex romantic comedy following two young women, disguised as men, who narrowly escape death and eventually fall in love. Carly Stuart-Micocci, a senior in LAH and executive producer of Foot in the Door, said co-producing Gallathea with the Broccoli Project was a great opportunity for both troupes to overcome their honors rivalry and work together in the name of true artistic integrity. Two paths diverged in a wood, she said, and they took both. “In the past we kind of diverged, and as I took over as Foot in the Door’s executive producer this year, I really wanted to work together,” Stuart-Micocci said. “We don’t have to compete.” Though it often seems that this town ain’t big enough for two schools full of inflated egos, Stuart-Micocci said Broccoli and Foot in the Door can be co-sheriffs — hopefully they’ll be okay sharing the badge. In the past, the two groups butted enlarged heads over issues as large as the president’s hands, so now they’re taking a gargantuan leap over that bridge. Stuart-Micocci said co-producing Gallathea with the Broccoli Project this semester is a way to put the water under the bridge. “LAH and Plan II are sister programs, they were designed that way,” Stuart-Micocci said. “I view the Broccoli project and Foot in the Door as sister troupes — I always have.”

MADRID

Spanish Civil War archaeology uncovers years of conflict, pain By Cat Cardenas Contributing Reporter

MADRID — Pockmarks from German Mauser rifles and graffitied fascist symbols in Spain’s capital city quietly tell the story of the country’s painful past. Graffiti can be painted over and pockmarks filled in, but more difficult to move past is a conflict that still lives and breathes in the country’s people. It has been 78 years since the end of The Spanish Civil War. But with 200,000 casualties and the memory of a 36-year dictatorship, those tensions are still felt today.

In Alfredo Gonzalez-Ruibal’s household, they didn’t discuss the Civil War or the dictatorship that followed. Growing up in Galicia, Spain, Gonzalez-Ruibal said his grandparents and parents had conflicting views about it and neither ever really broached the subject. “The dictatorship was always present in my house,” said Gonzalez-Ruibal, an archaeologist with the Spanish National Research Council. “My grandparents were conservative people, but my parents were not … The Spanish Civil War wasn’t hidden or forbidden to talk about; it was simply something that everybody knew had happened. It was seen as a minor traumat-

MADRID

Volunteers band together to tackle overseas refugee crisis By Cat Cardenas Contributing Reporter

BARCELONA — In 2015, photos of three-yearold Syrian Alan Kurdi, face down and drowned on a Turkish beach, became a symbol of the refugee crisis. After seeing the photo, activist and former soccer player Oscar Camps embarked on a journey that would lead him almost 2,000 miles away to save over 55,000 lives. As the director of a company of lifeguards, Camps left Barcelona for Lesbos, Greece to see the refugee crisis up close. There, they realized the situation was more dire than they imagined, and after 15 days of rescues, they returned to Barcelona to begin raising money to fund a rescue organization. In 2015, Proactiva Open Arms was born and since then, they’ve operated in Lesbos and later the Mediterranean Sea, depending solely on volunteers to rescue refugees.

Mar Sabe, a volunteer on the Lesbos mission who now works as Proactiva’s communication officer, was living in Cuba when she heard about the refugee crisis in Greece. She packed her bags and went to work for Proactiva shortly after. “Thousands of people were trying to cross the 9 kilometers between Turkey and Greece daily,” Sabe said. “We had a permanent team there and had up to 20 lifeguards organizing themselves to do rescues 24/7.” Eventually, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement that would reduce the traffic of refugees. “From one day to another there were thousands of people, and then it just stopped,” Sabe said. This prompted the organization to launch another mission in the Mediterranean Sea in the summer of 2016. Within four months, they had rescued 16,000 people, the majority of whom were fleeing from Libya.

Lifeguard Austin Wainwright volunteered with the organization for eight consecutive missions from May to August of this year. Born and raised in the Canary Islands, Wainwright has been working in the sea his entire life. He feels as though the work is a calling, but said it takes an emotional toll. “It’s not easy to walk away from once you’ve seen it,” Wainwright said. “You just know that if you hadn’t found them, they’d almost certainly be dead.” Before each mission, Wainwright said each of Proactiva’s ships are carefully checked and stocked with proper humanitarian aid from food and water to blankets and medical supplies. Once they’re about 30 miles offshore, hours of training and rescue drills put them in high alert. “There’s no search and rescue manual in the world that tells you how to rescue anywhere between 100 up

VOLUNTEERS page 5

copyright proactiva open arms, and reproduced with permission

ic episode that paved the way to the dictatorship.” Now, Gonzalez-Ruibal researches modern conflict archaeology and has been coordinating a project on the archaeology of the Spanish Civil War and the Franco dictatorship since 2006. This summer, I traveled to Spain to participate in a dig led by Gonzalez-Ruibal that centered around Madrid’s Hospital Clinico and the Nationalist troops who fought there. Located in a park in Madrid’s University City, our dig was easily accessible to the public; it wasn’t uncommon for people to stop by and ask about what we were doing. While some people were curious, others made it clear they

believed the artifacts and structures we unearthed were better left buried. Gonzalez-Ruibal is used to the criticism. Since he began studying the Spanish Civil War, he’s been frequently attacked online by commenters from the far-right, who usually fling accusations that his work is biased and only seeks to vilify the Nationalists who fought for Franco. “People like to be able to cling to the stories they’ve been told,” Gonzalez-Ruibal said. “It’s very difficult and painful to revisit the past and address all the assumptions you have. If

SPANISH page 5


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