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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2017
@thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com
Volume 118, Issue 72
UNIVERSITY
Sexual assault lawsuit settled, student unsuspended Fenves did not testify at hearing that took place largely behind closed doors. By Will Clark
in the spring. Fenves was in court Monday but did not testify. If he took the stand, Fenves could have been questioned on UT’s sexual assault policy. Doe’s attorney, Brian Roark, said it is unclear whether these types of sexual assault cases will continue to be reviewed by the president’s office, something the lawsuit pushed against. The lawsuit claimed Fenves is a political figure and could have a conflict of interest in deciding the outcomes of
Enterprise Reporter
The case of John Doe v Gregory Fenves concluded by settlement Monday, and Doe is “in the clear,” according to his attorney. John Doe is the pseudonym for a student suspended in April after Fenves determined Doe violated the University’s sexual misconduct policy. After Monday’s hearing, Doe is permanently unsuspended and will be able to enroll in classes
sexual misconduct cases. A Daily Texan investigation found it is unusual for a university president to be the final appellate officer for these cases. At UT, the policy granting that power has been in place since the 1970s. Last week, UT filed a court document stating the suspension was lifted temporarily and that the sexual misconduct case would be reviewed by an unnamed third party. They argued in the document that since the suspension was lifted, Doe’s
lawsuit against the University became moot. Roark, however, called this move a “sham” and an “attempt to avoid having Fenves answer questions under oath.” After Monday’s hearing, which took place largely behind closed doors, Roark said the third party review will no longer happen and there will be no further option to appeal the case. Outside the courtroom, Fenves did not have any additional comment.
joshua guerra| daily texan file
The case of John Doe v Gregory Fenves concluded on Monday with Federal judge Sam Sparks announcing a settlement had been made.
CAMPUS
SYSTEM
Students bring TEDx legacy to University By London Gibson Senior News Reporter
illustration by mel westfall| daily texan staff
UT bids for nuclear research By Maria Mendez Senior News Reporter The UT System will officially compete to run the historic Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory. The UT System Board of Regents voted 4-3 to submit a management proposal for the nuclear research laboratory at a Monday meeting. The lab in New Mexico was first established under the Manhattan Project to create an atomic bomb but is renowned for research in nuclear weapons, energy and environment management. Looking to expand in national security and nuclear research, the UT System has had interest in running the lab since 2005. But the University of California System, which has helped to run the lab for more than 70 years, won the contract in 2005. When the Department of Energy announced the end of the cur-
rent management contract, the Board of Regents encouraged Deputy Chancellor David Daniel and UT-Austin President Gregory Fenves to pursue the management contract during August board meetings. “The important work at LANL is aligned with our research goals and priorities across the University,” Fenves said in an August press release. In order to compete against the University of California and the Texas A&M Systems, the UT System began investing $4.5 million to research and craft a proposal to run the lab with a corporate partner, who has yet to be announced. The regents were originally expected to discuss and approve a management proposal at an earlier November meeting but delayed the vote until this Monday.
During the Monday vote, Regents Janiece Longoria, Steve Hicks and Kevin P. Eltife cited concerns about the financial and reputational risks of running the lab before voting no. UT-Austin officials and researchers had also voiced concerns, Longoria said. “I just really believe that this is outside our core mission,” Longoria said during the meeting. “The reputational risks in the case of a catastrophe will be borne by UT-Austin and the System.” Longoria, who voiced the most concerns, brought up the lab’s past failures to comply with the Department of Energy’s safety regulations. In 2013, the lab was shut down after reports surfaced that the lab failed to take safety precautions
LOS ALAMOS page 3
ENGINEERING
Drilling research wins showdown By Anna Lassmann News Reporter
By comparing drilling disasters to milkshakes, Mitchell Johnson won first place in the 2017 Texas Student Research Showdown. “Some fluids flow more easily than others — it takes more effort to suck a milkshake through a straw than it takes to
suck water through the same straw,” Johnson said in an email. “Drillmud in an oil or gas Drilling mud in an ing well is similar to a milkoil or gas well is sim- shake flowing through a straw in that temperature ilar to a milkshake and viscosity affect the amount of pressure reflowing through a quired to move the fluid.” straw . . . ” Johnson, a mechanical engineering senior, re—Mitchell Johnson, searched the properties mechanical engineering senior of an additive used in
Eight students are launching the first TEDxUTAustin speaker series and plan to spark a conversation on how students can follow through on UT’s motto: “What starts here changes the world.” The independent speaking event stems from the nonprofit TED, whose popular online TED Talks are devoted to spreading ideas and information worldwide. TEDxUTAustin will host a collection of these talks both live and recorded next spring. Next semester’s TEDx will not be the only one to take place in Austin. Luca Tomescu, one of the eight co-organizers of the event, said the group hopes to continue the legacy annually and even registered as a student organization with University Communications. “One of the things we wanted to do was … create an organization around the act of putting on this event every year so that it could be something that continues long after we leave,” said Tomescu, electrical engineering and math sophomore. “We want this to be something that can be left behind. And I know I want to be able to come back to UT in 20 years and go to this event and know that it’s still going strong.” The theme of the night will be Resonance, with speakers discussing ideas that have or will spark enough resonance with others to change the world. Samyukta Singh, biology
TEDX page 3
drilling mud to develop technology to better measure the behavior of different mud compositions. “The long-term goal of my work is to prevent blowouts and decrease well costs by giving drilling engineers a better understanding of how drilling mud behaves inside illustration by rachel tyler| daily texan staff
RESEARCH page 3
NEWS
OPINION
LIFE&ARTS
SPORTS
Student Governmentcampaigns for diversity. PAGE 2
Columnist encourages students to support all athletic teams. PAGE 4
DJ and music bring trap yoga to Austin. PAGE 8
Wiliams, Warren III announce plans to leave Texas. PAGE 6
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sophomore and co-organizer of the event, said it is also a play on the UT motto. “We want it to be open to multiple interpretations,” Singh said. “The main, overarching meaning of Resonance is that small, minuscule ideas can have large unquantifiable effects.” The speaker names will be released in waves toward the end of December, Tomescu said. Although final decisions have not been made, he said speakers will roughly be comprised of one-third students, one third-faculty and one-third other community members. When planning UT’s TEDx, Tomescu said the organizers looked at other universities that already have reputable TEDx branches, like the University of California at Berkeley. “We were very surprised to find out that UT doesn’t already have an event like this, just because it is a world class university,” Tomescu said. “We want to bring a world class platform with these amazing ideas to spread not only within the campus but the world beyond.” The TED event will take place in February at the Union Auditorium. The price of attending the event will be revealed at a later date. Tomescu said because of the school’s contract with TED, they will only be allowed to sell 100 tickets. However, the event will be recorded and published on the TED YouTube channel afterward. In 2016, UT hosted
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Tuesday, November 28, 2017
ART
Midday Music fuses jazz, photography at Blanton
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News Reporter
Cameron Riggs hears color in music. When he sits down to compose on the piano, this ability is just as distracting as it is useful. “I have synesthesia, so when I hear music, I have colors associated with it,” said Riggs, jazz performance freshman. “I can also look at a picture and take the colors and put them into music.” Riggs said his condition is distracting in his major but helped him adapt
a Blanton Museum photograph for a musical piece in the Midday Music series, where musicians interpret photos into music. The event is in the museum atrium at noon Tuesday and is free to students and faculty. A nine-person ensemble from the Butler School of Music will each play their own jazz interpretation of photographs in the museum’s exhibit, “The Open Road: Photography and the American Road Trip.” “The premise of the exhibition is to investigate
how photographers have responded to the American road trip,” said Adam Bennett, manager of public programs at the Blanton. The exhibit is a collection of photos from the past 80 years of the U.S. highway network and stops along the way, although it features artists from all over the world. Photographs show hints of American class division and economic inequality but are open to interpretation from the ensemble, Bennett said. “The musicians might find some of those things or
completely different things,” Bennett said. The museum regularly collaborates with UT for live performances and hosts Midday Music events seven times a year, Bennett said. At the beginning of the semester, Bennett brought a catalogue of photographs from the exhibit to the jazz department. Professors encouraged students to use inspiration from the catalogue to write their own pieces, leaving ample room for improvisation. “It’s going to be a
contrasting repertoire,” said graduate teaching assistant Alan Retamozo, who helped organize the event and wrote a piece for it. The ensemble specializes in more nontraditional and contemporary methods, Retamozo said. “It’s mostly just based around improvisation,” said Riggs. “I’ve been into music my entire life, so it’s cool to be able to do something in the museum that I like to do. Improvising is a lot more fun than playing someone else’s music.”
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andre fernandez| daily texan staff
MANAGING EDITOR
Freshmen Samantha Bryant and Adele Caminade top off their hot chocolates with delicious marshmallows at the Hot Chocolate for Charities. The event was hosted by the Liberal Arts Council to promote awareness of 18 Austin-based nonprofit charities.
Michelle Zhang (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com
Students gather around cocoa, local charities
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AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Nov. 28
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HI 73º LO 49º
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Even on a warm Austin Monday night, dozens of students flocked to the to Student Activity Center ballroom for steaming cups of hot chocolate and to learn about local charities. Hot Chocolate for Charities was hosted by the Liberal Arts Council to promote awareness of 18 Austin-based nonprofit charities, said Courtney House, a member of the event’s outreach team. House, a government senior, said the project was inspired in part by Hurricane Harvey and other ongoing problems
that afflict communities. “We wanted to help local communities and realized that big corporations usually don’t do the best in tackling issues like that,” House said. “So, we decided to emphasize local nonprofits that we can help out. This lets you know that these charities exist, and shines a light on local organizations and what they do for Austin.” Minis and Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that takes ponies to special education classrooms, nursing homes and other similar facilities. Staffed
by 30 volunteers, including UT students, the charity occasionally visits classes on campus and recently brought two ponies to the plaza during midterms for “de-stressing,” creative director Julia Dworshack said. “I think it’s hard to know about us when you’re in school and with schedules and classes,” Dworshack said. “But if it’s right here in front of them they’re like, ‘I had no idea this existed.’ And it’s a lot of fun, people get hooked on it.” Psychology junior Jacqueline Guevara was
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Student government campaigns for diversity By Tehreem Shahab also promoting diversiNews Reporter
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thing,” Guevara said. “These people are really selfless and dedicated to what they do. It’s really impressive.” In a following panel on the importance of nonprofit work, geography professor Erick Akins recalled helping write a winning $900,000 grant application for a charity. “To get the award is the most rewarding thing you work for in nonprofit,” Akins said. “You’ve got money coming in, that means more delivery of services. It’s a high, a real high, not that generic stuff they sell.”
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walking around Speedway when she heard people advertising Hot Chocolate for Charities. “I’m not really that much of a hot chocolate drinker, but I wanted to see what the charities were all about,” Guevara said. What she saw was impressive, Guevara said, and she is now considering applying for a nonprofit that aids refugees in adapting to American society. “I’m looking into going into nonprofits, so I wanted to see what goes into that sort of
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Printed in large letters on a board, the question “What does diversity mean to you?” drew students to Speedway Plaza to discuss the importance of representation this Monday. The event, as part of this year’s Diversity and Inclusion mini week, was hosted by the Diversity and Inclusion Agency of Student Government. “It’s not just promoting Student Government,” said Mehraz Rahman, co-director of the agency. “It is
ty and inclusion around campus and informing people about how far we have come and how we have to go.” The Diversity and Inclusion Agency will be hosting different events throughout this week, such as a trivia event on Wednesday called DiversiTEA, and a discussion about diversity amongst student leaders on Friday. They will also host dance performances … as well as dance performances to learn more about different cultures. Alexis Allen, director of
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the agency, said the UT administration as well as its student body must continue their efforts to provide resources to students from different backgrounds. “With inclusivity, I think it’s important UT does not use diversity as a buzzword for pictures and promotions,” said Allen, Plan II and government junior. “Because once you get those students, how are you helping them stay, how are you helping them graduate and are you setting them up for success afterwards? That’s how you create a more
inclusive campus.” Rahman, Plan II and marketing junior, said the SG Executive Board has made many efforts toward inclusivity by reaching out to recruit students from places like the Multicultural Engagement Center and by putting on events like the First Generation Kickoff. “They (SG) think it’s really important to have representation and inclusion in SG and all areas of campus,” Rahman said. “Not only to make it a representation of campus which it’s not, but also to make
UT representative of Texas and the U.S., which it is currently not.” Longhorn legislative aide Vinit Shah, who tabled at the event, said the University still needs to do better in terms of reaching out to minority communities. “We could do more in increasing diversity in faculty,” biology freshman Shah said. “UT definitely has a long way to go in terms of reaching out to marginalized communities and helping them not only come here but graduate as well.”
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Tuesday, November 28, 2017
CAMPUS
LOS ALAMOS
continues from page 1 with nuclear materials, according to the Washington Post. Since then, the lab has seen increased scrutiny by government agencies and the public. Even with the Department of Energy’s compensation for running the lab, managing a lab with safety issues could become too costly for the UT System and strain resources for its 14 institutions, Longoria said. She added that if experienced UC System administrators have continued facing safety issues, the UT System would probably face similar risks. Despite these concerns, Regents Jeffery Hildebrand, Paul Foster, David Beck and Ernest Aliseda voiced support for the UT System to run the lab, emphasizing that the benefits of operating the lab outweighed the risks. “It will benefit not just the System but our many institutions, including the flagship at UT-Austin,” Beck said. Foster added that the UT System could help address some of the lab’s previous safety concerns. “I think the failures of Los Alamos cited by Longoria actually present an opportunity for UT-Austin to shine,” Foster said.
TEDX
continues from page 1 TEDxSpeedwayPlaza, which featured UT professors, members of the community and students. A separate TEDxAustin also took place in 2013, but this upcoming event will be the first formally connected to UT. “It’s a premiere stage for anyone who’s interested with an idea to share it to an audience that’s more than just here, or what they have right now,” said Abhishek Dasgupta, biomedical engineering sophomore and co-organizer of the event. “It’s possibility, is what it is.”
anthony mireles| daily texan staff
Georgetown law professor Alvaro Santos speaks to Rapoport Center students about how the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) affects workers’ rights and the effects of mega-regional negoatations to the nations involved.
Georgetown professor talks labor issues By John Melendez News Reporter
Labor, inequality and human rights in international partnerships were the focus during the Rapoport Center’s final conversation of the semester on Monday. Alvaro Santos, law professor at Georgetown University, used the Trans-Pacific Partnership as a lens to view where workers’ rights fall in trade agreements. Earlier this month, 11 countries, including Mexico, Japan and Australia, agreed to move forward with the partnership without the U.S. after President Donald Trump pulled the country out of the partnership immediately after entering office. Although the U.S. is no longer
in the partnership, Santos said it is important to discuss it because it still remains the latest example of mega-regional negotiation. “The rules that were agreed on still serve as a point of reference for other negotiations,” Santos said. “Countries are drawing on those rules and it stands as a mode of governance that can influence and serve as an example for other future free trade agreements.” Santos talked about why representatives of the U.S. labor movement were against the TPP even though it seemed to have the most protections for workers. One reason he mentioned was how, although TPP required partners to adopt obligatory worker protection laws, the deal allowed the parties
6553/Edunomics Institute Inc.; Process color RESEARCH
continues from page 1 the well,” Johnson said. In December, Johnson will be testing his system at a drilling rig in West Texas. “Proving a technology in the lab is an important step, but a successful field trial is essential if you want to make an impact in a large, established industry like oil and gas,” Johnson said. “My goal for the test in West Texas is to show that this new measurement technique is as good as, or better than, the current industry standard.” Johnson’s project intends to improve safety and efficiency in the petroleum and geosystems engineering fields and could impact the industry for years, said Richard Neptune, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Mitchell’s work is a great example of the breadth of ways that engineering students can make a positive impact on society,” Neptune said. The Texas Student Research Showdown is an annual video and presentation competition for undergraduate researchers that involves two rounds of competition. Johnson was one of six finalists, out of 27 submissions, able to present their research to a live audience and judging panel on Nov. 15, said Robert Reichle, senior research program coordinator. “Research is one of the three main missions of the University,” Reichle said. “Sometimes students don’t see how that necessarily relates to them, so (the Research Showdown) is good to help students become better aware of the possibility of actually engaging in research, becoming part of that big mission of the University.”
themselves to determine if they met those obligations. The idea that a better labor chapter in the agreement would have dissolved competitive advantage between people in industrialized and developing countries is an illusion, Santos said. “The labor advocates really hit the mark (when) they realized that the labor chapters — even if they were well designed — have problems,” Santos said. Labor chapters are just one of many parts of policy that should be taken into consideration to remedy what many labor groups are experiencing today, Santos said. “In my view, trade agreements stand in for the development policy of the (developing) country,
Santos said. “The most successful examples of growth and wealth for workers have been the countries that have managed to grow with a variety of industrial policies, and we need to think broader than labor chapters.” Journalism senior Mia Uhunmwuangho is an intern at the Rapoport Center. She said in complex and dense conversations like this one, it’s important to remember why they matter. “I think that we should all care about these things because the world is so globalized and interconnected that labor laws that are affecting Japan or Burma will always somehow have an effect on the United States,” Uhunmwuangho said.
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LAURA HALLAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
@TexanOpinion
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
COLUMN
Engaging curriculum is vital to students’ education By Emily Vernon Senior Columnist
Large lecture halls often feel monotonous and dreary, leaving students bored and unengaged. While this classic teaching style has endured for decades, it’s not necessarily the most beneficial to students. Education can be both fun and serious. All you need is an engaging curriculum and a willing professor. Active learning situations have many benefits, but perhaps one of the greatest is handing students more control over their education. This is vital in college and perhaps serves as one of the greatest preparations for the ever-so-ominous real world students are constantly reminded of. When we enter the workforce, we’re not going to be sitting in 100-person lectures all day, and participation isn’t always going to mean speaking in front of large crowds. Most of us aren’t going to be professors, and it’s important that our professors keep this in mind. Professors at UT in particular have access to numerous world-class resources to further class engagement. Take UT’s museums, for example. For my freshman UGS class, my professor took us to the Briscoe Center for American
History at the beginning of the semester and later assigned a project that required research at the Center. This taught me how to do archival research and gave me a sense of accomplishment
with my personal work and excited to have similar experiences throughout college. The only other similar experience came last year when my Spanish class visited the Blanton
Museum of Art for a tour of Latin American art. It only took up a day’s class, but it excited students and gave us an opportunity to digest what we had learned that
illustration by veronica jones | daily texan staff
semester in a different, more practical way. Between the Blanton, the Briscoe Center, the
Harry Ransom Center and the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, UT’s campus houses world-class museums. Incorporating them into classes is just one of the many ways professors can create a more engaging class and allow students a degree of autonomy in their education. That’s not to say there aren’t steps that can be taken on a daily basis as well. Many professors are interesting lecturers, but lectures often accompany large, in-class conversations between 100-plus students — many of which feel voiceless and, in turn, apathetic. Increasing small group work would not only force the students to carry the conversation but encourages collaborative work — a useful life and work skill. Engagement, even if forced, is beneficial to those who may otherwise neglect to raise their hand in a large lecture hall. Putting students at the center of their education supports active learning and personal control over one’s education. While not every class can be interactive, professors should consider options for further student engagement. A message is only as successful as the hearer deems it, meaning it’s vital that student needs are heavily considered in education. Vernon is an anthropology and rhetoric and writing junior from The Woodlands.
COLUMN
Football season is over, lets support other Longhorns By Sarah Alarcon Columnist
When aerospace engineering senior Brett Ringgold tells his peers he’s a swimmer, they stare blankly as if they’ve never heard of the sport before and ask, “Is our team any good?” The UT men’s swim team alone has won 13 NCAA championships since 1981 and currently has two Olympic gold medalists on the team. So yes, our team is pretty good. Other impressive teams this year include our women’s volleyball, soccer and basketball teams. It’s embarrassing when our student body is unaware that football is not the only sport worthy of our attention on campus. Football is cute, but students should make an effort to support other teams this school year. On any given home football game, close to 100,000 people will show up to support the Horns, but it’s common for sports like women’s soccer to have less than 1,000 people in attendance. Many student athletes such as exercise science junior Paige Hooper feel they get plenty of support from the University but would love to see more students come to home games. “We went to Kansas, and they had a rowdy student section, but we don’t really have that environment. Students should know we are a talented team who has been training everyday since the beginning of August,” Hooper said. We should not underestimate the power of a supportive student section at sporting events. Bringing things like glow sticks and cow bells are not just fun for the user —
they get athletes pumped before and during their performance. Students should not let a lack of knowledge about a sport keep them from supporting their peers. Most sporting events are much more exciting in real life. Attending an unfamiliar event could be a great learning opportunity as well as a fun way to be social. Additionally, students would have the opportunity to experience the amazing facilities maintained by the University. Our soccer field is kept in pristine condition, and the Lee and Joe Jamail Swimming Center is considered one of the fastest pools in the world due to its depth, gutter system, high filtration rate and lane width. To better support all athletes, students could strive to attend one event for each non-football sport on campus. If every student aspired to do something like this, we could do a much better job supporting our fellow Longhorns during their athletic careers. If students already have a Big Ticket, they should put it to use. Students may use their Big Ticket to get into any ticketed home game. If students do not have a Big Ticket, the price for non-football sports is either inexpensive or free. This season, a soccer ticket was not more than $3, and it only costs $6 to watch a volleyball game. With the exception of NCAA conferences, students can get into non-ticketed sporting events such as swimming, tennis and golf for free. With more than 51,000 students and about 15 sports teams on campus, there’s no reason we shouldn’t share the love and support incredible non-football athletes. We should
GALLERY
illustration by sian rips | daily texan staff
take advantage of seeing some of the best athletes in the country right here on campus. When students have a home game or meet, we should make them feel at home. Let’s be the university that helps all our student athletes perform their best by showing up and cheering them on like lunatics. Mark your
calendar for the next women’s basketball home game on the 30th or join me to watch some world-class swimming and diving at the Texas Hall of Fame Invite Nov. 29 through Dec. 2. See ya there. Alarcon is a UTeach Liberal Arts student from Austin.
EDITORIAL
Horns Up, Horns Down: The Holiday Edition HORNS UP: CHRISTMAS IS COMING
It’s almost Christmas. Well, we’re the closest to Christmas that we’ve been all semester. It’s officially time to dust off the holiday decorations and stuff that sadness back down into the depths of your soul. Get ready for holiday shopping and peppermint hot chocolate because it’s officially appropriate for the season. And no more can your grumpus friends mock you for listening to Christmas music, so go ahead and break out the Mariah Carey (extra festive version, of course).
HORNS UP: THE SEMESTER IS ENDING Only two more weeks until you can go home and actually wear those sweaters that have been hanging in your closet, unused in the sweltering Texas November heat. Maybe you’ll actually get a cold holiday season or at least a few brisk days. Unless you live somewhere hotter than Austin, in which case — good luck. We’re sorry about all the climate change.
HORNS DOWN: CUFFING SEASON
Cuffing season is upon us. Something about the threat of cold weather causes college students to pair off in droves and collectively occupy the 24th St. Starbucks. Your fun winter break plans have probably undergone some revisions as your friends slowly pair off and leave you alone on Austin’s Trail of Lights where you leave yourself vulnerable to overeager husbands-to-be proposing via flash mobs. Yes, that happened. And it might just happen again.
HORNS DOWN: FALL CLEANING
illustration by yulissa chavez | daily texan staff
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.
You didn’t clean out your fall paraphernalia before you went home for break, and you came home to a rotten mess. Literally — that pumpkin wasn’t going to last forever and you knew it. Ditto for the Friendsgiving leftovers. Time to deal with cleaning your disgusting apartment on top of all the homework we know you didn’t do over break. Tough love.
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Tuesday, November 28, 2017
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continues from page 8 Elio (Timothee Chalamet), a seventeen-year-old boy living on his parent’s Italian villa, goes on a journey of discovery with his father’s intern Oliver (Armie Hammer) during the summer of 1983. Since the film’s debut almost a year ago at Sundance, critics have been praising the film’s honesty and intimacy. The film, shot on location in northern Italy, illustrates a sincere love story against a picturesque backdrop. Sufjan Stevens contributed three original songs to the soundtrack, including “Mystery of Love.” With no musicals in contentions, Stevens may find himself for an Oscar before a Grammy. “Call Me by Your Name” is ripe for the best picture and adapted screenplay categories. However, the subtle performances will likely be overshadowed by others in the acting categories. Other Contenders: The Florida Project, The Shape of Water, The Disaster Artist, Lady Bird.
copyright sony pictures, and reproduced with permission
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continues from page 8 thinks the crowd is enjoying,” Millican said. “I also wanna leave room if someone comes in and maybe something I have planned for whatever reason looks like the class isn’t vibing with so much.” Assistant director of the Dub Academy, Raymond Cruz, is one of the DJs for the trap yoga class. When it comes to performing, Cruz said he pays close attention to Millican by taking note of the complexity of her poses and speed. Although “trap” is defined as fast, bass-heavy music originating from the Atlanta area, Cruz plays this and other similar songs while DJing for the class based on what he feels like class will enjoy. “I try to pay trap music more than anything but it’s about really watching her and listening for what she’s
It’s fun to think that you got somebody back here, perfecting his craft and doing something he’s done for close to a decade, while I’m trying to teach a really good yoga class to people.”
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—Mandy Millican, Trap Yoga Instructor
saying,” Cruz said. “If she’s getting very detailed I don’t want to be loud.” Lizz Owo-Egbeleke attended Trap Yoga Tuesday this past week. Despite being familiar with yoga classes, she said the music took her off guard, but the experience was still exciting. “It was a mix of trap music and hip-hop which I didn’t expect, I thought it was just gonna be hard
core trap music, but I liked it, I thought it was nice,” Owo-Egbeleke said. Through combining two different forms of art, Millican and the crew at Dub Academy do what they can to provide a new yoga experience. “It’s not just a workout class,” Millican said. “I want students to leave this class feeling like, ‘I had a good time, I really enjoyed myself and I learned something.’”
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MICHAEL SHAPIRO SPORTS EDITOR
@texansports
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
FOOTBALL
Warren announces transfer from Texas By Trenton Daeschner Assoc. Sports Editor
Junior running back Chris Warren III has decided to transfer from Texas. The news was first reported late Monday morning by Jason Suchomel of Orangebloods. com. Texas confirmed late Monday afternoon that Warren is transferring. “After putting a lot of thought into it with my family, I talked to Coach Herman this morning and let him know I have decided it’s in my best interest to transfer from the University of Texas to continue my education and football career,” Warren said in a statement. “It was a difficult decision, and I’m thankful to all of my teammates and coaches I’ve had on the 40 Acres. Texas is a special place, and I’m appreciative to have had the opportunity to grow as a person and a student-athlete here.” Warren’s career trajectory at Texas skyrocketed after his breakout performance as a freshman against Texas Tech in 2015. Warren set the program freshman single-game rushing record in Texas’ 48-45 loss to the Red Raiders that evening, rushing for 276 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries. During his sophomore season in 2016, Warren suffered a knee injury four games in and missed
gabriel lopez | daily texan staff
Junior running back Chris Warren III plants his right foot and runs up field during Texas’ 27-23 loss to Texas Tech on Friday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Warren finished with one reception for 19 yards.
the remainder of the year. He battled multiple injuries and a case of the mumps prior to the start of the 2017 season. Warren, who was widely expected to be a force in the running game this season after the departure of D’Onta Foreman for the NFL Draft, never was able to find his footing this year. Warren finished the regular
season third on the team in rushing, totaling 314 yards and six touchdowns on 71 carries. His best performance came in the Longhorns’ second game against San Jose State. Warren rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. But that performance was as good as it would get for Warren this year. Texas’ running game was a
quandary all season long, and Warren’s role has been a major question mark. The Longhorns struggled throughout the season to find any consistency on the ground as Warren watched from the sideline for the majority of the 6—6 season. Head coach Tom Herman and offensive coordinator Tim Beck were criticized early in the season for not using Warren enough,
FOOTBALL
particularly following Texas’ 27-24 double-overtime road loss to then-No. 4 USC on Sept. 16. Warren received just four carries in that contest, rushing for 15 yards. “We got to find a way to get him more yards,” Herman said the following Monday. “But in the middle of a game, when you see how that is shaking out, the definition of insanity is repeatedly performing the same act expecting different results.” Warren notably critiqued the Texas offense following the Longhorns’ 13-10 overtime loss at home to then-No. 10 Oklahoma State on Oct. 21. Warren rushed 12 times for 33 yards that day, and Texas managed just 42 yards total on the ground. Warren was asked after the game why the offense was struggling. “Because we don’t have a running game,” Warren said after the game. “I think that we’re too one-dimensional, and that’s easy to predict, so that’s why we’re not helping the defense.” Warren’s role within the running game greatly diminished by late October. After the Oklahoma State game, Warren carried the ball just four times for seven yards and one touchdown the rest of the season. In recent weeks, he had moved to tight end and had a touchdown catch against West Virginia.
BIG 12 NOTEBOOK
Williams declares for 2018 NFL Draft, TCU, Oklahoma will forgo senior season, bowl game hold lead in Big 12 By Dawson Hinkley
By Trenton Daeschner
Sports Reporter
Assoc. Sports Editor
Junior left tackle Connor Williams is heading to the NFL. Williams announced on Monday he will forgo his senior season to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. He will also skip the Longhorns’ bowl game. “While it comes with some sadness, it also comes with the excitement of moving to the next challenge,” Williams said in a statement. “My family and I have decided it is my best interest to forgo the bowl game and my senior season to begin preparing for my professional football career.” Williams had been projected as a first-round pick coming into the 2017 season. Before the year, he was also named a preseason first team All-American by the Associated Press. But Williams experienced a major setback just three games into the year. Williams sprained both his MCL and PCL and tore his meniscus in
Texas has given fans their fair share of disappointing losses over the past four seasons, and Friday’s 27-23 loss to Texas Tech can now be added to the list. As the Longhorns fell in their season finale, the Big 12 had four other conference games in action this weekend. Here’s how they played out: Kansas State second stunner
brooke crim | daily texan staff
Junior left tackle Connor Williams enters the 2018 NFL Draft as a projected first round pick.
his left knee during the Longhorns’ 27-24 double-overtime road loss to then-No. 4 USC on Sept. 16. Williams underwent arthroscopic surgery and missed Texas’ next seven games. He returned against West Virginia on Nov. 18 in Morgantown,
providing a dominant performance to help the Longhorns win 28-14 and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2014. “One of the reasons I worked so hard to come back from my injury was to help the team reach its goal
of playing in a bowl game, and I’m proud we were able to accomplish that,” Williams said. “I will continue to support my teammates in their efforts to finish the season strong and in the continuing growth that is happening with Texas football.”
VOLLEYBALL
Texas claims No. 6 seed in NCAA Tournament, hosts Fairfield in first round match on Friday By Keshav Prathivadi Sports Reporter
Texas coaches, players, families and staff gathered in the Longhorns’ practice facility on Sunday evening expecting good news: a top seed and the right to host the region’s action in the NCAA Tournament. But following a season of curveballs for the burnt orange, Texas was thrown another on Sunday night. Instead of hosting a regional and remaining in Austin until a possible trip to the Final Four, Texas will enter the tournament as the No. 6 overall seed, hosting just the first two rounds of the dance at Gregory Gym. Despite the high seeding, shock and disappointment were evident throughout the room. As the top four teams were shown celebrating on the televisions, the Longhorns sat in silence. “It was a little shocking for us,” head coach Jerritt Elliott
said. “Some years you get good draws and some years you get tough ones, and this was a tough one.” Texas closed out the regular season with a perfect record in conference play last week — one of two teams in the country to achieve that feat. The red-hot Longhorns are also riding an 18-game win streak into the postseason. While there was a sense of disappointment among her teammates regarding the seeding, Texas senior middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu saw it as another opportunity to play in front of the home crowd. “It’s the best feeling,” Ogbogu said. “That’s exciting … just having our fans behind us one or possibly two more times.” This will be Ogbogu’s last run at an NCAA title, and her first opportunity since her sophomore season. For Ogbogu and the rest of Texas
seniors, the final chance at a national title is all the motivation they’ll need. “It just adds more fire to the fuel,” Ogbogu said. “Now it’s go time.” Upon the selection show’s conclusion, Elliott took his players into the locker room to talk about Texas’ draw, looking to keep their focus on their first tournament match. With a squad heavy in Final Four experience, Texas knows a thing or two about winning when it matters. A possible regional match on the road won’t faze the burnt orange. “Champions are made by how well they deal with adversity,” Elliott said. “We’ve got to bite our lip, keep moving forward and take care of the teams in front of us.” Sitting as the No. 6 overall seed in a bracket of 64 is no small feat. The Longhorns have amassed an impressive arsenal of victories in 2017, including wins against ranked
teams Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas. With those victories in tow, Texas is primed for another postseason run. “This is the time to start peaking and getting better,” Ogbogu said. “Coming away from (each match), we’ve learned so much about ourselves and we’re ready to just get back (on the court).” Regardless of its resume, Texas can’t overlook the first two rounds of tournament play, especially with a sense of uncertainty floating around each potential opponent. A sub-24 hour turnaround time between opponents awaits the Longhorns this weekend. “I know nothing about Fairfield,” Elliott said. “I know they’ve been here once before, but that’s it.” The No. 6 Longhorns (24–2, 18–0 Big 12) will play in the NCAA Tournament against Fairfield (25–6, 18–0 MAAC) on Dec. 1. First serve from Gregory Gym is slated for 7 p.m.
wins
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Kansas State is a Big 12 opponent known for providing a tough battle regardless of the opponent, and Saturday’s contest against Iowa State was no different. As expected, this game turned out to be a defensive battle. Both squads put up strong fronts, facing off against offenses not known for their prolific scoring abilities. Neither offense could find enough momentum to truly pull away in this one. However, Kansas State’s offense would have the last laugh as freshman quarterback Skylar Thompson played the hero for the Wildcats. Down 19-14 in the fourth quarter, Thompson scrambled around the backfield on the last play of regulation and threw a bullet to the back of the end zone, finding wide receiver Isaiah Zuber with zero seconds on the clock. Thompson finished the game with 152 yards and one touchdown in the one-point victory. Oklahoma looks toward conference championship Oklahoma needed one more win to advance to the Big 12 Championship game, and its final opponent on Saturday was West Virginia. And in what has become custom in the
conference this season, Oklahoma finished Saturday with a comfortable victory. Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield did not start the game or represent the team as an on-field captain before the game on Saturday. He was disciplined by head coach Lincoln Riley for making an obscene gesture last week while on the sideline against Kansas. The Sooners would not miss Mayfield’s presence too much, scoring in under a minute on the first drive before Mayfield took the helm. The game would turn into a blowout victory for Oklahoma, setting them up for a conference championship appearance next week. Mayfield did not even play a full three quarters in the game and still managed to rack up 281 passing yards and three touchdowns en route to a dominating 59-31 victory. The Sooners now sit at No. 2 in the AP poll.
TCU dominates Baylor in final game TCU was a heavy favorite in its Saturday matchup with Baylor. The Bears still have just one win on the season against Kansas, and aside from improved quarterback play, haven’t shown many signs of improvement. After a stellar start to the season, the latter part of the season did not go as the Horned Frogs had hoped after they lost two conference games. But despite being knocked out of consideration for the College Football Playoff, the Horned Frogs had no trouble finishing the regular season off right. TCU stomped Baylor 4522, earning them a chance to face Oklahoma and Heisman front runner Baker Mayfield one more time. Quarterback Kenny Hill threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the win, keeping TCU at No. 10 in the AP Poll. The Horned Frogs will face Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game on Dec. 2.
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MORGAN O’HANLON LIFE&ARTS EDITOR
@thedailytexan
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
LIFESTYLE
Trap Yoga brings new energy to ancient exercise By Ruben Paquian L&A Reporter
Dressed in athletic attire with mats in hand, yogis gather every Tuesday evening at an East Austin music studio for a different kind of yoga class. Trap Yoga Tuesdays, hosted by local DJ and music production school Dub Academy, combines fast-paced, breath-focused Vinyasa yoga with rhythm hip-hop and trap music. Originating in D.C. in 2013, similar classes have popped up around the country, with Austin as its latest stop. “We thought it would be really cool to not only teach a class that has trap yoga, but have an actual DJ spin through the whole thing,” said trap yoga instructor Mandy Millican. According to Millican, the class’ live DJ performance sets it apart from others. Although she said it may seem unorthodox due to
anthony mireles| daily texan staff
UT alumna Olga Lee, left, and Trap Yoga instructor Mandy Milligan practice the Vriksasana, or tree, pose with her class last Tuesday evening at the Dub Academy before the Thanksgiving break.
perceptions of yoga being a calm workout, the music actually provides a lively experience for attendees. “It’s fun to think that you got somebody back here, perfecting his craft and doing something he’s done for close to a decade, while I’m trying to teach a really good yoga class to people,” Millican said. “It feels like two different things but it also feels like it makes sense.” Millican said the connection comes naturally and little planning is needed beforehand. Though she comes into each class with a basic idea of what she’s going to teach, Millican said she leaves space for changes depending on the vibe she gets from participants. The improvisation is meant to create as interactive of an experience as possible. “It’s really just improvising based on what he wants to play that day or what he
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MOVIES
New releases rush for consideration in upcoming Oscar nominations By Pierson Hawkins L&A Reporter
As Oscar season rolls around, films competing “for your consideration” are entering the box office en masse to meet the Academy’s Jan. 5 deadline. It’s hard to sort through the Oscar bait to find some fantastic fish, but hopefully these films will be a catch. Phantom Thread/Dec. 25 A decade after the ambitious “There Will Be Blood,” Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis rejoin for
“Phantom Thread,” a 1950s London bound drama about a royal dressmaker (Day-Lewis in his final acting role) and his muse. Day-Lewis’ nomination is a given, but whether he becomes the first lead actor in history to win four Oscars is possibly disrupted by Gary Oldman’s Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” Behind the camera, Anderson leads a stable of costume designers and art directors to recreate an extravagant world of 20th century debutantes and dames. Anderson (“Boogie Nights”
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and “Magnolia”) himself has been largely panned by the Academy, receiving zero nominations for his melancholic masterpiece “The Master” in 2013. Although “Phantom Thread” is likely to earn him nominations in both screenplay and directing categories, he may be outshined by a slew of contemporaries. Good Time/Streaming on Amazon and iTunes Josh and Benny Safdie exploded onto the screen this summer with their high-energy capper “Good Time.” Rob-
ert Pattinson plays Connie, a morally sketchy lead who, after robbing a bank with his mentally-challenged brother Nick (played by Benny Safdie in a brilliant performance), is forced to go on the run through a grimy New York cityscape. Pattinson’s portrayal finds much more complexity behind the façade of an adrenalin rushed ruffian. The Safdie Brothers display a beautiful vision of anxiety, highlighted by cinematographer Sean Price Williams and a score from Oneohtrix Point Never. De-
spite its early release, Academy members cannot ignore this film’s flashy spirit. The Post/Dec./Jan. 12 Three Hollywood icons (and Oscar darlings) come together on “The Post,” a journalistic drama about the Washington Post’s fight to release the Pentagon Papers. Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks play the publisher and editor respectively in the hard-fought battle, a due that echoes “All the President’s Men” or a more recent “Spotlight.” Steven Spielberg helms his worn-in
director’s chair for the picture, yet the legendary filmmakers’ brand doesn’t always come off well with academy members. “The Post” seems to appeal to timely issues, but whether it pushes the boundaries of filmmaking is still to be decided. Call Me by Your Name/ Dec. 21 On the heels of Moonlight’s historic Oscar win, director Luca Guadagnino (“A Bigger Splash”) follows with another coming-of-age gay drama.
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