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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
@thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com
Volume 118, Issue 78 RESOLUTION
FEATURE
Resolution to partner with city council fast-tracked By London Gibson Senior News Reporter
alexander thompson| daily texan staff
Charles Anumnu, left, and Carlton Anumnu, twins and electrical engineering seniors, reached viral status last Thursday with a tweet about being the first black student athletes to graduate from UT’s electrical engineering department.
On track for graduation Twins join ranks of few black student athletes to earn electrical engineering degree By Maria Mendez and Katie Balevic Senior News Reporter and News Reporter
With graduation around the corner, Charles Anumnu tweeted that he and his twin brother, Carlton Anumnu, would be the first black student athletes to graduate from UT’s electrical engineering department. Within the day, Charles’ phone blew up with over 10 thousand retweets and 32 thousand likes last Thursday. The Anumnu twins, who are on UT’s track team, said
they first learned about this achievement in 2016 from Jim Shelton, their Texas Athletics academic advisor. “It was kind of amazing to think that nobody else like you really did this,” Carlton said. But as one Twitter user pointed out, the Anumnu twins are not UT’s first black student athletes to graduate with electrical engineering degrees. Lamont Hill was a 1996 electrical
engineering graduate and played for UT’s basketball team. “(Hill) definitely was a major in engineering, and he did play basketball,” Charles said. Shelton could not be reached for comment. Charles said he thinks Hill may not have been considered a student athlete because he was not originally admitted to UT with an athletic scholarship. Scott McConnell, assistant athletics director for
media relations, said Texas Athletics defines a student athlete as any student on an official UT sports roster. Texas Athletics could not verify the identity of the first black student athlete to complete an electrical engineering degree, McConnell said. Charles and Carlton interned at the electric delivery company
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At the final Student Government meeting of the semester, members passed last-minute legislation and tabled others, most notably signing off on a resolution to form a student advisory commission with the Austin City Council. Assembly Resolution 20 was fast-tracked with unanimous consent last night, supporting the renaissance of a college student task force originally formed by the Austin City Council in 2015, composed of students from each of the five major universities in Austin. The College Student Commission, to be officially voted on by Council on Dec. 14, would bring three UT students from diverse backgrounds to give the Council official input on issues impacting student life. Resolution co-author Alden Marshall said this initiative gives UT students the opportunity to work with local authorities on the decisions that often affect their lives in Austin. “A lot of times, college students and young people in general are left out of the political process,” said Marshall, management information systems and government sophomore. “I think, here at UT, we’ve really shown over the past couple of election cycles that we’re willing, and we’re ready and
RESOLUTION page 3 LECTURE
CITY
Archivist speaks on City of Austin releases Guadalupe local black history Street renovation recommendations By Allyson Waller
Devezin said. “Everyone wants to come here, and it’s like the top on everyone’s Through pictures, film and list, but, at the top of those storytelling, LaToya Devezin lists, sometimes, we don’t see engrossed a full house of stu- everyone’s experiences.” Devezin said these commudents and community members Tuesday evening, as she told the nities created a thriving envistories of West Austin’s Afri- ronment for African-Americans, with agriculture making can-American communities. Devezin, the African-Amer- up much of their income, and ican community archivist for that UT also played a signifthe Austin History Center, icant role in the small farm community spoke at the of Wheatville. event Black Aus“The demise tin Re-Memof Wheatville bered to explain (Austin’s history) had a lot to do the history of with the Uniseveral historiprovides insight on versity of Texcally black West Austin districts the transition and the as wanting to and how their evolution of Austin as expand westward, and that histories must be a community...” community preserved. Diswas in the way,” tricts Wheatville, —Jordan Walters, Devezin said. Clarksville and History freshman Although Kincheonville were established as communi- families did a lot of hard work, ties after the Civil War, made Devezin said, events such as up of recently freed slaves who fashion shows and livestock created lives for themselves and shows served as entertainment established schools, churches for families in the community. “Life varied in the commuand businesses, Devezin said. “It’s important to remember nities,” Devezin said. “It was these histories as we look at very hard. There was a lot of Austin, because Austin is this ARCHIVIST page 3 great place that’s welcoming,” News Reporter
By Chase Karacostas Senior News Reporter
Anyone who has glanced at the Drag knows trying to get anywhere along it — no matter the time — is likely to be the most stressful part of their day. Cramped lanes, poor road conditions, few crosswalks and bike lanes that only go a few blocks make navigating the street almost as hard as trying to put together a class schedule. To solve this headache, the city released recommendations Tuesday morning for the Guadalupe Street corridor to improve accessibility and reduce traffic in the area. Called the Corridor Mobility Plan Report, which the city started working on in 2014, the report also recommends several changes to streets near Guadalupe Street in West Campus. The major recommendations include reduction in the number of car lanes from two in each direction to one from MLK Boulevard to 29th Street, adding bus lanes in each direction and removing all on-street parking for that stretch, conversion of Nueces into a two-way street, creation of a two-way
copyright city of austin transportation department, and reproduced with permission
The city released recommendations for the Guadalupe Street corridor on Tuesday morning. The program still needs to be approved and has no construction date set.
bike path along 24th Street, reducing 24th Street to one lane going each direction and adding a center-left turn lane. On Twitter, many have already reacted to the proposed changes. Some suggested adding pedestrian bridges to Guadalupe Street, and, with rush hour traffic already problematic, others questioned the practicality of eliminating two of the car lanes. “I think it will make (traffic)
worse,” UT alumnus Nick Dauphin said. “If they’re going to cut down the ability to drive through there, you’re going to increase people’s commuting time.” Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who represents parts of West Campus, said the plan raises important considerations about safety and traffic congestion. “It’s a pretty bold plan,” Tovo said. “I certainly look forward to hearing from constituents
in the University area and adjacent to it about whether they believe this is a workable plan. It’s definitely something that should be given very serious consideration.” Reducing the number of car lanes on Guadalupe Street could drive traffic to Nueces, which experiences high levels of pedestrian activity, Tovo said. With that in mind, Tovo
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