SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900 @THEDAILYTEXAN | THEDAILYTEXAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
VOLUME 118, ISSUE 87
N E WS
O PI N I O N
LI FE &A RTS
SPORTS
A book filled with stories of African American UT alumni will be published later this year. PAGE 2
Students should praise UT’s rejection of foreign funds. PAGE 4
Cryptocurrency craze hits UT, with two opposing coins struggling for dominance. PAGE 8
Texas basketball must get the most out of its entire rotation to sustain excellence. PAGE 6
NATION
Like most students, Yanelly went home for the holidays. But she couldn’t come back to UT-Austin.
O
ver the last year, protections for undocumented students, known as DREAMers, have become leverage for negotiating border wall funding and immigration reform in U.S. politics. This is what these federal negations look like for the UT community. This story is the first installment of a semester-long collaboration between The Daily Texan and UT’s chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Through Negotiating Dreams, NAHJ members and The Daily Texan will share stories of UT’s
DACA students.
*Editor’s note: Some last names have been omitted out of respect for the privacy and safety of our sources. Yanelly lies on her queen-sized bed. A rustling of keys is heard from a distance as Yanelly’s mom, Juana, walks into their home. She calls for her but walks into Yanelly’s bedroom a couple of minutes later, laying next to her daughter and a Bevo stuffed animal on the bed. Their white poodle trails in next. They look at the small dog, nicknamed Panda for Pandora, and laugh together.
As Panda cuddles up next to them, they turn their gaze back to each other and begin to talk about their day. Now that Yanelly is home, this is their daily routine. But these are the moments they could have lost if Yanelly returned to UT-Austin this spring. When the Trump administration announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals last September, Yanelly was forced to choose between studying at UT-Austin and seeing her family. Former President Barack Obama’s DACA policy, which prevented
DACA page 2
juan figueroa | the daily texan staff As a DACA student, Yanelly’s dream to study at UT was put in question by national politics this year.
+
CAMPUS CAMPUS
UT directory may face restrictions By Anna Lassmann @thedailytexan
The Office of the Registrar and UT Police Department urged students through Twitter last week to look over their personal information on the UT directory and restrict any details they do not want to be viewable online. “Having public information out there that is not absolutely necessary, you don’t want it to fall into the wrong hands,” Samantha Stanford, sergeant in criminal investigations for UTPD, said. “People have ulterior motives, you never know what people are going to do with that information.” The information made available to the public is called directory information, which does not include educational records. Directory information includes a student’s name, local and permanent addresses, email addresses, UT EID, telephone numbers, place of birth, field of study and participation in officially recognized activities and sports. Last year, the Office of the Registrar and UTPD modified the UT directory to be more mindful of students’ and faculty’s privacy. In April 2017, home addresses and telephone numbers were taken off the online directory for all students and employees, said C. W. Belcher, associate director of Information Technology Services. “This change was made to provide greater privacy for our campus community,” Belcher said. Cam Beasley, chief
DIRECTORY page 3
SG works to increase civic engagement, voter turnout By Katie Balevic @thedailytexan
The Student Government Assembly had its first meeting of the semester on Tuesday, when it passed a resolution establishing the UT at Austin Civic Advisory Board to increase civic engagement on campus. “There are people that we will never be able to reach by tabling in West Mall,” said university-wide representative Charlie Bonner, an author of the resolution. “So by combining forces, we can look at what the University can do and what Student Government can do to change the way that we are doing things.” Assembly Resolution 15 formed The Civic Advisory Board, which will bring together representatives from political organizations on campus to work on increasing engagement and voter turnout, Bonner said. “(This board) would bring together the different political voices on this campus in order to support initiatives within student government and on
alicia smith | the daily texan staff After a presentation from Charlie Bonner and Sophie Belton, Student Government votes unanimously for an increase in campuswide student engagement by implementing a Civic Advisory Board. campus … and to reduce barriers to civic engagement across the board in systematic ways,” said Bonner, Plan II junior. While other campus organizations work with political engagement, Bonner said this
board will focus on the systemic issues that prevent students from registering to vote. “There are other committees that focus on voter registration, but this would have a broader reach for civic engagement,”
said speaker Madison Huerta, management senior. “It would be getting people from all across campus together to talk in a productive way.” Resolution co-author Sophie Belton said the board will ad-
dress problems from both sides of the political spectrum and bring together those who want to talk through the issues. “In the past few years at UT, I’ve seen so many contentious issues come up, and groups — instead of working together to talk about their ideological differences — just bicker about it,” Belton, mechanical engineering senior, said. The board, which will meet regularly, hopes to get voter registration up to one hundred percent participation from eligible students, according to the legislation. Huerta jokingly referred to A.R. 15 as “the resolution that never dies” because of its many revisions, which Bonner said was because of its structure. “We’ve added two different clauses to clarify that the board will be chaired by the Chair of the Student Government Committee on Governmental Affairs … and then the first board that is set up will establish its own rules and regulations as to how it will govern and how often it will meet,” Bonner said. The resolution passed unanimously with 28 votes in favor.
STATE
Abbott faces nine Texas Democrats in gubernatorial race By Raga Justin @ragajus
With the 2018 Texas gubernatorial election looming, nine Democratic candidates are gearing up for the primary in an attempt to dislodge Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Josh Blank, manager of
6611/Dobie Twenty21; Process color
polling and research at the Texas Politics Project, said he attributed the crowded ballot to lack of a clearly publicized front-runner, even near the end of the filing process. “At the last minute, there was a pretty big burst of interest,” Blank said. “Some people who maybe would’ve been less inclined to run, had a strong candidate jumped in earlier, ended
up running. That seems like that was the case here.” Sherri Greenberg, a clinical professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, said the Democratic candidates’ inexperience is because Republicans have held the majority of statewide offices for years. “The Democrats have really been out of power so long in
statewide offices,” Greenberg said. “There aren’t folks ready and waiting in the wings who clearly command the stage, and you’re seeing that with the governor’s race. There’s not really been somebody who’s lining up and groomed. Because of that you see this situation where you have quite a few people entering but nobody who has been thought of and discussed for
a long time as the Democratic nominee for governor.” However, one candidate has recently generated buzz. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, one of two female sheriffs in Texas and the only openly gay female sheriff in Texas, made headlines when she filed her candidacy in December.
GOVERNOR page 2
2
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25
PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Laura Hallas Assoc. Editors Liza Anderson, Jaree Campbell, Cuillin Chastain-Howley, Josie Maclean Senior Columnists Elizabeth Braaten, Laura Doan, Noah Horwitz, Caleb Wong, Ryan Young Forum Editors Vik Shirvaikar, Janhavi Nemawarkar, Liza Anderson
Assoc. Video Editor Audrey Black, Peyton Young Photo Editor Juan Figueroa Assoc. Photo Editor Brooke Crim, Carlos Garcia Senior Photographer Katie Bauer, Anthoney Mireles, Angel Ulloa, Angela Wang Life&Arts Editor Chris Duncan, Charles Liu
Managing Editor Ellie Breed
Assoc. Life&Arts Editor Andrea Tinning
Assoc. Managing Editor Tyler Horka, Forrest Milburn
Sr. Life&Arts Writers Collyn Burke, Sebastian Sada, Brooke Sjoberg
News Editor Catherine Marfin
Sports Editor Trenton Daeschner
Assoc. News Editor Lisa Nhan
Assoc.Sports Editor Alex Briseno, Vanessa Le
News Desk Editors Will Clark, Hannah Daniel, London Gibson, Anusha Lalani, Wesley Story, Brittany Wagner Senior Reporters Chase Karacostas, Maria Mendez, Brianna Stone, Allyson Waller Beat Reporters Stephanie Adeline, Katie Balevic, Mason Carroll, Meara Isenberg, Raga Justin, Anna Lassman, Sara Schleede, Tehreem Shahab, Sami Sparber, Brooke Vincent Copy Desk Chief Bella McWhorter Associate Copy Desk Chiefs Kirsten Handler, Taylor Presley, Ryan Steppe Design Editor Sunnie Lee
Senior Sports Reporters Steve Helwick, Drew King, Justin Martinez Comics Editor Melanie Westfall Assoc. Comics Editor Geo Casillas, Rachel Tyler Senior Comics Artists Annette Meyer, Channing Miller, Jeb Milling, Digital Editor Alexandria Dominguez Web Editor Natalie Heineman Sr. Social Media Editor Carlos Garcia, Samantha Shaps, Tirza Ortiz Science & Tech Editor Julianne Hodges Assoc. S&T Editor Freya Preimesberger
Art Director Rena Li Senior Designers Andrea D’Mello, Clio Harralson, Aaliyah Jenkins, Paolina Montes Senior Graphic Designers Mingyo Lee, Mallika Gandhi
Senior S&T Reporters Areeba Khwaja, Alastair Talbot
Assoc. Podcast Director Morgan Kuehler, Rachel Zein
Editorial Adviser Peter Chen
ISSUE STAFF Columnists Liam Verses, Usmaan Hasan, Vereece McLean
Elizabeth Hwang
News Reporters Karla Romero, Savana Dunning
Comic Artists Serena Romero, Michelle Peck, Harumi Nishimura, Elaine McMurray, Cameron Dehghani
Designers Kendall Jordan Photographers Humza Ahmed, Elizabeth Miget, Alicia Smith, Avery Chahl
anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Economics senior Daniel Romero attempts to build a tower constructed of newspaper during an Econ Peer Mentor Program seminar Tuesday night at the SAC Ballroom.
Podcast Director JT Lindsey
Podcast Technical Producer Dani Matias
Video Editor Thomas Negrete
SNAPSHOT of the WEEK
Featuring the best from the photo department.
L&A Reporters Hannah George
Sports Reporters Dalton Phillips, Keshav Prathivadi
Copy Editors Madison Schimmel,
CONTACT US MAIN TELEPHONE (512) 471-4591
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Laura Hallas (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com
GOVERNOR
continues from page 1 “She’s really one of the only Democratic candidates who has actually run successful elections, and so that’s certainly an advantage for her relative to the other candidates,” Blank said. However, a compressed primary calendar and limited exposure will challenge all the candidates equally, Blank said. “The reality is that there’s this very, very tight window with which all of these Democratic candidates have to basically traverse a very, very large state to try to introduce themselves to Democratic voters,” Blank said. “And most voters, even those who show up in the primary — which is a very small number — aren’t going to be fully acquainted with even a handful of the Democratic candidates, let alone all of them.”
According to Blank, the Democratic candidate who makes it past the primary will have another major challenge: campaign finances. None of the Democratic candidates have raised funds comparable to Abbott’s $43 million. “As far as the general election, Abbott is heavily favored,” Blank said. “Abbott’s advantages are numerous and in some ways excessive. It’s going to be an uphill climb.” Jeffrey Payne, owner of The Dallas Eagle bar and one of the Democratic candidates, said he was confident he would make it to the general election, even with a fraction of Abbott’s funds. “$43 million can’t stop Democrats who believe it’s time for a change and I believe it’s going to happen,” Payne said. “At the end of the day we will mobilize the people of Texas, and I want to take action on the issues that matter to state.”
juan figueroa | the daily texan file Dallas County Sherriff Lupe Valdez announces her resignation as sheriff and files as a Democratic governor candidate last month at the Texas Democratic Party headquarters. Lupe is one of nine Democrats preparing for the gubernatorial primaries.
CLIMATE
MANAGING EDITOR
Ellie Breed (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com
Panel discusses necessity of climate legislation
NEWS OFFICE
(512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com
@savanaish
AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Jan. 24
HI LO
TOMORROW Jan. 25
65º 39º
HI 65º LO 48º
“I was going to drink out of the bathroom sink, but someone told me that was frowned upon.”
BUSINESS & ADVERTISING (512) 471-8590 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director Gerald Johnson Business/ Operations Manager Frank Serpas III Advertising Manager Emily Cohen Assistant Advertising Manager Colten Crist
Account Executives Tim Bauer, Diane Byram, Julianne Phillipp, Paulina Siller Product Manager Stephen Salisbury Senior Graphic Designer Amanda O’Brien Production Zac Crofford
THE DAILY TEXAN MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES
$40.00
Summer Session
$150.00
One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer)
To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.
ADVERTISING DEADLINES Monday
Wednesday, 12 p.m.
Tuesday
Thursday, 12 p.m.
Friday Classified Word Ads
humza ahmed | the daily texan file State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, speaks at a panel about the need for climate-focused political action in Texas on Tuesday evening. is at the ballot box, because that’s how we’re going to get real change.” Hinojosa said climate change has become a partisan issue, which has resulted in pushback against climate change legislation. “If you feel like things are
scary and uncertain and unstable, it’s because they are and this isn’t the way government is supposed to run,” Hinojosa said. “I’m sorry to sound alarmist and negative, I just want to convey the reality of the situation we’re in.”
Jim Walker, director of sustainability at UT-Austin Office of Sustainability, said various universities in the UT System regularly meet to discuss ideas on how to make their campuses more environmentally friendly. “Each campus has its own
ager at the Environmental Defense Fund, said UT-Aus-s p tin responsibly takes care c of its land and water usage. However, Leyden said more s can be done. a “I think they shouldB transfer that same high standard they take towards water and land use and user it toward climate and air,”c Leyden said. Government graduate stu-v dent Tom Conroy said he en-S joyed the panel but believes the government should nott have to wait for an economics need to pass more legislationi focused on climate change.o Conroy said there should notP be a compromise between a the two. “I don’t want to soundw extremist, but I’m not sureB you can really find middle grounds when the science so clearly points to one perspective,” Conroy said.
$120.00
Two Semesters (Fall & Spring)
Thursday
With Hurricane Harvey fresh on their minds, panelists gathered Tuesday to discuss the need for climate-focused political action in Texas. Environment Texas at UT, University Democrats, Engineers for a Sustainable World and UT’s Climate Change Action Committee sponsored the panel at Batts Hall to discuss the University’s role in leading Texas toward sustainability and how to prevent natural disasters caused by climate change. The summit had a mixture of state, University and nonprofit representatives, such as State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, who said there needs to be a change in legislation regarding climate change. “In the aftermath of Harvey, so much needs to be fixed that has been broken,” Hinojosa said. “Where we really need to make strides
$60.00
One Semester (Fall/Spring)
Wednesday
culture and identity,” Walker said. “It’s more about gettingi topical and finding the per-R son with the specific topic atV the specific campus to dealfi with (the specific issues).” s Colin Leyden, senior man-p
By Savana Dunning
The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com.
Friday, 12 p.m. Monday, 12 p.m. Tuesday, 12 p.m. 11 a.m. (Last business day prior to publication.)
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2017 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.
The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (HSM 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2017 Texas Student Media.
DACA
continues from page 1 deportation forfor young deportation young unundocumented immidocumented immigrants, grants, Yanelly allowedand Yanelly allowed many and many others to atothers to attend college. It tend college. It also alalso allowed her to safely lowed her to safely travel travel the path back to her the path back to her famfamily’s homeinin BrownsBrownsily’s home ville, Texas, which runs ville, Texas, which runs through border through an aninterior interior borpatrol checkpoint in Corder patrol checkpoint in Corpus Christi. pus Christi. Yanelly’s DACA DACApermit perYanelly’s mit be willone beofone of the will the first to first to expire after the expire after the Trump Trump administration’s administration’s schedscheduled end for the uled end for the policy on policy on March 5, 2018. March 2018. Without Without5, the legal prothe legal DACA protection DACA tection currently currently her, Yagrants her,grants Yanelly would face deportation this nelly would face at deporcheckpoint. means tation at thisThis checkpoint. Yanelly, whoYanelly, is a freshThis means who man, would not be able is a freshman, would not to visit her family for at be able to visit her family least four years if she refor at least fouruntil yearsDACA if she mains at UT remains at UT until DACA is revoked. is revoked. DACA has been at the DACAofhascongressional been at the heart
i c i R
politics lately, even leadheart of congressional poling to a two-day govitics lately, even leading ernment shutdown on to a two-day government Saturday, but the lack shutdown on Saturday, of government action but the lack of governin the fall led Yanelly to ment in thedecision fall led make action her own Yanelly to make her own last December. “Therelast December. was times decision where I would just where cry in “There was times (dorm) thinkImywould justroom, cry in my ing ‘Am I going back to (dorm) room, thinking UT-RGV (Rio Grande ‘Am I going to UTValley) or stayback here?’” YaRGV (Rio Grande nelly said. “It wasValley) like a or stay game.” here?’” Yanelly waiting From her said. “It was like bedroom a waiting in Brownsville, Yanelgame.” ly From watchedher on Snapchat bedroom as her old roommate in Brownsville, Yanelreturned to their Jestly on and Snapchat er watched dormitory her as her oldsaid roommate friends hello reto turned to their UT’s Tower last Jester week. Then, she and headed to UTdormitory her friends RGV’s Brownsville camsaid hello to UT’s Tower pus, where she will now last week. Then, she headstart her second semesed to UT-RGV’s Brownster of college and try to ville figurecampus, out the where futureshe of will now start her second her dreams. semester of college and try to figure outstory the future of Read the full online at www.thedailytexan.com. her dreams.
6081/Trudy’s; Black
HAPPY HOUR
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 2PM TILL 7PM
BOTTLE BEER $3.00
DRAFT BEER $4.00
HOUSE MEXICAN MARTINIS $7.00
HOUSE RITAS $4.00
CAZADORES SILVER MEXICAN MARTINIS $8.00
DEEP EDDY FLIGHT $5.00
TEXAS STAR · 409 WEST 30TH ST., AUSTIN, TX 78705 · 512-477-2935
3
8WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
CAMPUS
NATION
Hunting, fishing ethics discussed
Law professor argues in Supreme Court By Brooke Vincent @ brooke_e_v
f r . elizabeth miget | the daily texan staff Professor emeritus Jack Berryman gave a lecture on the importance of conservation in hunting and fishing Tuesday afternoon. He stated that hunting and fishing are sports and require a code of ethics to be followed.
Former professor explains that fishing and hunting are sports with codes of ethics. By Karla Romero @karlaxm
J
ack Berryman, a former bioethics and humanities professor emeritus at the University of Washington Medical School, discussed the importance of conservation in hunting and fishing on Tuesday. More than 20 students and visitors gathered at the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports to listen to Berryman explain the history behind the ethics code of hunting and fishing. “In the 1840s these were already issues,” Berryman said. “It really took off after the
Civil War. The second half of the 19th century is when the code continues to be formalized, more widespread.” Jan Todd, kinesiology and health education professor and co-director of the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports, invited Berryman to give the lecture. Todd said students would benefit from Berryman’s lecture because not many people consider hunting and fishing to be sports anymore, thus forgetting the ethics attached to them. “I think it’s important to spread that message,” Todd said. “Hunting and fishing are a big part of the recreational sports part of Texas. We don’t usually think of the ethics of hunting and fishing, because we’ve moved away from hunting and fishing quite a bit. But I do think it’s important for students to understand there is an evolution of ideas.” Throughout the lecture, Berryman gave examples of his own experience with hunting and fishing from youth until the present.
When asked who of the UT students present had been hunting or fishing, had killed an animal and then proceeded to eat it, seven raised their hand. Berryman explained that while he was a student, those who didn’t hunt or fish were the outliers, unlike today. “My family doesn’t actually hunt,” said Hallie Phillips, health behavior and health education graduate student. “My grandparents did and their grandparents before that, but not my actual family. I got into it because of my boyfriend. I went deer hunting with him, I went fishing with him. I’ve never actually caught a deer, but I have caught fish, and I do eat deer meat — Venison.” Todd said she has explained before to Berryman that he does not need to cover big game hunting in his lecture, as hunting elephants and other big game is viewed as unethical by many. However, she said, many also understand that fishing or deer hunting and eating the meat afterward is not inhuman, and is a sport many participate in.
DIRECTORY
continues from page 1
information security officer, said a student’s contact information is considered directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Students may manage what information is made publicly available through a UT Registrar service called “Restrict My Info,” Vice Provost and Registrar Shelby Stanfield said. Stanfield said the information students restrict is dependent upon their personal preferences. Beasley said the personal information students share on the directory, such as telephone numbers, can attract unwanted phone calls and emails. “This information could be used to send spam, initiate targeted campaigns against an unsuspecting student, or worse,” Beasley said. One issue UTPD has encountered before is students receiving calls saying there is a warrant out for their arrest unless they pay the caller money, Stanford said. “Having your information secure can prevent (fraudulent schemes) from happening,” Stanford said. While students can restrict the information that appears in the UT directory, Beasley said the University is required to release the information to third parties who make an open records request because of the Texas Public Information Act. This information includes the home addresses and telephone numbers that were removed from the online directory, Belcher said.
On a routine call with CNN as a Supreme Court analyst, Stephen Vladeck heard from the newsroom that his petition to present a case before the Supreme Court had been accepted; a decision only made for one percent of all submissions. Delivering his first ever oral argument, UT law professor Vladeck led a team representing the prosecution in the Dalmazzi, Cox and Ortiz et al. v. United States case on Jan. 16, after a year of preparation. “It was so surreal,” Vladeck said. “This is my 13th year teaching and you talk about the justices all the time, but there’s something about standing there when the court is a captive audience and all eyes are on you. This is your chance to directly impact the progress of the law, which as a scholar is the most you can hope for.” Vladeck and his co-counsel questioned the legality of an officer being both a military judge and a civilian judge simultaneously, as well as their ability to sit as part of a panel that court-martialed their clients. Throughout the summer, Lucy Lyford, a research assistant and third-year law student, helped Vladeck with textual support and background. She said being in the same room with the brightest legal minds left her in awe. “I got experience that a lot of lawyers haven’t had the opportunity to do,” Lyford said. “It builds a lot of confidence to know that I could work on a case that’s complicated and
Students should also be mindful of any personal information they may carry around with them, such as medical information or credit cards, Stanford said. “If you get any personal paperwork from a doctor or the University, make sure you
properly shred and discard of it,” Stanford said. “Make sure you don’t carry your social security card on you and make sure you don’t carry any extra bank cards that you don’t need. Only carry the cards you plan to use for the day.”
Over 60 years of personal stories from African American UT alumni will be accessible through a single book that will be released later this year. The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement will release the book “As We Saw It” in March, which documents the history of integration of black students at UT. DDCE contacted alumni to see if they were interested in sharing their stories, which they could write themselves, or have a DDCE staff members conduct interviews and write the stories for them. The book was then edited by three editors. UT began admitting black undergraduate students in 1956. Although over six decades have passed since then, Virginia Cumberbatch, an editor of the book and its primary author, said minority students today
Stephen Vladek, law professor
“I think, by nature, he has the appropriate kind of intellectual vitality that lends itself to have a good rapport with people who are questioning him with challenging questions,” Blais said. The final decision from the court is expected in May or June before the justices wrap up the session. Vladeck said he thinks they lost the case, but would not change anything he did. “There are values, certainly, that I’ll take away for teaching,” Vladeck said. “Justice Kennedy asked me if Marbury v. Madison was rightly decided. It’s incredibly helpful for students to see that these academic questions still matter to judges and justices in the real world.”
courtesy of professor stephen vladeck, and reproduced with permission Law professor Stephen Vladeck presented his first ever oral argument before the Supreme Court on Jan. 16, for the case Dalmazzi, Cox and Ortiz et al. v. United States.
UT African-American inclusion comes to light @stephadeline
This is your chance to directly impact the progress of the law, which as a scholar is the most you can hope for.”
annette meyer | the daily texan staff
CAMPUS
By Stephanie Adeline
contribute something.” Fellow UT law professor Lynn Blais, who sat on one of the five moot court panels for Vladeck’s case, said the characteristics that make Vladeck a good professor and good in an oral argument are one and the same.
can relate to the stories in the book. “There were some stories where I could’ve just erased the year to 2016 or 2017,” Cumberbatch said. “It could’ve been the account of some students today, in terms of how they felt about being a student at UT. For some students it will be encouraging to see where we’ve improved as an institution.” The book touches on different struggles black students faced at UT, such as not being allowed to live on campus in the dorms, Cumberbatch said. “Even though African Americans were admitted in (1956), what they really were only being granted was the opportunity to get a degree,” Cumberbatch said. “They weren’t invited to really have the Longhorn experience.” Leslie Blair, communications executive director for DDCE and another editor, said the book’s purpose is
to show the struggle many African American students faced with inclusion at UT. “I think a lot of students aren’t aware of this history,” Blair said. “These are people who have accomplished so much in their own lives and paved the way for every African American student on campus now.” Aileen Bumphus, associate vice president for the Longhorn Center for Academic Excellence, said although African American students are at the forefront of the University’s diversity movements, the experience of being marginalized is not exclusive to them. “This is a wonderful opportunity to use our platform with ‘As We Saw It’ as a way to save and to continue this rich and deep discussion,” Bumphus said. DDCE plans on extending “As We Saw It” to collect people’s stories from other minority groups, such as Asian American and Hispanic students, Blair said.
6660/House Ads-TSM - Director’s; Process color
Texas Student Media is seeking students for its Board of Operating Trustees. Positions are available for students in the Moody College of Communication and for other majors as well. Visit texasstudentmedia.com to download an application. Board members will be chosen in the upcoming campuswide elections. The terms of office run through May 2020. The application deadline is Monday, January 29 at 12:00pm.
4
LAURA HALLAS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
COLUMN
COLUMN
Testing the travel ban is racial profiling By Usmaan Hasan columnist @uzziehasan
jeb milling| the daily texan staff
UT’s CUSEF decision should serve as a model to other schools By Liam Verses columnist @liamverses
UT President Gregory Fenves and other faculty recently decided to not accept money from the China-United States Exchange Foundation, CUSEF, for the new China Public Policy Center in a decision that canonizes and espouses independence and academic freedom. Our decision should set precedent for the UT System and other colleges nationwide. Foreign governments have tried to influence U.S. institutions to undermine our freedom and independence. Russia and China are two contemporary examples, but many more are dotted throughout our country’s history. Building constructive relationships with other nations is undoubtedly a priority, but we should never allow them undue influence via subversive operations that seek to stifle free expression and academic freedom.
“Third time’s the charm” is the motto for President Donald Trump’s travel ban. Travel Ban 3.0™ rolled out in September and, like most software updates, it was only a facelift on the original’s fundamental flaws. The ban demonstrates that we have allowed our fears to be exploited at the cost of our values. As the ban makes its way to the Supreme Court, the conflict posed by Trump’s executive order becomes clear. On Jan. 16, 2018, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security released a report justifying the executive order. The report is based on identifying individuals prosecuted for terrorism-related charges and their associated country of origin. The government claims that the vast majority of terrorists are born in Muslim-majority countries. The government are picking and choosing convenient parts of the narrative. They willfully disregarded that Colombia, home of recognized terrorist organization FARC, had 20 defendants, less than Somalia (21), tied with Yemen (20), but more than Iran (4), Libya (2), Sudan (3) and Syria (7) combined. The administration’s blind eye to the truth makes the executive order more of a Muslim ban than anything else. This justification demonstrates that the ban is blatantly xenophobic, openly Islamophobic and unapologetically fear-mongering. It appeals to deep-seated misconceptions at the cost of intelligent, productive and carefully constructed national security policy. The American Dream apparently does not apply if you follow the wrong religion. The travel ban has repercussions spreading far beyond restricting travel into the United States. Since the ban was enacted, colleges across the nation have reported reduced enrollment by international students wary about the political climate. UT isn’t exempt from this trend. Using available data, overall international student enrollment at UT dropped 15 percent from 2015 to 2016. Enrollment from Middle Eastern countries, the region most in
feel even less welcome than before and curtail international enrollment. On a superficial level, this will further constrict the university’s finances and continue to degrade the diverse environment that contributes to cutting edge research, world-class staff and a well-rounded student body. The reckless abandon with which the Trump administration cherry-picks data and propagates fake news serves to incite fear in the public. It’s divisive, destructive and chips away at the foundations of our society. For all the iterations the travel ban may go through, the public must stand in a united front and secure the promise of America for generations to come. Hasan is a finance and IRG sophomore from Plano.
Silence is worth a thousand words columnist
For a while, China has attempted to influence U.S. higher education on a large scale, such as through its state-funded Confucius Institutes that now number 110 from coast to coast. In exchange for classes and instructors at host universities, colleges are implicitly supposed to paint China in a positive light: The Dalai Lama, Tibet, Taiwan, China’s military buildup and fights among Chinese leaders are all supposedly off limits. In the case of the CUSEF, its ties are to an arm of the Chinese Communist Party that supervises influence operations abroad. The CUSEF is registered as a foreign agent while its leader, Tung Chee-hwa, is a vice chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, one of two united-front organizations that China employs to extend influence into other countries. The CUSEF creates academic and professional exchanges and brings U.S. writers, intellectuals and our political and military leaders to China. It has also cooperated on projects with numerous U.S. institutes and nonprofits. For the sake of U.S. independence and sovereignty, we must divorce ourselves from organizations that erode our core principles and threaten our commitment to truth and expression. One cannot forget China’s censorship of speech and totalitarian approach to governance of its people when dealing with satellite organizations such as the CUSEF. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, weighed in, stating in a letter to UT that he worried “(the organization) would disseminate PRC propaganda within the Center and compromise its credibility.” UT’s rejection of CUSEF funding should serve as an example to other U.S. institutions that, no matter the cost, doing the right thing always supersedes financial considerations. Fenves replied to Sen. Cruz in a letter, saying, “We must ensure that the receipt of outside funding does not create potential conflicts of interest or place limits on academic freedom and the robust exchange of ideas. I am concerned about this if we were to accept funding from CUSEF.” We all owe Fenves a thank you. But the struggle to combat foreign molding of U.S. political and educational entities needs greater attention going forward. Between Russian meddling in the 2016 election and Chinese operations creeping into the educational sphere, we must remain vigilant, for our national security and constitutional foundations depend on it. Verses is a Plan II and environmental engineering freshman from San Antonio.
Trump’s crosshairs, dropped 29 percent between the two years. These students matter. High-quality research is conducted by drawing from the best minds in the world, from a variety of countries. Hostile immigration policy makes it difficult for researchers and academics to enter the country. Even though the latest iteration of the ban has outlined exemptions for Irani students, the ban stills poses a significant roadblock for them, and it’s uncertain who will be affected by this in the future. The ban sets barriers to a fundamental part of the American Dream — the promise that everyone gets a fair shot and if you work hard you can get ahead. The Trump administration’s tripling down on the travel ban is likely to make students
COLUMN
By Kereece McLean
We all owe Fenves a thank you. But the struggle to combat foreign molding of U.S. political and educational entities needs greater attention going forward.
mel westfall | the daily texan staff
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” President Donald Trump allegedly said. Although there have been contradictory accounts about the exact phrasing of the comments made during a bipartisan meeting by Trump, none of the attendees disputed that Trump expressed a strong preference for immigrants from Norway over Haiti, El Salvador or African nations. Not speaking out against Trump’s sentiments and language puts us at risk of normalizing his insolent behavior and making it okay for others to be racially insensitive. But let’s look at Trump’s question: Why would we want people from these countries to immigrate here? Haiti is a country still recovering from the tragedy of the 2010 earthquake. The clear reason Haitians immigrate to the United States is to escape problems that have resulted from the natural disaster, constricting their opportunities.
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.
America is the land of opportunity — this mantra was originated from a history of immigrants who were hungry to work and change their circumstances. Trump’s insinuation that immigrants from Norway, a majority white country, would be better additions to our country is insulting and indicative of a racist ideology. Trump’s comments say that countries like Haiti or those located in Africa produce subpar immigrants. It’s insulting and undermines immigrants like myself. Trinidad and Tobago would, no doubt, be referred to as a “shithole country” because of its impoverished economic status. I have seen my family persevere and work hard to give back to America. Neither my family and I nor any other immigrants from “shithole countries” are defined by where we came from, but by who we are. I refuse to be considered subpar or not good enough for America. Trump’s sentiments desensitize the public to racism and foster hate amongst Americans. Students like myself who find themselves in culturally ostracized groups suffer under this attitude.
Americans quickly saw the implications of Trump’s comments, but some politicians failed to even acknowledge the problem of his view. About 6 out of 10 Americans believe that Trump’s comments were racist, yet politicians like Rep. Rodney Davis took the moment to talk about bipartisanship rather than speak out on Trump’s comment. “The rhetoric coming from leaders in both parties does nothing to advance the kind of reforms that are best for America,” Davis said. The failure to speak up about the effects his words may have on immigrants only lowers the bar for what is acceptable to say as the president of the free world. The president should act as a marker of proper behavior, as they may become acceptable in the mainstream media. Trump’s tendency to make ignorant, disparaging comments, which are that offensive to an array of Americans. America is better than this rhetoric, and politicians who aid in the growth of America should serve as voices of reason. Kereece McLean is an English junior from Houston.
GALLERY
yullisa chavez | the daily texan staff
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.
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.
5
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
JESTER
Forced Witness - Alex Cameron
ALBUMS
continues from page 8
and “Up The Tower”.
Brick Body Kids Still Daydream Open Mike Eagle
After making waves in the underground rap scene for nearly a decade, Open Mike Eagle finally struck gold with his sixth
Forced Witness is as far from forced as any listener could imagine — the record is so natural and simple yet so entertaining. The album focuses on beautiful, layered synthpop, using simple fluttering nuances of an occasional guitar and brass instrument to accent key moments.
Los Angeles - Rosalia
Named not after the famous U.S. city, but after “The Angels,” Rosalia’s debut album is an angelic experience fit for the indie breakout star. Los Angeles takes on the art form known as flamenco, but unlike most flamenco, Rosalia’s take is dark and brooding. From the start, it’s obvious
continues from page 8 necessities you need in prison.” Huang is doubtful new students have the time to use the wide range of resources in Jester to create a lasting community. “The majority of people who had lived in Jester didn’t have a class in Jester, so we never experienced that,” said Huang. However, Jester’s communities have also developed in unplanned ways. Janice Kim, an architecture junior and former Jester freshman, said people would gather to study and chat at benches lining Jester’s hallways. “Right outside of the RA’s room and the laundry room, there were benches and a group of people would always be out there studying,” said Kim. “For the people who tried
CRYPTO
continues from page 8
LP Brick Body Kids Still Day dream. The 37-year old Chicago native flexed his chops with 2014’s Dark Comedy, but this most recent album is his biggest and best yet. Revolving around the housing project Open Mike Eagle grew up in, Brick Body Kids paints a picture of beauty around the typically neglected building. Open Mike Eagle uses his nuanced rhymes and simplistic delivery to recognize the darker moments of his childhood, something few artists could accomplish.
Although the instrumentals certainly impress on this record, Forced Witness’ longevity is a result of Cameron’s relatability and internal debate. At times, this album’s contradictions and self-criticism become overbearing and occasionally cringe-worthy in Cameron’s more desperate moments, but once the tension is released and instruments ease up, it’s back to fun, danceable tunes like “Country Figs” and “Runnin’ Outta Luck.”
APPLY
Rosalia’s unafraid to display her heritage. Hailing from Spain, Rosalia uses her Spanish influences to build up an introspective atmosphere. Lying in the background are softly strummed acoustic guitars and the occasional drum. This allows Rosalia to showcase her vocal talents and demand the attention of listeners, moving from soft whispers to wailing cries in any given song. Although English speakers might need Google Translate for this album, it’s well worth the time.
to work at THEDAILYTEXAN.COM/PARTICIPATE
CLASSIFIEDS; Black
MEDICAL
GET SOCIAL WITH TSM Donate Sperm, Get Paid! Healthy men, age 18-39 apply at
DAILYTEXANONLINE.COM Facebook at dailytexan Twitter @thedailytexan
Texas Student Media will keep you connected with daily links to the news, sports and culture stories shaping the UT community.
said. “(The bot) looks alright, probably (has) some kinks and quirks there, but nothing that should be too hard to fix.” Enwere said he hopes UT Coin can become something more than a part of the ongoing cryptocurrency fad. “Maybe (we can) integrate it into the dining hall if we can get it up to that level. Everybody wants to be on the blockchain nowadays,” Enwere said. “(We’re) not trying to rush anything because it’s still in its infancy stage. You have to walk before you run.” Villarreal and Enwere said they hope to have all coins delivered by Jan. 29, but time is of the essence due to a competing UT crypto solution. After seeing Villarreal’s post, math senior Ian Macalinao was inspired to do the same thing, creating his own cryptocurrency he dubbed Speedway Brick. Macalinao said he started following cryptocurrencies in
check us out
ONLINE
to utilize (the building), it did create community.” Architecture freshman Andre Rezaie, a Jester West resident, said Jester’s laundry rooms became places of spontaneous dialogue. “In the laundry room we’re all waiting on the same thing and can spark up a conversation,” Rezaie said. “I guess that wasn’t the intent, but that’s what I’ve found.” Though shabby aesthetically and far from accomplishing its utopian goals, Jester still allows its residents to find community. While some students meet while going from class to lunch as imagined by the architects, others meet in unexpected ways — whether by sharing a favorite study bench or loitering spot. Architecture can nurture communities into form, but it can’t stop them from forming.
2013. Since its sudden growth in popularity this past year, Macalinao said he has been trying to grow the Texas crypto-community through txcrypto.org, a chat group he made about three months ago. He encourages those interested in cryptocurrency to join. “I’ve wanted to get all the people in Texas interested in cryptocurrency talking about this thing,” Macalinao said. “The chat is really welcoming, and I’m happy to teach people trading development — anything related to cryptocurrency.” For now, Macalinao said he sees Speedway Brick as a meme. He’s been able to give 15,000 bricks to 15 people, but he doesn’t see it being used for anything serious aside from sparking interest in cryptocurrencies. Villarreal said though he takes his vow seriously, he views UT Coin in a similiar way that Macalinao sees Speedway Brick. “I just think it’s something cool for UT students,” Villarreal said.
stories videos photo galleries thedailytexan.com
THIS WEEK IN TEXAS ATHLETICS
MEN’S BASKETBALL FRANK ERWIN CENTER
Monday, Jan. 22: vs. Iowa State, 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27: vs. Mississippi, 1 p.m.
SATURDAY, JAN. 27 | 7 P.M.
{
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. IOWA STATE FRANK ERWIN CENTER
YOUR PURCHASE SUPPORTS STUDENT JOURNALISM THE DAILY TEXAN LONGHORN LIFE TEXAS TRAVESTY CACTUS YEARBOOK BURNT X KVRX RADIO TSTV
MEN’S TENNIS TEXAS TENNIS CENTER, 2100 COMAL ST.
TO PURCHASE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT VISIT WWW.SINCE1791.US
ITA Kick-Off Weekend Saturday, Jan. 27: vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28: vs. Minnesota OR Tennessee, 1 p.m.
• FREE ADMISSION!
TexasSports.com/BigTicket TexasSports.com/FacStaffTix TexasSports.com/Tickets 512-471-3333 digest.texasstudentmedia.com ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its offi cers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, print-ing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.
Reduce • Reuse • Recycle
6
TRENTON DAESCHNER
SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
MEN’S BASKETBALL
anthony mireles | the daily texan file Power forward Dylan Osetkowski launches a layup over Iowa State’s Cameron Lard during Texas’ 73-57 win Monday.
NCAA Tournament still within reach, but work needs to be done By Dalton Phillips @dalton_tweets
Texas excelled in its return to the Frank Erwin Center on Monday night. A surging Iowa State team that had just beaten Texas Tech by 18 was dispatched rather easily as the Longhorns never trailed in their 73-57 victory. The game saw head coach Shaka Smart abandon the three-forward lineup in favor of moving the sharpshooting freshman Jase Febres to the wing. It’s unclear whether Smart read last week’s column from the win over then-No. 8 Texas Tech, which suggested a similar shakeup, but the new lineup looked much smoother on both ends of the ball. Offensively, the spacing of a third shooter gave junior forward Dylan Osetkowski and freshman forward Mo Bamba plenty of room to operate in the paint. On the first play of the game, the Longhorns ran an inside-out set with Osetkowski that generated a good look for freshman guard Matt Coleman cutting to the lane. On the ensuing possession, Osetkowski caught the ball on the same left block and spun on the baseline for an easy two-handed dunk. The defender that previously would have rotated off freshman forward Jericho Sims’ man was forced to stay attached to Febres outside, and Osetkowski punished the lack of help defense. It is clear Smart is making Osetkowski a focal point in the offense again — and with good reason. He, along with junior guard Kerwin Roach II, are the only Longhorns who are able to generate a shot for themselves with any regularity. The additional spacing also worked wonders for Bamba and Roach, players who thrive with an open lane when getting to the rim. Bamba and Roach
scored career-highs with the smaller lineup, contributing 46 of Texas’ 73 points on the night. Despite the win, the team still remains a rollercoaster of inconsistency. On any given night, fans aren’t sure whether they’re getting the Longhorns that beat TCU and Texas Tech or the team that collapsed on the road against West Virginia and Oklahoma State. Location plays a role, but the massive disparity from game to game has made it impossible to build any kind of consistency this season. Part of the up-anddown performances stem from the fact that Texas seems to win and lose by Roach’s hand. He is the only guard right now able to consistently create for himself and his teammates. Coleman is a promising prospect, but the freshman point guard is still adjusting to the pace of the college game. In his last two outings, Coleman has shot a dismal 2-of-12 from the floor to go along with six assists and four turnovers. It’s clear he’s going to be the leader for Texas in the near future, but he’s not there yet. All but 17 of Texas’ points against Iowa State on Monday night came from Bamba, Roach and Osetkowski. The team can’t continue to rely on career nights from its stars to get them past average Big 12 opponents. If the Longhorns are serious about finding success, Smart is going to have to find a way to unlock potential from the rest of the roster. Ten conference games remain for Texas, including road matchups with TCU, Kansas and Oklahoma. The Longhorns are thoroughly in the middle of the pack through their first eight Big 12 games, with a chance to climb the rankings for an NCAA Tournament bid — or slide back toward last season’s mediocrity.
check us out
ONLINE
stories videos photo galleries thedailytexan.com
FOOTBALL
juan figueroa | the daily texan file Texas head coach Tom Herman watches from the sideline during a game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Herman finished his first season at Texas with a 7–6 record and a Texas Bowl victory — the team’s best finish since 2013 and first bowl win since 2012.
Storylines to follow in eventful offseason Signing day, spring football and draft all ahead for Longhorns By Keshav Prathivadi @kpthefirst
D
arrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium may be quiet this spring, but that doesn’t mean the Longhorns will be. With a lot happening off the field this offseason, Texas will be recruiting and reorganizing on all levels. Here are some things to look out for this offseason:
Recruiting push
Texas inked 19 recruits during the early signing period in December, including some of the state’s finest talent. Over the weekend, the Longhorns received commitments from three-star defensive end Daniel Carson (Missouri) and three-star athlete/defensive end Michael
Williams (Louisiana). These two out-of-state commits will provide much-needed depth on the defensive line. The Longhorns will have to wait until National Signing Day on Feb. 7 to make the rest of their 2018 recruiting class official. Already the nation’s third-ranked class per 247Sports’ rankings, Texas will look to cap off a successful recruiting cycle two weeks from now.
Coaching changes
On Jan. 17, Auburn offensive line coach Herb Hand was named co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach for the Longhorns. With his hiring, offensive line coach Derek Warehime has been reassigned to the tight ends, per Warehime’s Twitter bio. The adjustment in the staff could help Texas better address its woes from last season on both the offensive line and at the tight end position, as Texas struggled often in the running game and
pass protection.
NFL Draft and pro days
Texas’ NFL prospects will have a chance to showcase their skills to scouts ahead of the NFL Draft and Scouting Combine this spring, highlighted by a talented junior class of potential draftees. Those training through the spring for the NFL Draft and Texas’ pro day include safety DeShon Elliott, left tackle Connor Williams, linebacker Malik Jefferson, cornerback Holton Hill and punter Michael Dickson. Only one Longhorn player in each of the previous two years has been selected in the draft, but Texas should expect to hear multiple names called in this year’s draft, which will kick off on April 26.
Spring football
Along with its returning players, Texas will see eight early enrollees from the 2018 recruiting class join the team for spring football.
Sophomore quarterback Shane Buechele, who underwent surgery last week for a torn adductor (hip)/abdominal muscle, is expected to be ready for spring practice come March. Buechele, freshman Sam Ehlinger and newcomers Cameron Rising and Casey Thompson are expected to battle it out this spring for the starting quarterback job. This offseason should also be a time for the Longhorns to focus on their play on both the offensive and defensive lines. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck will get a chance to reorganize what was often a sluggish offense last season. With a coaching addition already in place to help address these issues, all eyes will be on the spring game when Texas’ adjustments will be put under the microscope. The Longhorns’ first spring practice is slated for March 5. The spring game is yet to be scheduled.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Texas prepares to lock down Brown By Drew King @drewking0222
Early in the third quarter of Saturday’s 75-50 win over Kansas State, Baylor senior forward Dekeiya Cohen lobbed a high-arching post feed to Kalani Brown. The ball would have soared out of bounds over most players’ hands. Brown snatched it with ease. The junior center caught the ball over her back shoulder. She stood behind the backboard, facing the baseline with a defender on each hip. Most players would have panicked at the threat of a double team, pivoted around and looked desperately for a teammate to rescue them. Brown didn’t need to. She dribbled once, banged into the defender on her right and jutted her arms out a few degrees backward before flicking the ball up. The baseline referee blew her whistle for a foul on Kansas State as the ball skimmed off the backboard and through the hoop. Brown made the ensuing and-one free throw. She finished the game with 33 points, 19 rebounds and two blocks. “She’s a smart basketball
player,” said Texas senior guard Ariel Atkins, who played with Brown over the summer on the United States’ under-23 team. “She doesn’t necessarily just throw up anything you give her. She knows how to kick the ball out. She knows when you take some things away from her, she can just go the other way.” Plays like this are routine for Brown. The 6-foot-7 post is big for No. 3 Baylor in every sense of the word. She’s tied with Kansas State junior center Anastasia Tsybaeva as the Big 12’s tallest player and leads the conference with 21.7 points per game and a 70.6-percent shooting percentage. Brown’s vertical advantage has helped the Bears (17–1, 7–0 Big 12) tear through the NCAA this year. They’ve won 14 straight games, each by at least 22 points, since their lone loss of the season to then-No. 8 UCLA. “I’ve seen (Brown) grow a lot,” said Texas head coach Karen Aston. “Her conditioning is better. She’s got a few counters now and can hit the high-post shot. She’s added a lot to her game, she’s much improved.” Historically, No. 6 Texas (15– 3, 6–1 Big 12) has been mystified by Baylor’s dominance — and
NEWSCAST Tune in on Fridays at 5 p.m. at soundcloud.com/thedailytexan
joshua guerra | the daily texan file Baylor center Kalani Brown fights for loose ball uring the Bears’ 7067 win over Texas during the 2016–17 season. Brown’s, too. The Longhorns lost 14 consecutive outings to the Bears from 2011–16. Texas finally snapped the streak with an 85-79 upset in Waco on Feb. 6, 2017. Brown scored 24 points in that game. She followed it up in the rematch at the Frank Erwin Center with a 35-point, 13-rebound performance in a 70-67 Baylor win two weeks later. “We tried a lot of different things, tried helping off the ball, but again we didn’t have an answer for (Brown),” Aston said after the loss. “She got exactly
where she wanted most of the evening and she was tremendous. She’s a tremendous talent.” Aston will need to find an answer when Texas travels to Waco to take on Brown and the Bears on Thursday. The Longhorns are loaded with canny defenders who can normally hold their own in the paint. Brown isn’t normal, though. Even Texas’ longest bigs come up a full three inches shorter than her. So how do you stop her? “(You) jump on her back,” Atkins said.
APPLY to work at
THEDAILYTEXAN.COM/PARTICIPATE
7
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
CROSSWORD; Black
SUDOKUFORYOU
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
9 1 2 4 7
7 3
8
3 1 3 6 9 2 5 8 4 8 1 3 6 7 4
8 5 2 9 1 3 5 2 7 1
8 6 9 7 4 1 2 5 3
1 3 2 6 5 8 4 7 9
7 4 5 2 3 9 8 1 6
5 9 7 3 8 2 6 4 1
6 2 1 9 7 4 3 8 5
3 8 4 1 6 5 7 9 2
4 7 3 5 9 6 1 2 8
2 5 6 8 1 7 9 3 4
9 1 8 4 2 3 5 6 7
8
CHARLES LIU & CHRIS DUNCAN
LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
CAMPUS
Fact or Fiction: Jester modeled after prisons By Hannah George @hannahkgeorge
Towering above neighboring buildings on the south side of UT’s campus, many students joke that the dull, dreary-looking Jester Center looks like a prison. Some even believe that a few of the dormitory’s inner features parallel those of a penitentiary. “I went into the showers and I had to bend to reach the showerheads, and someone told me the architect had designed it so that prisoners couldn’t hang themselves,” said nutrition freshman Jerrica Garza, a resident of Jester East. “Makes sense I guess.” Arguably, the most widely-believed urban legend about UT’s campus is that Jester was designed by architects specializing in prisons. I was really hoping this would be true, but it’s actually just cringeworthy folklore. Still, with its slick red tiling underfoot, Jester looks just enough like a jail for the student body to buy the story without bothering to Google it. Tiny windows edged in concrete dot the tired brick walls, locking in Jester’s unflattering fluorescent glow. Jester’s drab architecture may look imprisoning, but according to the Campus Guide to the University of Texas at Austin, the Beauford H. Jester Center was designed to “foster a sense of community
among the university’s newest students” by providing “numerous opportunities to interrelate living experience and the learning experience.” The idea was that if everything you need is inside, it will eventually become home. With a cafeteria, a market, classrooms, commercial eating venues, the Sanger Learning Center, Jester Mail and Service Center and even a small art gallery, Jester was designed so its residents could easily spend a full day without leaving. As a result, Jester holds opportunities for people to meet and friends to run into one another. “I was sitting in the study lounge one day and these three girls just sat next to me and started talking, and now we hang out,” said Garza. “When you see someone all the time in the hallways, the market or the dining hall, you start to pick up on their name and build a relationship with them.” Jonathan Huang, an architecture and architectural engineering junior and former Jester resident, said that Jester’s programs — the activities for which a building is designed — are similar to those of a prison. “The program required for a prison compared to the program required for a dorm is pretty similar,” said Huang. “You need to shove as many people as possible into a building and provide public showers and the same basic
JESTER page 5
CAMPUS
UT welcomes cryptocurrency craze daily. However, Villarreal said he planned on making a cryptocurrency regardless of the attention it received. “Cryptocurrency is something that I’ve been wanting to get into for awhile just to see how it works,” Villarreal said. “I just put it out there just kind of for fun, but I knew I would follow through.” According to Villarreal, making the coin isn’t the hard part. UT Coin is based off the Ethereum network, a cryptocurrency template that hosts many smaller coins. The hardest part of any coin’s rollout is the struggle for adoption and delivering on an ICO, or initial coin offering. Despite the difficulties, Villarreal is trying to deliver on his vow.
UT students create two University-themed crypto coins: UT Coin and Speedway Brick. By Ruben Paquian @rubenpaq
W
ith the recent growth in popularity of cryptocurrencies, new coins pop up every day. Aside from popular coins such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, you can trade coins such as Dogecoin, Anti-Bitcoin, The Vegan Initiative and, soon, UT Coin. UT Coin was first conceived on Jan. 13 as a satirical post on the Facebook page “UT LONGmemes for HORNSy teens” by computer science freshman Levi Villarreal. Villarreal announced he would make a UT-themed cryptocurrency upon receiving 1,000 reactions, and everyone who commented on the post would receive one UT Coin. Since then, the post has received over four-thousand reactions, with more enthusiastic comments added almost
“I’m gonna try as hard as I can not to break the original promise of, ‘If you comment you’ll get one,’” Villarreal said. “I’m pretty confident we will be able to get it done.” To pull off this feat, Villarreal said he asked for help from a few of his classmates. For example, he recruited computer science freshman Chinedu Enwere and tasked him with making a bot that will send messages to every commenter instructing them how to receive their coin. As of now, the bot is finished and undergoing tests. “The adoption of (UT Coin), that’s the hard part,” Enwere
CRYPTO page 5
cameron dehghani | the daily texan staff
6659/House Ads-TSM - Director’s; Process color
ALBUM REVIEWS
Best unheard albums of 2017 By Chris Duncan @chr_dunc
Given how easy it is to release an album in the digital age of art, it’s easy to miss some gems. Don’t fret — The Daily Texan is here to help you figure out what you missed from the past year in music.
Carrie & Lowell Live - Sufjan Stevens
Although this might just be a live rendition of his already impressive 2015 album Carrie & Lowell, Sufjan Stevens proves on this album he’s not just a studio wonder. In fact, Carrie & Lowell Live is magnitudes better than its studio companion, with Stevens’
performances of “Death with Dignity” and “Drawn to the Blood” taking on a completely new energy with dynamic and exciting renditions of his latest classics. Concluding a tense and riveting setlist with his own acoustic-based cover of Drake’s mega-hit “Hotline Bling,” Stevens displays his prowess as a musician throughout the entire album. Carrie & Lowell Live brings an entirely new-andimproved feeling to one of Stevens’ best albums, making it flat out one of the most impressive albums of the year.
Relatives in Descent Protomartyr Although
has a history of releasing fun post-punk albums, Relatives in Descent takes their dark sound and existential focus to a completely new level. The foursome manages to avoid the retro clichés of many other modern punk and post-punk bands, tastefully pulling from inspirations such as Wire and Constantines while blazing their own trail in the genre. The songs of Relatives in Descent are unconventional, taking an instrument-heavy approach to a philosophical and political album. Vocalist Joe Casey has to be the biggest pessimist of the year, drawing the current political state of affairs to mind with songs such as “My Children”
Protomartyr
ALBUMS page 5
6661/House Ads-TSM - Director’s; Process color
TEXAS STUDENT MEDIA APPLICATION AVAILABLE FOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE DAILY TEXAN Term of Office: June 1, 2018 - May 31, 2019
Information & application are available at texasstudentmedia.com This application and supporting materials must be submitted to the TSM Business Office (HSM 3.200 / William Randolph Hearst Building, 2500 Whitis Avenue) by Monday, January 29, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. Candidates are due to be certified at the TSM Board meeting scheduled for Friday, February 2, 2018 Please plan to attend and discuss your application with the Operating Trustees.