SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900 @THEDAILYTEXAN | THEDAILYTEXAN.COM
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018
VOLUME 118, ISSUE 96
N E WS
O PI N I O N
LI FE&A RTS
SPORTS
Longtime Longhorn Run coach encourages students to start training early. PAGE 2
Columnist explains the effects of Austin’s public transit system on student housing options. PAGE 4
UT study abroad restrictions force students to make difficult decisions. PAGE 8
While other teams are scrambling before National Signing Day, Texas isn’t sweating. PAGE 6
THEATER
Play ‘Hijabi Monologues’ examines Islamic womanhood
CAMPUS
GRAFFITI TARGETS PROFESSOR
By Brooke Vincent @brooke_e_v
Wearing a hijab is only part of Imani Sebri’s identity. She said she has crushes and gets stressed about class, but is often reduced to the scarf she wears, not the woman she is — an issue the upcoming play “Hijabi Monologues” addresses. “Hijabi Monologues” will be performed on campus for the first time on March 28. The episodic show has been interpreted by different groups of performers across the nation and focuses on the narratives of Muslim women and their experiences in the world, not the social or political discussions surrounding their scarves. “I think people are going to listen to these stories and forget that people are wearing a scarf,” said Hanan Hashem, “Hijabi Monologues” producer and educational psychology graduate student. “They are going to connect with the person telling the story and the story itself. I think we’re trying to break that barrier of seeing the hijabi woman as being unapproachable or distant or different. We’re not.” The stories, written and compiled by Muslim women across the United States in 2006, will be performed by students and touch on topic such as love, friends and family. “As a hijabi who has seen these shows, I’ve always felt like, ‘Yes, that’s what I’m feeling,’” Hashem said. “You feel like your story is being told without you telling it, which is a lot of the time the most exhausting part about being a hijabi. You’re constantly having to showcase that all these stereotypes are wrong. This is a great way to do that without
Vandalism calls out controversial professor still employed by UT. By Anna Lassmann @annalassmann
T
he College of Pharmacy building was tagged Monday morning with red spray paint messages such as “UT harbors abusers” and “Watch your back Richard.” Cindy Posey, UTPD’s public information officer, said officers noticed the spray paint at approximately 3:25 a.m. Monday. The officers could smell that the paint was fresh at that time, Posey said. UT’s Facilities Services began to work on removing the spray paint from the pharmacy buildings after UTPD noticed the paint, Posey said. The incident comes after the Austin American-Statesman reported on Jan. 24 that pharmacy professor Richard Morrisett was still
employed by UT after pleading guilty to felony charges. In May 2016 Morrisett was charged with strangling his girlfriend until “she saw stars,” and was later accused of another violent incident in July 2016 that sent his girlfriend to the hospital and violated a restraining order, according to arrest affidavits. Morrisett pleaded guilty to the first incident in February 2017, which resulted in an agreement with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office that resolved his cases and sentenced Morrisett to four years of probation, 100 hours of community service and a required class on family violence. Morrisett declined to comment on the incidents. UTPD is investigating the spray paint incident, said Jules Chan, UTPD public safety communications coordinator. Lubna Mazin, College of Pharmacy representative for Student Government, said in an email that she does not agree with the UT’s decision to keep Morrisett on faculty, but she
carlos garcia | the daily texan staff The College of Pharmacy building was vandalized in response to Professor Richard Morrisett’s ruling by the University. Professor Morrisett is on staff despite pleading guilty to a felony charge. does not condone the vandalism that has taken place. “The College of Pharmacy has received increased attention due to disappointing events involving Professor Richard Morrisett,” said Mazin, pharmacy graduate student,
in an email. “While we respect all opinions and concerns during this difficult time, repeated vandalism to our school has made our students, faculty and staff feel unsafe. We are
HIJABI page 2 CAMPUS
CAMPUS
Undeclared students test drive majors during annual event
UTPD safety campaign includes campus voices us, they’re here to help us, but we need to do what we can too to help them out.” @allyson_renee7 Cindy Posey, public information The UT Police Department’s Be Safe officer and creator of the Be Safe camcampaign is utilizing the voices of stu- paign, said the videos are used to indents and faculty in a series of videos crease awareness about the campaign among the UT communow being released to nity. More videos are set promote safety on camto be released later this pus. semester. As a public relations “This past fall we startmajor, UT alumna Cori ed the videos because we Martinez was one of seven students and faculty I think it was a great felt like (the campaign) was just another great who were featured in the way to show that way to get the message first Be Safe campaign out to students, faculty videos released last sestudents and UTPD and staff,” Posey said. mester on UTPD’s social Accounting senior media accounts. Each are supposed to be Elizabeth Morgan said video emphasized tips in a partnership. she appreciates that from the Be Safe camthe campaign features paign such as calling 911 student voices to make in an emergency situaCori Martinez, students more aware of tion, not walking alone UT alumna crime. and being aware of one’s “I think it’s easier to surroundings. “I think it was a great way to relate to someone that’s a student, and show that students and UTPD are it’s cool to get information that way,” supposed to be in a partnership,” Morgan said. Martinez said. “(UTPD) is here to serve
By Allyson Waller
By Sara Schleede @saraschleede
When Isabella Vazquez, undergraduate studies freshman, applied to UT, she didn’t get into her college of choice. Now, while she fulfills her core requirements and waits to apply for an internal transfer, she gets to spend a week in the role of a business student. Vazquez is a mentee in the third annual Interdisciplinary Studies Week. The event, hosted by the Senate of College Councils, Undergraduate Studies Council and the School of Undergraduate Studies, is a chance for undeclared students to shadow a student in a major they are interested in pursuing. “They get a better perspective of what the major is really like because it’s not
UNDECLARED page 2
GRAFFITI page 2
annette meyer | the daily texan staff
SAFETY page 2