SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900 @THEDAILYTEXAN | THEDAILYTEXAN.COM
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018
VOLUME 118, ISSUE 128
N E WS
O PI N I O N
LI FE&A RTS
SPORTS
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former president of Liberia, speaks at Hogg Auditorium. PAGE 2
Thoughts on the SG elections and UT’s data allotment to students. PAGE 4
Combining Tarot with the stage, Vortex crafts their own Westworld with Performance Park. PAGE 8
Sixteen Longhorns looked to build their NFL resumes at Texas’ Pro Day. PAGE 6
STATE
rena li | the daily texan staff
Cuts to higher education funding possible next session By Maria Mendez @mellow_maria
A
fter lawmakers’ attempts to overhaul higher education funding during the last legislative session, Texas universities may still face potential changes in 2019. A committee of 10 state senators and representatives is drafting a report recommending changes in how the state delivers funds to public universities, such as UT. The bipartisan committee is expected to release the report by April. The committee held two public hearings with higher
education leaders in February to review the two ways Texas supports universities: formula funding and non-formula, or “special item,” funding. Formula funding refers to appropriations that the state distributes after using a formula factoring how many students a university has and the students’ fields of study. Through special items funding, the Legislature also funds special projects such as UT’s McDonald Observatory. Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, serves on the committee and said it is particularly focused on reviewing special items funding, which was almost eliminated by the state Senate during last year’s session. “What happens is colleges become dependent on special items funding,” Hinojosa said, echoing concerns that this
secondary form of funding has become overused. However, Hinojosa said if special item funding is cut, universities could lose a large portion of their budgets. After the Texas House of Representatives set aside money for special items last session, UT received roughly $20 million for 14 special items for the 2017-18 fiscal year. But Raymund Paredes, the state’s commissioner of higher education, said the increased number of special items may not be sustainable. “Special items, they have just gotten out of control,” Paredes said. “Not necessarily in terms of money, but just in the accumulation of more and more programs that should be funded through the formula rather than special items category.”
LEGISLATURE page 2
CAMPUS
Legislative committee looks to reprioritize funding allocations. By Chase Karacostas @chasekaracostas
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ith low starting budget projections and large bills for Hurricane Harvey aid and Medicaid, higher education funding may be in danger of being cut when the state Legislature reconvenes next year. State Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who collects the state’s taxes and monitors its revenue, said in a January Senate Finance Committee hearing that the state will only have a $94 million “beginning balance” compared to $880 million in 2017 and $7.3 billion in 2015. The finance committee
helps write the state’s biennial budget each session. To make up for budget constraints, the first thing the Legislature does is turn to the comptroller to find more money, education and law professor Norma Cantu said. “The next reaction for the Legislature would be to look at reallocating resources, which means that one part of the state budget would be starved in order to support another part,” Cantu said. “That becomes a very divisive exercise, and the last recourse would be to look at raising taxes.” State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, is a member of the House’s Higher Education Committee and is currently working on an interim legislative committee looking at improving higher education funding. Howard said historically, when the state faces
severe budget constraints, higher education is often cut. This is because unlike K-12 public education or Medicaid, higher education is not mandated to receive a certain level of state funding each year, which Howard said makes it an easy target for funding cuts. “It’s not really the first (the Legislature) goes to, so much as it’s the last that gets anything,” Howard said. “(Nevertheless), the majority of legislators highly value higher education and want to support it.” Raymund Paredes, commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, said he doubts higher education will receive drastic changes in funding. However, Paredes said if the budget is tight, then it is hard to argue higher
COMMITTEE page 2
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Israel Block Party, ProPalestine protest return to UT By Brianna Stone @ bristone19
The Israel Block Party celebrated its 20-year anniversary Wednesday afternoon, bringing with it a community celebration to learn about Israel — the good and the bad. Organized by Texas Hillel and Texans for Israel, the event celebrates the culture of Israel through food, activities and education. People of all backgrounds gathered in the East Mall for the annual celebration after a delayed start due to weather. “The event is celebrating the culture and diversity of Israel and how amazing of a country it is,” event organizer Rachel Sasiene said. “We celebrate Israel for being a leader in investment capital and innovation
ISRAEL page 3
Guzman-Wolf executive alliance reflects on accomplishments, goals for University By Katie Balevic @katelynbalevic
As the administration of the 111th Student Government Assembly draws to a close, Student Body President Alejandrina Guzman and Vice President Micky Wolf reflected on what they accomplished and what they are passing on to the next administration. The team says they have championed students in the form of initiatives and legislation, but ultimately, they hope to pass on an emphasis on advocacy for and by students. “Really these roles are about showing up every day and being prepared to advocate on behalf of students,” said Wolf, a Plan II and business honors senior. The Guzman-Wolf team will be stepping down next Tuesday when president-elect Colton Becker, a nutrition senior, and vice president-elect Mehraz Rahman, a marketing and Plan II junior, take office. Representing 51,000 students is a thankless job, and a lot goes into it that students do not see, Guzman said. “You’re really dedicating everything you have to give to the students,” said Guzman, government and Mexican-American studies senior. “It’s worthwhile, but it’s so difficult …. People forget that you’re human, and you’re
gabriel lopez | the daily texan file Former student body president Alejandrina Guzman and vice President Micky Wolf finish their administration this semester. a student.” Their term was hectic from the beginning with several controversies and crimes occurring on campus week after week, Guzman said. “Some things pop up out of nowhere, and you have to react,” Guzman said. “When we first began our term … it was racist fliers, the vandalism and graffiti at Greek houses and then there was the May 1 (tragedy) where a student was murdered on campus.”
Reacting quickly while absorbing a variety of student opinions is key to succeeding, Wolf said. “Being able to act in those moments and be in the public eye but also taking in a lot of perspectives and act in a relatively quick manner is integral to what you’re doing in the job,” Wolf said. Their list of goals included empowering students and getting them involved in bettering their student experience, which Wolf said the alliance actively
worked on. “It’s advocating for students in spaces where they can’t always access (support), improving the student experience at the University and empowering students to better improve their experiences themselves,” Wolf said. The executive alliance spearheaded student volunteering initiatives, such as Passion with a Purpose, and celebrations of student groups such as the First Generation College Celebration, Wolf said. As their term progressed, they let students lead projects by connecting student advocates with administrators who could help them achieve their goals, Guzman said. “SG is in so many circles that students don’t typically have access to,” Guzman said. “We were able to begin the conversation with students … and bring those students to President Fenves and connect those issues to faces. That’s how powerful the voice of Student Government and student voices (are) when you connect these bridges.” Guzman said students should remember SG is an avenue of change that is theirs for the taking. “It’s theirs just as much as the next person’s,” Guzman said. “Keep demanding. Keep pressuring. Keep being the activist or advocate or student leader that you are. People are listening.”