SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900 @THEDAILYTEXAN | THEDAILYTEXAN.COM
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
VOLUME 118, ISSUE XX
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UT’s muslim sorority finishes first year on campus after founding at UT Dallas campus. PAGE 2
Finding solutions to the blue book situation and local news bias. PAGE 4
Go to pound town with The Rock’s ridiculous new monster flick. PAGE 8
Imani McGee- Stafford describes her experience at the 2016 WNBA draft. PAGE 6
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On-campus sexual assault initiatives Prevention programs implemented in response to last year’s CLASE report. By Stephanie Adeline @stephadeline
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It’s been one year since Briana Torres, a Plan II and English sophomore, read an eye-opening campus-wide email, stating 15 percent of undergraduate women at UT-Austin reported they had been raped. Eight months later, Torres created the UT chapter of It’s On Us. “It was just so heartbreaking to me,” Torres said. “It definitely had a direct impact on me as a UT student, taking initiative, trying to see where to close the gap to help that number to go down.” It’s On Us was just one of the actions taken by the UT community since the release of the Cultivating Learning and Safe Environments,
or CLASE, report in March 2017. The report detailed the prevalence of sexual assault on campus and included a “Next Steps” section detailing action items, many of which have been implemented in the past year. One of the actions was expanding non-mandatory reporting options outside of the Counseling and Mental Health Center, or CMHC. Non-mandatory reporting options allow students to explore information about resources, services and remedies available without automatically requiring a Title IX report. Since August 2017, students can meet with two confidential advocates at Student Emergency Services and the Title IX office. Bree Van Ness, a confidential advocate and peer advocacy coordinator, provides crisis interventions for
students impacted by interpersonal violence. Van Ness said her role was created because some students see going to counseling as a daunting process. “(Students) wanted alternative options from the mental health center just because I know there’s still unfortunately a negative stigma of going to a counselor,” Van Ness said. Confidential advocates are not licensed clinicians, and all serve on UT staff, Van Ness said. Instead of the long term support that CMHC provides, confidential advocates help students get connected to reporting options and resources on and off campus. In addition, undergraduate and graduate students can seek help from expertly-trained students through the Interpersonal Violence Peer Support, IVPS, program
launched last fall. Mia Goldstein, radio-television-film and Plan II Honors junior and IVPS student coordinator, said she proposed her ideas to Voices Against Violence, the Title IX office and Student Emergency Services in 2016, and the program became a reality a year after. Goldstein said that although she wishes more funding could be allocated to support interpersonal violence prevention, the amount of effort the University puts into the creation of IVPS showcased its commitment. “I think IVPS is a testament to the fact that the University does care,” Goldstein said. “I think funding could be allocated differently sometimes, but I do think they are doing their absolute best with what
UT sexual assault prevention initiatives in 2017 MARCH 2017 CLASE report was released.
MAY 2017 Student Emergency Services hired full-time Confidential Advocate.
JUNE 2017 CMHC hired full-time BeVocal Coordinator.
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AUGUST 2017 Title IX office and Student Emergency Services launched Confidential Advocate option; University Ombuds office offered nonmandatory reporting option; “I like, LIKE you” became a permanent program of Voices against Violence.
OCTOBER 2017 Interpersonal Violence Peer Support program was created.
NOVEMBER 2017 It’s On Us, a new sponsored student organization, was created.
DECEMBER 2017 Title IX office hired fulltime Title IX Education Coorinator. mallika gandhi | the daily texan staff
victoria smith | the daily texan staff
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copyright noelle newton, and reproduced with permission Last Wednesday, UTPD recognized some of its officers for their response to damaged UT properties in Port Aransas and Houston.
carlos garcia | the daily texan file Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the 40 Acres on Feb. 1. Tillerson is rumored to be one of the candidates for UT System chancellor.
UT working to increase accessibility for disabled students By Brianna Stone @bristone19
The University is working to ensure students with disabilities are properly accommodated for and able to fully enjoy their college experience on the 40 Acres. Increased efforts for diversity and inclusion, in addition to race, ethnicity and gender, also include disabilities. Services for Students with Disabilities, SSD, and federal laws serve to protect the rights of students with disabilities and provide them with the proper tools to make UT accessible. In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, prohibiting discrimination based on disability. According to the SSD, there are currently around 2,700 students registered with the offices, with various disabilities including learning, psychological, health and mobility.
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UTPD officers honored for Hurricane Harvey response By Tehreem Shahab @turhem
The UT Police Department recognized 14 officers for their response to damaged UT-Austin properties in Port Aransas and Houston with a certificate and ribbon to wear on their uniforms last Wednesday. UTPD sent 12 officers to the UT-Austin Marine Sciences Institute in Port Aransas and two to the
MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston roughly 10 days after Hurricane Harvey. Capt. Chris Bonnet, one of the officers who was sent to Port Aransas, said they provided assistance in different ways, such as delivering water to residents and providing first aid, but they mainly focused on ensuring there was no criminal activity in the area. “Primarily, our job down there
UTPD page 2
What does it take to be UT System chancellor? By Maria Mendez @mellow_maria
With UT System Chancellor William McRaven set to retire in May, reports about former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson being a potential candidate have sparked discussions about who the Board of Regents could pick to lead the System. So, what does it take to be the chancellor of the biggest university system in Texas? The next UT System chancellor will have to be an effective
communicator and advocate, experts and state leaders say. The chancellor, or chief executive officer, is arguably the most important role in the UT System, said McCombs School of Business professor Kristie Loescher. Like any other CEO, the chancellor will define the mission and direction of future growth for the System, Loescher said. “The primary job of the CEO is to be able to articulate those things very clearly and then influence people to follow him or her in the direction of
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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018T
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First Muslim sorority chapter seeks to redefine Muslim womanhood after one year on campus
Photographers Jamie Loper, Jessica Joseph, Devika Manish Kumar, Nikita Sveshnikov. Hannah Yoes Sports Reporters Robert Larkin
By Sol Chase
@solchaseforsure
Mu Delta Alpha, the first Muslim sorority in the country, has come a long way in a very short time. In its first year at UT Austin, the sorority saw more than 100 women apply, of which they accepted 10 new members. The sorority was founded at UT-Dallas in 2016 by Samira Maddox and opened its Beta chapter at UT-Austin in the fall of 2017. The organization seeks to empower Muslim women through professional development. Sociology junior Nisa Sheikh, the chapter’s financial officer, said she and her sisters are attempting to break down traditional images of Muslim women. “The narrative right now is that Muslim women are oppressed and can’t pursue careers,” Sheikh said. “When you have a professional Muslim sorority come up, it breaks that stereotype and people have to reconsider what they believe.” Eileen Flynn DeLaO, a journalism lecturer specializing in religion, said the sorority allows Muslim women to take part in a culture that has traditionally excluded them. “Greek life serves a lot of people very well,” DeLaO said. “What the sorority is doing is saying, ‘We’re normal, we’re part of the scene.’” Since 2016, MDA has received a lot of media attention.
alec blair | the daily texan file Mu Delta Alpha, the first Muslim sorority in the country, was founded at UT-Dallas in 2016. The UT chapter just finished their first year on campus, during which 100 members applied. Organizations such as CNN, the Texas Tribune and NPR have covered the sorority’s founding. DeLaO said the extensive media coverage is part of a nationwide trend. “There’s a sense that young people can and should be heard,” DeLaO said, citing the March For Our Lives and Me Too movements as additional examples.
“They’re claiming their space in the public square.” Sheikh said the media coverage furthered the sorority’s goal of dismantling stereotypes. “When people see it in the open, maybe they research Muslim women,” Sheikh said. “(It will) break down their previous ideas.” While the sorority is the first
of its kind, it exists within a wide community of Muslim organizations on campus, many of which have a long history at UT. “All the communities are really intermingled,” said Sarah Youssef, vice president of the Muslim Students’ Association, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017. Youssef said while the MSA
seeks to appeal to the broader Muslim community, the sorority’s relatively small size will allow them to focus on close-knit community and vital interpersonal relationships. “As a minority, I think it’s really important to be around people who have similar experiences to you,” Youssef said. “They’re building a sisterhood.”
L&A Reporters James Preston Poole,
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Jennifer Maedgen serves as the campus ADA coordinator and works to provide equal access for disabled students. “We help students with disabilities through the SSD, and they work with students on an individual basis to determine what accommodations are appropriate,” Maedgen said. “Most of the accommodations are in respect to coursework and depend on the nature of the student, their disability and their academic work.” Maedgen said UT currently does not offer a system for assisting students with mobility disabilities getting around campus. “What we do provide for many students is priority registration for class so they can register on the first day, taking accessibility into account when making their schedule,” Maedgen said. Most students at UT have invisible disabilities, or those that cannot be seen,
Maedgen said. “Ability is an important aspect of diversity,” Maedgen said. “Accessibility isn’t something at the forefront of people’s mind unless it affects them or they know somebody it affects. More awareness and recognition of people’s needs could help make the campus more inclusive for all people.” Government sophomore Caroline Graves, who is in a wheelchair, is among the 2,700 Longhorns who are registered with the SSD. Through the office, she is able to get academic accommodations and accommodations for her on-campus living quarters. However, Graves said overall the UT campus is not very accessible. “When there’s construction, you might have to make another route around campus,” Graves said. “Some buildings don’t have push buttons (to open doors). Sometimes students leave their bikes on wheelchair ramps or ride their bikes down them, and ramps are some of the only ways I can
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get around certain areas.” Graves said able-bodied people should realize the issues students with disabilities go through and work to understand them and B @ educate others. Alejandrina Guzman is another student registered with the SSD. Guzman, a government and Mexican-American studies senior, made headlines when she became the first physically differently abled UT student body president last year. “In the summer, Micky (last year’s SG vice president) and I had 10 minutes to get to a building … I got there first but ended up arriving late to the meetings because the entrance I went to wasn’t accessible” Guzman said. “That was when it really hit me that being differently abled affects all aspects of your life.” Guzman said UT needs to dramatically improve mobility and accessibility. “It’s atrocious how many additional barriers exist for disabled, differently abled students on the 40 Acres,” Guzman said.
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they have.” CMHC has also taken steps on the issue. In summer 2017, CMHC hired a full-time coordinator for BeVocal, an initiative focusing on bystander intervention. VAV also added “I like, LIKE you,” a Theatre for Dialogue performance on healthy relationships, to their permanent program for the 2017–18 academic year.
Katy Redd, CMHC associate director for prevention and outreach, said CMHC is also in the process of hiring a full-time healthy masculinities coordinator to oversee MasculinUT, a program of VAV. The “Next Steps” section also included the implementation of a collaborative Title IX awareness campaign to educate students on reporting. Krista Anderson, associate vice president and Title IX coordinator, said the creation of
UT’s chapter of It’s On Us last November assisted with the Title IX office’s prevention and education efforts. Torres said many students are unaware of the resources from the Title IX office, and It’s On Us will help to connect students with those resources. “We really want to show people that the Title IX office is here for them and what a difference it can make in navigating your life as a survivor,” Torres said.
university administration, said Victor Saenz, Educational Leadership and Policy Department chair at UT. In the last decade, university systems have increasingly hired non-academic leaders, Saenz said. “In Texas, there’s six big university systems in the public sector,” Saenz said. “Five of those are led by individuals who are not traditional academic administrators. They came from industry. They came from the political arena.” A background in politics would benefit the System’s chancellor, who will have to advocate for state funding and support for UT institutions and students during the 2019 legislative session. “It is a very political position,” said State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. “The person who is in that position is certainly going to be looking at relationship building across the legislative body to ensure they get the support they need to actually fulfill the mission.” Raymund Paredes, the state commissioner of higher
education, said this will be crucial with mounting concerns about college costs. “The most important issue the chancellor will have to tackle is the efficiency of higher education,” Paredes said. “I think there’s a perception in the Legislature that higher education is not necessarily cost-effective.” Amarillo Republican Kel Seliger, who chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee, said the chancellor will be responsible for maximizing the financial assets of the UT System under a clear vision. Edwin Sharpe, a clinical professor of educational leadership and policy, served as a system executive vice chancellor of academic affairs in the 1990s and said there isn’t necessarily one perfect candidate for the job. But the chancellor will have to be ready to learn, Sharpe said. “You ultimately want someone who has a balance of skills and can make the most appropriate decisions from the information available,” Sharpe said.
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COPYRIGHT Copyright 2018 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 2018 Texas Student Media.
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continues from page 1 the future they’ve identified,” Loescher said. In the corporate world, CEOs can be forceful to ensure their vision is realized and makes customers happy, but Loescher said the chancellor will have to carefully balance the different needs of employees, faculty, students and parents across the System’s 14 institutions. This could pose the biggest challenge for a business person such as Tillerson, a former Exxon Mobil CEO and UT alumnus. “We have these really long-term, deeply embedded relationships with daily interactions,” Loescher said. “If someone comes from a business background, they will have to understand that complexity.” But business leaders are no longer uncommon in higher education. University system leaders previously ascended to the role by serving in
UTPD
continues from page 1 was to make sure no looting was going on or any other criminal activity on campus,” Bonnet said. “Law enforcement resources were stretched pretty thin on the island and we were there to make sure that the few officers that were there on the island did not have to worry about property.” UTPD kept a presence in both areas for about two weeks. Bonnet said only two officers were required to assist in Houston because it is a larger suburban area with enough law enforcement resources. The two officers were required to drive a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, strictly used by UTPD for high water rescues. “We took two of our officers that were trained and drove it down to Houston where they used it to transport mostly doctors around town,” Bonnet said. “All of the city was closed due to high water and road damage so the vehicle came very handy for that.” According to a news release by the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on Sept. 8, 2017, at least 35 percent of MD Anderson’s workforce had to evacuate their homes or experienced damage to their property during Harvey. Sgt. Brian Dillenberger, who was deployed in Port Aransas for five days, said the work day there went from
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. “We did that everyday for five days,” Dillenberger said. “We were responsible for patrolling the island and UT property as well and help out individuals who needed assistance — we were there to give people reassurance.” Sally Palmer, UT Marine Sciences Institute’s communications coordinator, said UT MSI has about 80 buildings on its campus and each suffered some kind of damage from Hurricane Harvey. Palmer said UT MSI is about 15 percent of the way finished with rebuilding and recovery. “All the buildings require work and there are a lot of some of them also require re-engineering,” Palmer said. “There’s a lot of our bigger buildings that had significant roof failures, so we have to do engineering and feasibility studies … There’s just a lot of process because there is so much damage. It’s also taking awhile because there’s a lot of damage in the surrounding communities and there’s not a lot of contractors available as they would be normally.” Palmer said UTPD’s additional assistance was helpful to security personnel as well as the rest of UT MSI’s staff. “They really helped us maintain a significant security presence,” Palmer said. “A lot of our own security or personnel’s homes were damaged, so some of them weren’t able to be at the Institute doing recovery, so emotionally it was a really big benefit to have them there.”
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jamie powers| the daily texan staff Emily Rigby relaxes with her dogs, Leland, Monty and Hank, as neighboring puppies come over to say hello.
Puppies pose for National Pets Day Portraits event
Urban Outfitters invites pets to free photo shoot for event.
By Sol Chase
@solchaseforsure
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espite a beating sun on Wednesday afternoon, Penny still worked the camera at Urban Outfitter’s Space 24 Twenty, nailing poses like “sit” and “stay.” The pug was brought out by her owner’s roommate, corporate
communications senior Madison Ogden, for pictures at Urban’s new National Pets Day Portraits event. “I loved the layout and everything, so I can’t wait to see the photos,” Ogden said. “Hopefully we’ll get one blown up for the apartment.” To celebrate National Pet’s Day, Urban invited pet owners to come out for a free photo session with Pet Portraits Austin. Cristina Fisher, events and content manager for Space 24 Twenty, said donations will go to the city’s local shelter, the Austin Animal Center.
“We really wanted to do something to celebrate here in the local Austin community, especially since it is such a dog-friendly city,” Fisher said. “It seemed like a fun activity and also a way to give back.” The donation aspect was what brought Sydney O’Connell, communications studies senior, out with her dog, Jo, whom she had recently adopted from the Center. “When I saw that Pet Portraits was donating to the Austin Animal Center, I said, ‘That’s a great way to get a good photo of her and give back to where she came from,’”
O’Connell said. Jo was no stranger to the spotlight — O’Connell said she has her own Instagram account, @cup.ofjo. The light brown pit bull mix did not keep completely still during her photo op, but her tail wagged throughout. “I’ve been trying to teach her how to take photos,” O’Connell said. “The Austin dog photo world is insane, people are very serious about it.” At one point, more than 30 different dogs barked, sniffed and ran around the Space 24 Twenty area. One of those was Zia, a medium-sized mutt belonging to Austinite
Tyler Lengal, who said he was a little pushed into attending the event. “My girlfriend told me to come out and take pictures of our dog,” Lengal said. Lengal said although he sometimes takes pictures of Zia on his phone, this was her first professional shoot. He left after making a donation to the shelter and getting some pictures of his black and brown pooch. “We will probably just hang on to (the photos),” Lengal said. “She is going to get old, and this is our first dog together, so we want to have those memories.”
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jamie powers | the daily texan staff International relations sophomore Samara Spiler frequently takes advantage of the Austin B-cycles off of 23rd and Rio Grande. She said it is the most convenient way to get to class because of how close the bikes are to her home.
UT implements B-cycle ride challenge for Earth Month By Brooke Vincent @brooke_e-v
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In 45 days, students have generated enough miles on B-cycle bikes to travel around the world almost five times. Now, the University is upping the ante for Earth Month. Through the month of April, Parking and Transportation Services is challenging students to collectively ride 200,000 miles through the B-cycle bike sharing system to celebrate active transportation and reduce carbon emissions. “With the new B-cycle stations on campus, we thought it’d be great to collaborate them with promoting active transportation and have a goal,” said Jeremy Hernandez, PTS bike specialist. “We’re reducing congestion of vehicles by giving people another option, and we’re reducing carbon dioxide emissions by not using cars.” B-cycle is a docked bike share program with 63 stations across the city of Austin. Nine stations were added on campus in February as part of an 18-month pilot program,
which included a free membership for UT students. “I saw every bike being checked out all at the same time yesterday,” Hernandez said. “Hopefully this (challenge) inspires people to ride a bike and be more active for themselves. We’re hoping that we can show the campus who was potentially riding the most, reach out and thank them with some B-cycle stuff.” Student use has surpassed the program’s expectations, with 7,823 students signed up to use the service as of March 25. B-cycle is not only a good alternative to bringing a car on campus but a good opportunity to stay green, advertising junior Victoria Mercado said. “I think it helps a lot to put more of an emphasis on green focus,” Mercado said. “I believe a lot of college students try to be green where they can, saving where they can. Small changes like this are what help out a lot in the long run.” B-cycle and this month’s challenge fits into the overall mobility plan for the Office of Sustainability, which strives to promote bike use and
change student habits and lifestyles in the long run. “Alternative transportation and increasing bicycle use is something in the Sustainability Master Plan,” said Jim Walker, Office of Sustainability director. “Not everyone is necessarily comfortable with riding a bike every single day back and forth to campus. If they can join B-cycle and start to get comfortable with using a bike for little trips around campus or back into West Campus, hopefully they’ll start to change their overall lifestyle.” The upcoming hurdle for B-cycle is the potential ridership lull in the summer since students will be out of town, but for right now, the launch of the program and Earth Month challenge could not be more perfect, Hernandez said. “There are so many benefits and I think people are really enjoying it,” Hernandez said. “There has been an explosive growth with the system on campus in general. The weather is great. Now is one of the most opportune times to get outside and enjoy the weather and the campus.”
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LAURA HALLAS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
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Sinclair poisons local news with a partisan slant By Sam Groves @ samgroves
senior columnist
If you happened to be browsing CBS Austin’s website on Tuesday, you might have noticed a banner ad at the top of the page reading “CNN’s hypocritical attack on Sinclair.” The ad directed users to a YouTube video titled “Did CNN Attack Sinclair For Doing Exactly What CNN Has Done For Years?” — which, to Sinclair’s credit, is a deliciously clickbait title. Some context: Sinclair Broadcast Group owns dozens of local news stations across the country, including CBS Austin’s associated station KEYE-TV. Last week, a video showing anchors for Sinclair-owned stations reading from the same script in a promo went viral. The promo denounces “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country.” With just enough vague rhetoric to maintain deniability, the piece was thinly veiled right-wing propaganda — an extended riff on a Trump tweet with marginally better prose. The viral video, which came from Deadspin, is chilling to watch. It depicts a chorus
of anchors finishing each other’s sentences, the company. Sinclair’s response video is speaking in unison, all hewing to the precise just as disingenuous as the original promo. It language dictated by their corporate owners. claims that all they were doing was expressAnd this isn’t the first ing concern about the time Sinclair has done proliferation of fake something like this. news, just as other media outlets such as They regularly send their stations “mustCNN have done run segments” repeatedly since 2016. that provide political com“Fake News is a problem,” mentary with a partisan the video slant. A resays. “Everyone knows it. curring example of these is Calling out Sin“Bottom Line clair for calling with Boris,” out ‘Fake News’ which is hosted by is dishonest and Boris Epshteyn, a reprehensible.” former Trump White This argument cynHouse official who ically takes advantage of the confusion surrounding “reliably parrots the White House’s point of fake news that has become danielle henderson | the daily texan staff a fixture of the Trump era. view on most issues.” But this recent wave of Once, the term “fake news” rebad press seems to have struck a nerve with ferred to fabricated stories from disreputable
sources shared widely on social media. But as soon as corrupt politicians and public figures caught wind of the panic over this phenomenon, they weaponized it — and used it to nullify any bad press they were receiving. In both in their promo and their response video, Sinclair asserts that major media outlets “re-publish fake stories without fact checking.” But the fake news problem has never been about major media outlets. CNN may attract the ire of the president, and Fox News may engage in selective, slanted and incredibly toxic programming, but neither are in the business of habitually reporting abject falsehoods. We should all be concerned about shady, obscure outlets circulating fictitious nonsense that goes viral before the truth can catch up. But Sinclair’s assertion — that the news media writ large misleads its viewers in service of a partisan agenda — is propagandistic drivel dreamed up by people who are afraid of the truth: people like Donald Trump and Sinclair Broadcast Group. As one of 81 broadcast markets served by Sinclair-owned stations, Austin deserves better. Groves is a philosophy junior from Dallas.
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Let’s rethink the way we distribute blue books
Bring therapists closer to campus by subsidizing rent
geo casillas | the daily texan staff
By Tarek Zaher @texanopinion
columnist
We all know what it’s like: You walk into an exam anxiously checking your notes one last time, making sure you have a pen, and then it happens. Panic strikes your heart as you glance around the room and notice that everyone is getting out their Blue Books. You check your backpack to see if one has magically appeared — and it hasn’t. And nobody has an extra. The teacher starts to pass out the test. God himself seems to have forgotten you. “There has to be a better way,” you think, as you solemnly exit the classroom and begin your long sprint to the Blue Book section of Jester Market.
Nobody benefits when a student’s success is decided by such a small and insignificant book, rather than their grasp of the knowledge required.” Fortunately, there is a better way. Professors should be able to provide Blue Books to their students at the time and place of the exam. This would prevent the aforementioned tragedy from happening by delineating the responsibility to one dedicated person. If you task a large group of students with obtaining this forgettable little book some are inevitably doomed to forget it. UT already has a system in place to distribute Scantrons to professors upon request, so adding Blue Books would be feasible. Under the current system, a professor’s department or college purchases Scantrons from UT Document Solutions who themselves purchase Scantrons from the larger corporations who
manufacture them. The departments have their own budget delegated to them by the University and individual donors which they use to pay for Scantrons. Adding Blue Books to this already-existing infrastructure would be a cheap and straightforward way to organize the currently chaotic Blue Book exam experience. All it would take is for each of the three links along this distribution chain (professors, their departments and UT Document Solutions) to agree to incorporating Blue Books. UT Document Solutions, the engine of the whole operation, said that they “would welcome any discussions to provide additional services.” This is a good sign, but they, unlike the other two parts of the distribution chain, are one team operating as a single unit. On the other side, there are dozens of departments and hundreds of professors, all operating independently from each other. If multiple people request that Blue Books, be provided for exams, those in charge will listen. Students can help by asking professors, professors can help by asking their departments, and if UT Document Solutions sees there is a demand, implementing Blue Books into the system will be as easy as placing an order. Some may say that our current Blue Book distribution system of every man for himself is an important part of what college is all about: responsibility. It is true that an opportunity for self-sufficiency is a valuable gift, but it is important that we find the right balance between encouraging meaningful growth and inducing panic attacks. The way we currently get Blue Books adds an unnecessary barrier to our exams, and there’s no reason we shouldn’t pursue an easier and more efficient solution. This issue may seem small, but, in a way, that’s the point. Nobody benefits when a student’s success is decided by such a small and insignificant book, rather than their grasp of the knowledge required. Enough people have made that long sprint to Jester Market. It’s time we rethought the way Blue Books are distributed. Ζαher is a government and European Thought sophomore from Hudson.
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.
geo casillas | the daily texan staff
By Grace Leake @ grace_leake
columnist
Two weeks ago, I wrote a column addressing the shortage of resources that UT’s Counseling and Mental Health Center currently faces. Due to high demand, the CMHC is unable to provide unlimited individual counseling sessions and has to refer students off campus for long-term therapy. Although CMHC is working diligently to study their system and make it more effective, problems still exist — students struggle to find the time, transportation and money that off-campus therapy demands. Incentivizing Austin therapists to move their offices closer to campus may combat this problem. Rents around UT’s campus are very high both for housing and commercial space renting, likely keeping therapists’ offices further off campus. Subsidizing campus area rents to draw in therapists could end up being cheaper and more effective than expanding CMHC itself. Chemistry freshman Sindhu Venkat, who has felt the hardships of traveling far off campus for therapy, also encouraged this idea. “They only have a limited number of therapists sitting in CMHC right now and maybe they don’t have the infrastructure or payroll for all of those people, but they could at least encourage or subsidize more people to move their offices closer to campus.” Having to travel off campus affects the whole UT community, not just students. Katie Dillingham, an Austin counselor, noted that many of her clients are faculty or employees who struggle to find transportation to their appointments. “Parking is so difficult there (at UT), and many have to take the bus to work,” Dillingham explained. Without a car at work, they either have to walk to their appointment or pay for a ride service like Lyft. Dr. Marla Craig, the associate director for Clinical Services at UT, confirmed that proximity was an important factor for therapists hoping to serve students. She was enthusiastic about the idea of offering rent subsidies to bring therapists close to campus, although she noted that financing might be an issue. However, offering these rent subsidies might be cheaper than it initially seems. Currently, the median annual salary of a psychologist at CMHC
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is $66,900, and the median annual salary of a counselor is $57,080. So, rather than fix resources shortages by hiring more counselors and adding to the yearly net cost of CMHC, it might actually be cheaper to put that money into incentivizing long-term partnerships with therapists. A generous office space of 10,000 square feet near campus — which could fit about forty employees — would likely be about $200,000 more expensive per year than spaces further from central Austin. If UT subsidized external therapists to work there, it could create ten times more value than if UT used that money to hire therapists directly. Not only would this lower costs for UT, but subsidizing rent for external therapists would allow for specialization of labor within the CMHC system. It would be more efficient for CMHC to handle short-term student needs and then have a smooth path to transition students to external
Subsidizing campus area rents to draw in therapists could end up being cheaper and more effective than expanding CMHC itself.”
therapy if needed. That would minimize the uncertainty and anxiety that many students face when having to look for options after CMHC. Rebecca Adler, a licensed therapist in the Hyde Park area, noted that, “I had a client who maxed out of their UT appointments and had tried to commit suicide and then was referred to me … something really does need to be done.” An understaffed CMHC is a large, complex problem, but we know external therapists offer one solution. Partnerships and rent subsidies for these therapists could help these therapists help the UT community, and we need to explore these options. Even if CMHC can’t provide for all of students’ needs on their own, they may have a way to guarantee that those needs are met. Leake is a Plan II and business freshman from Austin.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
MENTAL HEALTH COLUMN
mel westfall | the daily texan staff
Five tips for what to do when depression’s got you feeling blue are several steps that everyone can take to help themselves get through the day.
By Christa McWhirter @chrismac1193
The exhaustion is overwhelming, it feels like 20-pound weights have been attached to all of your limbs after an 18-hour workday and you still have a mountain of stuff to do. Major depressive disorder is a mental illness caused by the brain not producing enough of the chemical serotonin, one of the hormones that controls your happiness. Symptoms include feelings of sadness or irritability, loss of motivation, feelings of worthlessness and more, and like most mental illnesses, depression is extremely personal. Those who struggle with depression experience symptoms in their own way, but there
BATTLE
continues from page 8 to sustainability. Both Aplis and Jayaraman said part of the intrigue of the event is hearing how each professor will respond. “The other message that we want to give out is that it isn’t possible to achieve a sustainable future without the involvement of all the disciplines,” Jayaraman said. Assistant professor Nicole Osier will represent the School of Nursing in the Sustainability Showdown. She said she’s looking forward to voicing all of the progress she’s seen with faculty and students in her discipline toward building a more sustainable future.
Step 1: Call your therapist
Depression leaves me feeling unmotivated, so the first thing I do when I feel depressed is immediately call my therapist and schedule an appointment. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is — even if you are laying down in bed, pick up the phone and call your doctor. Otherwise, you’ll probably do the same thing as me and talk yourself out of it.
Step 2: Do something for you
Depression makes it hard to enjoy yourself. That’s why it is so important to get out of bed and force yourself to do something you have fun doing.
“I think the biggest part of my strategy is really passionately believing in what I’m saying and not just putting on a show,” Osier said. “I feel like I try to draw together examples from my personal efforts as well as highlighting a bunch of multifaceted and really impressive in magnitude efforts that other nurses have led.” As the representative for the College of Liberal Arts in the Showdown, Heather Houser, an English associate professor, said the possibility of getting a scholarship for a student in the college is exciting. Houser said she didn’t want to give too much away about how she’s planning to answer the golden sustainability question, but she does have a strategy. “The strategy I think is
Whether it’s listening to music or reading a book, things that require minimal effort but still get you to think about something other than the depression. Doing something easy yet enjoyable is also a great way to get yourself ready for the bigger challenges throughout the day.
Step 3: Endorphins are friends
The next thing you should do is probably the most physically demanding — exercise. You shouldn’t try for a long, tiring workout. Do yoga in your room or a quick five-to-tenminute circuit at home. When you are depressed, it is pertinent that your body moves. Endorphins are some other hormones in your brain that regulate your happiness and, according to the
just to speak to the biggest audience possible,” Houser said. “Because they aren’t going to be my students and they aren’t going to be students in COLA, anyone could be in the audience.” Houser said students often don’t have time to take classes in every college and the showdown will provide a chance for students to get to know the different colleges. On another note, Jayaraman said the showdown will display how sustainability is ingrained in all of our lives, even if you’re not from environmental backgrounds. “Sustainability issues don’t just live in one discipline,” Houser said. “(They) actually are being addressed in all these different, really complementary and fascinating ways.”
Mayo Clinic, helps ease symptoms of depression.
Step 4: Clean, clean, clean
Depression thrives in a dirty environment. In fact, a dirty environment can make you depressed even if you weren’t to begin with. When depression hits me like a train, I clean at least three things that day. Setting a specific number of things to get done in a day keeps me motivated on days I have little to none left. Even taking a shower counts as one thing because feeling dirty is one of the biggest triggers for my depression, and it gives me one less reason why not to leave my house that day.
Step 5: Get your friend on
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continues from page 8 their social media aesthetic. Nutrition senior Kelsey Gifford said she actually found out about the store while scrolling through Instagram and noticing posts from some of her friends who had
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Serotonin is created when you feel important or significant. When serotonin lacks, loneliness and depression set in. This is why it is so important that you hang out with friends when you feel depressed, no matter how much energy you have. Invite people to hang out with you and let them know what is going on. If you don’t feel like leaving your apartment, that’s OK. Make a compromise with yourself — someone comes over, you can stay in. Depression is hard. When it feels like you’ve been knocked out by depression, getting up and facing the day can seem impossible. But if you’re willing to work for it, you can have a happy life despite something that is, in the end, only a diagnosis.
visited it before. She decided to go check it out since it was a local business and the only plant nursery she knew of that sold a wide variety of plants besides flowers. “It’s such a cute green space in the midst of Austin,” Gifford said. “It was relaxing to get away from downtown and be surrounded by nature.”
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TRENTON DAESCHNER
SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Imani McGee-Stafford reflects on draft process McGee-Stafford was selected No. 10 in 2016 by Chicago. By Drew King @drewking0222
o one took a shot or made a pass, but the night was all about basketball. Former Longhorn Imani McGee-Stafford had spent the whole day talking. She had made appearances with the media, smiled her way through interviews and chatted with potential coaches over the phone. But now, it was her turn to listen. “Man, I was so busy on draft day that I didn’t even really have time to be nervous,” McGee-Stafford said. “Like, it’s such a long day because the draft isn’t until like 7 p.m., but you’re doing stuff from like 7 a.m.” McGee-Stafford made the 1,800-mile journey from Austin to Uncasville, Connecticut, to hear her name called at the WNBA Draft on April 14, 2016. The center waited patiently at her table on the floor of Mohegan Sun Arena. Each team had three minutes to make its selection. It felt like 15 to McGee-Stafford. The Seattle Storm selected UConn post Breanna Stewart with the first pick. McGee-Stafford was unfazed. She didn’t care where she got picked, as long as it was for the right team. “It’s funnier to say you were drafted higher. But, it really doesn’t matter,” McGee-Stafford said. “It’s about going somewhere where you know you can fit in. All that other stuff is just for show. It’s not something you should worry about, because you just want to go somewhere you can play. That’s all it’s about, is being able to get on the floor
N
joshua guerra | the daily texan file Former Longhorn center Imani McGee-Stafford drives past Oklahoma State center Kaylee Jensen at the Frank Erwin Center on Feb. 10, 2016. McGee-Stafford averaged 11.3 points and 8.9 rebounds during her senior season at Texas. as a rookie.” As more picks came off the board, McGee-Stafford’s eyes became glued to the camera. Before each pick, the same cameraman ambled over to the table of the player who would be selected next. As pick No. 10 approached, the cameraman walked toward McGee-Stafford’s table. WNBA commissioner Lisa Borders strolled up to the podium, holding the next draftee’s name on an
index card. “With the 10th pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, the Chicago Sky select Imani Boyette (McGee-Stafford’s name at the time) from the University of Texas,” Borders announced. “I was like, ‘Finally! Yes! Let’s get out of here!’” McGee-Stafford said. The Sky’s rookie put an arm around Texas head coach Karen Aston immediately. The two had spent the past
four years together, making the NCAA Tournament three times and reaching the Elite Eight in McGee-Stafford’s senior year. “I don’t remember exactly (what I told McGee-Stafford). I just remember hugging her neck and being proud of her,” Aston said. “That’s the neatest part of all of it, is when they’re anxious and there’s a lot of anxiety, so it’s like their relief and their realization that their hard work has
paid off happens in a quick moment when that name gets called.” Texas senior guards Ariel Atkins and Brooke McCarty will go through the same process Thursday night — though not in the same place. They’ll wait three minutes at a time, but it’ll be at Aston’s house with the rest of the team. McGee-Stafford has given her former teammates tips to prepare. She knows how
important the draft can be. “I talked to Imani today,” Atkins said on Tuesday. “She was just saying ‘enjoy the moment,’ because it literally does not come again. So don’t overlook it and don’t feel like it’s something that’s just supposed to happen. Because it’s not. It’s something that you’ve worked for. And to absolutely enjoy it.” The 2018 WNBA Draft begins Thursday at 6 p.m. in New York City.
SOFTBALL
anthony mireles | the daily texan file Junior outfielder Bekah Alcozer makes contact on a pitch. Alcozer drilled in her fourth home run of the season in a 2-1 loss at No. 24 Texas State.
Longhorns can’t find enough bats in road loss to Texas State By Robert Larkin @r_larkintexas
Men and Women 18 to 45 Men and Women 18 to 45 Men and Women 18 to 45 Men and Women 18 to 45 Men and Postmenopausal or Men and Surgically Sterile Postmenopausal Women or Surgically 18 to Sterile 55 Women 18 to 55 Women 18 to 60 Women 18 to 60
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Healthy & Non-Smoking Healthy BMI 18 - &30 Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 30 Healthy & Non-Smoking Healthy BMI 18 - &30 Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 30 Smoking & Non-Smoking Smoking & BMI 18 - 29.9 Non-Smoking Weigh 121 - 220 lbs. BMI 18 - 29.9 Weigh 121 - 220 lbs. Healthy & Non-Smoking Healthy & BMI 18 - 29.9 Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 29.9
Fri. 4/13 - Mon. 4/16 Thu. 4/19 - Sat. 4/21 Fri. 4/16 Tue.4/13 4/24- Mon. - Fri. 4/27 Thu. 4/19 - Sat.Visits 4/21 3 Outpatient Tue. 4/24with - Fri.Lodging 4/27 Flexibility 3 Outpatient Visits Fri. 4/13 with - Mon. 4/16 Flexibility Lodging Thu. 4/19 - Fri. 4/27 Fri.Outpatient 4/13 - Mon. 4/16 Visit: Thu. 4/19 - Fri. 4/27 5/25 Outpatient Flexibility withVisit: Lodging 5/25 Flexibility with Lodging Tue. 4/17 - Wed. 5/2 4 Outpatient Visits Tue. 4/17 - Wed. 5/2 Offering Paid Screenings 4 Outpatient Visits Offering Paid Screenings Wed. 5/2 - Tue. 5/22 Wed. 5/2 - Tue. 5/22
In a season marked by inconsistency, one of the routine problems that has plagued the Longhorns has been their struggles at the plate. The story was once again similar on Wednesday night in San Marcos, Texas struggled to push runs across in a pitcher’s duel that resulted in a 2-1 defeat to the No. 24 Texas State Bobcats. Texas State senior pitcher Randi Rupp dismantled the lineup throughout the night, allowing only six hits in a complete-game shutout that also featured nine strikeouts by the Texas hitters. “We missed on a couple executions. We missed about three opportunities on that, and you just can’t against a quality pitcher like (Rupp),” Texas head coach Connie Clark said. “I think those missed opportunities are something that we have to be able to take away and be just a little better on.” Rupper’s counterpart, senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken, performed well in the pitcher’s circle for the Longhorns, going six innings and allowing only two runs in a strong effort against
the Bobcats. The Longhorns claimed the first lead of the night when junior right fielder Bekah Alcozer blasted the first pitch she saw off Rupp for a solo home run to center field, giving Texas a 1-0 lead. “(Rupp’s) one of the best in the nation, so I was just looking for the first pitch because I knew after that I wasn’t going to get much from her,” Alcozer said. “I was just looking for the first pitch, and it was there and I just took it.” But Texas State responded in the bottom half of the frame. With one out, Texas State freshman second baseman Tara Oltmann and sophomore catcher Haleigh Davis knocked consecutive base hits off von Sprecken to start a rally. Texas State loaded the bases after a bloop single deflected off the glove of freshman third baseman MK Tedder with two outs. Facing the next hitter with a 1-0 count, von Sprecken brought in the Bobcats’ first run of the game after hitting Texas State junior left fielder Mari Cranek with a pitch. But von Sprecken promptly worked out of the frame to keep the game at a 1-1 tie. After quiet innings from both sides at the plate, Texas State finally broke up the
offensive stalemate in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, three straight Texas State hitters came to the plate and delivered singles off von Sprecken to give the Bobcats another bases loaded situation with one out. Freshman pinch-hitter Brianna Sannem then delivered the all-important run for the Bobcats, connecting on a pitch for a sacrifice fly that pushed a runner across to give Texas State a 2-1 lead. Looking to extend the game in the top of the seventh, Alcozer singled off Rupp to start the frame. Following a single by first baseman Malory Schattle and a walk by junior center fielder Ki’Audra Hayter, freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson stepped to the plate in a critical situation. But the freshman quickly popped up to end the game. “I thought we competed very well and did some really good things offensively as well with (Alcozer) and hitting the ball well,” Clark said. “But nine strikeouts and the lack of execution were costly.” Texas returns to action on Friday at 7 p.m. against Texas Tech at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
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CHARLES LIU & CHRIS DUNCAN
LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
MOVIE REVIEW | ‘RAMPAGE’
‘Rampage’ hits hard in action, pulls all other punches “RAMPAGE”
Video game adaptation fails to deliver, thanks to poor plot, acting.
RATING: PG-13 RUNTIME: 115 minutes SCORE:
By James Preston Poole @jamesppoole
A
fter engaging in death-defying car stunts, getting lost in two different magical jungles and fighting a hurricane, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson starring in a movie involving giant monster isn’t much of a stretch. “Rampage,” directed by Johnson’s “San Andreas” collaborator Brad Peyton, seems to have one major thing going against it — it’s a loose adaptation of a 1980s arcade game of the same name. Peyton’s film isn’t as terrible as most video game movies, but it sure fits into the mold of the generic action movies that flooded the cinemas around the time the original game came out. You wouldn’t know it from the opening, however, because “Rampage” starts with a sequence that feels ripped straight out of a different movie entirely. After a space station science experiment goes wrong, a scientist played by Marley Shelton struggles to
copyright warner bros pictures, and reproduced with permission Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson provides the charisma his fans are used to in the otherwise dull “Rampage.” escape from the most unusual of enemies: a giant, mutated rat. As silly as that sounds, Peyton elevates this sequence from confusing to intense. As soon as the space station blows up, three canisters of the research hurl down to Earth, and with their crash comes the fall of “Rampage.” One of the cannisters lands in a wildlife reserve where primatologist Davis Okoye (Johnson) works, infecting George, his beloved albino gorilla, and causing him to mutate.
In other parts of the United States, the same fate befalls an alligator and a wolf, causing the brother-sister creators of the pathogen, played by Malin Akerman and Jake Lacy, to emit a signal that draws the newly minted “monsters” to Chicago. In order to save George, Okoye teams up with disgraced scientist Kate Caldwell (Naomie Harris) and government agent Harvey Russell (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to save George and stop the gang of monsters.
You may be asking, “Why are the villains emitting a signal to draw monsters to Chicago?” Because there needs to be a huge action sequence toward the end, of course! To be fair, this film delivers on the action front. The Chicago smackdown involving all three of the monsters is awe-inspiring in its ambition, and a sequence where George gets loose on an airplane is surprisingly suspenseful. Yet, between these set pieces is a whole lot of nothing.
The screenplay is written by four different writers, and it shows. The story recycles cliches straight out of the “Independence Day” playbook, rarely making sense between lackluster one-liners and contrived conflict. To make matters worse, Peyton directs this script with no sense of irony, trusting the material far too much. The actors at least seem to know what type of movie they’re in. The serious Harris is
instantly forgettable as Caldwell, while Akerman and Lacy have the opposite problem — they’re over-the-top to the point of being unbearable. Soap opera performances are more subtle than the ones these two provide. Thankfully, “The Rock” and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are here to salvage what’s left of this film. The two leads are clearly having the time of their life, and it’s hard not to have fun as well. In particular, Johnson sells interactions with a CGI ape like a pro, and for that alone he deserves commendation. Morgan, on the other hand, is tons of fun as a Southern-accented G-man who provides much needed warmth. Ultimately, “Rampage” is exactly what it’s expected to be. The action and some of the performances are fine, but the script feels like a hodgepodge of nearly every blockbuster ever written. Looks like the video game movie curse continues.
CAMPUS
Professors prepare for battle in Sustainability Showdown By Noelle Henry @noellee_h
If you’ve ever wondered what different colleges contribute to the betterment of sustainability, professors are throwing it down so you can get your answer. The Sustainability Showdown is back after a three-year hiatus. On April 19, at KLRU studio, twelve professors from
different colleges are competing to win a first-prize $2,000 scholarship and a second-prize $1,000 scholarship for their colleges. Each professor has five minutes to answer one question: Why is your discipline integral to our sustainable future? After all faculty have spoken, the audience will vote to determine the winner. Katie Aplis, environmental science senior, and Vaishali Jayaraman, computer science
junior, are spearheading the event for the Campus Environmental Center. Both have been working at the Center for some time, with Jayaraman joining in fall 2015 and Aplis in spring 2016. At the beginning of this year, they found videos of the first Sustainability Showdown. Attracted to its fun atmosphere, they wanted to hold the second Showdown with the hope of it becoming an annual event.
“Our theme, or our phrase, we’ve been using with everyone is brevity and levity,” Aplis said. “Because it’s brief, but it’s very exciting and fun, and we want to get everyone involved, and it’s a very light-hearted event.” Jayaraman said the event showcases how sustainability is all-encompassing in that every discipline can connect
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victoria smith | the daily texan staff
CITY
East Austin Succulents helps ‘Keep Austin Weird’ with little cacti
AUSTIN MCCARTNEY “Texas Student Media has been an amazing opportunity for me during my time at UT. The organization has allowed me to get real world experience, with much more autonomy than other college radio stations. It really feels and is more than just another student o organization at KVRX and TSM.”
Go to supportstudentvoices.org today to contribute to the next generation of leaders in media!
hannah yoes | the daily texan staff Co-founder Julie Patton makes succulent arrangements for an upcoming wedding. East Austin Succulents is a small, locally owned succulent shop found minutes away from The University of Texas at Austin.
By Caroline Betik @ carolinebetik
While there are many iconic places in Austin that highlight the city’s reputation, such as Franklin’s BBQ or Graffiti Park, the quirky and fun elements of the city come to life in smaller, lesser-known local businesses. One in particular sticks out more than others, a small start-up plant nursery located in trendy East Austin, called East Austin Succulents. East Austin Succulents is an eccentric shop located about three miles from campus on Tillery Street. The small space the store inhabits represents the epitome of Austin with many unique signs and other colorful outdoor decorations on display. Countless exotic cacti and succulent plants are packed onto tables and overflow onto the ground creating an endless sea of rare plants and products everywhere you look. Eric Pedley, the co-founder of East Austin Succulents, created the start-up
after learning of his affinity for succulents and deciding to make a career out of selling them and creating arrangements. The business began as selling succulent arrangements from his home and quickly grew when Julie, his partner, began marketing products on social media and online. Eventually, the business became so popular that they decided to find a retail location. It worked out that it was just as Tillery Street Plant Company was looking for an area to set up shop and asked them to partner. From there, the business took off. Since East Austin Succulents began selling at a formal location, many more people have become aware of the cute, Austin-y franchise. Succulents and cacti require little maintenance and are easy to take care of, and their small size and diversity of species makes them a great product for anyone from college students to grandparents. Business freshman Claire Levinson said she heard about East Austin
Succulents from a friend and was impressed by the service and experience she had when she visited. “I bought two lemon quartz crystals and a succulent when I went. The staff was helpful and they had a wide variety of plants,” Levinson said. “They also have a bunch of unique pots that you can purchase and pay to have your plants potted on site.” The employers at East Austin Succulents have many resources to ensure their customers know how to maintain their plants and are able to care for them once they arrive home. Levinson said when she made her purchase she received a free care guide to ensure the plant is getting the proper care like it would at the store. On the website they also have videos and tips on how to properly care for your plants. Like many local Austin places, the green, lively setting at East Austin Succulents has become a hub for students, photographers and anyone who wishes to add to
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