SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900 @THEDAILYTEXAN | THEDAILYTEXAN.COM
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018
VOLUME 118, ISSUE 141
4 DAYS LEFT TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
N E WS
O PI N I O N
LI FE&A RTS
SPORTS
National Alliance on Mental Illness On Campus holds first #BreaktheStigma week. PAGE 2
Columnist encourages students to pursue relationships, explains potential benefits. PAGE 4
Busking may be illegal in Austin, but some artists successfully ignore the rules. PAGE 8
After two seasons of struggles, junior infielder Kody Clemens has found his groove. PAGE 6
CAMPUS
The Budgeting Battle On top of food, college students must balance a number of costs, including rent, tuition, and other personal expenses. This can make students miss meals, according to research.
28 percent
of students seeking resources from the student emergency services were doing so because of food insecurity.
36 percent
of university students across the nation were found to be food insecure in the last 30 days prior to a 2017 survey.
23 percent
reported eating less than they could because of food insecurity.
Food insecurity (n.): 1. the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. 2. a condition where people must skip meals, cut back on the quality and quantity of what they eat, or rely on emergency sources for food.
SOURCE: Feeding America, Wisconsin HOPE Lab, Zumper, UT Admissions, American Association of University Professors, austintexas.gov
mallika gandhi | the daily texan staff
Students, administration fight food insecurity money for a better meal tomorrow. Savannah is among the 23 percent of students at UT-Austin who have experienced food insecurity, or a lack of food due to financial stress, according to UT’s University Health Services Survey based on fall 2016 enrollment numbers. This number is lower than the national average of 36 percent of food insecure college students, according to a study of 66 universities by Temple University and the Wisconsin Hope Lab, released April 3. “If you have to worry about whether or not you can eat one day, that’s going to put a lot of stress on you,” Savannah said.
Some college students facing food insecurity make ends meet through alternative ways. By Sara Schleede @twitterhandle
S
avannah had a choice. She could buy a hamburger from the dollar menu, filling her stomach with greasy food. She could drive to H-E-B and buy groceries with whatever money she had left after paying for gas. Or, she could go to work and save
Student Emergency Services are also partnered with Austin Energy, which gave UT $29,000 to assist different students with paying utility bills this year. “A lot of students don’t realize that we’re here and can provide that kind of support,” Soucy said. “There is a stigma on campus saying that all of our students are doing well and there aren’t these concerns, and we know that’s not true.” 200 students received assistance from Student Emergency Services last year, and Soucy said she hopes the stigma can
INSECURITY page 2
CITY
SYSTEM
City grapples with scooter regulations as LimeBike comes onto scene
2017 UT System Police Use of Force Report The use of force reports has increased from 78 in 2016 to 111 in 2017, an increase of 42% Use of Force By UT Institution in 2017 Arlington Austin Dallas El Paso
UT Institution
“Over time, it wears on you.” In order to combat food insecurity and similar financial emergencies, Student Emergency Services in the Office of the Dean of Students offer a variety of resources — one-time grants, grocery store gift cards and the new food pantry and career closet opening in May. Kelly Soucy, director of Student Emergency Services, said students will be able to receive 20 meals each month from the pantry when it opens. Soucy said the pantry is a more long-term solution for food-insecure students than one-time donations.
HSC San Antonio HSC Tyler Houston
By Meara Isenberg
MB Galveston
@mearaannee
Permian Basin Rio Grande Valley San Antonio Southwestern MC Tyler 0
5
10
Source: UT System Police
15
20
25
30
35
40
Uses of Force
mingyo lee | the daily texan staff
UT System police see increase in use of force By Allyson Waller @allyson_renee7
Reports of use of force incidents among University of Texas System institutions rose 42 percent, with 111 incidents from January to December 2017, according to a recent report from UT System Police. “A hundred and eleven (incidents) is definitely an increase, but it’s not that dramatic of an increase over the last five years,” said David Ferrero, chief of staff for UT System’s Office of the Director of Police. Use of force can be divided
into six distinct categories: officer presence, verbal communication, empty hand control, handcuffs and restraints, less lethal force and lethal force, according to UT System police policy. According to the report, there was an average of 91 use of force incidents per year from 2013 to 2017. UT Medical Branch in Galveston had the greatest number of use of force incidents, Ferrero said. “(One reason) could be UTMB had to respond more to their emergency room and
FORCE page 3
Students now have two dockless electric scooter companies to choose from in the University area. Both Bird and LimeBike electric scooter companies have landed in Austin, including areas around the Drag. Bird was the first to arrive, flying into Austin on April 6 and expanding to the University area soon after. On Monday morning, LimeBike scooters appeared in West Campus as well. “There’s some trips that are too short to drive but too far to walk,” Bird spokesperson Rachel Katz said. “Bird helps people conveniently find a way to get where they need to go.” The scooters are stationless vehicles, which are left at a user’s destination and instantly ready to be picked up by someone else. Both bike brands travel up to about 15 miles per hour, and can be located and unlocked through
anthony mireles | the daily texan staff English sophomore Robert Thompson rides a Bird scooter, one of the two competitive scooter brands in Austin. Bird and LimeBike are alternative solutions for personal transport from getting from one point to another that may be too short to use a car but too far to walk. the company’s app. The arrival of scooters in Austin comes as the city engages in conversations about bringing in dockless vehicles. In a statement, the city said any scooters left within the City’s right of way, which
includes streets and sidewalks owned by the city, for more than 48 hours without the city’s permission can be impounded while the city figures out how best to bring the bikes and scooters in. Neither Bird nor LimeBike’s
vehicles, however, remain on the streets for 48 hours. Katz said to keep the streets clear from clutter, Bird scooters are picked up at 8 p.m. each evening, taken in for
SCOOTERS page 2
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TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018T
CAMPUS 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
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Students plan to destigmatize mental illness
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alex briseno | the daily texan staff From left, psychology sophmore Alexis McDonald, neuroscience freshman Afifa Anwar and human development junior Lina Kim bring mental health to the forefront by tabling for the National Alliance on Mental Illness On Campus during #BreakTheStigma week.
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Laura Hallas (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com
As the stress of finals season approaches, National Alliance on Mental Illness On Campus wants students to feel comfortable talking to others knowledgeable about mental illness to rid the stigma around mental health. Only one semester old, the organization is dedicated to advocacy and support for students struggling with mental illness during some of the most stressful years of their lives, especially through its #BreakTheStigma week. NAMI On Campus member Alexis McDonald said NAMI On Campus is unique from the Counseling and Mental Health Center
in that it is completely student run. McDonald said this makes it less intimidating to approach members facing similar issues, as opposed to a therapist. “Being a new organization, we wanted to brand our own week regarding mental health,” psychology sophomore McDonald said. “With this week, we wanted to show students what our organization is really about, which is being able to talk more about mental health and bringing it more into the conversation.” The first annual #BreakTheStigma week offers an array of events for students to take part in, including Open Mic Night tonight, Mental Health Trivia on Wednesday and a mental health discussion on Thursday.
Ellie Breed (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com
Author Jeff VanderMeer reads from his works ‘The Strange Bird,’ ‘Borne’
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(512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com 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.
By Minnah Zaheer @minnahzaheer
AUSTIN WEATHER
HI LO
TOMORROW Apr. 18
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HI 84º LO 59º
Me (wigless): “I’m ready to be scalped!!” Innocent Bystander: “Are you okay?”
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MasculinUT, Center for Students in Recovery and the Gender and Sexuality Center also helped NAMI On Campus implement #BreakTheStigma week and gain its footing as an established organization at UT. Erin Walts, radio-television-film and business freshman, talked to members tabling and said stress is almost synonymous with the college experience. “There’s a certain level of academic competitiveness that seems to invalidate stress as a mental health issue for some students,” Walts said. “While it’s good to be under pressure at times, I don’t think it’s a healthy educational environment to perpetuate constant stress and competition between students.”
CAMPUS
MANAGING EDITOR
TODAY Apr. 17
As students gathered around the organization’s table on Speedway to learn more about it Monday, students happily pet a therapy dog to relieve unneeded stress. Rawan Fakhreddine, NAMI On Campus member, said she wants students to know they are not alone in fighting mental illness and that support is available. “To think that you should be shunned because of a mental illness you are suffering with is completely wrong,” neuroscience junior Fakhreddine said. “(Mental health) is something that should be spoken freely about so everyone can understand what mental health is, how mental health can take a toll on your physical state and what you can do to deal with it.” Partner organizations CHMC,
Account Executives Tim Bauer, Diane Byram, Julianne Phillipp, Paulina Siller Product Manager Stephen Salisbury Senior Graphic Designer Amanda O’Brien Production Zac Crofford
Colten Crist
Science fiction author Jeff VanderMeer immersed the audience in a world of bioengineered creatures to understand the links between science and nature in an alternate, fictional reality at a reading on Monday. “This is gonna be all about strange animals,” VanderMeer said. “And there will be some humans involved, as there always have to be, I suppose.” VanderMeer read selections from his novel “Borne,” a short story spinoff “The Strange Bird” and discussed his novel “Annihilation” during an event co-sponsored by Environmental Humanities at UT, the New Writers Project and the Plan II Honors Program. Event organizer Heather Houser said she first heard about VanderMeer in 2015. “VanderMeer exploded on the scene for me when the Contemporary Reading Group in the English department started
to read his work,” Houser said. “A bunch of students wanted to talk about his ‘Southern Reach’ trilogy in their dissertations, and we’re very excited to have him visit UT now that the word is more spread out.” After reading a selection from “The Strange Bird,” VanderMeer talked more about nature and his writing, including his piece about a fictional freshwater squid festival that was written with such scientific accuracy that it began to gain media attention as a real festival. “A local Sebring Newspaper even called to set up an interview about ‘the situation,’ resulting in a much more explicit ‘This Is Fiction’ warning on each page of the online story,” VanderMeer said. VanderMeer then read a selection from “Borne” about a woman living in a ruined city who finds a bioengineered squid-like creature and raises it as her own. During the question-and-answer session that followed he continued to talk
jamie powers | the daily texan staff Author Jeff VanderMeer signs fans’ copies of his book, “Borne,” during the Environmental Humanities at UT’s event. about the real-world influences on his writing. “The setting (of “Annihilation”) is this 14 mile hike I do outside of St. Mark’s in Tallahassee,” VanderMeer said. “It’s very personal to me, and I want every detail to be from firsthand experience. It’s just a matter of deciding how to deploy that.” VanderMeer’s novel “Annihilation” has been adapted into a film of the same name
released this February and directed by Alex Garland. “When I saw that VanderMeer was coming I bought the book (Annihilation) and read it,” said Scott Spivey, Plan II and neuroscience senior. “It’s really unique in my opinion because I’ve never read a book that goes so in-depth into the ecological and environmental perspective. I’m definitely interested to read more of his writing.”
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It makes me smile and nod approvingly that we’re caring enough as a university to help tackle the monumental problem of waste.”
George Roth,
sustainability studies freshman
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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.
SUSTAINABLE
continues from page 3 Redsun said. “(We tell fans) UT is trying to get waste free by 2020, and we’re trying to maintain that we are the only NCAA Division I stadium that is zero waste.” Redsun said she was not expecting to sort trash when she first applied for the job, but she now has an appreciation for the work that they do. “After I did it just once, I felt very good, and I felt like I was doing the footwork of sustainability,” Redsun said. “You know, I don’t look super great when I’m sorting through
trash, but I truly feel like I’m doing what needs to be done and I’m doing good.” Sustainability studies freshman George Roth has volunteered in the past with Sustainability Squad at football games and said he knows how important their job is. “It makes me smile and nod approvingly that we’re caring enough as a university to help tackle the monumental problem of waste,” Roth said. “It’s great to see Texas Athletics partnering with sustainability efforts, as many sporting events have insane amounts of waste.”
charging and maintenance and returned at 7 a.m. each morning to “nests” — designated businesses that house the Birds. “An important thing about Bird is that they are only available during the day,” Katz said. LimeBike’s scooters are also picked up and recharged each night, and, like Bird, LimeBike informs users through its app to not to block public pathways when parking the scooters. “We’re trying to educate riders about the importance of where to park vehicles so they aren’t parking in the right of way.” Transportation professor Randy Machemehl said it’s too early to tell if having two scooter companies on campus will cause clutter, but that it’s important to be mindful of how users park the scooters. “I’m not concerned about clutter at the moment,” Machemehl said. “I’m hopeful
that everyone will mind their manners and park them in appropriate places.” Design sophomore Adraint Bereal rode a Bird scooter from West Campus to his 11 a.m. art class on Friday and said he knew to park the scooter near a bike rack because the app told him to. Bereal said he liked the scooter not only for its convenience but also for its price — both scooter brands are $1 to start and 15 cents per minute after. “From my apartment over here it was $2.35,” Bereal said. “For instance, me taking a Ride Austin or an Uber, that’s $7 to get over here. It’s much cheaper.” Law student Teddy Garber said he has seen the scooters being ridden on campus but does not have an interest in riding one over his own bike. “I think that the benefit (of a scooter) is for if you need something every once and a while,” Garber said. “If you need something every day, I think a bike is the best way to go.”
INSECURITY
continues from page 1 be erased so more students will feel comfortable enough to ask for help. “We have high achievers on this campus, and so the thought of even sharing with a friend, ‘I’m struggling in this area,’ is hard,” Soucy said. “We want to encourage the UT community to have these conversations and say it’s okay to struggle. We’re here to help.” Savannah said she visited the Financial Office to seek out financial assistance while struggling to pay tuition and rent. She said she filled out a Special/Unusual Circumstances Appeal Form, but did not learn about the University’s additional resources. Needing another way to make money, she turned to what others view as a taboo occupation: stripping. Savannah said her new financial security has helped alleviate the psychological pressure she has been under since starting college. “I have anxiety and depression, and I had to take a bunch of medication for it last semester and up until this semester,” Savannah said. “As soon as I got this job … I don’t have to take anything anymore.” Madeline Nassif, social and service chair for the Social Work Council, said she has had to adjust her lifestyle to spend less while in college. Nassif, social work junior, said she recognizes this shift can be more dramatic for her less fortunate peers, who could be forced to choose between buying a meal and buying a textbook or Wi-Fi. “People always should have their basic needs taken care of,” Nassif said. “People shouldn’t have to worry about (that) in exchange for an education.”
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TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018
CAMPUS
Baseball stadium stays sustainable By Mason Carroll @masonccarroll
While most baseball fans are relaxing and enjoying the game, Lauren Lichterman, operations and sustainability coordinator, and her team sort trash during and after each game. The UFCU Disch-Falk Baseball Field is the only zero waste NCAA Division I stadium in the nation. Lichterman said while it may have taken time, the stadium has been zero waste since 2017, and she could not be happier. “I am very, very proud of that,” Litcherman said. “Being the only zero waste collegiate baseball stadium in the country is one of my biggest accomplishments while working at Texas Athletics.” Zero waste means 90 percent of the total waste that is generated during an event is diverted from the landfill to recycling or compost. Litcherman said so far this season
jeb milling| the daily texan staff they have composted six tons of waste from both baseball and softball games. Lichterman said one of the biggest factors that has helped the stadium reach its goal was its concessionaire changing compostable products, such as changing plastic nacho containers to
compostable paper. “We realized we pretty much control the waste because we don’t allow fans to bring things into our stadium,” Lichterman said. “They have done a fantastic job changing over their products. I would say they have changed over 85 per-
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cent of what comes out of the concession stand.” Lichterman and her staff, called the Sustainability Squad, do the majority of the sorting but welcome volunteers. Lichterman said she is in need of volunteers this upcoming weekend to help sort during all three games during zero waste weekend. “It takes a village to make zero waste happen,” Lichterman said. “Anyone who can come and volunteer would be a huge help. That is the next area that we need to improve on — getting a consistent stream of volunteers.” Sustainability junior Paige Redsun is a member of Lichterman’s team. Redsun said she first joined because of a class, but now plans to work with Sustainability Squad until she graduates. “Pretty much what we’re doing at the game is to make sure the right trash gets in the right waste stream,”
SUSTAINABLE page 2
FORCE
continues from page 1 dealing with patients than they had to do the year before,” Ferrero said. “That primary 20 percent (increase) could be related to (UTMB), but not the single cause.” Typically, use of force incidents are reported by police officers, and these incidents are reviewed by the chief of their department. Merritt then compiles the data from these individual departments into a system-wide report. Police recorded 271 individual actions and responses qualifying as use of force that were executed by police in these 111 incidents. The majority were verbal commands, according to the report. Ferrero said UT System stresses the use of deëscalation in use of force settings. Deëscalation is the use of “effective communication” in instances of likely force. UT System Police Academy utilizes the training system Multiple Interactive Learning Objectivers (MILO) Range to train academy cadets and police officers about use of force, Merritt said. The system consists of an interactive
simulation that places users in various real-world situations, testing different levels of use of force. “We want to make sure that their skill sets don’t diminish and each one of those programs, there’s a verbal component to it also,” Merritt said. David Carter, UT Police Department chief, said the majority of the use of force incidents he sees from UTPD do not involve actual physical force. According to the report, UT-Austin only had five instances of use of force. Carter said during his time at UT he has not come across excessive use of force from UTPD officers. Ferrero said the release of police data such as the use of force report helps to inform the public about the actions of the departments that protect and serve UT institutions. “Our primary mission is to serve the needs of the students, the faculty, the employees and visitors,” Ferrero said. “To be effective, we have to know and interact with the public and we depend on (their) feedback. This report is really generated on how we can help (them).”
4
LAURA HALLAS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018
COLUMN
Relationships can be more than just a ‘distraction’ By Rachel Freeman @rachel_frmn
columnist
A recent Gallup poll shows college-aged students across the country are not as likely as previous generations to commit to relationships. Although there are reasons that may motivate students to remain single, Longhorns should not resign themselves to being #ForeverAlone. Students should consider the benefits relationships can bring to their lives and open themselves up to potentially find love on the 40 Acres. Many students choose not to open themselves up for romantic relationships — instead focusing on their academics or avoiding heartbreak. Economics senior Trey Berthelot says he has higher priorities than finding love. “I am not in a relationship mostly because I am focusing on finding a job,” Berthelot said. “Spending time on romance can be nonproductive when I have academic and career goals.” But students don’t have to choose. Having a romantic relationship does necessitate a commitment and time away from other activities — you are spending time focused on another person. But relationships don’t need to take over your life. As one study shows, being in a relationship may negatively impact students attending class but doesn’t ultimately hurt one’s GPA. This shows that academic success
and romantic relationships are not mutually exclusive — you really can have it all. If your relationship impinges on your goals, you shouldn’t be in it anyways. The Counseling and Mental Health Center describes many qualities of healthy relationships — including mutual respect and accepting each other’s differences. If a partner is pressuring the other to sacrifice their academic or career
a healthy relationship can have a positive effect on physical health, primarily by reducing stress and promoting “feel good” hormones such as oxytocin and vasopressin. These hormones are released only after you’ve bonded emotionally with someone, typically in the context of a close relationship. Students in relationships know
weatherly sawyer | the daily texan staff
goals for them, then that relationship is fundamentally unhealthy. Romantic relationships, like anything else in life, require time and commitment to be successful. However, young people greatly underestimate the benefits that commitment can bring. Science shows that
first-hand how positive a healthy relationship can be. Radio-television-film senior Rebecca Stewart said her relationship has involved many sacrifices for her, particularly when her relationship was long distance. But Stewart does not regret being in her relationship. “There are so many reasons why staying in my relationship is more than worth it,” Stewart said. “He’s my best friend and has helped me
COLUMN
through the worst lows of my life. The sacrifices we’ve made don’t even begin to add up to the value I see in our relationship.” Some of my closest friends who I’ve seen go through bad breakups say they avoid future relationships because of fear of another heartbreak. While it’s understandable to not want to put yourself through emotional pain, living a life avoiding potential happiness for fear of pain is not healthy. Even when a relationship ends, the lessons learned are useful forever. Another study shows that people gain social cognitive maturity, romantic agency and coherence from being in a relationship. Even in a breakup, processing emotions and finding coping strategies are valuable skills. These tools can not only be applied to a future relationship but also apply to friendships and professional relationships. It is better to learn these lessons now rather than later on in life when stakes are even higher. College provides time to learn about yourself and learn how to be a functioning adult. Part of that is balancing time commitments and knowing how to handle disappointments. Longhorns should be open to developing romantic relationships during their years on the 40 Acres. Life doesn’t wait to start until after college, so don’t keep your love life on hold. Freeman is an international relations and global studies junior from Cedar Park.
COLUMN
annette meyer | the daily texan staff
katherine na | the daily texan staff
Crowd-sourced information helps low-income students
New transportation options debut at UT shuttle’s expense
By Caleb Wong @calebawong
senior columnist
Students don’t come to UT on equal footing. First-generation students such as Lauren Loper have to navigate college without the safety net of solid advice and money that their better-off peers possess in spades. Figuring out how to get involved in extracurricular activities, where to live off campus after moving out of the dorms and finding resources to tackle student issues is hard for most students. But it’s even harder for those who don’t have family or friends who have been to college before. “I realized very quickly after moving into Jester my freshman year that I was surrounded by people who grew up with more class privilege than me,” wrote Loper, UT alumna and student affairs professional, in an email. “Regardless of what difficulty a student may face, I find that although there are resources for low-income students, they’re not readily well-known.”
“The document tells students how to succeed at UT with empathy that goes beyond the dry, informational tone of university websites.”
Information guides created by students for students could change that dynamic. That’s why Loper contributed to the crowdsourced Google document “Being Not-Rich at UT.” This document, started by computer science senior Eric Lee and American studies junior Lewis Guapo, is an insider’s guide on how to
actually navigate life at UT as a low- or middle- income student. The document tells students how to succeed at UT with empathy that goes beyond the dry, informational tone of university websites. “There’s a lot of value by leaving it open and allowing any student who feels very passionate about it to contribute to it,” Lee said. “Everyone has their own experience of what they know.” The document readily lists information that isn’t found on official university websites. Students looking for a well-paying part time job might steer away from working in food service jobs on campus because they can’t accept tips. The Counseling and Mental Health Center does offer long-term counseling on a case-bycases basis for students who can’t afford it, the document says. Looking for housing off campus? “There are low turnover rates for the people that currently live in the S.M.A.R.T. Housing units, so you have to be persistent!” the document notes. When a first-generation student knows how to get a reasonable part-time job or find a student group for people who look like them, it levels the playing field with their wealthy peers. Students are hungry for this information, and they’re willing to help each other. After the co-founders of the document shared it on social media, the document got shared by individual students on individual Facebook timelines, the “UT LONGmemes for HORNSy Teens” Facebook page, and the anonymous campus app Wildfire. Within days, it ballooned from nothing to over 35 pages with 15 chapters on topics from “Employment” to “Student Orgs for Low-Income/Marginalized Students.” At a university where student needs can be overwhelming, knowledge is the key to surviving and thriving. “I think that this Google Doc has the opportunity to build camaraderie among students from a similar background, particularly when students are first coming into the university,” Loper wrote. “I would love to see it continue to grow and potentially manifest into something more.” University administrators might consider adopting the document’s honest, frank tone in their own conversations with students who face challenges compounded by race, gender identity and ability. It’s not enough to tell students that resources exist and paint a rosy picture. Instead, students deserve to know the truth — even if it isn’t flattering — so they can navigate this campus in ways that work for them. Wong is a Plan II and government senior from McKinney.
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.
By Ryan Young @ryanayng
senior columnist
Students living in or around campus have so many options to get to class. You can grab a B-cycle, hop on an electric scooter, or enjoy the spring weather by taking a walk. Noticeably absent from this mobility toolbox, however, is a convenient and reliable UT shuttle ride. Ridership on the West Campus and Forty Acres buses — which, in case you’ve forgotten, do laps around campus and West Campus several times per hour — has dropped like a rock over the past few year. The UT shuttles must be saved— and they can be. The shuttles provide an important service that no other transportation method can provide, and their decline was the direct result of some detrimental decisions made by the University. Some of these decisions were unavoidable. Before the (never-ending) renovation of Speedway Mall, UT shuttles stopped directly in front of Jester and the PCL, two of the most popular destinations for students. In fact, these were some of the busiest bus stops in the entire city. But today, it is no longer safe for buses to cross the Mall given the foot traffic — so buses must detour a block away. Other decisions were within the University’s power. Capital Metro’s operating costs have risen, but the University’s payments for shuttle service have not. Therefore, Cap Metro was forced to reduce service, and as a result, wait times for the shuttles have increased. Today, the West Campus bus arrives every nine minutes throughout the day and every 34 minutes at night. Ten years ago, it ran every 5 minutes during the day and every 25 minutes at night.
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Now that the shuttles no longer go where students want to go, when students want to go, Longhorns have found other ways to get around. Students have taken over 50,000 B-cycle trips since the February launch of the UT pilot, a number that B-cycle had been expecting months down the line — not now. And last week, students gained another option: electric scooter-sharing, courtesy of startups like Bird. Students have already taken a liking to the new scooters, perhaps valuing their ease of use. While these alternatives are welcome, they are no substitute for the big blue buses. The University cannot allow the quality of the UT shuttle system to keep sliding. The shuttles move people who are not physically able to get around on bicycles and scooters. They are also always available to ride, unlike bike and scooter-sharing schemes, which frequently run out of bikes or scooters to check out — usually exactly when you’re late to class. Buses are not sexy, but they get the job done. All they need from us is a little bit of love. The University should increase funding for shuttles to restore previous levels of service, because if you’re using the 40 Acres bus to get to your next class, every extra minute spent waiting is a big deal. And to speed up the West Campus and 40 Acres buses, the University should also consider waiving the requirement to swipe or pay at the farebox. This would allow students to board through both doors of the bus without fumbling with their ID cards. Expanding and improving campus shuttle service is not only possible, but necessary. Our university is as large as a small city. And like real cities, it cannot function without efficient, convenient and accessible public transportation. Young is a computer science senior from Bakersfield, California.
“Now that the shuttles no longer go where students want to go, when students want to go, Longhorns have found other ways to get around.”
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CHARLES LIU & CHRIS DUNCAN
LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018
CITY
City laws bust artists for busking Austin street artists perform at risk of fines or charges. By Anna-Kay Reeves @annakay_reeves
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usking. Not an ancient farming practice, not profanity, but the term for something else entirely — street performance. From magic acts to solo musicians, buskers make money attracting the attention of passersby and hopefully holding it for positive reasons. There is, however, the risk of attracting negative attention from authorities. For Austin buskers, this negative attention can result in fines and a misdemeanor charge for those using sound amplification equipment or performing outside of areas designated by the city. In a place like Austin, allegedly the live music capital of the world and a pretty pro-weird place, it would seem logical that street musicians would feel welcomed instead of limited. Some, such as Rob Cook,
better known as Washboard Tie Guy by those who have seen him performing as a percussionist on South Congress and in cities around the country, have found an established place in Austin busking in spite of the ordinances that have made it difficult for some artists. “I’ve had a few run-ins with authorities wanting permits, especially for using an amplifier,” Cook said. “But usually people don’t enforce that rule. Busking is a legal gray area a lot of times, because laws and ordinances may forbid something, but then that rule isn’t enforced strictly. Now that I’ve made a place for myself in this community, I don’t have many problems with complaints or getting shut down.” However, other Austin buskers find that the city’s regulations limit their creativity. For New Orleans-based musician Donovan Cline, it’s the regulated attitude toward music that makes Austin a bad town for busking. “I thought Austin was going to be this great music town when I first came here. But I realized that the police will shut you down pretty quickly,” Cline said. “In other cities, you can get permits
to play, and that’ll keep you from getting busted, but the process in Austin is very unclear.” In Cline’s experience, South Congress is more hospitable to musicians than other areas such as 6th Street, where police have told him to pack up his guitar and move on. Cline said police told him to exit the area because buskers aren’t allowed after 10:30 p.m. on the lively street. “Busking is smiled upon in New Orleans,” Cline said. “People go to see the performers because there’s a culture of musicians playing seriously and being taken seriously. This is my job. I’m not out here panhandling. People can give me money if they like my work or not. But that’s not something the police should keep me from doing.” Austin has tried to remedy the problems arising from its busking laws recently through their busking pilot program, which would designate performance spots and pay musicians by the hour. However, it does not protect buskers playing in nondesignated spots around town. With South Congress’ numerous outdoor patios and openair eateries, noise pollution is a
pedro luna| the daily texan staff Jerry Wagers, 62, is one of many buskers in Austin that perform on South Congress. Busking, an Austin staple for years, is considered part of what keeps Austin weird. concern when it comes to busking. Corinne Karr, an employee at the Hey Cupcake food trailer, said musicians playing for hours at a time can become monotonous. “If I’m here on a long shift and someone is playing on the corner all day, I don’t have anywhere I can go to get away from that,” said
Karr. “There was a guy playing polka music out here. He wasn’t bad. But any one genre for eight hours is a lot, especially polka.” Karr said the problem of noise pollution applies more to people working on South Congress. For pedestrians and customers, on the other hand, buskers are an
expected and treasured part of the SoCo scene. “Artists do magic tricks and little performances all up and down Congress, and people love that,” Karr said. “If you’re a patron, I think it’s part of the hustle and bustle that people want when they come here.”
POETRY
UT student poets discuss their poetry, inspiration for National Poetry Month By Hailey Howe @howehailey
Poetry celebrates the human experience, and National Poetry Month in April celebrates poetry. Student poets find a channel for their passions, stories, struggles and identities via poetry. This month, get to know the student poets on campus to celebrate the diversity and perspective of all kinds of poetry. UT student poets write about an extensive range of topics, examining human emotion and typically tethering back to the theme of reflecting an identity in an epoch that sometimes tries to gloss over certain voices. Echo, a student-run literary magazine, publishes some poets on campus and provides a platform to share their voices. Zoya Zia, an international relations and global studies junior, was published twice in Echo during her undergraduate career and finds inspiration for her writing in both nature and connection between people. “I think I use (poetry) as a kind of coping mechanism to
jeb milling | the daily texan staff understand what’s going on, especially as a college student and as the oldest immigrant daughter. It’s like all the burdens that I carry with me release a little bit when I can express myself through poetry,” Zia said. As Zia expressed, both the poet and the reader benefit from the cathartic experience of poetic expression. Sahara Khan, Spanish language junior and poet, prefers to write free verse poetry in order to evade the traditional poetic forms and more fully communicate her beliefs about
social justice as a minority. She said her goal is to facilitate understanding and connection between people of all backgrounds. “I tell people that writing poetry is not only important because it helps you to find what you are really feeling about a subject or allow you to express your passion, but it’s also a way to allow you to connect with others in a really meaningful way. Because no one else is going to know what your personal struggle is in society, no one else is going to get any insight into a
minority’s perspective unless you show them,” said Khan. Many prospective poets find poetry intimidating because it can be so personal. Nora Greenstein Biond, Plan II and women and gender studies senior, encourages people to use poetry in whichever way is helpful to them, whether that be writing poetry themselves, reading it to better understand others or simply for enjoyment. Biond said she began writing poetry in middle school as a creative and therapeutic outlet. “I wasn’t good at poetry when I started it, (but) I don’t know what 13 year old is going to be like, handing out amazing poems to begin with,” Biond said. “I see it more as: Do you enjoy it, does it help your emotions get out, do you enjoy the process?” Poetry is one of the best tools for empathy, and National Poetry Month brings more recognition and praise to writers. “That’s my favorite part of being an Indian American and be able to show people … what my life is like through something that is a beautiful and creative medium,” Khan said.
ART
Austin artist uses pink bows to give voice to victims of childhood sexual abuse By Jordyn Zitman @twitterhandle
Fifty-two thousand pink hair bows hang from the ceiling of Gallery Shoal Creek, awaiting the attendance of art lovers and supporters of Austin artist Karen Hawkins’s The Pink Bow Project. In conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention month, the exhibit will raise awareness for childhood sexual assault and abuse. In anticipation of her grand opening, Hawkins shared her vision with The Daily Texan. Daily Texan: At its core, what is The Pink Bow Project? Karen Hawkins: The Pink Bow project is kind of my response to the prevalence of child sexual abuse in our country. It is about the statistics, which I found that I was really surprised by. But it’s also about the voices that are not a part of the statistics. DT: Why pink bows? KH: For the past year, as our national conversations have become swirling around sexual abuse and sexual violence, I was compelled by my own personal history to figure out some way to use this as a platform. I chose the pink hair bow because it seemed like, as a female, it was this
ubiquitous symbol of a girl’s childhood, her innocence. Statistically, in our country there (are) about 63,000 substantiated cases of child abuse in the US annually. Of those, almost 52,000 of them are female, under the age of 18. So I wanted to put a hair bow up for every female under the age of 18 who has a substantiated case of child sexual abuse. DT: How and why did you choose Austin to exhibit this project? ryan lam | the daily texan staff KH: This is my hometown. Artist Karen Hawkins stands in front of her latest piece, The Pink I’ve been here 52 years. I also Bow Project. This installation aims to bring awareness to victims of thought that it was really im- sexual abuse. portant to do it here because there are many people who of teenagers who have really shadows of society. know me in this town. I’ve rallied behind this, spreading DT: What is your perspecbeen a part of our communithe word everywhere; they are tive of your work? How does ty socially, and even though survivors themselves. I am so it affect you? I’ve known people for decades impressed by the young voicKH: For me, when I walk here in Austin, most of them es out there that are so much through it, I have a very difdid not know this part of me. braver and courageous than I ferent perspective, I’m sure, When I started this project, was at their age. than other people do. It rewhat I discovered is that some DT: How do you hope this minds me, as I’m walking women that I’ve known as ac- exhibit will affect people? through these panels, that I’m quaintances in various social KH: I am hoping that just not the only one, that there’s circles, we didn’t know this by coming in here and seemore and I’m not alone. If I about each other. It just kind ing the sheer numbers, that can provide that same comof reaffirmed for me the need people will feel more comfort to people who are victims to do it. pelled to talk about this. Child of childhood sexual abuse, DT: What has been sexual abuse is very hard to to come through here and your experience with the talk about. I want them to just feel like they’re being public responses? be able to talk about it with held and being recognized as KH: I’ve had some incredi- their siblings, their parents part of a really strong comble responses so far, especialand with their own children, munity, then that would be ly on social media through and make it something that one thing that I hope they Instagram. There’s a group is no longer hidden in the take with them.
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TRENTON DAESCHNER
SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018
BASEBALL
Clemens’ breakout season now in forefront Thanks to Clemens, the Longhorns’ offense has come alive. By Shane Lewis @shanelewis4204
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ake no mistake — junior infielder Kody Clemens has arrived. Coming into the season, the strength of the Longhorns was supposed to lie with their defense. That much has come into fruition as Texas boasts the top fielding percentage in the Big 12, committing only seven errors in 15 conference games. But the offense has quietly been producing as well, displaying an ability to win shootouts. The Longhorns are third in the Big 12 in both runs scored and home runs, and they’ll look to keep swinging in Tuesday’s game against UT-Rio Grande Valley at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. A huge cog in the offense has been Clemens.
katie bauer | the daily texan file Kody Clemens swings for the fences. The junior infielder has burst onto the scene this season, batting .361 and totaling 11 home runs so far. The 6-foot slugger has hit 11 home runs this season—more than a third of the Longhorns’ total—and is batting an astronomical .361. For his efforts, the infielder has been named to numerous midseason
All-American teams and is considered one of the premier talents in the country. But Texas head coach David Pierce thinks Clemens has room to improve. “His numbers say that he’ll be an All-American,
and he’s getting recognition for that,” Pierce said. “The thing is, when you start getting mid-season recognition, you want to say how did I get here and how can I continue to do that. I think he has that ability do that and get
even better.” As the season has continued, Clemens has become the subject of other teams’ scouting reports and their nightmares. Opposing pitchers have tried their best to pitch around the junior, but Clemens has adjusted to the special treatment. “People love to throw me away,” Clemens said. “But one time, they’ll make a mistake and that’s the (pitch) I’ll jump on.” Clemens’ ability to wait for that ‘mistake’ has been a part of his rapid evolution as a player. Last season, as a sophomore, Clemens batted .241 and had a slugging percentage more than .300 points less than this year. As a freshman, Clemens struck out 44 times in only 57 games. Already this year, Clemens has more home runs than his previous two years combined. Pierce has attributed the progression to Clemens’ improved ability to battle at the plate and be patient with pitchers. “(Clemens) now has the
ability to fight off pitchers’ pitches in two-strike counts and then taking the base on balls or getting a pitch he can handle,” Pierce said. “That’s a quality that great hitters have.” Tristan Stevens is the probable starter for Tuesday night’s game, marking the freshman pitcher’s first appearance as a Longhorn. Junior pitcher Josh Sawyer had some advice for the young pitcher: Don’t try to do too much and lean on the strengths of the team. “Us older guys are starting to take control and helping the freshmen out,” Sawyer said. “All you have to do is go in there and throw strikes. If you go in there and throw strikes, good things are going to happen because we have one of the best defenses in the country. “For a lot of young pitchers that come into college, they’re used to striking out everyone in high school. You have to have faith in the defense behind you.”
SOFTBALL
Longhorns prepare for meat of Big 12 schedule By Robert Larkin @r_larkintexas
katie bauer | the daily texan file Sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth swings at a pitch in a recent game. Texas’ bats have come alive as of late, hitting .341 as a team in conference play.
Shortly after her team’s three-game sweep of Texas Tech, Texas head coach Connie Clark delivered a quick, optimistic refrain regarding whether or not her team is prepared for its brutal upcoming schedule. “I hope so,” Clark said. The Longhorns (26–15, 9–0 Big 12) have been exceptional nine games into their conference slate, defeating their opponents by an average margin of five runs. Now Texas will need to show it can carry its hot start into the toughest part of its regular season schedule. This week should provide an indication to that question, as two of the top four teams in the Big 12 — No. 16 Baylor and Oklahoma State — come to Austin over the course of four games. While the Longhorns understand the competition will surely escalate in the coming days, that hasn’t stopped players
from feeling confident about their ability to compete with the conference’s elite teams. “We’ve thought we’re one of the best Big 12 teams from the start,” sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth said. “We’ve had a tough schedule in the beginning, and that just prepared us more for the Big 12, and we’re ready to take on any team that comes out here.” That confidence comes as a welcome sign for a ball club who started the year off very inconsistent, going 12–13 in its first 25 games. Since then, the Longhorns have won 14 of their last 16. Clark said her team’s recent success and elevated morale makes it the perfect opportunity for Texas to go toe-to-toe with two of the Big 12’s top teams this week. “You’re seeing some lights come on in terms of what we want to see come out in a championship-minded club,” Clark said. “With some tough competition coming in,
our confidence is right where it needs to be.” One of those areas where the Longhorns have seen increasingly positive outcomes is at the plate, an area in which they immensely struggled earlier in the year. Since starting Big 12 play, Texas ranks second in the conference in team hitting, trailing only No. 2 Oklahoma in that category. If the Longhorns can continue that success at the plate, coupled with their already formidable rotation, then they could emerge as one of the conference’s best teams. For now, Texas must handle the task at hand. With a talented Baylor team arriving in Austin on Tuesday night, the Longhorns will face one of their most competitive opponents over the past few weeks. “We’re taking it one game at a time and each series,” senior pitcher Erica Wright said. “We expect a competitive game against Baylor because they’re always scrappy.”
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TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018
Sian Rips
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