The Daily Texan 2017-05-04 by The Daily Texan

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

SEMESTER IN

REVIEW

SPRING 2018

IN THIS ISSUE

30 columns comics looking back, forward sports science&tech life&arts

photos by juan figueroa, anthony mireles, nikita sveshnikov, carlos garcia

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VOLUME 118, ISSUE 154

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Laura Hallas Assoc. Editors Liza Anderson, Jaree Campbell, Cuillin Chastain-Howley, Josie Maclean Senior Columnists Elizabeth Braaten, Laura Doan, Noah Horwitz, Caleb Wong, Ryan Young Forum Editors Vik Shirvaikar, Janhavi Nemawarkar, Liza Anderson

Assoc. Video Editor Audrey Black, Peyton Young Photo Editor Juan Figueroa Assoc. Photo Editor Brooke Crim, Carlos Garcia Senior Photographer Katie Bauer, Anthony Mireles, Angel Ulloa, Angela Wang Life&Arts Editor Chris Duncan, Charles Liu

Managing Editor Ellie Breed

Assoc. Life&Arts Editor Andrea Tinning

Assoc. Managing Editor Tyler Horka, Forrest Milburn

Sr. Life&Arts Writers Collyn Burke, Ruben Paquian, Brooke Sjoberg

News Editor Catherine Marfin

Sports Editor Trenton Daeschner

Assoc. News Editor Lisa Nhan

Assoc.Sports Editor Alex Briseno, Vanessa Le

News Desk Editors Hannah Daniel, London Gibson, Anusha Lalani, Wesley Story, Brittany Wagner Senior Reporters Chase Karacostas, Maria Mendez, Brianna Stone, Allyson Waller Beat Reporters Stephanie Adeline, Katie Balevic, Mason Carroll, Meara Isenberg, Raga Justin, Anna Lassman, Sara Schleede, Tehreem Shahab, Sami Sparber, Brooke Vincent Copy Desk Chief Bella McWhorter Associate Copy Desk Chiefs Kirsten Handler, Taylor Presley, Ryan Steppe Design Editor Sunnie Lee

Senior Sports Reporters Steve Helwick, Drew King, Justin Martinez Comics Editor Melanie Westfall Assoc. Comics Editor Geo Casillas, Rachel Tyler Senior Comics Artists Annette Meyer, Jeb Milling, Channing Miller Digital Editor Alexandria Dominguez Web Editor Natalie Heineman Sr. Social Media Editor Carlos Garcia, Samantha Shaps, Tirza Ortiz Science & Tech Editor Julianne Hodges Assoc. S&T Editor Freya Preimesberger

Art Director Rena Li Senior Designers Andrea D’Mello, Clio Harralson, Aaliyah Jenkins, Paolina Montes Senior Graphic Designers Mingyo Lee, Mallika Gandhi Video Editor Thomas Negrete

Senior S&T Reporters Areeba Khwaja, Alastair Talbot Podcast Director JT Lindsey Assoc. Podcast Director Morgan Kuehler, Rachel Zein Podcast Technical Producer Dani Matias Editorial Adviser Peter Chen

ISSUE STAFF Comic Artists Diane Sun, Jacky Tovar Copy Editors Cecilia Gomez, Joe Morris, Jason Lihuang Designers Cat Hickox, Sarah Tanguma

L&A Reporters Francesca D’Annunzio, Justin Jones S&T Reporters Cason Hunwick

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Laura Hallas (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Ellie Breed (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com

NEWS OFFICE

(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.

AUSTIN WEATHER

HI LO

TOMORROW May 5

74º 61º

News desk editor says, goodbye to Texan family By Anusha Lalani News Desk Editor

Sports Reporters Shane Lewis

Illustrators Nathan Rooney

TODAY May 4

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

HI 83º LO 59º

@anusha_lalani

During my sophomore year I was sitting in one of my journalism classes when my professor asked, “Which one of you is working at The Daily Texan or any other place?” Almost half of the class raised their hand, while my hand remained down. I began to question myself: “What is The Daily Texan, and why am I not involved in it?” With those questions, I nervously made my way to one of the information sessions the Texan held for the spring semester and signed up for my two tryout shifts. I’ll never forget my first edits. Ellie, then a news desk editor, sweetly explained to me what an inverted pyramid was in journalism by drawing on a sticky note and going through the whole story with me. She was so kind — and still is — and I will always be grateful for her. I will also be forever grateful to Wynne, my first news editor, who let me be a part of the News department and who I know I can still text or call to this day. I most certainly cannot forget Peter, too, for his sassy comments and the advice

he gave me as I struggled to report at times. And so began my journey at the Texan with its numerous phone interviews, pitch meetings, late-night edits, sources calling me “Anushi” and much more. I’m happy I got to experience it all, from being a general reporter, senior reporter and news desk editor. And although only two short years have passed, I will cherish every moment. The one person who really made my Texan experience a memorable one would be Catherine. I have no words to describe how much gratitude I have toward her for becoming my first friend at the Texan. I will most definitely miss our inside jokes no one else understood and our late-night walks back to our apartment. Even though I took a semester off from the Texan, I came back to familiar faces, like Catherine’s, and new ones too, who made my last semester unforgettable. Being a Muslim journalism student, it was hard to find a place where I would fit in. I did not know anyone in any of my journalism classes and felt out of place. But when I walk down the dark steps to the basement of the Texan, I know I am always welcomed and I know I belong to the Texan family.

COLLEGE MEANS LIBERTY

it’s only fitting that my last paper is a shit show

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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.

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

After joining the Texanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo staff in 2014, Rachel Zein decided to switch majors and pursue a career in journalism. She wants to thank Amy, Zoe and Peter for their support, critique and advice over the years. She also wants to thank Juan for being a wonderful friend and for making her last year at UT the very best one.

juan figueroa the daily texan staff

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

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Copy editor turns in red pen for another red pen By Taylor Presley

Associate Copy Desk Chief @_tpresley

Never having been a sentimental person, I always judged the people that cried at the end of each school year. But as I passed the Tower on my way to the Texan office to write this goodbye, I felt an unfamiliar catch in my throat. Because it’s now that I realize this is the last time I’ll be walking past the Tower until I graduate. It wasn’t until my junior year that I began working at The Daily Texan. I may not have spent much of my free time in the office like so many others who write these columns, but working at the Texan has given me many things, and I’m proud to have been a part of it. In my time here, I’ve figured out what career path I want to take, I’ve learned so much about journalism and its place in today’s world, and I’ve met some of the most amazing and talented people. To all the managing editors I’ve had the pleasure of working under — Michelle, Natalia, Matt, Ellie, Ty and Forrest — thank you

all for your incredible leadership. To Peter, thank you for being such a wonderful, patient adviser to all us crazy kids. I will not miss your camera. To my copy family, Bella, Kirsten and Ryan. Thank you for all the laughs and all the shit-talking. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with this year. Bella, maybe it’s the California in you, but you’re the perfect mix of wise, chill and goofy. Thank you for being such a great copy chief. Kirsten, I’ll miss my Grey’s buddy! I’ve seen you work your ass off this year, and you still find the time to be such a helpful, selfless human being. Thank you. Ryan, copy’s own meme king. Thank you for being the only person to decorate the copy desk, and for being our go-to grammar person. You’re Plan II right? To everyone else at the Texan, whether I’ve met you or not, thank you for the inspiration. It’s been an honor to work among so many skilled writers, designers, photographers and editors. Good luck to everyone leaving, graduating and moving on to bigger and better things.

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juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

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Life&Arts editor trades free movies for a white coat By Charles Liu Life&Arts Editor

@ charlieindahaus

I came to The Daily Texan to review movies. The gig was too good — I went to free screenings, saw the biggest blockbusters before almost everyone else and met some of my favorite celebrities (except Mark Hamill, sniff). But the thing I’ll miss most about the Texan is not the cool stuff I got to do — it’s the cool people who made me a better writer, a better teammate and a better person. One of my first editors, Kat, showed me that brevity and energy are king in journalism, and it was this philosophy that defined my approach to articles since my first semester at the Texan. Then came Danielle, Cat, and Katie, who turned the Life&Arts department into a dysfunctional but loving family. Thanks to you, we spent more time having fun together on the weekends than in the basement working. Brian, Sean, Elizabeth, Jamie, Marissa, Stephen, Thomas — I sometimes wish you were still at the Texan so we’d

be back in the good old days. Mae, Daisy, Morgan, Justin — thank you for putting up with my dad humor, and for preventing my writing from getting too pretentious. Andrea — you are a compassionate collaborator, and you brought positivity and life to our section. Peter — you were a cruel but fair master to your underlings. You kept your finger on the Texan’s pulse, and you were a tremendous mentor and supporter. Respect. As for you, Chris, I don’t think enough can be said. As far as The Daily Texan bromances go, I think we had the best by far. It’s been a pleasure surviving SXSW with you, jabbing each other’s fragile egos and regressing from adequate young adults to alarmingly obnoxious boys. I may be leaving this place behind for medical school, but the friends I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had throughout my seven semesters at the Texan will certainly stay with me. They will continue to remind me about the goodness in people that makes them worth protecting, nurturing and healing.

Life&Arts editor trades headphones for a suit and tie By Chris Duncan Life&Arts Editor @chr_dunc

After spending three hours in a dingy basement office, listening to feedback about my tryout piece, Kat pulled me aside, looked me dead in the eye and delivered something along the line of these two sentences. “You’re not a very good writer,” she said. “But I can tell you have a good work ethic, so you’re hired.” That day three and a half years ago marked my beleaguered beginning in journalism. I started out as a sorry excuse for a music reviewer — my only goal was to keep up with new music releases and hopefully become a better writer along the way. I didn’t know what I had gotten myself into. The semester after that, I became a senior writer. I started attending shows and events around Austin, meeting and interviewing some of my music idols. My music horizons grew immensely, taking me on an odyssey of sorts to appreciate genres and artists I had never even

given a chance. Listening to new bands and albums became a journey, one I’m still happily on today. Although I won’t name everyone, I owe a huge thank you to my editors for making me look infinitely better than I would without their help. I’m in the midst of finishing up my undergraduate thesis, and I can confidently say there’s no way I’d be able to complete it without the skills I learned from all of you. Beyond the festival passes and writing tips, I stayed with the paper for one reason: the people. I met some of my closest friends through this job. Charles, Cat, Brian, Sean, Danielle, KT, Thomas, Elizabeth, Jamie — the list could keep going. I love you all, thank you for putting up with my shit. Peter, you might be on that list if you ever got lunch with me and Charles. Maybe someday. Through the ebb and flows in life, the paper and its people were a constant in my college experience, something I certainly would’ve faltered without. It’s truly been a privilege to be a part of the Texan.

Local engineer-turned-journalist who loves movies meets hero(es) By Justin Jones Life&Arts Reporter @justjustin42

I’m pretty sure a -30- means that I can write whatever I want, give a few shoutouts and do what’s essentially an Oscars acceptance speech until I’m unceremoniously cut off — without music to play me off. I started college as an aerospace engineering major. It was rough. It took me two years to jump ship, but I slid over to journalism in the fall of 2016, and I hadn’t really written anything since I graduated high school two years

before that. Through good timing and dumb luck, I quickly became the section’s film critic. At this point, most people would shout out the people who gave them a chance, but I can pretty much guarantee that Elizabeth, Cat and Katie aren’t going to read this. My first semester, I didn’t know what I was doing. I talked to Bruce Campbell on the phone and he called me buddy, and I met world-renowned beautiful human Trevante Rhodes, who was in “Moonlight” — the best movie of 2016. I got to write about Captain America, Lin-Manuel Miranda

and Beyonce in one article, which is honestly peak-Justin. Last spring, my headitor, Mae, asked me to be a senior writer. I said no. She said I would get paid. I said yes. I kept reviewing movies and also did Tat-Tuesday with Carlos (s/o Carloooooos for taking my awesome photo here — but more on that later.) That spring was what really made me realize that journalism was the right choice. We got to just talk to people and share their brief stories, and it was … fun? I bumped up to editor last fall. I had no idea how to edit. Morgan and Daisy, both of whom are two years younger

than me, taught me how. Over those four months, I made less money, had less time and less food than ever. It was my favorite semester of college. From listening to “Cut to the Feeling” (the song of 2017) multiple times a day to dragging Chris and Charles (who still don’t know how to write), it was the first time in my life I looked forward to work. That semester was punctuated by a Skype interview with Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep and Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg literally told me he liked the Dallas Cowboys poster on my — oh no I’m out of words, bye.

carlos garcia | the daily texan staff

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

y -

Daily Texan just a job, but one you can learn from By Ryan Young Senior Columist

@ oldryanyoung

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

Opinion writer doesn’t know how she ended up in this basement By Laura Doan Senior Columnist @ledoan17

I didn’t really think I had that many strong opinions. I didn’t know anything about ledes or AP style. When I tried out for the Opinion department at the end of sophomore year, I was just a confused economics major who wanted to write — and to do it in my own voice. I walked into the basement with three half-baked pitches on my laptop and, for some unknown reason, the editors picked one. Then I just jumped into interviewing and turning around stories with short deadlines and three hour edit sessions. I walked down to the windowless DT basement twice a week to work with Alexander and the other

columnists, with all these people who thought and spoke with the clip of Aaron Sorkin characters. I was surprised how quickly I fell in love with it. I loved how busy and loud the basement was and how often it smelled like stale donuts. I loved working at a fast pace with smart people. And, surprising myself completely, I realized I loved a good argument. One and a half years and 28 columns later, and I’m now an opinionated person with an annoying bug for journalism that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to kick. I don’t know what happened. But I want to thank all the people who have made my time here so great. Thanks to Alexander who hired me and who was willing to help me brainstorm jokes about net-neutrality. Thanks to Janhavi and Caleb

for being such great first editors — simultaneously skilled and kind. I looked forward to having my columns torn apart and put back together by both of you. Thank you to all the current editors — Liza, Jaree, Cuillin, Josie — for inspiring me with your collective expertise, for removing “problematic” from my vocabulary and for cutting the adjectives from my clunky sentences. Thanks to Laura (the superior one) for being a fantastic editor-in-chief with incisive edits and such great vision for the department. My final hot take: The Daily Texan is really, ridiculously cool. I will miss this basement and the people in it very much. Doan is an English and Plan II junior from Fort Worth. She is a senior columnist.

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It’s been fun, but time’s up. Before this senior columnist rides off into the sunset, I’d like to reflect on the mission of The Daily Texan for the benefit of our future writers — and no, our job is not to write sensational columns about gentrification and TexMex. It is simply to teach people to write. True to the University’s motto, many of us in the Texan Opinion department stroll into the office with a determination to save the world, whether that means improving mental healthcare, cleaning up the environment, advocating for LGBTQ rights or fighting for a myriad of other personal causes. When I joined the Texan last spring, my personal mission was to dream of an Austin that was more equitable and civil — a city with some architecture more attractive than endless row homes and strip malls, a city with basic municipal services like sidewalks and, of course, a city with quality public transportation, where getting around doesn’t have to mean staring at brake lights on I-35. I was excited to write about those big ideas, and write about them I did. Some of my columns were more successful than others. For every hard-hitting critique of the University’s bombastic Be Safe rhetoric, there was a confused and muddled rant about UT shuttles and campus maps. By last fall, having parroted the same ideas over and over again, I was burned out. I felt I had become a mediocre pundit and that I wasn’t improving my writing abilities. Writing felt like a time sink, and I considered making that semester my last. But for reasons I still can’t fully explain, I decided to stay

on. Maybe it was the efforts of the editors to improve our writing skills by preparing presentations and inviting speakers. Maybe it was the exciting new transit projects under development at Capital Metro. Maybe it was Laura, who texted me over winter break to ask me to start writing weekly again. But this semester, I tried something different. I narrowed my focus to campus-centric stories that students would care about. More “Will Amazon pick Austin?” and less “Why you should give a crap about the city’s impossibly complicated land development code.” (Don’t worry. You shouldn’t). I realized that as columnists, our audience is you, the students and staff at UT. Sure, we aren’t saving the world, but we’re producing interesting and relatable commentary — and while that’s not exactly earth-shattering, it’ll do just fine. I outlined my 30 column last semester. The plan was to gently, but firmly criticize the Texan for losing sight of its educational objectives. But that’s not really true. You guys taught me to use my voice — to start projects and just get out there and talk to people. For example, I’ve used my new journalism and networking skills to start my own public transportation blog. To the Texan’s newest and future writers, embrace your job and the new learning experiences that come with it. Just remember that writing for the Texan is not the end-all-be-all, but a stepping-stone to greater things. What exactly that entails is left up to you. To this transportation columnist’s readers and editors — thank you for riding, all of you. This is our last stop. Young is a computer science senior from Bakersfield, California. He is a senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @ryanayng.

8SPTS NEWS 9 8

CRIME

In January it was revealed that pharmacy professor Richard Morrisett remained as faculty after pleading guilty to domestic abuse felony charges in 2016. This led to protests and a review of University policies. Morrisett was found dead in his home in April.

CAMPUS

The Student Government executive alliance elections sparked conversations about inclusiveness and diversity across campus. After the first results were invalidated, the second election spurred a runoff, ending in the election of Colton Becker and Mehraz Rahman.

A string of bombings hit Austin in March, killing two victims and eventually the suspect, Mark Anthony Conditt. One of the victims was Draylen Mason, a musician who had been accepted to the Butler School of Music.

President Fenves announced a subsidy for students to get free counseling at the Counseling and Mental Health Center. Psychiatry services have also been subsidized from $15 to $10.

Three Subway sandwich shops in West Campus were robbed within two weeks in January and February. Dietra Lashell Lee was arrested on Feb. 7 in connection to the robberies.

The Fine Arts Library is here to stay after months of debate between administration, faculty and students concerning what library resources should stay and the disadvantages of relocating those resource off campus.

CITY/STATE

DACA is caught in a four-way federal court battle. Three judges have issued rulings to preserve it, while a fourth just received a lawsuit trying to end it. The fate of the program will likely be decided by the end of the year. Dockless electric scooters from companies Bird and Limebike rolled into the University area in April, but are currently unavailable until the companies receive a city-issued permit. Primary elections took place on March 6. The primaries sparked a runoff election for many races, including Lupe Valdez and Andrew White for the Democratic nomination for governor. Runoffs occur on May 22, and midterm elections will take place Nov. 6.

One year after the release of the CLASE study, several initiatives have been implemented to address sexual assault on campus. This includes the Interpersonal Violence Peer Support program, which celebrated its grand opening early this semester.

SYSTEM

Next fall, qualifying Texas students will receive free tuition if their families earn less than $30,000, and students from families earning up to $100,000 will be guaranteed grants and scholarships. After leading the UT System for three years, McRaven is retiring this month. The UT System Board of Regents has yet to announce a new chancellor, which may be announced at the next meeting. Tuition will increase by 2 percent each of the next two academic years. The increases will help fund the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faculty salaries and student success efforts.

CRIME

Meechaiel Crinerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trial is set to begin July 9. Criner was indicted by a grand jury for capital murder in connection with the 2016 death of dance freshman Haruka Weiser.

10 SPTS SPTS 9

SYSTEM

CITY/STATE

In February, UT President Gregory Fenves announced he would reimburse the University $27,000 for violating flight policy by flying on business class instead of economy without the University’s permission.

University House, a large student housing complex in West Campus, repeatedly overbooked tenants and illegally terminated leases at the start of the semester.

PROJECTS

This semester marked the launch of “The Five Percent,” a partnership between The Daily Texan and UT’s National Association of Black Journalists which details the experiences black UT students, faculty and alumni in a predominantly white space. Look for more projects in the series next semester. Working with UT’s National Association of Hispanic Journalists, The Daily Texan launched its first collaborative series “Negotiating Dreams.” The series shared the stories of undocumented students at UT. Watch out for more special collaborations next semester.

joshua guenther, andre fernandez, nikita sveshnikov, carlos garcia, anthony mireles | the daily texan staff

CAMPUS

Following backlash from conservative media outlets, CMHC’s search for MasculinUT’s “healthy masculinities coordinator” is temporarily suspended by Soncia Reagins-Lilly, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. This fall, some construction will lighten up on the 40 Acres with the completion of the following projects: Speedway Mall, Student Activity Center outdoor deck, Painter First Year Initiative lab, Burdine classroom renovations, West Mall Office Building upper two floors renovation, Bernard and Audre Rapport Building computer lab renovation and the College of Business Administration Frito Lay suite renovation. Welch Hall construction will still be in progress through early 2020 with no change to construction site access. The completion date for the West Mall fountain area renovation is still to be determined.

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Sports editor says thanks for the memories By Trenton Daeschner Sports Editor

@trentdaeschner

When I first arrived at The Daily Texan in the fall of 2015, I never could’ve imagined a time when I’d have to write a 30 column. But there I was the other night lying in bed at 2 a.m. trying to figure out what in the world I was going to say as I watched old Tiger Woods highlights on YouTube, as I so often do. I thought to myself, “How am I supposed to say goodbye to something I’m not ready to leave?” In my three years at the Texan, there have been countless memories and friendships made. I truly owe so much to this place, and I’m thankful to have been a part of it. Of course, plenty of experiences will stick with me. Like chatting with Lance Armstrong in the 14th fairway at Austin Country Club while covering a PGA Tour event. Or sitting in the press box covering Texas-OU at the Cotton Bowl — one of my favorite stadiums in the country. Chills. Or having Tom Herman come up and high-five me and other reporters after a practice for no particular reason, then face us and say “report like a champion today.” Still not sure what had gotten into Tom that day. Or not leaving NRG Stadium at the Texas Bowl until 3:30 a.m. Fun night, but an exhausting one to say the least. More than anything, the friends I’ve made here have made it all worth it, and I owe a lot to so many people. To Jori, Jacob, Ezra and Shap, I learned so much under your leadership.

anthony mireles | the daily texan staff To Akshay, who pushed me to be better more than anyone else at the Texan. You were a tremendous leader here, and you’ve been an even greater friend. To Ellie, for hiring me as your sports editor and taking a chance on me. It has been an honor to work with you, and I hope I’ve made you proud. To Peter, I’ll miss our epic ping pong

matches. More importantly, I’ll miss your guidance and mentorship. Thank you for everything. To Vanessa, Alex, Drew, Justin, Steve and the rest of my staff this semester, I can’t say enough how proud I am of y’all. Your hard work day in and day out made this engine go. And to Ty, who is my best friend and someone I’ve made so many memories with

in and out of the Texan. I’ve looked up to you since I got here, and I can’t express enough how much your friendship means to me. I’ll close with a lyric from the late, great Tom Petty — one of my favorite artists of all time. “It’s time to move on, it’s time to get going.” Thank you for everything, DT.

The long goodbye: Sports reporter talks about everything but sports By Dalton Phillips Senior Sports Reporter @ dalton_tweets

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

Watch the Throne: King leaves to conquer the world By Drew King

Senior Sports Reporter @drewking0222

I hated my first semester here. I told Ezra Siegel that I wanted to try out for the Sports department and gave him my email address. My email ended in .net, he wrote down .com. I never heard from Ezra, so the next week I walked back into the office with a garbage recap of the Texas-Notre Dame football game that I had printed out to hand-deliver. Ezra wasn’t there, so I gave it to Jackie Wang, the managing editor, instead. She told me they had just finished hiring staffers, but would let Ezra know I came in. Ezra hired me, probably out

of pity. My first assignment was to write a preview over Kevin Durant’s debut with the Golden State Warriors. Ezra assured me it was going to run in the paper, and my mom asked me to grab her an extra copy. My eyes went straight to the byline. “By Nick Sauseda” My name is not Nick Sauseda. Never has been. I’ve never met Nick, and I’m not entirely convinced he’s a real person. But that’s who got credit for my first story. I only wrote two other articles that fall, and neither of them ended up in the paper. It was frustrating. I wasn’t sure I wanted to come back. I’m glad I did. A few people who made my time worthwhile:

Shouts to Ezra for hiring me. Shouts to Michael Shapiro for promoting me to senior staff. Shouts to Sydney Rubin for getting on my case about my first story not having quotes. Shouts to Leah Vann for showing me how to get good quotes. Shouts to Dad for telling me “You’re the best writer they’ve got” after each of my articles ran. Shouts to Madre for checking in on me once a week to make sure I wasn’t homesick. Shouts to Rena Li, Sunnie Lee, Mallika Gandi, Paolina Montes, Andrea D’Mello and the design department for stealing my candy. Shouts to Bella McWhorter, Kirsten Handler and the copycats for ganging up on me during debates.

Shouts to Angela Wang, Carlos Garcia and Juan Figueroa and the photo department for talking mad trash and taking bomb pictures to go with my articles. Shouts to Tyler Horka and Trent “Dachshund” Daeschner for being horrible bosses, but halfway-decent friends. Shouts to Justin Martinez and Dalton Phillips, my favorite pick and roll partners. Shouts to Alex Briseno and Vanessa Le, my least favorite pick and roll partners. Shouts to Peter Chen for being too honest 100 percent of the time. And shouts to all the other people I’ve become friends with during my time here, but didn’t have enough room to name. I hate all of y’all.

The last piece I write for the Texan has none of the razor-sharp sports analysis that you’ve all come to know and love. Humor me, for the language is different. Sappier, certainly. But entirely authentic. It is difficult to convey the breadth of the Texan’s influence on my college experience. Like a student returning home from a semester abroad trying to describe their time with phrases like “life-changing” and “unforgettable,” the words on the page fall somewhat flat. Looking back now, the memories resurface like a cheesy montage in the series finale of a nine-season sitcom where all the best moments of joy and laughter fill the screen and your heart as you reflect on the unforgettable characters

who have been with you since day one. A whirlwind of activity and late-deadlines and inside jokes and wonderful memories — the Texan and the sports department have been a microcosm of the hustle and bustle that is life. It was rarely easy, but the best things in life never are. Shoutouts to Drew aka Young King, I consider myself very lucky that we both got lost on our way to the courts that day. Thank you for being the best pickand-roll player I’ve ever run alongside — both on and off the hardwood. Shoutouts to Justin, your approach to everything you do in life is inspiring. I’ve had the pleasure of watching you operate in a wide range of settings, and your all-in style is refreshing and will definitely take you places. You are both the type of friends a person might describe at the end of a long life, when looking back at their most cherished moments.

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

Baseball writer, brooder finds love in the basement By Shane Lewis Baseball Beat Writer @dastatsman

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

I like very few things in this world. I like a nice glass of Scotch, a Crunchwrap Supreme and the Green Bay Packers, preferably all in one sitting. I also like to brood. Fittingly, my year working at the Texan was spent brooding behind the sport’s desk. As a dumb 20 year old, I transferred from Cornell to the University of Texas for a girl I thought I was in love with. When that (unsurprisingly) didn’t work out, I felt stuck at a school that I never wanted to be at. I don’t particularly like

journalism, but if Texas Student Media wanted to pay me 50 bucks to sit behind a sports desk and do nothing for six hours, I was happy to oblige. I also got free food and a press pass which was nice. But while I was brooding at the Texan, something interesting happened. I became aware that I was surrounded by journalists who were extremely passionate and skilled at what they do. Being in an environment like that is extremely inspiring. I’m confident that I’ll be seeing the work of my fellow Texaners in all kinds of media outlets one day. But like many stories, mine comes down to a girl. At one of The Daily Texan’s

infamous parties (shout out to the OG Cano Briseno), I met a girl who was the loveliest thing I had ever seen on the 40 Acres. A girl who put up with my dumb shenanigans and constant stream of Green Bay Packers references. The same girl, in fact, who helped design the paper that these words are being printed on. A girl who made me not want to brood. So I don’t really like journalism, and I don’t really like passive aggressive critiques, and I definitely don’t like the Fast and the Furious (shout out to Akshay ‘Kobe’ Mirchandani). But The Daily Texan, you gave me someone to love, and for that, I like you quite a bit.

LAURA HALLAS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

COLUMN

Editor-in-chief rambles on page for last time By Laura Hallas @laurahallas

editor-in-chief

As editor-in-chief, I have harassed columnists into meeting word count, cut entire paragraphs of editorials and rewritten headlines minutes before deadline to make content fit. Yet for all of my journalistic insistence succinct phrasing, someone had the bright idea to let me write about the most impactful year of my life, unsupervised. What an oversight. If you have spoken with me in the past year, you know that I can derail any conversation with a 40 minute part-rant, part-ode to the Texan. There are not enough words nor time in the day to convey all of the intangible moments that make this job great, much less in my 30 column. I may not be able to describe in words the feeling of leading a pitch meeting or publishing an impactful editorial, but I can point to a list of names. It is the 324 staff and 93 permanent staff on The Daily Texan masthead, past and present, who filled my quote wall and my memories of the Texan. First, there are Those Who Came Before. Alexander Chase — you instilled a love for writing in your staffers, and installed bad pictures of Jeb(!) Bush on my desktop. I am grateful for both. Claire Smith — you were the first to give me space on the page, and set a precedent for all who came after you. Some professionals were also involved. Peter Chen — thank you for your sage advice and for your

habit of dramatically entering my office. Gerald Johnson — thank you for always backing our work from upstairs. I’m still scheming to bring back my green couch. I learned, too, from my three strong managing editors. Eva Frederick, you are a light. We learned the management ropes together, and I loved every minute of it. Michelle Zhang, I can always count on you for a coffee-fueled analysis of our lives and our jobs — you excel in both. Ellie Breed, I can’t wait to see what you do next, and I will miss working alongside you as you do it. From my office window, I can see the paper the three of you built. It’s a great view. But my heart lies on page 4. I have seen the opinion staff’s columns find the nuance in even the most complicated issues and pushed this University toward tangible change. To my columnists: You made every day of this job worth it. Never stop writing, and don’t forget to find the time peg. A fleet of 25 columnists can’t cover every campus issue — sometimes you just have to cold-call some professors. Vik Shirvaikar and Janhavi Nemawarkar, working with the two of you made even the weekly heart attacks well worth it. Vik — “forum editor” is only one of your titles in my mental Rolodex, but I’m thankful you’ve held it. Janhavi, you inspire me everyday. We have grown together through the Texan, and I know you will continue to make waves wherever you go. And that brings me to the editorial board. Frankly I’m still shocked not only that you all didn’t quit en masse over InDesign or conflicting music opinions. Cuillin — thank you for taking a break from your

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff social media presence to spend three semesters in this basement. Josie, you are unfailingly kind and push for the best in people in whatever you do — a powerful combination. Jaree — you took a chance on me and the opinion section, and I am so thankful. You are a rock in this department, and there’s no one I would rather spend Friday nights in the office with. There are so many others, on and off staff, who have defined my time here. But my moment in the basement is about to end, and soon my bulletin boards will be emptied for a new year of printed reddit comments, grainy pictures and design misprints.

Liza, you belong in both of my previous paragraphs as an outstanding forum and an associate editor, but now it’s your turn to take the lead. Be bold, make waves, and know that I always have your back. I have no doubt that I will continue to try (and fail) to explain why I love this paper while trapped friends and family patiently listen — this was only the masthead. For my full column, hand me a coffee and ask me about the Texan. Hallas is a Plan II, economics and health and society junior from Allen.

COLUMNS

Forum editor says goodbye to the basement By Janhavi Nemawarkar @ texan opinion

forum editor

We all have our own story of how we first stumbled into The Daily Texan basement. I remember being a small nervous freshman coming into the office for the first time to pitch column ideas to Claire, the editor-in-chief, for my tryout piece. The stairs to the office, which literally descended down into the darkness, intimidated me so much that I paced outside the entrance for 20 minutes. But finally, I braced myself and walked into a space where it seemed like everyone was very busy and very important. Now, I’ve been in the basement for over two years. I’ve done (nearly) every job within the Opinion department. I swan in and out of the basement, sunglasses on my head and coffee in my hands, pretending to be far more busy and important than I actually am.

And yet, I still sometimes feel like a small nervous freshman, in awe of the literal hundreds of students who work here. But working at the Texan in so many different capacities has challenged me to grow — as a writer and leader — more than anything else I’ve done so far in my college career. My relationship with the Texan has been public in the strangest way. For two weeks in each of the past two years, I’ve run campaigns to be the editor-in-chief of this newspaper. I’ve loudly proclaimed my love for the Texan to the student body twice over. Y’all get it by now. I think this is a really special place, where students who aren’t in Student Government or college councils have a unique ability to have their concerns heard by administrators. It’s also a place that hasn’t been accessible to students of marginalized identities for a long time. But there are so many improvements constantly happening. I get so excited when I think about the innovation happening throughout the paper, led by students of color and allies. And I can’t wait for the next

women of color editors-in-chief of the Daily Texan. It’s coming, I know. The Texan pulls you back in. Since I was hired, I came back every semester for over two years. I’ve worked through some of the lowest moments of my personal life. I’ve been publicly disappointed. I’ve cried in the bathroom, and in the alleyway behind the HSM building, during some particularly hard times. But for the most part, the Texan has been a happy space for me. It’s always been filled with wonderful people, whom I owe so much to. Vik — I’m going to miss our last-minute Forum scrambles. Somehow, we always managed to pull together a page I was proud to put our names on — even if we always nearly gave Laura a heart attack in the process. Thank you for being the only one who I would dream of doing this weird, rewarding job with. Alexander and Claire — y’all shaped me as a writer and leader. Alexander — I owe a lot of my growth as an editor to you. Unfortunately, you also got me hooked on em-dashes. Claire — I was so in awe of

Forum editor writes first, last column

Associate editor quits again, for the last time By Jaree Campbell @ jar_ee

associate editor

I worked as a copy editor for a time which happened in pretty typical fashion, but my trip into Opinion was a bit more unorthodox. Laura worked with me as a copy kitten in the spring and then as EIC in the summer. As the summer neared its end, Laura texted me out of the blue, asking me to apply to be an associate editor. So I just said okay and went with it for the semester, and then the next one too. Despite my apprehension toward leaving the Copy department, the change felt right. Although I still rant about creative comma usage from time to time, I’ve found immense joy in teaching and working with a team of talented writers. I’ve even learned a few things along the way. My writers have taught me the unnoticed student issues, the missteps of our state’s bureaucracy and why I should commit to selfcare every once in a while. They even taught me many great uses for the em dash — when used sparingly and strategically. So thank you columnists. Thank you for the defenses of your rhetorical questions and idioms, your (sheepishly delivered) bad pitches and most importantly for allowing me to guide you in publishing work you should all be proud of. My fellow editors have taught me how rewarding our hard work can be. You all welcomed me back every time I quit, tolerated my hottest takes on Frank Ocean and indulged my slight obsession with film scores. Cuillin: I commend your devotion to stanning untalented rappers no matter how

much I trash talk them. Josie: I admire your ability to work through a 2-hour editing session with a smile on your face. Liza: I appreciate you for always telling me how great I am and your intimate knowledge about our U.S. presidents. And Laura: I thank you for poaching me from the copy department and for being a ~cool~ boss. While working for this newspaper, I’ve definitely learned how to be a proficient editor, but I’m mostly thankful for having a job where my tattoos or piercings or blackness was never an indicator of how well I could do my job. My editors had my back when a racist pitch made me question my ability to do this job, and have encouraged me to publish a few rant-y things about being black at UT. Outside of Opinion, I’ve seen just how committed this paper is to telling the stories of our underrepresented students. Our management team has actively recruited people of color to work with us. Our news department has completed not one, but two, special projects highlighting the experiences of DACA recipients and black excellence at this University. I’ve had the opportunity to grow with a newsroom that is finally inviting a diversity of identities to foster their talents. So I thank all of the people I’ve worked with, laughed with, argued with and learned with over the years. I will miss you all, but I am excited for the important work all of this talented staff will do after I’m gone. So thank you Daily Texan. For all of the late nights fighting inDesign, the searching for verification of a single sports stat and all of the lessons I’ve learned and memories I’ve made in that awfully chilly basement. Campbell is an English junior from El Paso.

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.

you when I first met you. That hasn’t changed. Liza — I’m so glad I met you, friend. You’re going to do so well next year, and I’m excited to see where you take the Texan. Laura — I’ve written and re-written this section so many times, because our relationship has always been the hardest to define. First: I admire you. You’ve done so much for this paper, and you’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Second: I’m so grateful we’ve become friends this past year. You’re a lot weirder than I ever would have expected, and I have a lot of love for that. And third: I’ll see you soon! We’re not leaving each other (I’ll see you in Plan II neuroscience next semester!). I’m so excited to see how our friendship develops. I spent a lot of time thinking about the legacy I wanted to leave at The Daily Texan, but in the meantime it made an indelible mark on me. I may no longer work in this basement, but I’m not leaving. Not really. Nemawarkar is a Plan II and government junior from Austin.

By Vik Shirvaikar @texan opinion

forum editor

To wit, it all started with a casual suggestion. Laura mentioned something about a forum. “It’ll be fun,” she said. “You’ll learn cool new skills and get to publish whatever you want!” We talked about it a little more. Forum, she explained, was a weekly opinion page, featuring people who didn’t work for the paper. Other students, faculty, community organizers, politicians. I thought it sounded interesting. (Incidentally, two of her three claims turned out to be true. Apparently, “whatever you want” was not intended to be taken literally. It actually means “whatever you want, as long as it’s factually accurate, relevant, professionally written and not being published entirely as a meme.” This was only an issue once or twice a week.) Three months later, I found myself in the basement, scrambling to find content at the last minute and bungling basic functions on InDesign. But we learned, and things got better. We pulled off a surprising number of pages with an actual cohesive theme, from environmentalism, to women’s health, to scientific advocacy to gun rights. Rena and Liza showed us some design tricks, and our pages started to have an actual degree of artistic merit. I think there’s something really valuable about the concept of Forum. We always hear about echo chambers, polarization, all the other political problem buzzwords. This is our way of pushing back. Anyone can have their opinion published in the Texan. It doesn’t matter what that opinion is: It just matters that you can defend it with logic and evidence. On top of that, our editors and columnists are extremely talented, but we don’t

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

know everything. To fill in the blanks, we need expert faculty, we need community leaders, and we need you. Of course, nothing I did here would have been possible without some key people. Mom and Dad, thank you for your endless advice and encouragement. When I wasn’t sure I could take on this role, you gave me the extra enthusiasm to go for it, and I’m really glad you did. Zoe, thank you for your careful comments and creative suggestions and for always listening to my opinions, even when they’re definitely wrong. You’re the best. Liza, you have a bright future, probably. Given how neatly you always dismiss my borderline libelous suggestions, I think the Opinion department can look forward to another year without a major lawsuit. Good luck, even though you really don’t need it. Janhavi, it’s been a pleasure highlighting perspectives with you. Between your people and my people, we apparently know quite a few people. I’m not sure how we actually managed to meet the deadline every week, but there was always something on the page the following morning. We did it. Which leaves Laura. Thank you for patiently putting up with all my ideas, both the ridiculous and the slightly less ridiculous. You gave me the authority to reach our audience with timeliness. If not for your guidance, I probably still wouldn’t know which end of a column is which. But really, without you, none of this would have happened in the first place. I look forward to your future career as a high-level executive. This was my last column, but there’s a fun twist. Thanks to the nature of my job, it was also my first. What a story! Shirvaikar is a math and economics major from Frisco.

RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

TRENTON DAESCHNER

SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

BASEBALL

Texas faces crucial weekend series in Lubbock Longhorns continue conference battle against Texas Tech. By Shane Lewis @datstatsman

t may be time to start calling the Longhorns the “comeback kids.” After erasing a four-run deficit in the ninth inning to beat Texas State on Tuesday, the Longhorns have now notched 13 come-from-behind victories this season. “I’ve had a couple of teams like this, and it’s really fun to watch because they’re never out of it,” Texas head coach David Pierce said. “They just never feel like they’re out of it. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s fun to watch.” With a team filled with fresh faces and young players, nothing has come easy for Texas this season. Despite the growing pains that go along with a roster trying to mesh, Pierce said that the comebacks and close wins can be attributed to the team’s attention to detail. “We’re a team that has to do all the little things right,” Pierce said. “And somehow, some way, we just continue to fight.” Doing the little things right will be of importance this weekend as the No. 24

katie bauer | the daily texan file Head coach David Pierce talks with an umpire during the Longhorns’ 12-1 victory over Northwestern at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on March 4. Pierce and his ball club will travel to Lubbock to face No. 9 Texas Tech in a three-game series this weekend. Longhorns (31–17, 12–6 Big 12) travel to Lubbock to take on No. 9 Texas Tech (34–12, 11–7 Big 12). Texas and Texas Tech sit at second and third in the Big 12 standings, respectively, and are within striking distance of conference leader Oklahoma State with two series left in the season.

With both teams ranked late in the season, though, the implications of the series extend much further than a regular season conference crown. “I think this series potentially gives us an opportunity for hosting (a regional),” Pierce said. “I think for

Texas Tech, this series gives them the chance at getting a national seed.” One issue that the Longhorns will try to shore up this weekend is their shaky bullpen. Against Texas State on Tuesday, Texas shuffled through nine of its pitchers, five of whom

gave up a run. An inconsistent bullpen has plagued the Longhorns throughout the season. Pierce said that a lack of experience and practice time has limited the progress made by his pitchers. “I’ll be honest with you, one of the biggest issues

we have is practice,” Pierce said. “I mean we play so many games, and we try to get as much done in the game. It’s just frustrating because we don’t have the practice time, and we don’t get enough in-game experience with some junior college guys and definitely some freshman guys.” But with the Longhorns heading into the final stretch of the season, and with the postseason on the horizon, it may be too late to figure out the shaky bullpen situation. A lot of pressure will be put on starting pitchers Nolan Kingham, Chase Shugart and Blair Henley as the season winds down. “We’d love to stay with some (bullpen) guys, but they’ve proven that they’re only good for three outs,” Pierce said. “Be prepared to see our starters go deep in games.” Despite the problems out of the bullpen, the Longhorns will look to build on the momentum that they built up in April. After going 12–9 in March, the Longhorns enjoyed their best stretch of the season this past month. In April, Texas went 14–5 and was 8–1 at home. “It’s actually been our best month. It hasn’t always been pretty, but it’s been our best month,” Pierce said. “We’ve just got to build off this and what we’ve done in April and have a good May.”

COMICS 13

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Associate sports editor gets lost in the sauce By Vanessa Le

Associate Sports Editor @vanesssale

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

Sustainability-oriented design editor sees hypocrisy in supporting print media By Sunnie Lee Design Editor

@haveasunnieday

It’s ironic but fitting that this is my first and only byline in the paper. Having my Texan experience solely in design and therefore never content-producing, I’d like to think of this 30 as the longest funny weather you’ve ever seen, which is also how I’m justifying its lackluster. This started out as a means to an end, a resume-builder for my application to double major in journalism. The ends were met, I got in, but four semesters later I’m still here. The means ended up becoming the end, in that backwards but predictable way things happen. Working in this godforsaken basement with mice, possums, sports department boys and a corporate makeover took this hobby into a passion, into a purpose, into an identity. I couldn’t be happier with how my time here has been. Each issue feels like kin, and my roommates can attest to

stepping around yellowed newsprint strewn like I’m a retired detective trying to piece together conspiracy theories with red string. However, the only conspiracy is just how special this place is. What compels any of us to stay underground to publish every single night in a place that didn’t have a running water fountain for three months? For me, it’s the following people. To the countless leaders to guide me — Jackie, Michelle, Ellie, Forrest, Matt, Akshay — thank you. True respect among peers can be contrived but you all have earned it from me forever. To the best senior design team that has ever existed, thank you for being better than I could have ever dreamed. Aaliyah, you are the definition of reliable. Clio, everything you touch is gold. Paolina, I am and always will be jealous of you. And Andrea, you’re going to go so far and you don’t even know. I love y’all, truly. To the best reporter and tea-spiller I know, Chase. In a way, I’m excited for when the

world ends because I know you’ll be on the front line covering the breaking news before we even know it’s news. To my work wife, Rena. Thank you for being eerily similar to me. I still remember when we became instant longterm friends when I happened to cover that one shift, and I am eternally grateful. Continue to use your crazy talents for good. To everyone’s secret guardian angel, Peter. I will miss your loving presence but not your burps. Thank you always for the words of affirma-chen. As a sentimental, completionist piece of crap who hates change, I am surprisingly not as sad leaving the basement as I’d thought, because I’m leaving having had some of the best nights of my life. Sleepless nights, sure, but imagine trading these experiences for sleep. I may not be satisfied or wholeheartedly agree with the University as an institution, but damn we sure do have a great paper (which don’t forget to recycle). And for the last time, we’re all in.

*Freeze frame* I bet you’re wondering how I ended up in this situation. Very few people know just how much Pluckers means to me. I’ll touch more on this later. Everyone always starts these 30 columns with sappy thank yous and cliche farewells, so let’s get those out of the way. Firstly, I’d like to thank Peter for being my biggest fan. No, definitely not in his critiques, but in the office, where I would frequently slay my fellow coworkers in ping pong matches. Every time Peter would compliment my elite ping pong skills, it would almost feel as good as sneaking the term “Mendoza Line” into a column. Oopsies.

Regardless of how good I am at table tennis, it has been comforting to assume all this time that the Texan advisor cares about me as a person (although I still don’t know this for a fact). Ezra, Ty, Shap and Trent — thanks for employing ya girl and for being the greatest sports editors of all time. Also, shoutout to Rena, Juan and Forrest for always being human rays of sunshine in the basement that we’ve spent countless hours in (but for real, though, what does real sunshine look like?). Everything I’ve done at the Texan has made me a better person, but I’m especially grateful for learning how to ask the tough questions. For example:

Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Ironically, this question is similar to other silly ones my closest Texan friends

and I would debate over chicken wings at Pluckers after long desk shifts. Now we’re talking. I’ve realized it takes a certain kind of person to pluck the way that we do. Alex, the beef to my brocoree, Angela, my work wife, and Drew, my homie for life — these people are some of the most elite motherpluckers I know, and they’re also very special earthlings that have made me a very happy human. Gabe, Kirsten and Andrea — they’re also avid pluckers, and I’m honored to call them best friends. So there you have it, folks. Throughout my time at the Texan, I’ve learned one thing: Chicken always comes first. Especially when you get to pluck with your dearest friends. P.S. Check the first letter of every paragraph to find out the real reason why I went to Pluckers so often.

angela wang | the daily texan staff

JULIANNE HODGES

SCIENCE&TECH EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

PHYSICS

UT astronomers search for dark energy answers

copyright rebecca johnson, and reproduced with permission The Hobby-Eberly Telescope is located at UT’s McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis, Texas.

HETDEX hopes to calculate expansion rate of the universe. By Cason Hunwick @hunwickcason

rmed with an upgraded telescope aimed at the dark West Texas sky, UT astronomers will look billions of years back in time to search for answers to dark energy. Dark energy is a term astronomers use to refer to the mechanism that drives the continual expansion of the universe, but astronomers don’t know exactly what causes it. HETDEX, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment at UT’s McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis, Texas, will make measurements that will help explain what drives this expansion. As the space between the Milky Way galaxy and distant galaxies grows due to expansion, the light that reaches Earth gets stretched out. Yellow light turns orange, purple turns blue: The colors are shifted towards the red side of the color spectrum. By measuring the

redshift, astronomers can measure the expansion. “We want to measure the expansion rate of the universe 10 billion years ago, and compare it to the rate 4 billion years ago. The difference will allow us to better understand the physics behind the expansion,” astronomy professor Karl Gebhardt said. “That’s the fundamentals of HETDEX.” System engineer Jim Fowler works with a team of engineers and programmers that maintain the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and install spectrographs, instruments that collect information about light from distant galaxies. Currently, Fowler and his team are installing more spectrographs to make HETDEX more powerful. “(We are) taking fields, data from patches of the sky, with the spectrographs for HETDEX and sending that data to Austin,” Fowler said. Fowler said 36 spectrographs, or roughly half the total, are currently online, and more come in every week. In the middle of installing instruments and collecting data, the team on site communicates with scientists on campus to get the data collection running smoothly. Erin Cooper is a research fellow in the

Department of Astronomy. She analyzes the data sent to campus from the telescope and writes computer programs to pinpoint useful points in the spectral data. “We are trying to find specific points in the data where there are star-forming galaxies,” Cooper said. “They are easy to spot, and we know the wavelengths well. So it’s easy to measure the redshift. That redshift can be translated to distances.” The team needs to find millions of these galaxies to produce a full map. Data scientists have to come up with ways to isolate spectral data that correlates to these star-forming galaxies. Physics senior Yaswant Devarakonda writes programs that comb through these piles of spectral data. “The goal is to create a program that can draw the line between usable and unusable data,” Devarakonda said. Devarakonda said it’s an exciting time to work on the project. Researchers now receive new data every night. Once all of the spectrographs are up and running, the team can complete the full survey. “It’s an exciting time for us,” Cooper said. “We’re looking forward to getting this result.”

juan figueroa | the daily texan staff

Science editor finds niche among fellow science fans By Julianne Hodges

Science and Technology Editor @jayhodges2018

Editor’s note: A 30 column is a chance for departing permanent staff to say farewell and reflect on their time spent in the The Daily Texan. The term comes from the old typesetting mark (-30-) to denote the end of a line. The famous scientist Isaac Newton is quoted as saying, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” As I reflect on all of the cool opportunities I’ve had with the Sci&Tech department and how it has helped me to find my passion for science journalism, I’m humbled to think of those giants who laid this foundation. Less than three years ago, the science department at The Daily Texan was just a small group within Life & Arts, but we’ve grown so much since. I owe a tremendous debt to everyone who came before me, and for the past year I have tried to live up

to their legacies. Thank you to: Ellen Airhart, who founded this department and taught me how to report on science; Eva Frederick, an inspiring science journalist who helped draw me out of my shell of introversion; Zia Lyle, whose infectious enthusiasm helped me step outside of my comfort zone and into a leadership position; and Kate Thackery, who made me feel like I belong and whose talent for finding the perfect science pun for a quirky lead is unmatched. But now, it’s time to think about the future of the department. Thank you to Freya Preimesberger, whose calm stability and reliability has been a lifesaver on many occasions, and Sarah Bloodworth, whose tenacity has inspired me to be a better journalist and a better editor. You two have been great friends and an incredible help to me over this past year. I don’t know what I would have done without you, and I know

I’m leaving this team in good hands. And to all of the reporters I’ve been privileged to work with over the past year: I believe in all of you. You all have great potential, and whether you come back to the basement or move on to something else, I know you can all do amazing things. For the past five semesters, I have had one of the coolest jobs possible: I have gotten to learn about cool science stuff happening here at UT and share what’s so cool about it to The Daily Texan audience. I’ve talked to so many scientists, from astronomers to zoologists, who follow their curiosity and are passionate about how their work can help others. That curiosity and passion, in essence, is what science is all about. Less than three years ago, I was just a lost journalism sophomore with no idea of what I wanted to do. If it weren’t for The Daily Texan, I never would have been able to see this far.

CHARLES LIU & CHRIS DUNCAN

LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRDAY, MAY 4, 2018

CULTURE

CAMPUS

‘Deathcourse’ at the cafe Death Cafes provide place for small groups to discuss dying. By Collyn Burke @_collyn_

he first Sunday of every month, a group of strangers gather at their local coffee shop, hang a warning and welcoming sign, and begin a two-hour-long conversation about everyone’s favorite tea-time subject — death. The Death Cafe, originally invented by Jon Underwood, is a moderated meeting of strangers to discuss death and dying in a positive light. Since starting in September 2011 there have been 6,209 Death Cafes all over the world, four of which happen to be held in Austin. Heather Black, a moderator for Death Cafe Austin North, explained that Death Cafes aren’t groups specifically designated

We believe that in order to talk about something so intimate as death then we need to have something life sustaining, like cake” Megan Mooney, death cafe member

for people who are facing death or have lost a loved one, but a free space for people to discuss death without fear of getting shut down or told they’re being too “morbid.” Among

other things, the group discusses after death planning and the fears and questions they have about death and dying. “We’re not a support group, we’re not a grief group,” Black said. “We are a group of people who talk about death.” While anyone can start their own cafe, Black said they’re typically organized by “death professionals,” like hospice nurses, medical social workers, or morticians. Underwood, who has since passed away, created a Death Cafe website, now managed by his wife, that still serves as a guide for those looking to start their own Death Cafes. Megan Mooney, who assisted in the creation of Austin’s first Death Cafe, said one of the most crucial tips of the guide is the necessity of food at the meetings. “We always offer cake and coffee and any kind of refreshments,” Mooney said. “We believe that in order to talk about something so intimate as death then we need to have something life sustaining, like cake.” Mooney said the group discussions often revolve around end of life planning and what happens after you die. She said she feels these meetings should be a safe space for people to discuss their fears and questions surrounding death. Often times, these death related conversations can’t be had with people outside of the group. “People would come up to me and tell me they couldn’t have these conversations with their loved ones or friends because they would try to and they would get shut down or told they were being morbid,” Mooney said. Mooney also said

nathan rooney| the daily texan staff

Why some women see ‘feminism’ as a dirty word By Francesca D’Annunzio @ftcdnz

giving people a space to talk about their post-mortem fears and desires can help them prioritize their life. By providing information and tips on after death planning, the cafe can help its members focus on the now, knowing the rest is already taken care of. “My interest in hosting (a) death cafe comes from my own experiences with death and my experiences working as a medical social worker,” Mooney said. “I wanted to open up the conversation about death thereby reducing the taboo surrounding death conversations. I believe that if more people

are educated about end of life conversations, we can promote a better quality of life.” While no two Death Cafes are the same, they all share the same simple set of values. Brooks Kasson, another Austin moderator, said she aims not to change people’s view on death, or persuade them from their fears. Kasson says she just wants to give people a space to freely talk about death, and nothing more. “I don’t mean to change people’s perception of death,” Kasson said. “All I’m doing is providing a format, a place to talk about it — that’s all there is.”

Why do some women not support the mainstream feminist movement? Some of them feel that it denigrates men and doesn’t truly promote gender equality. Others support most aspects of the movement but have opinions regarding a single issue that are significantly different from mainstream feminism, such as reproductive rights. Oksana Lyon, a speech language pathology sophomore, falls under the last category. Lyon identifies as a New Wave Feminist, a branch of feminism that tends to take a more pro-life stance. “The thing that separates us (from mainstream feminism) is our general view of abortion, because we focus less on legalities and more on making it unthinkable,” Lyon wrote in an email. “A lot of us are pro-life, but we focus more on fixing the problems that lead a person to get an abortion than whether or not someone should be ‘allowed’ to seek one.” Lyon said her issue with mainstream feminism is not necessarily about nuances in politics, but has to do more with intolerance of other views or types of feminism. “My main problem with traditional feminism is that the people who practice it — or at least the loudest voices — don’t seem open to the view I just described and will exclude people who aren’t 100% pro-choice from the movement,” Lyon wrote. Journalism sophomore Maya Vela said she had a similar grievance. “The Women’s March was a disaster,” Vela said. “You want to empower women yet if you don’t see the same as me, I’ll tear you down.” Vela said it seemed hypocritical that mainstream feminists asked pro-life feminists to leave the march and shunned them for holding different views. Vela’s grievances about mainstream feminism go beyond the Women’s

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March in 2017. She said she felt many feminist women did not acknowledge that they have certain privileges that men don’t. “I don’t like that feminism says it’s based on the equality of the sexes,” Vela said. “Women are more likely to win custody battles and receive lighter jail sentences for the same crimes (compared to men) just because they’re women. Why aren’t we fighting for men’s rights as well?” In terms of labels, Alexa DeVega, a mechanical engineering senior and self-identified feminist, said she feels the label of feminism, as opposed to “pro-gender equality” or “egalitarianism” is important. “I think it’s the same argument as why do you support Black Lives Matter is to All Lives Matter,” DeVega said. “I think feminism is about (saying) females matter too.” Kaiten Zajac, a former Longhorn who graduated in May 2017, said her issues with mainstream feminism were similar to Vela’s. She said some of the issues feminists pick battles over seem frivolous and unimportant. “Focus on the hard issues,” Vela said. “They will make every little thing a feminist issue. Women wearing ponytails is a feminist issue. Or the air conditioning. There are some women fighting for their lives and you want to make ponytails a feminist issue?” Zajac said the same about bras and going topless. “Protests about ‘I shouldn’t have to wear a bra,’ … what’s the significance behind that?” Zajac said. “The issues need to be more political in nature and boil down to fairness. ‘Well I wanna walk shirtless’ … that’s not going to improve your quality of life.” Zajac also said she is a proponent of gender equality, but like Vela, feels the feminist movement should focus its efforts on issues like the pink tax, not on the dress codes. “There is justification behind some of those things,” Zajac said. “But there are more important issues.”