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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
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NEWS
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UT to release new academicfocused app later this semester. PA G E 3
Students would benefit from rushing after their first semester. PA G E 4
Several small local Austin swimming pools may be closing soon. PA G E 5
Herman talks maturity, focus before pivotal matchup against TCU. PA G E 6
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CAMPUS
UTPD focuses on empathy for assault victims
PROJECT
‘A new era’ for first-
By Meghan Nguyen @ultravioletmegs
To improve support for sexual assault victims, UTPD’s Sexual Assault Investigation Specialists undergo training to take a more empathetic and understanding approach in helping survivors get through their traumatic experiences. Only 9 percent of all sexual assault cases are reported in Texas, and it is the most underreported violent crime in the U.S., according to the 2017 Cultivating Learning and Safe Environments Survey. UTPD’s Sexual Assault Investigation Specialists receive specialized training to focus on how to work with victims and reduce the stigma attached to reporting sexual assault. When a student reports a sexual assault to UTPD, the specialists, Sergeant Samantha Stanford and Detective Eliana Decker, conduct an interview with the victim, make sure the student’s medical needs are met and provide information on available resources. Evidence, including video footage or witness statements, is collected, and a follow-up interview with the suspect is conducted. Once all interview statements and evidence are collected, UTPD presents those facts to the district attorney’s office to determine whether or not the case can move forward. Stanford said one of the goals of UTPD’s Sexual Assault Investigation Specialists is to make sure victims know they’re believed and heard. “We’re focusing not only the facts of what happened but also on addressing (victims’) needs, so they can hopefully get some assistance moving forward,” Stanford said. “We really try to focus on how they’re feeling, how the incident has impacted them and try to help them through that.” In April 2016, Stanford was
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Editor’s note: This is the first installment of the semester-long, collaborative series “First-Gen UT,” which will share the stories of first-generation Longhorns. Stories will be produced in partnership with UT’s chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Hispanic Journalists Association and the National Lesbian Gay Journalists Association go untold. By Maria Mendez @mellowmaria
gen students UT, Texas universities step up support
Standing before a burnt orange crowd of 60 people in the Student Activity Center auditorium, Aileen Bumphus, the associate vice president of UT’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, asked students to stand up if they were the first in their family to finish high school. A handful of students in the room hesitantly rose. “Please
give them a round of applause,” Bumphus said. With the claps and cheers, the students eased up and Bumphus instructed them to remain standing. “If you’re the first in your family to attend college, please stand up,” Bumphus said. This time, the majority of the students rose from their seats. Next, Bumphus instructed, “If you’re the first in your family to graduate college, stand up,” and most of the staff and faculty in the room also got up. Looking around the room, the Longhorns, all from different graduating classes, majors and hometowns, stood smiling and cheering each other on. “We are beginning a new era at the University of Texas to celebrate first-generation students,” Bumphus said, kicking off the DDCE’s First Gen Student Workshop on Sept. 9.
Who are first-generation students?
As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Alejandrina Guzman, a 2018 graduate and
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juan figueora | the daily texan staff Dr. Tiffany Lewis, diretor of mentorship programs in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement and a member of their first-gen committee, prepares her daughter Sydney Lewis, 2, for a photo-op at the first-gen tailgate party Sept. 8.
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CAMPUS
Student campaign raises funds for Longhorn Run wheelchairs By Sara Schleede @saraschleede
In spring 2017, finance senior Amie Jean left the hospital in a wheelchair after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Last April, she completed the Longhorn Run pushed in a pink wheelchair on loan from a local nonprofit organization. Next spring, Jean could be at the starting line in an orange UT racing chair with other disabled students at her side. Jean started a campaign called “Ready Set Go” through UT’s HornRaiser to raise money for racing wheelchairs at the Longhorn Run. She said she wants others to have the experience she did and to start a larger conversation about disability advocacy on campus. “It’s a natural instinct for me
to see how I can better what’s around me, even if it’s a small thing,” Jean said. “What can I do with what people have noticed (about my platform)?” The fundraising goal is $20,000 — enough for three chairs and extra money for repairs. The project has raised 13 percent of its goal since its launch Sept. 12. Jean said she would like to raise money for an endowment so that UT RecSports can supply racing chairs for those who want to push themselves and create intramural adapted sports teams. “The chairs transcend beyond the actual chair,” Jean said. “By donating, you’re planting a seed, and we’re hoping to really grow.” Social work senior Danielle Redhead, who is helping Jean publicize the fundraiser, said
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conversations about disability advocacy usually center solely around academic accommodations. She said able-bodied students often do not realize their disabled peers’ struggles outside of the classroom. “When you’re thinking about participating in activities on campus, how often do you think of the people who don’t have opportunities?” Redhead said. “Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could have opportunities to do what they wanted to do, whether it be sports or anything on campus?” Patrick Olson, program coordinator of the Office of Admissions, said he hopes the campaign will direct people toward learning about other accessibility issues for students.
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angela wang | the daily texan staff Finance senior Amie Jean participated in the Longhorn Run in April. She started a campaign to raise money for racing wheelchairs and her fundraising goal is $20,000.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
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former student body president at UT, grew up well aware she would be the first in her family to earn a college degree. “In Mexico, my parents didn’t graduate high school and much less (had) an education here,” Guzman said. After she enrolled at UT, Guzman faced challenges at home as well as many physical obstacles maneuvering her wheelchair through campus. But she often struggled to ask for help. The definition of a first-generation student has long been up for debate, but a movement to invest in the success of students such as Guzman has spread throughout the U.S., Texas and, most recently, at UT Austin. Cassandre Alvarado, who is the cochair of a new working group tasked with identifying support for first-generation students at UT, said the University currently defines first-generation students as those with parents “who have not earned a higher education degree from a U.S. institution” but welcomes anyone to self-identify as a first-generation student. For the 2017 academic year, 22.4 percent of 8,238 incoming freshman at UT identified themselves as first-generation students in application and enrollment materials, according to University data. Although the majority (45.5 percent) of these first-generation students also identified as Hispanic and 38 percent came from families earning $40,000 or less, Alvarado said first-generation students can come from all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Regardless of background, being a first generation student can make a big difference. For UT’s 2013 cohort of students, the 4-year graduation rate of first-generation students lagged behind that of non-first-generation students by about 9 percentage points.
A new focus in Texas
As Texas demographics continue to shift with a growing population of young Latinos, the success of first-generation students will become more of a priority, said Rebecca Karoff, the University of Texas System’s vice chancellor of academic affairs. “They are here, and they’re enrolling, but I also think there’s been — in Texas
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freshman class. Other University systems, such as Texas A&M and the University of North Texas, offer scholarships specifically geared towards first-generation students and have various outreach efforts to connect with populations from which first-generation students often come from.
‘A new era’ at the University of Texas at Austin
rena li
and certainly the UT System — a passionate embrace of serving populations we weren’t serving before,” Karoff said. Across UT System institutions, various campaigns and initiatives in support of first-generation students have sprouted in recent years. In 2016, UT-San Antonio, where about 45 percent of students are first-generation, launched “familias” or networks of
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moved into the Criminal Investigations Unit with the intention of receiving training in sexual assault and was later joined by Decker. In June, UTPD Chief David Carter, Stanford and Decker joined the Interagency Sexual Assault Team, or ISAT. ISAT was established by Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore in fall 2017 to bring together police agencies from Travis and surrounding counties that are committed to enhancing the sexual assault criminal investigative process. “It’s important to me to have detectives that students can relate to, and that’s how this all came about,” Carter said. “Our sexual assault investigative specialists are people that fully comprehend the impact of trauma and know how not to act in a judgmental way,
allowing the victim to remain in control.” Despite all the changes, public health sophomore Elizabeth Contreras said UTPD still has more work to do to improve how it handles sexual assault cases. “I think an anonymous online reporting system accessible only to UT students would be valuable, or at least one where the reporter has an option to not be followed up with by the police or administration” Contreras said. Through her position as a Sexual Assault Investigation Specialist, Stanford said she ultimately hopes to get justice for victims and help them move on. “Hopefully, we can make (sexual assault responses) very systematic and make sure everyone’s on the same page, so we can find the best practices and see better resolutions, higher prosecution rates and higher arrest rates,” Stanford said.
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Students face difficulties parking with C, C+ permits
anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Around UT, there are few options for students who live off campus to park with the C or C+ parking permit.
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first-generation faculty and staff to support students. The campus is also now decorated with posters of its first-generation community, and it offers first-generation T-shirts and graduation stoles. This academic year, UT-Dallas launched a program that specifically houses 20 first-generation students together. First-generation students make up 12 percent of its 2018
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Guzman eventually realized a lot of her friends were also first-generation students and shared similar difficulties but did not talk about it. “When you’re first-gen, you got that pride, and you don’t want others to see your struggle,” Guzman said. So she ran for student body president on the platform point to make support for first-generation students more visible. After Guzman won and became UT’s first Latina and differently abled student body president, she created a first-generation committee in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. The committee quickly launched a workshop and open house with UT President Gregory Fenves last fall and a networking reception in the spring. “I never imagined this,” Guzman said when she returned to campus for the workshop as the keynote speaker. “I hoped this would be an annual eventbut didn’t think it would happen. ” Under leadership from Alvarado and faculty, the Provost’s office also launched their own first-generation commitment working group last spring. The group is currently studying how the University can better support first-generation students and their families. DDCE executive director Helen Wormington, who is helping to continue Guzman’s work, said first-generation students will be celebrated for National First Generation College Celebration on Nov. 8 with events across the 40 Acres. Wormington, the daughter of Korean immigrants, arrived at UT 25 years ago as a high achieving student, but she soon found herself struggling academically and feeling out of place. “I had friends, but I didn’t necessarily have people who had my same problems, working and having parents who did not attend college,” Wormington said. “I personally wish I had had this experience.”
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copyright utpd, and reproduced with permission UTPD’s Sexual Assault Investigation Specialists are trained to be more understanding when working with sexual assault survivors.
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“It’s a hard conversation to have because we haven’t even scratched the surface on making sure we’re accessible for all
students yet,” Olson said. Olson, Jean’s boss at the UT Visitor Center, pushed Jean through the 6.2-mile course. Olson said he started with a goal for the entire office to participate in the Longhorn Run. Now, he said he is emailing
For students such as journalism senior Morgan Kilgo, finding a parking spot on campus with her C+ parking permit can sometimes be impossible. “It’s definitely been difficult,” Kilgo said. “If I come here early in the morning, I have luck. If I come here later, say around 11:30 or 12:00 for my class, it’s pretty much not going to happen … You’ll realize you’re in a line of 10 or so cars that are all trying to park.” Kilgo is a part of the 86 percent of UT students who live off-campus, according to the Division of Student Affairs. While many of these students live somewhere near campus, many students and faculty commute to campus every day. Some of the cheapest permits for students, C and C+ permits, afford them the most parking options around campus. Yet many feel that finding available surface parking, or non-garage parking, can be difficult.
Ellen DeGeneres every day to highlight Jean’s efforts on a national scale. “The HornRaiser technically ends in (24) days, but (Jean) is not going to stop advocating for students like herself,” Olson said. “We want to start
Blanca Gamez, Parking and Transportation Services assistant director, said students usually prefer parking in the two lots closer to campus rather than in the available C lots across I-35. “Surface lots are based on a first-come, first-serve basis,” Gamez said. “A lot of students perceive the C lots as only the two lots behind the School of Social Work. Across I-35, we have lots of C parking and Longhorn Lots where students have the ability to park.” Kilgo lives 30 minutes from campus and drives to school. Her C+ permit allows her to park in these C lots, but Kilgo said these lots beyond I-35 a re inconvenient. “I don’t want to have to get here three hours before my class to park,” Kilgo said. “I haven’t ventured to the other side of 35, but for me personally, I would just rather be able to park and walk to class easily.” Parking and Transportation Services also sells more permits than there are spaces available, a strategy that Texas A&M also practices. Gamez said this
thinking about how we can continue this tradition.” While Jean’s diagnosis leaves her with the possibility of someday running the race on her own, she said completing the race with Olson’s help made her realize the impor-
is to serve as many students as possible. “Students aren’t going to be there all day, every day,” Gamez said. “Everyone has different schedules, so there should be a lot of turnover.” The problem could also lie in having a non-lot specific system. A&M sells more permits than spaces, but unlike UT, A&M can guarantee parking to permit holders to a certain extent. Melissa Maraj, A&M transportation communications manager, said this was a result of A&M switching from a system similar to UT’s to one l that assigns permits to specific B o lots. “We had one commuter lot 1 that was really popular, and m instead of going to another lot, n they (students) were just queuing the same lot even though o there was no space,” Maraj k said. “We changed it to a lot d specific permit … That’s why c we can guarantee a space. We y don’t have any complaints from w customers about not finding a I spot because we control how f many permits are assigned to m each lot.” b t t tance of teamwork and cres ating opportunities for those d who may not have that chance. “At the beginning of the h race, I was wishing it was me M pushing Patrick,” Jean said. t “By the end, I understood that n it was larger than myself.”
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
UNIVERSITY
New MyUT app will launch by end of semester By Gracie Awalt @gracieawalt5
A new student-oriented app will be released this fall to replace the features removed in the most recent update of the University of Texas at Austin app, labeled TexasLonghorns on mobile devices. The TexasLonghorns app now features only sports news and updates. The new app, called MyUT, will allow students to access Canvas resources and financial aid information from their phone, which used to be features in the TexasLonghorns app. It will also include the campus map, student schedules and other student-specific resources. Joey Williams, communications director for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, said the MyUT app will be a mobile version of the MyUT website. “The MyUT app will be much more robust and have all of the resources that students need to do their academic work,” Williams said. “It’s going have a lot more utility than what students could access in the previous TexasLonghorns app.” Before the TexasLonghorns app was updated, the app contained sports news, schedules and updates in addition to student resources. Now, the TexasLonghorns app will be managed by Texas Athletics to entertain a sports audience, and the new MyUT app will be geared specifically toward students for
andrew choi
academic purposes. “The athletics app has a lot more video and full color visuals in it, whereas the MyUT app will be much more functional,” said Carolyn Connerat, associate vice
provost for enrollment management. “It’s about doing what you need to do while you’re a student at UT. The apps are going to look completely different, and they’re going to have different purposes
| the daily texan staff
and audiences.” While students are waiting for the new app to be released, there is a link within the menu of the TexasLonghorns app that directs users to the MyUT website.
Cerena Ermitanio, international relations and global studies sophomore, said she unknowingly opened the updated TexasLonghorns app 30 minutes before a class started to check its location, but was confused to find the app full of only sports content. “I had time to spare before my class, so I went to the app store and looked at the update history to see what happened,” Ermitanio said. “Out of the blue, the app updated to something completely different from the utility-based app it was before.” Ermitanio said she started frequently using the old TexasLonghorns app her freshman year when she lived on campus. “I was on that app pretty much every other day because it just made navigating campus so much easier, so I’m really excited for the new app,” Ermitanio said. “It would have been a little less scary if the MyUT app was released before the TexasLonghorns app updated.” Williams said the MyUT app will be free for all students and released before the end of the fall semester. “We’re testing the app right now,” Williams said. “We have to make sure that it passes all of our security and privacy protocols. We will be sending out a message to the students through various channels to make sure everybody is aware we launched the app, how you access it and what it’s for. So, students can expect to have all of that information.”
UNIVERSITY
UTPD modifies emergency alert system after stabbing
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Like many students, public relations junior Elizabeth Boone first heard about the on-campus stabbing on May 1, 2017, through the group messaging app GroupMe — not from the police. “There were people on the other side of the world that knew about it before the students,” Boone said. “It really concerns me that there was yet another stabbing (last week) near campus, and I also found out about it from GroupMe rather than my school.” After the on-campus stabbing, UTPD Chief David Carter said UTPD recognized there were multiple issues, such as low staffing and delayed communication. “The key issue that we had to address after (the May 2017 stabbing) was that our dispatch center was not robust enough in terms
of staffing or technology,” Carter said. Carter said since 2017, UTPD has increased the number of people on staff to allow for three full-time dispatchers and added a console to assist dispatchers with receiving and dispatching emergency calls. “We recognized that we only had two dispatchers at any given time in our 911 center here on campus, and that we needed to upgrade,” Carter said. “We needed to be able to do the core mission of the police, which is responding and addressing situations.” After sending texts for on and off campus incidents last year, Carter said the text emergency notification system will now only be used for emergencies that requires students to take action. “We recognize from the tragedy from last year that information is important,” Carter said. “We want to make sure that we’re
| the daily texan staff
giving accurate information as close to real time as possible.” Carter said UTPD will also now be using social media to alert students about off-campus incidents that do not require immediate action. “We recognize, though, that not everybody’s always on social media, and they would like to know information, so now we’re also looking at the ways that we can get additional information out,” Carter said. Mechanical engineering junior Gaby Kackley said she was incredibly frustrated with the way UTPD communicated about the on-campus stabbing and still wishes UTPD would focus more on text notifications. “I appreciate that UTPD is working to create a better system of communication between themselves and students, but there is still a lot to be done,” Kackley said.
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LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
COLUMN
COLUMN
annette meyer
| the daily texan staff
Leave your dorm, explore campus opportunities By Brooks Johnson Columnist
mel westfall
Having a massive pool of minds, an ocean of organizations and unlimited urban opportunities can frighten incoming students. So much so, that after going through the motions of secondary education some students simply ignore those new experiences. Instead, they choose to hide in their dorm rooms, close the shades and open the computer until the sun sets over the western hills. However, rejecting new opportunities negates the purpose of going to college in the first place. As the finite amount of time we each have in college becomes shorter, failing to take advantage of University opportunities is unacceptable and could directly affect our level of success in college and beyond. As an incoming freshman, I feared — because I am introverted — I would fall into this trap of wasted time. I worried that although I wanted to join organizations, and be active outside of the classroom, I would be overcome with the dread of asking for applications and ultimately never join groups I desperately wanted to be in. However, after speaking with a handful of students, I learned that this reluctance is not simply due to anxiety, but also due to a fear of fitting in.
| the daily texan staff
Rushing should happen students’ second semester, not their first By Michael Martinez Columnist
First impressions form relationships, set precedents and establish standards. Your first year at UT holds no exception. Freshmen can feel everything from excitement to anxiety as they arrive on campus. Eager to fit in, freshmen have unmatched energy and drive when it comes to exploring campus organizations and clubs. UT’s more than 1,300 student organizations cater to various interests and passions, allowing most of these first-year students to find their niche. However, students in Greek life often neglect exploring these diverse opportunities. The extreme time commitment of Greek life can lead freshmen to be relatively unengaged with the rest of the campus experience. While Greek life has its perks and deserves a place in campus life, its emphasis on total commitment may take away from everything else the University has to offer. I joined Greek life during my second year as a way to stifle my fear of missing out. At the time, I was afraid I wasn’t getting the most out of campus life and wanted to branch out. While I am happy that I rushed and made new friends, watching freshmen fully invest their time and
energy into a single organization made me wonder if their view of campus life was too narrow. Some colleges, such as Baylor, require students to wait a semester before they rush in order to ensure a smooth and common experience for first-year students. UT rush, however, starts before the academic year and is often the first event incoming freshmen associate with college. Greek life stresses the upkeep of a tightly knit community, which can quickly isolate students from University life.
Freshmen deserve the opportunity to explore everything UT has to offer without jeopardizing their place in Greek life.” “I never looked into any clubs freshman year,” said Jack Karl, an undeclared business sophomore and a member of my pledge class last year. “I just figured that our fraternity would give me my friend group.”
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.
Most of the incoming freshmen who recently joined our fraternity saw it as essential to their college experience. None of the incoming freshmen I talked to were planning on joining any organizations their first semester. Their schedules — saturated with Greek events — conflicted too often with on-campus events. Over 5,400 University students are members of fraternities and sororities. While fraternities host parties and events, entry mostly remains confined to those within the Greek system. This exclusivity creates a type of insulated social bubble. Terms such as “god damn independent,” or GDI, are used in a derogatory way to describe nonGreeks, further separating students. If Greek councils required students to wait a semester to rush, it would set a precedent for students to view themselves as a part of the collective UT community rather than belonging to an isolated group. Students could explore the hundreds of other UT organizations and clubs before joining Greek life the following semester. First impressions are everything — freshmen deserve the opportunity to explore what UT has to offer without jeopardizing their place in Greek life. Martinez is a Plan II and government junior from Austin.
As the finite amount of time we each have in college becomes ever shorter, failing to take advantage of University opportunities is unacceptable.”
GALLERY
yulissa chavez
| the daily texan staff
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.
“It’s not that I’m afraid to go out and meet new people,” psychology freshman Justin Little said. “It’s just that I don’t want to get myself into something that I don’t think will benefit me or the people around me. It’s a lack of self-confidence to make lasting connections worth holding on to.” This anxiety does not have to stop us from putting ourselves out there. UT has over 1,300 student organizations on campus to explore. First-Year Interest Groups are another opportunity that can provide an accepting environment to study and bond. “FIGs are designed to help freshmen smoothly transition into college by providing a safe space where they can meet other students in their majors,” said Emily Sun, a language pathology senior and FIG leader. “(They can) learn about campus resources that can help them adjust to college life.” Perhaps one of the most beneficial aspects of getting involved on campus is that it allows students to develop beneficial skills and traits that ensure success after college. “(Joining groups) is the best way to not only become good at what you love, but the friends you make will be the ones you’ll be with forever,” KVRX programming director Josh Winik said. “Clubs and organizations also provide the opportunity to develop skills that are not always taught in class. All of these skills are necessary for students applying to jobs and internships.” It can be difficult to adjust to the new lifestyles college presents. But long-lasting benefits are only reaped by those willing to search and work for them, and UT offers opportunities for all students, regardless of their levels of social comfort. Take advantage of this. Leave the dorm, join organizations and clubs, become involved with those who share similar passions and accept the unfamiliar. Johnson is a journalism freshman from San Francisco, California.
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.
ANDREA TINNING LIFE&ARTS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
CITY
TELEVISION
‘American Vandal’ Season 2 makes surprising comeback
Austin City Council plans to revive ‘critical’ public pools By Liliana Hall
By Hunter Bergfeld
@lilihallllllll
@Hunterbergfeld
Deep Eddy and Barton Springs Pool fulfill the classic community pool vibes for most Austinites, but the days of walking down the block barefoot with your neighbors to the local pool could be ending. Austin’s public pools were built between 1930 and 1990 with an average life span of 50 years, though their functionality should really only last 20-30 years according to Jodi Jay, division manager for aquatic- and nature-based program at the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Deparment. That puts at least five local pools at risk for permanent closure. In February, the Austin City Council passed the Aquatic Master Plan 10-1, which is a multi-year process that lays out an assessment of the critical aspects of many pools in Travis County. Jimmy Flannigan, Austin City Council member from District 6, opposed the measure. Flannigan told the Austin American-Statesman he could not support a measure that plans to spend 40 percent of money on new pools the city cannot afford to maintain. The 2018 maintenance budget allocated for public pools (excluding Barton Springs) was approximately $2.2 million, but there is an expected increase of about $1.8 million for next year if the upcoming bond proposal passes next month. Jay said money was allocated by the outgoing council to rebuild the facilities listed on the critical list. The City intends to use the allocated funds for their intended purpose — making the pools operational again.
elizabeth garabedian | the daily texan staff The Shipe pool in Hyde Park has been closed for the past two years. It is one of many that the City of Austin plans to remodel to bring up to code.
There were seven critical pools in 2014 that were listed in the aquatic assessment as not likely to last more than five years. These pools included Civitan, Gillis, Givens, Govalle, Montopolis, Northwest and Shipe. The city will start by bringing Govalle off Boggy Creek and Shipe in Hyde Park back to code. “We have been in the design and bid process for a couple of years now on both Shipe and Govalle,” Jay said. “They are set to start construction this fall, and both will be open the summer of 2019.” Shipe has been labeled inactive for two years following pipe malfunctions in 2016. The pool has had a notice on the fence since then, promising a remodel sometime in the near future. Austin intended to keep Shipe operational, but this was not a guarantee until the Aquatic Master Plan was approved this year after nearly four years of planning. “Contractors have been awarded contracts and the city is ready to issue notices, so construction on Shipe can break ground sometime next week,” Jay said. Love Austin Pools is a grassroots organization of Austin locals who began
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writing letters to the Austin City Council about their concerns with the Aquatic Master Plan. One of their concerns was that pools with high attendance, including Shipe, were set for eventual closure. They argued that the pools on the critical watch list are central to each neighborhood’s sense of community. Steve Presler, a resident of Hyde Park, has sat wearily outside his apartment off Duval watching the city surrounding Hyde Park change rapidly over the near-eight decades that he has lived in Austin. He spent his childhood swimming at Shipe. When word spread that Shipe was going to shut down two summers ago, Presler said it was a shame. “This neighborhood hasn’t changed much, and I have been here since the 1940s,” Presler said. “Shipe pool contributes to the charm of Hyde Park, and it is too cool of a place to not bring back to life.” Shipe is one of two pools that are set to reopen next summer. “People of Austin love their pools, and they want us to invest in them,” Jay said. “They want us to keep them operational, and we do the best that we can to do that.”
The second season of “American Vandal” starts with a poop joke and transforms it into one of the most riveting and insightful stories of the year. The show returns with the two student documentarians from Season 1, Peter (Tyler Alvarez) and Sam (Griffin Gluck). They take a deep dive into a new mystery at a new school. This time, instead of asking “Who drew the dicks?” the central question becomes “Who is The Turd Burglar?” Attempting to find whoever is behind the multiple poopthemed crimes at St. Bernardine High School leads Sam and Peter to discover so much more, specifically in regards to corruption in the athletics department. Unlike most mockumentaries, the series strives to be as meticulous and realistic as possible despite the outlandish premise. This results in complex themes and commentary that so few shows, including top-tier dramas, are able to accomplish. Despite all of this, it still manages to be one of the funniest shows on television by quite a wide margin. The show expertly uses scatological humor to comment on societal problems that are hard for many people to talk about. The main storyline was an unmistakable nod to O.J. Simpson — it follows a star athlete who had a multitude of evidence pointing toward his crimes, but his status prevented him from facing any consequences. The writers use this as a jumping off point for an exploration of themes such as bullying, relationships between people of different socioeconomic backgrounds and the universal desire for attention that
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HELP CHANGE LEGISLATION. I am looking to change Texas visitation laws with regards to children, and I am asking for your help. If a parent does not turn over a child during court ordered visitation, the police can do nothing, and the courts are very slow to act. If you or anyone you know has been effected by this problem, please go to https://chn. ge/2BQJpL9 and sign my petition, and share this information with as many people that you know who you think have been affected, or would want to fix this problem.
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copyright netflix, and reproduced with permission The second season of Netflix’s “American Vandal” premiered Sept. 14.
leaves the audience in tears. “American Vandal’s” strongest theme is undoubtedly that every person, no matter how they put-together they seem, just wants to be loved. The two main suspects, Kevin (Travis Tope) and DeMarcus (Melvin Gregg), are about as different as possible. DeMarcus, a black student recruited to the school for athletics, is the school’s star athlete and the most popular person in the entire school. Kevin is a very odd teenager raised in a dysfunctional family, and is bullied by his peers. Despite their many differences, they share the universal desire for genuine affection. What they both crave so desperately is authentic love from others instead of the superficial attention they receive. Through drawing these parallels, the writers hit a gold mine, or rather a black gold mine, of character development that seems to never end. On top of being hilarious and delivering commentary in innovative ways, the reveal of the mystery is a genuine shock. The buildup to the ending is perfectly constructed and creates one of the most satisfying twists of the entire year.
“American Vandal” SCORE Additionally, the performances and casting are spot-on. The actors channel their characters in ways that everybody will be able to relate to. Specific standouts include Travis Tope and Melvin Gregg. Both performers take classic high school archetypes and add an authenticity that so few portrayals have done before. Such authenticity, which leads to fully formed characters, is exactly why the show works so well. The praise for the show does come with a warning, however. “American Vandal” is not for everyone. Despite its thoughtful social commentary, the graphic nature of the poop humor will definitely push away some viewers. However, if it is possible to handle that aspect of the show, then ‘American Vandal” is undeniably worth watching. In the end, while the second season of “American Vandal” starts off less than fantastic, a combination of amazing performances, jokes and commentary build up to an incredibly satisfying ending.
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ALEX BRISEÑO & ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITORS @TEXANSPORTS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
FOOTBALL
Herman shifts Longhorns’ focus to TCU By Ross Burkhart @ross_burkhart
om Herman is two days fresh off his biggest win as the head coach at Texas, but he’s not celebrating for long. At his press conference Monday, Herman was asked about how his players have been managing the congratulatory remarks from friends and family while preparing for an even bigger contest against TCU this coming Saturday. “We spent a 30-minute team meeting yesterday,” Herman said. “In this family, you can be bombarded with outside messages that have no impact on our preparation for TCU. So it was a big point of the emphasis throughout the day yesterday, making sure that the opinions of the people in that locker room and in those coaches’ offices are the only ones that we worry about.” It’s nothing new for Texas fans to jump to unnecessary
conclusions after a momentous win for the program, so it would only be natural for players and coaches to potentially fall back on what’s being considered a signature win for Herman and the Longhorns. Despite the buzz around campus this week, the 37-14 blowout over USC won’t mean anything if they look similar to how they were during the first two weeks. Herman said much like the way his players are approaching this week, maturity and focus are primarily what helped the team move forward after the season-opening loss to Maryland. “Because of where we’re at culturally and with the leadership on this team that moving past the first game was actually not as difficult as probably many people think; it really wasn’t,” Herman said. “I think our guys were ready to learn and move on, just like we’re ready to learn and move on this week from a win.” Last Saturday’s win wasn’t just a huge addition for Texas in the win column, though.
Herman mentioned that over 40 high school recruits were in attendance for the game against USC on unofficial visits. “We’re on track, we’re on pace with a lot of guys that we feel like we need to be,” Herman said. “You had 40-some odd guys offered or ‘offerable-type’ guys that were here unofficially.” In addition, Herman said each of the official visits —which he said last Thursday would be around five or six athletes — had individual meetings with him and ate breakfast at his house Sunday morning. “There’s some really positive things to having official visits on a game day weekend,” Herman said. “Our recruits got to see our atmosphere, which was unbelievable, got to see a win against a Top-25 opponent and got to experience Austin.” While giving a list of injury updates Monday, Herman said junior linebacker Malcolm Roach will miss 6-8 weeks due to a foot fracture. Roach left Saturday’s game against USC after suffering the injury.
carlos garcia | the daily texan staff Texas head coach Tom Herman watches warm ups before the Longhorns’ 37-14 victory against the USC Trojans on Sept. 15 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Freshman wide receiver Brennan Eagles and junior center Zach Shackelford are both “probably doubtful” to return this weekend, while freshman linebacker
DeMarvion Overshown is likely a week or two away from making his Texas debut. Meanwhile, freshman running back Keaontay Ingram,
who’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry during the first two games, is “questionable.” Herman is scheduled to meet with media members again after practice on Thursday.
FOOTBALL
Vince Young reflects on difficult childhood, 2005 national championship By Alex Briseño @alexxbriseno
Three hours before kickoff, Texas and USC fans piled into Nissan Heisman House located outside the northwest corner of the stadium just to get a glimpse of former Longhorn quarterback Vince Young. Young walked out on stage for an interview with ESPN’s Ryen Russillo before reflecting on the 2006 Rose Bowl. After asking several questions regarding the game, Russillo posed the question: Is there a moment from the championship game that you haven’t shared with anybody? Young immediately discussed the challenges he faced growing up in a
disadvantaged neighborhood in southwest Houston. “My mom was strung out on drugs,” Young said. “I didn’t have a father figure in the household. Every paycheck that came in had to go to bills. We were poor.” Young also saw his uncle get shot in the back in his house and said they had to call 911 to save his life. This all happened before Young reached college. “These were experiences I went through as a child,” Young said. “It was only by the grace of God that I had the opportunity to be the quarterback for one of the best schools to win a national championship. That’s my best memory. God is really good. A lot of kids don’t come out of that type of situation.”
Young arrived at the University of Texas in 2003 and the rest is history. USC running back LenDale White, who played for the Trojans during the peak of the Pete Carroll era, joined Young in reminiscing about the game. Despite taking a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, White said he still wasn’t convinced they had the game in hand. “He was down 12, but if you look at him on the sidelines, he’s over there dancing,” White said. “For the first time in my career, I was 35-2 at the time with backto-back championships. That was the first time in my life I said, ‘Hey, we might not be able to pull this one out.’” LenDale was right. Young went into great detail about executing a late-game comeback
en route to bringing the national title back to Austin. Following the interview, fans in the audience were allowed to ask questions. Inevitably, the 2005 Heisman trophy, which was awarded to USC running back Reggie Bush, was one of the select topics. “The best man won,” Young said. “I really wanted to bring the Heisman back home to Texas, but it didn’t happen like that. Reggie Bush is outstanding. Sorry Longhorn fans, we can’t have everything. I definitely wanted to win that thing, I ain’t gonna lie.” Young was later greeted with a standing ovation by the school-record 103,507 fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium during a commercial break after being recognized for his induction into the 2006 Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.
anthony mireles | the daily texan file Vince Young receives a trophy for his induction to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame during Saturday’s game between Texas and USC.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Crossword ACROSS 1 Three-letter sandwich 4 Ballroom dance from Cuba 9 Put up with 14 Period in history 15 In the city 16 Front and back halves of a golf course, often 17 Stick connected to a reel 18 Article of headwear for an explosives engineer?
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DOWN 1 Lima’s home 48 Funeral vehicles 2 Frat dudes 23 Stashed away 49 “Let me give you 3 Stone prized in a ride!” 24 Poem with a China dedicatee 51 ___ Speed Wagon 4 Actress in “Do (old vehicle) the Right Thing” 26 Where tapas are and the “Roots” 52 “Help us!,” at sea enjoyed miniseries 5 Address ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE containing “www” B O S C F A C T L L A M A 6 Execs’ degrees, O H I O A R E A P O L O S often G O D O W N I N H I S T O R Y 7 First, second or E L I E T O N T H E E third M A K E P A S S E S E A S T 8 Pays for a hand I B I S E S T A R 9 Peebles in the T A C T H E M P N Y P D Memphis Music T S K G E T A R U N R I B Hall of Fame E S P N C R O C A I D E 10 Chart-topper I C E L A T V I A 11 Burn to a crisp V A M P D R A W A B L A N K 12 Having a battery A L O E G A T E E A T that’s out of juice G O O D N E W S B A D N E W S U N D U E L E E K T E A R 13 Psychic’s purported ability, E G Y P T S A R A A R G O for short 22 Appear to be
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Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.
SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON IS CLOSED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS Sigma Alpha Epsilon National Fraternity has placed this ad to provide further notice that on Monday, November 6, 2017, the organization closed the SAE Chapter at the University of Texas and suspended its charter. The students, alumni and the University were all notified of the Fraternity’s action at that time. When the chapter was closed, all student members of the group were suspended from the Fraternity indefinitely and have no membership rights in SAE. Likewise, neither they, nor anyone else, have the authority to operate as a Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at the University of Texas. The former chapter may not operate or organize any event, sponsor any activity or participate in any endeavor representing Sigma Alpha Epsilon on the University of Texas campus or in the community. This decision resulted from health and safety violations and systemic cultural issues that are incongruent with the mission and values of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. “Health and safety” is the umbrella nomenclature covering subject matter associated with risk management violations, including hazing. The National Fraternity found multiple and ongoing concerns that created significant risk for members and guests of the chapter. These concerns prompted the Fraternity to suspend the charter of the Texas Rho Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. The University of Texas conducted an independent investigation that corroborated these issues, among others. Its investigation resulted in the University revoking the chapter’s status as a student organization. Accordingly, the chapter is no longer permitted to function at UT. “Sigma Alpha Epsilon” and other distinctive letters, marks and insignia of the Fraternity are legally protected trademarks owned and managed by Sigma Alpha Epsilon National Fraternity. Any use of these marks without the express permission of the National Fraternity is strictly prohibited. No group of students at the University of Texas or in the greater Austin area is authorized to use the name “Sigma Alpha Epsilon,” “SAE,” “SAE” or any other related marks. Only chapters that are chartered by Sigma Alpha Epsilon National Fraternity are authorized to use the distinctive marks of the Fraternity. Out of concern for your fellow students, if you are aware of students operating as though they are a recognized chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Texas or in the Austin community, or believe suspended members or alumni have recruited new members under the auspices of being affiliated with SAE, please alert the Dean of Students office and the Greek Life office at the University of Texas and contact Sigma Alpha Epsilon National Fraternity at contact@sae.net.
SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON FRATERNITY HEADQUARTERS 1856 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 475-1856 www.sae.net