serving the university of texas at austin community since
@thedailytexan |
thedailytexan . com
1900
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018
volume
119,
issue
NEWS
OPINION
LIFE&ARTS
SPORTS
UT volunteers teach sociology to inmates as part of a new initiative. PA G E 2
McCombs students need to work outside the box and explore creativity. PA G E 4
UT economics alumnus transforms passion for sports into local media company. PA G E 8
Entering the Iowa State matchup, Texas seniors reflect on the rise of the program. PA G E 6
CITY
CAMPUS
Cite-andrelease policy to replace prior misdemeanor punishment
Yellow call boxes aren’t being used for actual on-campus emergencies 2
# of times officers arrive at an off-campus emergency
By Meghan Nguyen @ultravioletmegs
42
# of times someone was present when an officer arrived
1,832 # of times UTPD officers responded to call box alarms between Jan 2013 and Sept. 2018 SOURCE: UTPD
rena li| the daily texan staff
By Megan Menchaca @meganmenchaca13
n the past five years, none of the yellow emergency call boxes have been used to report an emergency on campus. According to data provided by UT Police Department, UTPD officers responded to 1,832 call box alarms between Jan. 1, 2013, and Sept. 12,
66
2018. However, for the vast majority of these calls, people walked away after they pushed the button — there were only 42 incidents where the caller was still on the scene when law enforcement arrived. “A lot of times, unfortunately, people hit the buttons thinking it’s just funny,” UTPD officer Andrew Converse said. “But what they’re actually doing is diverting police resourc-
es from people that actually need assistance, which is unfortunate.” Converse said the majority of the remaining alarms are called by people who have car trouble or transients who want assistance. Of the 42 incidents with the caller still on the scene, only two required law enforcement activity. The first incident involved an off-campus assault, and the
second involved a man who suffered non-serious injuries when he wandered away from Sixth Street. UTPD has 174 outdoor emergency phones on campus that can be used to make a 911 call. Jimmy Johnson, assistant vice president for campus safety, said each call box costs $4,000, along with the
CALL BOXES
page
3
More people accused of misdemeanor-level crimes may be eligible for a citation rather than an arrest after the Austin Police Department made changes to its cite-and-release policy Nov. 1. Under the new policy, those facing charges for class A and B misdemeanor possession of certain illegal substances such as K2, class A graffiti offenses and class A offenses for driving with an invalid license are now eligible to be ticketed rather than arrested. APD also shortened the list of factors that disqualify someone from receiving a citation and forces an officer to arrest them. In the previous policy, 11 factors disqualified people from being cited. That list has now been whittled down to just four disqualifying items. The new policy also pushes APD officers to find other means besides government-issued ID to identify a person, such as a prior jail booking photo. Additionally, officers will now have more discretion in citing people for other misdemeanor crimes, such as possession of marijuana. More than 86 percent of UT students live off campus and within APD jurisdiction. Anand Pant, Students for Sensible Drug Policy member and MIS senior, said the policy was a step in the right direction for those students. “This policy mitigates the negative feedback loop that many people face when they go to jail,” Pant said. “In the past, if a student landed in jail for a class C misdemeanor, they’d face fines, get their car impounded and they’d be unable to pay because they’re typically not working.” Michele Deitch, attorney and senior lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, said the revised policy would benefit UT students because students usually get arrested for misdemeanors. “It is much better from a criminal justice perspective to cite people rather than to arrest them,” Deitch said in an email. “It avoids the risks of low-level people being placed in the jail, where they
RELEASE
page
2
CAMPUS
LBJ School grants Hillary Clinton first ‘In the Arena’ award By Gracie Awalt @gracieawalt5
The Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium was at full capacity as students and faculty watched Hillary Clinton accept the first-ever In the Arena award from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. The LBJ School honored Clinton, former first lady, Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, at a private evening ceremony Tuesday. The ceremony was followed by a conversation between Clinton and LBJ School Dean Angela Evans. The award honors an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to pursuing the greater good in public service, according to a press release from the LBJ School. “Few political leaders today have such a distinguished record of public service and are as mired
by dust and sweat as Secretary Clinton,” Evans said. “Fewer have gone so courageously into that arena.” Created this month, the award is inspired by a quote from a speech titled “The Man in the Arena” delivered by former president Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, in 1910. The physical award itself was created by students from the School of Design and Creative Technology at the College of Fine Arts. When asked by Evans what advice she had for students who are addressing an issue that requires persistence and patience, Clinton said students today face a fast-paced arena that is manipulated by political coverage. “Having that commitment that keeps you going through the good times and the hard, the successes and the failures, is the only thing that ever finally
STEER CLEAR!
TEXAS ATHLETICS GAMEDAY CLEAR BAG POLICY
does produce results,” Clinton said. “If you’re in the arena, you can’t, in my experience, be there just for your own gratification. If you’re not there on behalf of a cause larger than yourself, and you face a setback, it’s hard to keep going.” Clinton said respect has been lost in Congress and the Senate, and exposure to people with differing experiences and opinions would help solve this conflict. She said universities provide this landscape for compromise and learning. “Education is key, but continuing education, trying to create more opportunities for people to find themselves with those who they think are different and finding out that they actually have some things in common would go a long way towards breaking down some of these
CLINTON
page
3
anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Secretary Hillary Clinton accepts the first-ever “In the Arena” Award by Angela Evans, the Dean of the LBJ school on Tuesday evening at the LBJ Auditorium.
APPROVED BAGS • Bags that are clear plastic and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” • One-gallon clear resealable plastic storage bags • Small clutch bags or purses that do not exceed 4.5” x 6.5”
PROHIBITED BAGS • Backpacks, purses, diaper bags, cases (camera, binocular, etc.), fanny packs, printed pattern plastic bags, reusable grocery totes, mesh or straw bags, duffle bags, large totes
TexasSports.com/clearbag