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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
volume
119,
issue
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFE&ARTS
Bad composting habits on campus cause materials to be sent to landfill instead. PA G E 2
UT’s undocumented students deserve specialized careeer services. PA G E 4
Plethora of untimely penalties cause Longhorns to fall short against Oklahoma. PA G E 6
Local showcase provides opportunity to change homeless perception. PA G E 8
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SYSTEM
Dining halls serve romaine after CDC lifts recall By Neelam Bohra @_neelam_b
When Claire Eckardt entered Littlefield Patio Cafe last week, she noticed there weren’t many salads available. “I was looking around, and I get salads pretty often, so I wondered what had happened,” said Eckardt, human development and family sciences freshman. “I feel like romaine lettuce is a staple of my diet, so when it wasn’t available, it definitely affected me.” On Nov. 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement to University Housing and Dining to dispose of all romaine lettuce after it was linked to 32 people across 11 states contracting a strain of E. coli. Rene Rodriguez, director of dining for University Housing and Dining, said this notification launched a protocol University Housing and Dining uses whenever the CDC issues a food recall. “We removed it all and disposed it all right off the bat,” Rodriguez said. “I always err on the side of safety. None of our suppliers said their lettuce was affected, but we still pulled it. We notified (University Health Services), Student Affairs and (Environmental and Health Safety). All of that has to be done within an hour, otherwise we wouldn’t be preventative.” On Nov. 27, Rodriguez said he received an all-clear notification from the CDC, as they had traced the infected romaine lettuce to farms in California. The suppliers for the dining halls, Rodriguez said, were farms in Texas. “We have timelines of everything, including when we destroy things, how much we destroyed, and usually, we re-sanitize each location,”
ashley ephraim | the daily texan staff UT System Chancellor James Milliken talks about the goals and steps he is taking to implement his ideas for the various schools in the UT System in his office on December 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. Milliken took office Sept. 17, 2018.
New Chancellor settles in By Katie Balevic @KatelynBalevic
fter nearly a semester on the job, UT System Chancellor James Milliken has settled into his new position advocating for Texas’ future. As chancellor, Milliken oversees all 14 academic and health institutions in the UT System, a task he calls the perfect job. “I consider, in 2018, the University of Texas system as clearly one of the most exciting places to be for higher education in the country,” Milliken said. The Chancellor took office Sept. 17 after former Chancellor William McRaven stepped down in May 2018 for health reasons. In his first months on the job, Milliken traveled to the institutions he oversees and met with legislators and supporters of the UT System. He said the sense of optimism he saw about the future of Texas was unparalleled.
“That sort of optimism, that sense of the integral role of higher education in the state’s future — it doesn’t exist everywhere,” Milliken said. As he makes decisions that impact Texans across the state, Milliken said he seeks recommendations from institution presidents as well as the Board of Regents, faculty and students at universities. “I’m sort of a believer in participatory leadership and the idea that you consult broadly, invite participation and respect people’s input,” Milliken said. “At the end of the day, because of where I sit I will either be making a decision or, if appropriate, making a recommendation to the Board of Regents.” On his first day on the job, Milliken received a report from a task force of the Board of Regents recommending the System cut 70 to 110 jobs from its Austin administrative offices. But he said reports like this are not uncommon in public higher education systems, and he
will release his plan of action by the end of the year. “This is not a new discussion,” Milliken said. “It’s only two-anda-half months old to me, but other people have been discussing it for some time. I think that the 30 years of experience I have has put me in a position to be able to jump in now, get up to speed and take the necessary actions on the work that’s been done so far.” As the legislative session approaches in January 2019, Milliken said he hopes to inspire confidence that the UT System is worth the funding it’s asking for. “I want to demonstrate for the people of Texas and for the political leadership that they should have confidence in this University and what it does for the state,” Milliken said. “The better I can communicate that, the better environment we can create for support for the institutions of the UT System.” The System will be asking for in-
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WEST CAMPUS
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Study reveals need for $1.7 million in lighting upgrades for West Campus
UT students make up majority of B-cycle ridership in Austin
By Megan Menchaca @meganmenchaca13
By Nicole Stuessy @nicolestuessy
West Campus needs at least $1.7 million worth of lighting upgrades, according to a study presented by the Austin Transportation Department on Monday. In May 2017, after months of lobbying by campus safety groups, the Austin Police Department, Austin Energy and Austin Transportation Department (ATD) began studying lighting and pedestrian safety in West Campus. ATD pedestrian coordinator Joel Meyer said their consultant estimated a need for $580,000 in lighting improvements and more than a million dollars in installation costs. “There were a lot of concerns around safety generally in West Campus because of the heavy concentration and density of students in that area,” Meyer said. “Installing better lighting in West Campus will help people feel safer and more comfortable walking at night.” Meyer said the study, which was presented during the monthly meeting of Austin’s Public Safety Commission, found that 20 percent of lighting in West Campus is deficient. Meyer said these deficient lights include lights that are burned out, obstructed by trees or vandalized. “We see a really big opportunity to improve lighting in the neighborhood just by fixing some of the existing lights,” Meyer said. “It’s really important that we improve the safety of the built environment so people feel safe and comfortable
nikita sveshnikov | the daily texan staff Austin’s Public Safety Commission found that 20 percent of lighting in West Campus is deficient during a meeting Monday. They will be giving recommendations to the Mayor and City Council to consider for a vote in a few weeks.
walking to school.” Allie Runas, an electrical and computer engineering senior, is working toward organizing a West Campus neighborhood association to advocate for improving issues impacting residents. Runas said she has noticed many dark places during her walks throughout West Campus and believes lighting additions are necessary for the area. “Improving the lighting will not only improve personal safety for residents, but I also do feel strongly that it will improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety as well,” Runas said.
Along with the six-month study, ATD also accepted public recommendations through in-person meetings and an online survey. Meyer said 80 percent of respondents to the survey said lighting in West Campus was not adequate for people walking at night. “We found that there is a big concern about lighting and safety in West Campus, but we also found that a substantial number of people thought that lighting could be a solution to those concerns,” Meyer said. “A lot of different
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While Austin B-cycle, the City’s bike share program, has seen a drastic decrease in use since dockless scooters and bikes were introduced across the city, ridership on UT’s campus has not seen this same trend. Elliott McFadden, executive director of Austin B-cycle, said UT students make up around two-thirds of the nonprofit’s total ridership. Last spring, over 134,000 trips were taken at the 11 stations around campus, and B-cycle expects to reach 100,000 trips in the fall, McFadden said. “There is a little bit of a decrease, but not the sort of impact we are seeing in our downtown system,” McFadden said. “We are finding that, among our existing riders, they are riding as much as they were in the spring.” After B-cycle launched on campus in February, the nonprofit entered an 18-month partnership with UT and the City of Austin to give students access to free rides for up to one hour. McFadden said
because of this, many students still opt for B-cycles over dockless scooters. “As a former UT student, I know that watching your penny day to day is a big deal,” McFadden said. “If you’re riding a scooter every day, that adds up.” Mathematics freshman An Tran said he has used both B-cycles and dockless scooters to travel around Austin. “The bikes are convenient when there’s a rack nearby, but if you are going to somewhere without a rack it’s much easier to use a scooter,” Tran said. “Sometimes the racks are full, so you can’t return the bike when you need to.” McFadden said these docked locations prevent riders from needing to search for a B-cycle. Nursing sophomore Matthew Tran said B-cycles provide him with a quicker way to get to class. “There is a B-cycle station right near my apartment in West Campus, so it’s super convenient for me,” Matthew said. “I get to go to class in five minutes instead of walking 20
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C H A S E K A R A C O S TA S NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
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Sleep deprivation culture affects students
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emma overholt
By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez
Fatigue, memory loss and irritability are symptoms experienced by many college students while they suffer from what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have declared a “public health crisis” — sleep deprivation. “I would be studying before an exam in my apartment at 2 a.m.,” journalism sophomore Mackenzie Dyer said. “I would get to the exam the next day and … I would get to a question on something I knew I was stumbling (on) within the 24 hours previously, and I remember reading it, but I didn’t remember the material because I was depriving myself of sleep.” Dyer’s experience is not an isolated incident, as the CDC reports
one in three adults are sleep deprived. College students experience this for reasons including inconsistent schedules, alcohol, stress, technology, mental illness and the ‘fear of missing out’ in social situations, said Mandy Colbert, health promotion coordinator for University Health Services and the Counseling and Mental Health Center. “(There’s) the general culture and glorification of being busy, of this phenomenon called ‘competitive non-sleeping,’ where students are almost competing with each other to see who got the least amount of sleep as almost a point of pride or to show they’re working harder or doing better even though that’s probably not the case,” Colbert said. Chemistry sophomore Bruce
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Adams and journalism freshman Brynne Herzfeld said their peers have bragged about their lack of sleep as if it were a “badge of honor.” Adams said he also experiences a phenomenon Colbert calls “sleep debt,” where missed hours of sleep collect like credit card debt and wear down the body. “I would get four or five hours of sleep … during the week, but then I would binge-sleep for 13 hours on Friday and Saturday and catch back up,” Adams said. “It’s like a regular back and forth.” Herzfeld said her insomnia has flared up since coming to college. She also said she experiences the “Fear of missing out” phenomenon when her Texas Student Television group goes out after meetings, which causes her to lose two hours of sleep.
| the daily texan staff
“I’m a freshman and I conveniently have this group of people that I consistently see every week, so it feels like it’s a great way to make friends and I don’t want to miss out on that,” Herzfeld said. Colbert said her biggest tip to avoid sleep deprivation and improve health overall is to keep a consistent sleep schedule. Resources from the Office of Health Promotion include a college sleep questionnaire, a sleep habits survey launching in spring that will offer students tailored feedback for better sleep. “I would love for there to be a sleep revolution on campus where we just talk about how important it is to get sleep,” Dyer said. “I just think because we’re all under so much stress, it’s really easy to go about it in the wrong way.”
STATE
Removal of Confederate plaque up to legislature By Sami Sparber @samisparber
It’s up to the Texas Legislature, Preservation Board or Historical Commission to remove a plaque inside the Capitol honoring the Confederacy, Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a legal opinion published last month. For months, state officials have argued over the proper procedure for removing the plaque, which says the Civil War was “not a rebellion, nor was its underlying cause to sustain slavery.” The debate is one of many in Texas and across the country to determine how to handle Confederate monuments displayed in public spaces. Richard Reddick, associate professor in educational leadership and policy, said the plaque is more than offensive – it’s “patently false.” “It not only conveys a falsehood and Lost Cause propaganda, but also whitewashes the origins of the Confederacy, allowing for sympathetic and valorized interpretations of a war over white supremacy and the subordination of people because of their race,” Reddick said in an email. It’s no coincidence the plaque was installed in 1959 during the early years of the Civil Rights Movement, Reddick said. “It goes back to an incomplete and insincere interpretation of history,” Reddick said. “I spent a lot of my youth in Texas and in the South, and the Confederacy is normalized through the naming of schools, towns, statues and parks — I went to two high schools named after Confederate leaders.” Although several lawmakers have condemned the plaque, action has been delayed on both political and procedural fronts, said Joshua
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creased formula funding to support hiring and equipping faculty, enabling new academic programs and supporting students. Since the population of Texas may double by 2050, Texans need to start
anthony mireles
| the daily texan file
A plaque honoring Confederate leaders still hangs in the Capitol building today. Blank, manager of polling and research at UT’s Texas Politics Project. “Beyond questions of who has the authority to make a decision to remove a plaque from Capitol grounds, the political issue of removing Confederate monuments — even inaccurate ones — is clearly divided along partisan lines,” Blank said. Blank pointed to a 2017 poll conducted by the Texas Tribune and the Texas Politics Project in which 55 percent of Texas Republicans said Confederate monuments on public property should remain as is, compared to nine percent of Democrats. Fifty six percent of Democrats said the monuments should be moved to museums, compared to eight percent
thinking about how they’re going to educate the next generation, Milliken said. “We need more opportunities for Texans to get the education they need to be successful and for this state to be competitive,” Milliken said. “I want the UT System to be better than anybody at doing that.”
of Republicans. For this reason, Blank said Republican officials — including Gov. Greg Abbott, who chairs the State Preservation Board — are hesitant to remove the plaque unilaterally. “Republican office holders know this issue is somewhat complicated, and based on attitudes of their electorate, they don’t necessarily want to be too far out in front of something they can be criticized for,” Blank said. In the Sept. 28 gubernatorial debate, Abbott said the legislature, not the preservation board, is responsible for taking the plaque down. “This plaque was put up at a vote by the Texas Legislature,” Abbott
said during the debate. “It’s the Texas Legislature with the responsibility to take it down. Should they take it down because of the factual inaccuracy? Absolutely.” Reddick said the plaque should be immediately removed from Capitol grounds, then transferred to a museum, where it can serve an educational purpose. “Symbols of white supremacy have no place in the Capitol, which represents all Texans,” Reddick said. “Neo-Confederate symbolism needs to be contextualized, and … museums, with the appropriate educational and historical placement, are the best place for objects such as the plaque.”
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
CAMPUS
UN’s ‘ShareTheMeal’ appoints campus ambassador By Laura Morales @lamor_1217
A United Nations World Food Program initiative has expanded its campus ambassador program to UT-Austin. The ShareTheMeal initiative, a crowdfunding smartphone application that fights global hunger, started the program in November. Ambassadors organize campus teams on the app, create fundraising challenges for the team and organize events to inform students on the issues the World Food Program is combating. The app uses Google Pay and Apple Pay, among other payment methods, allowing people to donate money to people affected by hunger crises around the world, such as South Sudanese refugees and Palestinian children. Ivana Jelenszky, ShareTheMeal ambassador and public relations junior, learned about the initiative through social media. Jelenszky created the UT team, a GoFundMe page and an Instagram page to spread the word about ShareTheMeal. Jelenszky has been involved with nonprofits for several years, but said ShareTheMeal is more innovative with technology than the nonprofits she has worked for in the past. “The app is a social innovation,” Jelenszky said. “To get that money to another country so quickly without any fees, it’s so easy. Just a tap on your phone and the money will be in someone’s plate as a form of food.” ShareTheMeal is current-
jamie powers | the daily texan staff Public relations junior Ivana Jelenszky created the UT United Nations World Food Program to raise awareness about global hunger. With the help of their app ShareTheMeal, the WPF crowdsources to gain support for combating food shortages around the world.
ly fundraising to aid the food shortage in Yemen. The World Food Program reported that 18 million inhabitants face food insecurity in Yemen. Each meal the World Food Program provides costs 50 cents. So far, the UT team has collected 2,257 meals on the app. Their goal is 100,000 meals. ShareTheMeal marketing direc-
tor Adriana Sahagun said she has been recruiting younger people because of the work she had seen students such as Jelenszky do. “We really believe that this is the generation that can end hunger,” Sahagun said. “This generation has been criticized a lot that maybe they are self-centered or selfish, but we truly believe those stereotypes are
not true. This generation has power, and they are motivated to make a change.” Jelenszky’s efforts are already attracting the attention of her peers. Marketing junior Mariana Chavira reached out to Jelenszky with an interest to help raise funds. Chavira now regularly asks for donations on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
to help aid the food crisis in Yemen. “The Yemen food crisis is the world’s largest hunger crisis, and it seems to be overlooked,” Chavira said. “Through ShareTheMeal, we are doing what we can to help relieve the pressure caused by the war by raising awareness of the situation and encouraging everyone to help.”
CAMPUS
Improper waste disposal leads to compost fines for University By Bonny Chu @bbbbonny_
From recycling to composting, there are many ways students can help the environment. However, the impact of sorting waste is only economically friendly when it’s done properly. Specifically for composting, if there is a 5 percent or more contamination rate in the loads collected around campus, all of it gets rejected and goes to the landfill, said Neil Kaufman, the sustainability coordinator of University Housing and Dining. In the last academic year, there was a peak in rejected composting, Kaufman said. While the campus collects about 300 tons of composting each year, 73 tons were rejected between mid-November of last year to mid-March. He said this is largely because students improperly sort their food scraps at the dining halls and place inappropriate material such as metal forks in the composting bins. “I think a lot of this is just kind of by accident or they’re just naive about how composting works,” Kaufman said. “This is hard work. We don’t want these loads to go
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Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said students eat an average of 1,200 pounds of romaine lettuce a week. “Other than the inconvenience to the students, there hasn’t been a lasting impact,” Rodriguez said. “We had plenty of other salad options available, including spinach, iceberg lettuce and green leaf lettuce.” In 2017, suppliers of University
macelyn morris | the daily texan staff Students improperly sorting their trash has led to a peak in rejected compost shipments within the last school year. Each rejected shipment can cost the University anywhere between $75 to $1500.
to waste.” If the load is contaminated by under five percent, the University is charged with a $75 fee by their
Housing and Dining issued a broccoli recall. Rodriguez said they had to disinfect cooking materials and dispose of other food that came in contact with the broccoli. “We had to check our records and track down the code numbers of which location the product reached,” Rodriguez said. “We had to find out how much of the product we had purchased, and figure out how much has been eaten on specific days. We make sure to track it exactly.” Rodriguez said during food
composting company, Organics by Gosh. However, if the load is rejected with a contamination rate of 5 or more percent, they are charged
recalls, he notifies the students through messages in the dining halls. Ben Caudill, an international relations and government freshman, said he didn’t notice the disappearance of romaine from the dining halls. “I eat salad pretty often in the dining halls,” Caudill said. “I think I didn’t notice because the dining halls handled it pretty well. I saw when it happened on the news, so I’m happy the dining halls actually did something about it.”
anywhere between an extra $5001500. This is because the loads need to be redirected, transported and dumped into the landfills instead.
Urban studies senior Cory Simmons worm composts at home, where the earthworms convert organic waste into soil fertilizer. He said students should be more aware of the environmental impacts they have. “It’s the responsibility of holding people accountable,” Simmons said. “And then also making sure we ourselves are doing the right t hing, too.” Marketing senior Tristine Lam, who helped establish campus composting sites with BEEVO Beekeeping Society, said students have little reason not to compost. “You would be surprised how much easier it is to compost,” Lam said. “It just takes a little bit of research, and if you have the freezer space to store your organic waste until you can compost it on campus, then do it.” Kaufman said while students might think their individual efforts don’t matter, composting correctly can greatly impact UT’s ability to have a sustainable waste program. “Sorting trash is currently the least interesting thing that you could possibly have to concern yourself about,” Kaufman said. “However, it’s incredibly important because it’s part of our civic duty.”
B-cycle Use on Campus AUGUST 1st - OCTOBER 31st
76,167
6,313
3,170
total unique trips on B-cycle bicycles
unique riders have used Austin B-cycle
people have rode B-cycle 5 times or more
SOURCE: AUSTIN B-CYCLE emma overholt
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minutes to the nursing building.” When B-cycle’s partnership with the University ends in August, either UT will cover the cost to keep the stations free, or
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stakeholders said that this is a really big priority for them, and so as a city we’re also making it one of our top priorities.” William Lockett, Student Government city relations co-director, said while the cost is high, enhancing lighting is one of the best ways to boost safety in West Campus.
| the daily texan staff
students will start paying per ride, McFadden said. “Right now the University isn’t paying anything and the students are getting the benefit of free access,” McFadden said. “That’s obviously something that as a concept is fine, but that’s not a long-term financially sustainable thing.”
“Like a lot of other students, I realize that lighting in West Campus is a problem as it relates to safety,” finance senior Lockett said. “Everybody knows that West Campus and other areas around campus could be safer, and I think addressing lighting is a big step in improving that problem.” The finalized recommendations from the study will be sent in a few weeks to the Mayor and City Council to be considered for a vote, but a date for a vote has not been set.
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LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
COLUMN
COLUMN
weatherly sawyer
| the daily texan staff
Stressed? Go outside By Michael Martinez Columnist
charlie hyman
| the daily texan staff
Undocumented students deserve tailored career services By Angélica López Columnist
On December 22, many UT students will officially graduate. Some will struggle to find positions that suit their career interests. Others will give themselves deadlines to find work: before the end of the year, the end of March, the end of the summer or by next Christmas. Some will be given a deadline by the U.S. government — with much more at stake. For non-citizen students, securing a job after graduation is much more than a fulfillment of dreams or an opportunity to join the ranks of the middle class. Many of these students must both secure a position and find an employer that will petition for their political status. While UT offers extensive career services, these services are rarely tailored to serve the needs of students whose future in the U.S. will be determined by their future employers. UT shouldn’t just teach undocumented students how to get a job; it should teach how to get a job that will petition for them. “When I went to career fair this fall semester, it was really hard to find a job since most companies have restrictions on international students,” chemical engineering senior Danny Kim said. Kim suggested that UT should provide international students with information about which companies hire non-citizens.
Texas has over 115,000 students who have applied for DACA. UT has over 5,000 international students, including DACA recipients. While DACA recipients might be able to secure their right to work while attending school, they’ll have to re-secure lawful status after graduation if they hope to continue working and living in the United States. Similarly, UT students who are attending school with a student visa must also secure lawful status after graduation.
Many of these students must both secure a position and find an employer that will petition for their political status.” Unfortunately, many career planning services on campus fail to account for the limitations placed on non-citizen students. Luis Barrientos, a former UT student, recalls the difficulty of applying to medical schools as an undocumented student. “I really had to do a lot of
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.
Enchanted Rock, Pedernales Falls, Pace Bend Park and McKinney Falls are only a handful of the dozens of camping sites around Austin. These places offer an opportunity to relax, reconnect and revitalize. Not only are there camping sites throughout the Austin area, they’re also made accessible by the University of Texas’s Outdoor Rental Program. This program allows students to rent camping necessities ranging from tents to sleeping bags to stoves. An effective way to boost mental health, RecSports needs to advertise this program in partnership with the Counseling and Mental Health Center. Through informational tabling and website reminders, the CMHC and RecSports can highlight their Outdoor Rental Program as a viable option in combating mental illness. Because of the high-stress environment and city setting the University of Texas offers, the mental health of students is often at risk. A study on city living found that people in densely populated environments are 39 percent more likely to develop mood disorders and 21 percent more likely to develop anxiety. Students living near the University of Texas in Austin are especially vulnerable to these effects.
my own research,” Barrientos said. “Whenever I did have questions, they weren’t able to answer them.” While applying to graduate school is a difficult process for most applicants, Barrientos had the added stress of finding a school that accepted DACA recipients. In Texas, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine was the only school that allowed him to apply. According to Barrientos, career planning offices on campus aren’t always able to provide up-to-date information for non-citizen students, which can be a major impediment to their career and future in the United States. Bilingual education sophomore Lesly Reza Olguin wrote in an email, “There is always that underlying thought of whether or not your employer will question the validity of your work permit or if seeing that the permits are only good for two years will make them think of that as a setback.” UT career planning services should be better equipped to work with non-citizen students in order to ensure that they are connected with the right employers and graduate schools post-graduation. Doing so will secure non-citizen students’ futures in the United States. If we hope to be a campus that serves Texas students and values diverse perspectives, we must have greater support for non-citizen students. López is a rhetoric and writing junior from McAllen.
Because of the highstress environment and city setting the University of Texas offers, the mental health of students is often at risk.”
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.
According to a spring 2017 study, more than 40 percent of students attending the University of Texas reported experiencing above-average stress. Almost half of the students reported feeling consistently tired and fatigued. Without the opportunity to escape the tedious routines of college, it’s difficult for students to find time for their mental health. Fortunately, the benefits of the outdoors are especially relevant to overworked college students. A 2018 study correlates outdoor experiences with decreased blood pressure, decreased cortisol levels and an increased sense of well-being. “Whenever I go camping I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated,” said Erica McCormick, Plan II and environmental science junior. Spending time in nature is listed on the CMHC’s self care page. However, no resources are listed to assist students in this pursuit. The RecSports Outdoor Rental program offers students a unique opportunity to not only improve mental health but escape the triggers that cause them. A partnership between the two would give students the resources to take personal steps in securing their mental health. “I never even knew UT offered camping supplies,” government sophomore Foster Staff said. “Me and my friends have been trying to organize a camping trip for months.” Whether students want to appreciate the outdoors or improve their well-being, RecSports and the CMHC could better establish the relationship between the two. “It’s easy to lose myself in my commitments and problems,” advertising junior Blake Tyndall said. “In nature, I separate myself from all those worries and find time for myself.” Finding time for yourself is integral to maintaining mental health. Next time you have some free time, stop by RecSports, rent out a hammock and smell life’s roses — literally. Martinez is a Plan II and government junior from Austin.
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.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
ALUMNI
UT alumni create mobile platform for easier group travel By Celesia Smith @celsmit
Exploring, studying or vacationing abroad is often unforgettable. For those traveling in large groups, however, the stress of coordinating during trips often clouds the beauty of experiencing another country. In 2016, UT alumni Diego De Stefano Ramos Arizpe (‘17) and Daniela De Stefano Pachon (‘17) used UT resources to clear the coordination stress from international skies. They founded Trip Loop, a platform that allows groups abroad to stay organized and remain communicative. The idea for Trip Loop was born out of De Stefano Ramos Arizpe’s experience abroad. He assisted his trip coordinator in managing a group of high school graduates. After noticing persistent communication difficulties, he decided to assist the coordinator in an unconventional way. “I was receiving feedback from both the students and the trip coordinator, and I thought that the problems could be solved by digitizing a couple of the resources that they were using,” De Stefano Ramos Arizpe said. Trip Loop became more than a few digitized resources, however. The app includes a real-time itinerary, emergency location sharing settings and a closed social network. Additionally, the platform is built on an offline mesh network that allows communication without Wi-Fi in a local setting. “(Trip Loop combines) all these different apps that people use when they travel — Facebook groups, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Google Maps — different social apps that are not necessarily made for traveling,” De Stefano Pachon said. Maricarmen Hernandez, sociology doctoral student and liaison for the McCombs Business Honors Program Management in Buenos Aires study abroad program, said Trip Loop’s features, specifically the offline network, would help students stay organized abroad. “A handful of the students didn’t have data in Buenos Aires,” Hernandez said. “It’s expensive and not everybody can do that, so (the offline network) would be a really great tool.” As useful as Trip Loop is to
andrew choi
study abroad coordinators, De Stefano Ramos Arizpe found that his idea’s utility reaches beyond the educational sphere. “I saw it as an opportunity to help (my trip coordinator) at the beginning,” De Stefano Ramos Arizpe said. “It wasn’t until months later that I realized Trip Loop was a huge
business opportunity.” He and De Stefano Pachon used UT and Austin’s resources to start their entrepreneurial journey. They participated in Capital Factory’s 3 Day Startup program and UT’s Longhorn Startup Lab. In addition to being a co-founder of Trip Loop, De
Stefano Pachon is also a new mentor for UT’s Genesis Program, an investment fund that provides startup capital to student entrepreneurs. She said programs such as 3 Day Startup, Longhorn Startup Lab and the Genesis Program give students an accurate taste of the entrepreneurial experience.
“Entrepreneurship is a high-pressure thing,” De Stefano Pachon said. “There’s a lot of sacrifice. Anything that you can do to put that stress on yourself will let you see if that sort of work is right for you.” Ultimately, De Stefano Ramos Arizpe and De Stefano Pachon put that pressure on themselves
| the daily texan staff
and founded Trip Loop to solve an international problem. “People all around the world are very similar and have similar problems, no matter if they’re from Jamaica, Japan or Russia,” De Stefano Ramos Arizpe said. “We all travel in groups. This solution is a global solution.”
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ALEX BRISEÑO & ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITORS @TEXANSPORTS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
FOOTBALL
carlos garcia | the daily texan staff Wide receiver Collin Johnson (right) stiff arms Oklahoma cornerback Parnell Motley (left) during the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas. Johnson recorded eight receptions, 177 yards and a touchdown in the Longhorns’ 39-27 defeat.
Penalties hold back Texas Longhorns flagged 13 times for 128 total yards in loss to Oklahoma. By Ross Burkhart @ross_burkhart
he Longhorns watched their chances of hoisting the Big 12 trophy dwindle as they trailed Oklahoma by 12 points with only two minutes remaining. Wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey then nearly revived the spirits of many dejected Longhorn fans by returning an Oklahoma kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. But Humphrey didn’t celebrate once he reached the end zone. He was
already aware the score would be negated by a holding penalty — one of Texas’ 13 total penalties during the game. The abundance of unforced errors became one of the many driving forces behind Texas’ 39-27 loss to the Sooners in Saturday’s Big 12 Championship. They eventually cost the Longhorns 128 total yards. “Penalties always slow the game down,” linebacker senior Gary Johnson said after the game. “That’s not something that you want to see, especially on the defensive side of the ball. It’s something that could be avoided, but things happen, and that’s kind of how this game took a swing with all the penalties we had on defense.” The woes on Texas’ end began in the 1st quarter as cornerback senior Kris Boyd accounted for two facemask penalties that assisted the Sooners in putting points on the scoreboard for the first time. Things didn’t improve for Texas in the second quarter as
senior defensive end Breckyn Hager was flagged for the team’s third facemask penalty and eighth overall in the opening half. The flag pushed the Kyler Murray-led Sooners seven yards closer to an eventual touchdown, which became their first lead of the game. Despite some questionable calls from the officiating crew, many Longhorns didn’t look to point fingers at the referees for their loss. “You can’t blame the refs,” safety Brandon Jones said. “They have a job the same way we have a job out on the field, so whatever they see, they have to call it. It is what it is.” The next step for the Longhorns after acknowledging those mistakes will be how they plan to adjust before their test against Georgia at the Sugar Bowl in a few weeks. “That makes it hard to win when you’re going backwards that many times, so I do think that had an impact,” center Zach Shackelford said. “We’ll watch the film and see how
we can improve. Usually when there are penalties, it’s technique issues, which thankfully are fixable.” Though the Bulldogs missed out on a shot at the national championship after falling to Alabama in the SEC title game, the battle-tested Georgia squad is neck-and-neck with Oklahoma for the toughest opponent Texas will face all season. With penalties like the ones committed Saturday, the Longhorns will face an uphill battle in the Sugar Bowl, making their ability to rebound from the unnecessary errors that much more important. “We really bought into what the coaches preached and we loved each other and we’ve learned that the only thing that can stop us is us,” quarterback Sam Ehlinger said. “The games that we’ve lost... hurt ourselves. While that’s very frustrating, I think it’s enlightening to know that we are going in the right direction. We can fix those things.”
FOOTBALL
Tom Herman, Kirby Smart prepare to meet again in Sugar Bowl clash By Ross Burkhart @ross_burkhart
When Texas head coach Tom Herman and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart gameplanned against each other as coordinators in the 2015 Sugar Bowl, they were entirely unaware they’d be facing off in the exact same bowl game as the heads of two different programs just four years later. Herman, former offensive coordinator at Ohio State, outwitted Smart, former defensive coordinator at Alabama, to advance the Buckeyes into the national championship after upsetting the Crimson Tide in that year’s Sugar Bowl. Since that game, Herman and Smart have had a mutual respect for each other and even stayed in contact to discuss coaching strategies, according to the two. “I’ve been good friends with Tom since our game with him against Ohio State,” Smart said in a teleconference Sunday. “I’ve kept in touch. We’ve shared ideas and thoughts, and I’ve always used him as a trusted friend and resource for information.” The Texas-Georgia matchup on New Year’s Day was announced Sunday afternoon by the College Football Playoff’s selection committee after both teams lost their respective conference championship games in similarly disappointing fashions.
Both Smart and Herman have yet to watch many of their opponents’ games from this season but enter this month’s preparation period under the impression that this Sugar Bowl could be just as competitive as the 42-35 dogfight they took part in during 2015. “I know this: They’re really well-coached,” Smart said. “They’ve got a really good football team.” The Longhorns, who sit at 9–4 heading into bowl play, entered as an 11-point underdog to a surging Georgia that’s still nursing the fresh wound of being left out of the College Football Playoff’s top four selected teams after Sunday’s announcement. Though Smart’s group missed out on capturing an SEC Championship just hours after Texas’ losing effort, the Bulldogs will still walk into the Big Easy at 11–2 with a hungry attitude. “They’re in the top 20 in the country in damn near every offensive and defensive statistic,” Herman said. “Statistics alone, it looks like a very balanced team.” Just moments after walking off the field following a loss to Alabama on Saturday, Smart sounded off with an emotional statement asking why the selection committee wouldn’t want to see the four best teams in the country play for the national title. But after the final rankings came through — without the Bulldogs — Smart
juan figueroa | the daily texan file Head coach Tom Herman watches from the sideline during the Longhorns’ 39-27 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners on Dec. 1 at the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas.
reacted with a positive outlook, saying he acknowledged the tough decision the committee was faced with. “I’m not crying over spilled milk,” Smart said. “We had our opportunities in the Alabama game and did not finish, did not take advantage of them. I certainly think we’re
one of the four best teams in the country, but I also know that we’re not in the playoffs and we’ll have an opportunity to do that next year.” Texas has faced difficult opponents throughout the season on its path toward returning to national relevance, but
despite having played a top contender such as Oklahoma twice, Texas will see the Bulldogs as an unique test unlike anything Herman’s team has gone up against. This is due to the unfamiliarity between the two programs, which haven’t competed against each other since the Cotton Bowl in 1984.
“We know what they’ve been able to do,” Herman said. “They played in the national championship game last year, they were on the verge of being in the playoff this year. Kirby’s got that thing rolling. We’re going to need our A-game to have a chance to complete.”
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TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018
ART
Struggle inspires creativity
samantha dorisca | the daily texan staff Artists Mark Abeli (top), Cathy Haynes (left) and Kevin Lane (right) showcase their work at Art From the Streets, an annual art sale for the homeless community in Austin.
‘Art From the Streets’ showcases homeless, struggling ATX artists. By Anna-Kay Reeves @annakay_reeves
ith institutions such as The Blanton Museum of Art and installations like Ai Wei Wei’s “Forever Bicycles,” Austin offers many opportunities for art lovers to get their fix. The Art From the Streets showcase, an annual art sale featuring “homeless and struggling” artists, according to their website, is another place to
appreciate the creative. The showcase took place Dec. 1 and 2 this year. These artists use the platform given to them by Art From the Streets to connect with the Austin community and tell stories that defy stereotypes of homelessness and transiency.
Kevin Lane Artist Kevin Lane is a 15-year veteran showcase participant at Art From the Streets. He said he is drawn back year after year principally due to the community amongst the artists, as well as the opportunity to create. “We’ve all been through some stuff here, and we appreciate each other’s hard work more for that,” Lane said. “Everyone here is working to better themselves and give something back instead of only taking from the world.” After several deaths in the
family, Lane moved to Austin for a fresh start, where he faced homelessness as he worked to get on his feet. “People who have found themselves homeless aren’t always addicts and bums,” Lane said. “We’re all dealing with our situations as best we can. Being creative is good for that — it’s powerful.” Lane exhibits a wide variety of styles in his work, though much of it is abstract. The joy of creating and the community of artists keep him coming back, Lane said.
Mark (Marco) Abelli
Community and resources are the biggest appeals of Art From the Streets for artist Marco Abelli. With a bachelor’s degree in Art History, Abelli is passionate about studying and creating art, which the program allows him to pursue. “It’s the balance of
achievement and enjoyment in my own art that keeps me going with it,” Abelli said. For Abelli, who hasn’t personally dealt with homelessness, the opportunity to participate in the open studio where supplies are provided is still invaluable, as well as the sense of community that attending open studio provides. “(Art From the Streets) give us the opportunity to make something on our God’s little acre,” Abelli said.“They give us the paints, the paper, everything. We just show up with a bit of camaraderie. It’s an oasis where you can spend time focused on something beautiful, even if it’s only for a little bit.”
Cathy Haynes
For artist Cathy Haynes, who has been showing with Art From the Streets for four years the program opened many doors in terms of getting exposure for
her art. “I’ve always been creative,” Haynes said. “Being part of this program lets me hear about other opportunities to do that in Austin, the biggest ones being public art competitions.” Haynes began working with Art From the Streets after losing her home in a fire. She paints a range of subjects in her unique style, using bright colors and large eyes in portrait and animal paintings. “I’m housed now, and I’m hoping to expand my art, maybe with an online store,” Haynes said. Haynes’ work has made its way around Austin through opportunities she learned about through Art From the Streets. One piece was selected by CapMetro to be used as part of their public art expansion while another was selected to decorate the door of Google’s driverless cars in Austin.
Q&A
Austin-based band follows ‘extraterrestrial approach’ to music By Trinady Joslin @trinady05
Sounds are layered one on top of another to the point of being indistinguishable as the process continues. Starting with a guitar, a keyboard and effect pedals, Klyntar uses improvisation to transform ordinary noises into out-of-thisworld tracks inspired by the “Venom” comic series, which features a symbiotic alien in the Marvel universe. Members JD, CD and MD started the comic-based band a few month ago and have released “Ve’Nam,” “Carnage Born” and “Annual #1” based on the first three one shot comics in the “Venom” series. Next, they will start with the first issue and continue to release music in batches until the comic discontinues. The Daily Texan spoke with band member JD about Klyntar’s extraterrestrial approach to music.
Daily Texan: Why “Venom” in particular over any other comic book?
JD: Two things: The writer, Donny
Cates, is based in Austin and we’re an Austin-based band. We thought that would go well for starters, and it just happened to be a book that we all found weirdly inspirational. It’s not a character
that we’d had any real interest in until a couple months ago, so yeah, just the right inspiration for the right time.
DT: After Venom, will your music
expand to include other comic books? What is the plan going forward?
JD: Right now it’s only going to be for
this series (because it) has no end date, so we’ll go as long as the series goes. If it goes farther than that, then we’ll be as surprised as everyone.
DT: So other than the writer and the
character itself, is there anywhere else you draw inspiration from musically?
JD: The original artists of cassette cul-
ture, noise artists who have been going for decades now. The improvisational mode that noise artists in general kind of work in and being open to whatever sound happens. We’re not hemmed in by song structure or even western tonalities, really. I find a sound that’s interesting, follow it, refer back to the comics and see if the two are meshing. If they are in harmony or even disharmony, then it all works together to form this whole new thing.
DT: You keep referencing noise artists. Is that how you would describe Klyntar?
JD: It’s an improvisational music.
Noise is one big element because, right now, that’s the biggest fascination. It’s equal parts jazz and rock, so sometimes those elements get pushed farther down into the muck.
DT: Are there any other important
characteristics that you would use to describe your music?
JD: Harsh. *laughs* A phrase that
I might use would be delicately aggressive. It’s not angry music, but it’s music that has a force behind it. It’s not sitting back. It’s not casual.
DT: What would you say is completely unique to this band?
JD: Our inspiration and connection
to the specific comic book … is something I haven’t really come across before.
DT: What are your goals for the fu-
ture of the band besides continuing to produce?
JD: Becoming more in tune to weird
sounds or finding new ways of defining old sounds. Just being students of musical sounds, as well as comic book readers. So it’s kind of two things, just being always curious.
jeb milling
| the daily texan staff