The Daily Texan 2018-12-10 by The Daily Texan

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

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2018 SEMESTER IN REVIEW

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UNIVERSITY

New allegations made against UTLA director By Katie Balevic @Katelyn Balevic

UT Los Angeles Director Phil Nemy was placed on official leave Friday morning pending an investigation by the UT Office of Institutional Equity into new allegations of misconduct. The announcement came one day after The Daily Texan reported on a 2013 Office for Inclusion and Equity (OIE) investigation revealing Nemy, who has been director since 2005, violated University sexual misconduct codes and kept his job. Jay Bernhardt, Moody College of Communication dean, said he did not know about the investigation until reading the Texan’s article and has since placed Nemy on leave while a new investigation is underway. The 2013 investigation included

allegations against Nemy of inappropriate comments and unwanted touching. UTLA provides exposure to students pursuing careers in the entertainment, film and television industries. Many Moody faculty did not know about the allegations against Nemy or the investigation. Radio-television-film professor Paul Stekler, who was department chair at the time of the investigation, was one of these faculty members. “(The Texan’s) article was a shock to myself and everyone I know at the RTF department,” Stekler said in an email. “If we had known anything at all back then, we would have made our concerns heard.” Stekler said he had concerns about Nemy and how the investigation was handled. “Why the chair of our department wouldn’t have been informed about any

of this is a question, especially given our responsibility to make sure of the appropriate supervision of our students,” Stekler said. Moody spokeswoman Kathleen Mabley said the University is discussing its protocol on sharing information with the appropriate leadership. “In most cases, personnel actions and information are considered confidential and protected,” Mabley said in an email. “The University is examining its protocols for what types of personnel information should be shared during leadership transitions.” Nemy released a statement Thursday evening following the publication of the Texan’s article and denied the allegations. “I would never, under any circumstance, intentionally cause anyone distress, and I most sincerely apologize if

my attempt at humor offended anyone,” Nemy said in an email. “I am deeply saddened and sorry that I may have caused some students to feel harassed.” The Texan called Nemy Sunday afternoon, but he declined to comment regarding being placed on leave. Former students have come forward saying Nemy displayed similar behavior toward them when they participated in the UTLA program. UT alumna Sasha Snow, who graduated in 2012, said she was interviewed in the original investigation and recognized her testimony in the Texan. Snow said while she was in the UTLA program, her class visited a film set in New York where the set director showed students footage of a young woman pole dancing. “I was the only woman in the group, and Phil Nemy said, ‘Oh Sasha, I bet you

could do those moves,’” Snow said. Nemy also repeatedly reached under her shirt and put his hand on her back, Snow said. “I kept removing his hand … and he kept doing it,” Snow said. “The next day, he emailed me saying that I was dressed completely inappropriately for the set.” Snow’s allegations match the ones she gave in the 2013 investigation. Wendy Miller, whose daughter participated in the UTLA program last spring, said her daughter told her Nemy said inappropriate things in his course, “How Hollywood Works.” “He would stay stuff in class like, ‘You could work your way to the top or screw your way to the top,’” Miller said. Miller said she went to Los Angeles to stay with her daughter because Nemy

UTLA

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March - November22018 White’s case is paused to give state prosecutors a chance to respond to a motion

C H A S E K A R A C O S TA S Nov. 7, 2018 NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN Prosecutors and defense lawyers waived White’s right to a jury trial and opted fo

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

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Timeline of Harrison Brown murder case By Meghan Nguyen

Kendrex White’s Murder Trial Timeline

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Dec. 11, 2018 - Dec. 12, 2018C R I M E During the second week of December, State District Judge Tamara Needles decid

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The following timeline is the series of events leading up to the upcoming trial of Kendrex White, who was indicted after a May 2017 stabbing attack left freshman Harrison Brown dead and three other students injured. Details have been compiled from the reporting of KXAN, KVUE, The Austin American-Statesman and The Daily Texan.

White is indicted by a grand jury for first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault.

March 15, 2018

May 1, 2017, 1:45 p.m.

The UT Police Department receives reports of an individual assaulting others with a knife across the street from Speedway and San Jacinto Boulevard, in front of Gregory Gymnasium. UTPD officers are on the scene within two minutes. Biology junior Kendrex White is taken into custody.

An affidavit is filed that states White told police he did not remember the attacks.

May 18, 2017

White makes his first appearance in court. State prosecutors file three motions to examine White’s mental health to determine if he is fit to stand trial.

May 24, 2017

At another hearing, a district judge orders White’s defense to respond to several motions filed by the prosecution by June 2, 2017. The motions relate to punishment and deal with White’s sanity.

Mar-Nov 2018

White pleads not guilty by reason of insanity. A psychiatrist is appointed to assess his mental health

Graham Independent School District confirms that UT freshman Harrison Brown was killed in the stabbing.

State District Judge Needles will decide if Kendrex White was insane at the time of the stabbing attacks.

November 7, 2018

July 17, 2017

May 1, 2017, 6:57 p.m.

May 3, 2017

White’s case is paused to give prosecutors a chance to respond to the motion filed by his lawyers.

December 11-12, 2018

White’s right to a jury trial is waived and State District Judge Needles is the sole fact finder in the case. emma overholt

June 9, 2017

White is told by two doctors that he is competent to stand trial, and his motion to be tested for insanity has been denied.

July 17, 2017

White is indicted by a grand jury for first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault.

Sept. 22, 2017

The judge for White’s case denies the prosecutor’s second request for a mental health evaluation of White.

March 15, 2018

White pleads not guilty by reason of insanity. State prosecutors appoint

a psychiatrist to assess the mental state of White. Brown’s family also appears in court.

March — November 2018

White’s case is paused to give state prosecutors a chance to respond to a motion filed by his lawyers, who intend to present evidence for his insanity defense.

Nov. 7, 2018

Prosecutors and defense lawyers waive White’s right to a jury trial and opt for State District Judge Tamara Needles to be the sole fact finder in his case.

Dec. 11, 2018 — Dec. 12, 2018

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Behind Mezes Hall stands a grove of oak trees. Under them, the unmarked grave of UT’s first mascot, a pit bull terrier named Pig Bellmont. Now, three students are requesting the University place a marker on the burial spot to honor him. “This area sees a lot of foot traffic, but I don’t think many students know about our first mascot or that he is buried here,” government senior Mary Royston said in an email to UT President Gregory Fenves. “This is an interesting narrative in the story of (UT), and we think everyone should know.” Royston and her friends Madeline Nichols and Alex Lawrence were taking a study break Saturday when they discovered the story of Pig on Bevo’s Wikipedia page. “We didn’t know anything about (the original mascot), and we figured that most students didn’t know anything about it,” mathematics senior Nichols said. “There are so many things based around Bevo, but no one knows that there was anything before that.” Before Bevo trotted his

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way into becoming one of the nation’s most recognizable mascots, Pig reigned on campus for nine years. However, in 1923, he was injured by a Model T on 24th Street and Guadalupe and passed away several days later. Pig was given a funeral procession and his grave was temporarily marked with the epitaph “Pig’s Dead. Dog Gone.,” but the sign was lost during the renovation of Mezes Hall. Royston and her friends walked to Mezes Hall on

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Saturday to see Pig’s grave. Upon discovering the grave was still unmarked, they emailed Fenves about getting a grave marker. “I walk by there all the time because I have class in both of those buildings,” Royston said. “I never would’ve known, so we went to go check and there’s nothing.” The three students copied student body president Colton Becker in their email to Fenves. Becker said he knew UT had a mascot before Bevo but was unaware

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During the second week of December, Needles will hear witness testimony that defense says shows White did not know right from wrong during the time of the attack, a requirement for an insanity defense. White’s attorneys will not only have to demonstrate that he was suffering from severe mental illness when Harrison Brown was killed in May 2017 but also that his mental state impaired his cognitive ability. If White is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he will be sent to a state mental hospital that is designated to handle the criminally insane for evaluation.

First UT mascot has unmarked grave

| the daily texan staff

ON VIEW NOW ON VIEW NOW 21st and Guadalupe Streets 21st and Guadalupe Streets www.hrc.utexas.edu www.hrc.utexas.edu FREE ADMISSION • DAILY TOURS FREE ADMISSION • DAILY TOURS

| the daily texan staff

the grave was still on campus. Becker sent the email to Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly and Fenves’ Chief of Staff Carlos Martinez in hopes of getting the grave marked soon. “I had no clue that after 100 years it was still there,” Becker said. “That’s a big part of UT history, and I can’t believe that it hasn’t been marked or recognized in a formal capacity. I really hope that President Fenves acknowledges it in a formal way.”

utla

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made her uncomfortable. Stephen Reese, Moody’s associate dean for academic affairs in 2013, said he worked with Moody Human Resources, UT’s OIE, and met with Nemy following their investigation. “As a personnel issue, findings and outcome were shared with relevant Dean’s Office staff and University officials,” Reese said in an email. Mabley said it would have been these officials, along with Moody Human Resources office and UT’s OIE, who determined whether Nemy remained on staff. The decision to terminate Nemy would not have been made by one person, she said. Communications professor Roderick Hart was Moody’s Dean during the 2013 investigation. Although the OIE did not specify a course of action in the report, Hart said his office followed guidelines on due process and institutional equity and inclusion. Mike Wilson, the assistant dean of external relations at the Moody College, supervises Nemy and began overseeing the UTLA program in January. “I’ve not been aware of any student concerns with the director,” Wilson said in an email. “The safety of our students is our highest priority and we commit to rapidly addressing the current concerns and improving our UTLA program.” In an email, Bernhardt assured students enrolled in the coming spring UTLA program that the program will continue with interim leadership. “We are doing everything we can, working closely with University leadership, to fully investigate these matters and we will take swift actions to address them,” Bernhardt said in the email.

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

KAVANAUGH Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed after testifying against sexual assault allegations from former high school classmate Christine Blasey Ford, among others. UT’s Young Conservatives of Texas chapter held a demonstration on the West Mall in support of Kavanuagh during his hearings, drawing a large crowd of onlookers and counterprotesters, with a couple of protesters ripping YCT’s signs and more holding signs demonstrating against Kavanaugh and YCT. Six days later, students gathered on Speedway in response to the YCT demonstration with their own Stand with Survivors rally, blockading the street. Students linked arms, chanted and held signs to show their support for sexual assault victims.

LOOKING BACK WATER BOIL The City of Austin issued a one-week boil water notice in October after historic flooding contaminated Austin’s water supply. During the notice, which was the first water boil notice in the city’s history, Austin Mayor Steve Adler issued a disaster declaration and several nearby restaurants closed or limited their menus. The notice was lifted Oct. 28.

FOOTBALL In just his second season at the helm of the Longhorns’ football team, Tom Herman has led Texas to a New Year’s Six bowl game. The Sam Ehlinger improvement and the star-studded duo of Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Collin Johnson allowed Texas to return the Golden Hat to Austin while also winning three games at home against ranked opponents.

ELECTIONS The 2018 midterm elections drew voters in numbers nearly comparable to the 2016 election, with turnout in Texas increasing 18 percentage points from 2014. These higher numbers in Texas were largely credited to the competitive Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democrat challenger Beto O’Rourke that gained national attention and stirred “blue wave” predictions. Ultimately, Republicans retained control of every statewide seat, although margins for several races, including governor and attorney general, were the narrowest since 1994. Nationally, Democrats took control of the House for the first time in eight years while Republicans held control of the Senate and gained two seats.

NICKY On Sept. 30, six UT-Austin students were returning from an annual Texas Cowboys retreat north of Austin when the vehicle veered off the road and crashed. Nicky Cumberland, a finance and radio-television-film junior, was put on life support and died four weeks later. Soon after, the family of Cumberland requested an investigation into alleged hazing at this year’s Texas Cowboys initiation retreat.

LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

COLUMN

helen brown

| the daily texan staff

Parking your bike on campus doesn’t have to be this hard By Emily Caldwell Columnist

Trying to park your bike on campus can be as painful as trying to park your car downtown. Finding a space can feel like winning the lottery. Many students are forced to lock their bikes to poles, fences or trees, resulting in fines, impounding or booting. Over this coming winter break, or this upcoming summer, the University should push for installation of more bike racks around campus, concentrating on regularly overcrowded areas, in order to better support its biking student population and maintain its reputation as a bike-friendly campus. In January 2017, the 40 Acres was ranked number one in Best College Values’ list of bike-friendly university campuses in the U.S. We have the bikes. Now all we need is an adequate number of bike racks. Journalism senior Connor Leech has been biking to campus from West Campus every day since sophomore year. During the especially busy hours of the day, Leech said he struggles to find a place to park his bike on campus. “At peak class times, anywhere from 11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m., there’s little to no room,” Leech said. Leech can think of several areas around

campus off the top of his head that could use more bike racks, but one area in particular stands out to him — the courtyard behind McCombs at the intersection of West 22nd Street and Inner Campus Drive. “Right over there’s a nightmare, and there’s like two bike racks, so you oftentimes see people illegally parking their bikes out of necessity,” Leech said. “I often have to as well, where you just lock it to anything that somebody can’t pick up and walk away with.” Leech’s frustration isn’t unwarranted. In many areas around campus, there’s plenty of room to install more bike racks, but so far there has been no move on the University’s part to remedy the lack of space. Jeremy Hernandez, the bicycle specialist for UT Parking and Transportation Services, said while PTS does not directly have the authority to install bike racks around campus, they are constantly communicating and working with event and building managers to create more bike parking. “Every building has a building manager to oversee location and quantity (of bike racks) allowed to be placed,” Hernandez said via email. “If there is a congested space, I would advise contacting the building manager to inquire about adding more bike racks.”

Hernandez made no mention of any current effort by the University to install more bike racks around campus. When asked about the feasibility of the University pushing to install more bike racks around campus over this upcoming winter break, Hernandez said while winter break would be possible, installing more bike racks would most likely occur over the summer. “Planning and communication to decide on specific campus locations does take some time,” Hernandez said. There are other areas around campus in addition to the courtyard that Leech mentioned earlier that could benefit from the addition of more bike racks and already have the space to accommodate them. One is the area at the far end of East Mall between the Jackson Geosciences Building and Patton Hall, and another is outside the William Randolph Hearst Building and the Jesse Jones Communication Center on Whitis Avenue. If UT truly wants to encourage more students to bike to class and cater to those who already do, it needs to install more bike racks. The University should focus on both the areas that can afford more racks and, more importantly, on the areas that warrant more of them. Caldwell is a Latin American studies and journalism sophomore from College Station.

COLUMN

Students would benefit from women’s center at Gregory Gym By Sanika Nayak Columnist

From 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., students filter in and out of Gregory Gym, tired and sweaty from their workouts. The on-campus gym is equipped with weight rooms, racquetball courts, rock climbing, basketball courts and much more. However, the gym still lacks an amenity that many other gyms guarantee — a women’s center. UT needs to create a women’s center in Gregory Gym so that women feel more encouraged and comfortable when working out. Oftentimes, it can be difficult for some female students to go to the gym because of a lack of confidence, especially for those who have never been to the gym before. As a result of social stigma, the gym can be seen as an overly masculine place, and women may feel alienated or intimidated as a result. “The gym is always so crowded, and there’s always more guys there, especially in the free weights room,” said Annabelle Furrh, a business and Plan II freshman. “A lot of times, girls can feel intimidated to go in there and grab some weights, as weightlifting is seen as a thing men do even though it’s important for women to do also.” In addition to the embarrassment women can feel when at the gym, there is also the question of women being able to have a space in which they can be comfortable in their workout clothing without feeling judged or looked at. “Often women feel that if they go to the gym in leggings and a sports bra, people are just going to be looking at the way (they’re) dressed,” Furrh said. “That can be a really uncomfortable situation — when you’re just trying to work out but men around you could be focused on

helen brown

something else.” Although there is an exercise room at Kinsolving, an all-female residence hall, it is open to residents only, excluding other women on campus. In addition to this, it is ill-equipped and inadequate when compared to the facilities at Gregory Gym. Creating a women’s center at Gregory Gym would not be a difficult task. A center such as this would simply entail sectioning off a room at the gym equipped with weights, a few

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.

treadmills, machines and mirrors. Existing equipment could even be moved or any new funding could be prioritized to buy new equipment for a women’s area. Furrh said the implementation of a women’s center would be a great addition to the gym, especially since it could potentially encourage more female students to come work out. Furrh, who goes to the gym around three times a week, said she and other girls would feel more comfortable coming to Gregory Gym if a women’s center

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.

| the daily texan staff

was available. When creating workout spaces, it is important to take into consideration ways to make women more at ease. Women should not have to feel judged or awkward when trying to exercise because of inexperience or clothing, and UT should ensure female students feel more comfortable in generally male-dominated settings, such as the gym. Nayak is a communication sciences and disorders freshman 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.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

Newly launched program to assemble rocket ship on campus By Gracie Awalt @GracieAwalt15

Shooting for the stars just got a little bit easier for UT students hoping to build a rocket that could reach space. This semester, UT is partnering with Firefly Academy, a nonprofit run by the Austin-based space vehicle company Firefly Aerospace, to create Firefly@UT. A donation of $1 million was given to UT anonymously for this program and will allow students from any discipline to help build a rocket that will reach the edge of space. Philip Varghese, aerospace professor and faculty advisor, said the rocket will be 30 feet long, or the height of a three-story building. The rocket would need to launch 100 kilometers above sea level to reach the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and the edge of outer space. The Cockrell School of Engineering created the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab, a 1,000-square-foot lab in the Engineering Education and Research Center to serve as the headquarters for Firefly@UT. Aerospace engineering faculty members and Firefly Aerospace engineers will mentor

students building the rocket, giving them hands-on experience usually learned through internships. “We’re trying to bring the company onto campus so students have the opportunity in the evenings or on the weekends to interact with practicing engineers and get the benefits from something like the real world,” Varghese said. “This is an interesting blend of theory and practical handson experience.” There is currently a group of aerospace students working on the rocket, and the process to include more students is still being determined, said Noel Clemens, the aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics department chair. The rocket will be built at a 2,000-square-foot assembly lab at UT’s J.J. Pickle Research Campus and will be entered in the 2021 Base 11 Space Challenge, a competition where student teams launch a rocket to an altitude of 100 kilometers by Dec. 30, 2021. The first student team to reach this goal will receive $1 million. Along with going to the moon and Mars, there are growing commercial opportunities in space, said Clemens. He said minerals could be mined on asteroids, and once satellites are

cheaper to launch, more satellites will be established by companies for a variety of reasons. “Rocket engineering is growing in importance,” Clemens said. “This is the right time for students to be educated about this, because there are going to be a lot of jobs (in this field) in the future.” Before Firefly@UT, the student-run Longhorn Rocketry Association functioned on a budget of $10,000 per year to design, build and test rockets, Clemens said, but the size of the donation that created Firefly@UT is transformative. “Now we’re talking a million dollars, so that will completely change the nature of what is done,” Clemens said. “This would be challenging, maybe even impossible to do without the money.” Aerospace engineering freshman Sara Franze said she is considering entering the program and wants to apply the skills she would learn building rockets to satellite maintenance. “It’s a great opportunity for us to learn what we’re getting into … before we’re getting internships or jobs,” Franze said. “There’s a lot to learn in space research, and this is a great opportunity for us to help.”

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| the daily texan staff

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

MUSIC

Top 5 hip-hop albums of 2018 R&B/hip-hop is most consumed genre for second year in a row.

welcoming all challengers. From start to finish, the 21-minute project captures the grim essence of the master emcee’s signature drug rap.

3. ASTROWORLD — Travis Scott

By John Melendez @mister_melendez

fter surpassing rock as the most consumed music genre last year, R&B/hip-hop nearly doubled its lead over rock music as of June 2018 in Nielsen Music’s mid-year report. As streaming services have become the norm for music consumption, the volume of hip-hop projects released every week meant many albums held the spotlight for only a brief period. Although there were countless noteworthy projects this year, here are The Daily Texan’s top five hip-hop albums of 2018.

5. iridescence — BROCKHAMPTON

The group’s signature loudness and uncontrollable energy combined with an occasional slow and melodic relief is a breath of fresh air that has helped propel the experimental hiphop collective from semi-obscurity into the mainstream. iridescence proved the group can still push boundaries despite the absence of Ameer Vann, who played a major role in their music before he was removed due to sexual misconduct allegations. Their decision to include topics about queerness and sexuality also marks a victory in a genre with a homophobic history.

4. Daytona — Pusha-T

Pusha-T’s third studio album is a seven-track record of raw, unadulterated lyrical ability that feels focused, vicious and leaves listeners wanting more. Produced by Kanye West, the album was the first and strongest of the five G.O.O.D. Summer album series West produced this year. Pusha-T’s sharp and seemingly effortless bars over sample-soaked beats transform him into a menacing hip-hop villain

Travis Scott’s third album was one of the most highly-anticipated albums of 2018. The beautifully intricate and eerie soundscape is an ambitious display of production and engineering. The haunting instrumentals and features like Frank Ocean and Swae Lee are key components of the sonic journey through the twisted and psychedelic amusement park Scott has crafted. ASTROWORLDis a captivating display of Scott’s brilliance, growth and vision that takes multiple listens to fully grasp its intricacy.

2. Swimming — Mac Miller

The late artist’s fifth and final studio album is a vulnerable trek through the dreamy and atmospheric vacuum of his mind. Miller places his fears and insecurities out in the open through introspective themes of pain and perseverance executed with infectious rhythm and uncanny flow. The album is a masterfully crafted look at beauty in the darkest recesses of emotion that says there isn’t always a happy ending. Swimming was Miller’s most ambitious project. It is a journey of self-acceptance that displays his versatility as a rapper, growth as an artist and the amazing potential of the music he could have created.

1. Black Panther: The Album — Kendrick Lamar and various artists

Although initially asked to create a few songs to accompany the Marvel superhero film of the same name, Kendrick Lamar ended up producing a full South African-inspired soundtrack album curated to match with the film’s themes of race. With an amazing collection of top-tier collaborations mainly consisting of Lamar’s Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates, the album delivers superior raps over infectious beats. The densely packed album is a milestone in the evolution of movie soundtracks as culturally relevant and stand-alone pieces of art.

Honorable mentions:

anthony mireles | the daily texan file Travis Scott performs on the American Express stage during ACL Weekend Two. His most recent album, ASTROWORLD, calls back to his native roots in Houston.

Invasion of Privacy - Cardi B KOD - J. Cole November - SiR

UNIVERSITY

Dell Seton doctors remove patient’s tumor, restore eyesight By Blaine Young @jblaineyoung

What started as an ophthalmologist appointment in July 2018 for a little bit of vision loss in one eye sparked a long medical journey that landed Jesus Velazquez, 61, from McAllen, Texas at UT’s Dell Seton Medical Center. Velazquez was diagnosed with pituitary adenoma, a tumor on the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland is a pea-sized organ at the base of the brain that produces hormones that regulate various organ systems. While the tumor itself is benign, it can push on many of the important structures surrounding the pituitary gland, such as the optic nerve, or by over-secreting one of the several hormones the pituitary gland is in charge of making and cause symptoms such as fatigue, unexplained weight changes, behavioral changes and double vision, among others. By the time of Velazquez’s diagnosis, the tumor had already grown to the size of a half dollar. He said that he was initially nervous about the diagnosis because he didn’t know its exact effects. Velazquez said he was also reluctant to tell his family about the diagnosis. “I tried to play it off,” Velazquez said. “I started making jokes out of what could happen just to calm them down. I didn’t want anybody worrying about me.” Velazquez’s family worried anyway. His daughter, Sabrina Garcia, who lives here in

samantha dorisca | the daily texan file Dr. Ashour, left, and other medical associates were part of the successful surgery, which removed a tumor on the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.

Austin and is a 2009 UT graduate, started doing some research into pituitary adenoma and looking for specialists, when she found that UT Dell Seton Medical had the experience and technology to treat her dad’s condition. When his daughter told him about Dell Seton Medical, Velazquez made an appointment with Dr. Ramsey Ashour, neurosurgeon and assistant professor in the Department of

Surgery and Perioperative Care. He explained to the Velazquez family everything they needed to know about what was happening and the surgery that could be done to remove the tumor. “After talking with (Ashour), I became more calm and my confidence came back up knowing that something could be done about (the tumor),” Velazquez said. “So we decided

to go ahead and have that surgery.” Ashour said that the surgery was a team effort between himself and ear, nose and throat doctor Matthew Meigs. He said that the goal of the surgery was to remove the majority of the tumor and take the pressure off Velazquez’s optic nerves to restore his vision. Ashour noted that Velazquez saw significant improvement in his vision after surgery and that his pituitary gland seems to be working fine with no post-operative complications. “In short, this was a win, and it has been our privilege to take care of (Velazquez),” Ashour said. Both Ashour and Meigs said that UT Dell Seton Medical has unique aspects about it that make this type of surgery easier for both the physicians and patients. “One advantage of working though Dell Med is the commitment of the University to providing state-of-the-art care to its patients,” Meigs said. “There is a lot of advanced technology available to help us visualize the tumor. Having access to this technology makes our job easier and facilitates improved patient outcomes.” According to Ashour, Velazquez had access to a multidisciplinary team throughout his treatment, and the greatness of UT’s medical teams is growing due to the new medical school. “We are attracting more academically-oriented skull base fellowship-trained physicians devoted to the concept of a skull base team, a concept which ultimately benefits our patients and the central Texas community at large,” Ashour said.

SCIENCE

Science versus scripture: UT community reconciles faith and science By Cason Hunwick & Grace Dickens @cason_official & @DickensGrace

The intersection of science and faith can be a diverse and storied discussion. This fall, the two met constructively in a sermon series held by Rev. John Elford at the University United Methodist Church on the UT campus. Elford’s “God Loves Science” series preached that science and faith can coexist and even complement one another. Elford, who was a science student in college, said the series was also meant to assist students who have questions about how faith and science interact. “Students hear things like, ‘You can’t believe in God,’ and, ‘Science and faith don’t make any sense,’ so I wanted to offer a series of topics on those sort of points,” Elford said. Science and theology are complementary to religion, rather than conflicting, Elford said. The

Methodist rules echo that stance, stating that Methodists should embrace science as a way to describe and make the most of God’s natural world, according to a Social Principles document of the Methodist Church. Colton Grindal, a Christian and biology sophomore, said there are examples of science and religion intersecting positively. “I would say science and religion have already overlapped,” Grindal said. “Many famous scientists were, in fact, religious people, and interpretations of the evidence that they found were through that context, that way in which they viewed the world.” Elford said both seem to require an underlying faith or belief in some core principles. “Faith in a religious sense would be confidence in trust in a creator, and that life is worth living. While faith in a scientific sense would be confidence in the reliability of nature, that things like the laws of nature can be repeated,” Elford said. “There

is a basic faith or confidence in science and religion that are weirdly parallel.” Grindal, however, said he believes science does not require faith and that it is more of a tool to understand the world around us. Emma Sorrell, a senior aerospace engineer and women’s and gender studies major, is an atheist and said religion had its place in early civilizations, but believes it has since become obsolete and even harmful. “I think that in the long run, faith is detrimental to science because it encourages you to take things at face value rather than investigate them further,” Sorrell said. “The difference is that science seeks to improve itself, while faith actively chooses not to change.” Sorrell also said while they think religion is damaging to science, they won’t tell people to stop being religious. “While I might personally believe that religion is a detriment to

albert lee

science, I’m not going to go around telling someone who is deeply religious to stop being religious,” Sorrell said. “I personally think there are good things that it has done, but the bad things it has done outweigh those.” There are other times when

science and faith can overlap constructively, Elford said. For example, they can come together to answer ethical questions such as homelessness. “There have been times where I look at reports and studies of people who are moving from

| the daily texan staff

homelessness into affordable housing and the benefits it provides,” Elford said. “That informs what we do here at the church. We are always trying to support the idea of affordable housing. I think science makes a big difference.”

ALEX BRISEÑO & ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITORS @TEXANSPORTS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

VOLLEYBALL

Longhorns come up short to BYU

No. 4 BYU ends season of the fifth ranked Longhorns. By Keshav Prathivadi @kpthefirst

exas was in perfect position. Up 21-20 in the third set, the fifth-seeded Longhorns were set up to get right back in the game after dropping the first two sets. But that’s where it all fell apart. After a series of kills, with two from BYU outside hitter Veronica Jones-Perry, the Longhorns could only muster the same stunned look on their faces after losing the first two sets. Only this time, it’d be the last point they played for another eight months. In what was a closely contested game through each set, No. 4 BYU took down Texas in straight sets (25-23, 25-23, 25-21) to send the Longhorns packing back to Austin. Texas, now left picking up the pieces after a second consecutive Elite Eight exit, players felt they got too little out of a team that could have played for so much more. “They’re just a really good volleyball team,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “They create a ton more opportunities for themselves … we just weren’t able to execute from 20

(points) on.” George Albert Smith Fieldhouse is known to be one of the best atmospheres in college volleyball, and one of the hardest to play in as well. Texas didn’t seem fazed early on though, holding a 1713 advantage deep into the first set. That’s when Jones-Perry heated up. The six-foot senior amassed 25 kills in the contest, consistently sending blazing-fast balls across the net that the Longhorns couldn’t handle. Her

We did a good job sticking with each other … It’s tough playing in a crowd against us, but I think we did a good.” YA A S M E E N B E DA R T- G H A N I OUTSIDE HITTER

dominance, coupled with the raucous environment prevented Texas from finishing sets. In the second set, Texas played from behind for the most part but found a way to tie the game at 19 apiece. Even after BYU carried momentum to a 24-20 lead, the Longhorns strung together a 3-0 run to get within one but once again fell short. “Our passing broke down a little bit, and we

got pretty predictable when that happened,” Elliott said. “We weren’t able to score in the out-ofsystem game.” And with these three shortcomings defining a game that Texas had a chance to snag, it was only three points that made the difference and quickly ended its season. But even with disappointment from yet another postseason exit, the postgame press conference gave the Longhorns an opportunity to reflect on the progress made this season with their young core. From setter Jhenna Gabriel netting 31 assists and outside hitter Logan Eggleston pacing Texas with 15 kills when it was hard to find a consistent go-to player, freshmen played a big part in this game and the season as a whole. And that’s a good thing for this team moving forward. “We did a good job sticking with each other and creating our own energy,” outside hitter Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani said. “It’s tough playing in a crowd against us, but I think we did a good job.” But even with the optimism, any season-ending game came with emotion. As middle blocker Morgan Johnson and Bedart-Ghani walked off the floor for the last time in burnt orange, their coach pointed out their individual and team contributions to the program. And while the flight home might seem a little longer than usual, these seniors — and this team — can return to Austin knowing they helped put Texas’ volleyball program in the right direction.

ryan lam | the daily texan file Texas senior outside hitter Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani hits the ball over the net in a recent game at Gregory Gym.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL | TEXAS 82-88 TENNESSEE

Texas falls at home to second straight ranked opponent By Donnavan Smoot @Dsmoot3D

After dropping back to back home games to ranked opponents, the Longhorns find themselves in an unfamiliar position. They welcomed No. 9 Tennessee into the Frank Erwin Center and tried to right the wrongs that led to a blowout loss to No. 6 Mississippi State last week. However, any energy that was absent in the 18-point loss to the Bulldogs was present early Sunday. Texas came out the gates firing on both ends of the court with shots falling early and a swarming defense. “I feel so much different about their fight,” head coach Karen Aston said. “I didn’t think we had any fight in us last Sunday.” A majority of the opening period’s success and energy came from guard Audrey Warren. Warren was aggressive from the tip, nearly outscoring the

Lady Vols by herself in the first quarter before ending the game with a career-high 21 points. Texas also got a boost from Joyner Holmes, who returned from injury. “Joyner getting in this game gave us even more of a boost,” Warren said. “We’ve been wanting her back for so long, and she’s finally back.” While the Longhorns had the momentum going into the second period, Tennessee proved quickly why it is one of the top programs in the nation. The Lady Vols came back from a 23-14 opening quarter deficit to take the lead, courtesy of a 15-4 run. With Warren cooling off in the second, Tennessee’s Meme Jackson took that opportunity to put her mark on the game. Jackson scored 15 of her 20 first half points in the second. She knocked down two threes to close the half and gave Tennessee a five point lead. “For her to get 33, I’m not surprised,” said Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick.

“She’s worked her tail off all summer to perfect her game, and it’s paid dividends.” The back and forth affair continued in the second half with both teams struggling to get a clear hold on the game. That all changed at the end of the third when a controversial offensive call was made on Danni Williams. Williams drove on the left side of the floor and drew contact on a layup. The whistle blew, immediately generating cheers from the crowd expecting her to go to the line. But the crowd soon realized the whistle was for a charging call, generating boos across the arena. The foul was also upgraded to an unsportsmanlike foul, adding salt to the wound for Texas and allowing the Lady Vols to capitalize and take a seven-point lead. “I just tried to go into her and draw contact,” Williams said. “They said I led with my elbow. That’s where the unsportsmanlike came from.” Texas eventually clawed its way back, but Tennessee’s

angela wang | the daily texan staff Texas freshman guard Audrey Warren drives past a defender during the Longhorns’ 88-82 defeat to the No. 9 ranked Tennessee Volunteers. The loss is Texas’ second straight loss to a ranked team.

Meme Jackson and her 33 points allowed the Lady Vols to escape with the 88-82 victory. Despite the six-point loss,

Aston is still able to find a silver lining as the No.12 Longhorns drop to 7–2. “I think we are on track,”

Aston said. “Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like losing. It’s not the way we lost. It’s just we have to get better.”

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

Projects editor revives department, perfects spin serve By Paul Cobler Projects Editor

ashley ephraim

| the daily texan staff

Associate photo editor leaves photo department for rodeo By Brooke Crim

Associate Photo Editor

My five semesters in the photo department helped me decide to not pursue a career in photojournalism. While this may seem like a depressing reflection, the reality is I learned so much as a person in the basement apart from the aperture on a camera. I will always have an incredible appreciation for journalists after spending time with my peers at the Texan and seeing how much they care about informing their community. I’m sure I’ll still be reading some of their work years from now when they are in their careers. Josh, thanks for letting a yearbook nerd freshman like me on staff, even when I got lost at Zilker Park during my first wild take. Although you’ve been an expert at photography since I’ve known you, I have never seen you hesitate to help someone less experienced. You taught me that you can never be too

good to spend time teaching others. Zoe, you taught me how to be a badass woman in a leadership position. You were encouraging, organized and kind. I have so much respect for you. To Stephanie, thanks for showing me around the football stadium the first time and showing me the shortcut to get back to the basement before the other photographers. Juan and Carlos, thank you for letting me tag along these past three semesters and, for some reason, letting me be associate editor. Juan, you have a gift for photo and I feel lucky that I’ve gotten to see your work over the years. You tell people’s stories in a way that I never could. Thank you for always being patient with and kind to me, and I will always remember us singing the Dixie Chicks together. Carlos, I really enjoyed having you as my editor. Thanks for answering my questions even when they were dumb and for really caring about our staff, including inviting

all of us to your hangouts and Pizza Press every week after meeting. The optimistic way you lead people is pretty special. I probably still wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Katie, who was the first friend I made at the Texan and is now my roommate. Katie, I’m so impressed by how much you’ve improved since we both started, and I’m so excited to see what else you’ll do. In the time I’ve been here, I’ve photographed Woody Harrelson, the vice president, the president, football games, basketball games, baseball games, softball games, soccer games, protests, ACL, other music festivals, concerts, portraits, lectures, food trucks, restaurants, bars and chicken sh!t bingo. But now, I must leave to join the rodeo — I’m not kidding, actually — so guys, keep up the good work. And please don’t think I’m super weird for coming to visit sometimes.

Over the course of the past three years, every time I’ve walked into the musty, antfilled basement office of The Daily Texan, I’ve felt lucky. Not because of the time I’ve been fortunate enough to spend at the Texan, but for the work I’ve gotten to see. As a senior reporter in the news department my first semester at the Texan, I took a while to grow into my role as campus reporter. Luckily, I had Forrest as my news editor, who oversaw a fantastic department that constantly left me in awe of its breaking news coverage and tenacity. He also turned out to be a great friend, and he’s going to be an even better managing editor. After a semester away, I knew I had to come back. As a news desk editor, I was constantly amazed with the quality of work that I got to

edit. Stories like London’s investigation into counseling fees and Will’s look at Greg Fenves’ extraordinary power as the president of UT made me feel like I was part of something that would positively impact members of the UT community for years. But these last few months, I have felt luckier than ever before to be working at the Texan. My proudest moments as a journalist have come during my time as projects editor. Watching Kayla, Morgan, Lisa and Lisa investigate, write and fight with me through edits is the greatest privilege I’ve had during my young career as a journalist. Also, Maria’s efforts as diversity coordinator are some of the most important at the Texan. I know they’ll all be successful at anything they do in life, not because they’re great journalists, but because they’re good people. The Daily Texan was the

publication where I started my career, and I always be thankful for that. But this paper also serves the UT community, striving to make it a better place for every person who calls themself a Longhorn. I am lucky to know so many talented people who all work for that goal: Catherine, whose personality and leadership make late nights editing bearable; Kirsten, a good ping pong player, but a great copy editor; Ellie, the best managing editor The Daily Texan has ever had, who I know will claim the same title for projects editor by the end of next semester. My time at the Texan has been short compared to the long history of the paper, but I am so grateful to have had a small part in its legacy. I watched so many wonderful people produce so much incredible journalism. I am so lucky, and I will never forget the contributions this paper makes for the school I love.

carlos garcia

| the daily texan staff

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

City/state reporter says goodbye to Texan, but for real this time By Lisa Dreher News Desk Editor

I moved to Austin for my sophomore year from the University of North Texas in Denton. The small town was my humble beginnings and I was sad to leave my old North Texas Daily staff. Upon coming to UT, I was anxious to meet an entirely new staff at a new college in a new city. I remember going into the dingy Daily Texan office (basement) and watching Forrest Milburn, the news editor at the time, sweat and frantically print out the first tryout sheets for the news department. I was the first to put down my name down and met him and Ellie Breed, who was then the associate news editor and now the manager editor. After that, they pushed and guided me toward the journalist I am now. As a nervous general reporter, Forrest urged me to write multiple city stories, and eventually I started writing longer, senior reporter-level articles that made the front page. I remember ranting about how long city council meetings ran, sprinting into the basement for edits or throwing out some cringey

carlos garcia

pitches that made Forrest frown. Yet he sat me down and urged me to apply for the city/state senior reporter position. He pestered me until I applied, and

the following semester, I wrote stories I never thought I would cover during my time here, from Texas’ sanctuary cities bill to the bathroom bill to Beto

| the daily texan staff

O’Rourke. Those stories helped me get an internship, and eventually a job, and I’m so grateful for Forrest for practically forcing me to apply despite

feeling “adequate.” As a news desk editor in the spring and fall this year, I met so many eager and compassionate news reporters and got to get to know them and help them like how Forrest and Ellie helped me. To Chase, I’m so proud of you covering city/state after me, and I’m glad I could help you take a breather when you faced tight deadlines or needed to rant to me about city bureaucracy. Also, although I frequently got “not bads” and “adequates” (like a lot) in the mass email critique from our adviser, Peter, his feedback was honest and unmerciful. It made me grow as a reporter. I kept telling management and other people I wouldn’t be coming back, but every semester I’d be pressured into returning, both out of scorn from Ellie or Forrest and because the people at The Daily Texan are my family. They made me feel at home and gave me countless opportunities to sharpen my reporting, learn from my mistakes and grow close with some of the most kind and talented people. I’m crying as I write this and I’m sad to like, actually leave this time, but I couldn’t have spent practically all of my time at UT with a better news staff.

Associate science editor leaves basement for real world By Freya Preimesberger Associate Science & Tech Editor

elias heurta

| the daily texan staff

Senior photographer leaves to seek more diverse staff By Ashley Ephraim Senior Photographer

I never really wanted to be here. When I first walked into the basement, for some sketchy unscheduled tour, my first thought was how depressing it was. Three semesters later, and it is just as depressing, so shout-out to Matthew for basically forcing me to apply. Y’all aren’t the worst people I’ve met in my life. Despite the overwhelming desire to bang my head against a wall when I have to be in the basement, I wouldn’t change my time here, I mean, maybe I would have tried harder with my assignments in the first semester (Sorry, Juan). I can’t really dwell on what I didn’t get to accomplish in my limited time with The Daily Texan because I achieved my personal goal of getting each of Peter’s ratings at least

twice. And trust me — it was really easy getting the “could be better.” Taking photos for the Texan was great. I got so many opportunities to expand my portfolio and see what things I never want to shoot again in my life (Thanks, volleyball). I created memories crying on the sideline of sporting events with Ryan, not because I was happy or sad, but because I was stressed. My favorite moment, besides winning the Wild Workshop two semesters in a row and getting “Most Improved” my second semester, is being on the sidelines of the football games, thinking my photos were going to be great — and then Katie, Juan or Angela would send their photos in the group text to stunt on me. Then all hope is lost, and I just want to run in the media room and cry, because they are all so talented. I am thankful that I could share this passion with other

great photographers. Enough of that reflection stuff. It’s time to spotlight those that made my time here worth it; there aren’t many. Shoutout to Avery for always choosing to shoot Student Government so I wouldn’t have to. Shoutout to Brittany for hijacking my camera weekly and shooting gold with it. I want her talent. Shoutout to Carlos and Juan for calling me while I was one margarita deep in Fuzzy’s to interview me to be a senior this semester. I was dead set on quitting after Carlos rejected me for the same position the previous summer. Shoutout to Brooke and Katie, who, despite the strong RBF, aren’t as mean as they look. I was scared of them my first semester here, but now I know they are harmless and great friends. Actually, I would change something … where’s the diversity here?

As a freshman, I wandered into an info session for The Daily Texan and ended up joining the inaugural Science & Technology section. I didn’t exactly intend to stay for three years, but I had the good fortune of getting to cover things like Jennifer Doudna and Joe Biden speaking at SXSW, and later editing other people’s articles. These three years have been formative. Interviewing successful people while being painfully shy has made me a tad more confident. Having the opportunity to work alongside many talented people has been inspiring. Seeing and becoming part of the inner workings of a paper have given me a better appreciation of journalism and its importance. One of the things I’m

most grateful for is rekindling my love of reading. When I started at this paper, my writing was clumsy. I read pieces from acclaimed news outlets to try to polish my own. This eventually led to me hoarding books and articles, pouring over wonderful writing and ideas. This is a habit that has given me so much and that I really hope sticks. The people make the place. I want to thank Ellen for creating the department and Eva, Zia and Kate for shaping it into what it is today, and to give a special thanks to Julianne and Sarah. Thank you, Julianne, for being so sweet and patient, especially when I’m trying to parallel park. Thank you, Sarah, for the spooky talks and videos of Alex Turner in tight pants. You guys are wonderful. Thank you to all of our writers. Watching you improve

your writing skills, pitch creative ideas for pieces and take pride in your work has been insanely gratifying. I’m going to miss baking for y’all. My time at The Daily Texan has been a huge part of my college experience. After three years, the basement has gotten a homey feel. I will miss evenings spent here, squinting at articles, obliterating Oxford commas on sight and geeking out over press releases. I got to read, write and talk about so much, from quirky Austin startups to the advent of autonomous vehicles to inclusivity in STEM. I never expected to earn such a big payout from something I stumbled upon, and as I finally leave the dingy basement, I hope I can keep meeting new opportunities with an open mind and finding the best in unlikely places.

sarah bloodworth

| the daily texan staff

Science editor leaves rock-and-roll scene to write about rocks By Sarah Bloodworth Science & Tech Editor

When I started in journalism, I was dedicated to my vision of being a no-nonsense, rock-and-roll reporter for Rolling Stone. But then I took a class on rocks and ironically, some “rolling stones” of sorts, and my vision completely changed. Taking science courses made me realize that I have a surprising passion for the earth and its processes. That’s when I left my life of interviewing musicians and dove into The Daily Texan basement. There, I founded my passion for science writing. Working for the Science and Technology department at The Daily Texan allowed me to talk to some of the most extraordinary, innovative and quirky scientific thinkers at UT. My curiosities about the earth and sciences were constantly satisfied through reporting. And through my column “Sci-Fact,” I had so much fun investigating the accuracy of everything from the multiverse theory in “Rick and Morty” to the biology of Sponge-Bob SquarePants. Not only this, but moving from senior reporter, to associate editor, and finally to head editor has allowed me

to meet some of the best fellow science word nerds who have become my friends. Thank you to: Zia Lyle, for first hiring me as a senior reporter and making my stories not suck. Kate Thackrey, for indulging in my creative headlines and making as good of puns as you do pies. Julianne Hodges, for being a source of constant friendship and guidance, especially through my last semester as editor. Freya Preimesberger (whose last name I still can’t spell), for calming me out of my frantic freakouts and for always being up for a conversation about ghosts and Alex Turner. Also, I must thank the entire Science and Technology staff this year, who all inspired me to become a better writer and thinker. It was a pleasure assisting y’all in learning science communication (especially the people who aren’t journalism majors). You’re all very accomplished — especially after having to sit through meeting after meeting of me losing my train of thought, making bad jokes and as you all put it — making “meme faces.” Lastly a special thanks to Julianne Hodges, Kate Thackrey, Zia Lyle, Cason Hunwick, Eva Frederick and Ellie Breed for meeting over the summer to

ashley ephriam

make sure the department remained autonomous in the face of a possible cut. Science news is as important as ever.

And while I gave up music writing, I haven’t given up my passion for music so I want to end on a quote from the wise Ozzy Osbourne that I think sums

| the daily texan staff

it up: “I love you all … I love you more than life itself, but you’re all f------ mad.”

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

Former photo editor seeks greener pastures outside of office By Juan Figueroa

Associate Photo Editor

Editor’s note: A 30 column is a chance for departing permanent staff to say farewell and reflect on their time spent in the The Daily Texan. The term comes from the old typesetting mark (-30-) to denote the end of a line. I first joined The Daily Texan the spring semester of my freshman year in an attempt to cure the depression I was feeling. Although my time at the Texan has been a whirlwind of emotions, I couldn’t imagine the past years without it. Taking photos of my cat Kesha was the only experience I had in photo when I applied to the Texan. In just one semester, then-editor Rachel taught me more about photojournalism than any of my classes have. I’m so grateful to have you as a friend, and I cannot wait to see what you do next. Maria, thank you for procrastinating with me and for putting up with my mood swings. I will always cherish the time we spent pulling all-nighters in the basement. I’m happy I got to play a small part in what will be your great journalism career. Your genuine passion for people is going to take you far. What does the water have in El Paso? Angel and Carlos, y’all are amazing

rachel zein

| the daily texan file

people and I’m so happy the Texan led me to y’all. Angel, thank you for being there for me this semester and please come sleep on my couch soon. Katie and Brooke, my southern belles, y’all embody everything I adore about Texas. Y’all are sweet and caring, and I’m going to miss hearing Brooke’s accent. Angela, it’s been amazing watching you grow. Also, Josh, Zoe, Cano and everyone else who came before me, your guidance helped motivate me to be my best. And for Pete I’m so thankful. Even though they were hard to take sometimes, your critiques and knowledge have helped me develop a much better eye. Also, I’m sorry that you witnessed me twerk for Maria, lol. There’s no better way to experience UT than at the Texan. My time in photo has given me so many opportunities that I will never forgot. Of all the cool things I did at the Texan, nothing mattered more than just meeting people and telling their stories. To those that are still in photo and that will come next, I hope y’all realize the importance of documenting our history. I look forward to seeing what photo does next! But after many semesters, it’s with a heavy heart that I’ve decided to leave, and when a horse wants to run, there ain’t no sense in closing the gate.

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

The New New York York Times Times Syndication Syndication Sales Sales Corporation Corporation The 620 Eighth Eighth Avenue, Avenue, New New York, York, N.Y. N.Y. 10018 10018 620 For Information Information Call: Call: 1-800-972-3550 1-800-972-3550 For For Release Saturday, December 8, Monday, December December 10, 10, 2018 2018 For Release Monday,

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Use a designated driver or rideshare service to get home safe at the end of the night.

That’s what 8 out of 10 Longhorns do! @UTBruceTheBat 2018 UT-Austin UT-Austin National National Social Social Norms Norms Center Center Survey Survey 2018

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

Sports editor takes Big Dicker Energy to New York City By Alex Briseño Sports Editor

Editor’s note: A 30 column is a chance for departing permanent staff to say farewell and reflect on their time spent in the The Daily Texan. The term comes from the old typesetting mark (-30-) to denote the end of a line. Editor’s Note Pt. II: The author of this column is willing to apologize to anybody who takes offense to this photo. There are moments in my life when I feel like I’m playing with house money. I suppose that’s a natural feeling when you take a kid from Seguin, Texas, and tell him he’s going to New York City for a Sports Illustrated internship. I apologize for the subtle flex, but I still feel like that kid who was just trying to get into this damn school. That’s probably why my time at The Daily Texan, including the NFL Draft, Texas vs. USC game in Los Angeles and that one day when we ran ‘Big Dicker Energy’

in the paper, all feels like a dream. Writing this column is a bit strange for me, and as much as I would love to return next fall, I also know how naive it is to assume everything will go as planned. That’s why I feel obligated to jot down a few words for the incredible people who took care of me in my time in the basement. I was told I only have 13–15 inches for this 30 column. That’s basically the newspaper’s way of aggressively crescendoing the music like they do at the Oscars to get people off the stage. Let’s jump straight to thank you’s: To Ross, I’m not sure anybody has ever tried to be the sports editor, football beat writer and Double Coverage editor at the same time. I can confidently say nobody ever will after this semester. Seriously, we are such idiots. I’m not sure if we’ll ever get to work together again, so it’s only fitting that our last assignment is in New Orleans on New Year’s. To all of the managing editors, well, let’s start with Forrest and

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Catherine. I want y’all to know from the bottom of my heart that y’all were by far my least favorite managing editors this semester. Ellie, thank you for letting us run ‘Big Dicker Energy’ in the newspaper. I’ve known this for a while, but you’re the best managing editor I’ve worked under here at the Texan. I promise that isn’t an exaggeration. To the Texan homies, there are way too many of y’all to shout out individually, but it is my hope that you have at least one positive memory of me. There should be plenty to choose from, I’ve been the most entertaining writer at the Texan since 2016. Mom, thanks for being my best friend. Oh, and for making the role of a single mother look so easy. Tia and DA, thanks for treating me like your own and making this whole thing work. Finally, to every single person in my support system, in and out of the basement, I owe y’all absolutely everything. This strand of semesters hasn’t always been easy, but this has been one of the best damn experiences of my life.

carlos garcia

| the daily texan staff

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