TODAY
SPEEDWAY PLAZA 10-3 Volume 121, Issue XX
Serving The University of Texas at Austin Community Since 1900 @thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com NEWS University Towers is being demolished and replaced with two student apartment complexes.
Page 2
OPINION
Wednesay, September 11, 2019
Columnist Patrick Lee urges readers to change perspective on homelessness and take real action.
Page 4
SPORTS Texas players discuss game-ending 3rd and 17 play against LSU last Saturday.
LIFE&ARTS “Joker” movie reactions spark controversy that is no longer laughing matter.
Page 6
Page 8
STATE
CAMPUS
UT revises free speech policies Compared to other Texas public universities, UT makes more adjustments to free speech policies after SB 18.
did not need to be fundamentally changed as
People for PMA hold discussion on RLM renaming
“Our campus is a hub for people to gath-
By Lauren Girgis @laurengirgis
By Lauren Grobe @grobe_lauren
nlike some Texas public universities, the University had to change more of its campuswide free speech policies after a new state law went into effect Sept. 1. The 86th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 18, which converted some parts of college campuses to traditional public forums instead of limited public forums. Public universities are now required to ensure that members of the public can speak freely, regardless of content. University spokesperson J.B. Bird said the University previously designated certain outdoor areas as limited public forums, meaning only students, staff, faculty and invited guests could demonstrate there. Under SB 18, anyone can now demonstrate in these areas. SB 18 also requires universities to create disciplinary policies for students, faculty and staff who infringe on others’ rights to free speech. “Those disciplinary processes are not new,” Bird said. “(But) the law has some language that wants universities to spell out some certain forms of discipline.” Some public Texas universities, such as Texas A&M and the Texas State System, said they did not make many changes to their free speech policies because they were already generally in compliance with the new law. Daniel Pugh, Texas A&M vice president for student affairs, said Texas A&M’s outdoor areas were already open to the public. “The actual bill change won’t impact us because we already had the traditional public forums,” Pugh said. Mike Wintemute, Texas State System spokesman, said the system made minimal changes to their outdoor free speech policy. The system’s free speech disciplinary policies
lauren ibanez
they were already in line with SB 18 at least in spirit, Wintemute said, Other public universities, such as the University of North Texas, had to make more changes to the policies. Maureen McGuinness, UNT dean of students, said members of the public will no longer need a sponsoring student organization or sponsoring faculty to demonstrate on campus. In a campuswide email sent Aug. 30, UT President Gregory Fenves said the University has thrived because of its commitment to free speech and the open exchange of ideas for decades.
Student organization People for PMA discussed their grassroots effort to rename Robert Lee Moore Hall to the Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy building during a town hall Tuesday evening. Robert Lee Moore, a former UT mathematics professor, was an outspoken segregationist at UT during the 20th century. His well-documented racism and discrimination included refusing to allow African American students into his class once UT desegregated. People for PMA is a group of students who want students, faculty and staff to refer to the building as the PMA Building. During the meeting at the Engineering Teaching Center, panelists said the current name is a reminder of Moore’s racism and his legacy does not belong on campus. “Continuing to name this building after a man who is antithetical to what we value at the UT community … sends a message to us that we value his accomplishments more than we do inclusion in our community,” said Elizabeth Gutiérrez, a panelist and People for PMA member. “We find that unacceptable.” Gutiérrez, an astronomy senior, said the student movement found it difficult to have the University change the name so they decided to organize a grassroots renaming instead. “We ourselves are just not going to refer to it as RLM and instead use PMA,” Gutiérrez said.
/ the daily texan staff
er and share different perspectives and experiences,” Fenves wrote in an email. “This freedom is a constitutional right that has always been the foundation upon which students learn and faculty members teach and conduct research.” According to the bill, universities may still restrict the times its outdoor spaces are available to the public and the types of actions the public can perform. Bird said the University can also still restrict actions which may affect the learning environment.
WEST CAMPUS
S P E E C H PAGE 2
R L M PAGE 2
SG
Moontower apartments to open in West Campus By Sara Johnson @skjohn1999
Moontower, a new student apartment complex, will open in West Campus in fall of 2020. General manager Nicole Portugal said the 18-story complex will add 567 housing units to the area. The building will be located at the intersection of San Antonio and West 22nd Streets, and the floor plans at the complex will range from studios to five-bedroom apartments, Portugal said. “Our prices vary depending on how high up you want to live and what kind of view you want,” Portugal said. “We do have the student lifestyle and desires in mind, and we want to offer something comfortable and affordable.” Portugal said individual units will include 55-inch televisions, in-unit washing equipment and utilities, such as cable and internet, included in rent. She said the building will provide access to a rooftop lounge, individual study rooms and ground f loor cafe. Sports management sophomore Merritt Moreau said these amenities appeal to students who are seeking to live in West Campus. Moreau said she likes when housing complexes have coffee shops in the lobby. “I do like having a community study space, just because you don’t always want to be studying in your room,” West Campus resident Moreau said. “Having something close to home is nice.”
Jumping into this school year like...
Portugal said Moontower management will also provide programming for students through Campus Advantage’s Students First Experience. This program provides students with events, community engagement opportunities and referrals to campus resources, according to the official website. “Students First focuses on living, learning and careers,” Portugal said. “The staff are working really hard to prepare things like events and workshops so residents feel integrated into a student community beyond classes.” While Moreau said she thought more apartment buildings would create more places for students to live, she does have concerns about losing nonapartment space in West Campus. “There’ll be less parking for sure, especially for people who are trying to have people in town and want to walk around the area,” Moreau said. Portgual said Moontower would have five stories of underground parking space for residents. Moreau said more housing would create a wider variety of places for people to live. “I’m sure when (the buildings) go up, it’ll be a nice place to live, but it feels kind of cluttered,” Moreau said. “They’re packing so much in such a small space.” Mathematics junior Caroline Latta said students will now have more options to live in an area they might prefer over one that is more affordable M O O N PAGE 3
rachel olvera
/ the daily texan staff
Pharmacy representative Emily Allen, from left, talks with speaker Jakob Lucas, administrative director Connor Alexander and advocacy director Nikita Telang.
For second year in a row, SG introduces no new legislation By Neelam Bohra @_neelam_b
For the second consecutive year, Student Government has not introduced new legislation at its second assembly meeting. SG introduced seven pieces of legislation in their first two meetings in 2016 and five pieces of legislation in 2017. During the past two years,
SG has focused on member appointments and their budget, which they introduced at their first meeting of the year. Jakob Lucas, speaker of the assembly, said this is part of a new mindset SG has adopted to fuel more substantial changes instead of writing smaller legislation with intangible changes. “Some of the most important aspects, activism and progress do not
require a drop of ink or a single pencil in terms of legislation,” government senior Lucas said. “For example, legislation that says we support undocumented students is great, but it’s better if we can get undocumented students a scholarship. I don’t like empty words.” Instead of passing legislation, Lucas said members can meet with S G PAGE 2
Open 7 days a week! Get your skydiving license in just a week! 1-800 SKYDIVE