The Daily Texan 2019-11-08 by The Daily Texan

Serving The University Of Texas At Austin Community Since 1900 @thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com

Friday, November 8, 2019

Volume 121, Issue 63

CAMPUS

“The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon is joined by students, the Longhorn Band and The Roots during the live taping of the show on Nov. 7, 2019 at the Bass Concert Hall. During the taping, Fallon hosted UT professor McConaughey, Chip and Joanna Gaines and Gucci Mane.

“Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon taped a live show at Bass Concert Hall on Thursday in front of more than 3,000 students, who won tickets to the event through a lottery. By Trinady Joslin @trinady05

dorned in orange and overflowing with references to UT and Austin culture, students said “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” was a nonstop, high-energy experience. After winning tickets through a lottery, more than 3,000 students watched the show’s first live taping Thursday at Bass Concert Hall. Fallon saw UT featured on ESPN College Game Day and said he loved the students’ energy so much that he decided to take the show on the road to a university for the first time. Students erupted in cheers as Fallon opened the taping with a video on-screen, where he said, “We are Texas. I am Texas.” Fallon, who was wearing a black band uniform, was joined on stage by the Texas Longhorn Cheerleaders and the Longhorn Band. Throughout the taping, students waived the Longhorn hand sign in the air and chanted “Texas, Fight” and “OU sucks.” “We didn’t need cues (to cheer),” said Jordan Weatherl, a communication and leadership senior. “We just went for it, which is exactly what Texas does.” After finishing the opening number, Fallon spoke to the crowd and immediately made

a joke about how hard it was to get tickets to the event. “If y’all wanted to be somewhere that was easy to come to, you’d be at A&M,” Fallon said. He then called three students, studio art sophomore Fitzgerald Alan, communication studies sophomore Elizabeth Yun, and

That’s when Jimmy was like, ‘Oh, these phones are great for taking photos and recording stuff.’” ALMA ZAMORA

radio-television-film sophomore

radio-television-film sophomore Alma Zamora to the stage, thanked them and gave them a package of gifts from Samsung. “That’s when Jimmy was like, ‘Oh, these phones are great for taking photos and recording stuff,’” Zamora said. “So we squeezed in, and I thought it was going to be a cute bit but then I

thought, ‘Oh, something is happening,’ and then he said, ‘Samsung wants to go even bigger for you students.’” Fallon then said Samsung was going to pay for the remainder of the three student’s tuition. “I was so freaked out,” Zamora said. “The balloons were falling from the sky, it was so overwhelming but in the best way possible.” Fallon transitioned to his first guest of the night, Matthew McConaughey, who revealed a new slogan, “Keep Austin Austin,” and spoke to students about “cowboy culture” and his class “Script to Screen.” After the interview, the crowd laughed along to a video of Fallon acting as a student in McConaughey’s class. With an oversized pencil, a lunchable and a Bevo figurine, Fallon’s distracted attitude caused McConaughey to throw him out of class for the remainder of the semester. Chip and Joanna Gaines, reality TV stars from Waco, joined Fallon on stage and were met with boos from the crowd after gifting Fallon a Baylor Bears hat. Fallon’s last guest, Gucci Mane, talked with Fallon about his new album “Woptober II” and sang his new song “Move Me” as well as his own version of “The Eyes of Texas.” Fallon closed the show the same way he began — with a performance by the Longhorn Band, this time of “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” “It was incredible,” biology freshman Rachel Acuna said. “The whole time I was just thinking, ‘I love my campus. I love my school.’ It was such an incredible experience; I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

LIFE&ARTS

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UT welcomes hundreds of students with ‘First-Generation Celebration Day.’

Students must organize and fight to help prevent the unjust exectution of Rodney Reed.

Up against the ropes, football faces a must-win situation against Kansas State.

UGS course pulls students out of their comfort zone so they can “win at life.”

UNIVERSITY

UT SENATE

Fenves addresses sexual misconduct policy in campuswide email

UT Senate proposes adding to definition of Title IX’s ‘no contact directive’

By Lauren Grobe @grobe_lauren

UT President Gregory Fenves sent a campuswide email Thursday regarding upcoming changes to the University’s sexual misconduct policies. Fenves said the University will be hiring a team of outside experts to review its sexual misconduct policies. He said they will also be forming a staff and faculty working group to internally review the policies. “The University will soon hire a team of outside experts to examine UT’s processes surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct and work to bring further clarity to our procedures,” Fenves said in the email. “We hope to finalize our agreement with them in the coming weeks.” Fenves said the University approved the hiring of three

more investigators for the Office of Inclusion and Equity, which investigates Title IX complaints filed against faculty and staff members. The email was also sent by Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly and Maurie McInnis, executive vice president and provost. University spokesperson J.B. Bird said the University could not give a more specific deadline as to when the outside experts would begin their review because of the lengthy contracting process. The email was sent after students complained about the University’s faculty sexual misconduct policies during the student organized protest “Sit in for Student Safety” on Oct. 25. Students at the sit-in protested the employment of English professor Coleman Hutchison and Sahotra Sarkar, integrative biology and philosophy professor.

A University investigation in 2018 found Hutchison violated UT’s sexual misconduct policy by making sexual comments to students and failing to disclose a relationship with a graduate student. Sarkar was suspended for one semester in 2017 after a University investigation found he violated UT’s Title IX policies by making inappropriate comments to students, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Protest organizers said they met with University leadership on Nov. 1 after the sit-in. Fenves said in the email that UT leadership will meet with the student leaders again next week. “The University of Texas at Austin is committed to protecting the safety of all students and community members,” Fenves said. “We look forward to working together to address these significant issues.”

By Neelam Bohra @neelambohratx

Social work junior Sara Jane Ross said she opened a Title IX case believing a no-contact directive would stop her assailant from joining her classes. Approximately a week later, she said she learned it would not. “No one told me at the beginning that no-contact directives didn’t cover classes,” said Ross, the SG interpersonal violence prevention director. “If I had known, I probably wouldn’t have opened a Title IX case. That would’ve saved me a year of heartache.” The Title IX can enforce a noncontact directive, which prevents contact between two or more people to protect student safety. Ross said she collaborated with Elena Ivanova, Senate of College Councils president, to write a specific definition of what it covers.

Ross also authored a resolution supporting its addition to the Title IX website, the Office of the Dean of Students website and the general information catalogue. Ivanova, a public health, government and Plan II senior, authored and introduced the resolution at the Senate meeting Thursday. “It is just ensuring that if students have to go through something as awful as having to report something, they should at least know what resources are available,” Ivanova said. “There should be information available about the Title IX process that isn’t in some confusing document.” The proposed definition includes a paragraph about the directive, stating it “does not prevent individuals from being in the same place, class, discussion section, lab or seeing one another on or off campus,” according to the resolution. “It’s important they are given

more information rather than less,” Ivanova said. “It can help them form decisions about proceeding or not proceeding.” Ivanova said Title IX defines terms like “complainant,” “respondent” and “Title IX” but does not define the directive. She wants to work with the Title IX office and UT’s legal team to ensure the definition is as accurate as possible before it is published online. “If this could be looked at legally before we vote, just because people want to see the final look and be a part of the final conversation, it would be useful,” said Praveena Javvadi, a government and Plan II junior and vice president of the Liberal Arts Council. Further defining the directive is a part of the Senate’s agenda, according to the Senate’s legislative agenda for 2019-20. “We started with this idea to allow for increased applicability U T S E N A T E PAGE 3

MEGAN MENCHACA

News Editor | @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

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CITY

Austin Chamber of Commerce announces new coalition ATX Helps to support city’s homeless By Sara Johnson & Graysen Golter

@thedailytexan @graysen_golter

The Austin Chamber of Commerce announced a new coalition Thursday to provide temporary shelter and resources for people who are homeless. The coalition, known as ATX Helps, is attempting to raise $2 million by the end of the year and $14 million overall to build a facility dedicated to providing resources such as counseling, storage and medical services for up to 300 homeless people, according to the press release. The coalition is made up of various businesses, faith-based organizations and nonprofits such as the Downtown Austin Alliance and the Austin Bridge Builders Alliance, according to the release. A location for the shelter has yet to be decided, and the $14 million is expected to cover operational costs until more permanent facilities can be constructed, according to the release. “We’re morally obligated to take action to help those that need it the most and to create an atmosphere throughout our community that’s safe for all, including those experiencing homelessness,” Brian Cassidy, board chairman of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, said. “The issue of homelessness and how to address it has become bitterly divisive in our community. The time to come together and put politics aside is now.” In a separate announcement on Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott said the state will be providing a five-acre temporary homelessness encampment off State Highway 183 near Montopolis Drive that includes portable bathrooms, hand washing stations and supplies from local charities.

MANAGING EDITOR Catherine Marfin (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com

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Cassidy said he spoke with Gov. Greg Abbott about the possibility of using state-owned property for the coalition’s shelter, but Abbott’s office is not part of the new coalition. Dewitt Peart, president and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, said the coalition will provide the temporary housing that Austin is not covering. Peart said there are currently 812 beds in Austin while there are more than 2,200 homeless people in the city. He said 54% of the Austin homeless population is chronically

UT recognizes first-generation Longhorns as part of annual nationwide celebration

Mistakes in MD Anderson Center endangered patients, according to federal report By Lauren Girgis @laurengirgis

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to pitch in and make this a reality,” Peart said. Mosaic Church deacon Leah Hargrave said her faith inspired her to help people who are homeless in Austin. She said the hostile rhetoric surrounding the issue does not represent the true culture of Austin. “(ATX Helps) perfectly embodies the friendliness and helpfulness that Austin is known for,” Hargrave said. “Austinites experiencing homelessness are not a problem to be solved. They are just ... our neighbors that need our help.”

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homeless, which is 30% higher than the national average. Peart said another important aspect of the shelter will be the ability to store personal items, which will increase the likelihood of people to use the shelter while pursuing goals such as job interviews. He said the facility will also include a family reunification plan, similar to one used at a San Diego facility that reunited more than 1,700 people who are homeless with their families. “We need everyone in the private sector to come together, as well as our leaders in the city, county and state

UNIVERSITY

TOMORROW Nov. 9

HI LO

/ the daily texan staff

Retail vice president of University Federal Credit Union Chris Turnley speaks at the launch of ATX Helps on Nov. 7, 2019.

AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Nov. 8

NEWS

/ the daily texan staff

First-generation college students, faculty and staff gathered at the Main Building for UT’s second annual First-Generation College Celebration Day event on Nov. 7, 2019. By Carly Rose @carlyydrose

Hundreds of first-generation Longhorns enjoyed refreshments and received free UT merchandise Thursday afternoon as part of national First-Generation Celebration Day. The University’s second annual First-Generation College Celebration in the Main Building rounded out a week of events recognizing the more than 9,000 first-generation students on campus. Mike Gutierrez, senior program coordinator with Student Success Initiatives, said events like these bring first-generation students in every college together as a community. “I think that’s important here at UT to recognize that they have made great accomplishments, that they’re a part of the UT community and that we can make sure that for every first-generation student, we can really help them on their pathway to graduation,” Gutierrez said. The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, an organization supporting student affairs, named Nov. 8 as First-Generation Celebration Day three years ago. The day encourages colleges to host their own events honoring first-generation students. Over the past three years, the University’s own celebration has expanded from social media posts to a weeklong celebration across

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the Forty Acres. The other events held this year included an interactive budgeting game, a networking workshop and a resource fair. “There was already work going on for first-generation students … in different departments,” Gutierrez said. “Now, there’s a unified way to really showcase the first-generation Longhorn identity and build on that community together.” First-generation student Jessica Dao said the event made her feel welcomed on campus and served as a networking opportunity among other first-generation Longhorns. “It doesn’t matter what background you come from. If your parents have graduated from college or not or have some education, everyone still respects who you are,” undeclared freshman Dao said. “It builds good networking because you have something in common, but at the same time, you get to know other people from different majors and other colleges.” Psychology freshman Laura Loya said she felt acknowledged as a first-generation student and secure in her place on campus through the event. “I wanted to meet more people that are first-generation because in my classes, I don’t see all these people,” Loya said. “It makes me feel acknowledged for sure. Not lonely, in a way. That there are more people like me. It makes me feel like I do have a place here.”

UT’s MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston endangered the health of patients through widespread mistakes and failures across the entire hospital, according to a federal report released last month. The report was released by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. According to the report, an August investigation found three of the 23 surveyed areas — patient rights, infection control and surgical services — were deemed as placing patients in “immediate jeopardy.” “Deficient practices of (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) conditions of participation were determined to pose an immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety and placed all patients in the facility at risk for the likelihood of harm, serious injury and possibly subsequent death,” according to the report. According to the report, nurses were not monitoring patients while they were administering anesthesia, and they had not been trained to administer or monitor reception of ketamine, a strong but commonly used anesthetic. Other deficient practices included failure to ensure medical equipment and linens were sterile and sanitized, according to the report. MD Anderson, which was created in 1941 as part of the UT System, is one of the nation’s original three comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Act of 1971. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also recently revoked MD Anderson’s status of meeting Medicare participation conditions. The hospital also failed to ensure that it has an effective governing board to oversee the total operation of the

hospital, according to the report. Since the hospital falls under the UT System, the Board of Regents appoints a president to the governing body. However, the report said there was no regents signatory in the hospital’s charter to indicate the president was appointed. “There must be an effective governing body that is legally responsible for the conduct of the hospital,” the report said. “(However), based on record review and interview, the governing body failed to effectively discharge its oversight responsibilities in the total operation of the hospital.” The report recommended plans to fix the problems. According to the hospital’s statement on its website, the hospital said it responded to the report with an improvement plan, which the federal government accepted without changes. “As an institution focused on learning, we take this feedback seriously, and we welcome the opportunity to further improve our patient care and safety protocol,” the hospital said in the statement. “Through intentional, strategic and patient-focused decisions, we have implemented changes into our clinical practice.” According to the statement, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services surveyors told MD Anderson leadership that the institution has cleared all “condition-level findings” from the August hospital survey, and “its deemed status” will be reinstated. “MD Anderson constantly strives for the best during regular reviews conducted by more than 70 regulatory, professional and accrediting bodies,” the hospital said in its statement. “We are proud of MD Anderson’s 21,000 faculty and staff who remain steadfast in our commitment to providing patients and their loved ones the safest and highest-quality cancer care. It is our duty and honor to do so as we work to fulfill our mission to end cancer.”

stories videos photo galleries thedailytexan.com rocky higine

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NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

CAMPUS

eddie gaspar

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From left, UT History professors Jeremy Suri and Miriam Bodian, Carnegie Mellon University associate professor Lisa Tetrault and UT History professor Leonard N. Moore speak on Nov. 7, 2019 on the history of how the definition of a “voter” has changed throughout the United State’s history.

Women’s suffrage celebrated at panel discussion By Claudia Ng @ClaudiCaroline

America’s “history of classism” still prioritizes the votes of white people, a UT professor said during an on-campus panel Thursday. During a panel held two days after Texas’ constitutional amendment election, history scholars discussed present-day voting issues, the historical fight for minorities’ suffrage and how that affects modern-day democracy. Around 50 people came to hear the panelists speak at the AT&T Executive Education

and Conference Center. The United States introduced the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments to extend suffrage to people of color after the Civil War and to women in the early 20th century. Despite these amendments, panelist Lisa Tetrault said states continued to discriminate against marginalized communities by enacting literacy and government knowledge tests for decades. “Who can vote depends largely on what state you live in,” said Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University. “That was true at the (nation’s) founding,

and that remains true today.” Leonard Moore, a history professor and panelist, said 1970s black America felt unrepresented by the Democratic party because Democratic policies did not serve to protect black issues. Moore said black Americans convened for the National Black Political Convention in 1972 to address politics that reflected their concerns and increase the representation of black politicians. He said there is an ongoing debate of the convention’s success but that the 2008 elections proved its success. “Some would argue that the

election of Barack Hussain Obama is an extension of the Black Political Convention,” Moore said. History professor Jeremi Suri said elections traditionally fall on Tuesday in an attempt to exclude low income and middle class working Americans and people of color. “We have historically been a society where certain votes count more than others,” Suri said. Tetrault and Suri said most Americans are unaware that there is no constitutional guarantee for the right the vote, because the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments outlaw voter-based

discrimination instead of granting suffrage to people who have historically been discriminated against. The two panelists said this further emphasizes marginalization. A century after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, Tetrault said the U.S. is still seeing vote suppression with the closure of polling places in minority neighborhoods and increasing voter identification requirements. However, she said 1920 isn’t the end of the story for voting rights. “We’ve been handed the beginning, and we get to decide how we handle it next,” Tetrault said.

WEST CAMPUS

Students voice key fob safety concerns for apartments in West Campus However, she said she would be fine without extra security if it meant having a physical key that can always unlock her room and can’t have technical malfunctions. “Your safety shouldn’t be digital,” Mallach said. “It should be manual.” Voyles said apartment buildings generally strive to make key fobs as convenient as possible

By Anna Canizales @annaleonorc

As some West Campus apartment buildings switch from traditional keys to electronic key fobs, students expressed concerns about the new technology as well as their safety and reliability. Robby Goldman, a radio-television-film sophomore, said that key fobs are inconsistent, their batteries die at inconvenient times and can be more time consuming than traditional keys when they do not work correctly. Goldman, who lives at The Castilian, said he was once locked out of his room at midnight because his fob didn’t work. He said maintenance had to drill a hole through the door to open it and replace the battery. “The technology is not the best,” Goldman said. “If they’re (going to) have fobs, they should also have emergency keys ... There (has to) be better technology out there. Hotel rooms have been doing it with plastic cards for years now, and it mostly works.” Aaron Voyles, director for residence hall operations in University Housing and Dining, said key fobs are also beneficial to students’ safety and can be very convenient when they work correctly. He said one of the main benefits is the ability to lock buildings after a certain time of night and restrict access to those without fobs. Voyles said using key fobs adds an extra security layer for students. Key fobs unlock

Your safety shouldn’t be digital. It should be manual.” MADISON MALLACH anthony mireles

Electrical and computer engineering senior Ashwin Gupta scans into his apartment building using a key fob. More apartment facilities are opting for key fob sensors instead of regular keys for added safety. residences and also limit access by nonresidents to elevators, gyms, study rooms and other common spaces. Undergraduate studies sophomore Madison Mallach uses a fob and said that the costs of

undergraduate studies sophomore

/ the daily texan staff

using one outweighs the benefits. She said keys are more reliable and inexpensive than fobs. Mallach, who lives at West Campus complex Skyloft, said it’s a nice safety feature to have buildings automatically lock at night.

for students and respond to any problems they have quickly. “It’s easy if you lose a fob,” Voyles said. “We can reprogram it very quickly. We have personnel that can respond 24/7, so if a student had a fob that went down, they could go to the front desk, and we can get them a new temporary fob and troubleshoot it.”

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan staff

Senate of College Councils president Elena Ivanova worked with SG interpersonal violence prevention director Sara Jane Ross to author a resolution to make Title IX’s website clearer on no-contact directive definitions.

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of the (directive),” Ivanova said. “But because there are some cases that require one thing and other cases that are different, it’s difficult to create a universal policy. So, instead we want to inform students on what’s al-

ready existing.” Ivanova said she still hopes the resolution allows for further changes to the policy. “This is a baseline step because getting information out there is good and critical, but after this, we need to think about what happens next,” Ivanova said. “Is this policy really beneficial? Potentially, students who

are informed can think of other solutions.” Ross said her next step would expand the directive’s capabilities but that it will be hard. “I’m definitely going to try and push and get more information, but this is what we can do at the moment,” Ross said. “This isn’t everything we wanted, but it’s a great start.”

SPENCER BUCKNER

Editor-In-Chief | @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

OPINION

COLUMN

isabella hollis

/ the daily texan staff

Students must help bring justice to Rodney Reed By Neelesh Rathi Columnist

“Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution was intended to ensure that after the Civil War, the rights of African Americans wouldn’t be trampled by racist state governments, especially in the South. Seems Texas never got the memo — or maybe just never read it. Because Texas, like this entire country, has a long, post-Civil War tradition of executing African Americans in disproportionately high numbers — including via mob rule and vigilante violence, the antithesis of due process. And now Texas courts have condemned Rodney Reed to death on Nov. 20 — the state’s latest lynching. We have to show Texas’ government that it can’t overrule justice. The saying goes that truth is stranger than fiction, but in this case, Texas’ truth is just as detestably racist as the court in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Anyone who has read it knows Tom Robinson’s story: black man is accused of raping a white woman, all-white jury convicts black man on shoddy evidence, black man gets lynched. Lee based her book on the real case of Walter Lett: accused of raping a white woman, tried with unconvincing evidence, convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to death. That was 1934, the height of Jim Crow. History is repeating itself in 2019. At each stage, Reed’s case mirrors Lett’s: accused of raping (and murdering) a

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.

white woman (Stacey Stites), tried with unconvincing (and since-disproven) evidence, convicted by an all-white jury (in Bastrop) and sentenced to death — despite mountains of exonerating evidence — by a system that cares very little for black life. More than once, Sandra Reed, Rodney Reed’s mother, has criticized the “Jim Crow trial” that convicted her son with “an all-white jury.” “Oftentimes lynchings were carried out extrajudicially, but we’re finding that even though people on death row are given trials, they aren’t really fair; such was the case for Rodney,” Zoe Marshall, a UT Amnesty International officer and history senior, said in a direct message.

Texas courts have condemned Reed to death on Nov. 20 — the state’s latest lynching. We have to show Texas’ government that it can’t overrule justice.” According to Marshall, the gendered racism that led to Lett’s death sentence isn’t gone. “Rodney specifically was charged with raping and murdering a white woman, and that’s beyond racially charged with the anxieties over miscegenation and racial purity that still prevail in the American South,” Marshall said. “So if you take all that, the justice system doesn’t look as fair … it replicates the same kind of violence we saw — and still see — outside of the courts.” This is the ritual of Jim

Crow’s white supremacist machine that intends to murder Rodney Reed on Nov. 20. The deck is stacked against him — the penal system has been rigged for centuries, and capital punishment disproportionately punishes communities of color. So sign petitions and tweet #RodneyReed and #Justice4Rodney to demand his exoneration. But as much as this will help, it’s going to take more. Physically showing up is a good start — attend the massive rally on Saturday. Even without saying or doing anything, just being there is powerful. But if you want to do more, the work of direct action has always been there — organize, protest, hold vigils, call and write letters to lawmakers, support Reed’s family, research the case and inform others — because this is not a new fight. This is how Lett’s death sentence was commuted to life in prison — the town’s residents petitioned the governor. This is the Civil Rights Black Power Movement. This is how they sought justice in life and in court. They knew that the criminal legal system can never be a criminal justice system until all of its parts, including due process, always function justly. They knew they’d have to fight to abolish lynch law. Lett died while serving his sentence three years after he was convicted; Rodney Reed has been waiting to die in prison for the last 21 years. History is repeating itself. Reed can’t wait any longer. We cannot, and will not, allow this government to lynch another black person. If it denies us justice, we deny it peace. No justice, no peace! Rathi is a Black Studies senior from Austin.

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their part. However, movies are not real life. It is the job of a filmmaker to create a story, not rehash history — trying to do both is a disservice to the film. In addition to the multitude of storylines, there is no sense of depth. The moments spent with characters are fleeting, so there’s no time for a connection to be made. Giving Vice Adm. William “Bull” Halsey (Dennis Quaid) two seconds on screen next to medicine bottles is not character depth. It’s not reasonable to expect audiences to feel sorry for Lt. Richard “Dick” Best (Ed Skrein) when he loses a soldier he only spoke with for a few moments.

There’s also the problem with the actors. Harrelson only makes a convincing Adm. Nimitz in looks. His performance, like most of his other performances, is humorous, which feels out of place in a war movie. Every time Harrelson is on the screen, there is always something to laugh at. Then there’s Nick Jonas as Bruno Gaido, a U.S. aviation machinist. Don’t be fooled by his face on the movie poster; he’s barely on screen despite being heavily featured in the trailer, and the man can’t pull off a thin mustache or a New York accent to save his life. Literally. Just like Harrelson, Jonas turned supposed heartfelt moments into pieces of comedy. Even the action scenes

J O R DY N Z I T M A N

Life&Arts Editor | @JORDYNZITMAN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

Midway

GENRE

Drama/Action 2h 20m

RUNTIME SCORE

have their problems. Overhead shots of the ships at Pearl Harbor look comparable to a video game, and performances overall are more theatrical than cinematic. The only convincing aspect of “Midway” is its sound design. The crash of waves and the searing of burning flesh actually feel real, and the attempts to cover choppy scene transitions with radio transmissions are clever. It makes me wish I had copyright agc studios, and reproduced with permission watched the movie with my “Midway” is based on the Battle of Midway, which turned the tide of the war in the Pacific eyes closed. theatre to favor the U.S.

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jack myer

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Spectators gathered on the LBJ Lawn to watch a screening of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Nov. 7, 2019. The show was filmed in the Bass Concert Hall and featured Matthew McConaughey, Chip and Joanna Gaines and Gucci Mane.

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

COMICS

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The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Friday, November 8, 2019

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Longhorns stay in control by choosing not to play drinking games. @UTBruceTheBat 2019 UT Austin National Social Norms Center Survey

D O N N AVA N S M O O T

Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

FOOTBALL

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan file

Senior receiver Collin Johnson goes up for a catch in Texas’ 37-27 loss to TCU Oct. 26. Johnson recorded seven catches for 101 yards in the loss.

Up against the ropes

Texas’ season goals are hanging by a thread as Longhorns head into matchup with Kansas State. By Donnavan Smoot @Dsmoot3D

exas football was in nearly this exact same spot last year. It was 6–2, coming off a road loss to a team that didn’t look very intimidating on paper. 2018, however, was filled with a six-game winning streak and a win over rival Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl — leaving the Longhorns in a good spot mentally.

You work for times of adversity, and you just gotta trust your training.” COLLIN JOHNSON senior wide receiver

This year provides a completely different feeling. Texas fell 37-27 to TCU two weeks ago. The second half was a back-and-forth fight, with haymakers being thrown on every drive. Texas had the lead at halftime but was unable to get out of its own way. It came down to the last drive, but junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s final interception was the knockout blow. They are up against the count now. The upcoming schedule for the unranked Longhorns isn’t favorable. They have to face No. 16 Kansas State — who is coming off an upset of Big 12 leader Oklahoma and a blowout of Kansas. Following the penultimate home game, Texas has to travel to face Iowa State and No. 11 Baylor. “I don’t think anybody’s oblivious to what’s in front of us in terms of our only long-term goal, which is competing for and being in the mix for a conference championship in the month of November and December, and that’s still all out

there,” Texas head coach Tom Herman said. “We’ve left the margin of error very slim, and that’s okay.” Texas’ situation is one it didn’t expect to be in. Following the proclamation of being “back” after beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, Texas was expected to be close to or even in the conversation for the College Football Playoff. Now, it is in a position where it must fight to still clinch a bowl berth in the final four games. “You know, especially it being my senior year, you kind of have the way you want it to go in your head ... but man, it’s life,” senior wide receiver Collin Johnson said. “Things don’t go the exact way you want it to go.” Despite the struggles, Texas had another chance to regroup with a second bye week. Players were able to rest and recover but also allowed for a rejuvenation in practice. “I would say (for) the bye week, intensity levels were great,”

BASKETBALL

Ehlinger said. “Having two bye weeks really allows us to segment each part of the season.” The Longhorns’ struggles haven’t been all because of matters they can control, a phrase popular around the organization. The injuries that initially plagued the running back room shifted to the other side of the ball in the defensive back room. Nevertheless, things are beginning to look up for the Longhorns as sophomore safeties Caden Sterns and B.J. Foster are scheduled to make their returns. With the return of key players in the secondary and a bye week to get things in order, the Longhorns have an understanding of the test ahead and feel confident. “Our backs are against the ropes, as (Herman) would say,” Johnson said. “This is why you work day in and day out … You don’t work for when things are going amazing in season. You work for times of adversity, and you just gotta trust your training.”

BASKETBALL

Season’s first big test arises as Texas hits road to face Purdue

Longhorns’ season commences with tough road matchup By Myah Taylor @t_myah

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan file

Junior guard Matt Coleman defends during Texas’ season-opening 69-45 win over Northern Colorado at home on Tuesday. By Wills Layton @willsdebeast

During every season, teams try to notch signature victories or collect impressive wins on the road to boost their NCAA tournament résumés. Last year, the Longhorns were able to beat a highly ranked University of North Carolina team on a neutral court in Las Vegas. While West Lafayette, Indiana is no Vegas, Texas will have the opportunity to knock off No. 23 Purdue on the road. The Longhorns were able to start the season with a win over another UNC, the University of Northern Colorado, to gain a little bit of momentum heading into this nonconference matchup. Even though the team has only played one game, one game is all it takes to begin the process of shaking off rust. “It’s always great to go 1–0 rather than 0–1,” junior point guard Matt Coleman said. “It was a good test for us just to see guys out there playing, some for the first time in college basketball and some guys for the first time in awhile. It was exciting to just play against somebody else.” The Longhorns beat the Bears by 24 points, with the defense leading the way and holding the offense of UNC under 30% from the field and under 10% from three-point range. The win was a good sign that the Longhorns were ready for the start of the season. However, there were still kinks that had to be worked

through and will continue to be worked on as the season moves forward. “We started out taking a lot of threes, and that wasn’t in our game-plan,” sophomore guard Andrew Jones said. “We had way too many turnovers which isn’t our standard and we didn’t have enough assists. There’s a lot of room to improve.” The Boilermakers won the Big 10 last season and will be looking for revenge after a trip to Austin last year went the Longhorns’ way. With 7-foot-3-inch junior center Matt Haarms defending the rim and junior forward Nojel Eastern contributing on defense, the team will have to reach a higher level of play in order to compete. “We want to play to our standards and making sure we are giving our all for our teammates,” sophomore guard Courtney Ramey said. “Nobody wants to be that person that keeps us from our standards.” For both the Purdue game and for the rest of the season, the success of the team largely depends on the play and maturity of the backcourt. A talented group that features Coleman, Ramey, Jones and junior Jase Febres must carry the weight as the younger players develop. “I think that our team is going to go as our backcourt goes,” head coach Shaka Smart said. “Matt Coleman and Courtney Ramey are guys that had very good seasons at times last year, but we just have to be more consistent.”

Texas women’s basketball begins its quest for a Big 12 title and NCAA tournament berth Friday when the No. 15 Longhorns travel to Tampa to face South Florida in the season opener. Karen Aston, who will be entering her eighth season as the Texas head coach, said she thinks the out-of-conference contest will present challenges for the Longhorns and expose the team’s strengths and weaknesses. “South Florida had kind of a similar situation to what we’re going through right now with tons of injuries,” Aston said. “I think I watched one game last year where they had five players, and they weathered the storm. (They) now return most of that team along with several really talented freshmen, so I expect this to be a very competitive, tough outing for us on their home court.” Aston said she welcomes the difficulty of the road matchup, as it will prepare the Longhorns for Big 12 opponents. “I think just getting some road games that are very tough is good for us,” Aston said. “I thought the last couple of years that may have been what we lacked … just a couple of tests on the road.” Friday’s game, Aston said, will allow her to evaluate the abilities of players on the roster and see how they react in game situations. Charli Collier is one player Aston expects to step up this season, and Friday will be her first test. Aston says Collier’s performance against USF will help her identify any areas in the sophomore forward’s game that need development. “(Collier) is going to get a lot of playing time,”

Aston said. “And I think sometimes players just need to play and make mistakes in the game and see where they can learn and see how they can improve and get comfortable with that it feels like to play 30-35 minutes a game.” Injuries to players like senior point guard Sug Sutton and senior forward Joyner Holmes have required others on the team to step up and assume positions that may be uncomfortable. Sophomore guard Shae Routt, senior guard Jada Underwood and 2019 Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year Celeste Taylor will all be thrust into the forward positions despite being undersized. “We’re asking a lot of Celeste Taylor to come in as a freshman and maybe sometimes come play that forward spot also, but it’s a learning experience for them,” Aston said. “That’s what they come here to do. They come here to play, so let’s play.” Mystery surrounds the Texas roster, which has lost players to injury, NCAA eligibility rules and on some occasions, foul trouble. But Aston said the team has been responsive to adversity, making things work and staying flexible. “Most people would think that I’m lying awake at night and I can’t sleep because what’s going to happen, but I think that when you coach, you really want players and teams to kind of embrace the fact that it’s a competition and you want them to, for lack of a better word, ‘give you what they have’ — whatever that is,” Aston said. “And this team is really, really trying to do that.” The Longhorns will see what they’re made of Friday when Texas tips off against South Florida at 6 p.m.

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan file

Sophomore forward Charli Collier looks to get past a defender in Texas’ 83-73 win over Lubbock Christian in an exhibition game on Oct. 28.

J O R DY N Z I T M A N

Life&Arts Editor | @JORDYNZITMAN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

LIFE&ARTS

Q&A

Blanton to host ‘Singing Monsters’ Q&A with professor set to give lecture, musical show about monsters, medieval societies on Nov. 21. By James Robertson

@jamespqrob

ust as they infected medieval art, monsters invaded the music of medieval societies and exerted influence over the songs and chants of Christian communities. To exhibit the intertwined culture of monsters and music, professor Luisa Nardini will present “Singing Monsters,” a lecture and musical performance on the ways in which monsters inhabit the music of medieval societies, on Nov. 21 at the Blanton Museum. A series of Gregorian or plain chants will be sung, songs that were usually performed in conjunction with religious services and prayers in a chorus with a single melody. The Daily Texan sat down with Nardini ahead of her performance to discuss monsters, music and the history behind them. The Daily Texan: How did you get

involved with the exhibition, and how did “Singing Monsters” originate? Lusia Nardini: When the “Medie-

val Monsters” show was announced among the faculty of the medieval studies program, I got in touch with the curators at the museum, and we started talking about offering musical programs that could parallel and complement the exhibition. I’ve been incorporating performances of medieval music, and I could immediately think of a number of pieces that include monsters directly. So we will be

Luisa Nardini will lecture and perform “Singing Monsters” on Nov. 21 at the Blanton Museum. singing some chants that connect with the monsters in the artwork of the exhibition. DT: Most of the surviving medieval music are chants that have a specific type of religious purpose. Could you speak to how music was used in medieval societies compared to music today? LN: The singing of chant in religious practices was something that was absolutely pervasive in monks’ and nuns’ lives. Their whole lives revolved around liturgical

practices. Every single day they had a large number of services, and the liturgy was all chanted. So with every single service they sang chants. From the beginning to the end of the day, they were singing almost every moment when they were in the church. DT: Rather than to entertain or provide a means of self-expression, weren’t these songs used as a tool of worship and reflection upon the Bible? LN:

Absolutely. Especially after

a reading from the Bible, the chant was sung immediately after. The reading was very ornate with little text but a lot of melody. Chants were used as a way to facilitate meditation. And we will sing some hymns that repeat the music or each of the stanzas of the texts, which is not very different from all strophic music which include the pop songs of today. DT: Many of the monsters in the exhibit originated in classical mythology, but in what ways did similar monsters function in

medieval culture? LN: Dragons were present in classical mythology as well as in medieval times and manuscripts. Also, dragons were present in the Bible in the book of Revelation. These classical monsters got reinterpreted in a medieval mindset for what concerns the western world and according to Christian values. In the majority of cases, the dragon was symbolic of the devil, especially in the cases of St. George and St. Michael who defeat the dragon.

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New World War II drama ‘Midway’: win for US, loss for Hollywood By Sabrina LeBoeuf @_sabrinakaye

Anyone interested in seeing Roland Emmerich’s “Midway” is probably better off learning about the fateful World War II battle from a textbook. “Midway” is based on the four-day combat that gave the U.S. an upper hand in war efforts following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film follows multiple characters, ranging from intelligence officers to pilots, throughout

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New UGS course teaches valuable lessons on vulnerability, rejection @kat372

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lose track of time in a comprehensive story captured by the magic of moving images should stay at home. There are tons of historical documentaries that are easier to follow and more engaging than “Midway.” The film’s biggest downfall is in its overall narrative. There are so many storylines to follow, which makes sense because that’s how real life works. World War II alone relied on over 16 million Americans who served to play

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their journey in the Pacific. This movie is perfect for anyone looking for cleverly timed music swells and patriotic imagery. There’s American flags and men in uniform smoking cigarettes. There’s even a shot of neighborhood kids playing baseball who pause their game to look up at Adm. Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) and Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) in uniform while snare drums play in the background. It’s hyper-reminiscent of World War II propaganda. But audiences looking to

Asking a stranger for a bite of their food seems like an obvious social taboo, but for some students, it’s just another class assignment. “Your comfort zone will be shattered,” reads the Gameplan for Winning at Life syllabus. When lecturer Daron Roberts set out to craft the curriculum for undergraduate studies course Gameplan for Winning at Life, he said he wanted to create assignments that teach students valuable and memorable life lessons. “I asked myself, ‘Daron, what do you wish you had learned as an undergrad at UT?’” Roberts said. “I really wish I had learned more of what people call ‘soft skills,’ but in reality, are really hard. Things like vulnerability, empathy, decision making and gratitude.” Roberts’ course assigns students challenges to break out of their comfort zones and experience feelings such as trusting a stranger. Putting this into practice is the blindfold challenge. Students are randomly

assigned partners and while one is blindfolded, the other must lead them from the Martin Luther King Jr. statue to the Barbara Jordan statue on campus, about a 10-minute walk. This challenge is one of the most memorable for students, including Josh Cortinas, an advertising junior who took Roberts’ class in 2017. “This assignment was crazy because you were walking across the campus, and you had to put your faith in someone that you had just met,” Cortinas said. Other challenges in Roberts’ class force students to face rejection head-on. Students record each other carrying out tasks that generally lead to a feeling of rejection, such as asking a stranger for a bite of food or for five dollars. “We watch (the recordings), and we talk about how it felt,” Roberts said. “We talk about ways we can reframe the experience of rejection as an opportunity to get more data.” Roberts said he draws from his own personal experiences with rejection to construct assignments and determine what he wants for students to ultimately get out of them.

“I was wait-listed for four years from Harvard Law School. I had 31 of 32 NFL teams turn me down when I asked for an internship,” Roberts said. “So I’m really interested in how people can push through rejection.” Roberts aims to create personal and vulnerable connections that students can utilize long after they complete the course. Corporate communications junior Sarah Whittle took Roberts’ class last semester and said his emphasis on building a meaningful relationship with his students has a lasting impression. “(Roberts) would be like, ‘You can come to me a year from now or after you’ve already graduated,’” Whittle said. “He’s very big on mentorship, and he’s very much a big resource at UT.” While Roberts offers mentorship to students inside and outside the classroom, he said his main goal for the course is for students to grow as individuals. “In a very basic sense, I want my students to leave Gameplan for Winning at Life a better person than when they walked in on the first day,” Roberts said.