The Daily Texan 2019-11-14

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

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Volume 121, Issue 67

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

LIFE&ARTS

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Jesta Pizza to reopen next semester offering new pizza options.

The Michener Center must better inform undergraduates about resources and events.

UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY

GSC creates emergency fund for students in crisis By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez

Students who need help covering medical expenses, electric bills or next week’s groceries will be able to apply for the Gender and Sexuality Center’s new crisis fund. The GSC is raising money for the fund through HornRaiser, the University’s official crowdfunding platform. GSC program coordinator KB said the center wanted its first HornRaiser to financially aid those who use the center, because the GSC is limited in funds. The center is funded through student tuition, but KB said it has not had the financial capacity to help students in the past. “We want people to come to the GSC and feel like this is a place that they aren’t quite confronted with those challenges, or they’re alleviated at least,” KB said. “LGBTQIA+ and women populations seem to … have problems as it pertains to medical expenses or mental health things.” KB said the center is working with Student Emergency Services, which has a similar emergency fund, to structure the way students apply and how funds are given to each applicant. “On the form we use, (there will) be pretty generic fields,” KB said. “(These include) health expenses, necessities, food, water, a place to stay, things like that. An example would be, ‘My water just turned off’ or ‘My therapist is $80 a session, and I need help with those costs.’” According to the HornRaiser website, each campaign should have 2-5 ambassadors who support the project to spread the fundraiser. Advertising sophomore Sandra Tsang said she became an ambassador for the fund because the GSC helps the Silk Club by providing meeting spaces and printing their flyers. Tsang is the president and managing director of the club, which

UT BHP student talks modeling, running track for Team USA.

Longhorns win 13th consecutive match at home against Kansas State.

Library budget increases Recurring $2.7 million fund for University’s libraries allows for increased staffing, addresses inflationary costs and key areas of need. By Lauren Grobe @grobe_lauren

he budget for the University’s libraries will increase after remaining at $30 million for the past 10 years despite inflation and increasing subscription rates. Maurie McInnis, executive vice president and provost, announced in an email last week that the University Budget Council approved a $2.7 million recurring fund to increase the library’s previously stagnant budget. The Task Force on the Future of UT Libraries, comprised of staff members, faculty and students, compiled a report on the status of the University’s

libraries and submitted it to McInnis in October. “The work of this task force reflects the need for ongoing dialogue with members of the campus community,” McInnis said in the email. “This infusion of new funding will help to address some of the inflationary costs and key areas of need.” Lorraine Haricombe, vice provost and director of UT libraries, said the group researched what the libraries needed and raised campus awareness about the libraries’ funding by holding

poster campaigns and speaking with students. “What is really eye-opening is the higher level of awareness around campus now about the challenges of the li-

brary as well as the opportunities for the libraries,” said Haricombe, who was co-chair of the task force. “They seem to be much more energetic around what libraries can do.” The report’s recommendations included adjusting the libraries’ budget for inflation, forming another task force to look into library material access and addressing insufficient staffing, according to the report. Haricombe said these recommendations were necessary to preserve the libraries on campus, so they can continue to serve the University community. L I B R A R Y PAGE 2

roxanne benites

/ the daily texan staff

G S C PAGE 2 CAMPUS

CAMPUS

Hindu Students Association hosts Diwali festival, celebrates ‘The Hero in You’

LBJ creates center to support child care

By Graysen Golter @graysen_golter

Students found the hero in themselves as they gathered for Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights, on Main Mall Wednesday night. Hosted by the Hindu Students Association, this year’s Diwali festival celebrated the heroic themes in ancient Indian epic “Ramayana.” In the epic, the demon king Ravana is conquered by Prince Rama, emphasizing good overpowering evil, said Jigar Patel, Hindu Students Association president. He said the festival’s theme, “The Hero in You,” allowed students to recognize their own heroic qualities. “We want to educate people about the traditions of the festival and recognize the values of D I W A L I PAGE 2

By Brooke Ontiveros @Brookexpanic

jack myer

/ the daily texan file

Dancers perform a traditional Indian dance at the Hindu Student Association’s Diwali Festival under the tower on Nov. 13, 2019.

The human brain develops the most between conception and age three, but exposure to adversities such as family poverty, depression or substance abuse can result in developmental stagnation, associate professor Cynthia Osborne said. “All of these affect the developing child because of that stress,” said Osborne, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center director. “It affects both our immune response system as well as the development of brain structures, so the number of neurons that are developed is lowered.” The Lyndon B. Johnson School

of Public Affairs’ Child and Family Research Partnership created the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center this fall to guide state leaders on enacting policy change to support families with children younger than three, according to the center’s website. Osborne said policy leaders from across the country agree public policy needs to change in order to improve the development of this population, but they do not know which policies are most effective. The center will create an interactive website that allows states to track their progress with suggested policies such as the implementation of paid family leave, Osborne said. “Research suggests that (paid family leave) improved employment L B J PAGE 2


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