The Daily Texan 2020-09-11

DT Volume 121, Issue 16 friday, september 11, 2020

paving the way forward

barbra daly

/ the daily texan staff

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Emily Caldwell

Projects Editor Sami Sparber

Managing Editor Megan Menchaca

Projects Reporters Marcus Krum, Nicole Stuessy, Meara Isenberg

Assoc. Managing Editors Jason Lihuang, Trinady Joslin Director of Digital Strategy Michael Hernandez Director of Diversity & Inclusion Angelica Arinze Collaborations Director Neelam Bohra Internal Relations Directors Areeba Amer, Ariana Arredondo

Double Coverage Copy Editor Brittany Miller Design Editor Sierra Wiggers Assoc. Design Editor Maria Perez

Illustration Coordinator Abriella Corker

Photo Editor Presley Glotfelty

News Editor Emily Hernandez

Assoc. Photo Editor Jamie Hwang

Assoc. News Editors Neelam Bohra, Lauren Girgis

Double Coverage Photo Editor Jack Myer

News Desk Editors Areeba Amer, Hannah Williford, Lauren Grobe

Senior Photographers Kirsten Hahn, Nicholas Vo

Life&Arts Editor Ariana Arredondo Assoc. Life&Arts Editors Aisling Ayers, Grace Barnes Sr. Life&Arts Writers Jennifer Errico, Anissa Reyes Sports Editor Myah Taylor Assoc. Sports Editor Stephen Wagner

Comics Editor Barbra Daly Assoc. Comics Editor Rocky Higine Senior Comics Artists Dan Martinez, Destiny Alexander, Cynthia Trevino Social Media Editor Hal Riley Assoc. Social Media Editor Katya Bandouil Senior Social Media Staffers Benjamin Cohen, Nuzha Zuberi Audio Editor Harper Carlton

Senior Sports Reporters Nathan Han, Carter Yates

Senior Audio Producers Aurora Berry, Addie Costello, Chloe Young

Newsletters Editor Maia Borchardt

Editorial Adviser Peter Chen

ISSUE STAFF Columnists Arianna Hosek Comic Artists Arjun Venkata, Marissia Xiong Copy Editors Carrie Meng, Meena Anderson Issue Designers Jenny Devico Opinion Illustrators Zoe Tzanis L&A Reporters Alaina Bookman, Lauren Castro

AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Sept. 11

HI 84º LO 67º

TOMORROW Sept. 12

HI 91º LO 71º

Texans experience 60 degree weather once and then immediately break out the scarves and boots.

It’s me, I’m Texans.

(512) 471-4591

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

opinion

Amid COVID-19 regulations, UT must prioritize sustainable practices in dining halls.

07

life & arts

UT-Austin students face challenges in navigating long-distance relationships.

page

04

MAIN TELEPHONE

page

page

UT reported three coronavirus case clusters in West Campus on Thursday.

10

sports

Texas football assistant director of player personnel Jordyn Fields blazes her own trail.

Emily Caldwell (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Megan Menchaca (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@thedailytexan.com

NEWS OFFICE

(512) 232-2207 news@thedailytexan.com

COVID-19

Assoc. Copy Desk Chiefs Phoebe Hayes, Irissa Omandam, Megan Shankle

Assoc. Editors Abby Dasgupta, Hannah Lopez, Julia Zaksek, Sanika Nayak Forum Editors Daisy Kielty, Maria Sailale

Beat Reporters Andrew Zhang, Anna Canizales, Amanda FigueroaNieves, Brooke Ontiveros, Samantha Greyson, Neha Madhira, Lauren Goodman

03

News

Copy Desk Chiefs Jimena Pinzon, Lawson Freeman

Double Coverage Designer Christina Peebles Senior Designers Megan Fletcher, Eunice Bao Video Editor Jackson Barton Assoc. Video Editor Jennifer Xia, Brendan Long

External Relations Director Austin Martinez

Contents: page

DT

CONTACT US

Pulling double duty: UT-Austin professors take on child care while teaching

By Andrew Zhang @andrewczhang

Students enrolled in geography lecturer Sara Diamond’s class this fall may get a chance to hear her 2-year-old daughter call for attention in the background of the Zoom call.

As COVID-19 keeps many professors and kids at home for virtual schooling, UT professors have adjusted to take on caring for their children during the work day in addition to the normal professor duties. Some professors say managing responsibilities is difficult but enjoy the additional time they have with their families.

Diamond, who also has a son in kindergarten, said she has started her daughter in part-time day care and tagteams watching over her kindergartner with another family.

Still, she sometimes has her daughter and up to two additional kids to care for during class times.

“Over Zoom, my younger child will occasionally interrupt, and my attention will have to transition to her, even if it’s only for a second,” Diamond said.

Diamond said there’s not many tools to distract her daughter while she’s teaching, which has created an interesting environment as she tries to find the best strategies to teach online.

“You can’t rationalize with a 2-year-old,” Diamond said.

“They’re not yet at the point in time where you can bribe them effectively or get them to sit and watch a video for very long. A 2- year-old just doesn’t have the

The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. E-mail managingeditor@thedailytexan.com.

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copyright kate dawson, and reproduced with permission

The wife and twin daughters of Kate Dawson, associate journalism professor of practice, sit together at the table during a day of Zoom class.

attention span.”

Kate Dawson, associate journalism professor of practice, has 11-year-old twin girls

in the fifth grade taking classes from home. Dawson said working from home has been “liberating,” and she feels better

connected with her students and her family.

PROFESSORS

PAGE 3

The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2020 Texas Student Media.

NEWS

3

News Editor E M I LY H E R N A N D E Z FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 CAMPUS

Students demand UT change COVID-19 reporting policy in dorms

By Andrew Zhang @andrewczhang

Some students are asking UT to change the COVID-19 case notification system in residence halls, which currently informs residents’ primary and secondary contacts who test positive, not the entire residence hall.

UT officials say the current policies comply with legal statutes and help prevent alarm fatigue.

Yliana Roland, a radio-television-film freshman, started a petition Sept.

1 asking the University to change its policy and inform all residents in dorms of positive cases. She wrote that it is inefficient to inform a fraction of people who may be exposed to COVID-19 in residence halls. The petition currently has more than 1,170 signatures as of Thursday evening.

“No names need to be made public for privacy and safety reasons, but it’s ludicrous to not provide full transparency to residents and workers, most of whom either pay thousands of dollars to attend this institution, or work tireless hours to make a living here,” the petition said.

University Health Services and University and Housing and Dining sent an email to dorm residents Thursday morning saying federal laws prevent UT from notifying everyone in a residence hall of a

professors

CONTINUES FROM PAGE 2

“I never realized how much time commuting sucks out of your life,” Dawson said. “I am making my schedule fit with (my kids’) schedules, making sure … they’re on Zoom when

maggie lazaroski

I’m on Zoom.”

Dawson said she and her wife are taking a more active role in their children’s education, making sure they understand concepts in the virtual classroom. Dawson said her wife closed down her business to help take care of the kids full time.

Dawson said her family has embraced self-isolating as a bonding experience.

“I’ll actually be sad when it goes back to in-person school,” Dawson said.

Katie Gray, a distinguished senior lecturer of information, risk and operations management, teaches in person twice

/ the daily texan file

a week. Gray said she switches off with her husband to watch over her kids, and whoever is at home accepts that not much work will get done.

“I teach an upper-division (management information systems) class, but I’m also teaching phonics to my first grader, circuits to my fourth grader

positive case when increased risk of transmission is unlikely.

“Our current approach is needed based on current public health guidance and principles of transmission,” the email said. “If a resident on the first floor contracted the virus, someone on the third floor would have no greater risk than they would in all other areas of their life.”

Undeclared freshman Jocelyne Covarrubias said she signed the petition because the reporting policy makes her nervous about living in close proximity to other students in the residence halls.

“I thought UT was going to … (let) everybody know how many cases are within certain residence halls, but I was furious when I found out they’re not doing (so),” Covarrubias said. “We live here, we touch the same elevator buttons, we walk the same hallways, we go to the same study rooms.”

Covarrubias said she understands the need to avoid alarm in reporting cases but feels the University doesn’t seem to recognize the risks her and other students face.

She said she has seen students violate social distancing guidelines in residence and dining halls.

Terrance Hines, UHS chief medical officer, said in an email that the University is open to listening to and addressing student concerns.

“Given the potential of asymptomatic,

and geometry to my sixth grader,” Gray said. “It’s like, ‘What thing is coming at me next?’”

Despite the additional duties, Gray said seeing her children more than she is typically able to is nice. She said the changes make her wonder if she should scale back her extra teaching commitments in

pre-symptomatic, or mildly symptomatic spread, it is best not to rely (on) notifications but rather be diligent with precautions,” Hines said.

Business freshman Victoria Stuart, who also signed the petition, said not knowing whether anyone in her residence hall has tested positive makes her nervous.

“The hallways are very narrow,” Stuart said. “We can only go in (to the residence halls) from the front desk entrance, so there’s not a lot of options for avoiding other people.”

The Daily Texan has reported four cases of COVID-19 in on-campus University residence halls. As of Sept. 10, the UT-Austin COVID-19 Dashboard reports 318 students have tested positive for the coronavirus since school started Aug. 26.

Hines said public health practices do not support contact tracing for common areas as opposed to those in close contact with the patient.

“We hope to provide reassurance that as long as students are following the social distancing, masking, and hand washing guidance, they are at no greater risk passing one another in the building than they would be (anywhere else),” Hines said.

Editor’s note: The creator of the petition is a Daily Texan opinion columnist. She had no influence in the reporting of this story.

the future.

“This person who is in front of you teaching … is a real person with real things going on in their lives,” Gray said.

“If you’re in lecture and your professor’s kid pops into the Zoom call to say hi, don’t judge them for not being in control of their lives.”

4

Editor-In-Chief E M I LY C A L D W E L L FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

OPINION

COLUMN

Prioritize sustainable practices in dining halls Amid COVID-19 regulations, UT must not forget to counterract unnecessary plastic waste.

By Arianna Hosek Columnist

ow that many freshmen have moved to campus to begin the fall semester, University dining halls are in full swing, serving thousands of students upward of three times a day. However, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, dining halls are serving togo-only food in plastic foam and plastic containers, harming the environment and setting the University’s sustainability initiatives back years.

UT must find more sustainable methods of serving residents in dining halls.

When residents enter into J2, Jester City Limits or Kins Dining, they have no choice but to leave the dining hall with multiple plastic foam boxes, plastic silverware and plastic grocery bags holding their meal. After eating, students cram their waste into one of the constantly overflowing trash cans on campus, unable to recycle any of the materials that packaged their meal.

Students are feeling the effects of this unnecessary waste. Taking one look at the trash cans while walking around campus proves just how much waste is being generated, and we are barely three weeks into the semester. Students are uncomfortable using so much plastic and plastic foam but have no other options if they want the meals they paid for.

“I don’t like the styrofoam use at all,” said Catie McGill, math freshman and Jester West resident. “As a university, we need to be promoting green living, and styrofoam is not at all the way to do that.”

Due to the new dining regulations, the University’s Zero Waste Program is completely worthless.

According to UT’s website, the goal is to reduce waste being sent to the landfill by reducing the amount of disposable products purchased and diverting materials to the recycling facility instead of landfills.

The program claims to have a goal of being Zero Waste by 2020, and while nobody expected the pandemic to happen, why would a university claiming to be so focused on reducing waste choose plastic foam and plastic dining options over cardboard or paper?

University Housing and Dining is not the only place facing challenges. The Castilian, an off-campus dormitory, has struggled balancing sustainability and COVID-19 regulations. The Castilian offers a dine-in option with reusable plates, metal silverware and glass cups. However, they do not allow reusable water bottles, and because they kept buffet-style

dining, every sandwich, salad and meal is individually wrapped to reduce contamination.

By individually wrapping each meal, more plastic is being used than necessary. This makes the dine-in option ineffective in helping to reduce waste and does not give students any sustainable eating options.

“I try to eat in the dining hall as much as possible in order to use plates and metal silverware instead of single use containers,” said Brynn Havern, environmental science freshman and Castilian resident. However, the lack of completely sustainable options cause Havern to have “a tiny existential crisis every time (she) eats.”

It’s understandable that the University needs to take regulations to stop the spread of COVID-19. However, it is possible to increase sanitation and practice social distancing while maintaining sustainability measures.

Use cardboard or paper instead of plastic foam and plastic to package meals. Allow students to bring their own reusable silverware, containers and water bottles to dining halls. Encourage students to recycle or compost whenever they can.

This is a challenging time for everyone, and the pandemic is — and should be — at the forefront of our thoughts. However, if we continue to take our attention away from important matters once something bigger presents itself, progress and improvements will never last.

Hosek is a psychology freshman from Austin, Texas.

zoe tzanis

/ the daily texan staff

GALLERY

charlie hyman

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NEWS

5

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

WEST CAMPUS

UT reports 3 coronavirus clusters with approximately 100 total cases in West Campus

By Neha Madhira & Amanda Figueroa-Nieves @nehamira14 @amandafn02

UT reported three coronavirus case clusters in West Campus with collectively about 100 positive cases on Thursday morning.

The University declined to release the addresses of the clusters, citing privacy laws, according to the announcement.

A cluster is defined by Austin

Public Health as three or more positive COVID-19 cases in one place, according to the City of Austin’s website.

The people who tested positive are isolated and receiving medical attention, according to the announcement. University Health Services, Austin Public Health and UT Health Austin are actively conducting contact tracing to inform people who have been in close contact with the positive cases.

“The University is committed to providing community members with relevant information about significant clusters that pose health and safety risks so they can make informed and healthy decisions in their daily lives,” the announcement said.

Susan Hochman, associate director for assessment, communications and health information technology for UHS, said the information about cases released publicly is

marissa xiong

/ the daily texan staff

limited because the University receives information about positive cases through several testing centers.

“Depending on how UT received the information, it may have to consider the requirements of HIPAA, FERPA and/or its contract with Austin Public Health,” Hochman said. “Notice to the public of these positive cases generally must comply with the ‘minimum necessary’ requirements of these laws.”

UT posted the clusters on a campus announcements page on its website but did not directly notify students. Multiple students who learned about the clusters through social media posts told The Daily Texan they wished the University had emailed the UT community about the clusters.

Business management junior

PJ Chukwurah said the University should tell students where the clusters are for transparency and student safety.

“It’s better than nothing, but the bar’s on the ground if they don’t tell us where the clusters are,” Chukwurah said. “I live in West Campus, and even though I do what I’m supposed to be doing, like wearing a mask, I realize not all my peers are doing the same thing.”

Government junior Hector Mendez said it is clear some students are not taking COVID-19 seriously.

“The University of Texas (is) failing to provide for students having to return to campus because they made the option of reopening the campus at all, which brings greater risk to anyone involved,” Mendez said.

6

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

NEWS

COVID-19

UT pursues clinical certification for Proactive Community Testing Program’s saliva test

By Amanda Figueroa-Nieves @amandafn02

University Health Services offers free COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic students, faculty and staff through the Proactive Community Testing Program, but people who test positive must get a second confirmatory test.

UT is actively pursuing clinical certification for the saliva test to streamline the COVID-19 testing process, but there is no clear timeline on when certification will be granted, program manager Michael Godwin said in an email.

Godwin said the proactive community testing saliva test needs to be confirmed with a nose swab because it has not yet been classified as a clinical test or a test that meets requirements set by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

“This two-step process creates a lag between the time an individual first gets tested and when they can receive a confirmatory result,” Godwin said.

“So, a single ‘clinical’ saliva test would allow us to act at the level of an individual as soon as they get a positive result.”

For proactive community testing, UHS collects saliva samples by having people spit in a tube under the supervision of UHS staff. If a student tests positive, UHS will ask the student to do a confirmatory nose swab test at the 27th Street Garage, according to previous reporting

by The Daily Texan.

Godwin said the saliva test is a viral polymerase chain reaction test. This process diagnoses active COVID-19 infection by looking for the genetic material of the virus in the sample and is highly accurate, according to the FDA. Andreas Matouschek, director

jamie hwang

/ the daily texan staff

UT is pursuing clinical certification for the saliva COVID-19 test to make testing faster. University Health Services is currently offering free testing for the UT community through the Proactive Community Testing Program but requires a second confirmatory test if a person’s first test comes back positive.

of the Center for Biomedical Research Support, said the regulations for a clinical test are outlined by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. He said these are meant to ensure the quality of clinical tests by providing guidelines for documentation, training staff, test validation and quality control.

“A ‘clinical test’ is mostly a bureaucratic distinction,” Godwin said. “Our test is clinical quality, but we have to fulfill mostly administrative

requirements to get the appropriate certification.”

Other universities have also used a saliva testing approach.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tests all students and employees working at their facilities through a saliva test, according to ABC News.

The university has conducted as many as 17,656 tests per day, according to their testing data.

UT has the capacity to test 5,000 students per week through proactive community testing, according to an Aug. 20

press release. Godwin said the University is averaging about 500 tests per day since Aug. 24.

Godwin said that of about 4,500 total proactive community testing tests, 1.7% have tested positive but not all have been confirmed by a nose swab test, and 0.50% have been inconclusive. An inconclusive test indicates a possible positive result but requires re-testing.

Godwin also said there is a 2% invalid sample rate, meaning the person was not properly hydrated or did not

follow directions for the 30 minute fasting period and requires re-testing.

The positivity rate for the clinical tests is not available, as it would be too complex to calculate, according to previous reporting by The Daily Texan.

Godwin said the University chose the saliva test because it is the least invasive test method and because saliva droplets also play an important role in curbing the spread of the disease.

LIFE&ARTS

7

Life&Arts Editor A R I A N A A R R E D O N D O FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

STUDENT LIFE

Longhorns talk loving from a distance UT students work to maintain relationships during COVID-19 and face dating challenges.

By Jenny Errico @errico_jenny

ordan Blumberg thought she would see her boyfriend two weeks after leaving Austin for spring break in March. Two weeks, however, turned into six months.

“It wasn’t by choice,” said Blumberg, an electrical and computer engineering sophomore.

“We had no time to emotionally prepare to be apart, and now we just have to constantly adjust with each new change.”

Blumberg and her boyfriend, Sam Darrow, have been dating for over a year. Six months of their relationship has been long distance because of COVID-19. Blumberg is now living in Denver while Darrow is home with his family in Frisco.

The pandemic has presented unexpected challenges for couples testing their relationships.

“We’re already looking at this as proof of how strong our connection is,” music composition sophomore Darrow said. “With every hardship, we say, ‘Hey we survived five months. We can do a few more.’”

Blumberg and Darrow said an involuntary long-distance relationship feels like an added weight to their COVID-19 experience, but

they’re still looking forward to the day when their relationship will be “normal” again.

“It’s easier than, say, a long-distance relationship out of high school because we know there’s an end point,” Blumberg said.

“The hard part is knowing when that end point will be.”

To stay connected, Blumberg said they call each other for at least two hours every day and simulate dates through Netflix parties or cooking together virtually.

Blumberg said it’s not the same as seeing each other every day in Austin, but it’s the best they can do for now.

Darrow said they also have bond touch bracelets which allow them to tap on the bracelet and communicate with one another through vibrations.

“Even when we’re not able to text or call, or we’re both in class, I can easily tap on my wrist a few times and send her a message,” Darrow said. “It’s like we have our own little language; it makes me feel close to her.”

Distance doesn’t have to be miles apart to be hard. Mechanical engineering sophomore Samuel Wheeler lives in West Campus while Rachel Galassini, an education sophomore and his girlfriend of four years, lives in Jester West Residence Hall.

Wheeler said the no-guest policy at Jester makes it hard to see her, and Galassini limits her contact with others because she is immunocompromised.

“I’m lucky we’re not (both) on campus because we would practically be banished from seeing each other,” Wheeler said.

“It’s really hard not seeing her every day.”

Last year, Wheeler said he and Galassini used to see each other at least four times a day and

alex donavan

would always get lunch together.

Now, they see each other three to four times a week.

“I know it’s nothing compared to a long-distance relationship, but it’s still an adjustment,” Wheeler said. “(We) have to pick and choose when to do things instead of just running into each other spontaneously. It feels like our time together has been cut

in half.”

Wheeler said they’ve turned everyday routines into dates to see each other more often. They go to the grocery store, do homework and go on walks together.

“We’re at the point in our relationship where we don’t go on big, fancy dates,” Wheeler said. “We just enjoy the little things now, but I wish we could do more of them.”

/ the daily texan staff

Both couples said they’re confident in the foundations of their relationships in withstanding the obstacles attributed to COVID-19.

“It’s comforting knowing you’re doing this with someone that’s just (as) committed to making it work as you are,” Darrow said. “Someone who’s with you through the good times and the tough times.”

8

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

LIFE&ARTS

BLM

Black student creatives fight for justice

By Alaina Bookman @AlainaBookman

After her parents told her she couldn’t attend a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, Tarniesha Floyd said she wanted to find another way to support the movement.

Floyd, a radio-television-film freshman, created Homies at Home, a website that gives Black creators and business owners a platform to share their work. It also provides links to petitions and fundraisers.

“My goal for the website is to eventually have it become both a safe place for Black people as well as a place for allies to educate themselves freely and hopefully educate their peers,” Floyd said.

After the police killing of George Floyd in May, activists organized protests and petitions all over the country. Three months later, some young, Black creatives are continuing to use their voices to bring awareness to the social justice movement.

Marketing sophomore Isaiah Williams makes music in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and those who have been silenced. He hasn’t released any of his own music to the public and said he creates music solely to express himself.

“I’ve been just rapping and making music for a while now, but I didn’t want to start actually producing music until (this year),” Williams said. “(Music) lets me talk about what’s going in in the world.”

Environmentalaaa aaascience

sophomore Aaliyah Smith has also become involved in the Black Lives Matter movement through her multimedia art.

Smith sells her handmade commissioned paintings online through Etsy.

“I usually start by making my basic pieces, and then every once in a while, I’ll get a message from someone who wants a custom painting for their social media or decorations,” Smith said.

Over time, Smith has worked to raise money for the Black Lives Matter movement. Since March, she has donated over $600 of her profits to different organizations. She said she has given money to community bail fundraisers, Black LGBTQ+ organizations and GoFundMe pages for families affected by police brutality.

“The Black Lives Matter movement means a lot to me,” Smith said. “I’ve personally seen many of my family members be directly affected by police brutality, so I plan to continue to donate money until there are some changes made to the system.”

Floyd said her website is meant to not only give her a platform to contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement but to also inspire others to get involved. In the future, she said she plans to continue to shine a light on social injustices as a filmmaker.

“As a film major, I want to create a moviegoing experience for Black people that doesn’t exploit our trauma for profit,” Floyd said. “My ultimate goal is to create more film oppor-

gianna shahdad

tunities and representation for people in my community so that they don’t feel that their dream is too far-fetched or unrealistic.”

Floyd said she and others don’t plan on stopping their work with the Black Lives Matter movement anytime soon.

/ the daily texan file

“There may be a spotlight on the movement right now because everyone is at home and can no longer ignore the injustices against Black people in America, but once that goes away that doesn’t mean people are going to stop fighting,” Floyd said.

LIFE&ARTS

9

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

MUSIC

Folk duo Briscoe to release debut album amid pandemic

By Lauren Castro @laurrncastro

When May rolled around and the world still stood in the midst of a pandemic, the red-headed folk duo Briscoe escaped to a cabin on a lake in San Angelo, Texas. The pair spent time dreaming up their debut album, Flower Johnson, which will be released Oct. 30.

After releasing their first single “Sailing Away” in March, Briscoe had high hopes of recording a full album but were unable to iron out the details due to their long-distance friendship.

During the spring semester, business freshman Truett Heintzelman was still in high school in San Antonio while geological sciences

And if we happen to become the best band of all time, then hey, it is what it is.”

TRUETT HEINTZELMAN business freshman

sophomore Philip Lupton was living in Austin.

Once the pandemic began and quarantine chained the pair to their respective homes, the duo was given the gift of time and began brainstorming ideas for Flower Johnson.

“For the first time in forever, I was sitting at home with not much to do, so it was a really good opportunity to play a lot of music and write a lot of music,” Heintzelman said. “I quickly found that it’s a great way to keep your mind off

of all that is wrong with the world.”

Heintzelman said their time at the lake presented an opportunity to get motivated and create — something he struggled to do during quarantine.

“We realized we had an opportunity as well to make others smile a little bit during this pandemic, which is a really cool thing when you’re given the chance to do so,” Heintzelman said.

At the lake cabin, they spent the day writing song lyrics, jamming out to their favorite artists and taking the boat out. At night, Briscoe would record at Nautilus Recording Studio, where they stayed 6 feet apart from all staff and musicians.

“We made the best of the bad situation,” Lupton said.

“Recording in the studio is almost like a perfect activity for a pandemic because we were seeing only one guy that we didn’t have to get within 6 feet of.”

Gary Laney, owner of Nautilus Recording Studio, helped produce Flower Johnson and has worked with Lupton in the past.

“I think (their music) holds up with anything else that’s out there on the radio,” Laney said. “They just continue to write better songs all the time. Their melodies are real catchy, and their harmonies are just phenomenal.”

Despite living in Austin and attending classes at UT, Briscoe is still unable to play gigs. Currently, the musicians are trying to balance schoolwork, the band and their personal lives.

“Not being able to play shows requires you to have

copyright georgia lupton, and reproduced with permission

Truett Heintzelman and Philip Lupton are all smiles while recording.

a lot more content on social media to keep your fans engaged, and that is difficult to do while being a full-time student,” Lupton said.

“It was wonderful in the summer when we had all this free time to record, but now that we have everything done, it has become a little bit of a burden.”

Despite the challenge, Lupton said the most important thing is they continue having fun. Briscoe released the album’s first single, “Dirty Shoes,” last week ahead of the album’s release Oct. 30.

“We’re (going to) give it all we got and have as much fun with it as we can and hopefully make people smile, make people dance and put out music the world enjoys,” Heintzelman said.

“And if we happen to become the best band of all time, then hey, it is what it is.”

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Sports Editor M Y A H T A Y L O R FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

FOOTBALL

SPORTS

Jordyn Fields blazes her own trail Black female football assistant director brings diverse perspectives to the Texas coaching staff.

By Myah Taylor @t_myah

efore Jordyn Fields arrived in Austin two years ago to serve as Texas football’s assistant director of player personnel, she made a few pit stops.

Fields has lived everywhere, from Florida and Ohio to Michigan and Utah. She went to five different elementary schools and finished her last eight weeks of her senior year at a new high school.

As the daughter of a nomadic college football coach, moving was her norm.

While Fields has followed her stepfather’s football path, she’s blazing a trail of her own as a Black woman working in sports.

“I think she is the first Black female to own a position of a staff member in the football department in the history of the school, which is unbelievable,” said Paul Haynes, Fields’ stepfather.

Unlike other women in the industry, Fields said she hasn’t had negative experiences. However, she said

working in a male-dominated field does have its drawbacks.

“Sometimes people don’t know how to interact with me, and (when) they interact with me, they’re a different way than they interact with other people in the workplace,” Fields said.

It was when she was in college working at Kent State’s football office that Fields said she discovered her love for sports operations and recruiting. She took the Texas job after Texas football chief of staff Fernando Lovo, whom she met at a Big 12 event several months earlier, called her one day about the opportunity.

“I was very, very fortunate, and I would even use the word ‘privileged’ because my dad is a coach in football, so that helped me to meet the right people, be in connection with the right people and have those right relationships,” Fields said. “I feel like I could be a really great resource for young women that are trying to come into sports, especially young Black women.”

Although Fields enjoyed the advantages of having a coach as a father, Haynes still made her aware of the challenges that could stand in her way.

“When she first told me she wanted to be a director of football ops or she wanted to be an AD, I was like, ‘That’s a man’s field position,’” Haynes said. “But even 10 years ago, nine years ago, women weren’t in that position. And now you see a lot of women in that position, and I

copyright jordyn fields, and reproduced with permission

Texas football assistant director of player development Jordyn Fields poses for the camera. Fields said she is working to do her part in advocating for women in sports.

I feel like I could be a really great resource for young women that are trying to come into sports, especially young Black women.”

JORDYN FIELDS texas football assistant director

think they are awesome.”

Make no mistake, Fields

is more than “Coach Haynes’ daughter,” her stepfather said. Fields’ interpersonal skills, work ethic and intellect has set her apart throughout her career.

Football head coach Tom Herman said Fields is an invaluable member of Texas’ staff.

“She’s such a hard worker and so great with our players and parents,” Herman said in a statement. “Jordyn

is a truly selfless individual; she works tirelessly and is ready and willing to take on any and every challenge that comes her way. We are so lucky to have her in our program.”

Fields brings a diverse perspective to the staff, Herman said. At Texas, where conversations surrounding racial injustice have become prevalent, Fields said she hasn’t used her voice as

much as she could, although she does serve on a diversity and inclusion committee in the program.

Fields said she is working to better do her part in advocating for women in sports, and she thinks visibility is the way forward.

“It’s so important to see female representation, to see Black female representation, to make it more normal,” Fields said.

COMICS

Comics Editor

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Fans split on testing requirements

gabriel lopez

/ the daily texan file

Fans cheer on the 2017 Texas football team from the packed student section. All students with The Big Ticket who plan to go to this Saturday’s game must first take a free COVID-19 test and test negative.

By Stephen Wagner @stephenwag22

Being tested for COVID-19 before a football game is part of the price Texas’ student Big Ticket holders will have to pay to watch the Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium this fall.

In an email late Wednesday night, Texas Athletics announced Big Ticket holders will have to take a free COVID-19 test the day before football games this year, and only holders who test negative will be allowed to claim their ticket on game day.

Texas Athletics did not re-

lease a statement requiring fans without The Big Ticket to be tested before games.

“As an added safety measure, all Big Ticket holders wishing to claim a ticket for Saturday’s football game must take a complimentary rapid SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) antigen test this Friday, Sept. 11 between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.” Texas Athletics said in the email.

“Only Big Ticket holders who receive a negative test result will have the opportunity to claim a game ticket.”

Some UT students are OK with Texas’ new requirements if it means they’ll be able to at-

tend home football games this fall. Others have mixed feelings and feel Texas Athletics is making students go through unnecessary steps to attend a game.

Reed Senterfitt, a business honors sophomore and Big Ticket holder, is upset Texas Athletics made its announcements less than three days from kickoff. He thinks testing requirements should have been clarified when he bought The Big Ticket.

Senterfitt said the new COVID-19 testing procedures even convinced a few of his friends not to

attend Saturday’s game.

“So (Texas Athletics) sold us these tickets, right? But they’re having us go out of our way to be able to really use them, which wasn’t really specified when we purchased them,” Senterfitt said. “I just almost think it’s somewhat of a ripoff. … It’s a lot of work to put on a football game, but I’m wondering why (UT) couldn’t apply this to maybe trying to get more classes back to in-person.”

Corporate communications senior Faith Osterberg bought The Big Ticket because she figured UT would find a way

to have students at games, and she originally planned to attend Texas’ season opener against UT-El Paso Saturday.

After finding out about Texas Athletics’ new COVID-19 testing requirement, she isn’t sure if she’ll be able to cut time out of her schedule to get tested Friday.

“I need to try (to get tested Friday),” Osterberg said.

“Will I do it? Hopefully. But I can also see myself waking up and not doing it. I want to go to the game, but there’s already a lot on my to-do list as it is.”

Osterberg said she

hopes to attend the first game of the year if she does get tested, but she’ll feel weird adjusting to the new normal of pregame testing and a limited-capacity stadium. However, it’s an adjustment she’s willing to make if it means she can have the option to attend Texas games this year.

“I think it’s going to look like the Hunger Games,” Osterberg said. “It’s really going to feel weird, like the apocalypse. As long as they can put on the games and we can at least have a handful of students there, I’ve got no complaints.”