The Daily Texan 2019-03-01 by The Daily Texan

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FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

volume

119,

issue

NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

Jester West renovations to finish a year behind schedule due to unexpected costs. PA G E 2

Executive alliances explain their plans for Student Body President if elected. PA G E 4

Hopscotch art exhibit brings unique, interactive experience to Austin. PA G E 8

Zubia, Longhorns prepare for weekend series against topranked LSU at home. PA G E 7

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NATION

Obama talks ‘Becoming’

Former First Lady speaks about personal and professional challenges detailed in memoir.

joshua guenther | the daily texan staff Former First Lady Michelle Obama discusses her childhood with celebrity chef Rachael Ray, right, on Thursday night at the Frank Erwin Center. Thousands gathered for the talk — one of 21 stops of Obama’s “Becoming” book tour.

By Nicole Stuessy & Graysen Golter

@nicolestuessy, @graysen_golter

hile growing up in the south side of Chicago, Michelle Obama said she didn’t realize her family was poor. “When you live in a house full of love, music and laughter, you feel like you’re rich,” Obama said. “That was our childhood: things pieced together with duct tape and love.”

Thousands gathered at the Frank Erwin Center Thursday night to hear the former first lady, along with celebrity chef Rachael Ray, speak about her personal and professional life as part of a book tour for her new memoir, “Becoming.” In addition to discussing her childhood and family, Obama spoke about her college education, health activism and challenges she has faced as an AfricanAmerican woman.

Imagine walking around the world trying to raise your kids and go to work covered in scars — that’s how women live.” MICHELLE OBAMA

She said while she grew up in a loving household, not all women are so fortunate to be surrounded by the kind of men she was. Obama said she holds the men in her life to the standard set by her father. “Imagine walking around the world trying to raise your kids and go to work covered in scars — that’s how women live,” Obama said. “It’s not just the job of the mother, it’s the job of the men in her life to make her feel loved.

When I met Barack Obama, my bar was high.” Obama graduated from Princeton University in 1985 with an undergraduate degree in sociology and went on to earn her law degree three years later from Harvard. She then practiced law at Sidley Austin in Chicago where she mentored a young lawyer, Barack Obama. “You go from being a normal citizen to the moment

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CAMPUS

Education making headway in 2020 goals

Elevators causing accessibility problems in West Campus

By Savana Dunning @savanaish

By Mason Carroll @MasonCCarroll

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s plan to increase the number of educated Texans is facing its first benchmark in 2020. The program is on track in some areas, but falling behind in others. “We believe in aggressive plans,” said David Gardner, the board’s deputy commissioner for academic planning. “We don’t believe in plans that are easy. We want to stretch ourselves.” The project, called 60x30TX, was created in 2015 to increase the percentage of Texans between 25 years old and 34 years old who have at least a bachelor degree by the year 2030. This objective is split into four goals: increasing the number of people with degrees, increasing degrees awarded in Texas annually, increasing marketable skills acquired by each student and decreasing the percentage of students with student debt. The board wants 48 percent of 25-yearold to 34-year-old Texans to have post-secondary credentials by 2020, but the number currently sits at 43.5 percent, an increase of 2.5 percent from 2015. Similarly, the goal for certificate completion in 2020 is 376,000 degrees awarded by Texas schools per year, but as of 2018, the board was still 34,693 degrees short of their goal. The marketable skills goal, or the amount of job skills students get through their degree, is harder to quantify, Gardner said. The goal is to keep the level of graduates who are employed one year after graduation at 80 percent every year. That number has stayed around 78 percent since the

EDUCATION

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emma overholt

| the daily texan staff

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West Campus is full of high-rise apartment complexes and elevators that make it easier for students to access their rooms. However, for students like finance senior Amie Jean, out-of-service elevators have made it hard to get to class. Jean was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis her sophomore year, making it hard for her to navigate campus without a wheelchair. Jean lives on the third floor of her West Campus apartment complex, where she said there are always problems with the elevators. “We constantly have issues with elevators, which is so inconvenient for me,” Jeann said. “I didn’t understand how inconvenient it would be.” Jean said she was on a waitlist to move to an apartment on the first floor to help with the elevator issue. She remains on a higher floor for now but said her apartment works with her and informs her when there is an elevator problem. Jean used to live off of Riverside but said she moved to West Campus because it is closer to the University while also accomodating her desire for an off-campus experience. “You want the option to live closer to campus,” Jean said. “That ‘home away from home’ space, at least in my opinion, feels realer when you aren’t living on campus either.”

Computer engineering senior Runas said while some apartments make room placement accommodations for students with mobility disabilities, the social aspect of students wanting to visit friends or navigating through their apartments can still be hindered by out-of-service elevators. “I think that improving housing accessibility can make coming to UT more accessible for everyone,” Runas said. “Sure they’ll put you on the first floor, but what if your friend does not live on the first floor and their elevator is out of service?” Allie Runas, West Campus Neighborhood Association chair, said she has noticed elevators in West Campus and her own apartment consistently stop working. The neighborhood association has focused on sidewalk accessibility and West Campus lighting in the past. Runas said they want to look into elevator accessibility in the future. “Elevators were designed to be something that blends into the background,” Runas said. “We shouldn’t have to think about access to them in buildings where we’re promised that kind of accessibility. People shouldn’t come home guessing if they’ll have to figure out a different way.” Maredith Martin, health and society sophomore, said she also experiences elevator problems all the time. She said sometimes it takes three days to fix the elevators, and for

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CLAIRE ALLBRIGHT NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Liza Anderson Managing Editor Forrest Milburn Assoc. Managing Editors Catherine Marfin, Andrea D’Mello Director of Digital Strategy Alexandria Dominguez Assoc. Editors Bella McWhorter, Emily Caldwell, Angelica Lopez Forum Editors Jennifer Liu News Editor Claire Allbright Assoc. News Editors Anna Lassmann, Sami Sparber News Desk Editors Gracie Awalt, Meghan Nguyen, Meara Isenberg, Hannah Daniel, Raga Justin Beat Reporters Chase Karacostas, Tien Nguyen, Chad Lyle, Katie Balevic, Hannah Ortega, Savana Dunning, Rahi Dakwala, Mason Carroll, Nicole Stuessy, Jackson Barton, Emily Hernandez Projects Editor Ellie Breed Projects Reporters Maria Mendez, London Gibson, Lisa Nhan, Morgan O’Hanlon, Kayla Meyertons Projects Designer Rena Li Copy Desk Chief Kirsten Handler Associate Copy Desk Chiefs Jason Lihuang, Brittany Miller, Jimena Pinzon, Haylee Reed Design Editor Mireya Rahman Associate Design Editor Renee Koite Senior Designers Christiana Peek, Kendall Jordan, Nila Selvaraj

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CAMPUS

Jester West’s renovation to conclude in August By Raul Rodriguez @RaulRod800

Six years after renovations began in Jester West Residence Hall, the building now has just two floors left of air conditioning, bathrooms and plumbing fixtures to update. In the summer of 2013, construction began on Jester West’s 14 floors with the intention of finishing it by the summer of 2018. After being pushed back a year in 2017, the renovations on the ground and first floor will begin in mid-May and are expected to be finished by the beginning of August. Randy Porter, director of residential facilities at UT, said the delay came from construction costs exceeding their initial estimates. “The original cost estimate in 2013 was $36 million, and we will be finishing the project at $56 million,” Porter said. “In order to complete the last two phases, we had to get approval to increase the overall project budget and that process took about a year to do.”

jamie powers | the daily texan staff Jacqueline Vasquez, a human development and family sciences freshman, walks out of Jester Residence Hall on Wednesday. The dorm is currently undergoing renovations, but Vasquez says she has been unaffected by the construction.

Since the project was so large, different bodies had to give approval before work could begin, Porter said. Once cleared by campus project management and construction services, the proposal moved through the UT President, the UT

System and finally, the Board of Regents. Construction took place from the top floors down, allowing for more convenient plumbing and air conditioning installation, which is why the first and ground floor still need to be

renovated. Under the contracting company FlintCo, construction on the floors has taken place each summer with the exception of the summer of 2017, Porter said. During construction, the configuration of the floors can change as the result of

study rooms being converted into residential rooms and vice versa, Porter said. The floors, however, will not have any unique features besides different finishes, paint colors and carpeting. Kyle Kosanovich, an art and entertainment technologies freshman, lives on the first floor of Jester West, which is still unrenovated, and said the newer floors are better looking compared to his. “(The renovated rooms) look much nicer,” Kosanovich said. “They a look a little bit more bright and not as dull.” Freddy Quintanilla, rhetoric and writing and philosophy senior, is currently a resident assistant in Jester West and has lived on the renovated floors for two years. He said the unrenovated floors are old and unappealing. “It’s just gloomy. It feels like they’re 20 years old,” Quintanilla said. “I would not want to live there under any circumstances. The whole atmosphere changes as soon (the floors are) renovated.”

STATE

Texas senators file bill to protect campus free speech By Chad Lyle @LyleChad

Two high-ranking state senators have filed a bill to establish broad parameters for the free speech rights of students at public universities. State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, partnered with state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, to author Senate Bill 18, which closely follows the principles of The Chicago Statement, a report by the University of Chicago that lays out guidelines to protect students’ constitutional right to free speech. Huffman and Nelson’s bill establishes a set of rules that all public universities in Texas would need to abide by. The first of these is all common outdoor areas must become public forums allowing free expression. This would eliminate the concept of “free speech zones,” which some universities have used to relegate free speech to certain areas. Tyler Coward, legislative counsel for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, an organization dedicated to protecting campus free speech,

OBAMA

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you are watching your husband, before your very eyes, become the president of the United States,” Obama said. During her time in the White House, Obama said she fought for healthier lifestyles for children after observing her own children’s habits, including drinking sugary drinks and watching too much television. With the current administration rolling back these efforts, she hopes parents are educated enough to implement healthy habits at home. “We have to be aware of what health looks like for our kids,” Obama said. “We have to shift from what we’re buying so that (fast food companies) will stop killing

said getting rid of the concept of free speech zones would be a “huge win” for students in the state of Texas. “Defining outdoor areas as public forums is an important thing,” Coward said. “Universities have, in the past, restricted student speech to these free speech zones in a way that violates students’ core constitutional rights.” Huffman and Nelson’s bill also says students must be allowed to “spontaneously and contemporaneously assemble or distribute written material without a permit or other permission from the institution.” Coward said this stipulation is a “critically important” part of protecting free speech. “We had a lawsuit (at Cal Poly Pomona) with a student who was trying to distribute vegan literature on campus,” Coward said. “He was doing it outside the free speech zone there, which led to litigation when he was escorted off campus by campus police.” Lillian Bonin, a liberal arts representative in Student Government who co-authored a successful resolution in support of The

our kids.” Obama spoke about her feelings on the current administration, saying it was difficult to watch the transition from what she and former President Obama were trying to accomplish to President Trump’s actions. “To sit on that stage (for Trump’s inauguration) and see this version of America was painful,” Obama said. In her closing comments, Obama said she wants Americans to remain hopeful for the future of the nation and politically active throughout this administration. “We have been through worse,” Obama said. “We are still a country becoming, we aren’t there yet. We still need to remain hopeful and active. Change doesn’t happen passively.”

Correction: The headline for a story on campus construction that was printed on Feb. 27 was inaccurate. It should have read, “Campus construction projects rarely include building demolitions.” The Texan regrets this error.

anthony mireles | the daily texan file State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, introduced Senate Bill 18 to the Texas Legislature. The bill aims to protect the free speech of students on univerity campuses.

Chicago Statement, said she thought Huffman and Nelson’s bill was a faithful policy interpretation of The Chicago Statement. “I think, especially in principle, Joan Huffman really nailed The Chicago Statement,” said Bonin. a government junior and Young Conservatives of Texas spokesperson. “What I think (The Chicago Statement) does so well is that it balances reality and uses really

good examples of real-life problems that there have been, and it ties the principles to those. And I think this bill does a good job of addressing all of those points.” In a statement announcing the filing of the bill, Huffman highlighted another key portion of her legislation: a provision that would prohibit universities from taking action against student organizations

because of their political, religious, philosophical, ideological or academic viewpoints. “Campus leadership should never stymie free speech at an institution of higher education simply because of a disagreement in ideology or politics … thereby allowing students and faculty to thrive in a setting that respects their first amendment right to free speech,” Huffman said in a statement. SB 18 mandates that

if it passes, students and faculty must be made aware of new free speech policies via updates to student and personnel handbooks, orientation materials and the institution’s website. “If the whole point of having these free speech rights is to open up discussion and speech on campus and people don’t know about that, then it’s not really going to have any effect,” Bonin said.

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NATION

Study shows FAFSA terms primarily confuse low-income students By Tehya Rassman @tehyarassman

In a study focused on FAFSA jargon, UT students Zachary Taylor and Ibrahim Bicak found lower-income students reported more confusion with FAFSA terms than wealthier students. The study involved adult learners aged 25 and older, who comprise more than 33 percent of all enrolled students in U.S. institutions of higher education, according to the study. The study asked 813 respondents to read three financial aid application instructions from different universities and identify unfamiliar terms. Of these, 510 respondents identified no unfamiliar terms, while 303 collectively called 1,208 terms financial aid jargon. Taylor said he was surprised student age does not determine the number of unfamiliar or

confusing terms to an individual. According to the study’s results, income was the only factor that made a difference in understanding the jargon out of all variables tested, which included gender, age and race/ethnicity. “Are wealthier adults more knowledgeable about financial aid processes?” Taylor said. “There’s no research to support that, but that’s one of the findings in the study. The more money you make, as an adult, seemingly, the more you know about financial aid jargon.” Schools across the nation use different terms in their respective FAFSA instructions, and there is not yet a federal mandate to standardize the information, according to the study. “If you go to UT, you go to Rice, you go to Baylor, you go to UT El Paso, you’re all filling out the FAFSA, so why are these instructions different?” Taylor, a

higher education leadership Ph.D. student, said. Social work junior Vanessa Bissereth said she thinks a federal mandate to standardize the FAFSA application is a good idea because it will make things simpler for her as a firstgeneration student. Bissereth speaks Haitian Creole, French and Spanish. English is not her first language. “I learned to speak English, but I have a hard time reading it,” Bissereth said. “That makes FAFSA even more challenging.” Government junior Jordan McDaniel said he’s never had any issues with the FAFSA and its language. But he said he agrees a federal mandate to standardize FAFSA makes sense. Some of the jargon reported were financial terms, such as “4506-T tax return form.” Others were simpler terms, such as

albert lee

“student portal.” Despite working in higher education for years, Taylor said he even found unfamiliar acronyms while looking at terms reported in the study.

| the daily texan staff

“If you’re not working in education to help kids and to help them achieve their educational dreams and the school they want to go to, I’m not sure exactly what you’re doing,” Taylor said.

CAMPUS

UTPD updates approach to sexual assault By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez

The UT Police Department is updating its sexual assault investigation practices through the Interagency Sexual Assault Team. UTPD Chief David Carter, an executive board member of the team, helped present for the team at the Public Safety Commission meeting on Feb. 4 to update the public on the team’s progress. Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore created the team in September 2017 to increase coordination between law enforcement, forensic technicians and survivor advocacy groups to enhance effectiveness in responding, investigation and prosecution of adult sexual assaults in Travis County. Carter said sergeant Samantha Stanford and detective Eliana Decker, who specialize in sex crimes, are the UTPD representatives actively working within the team and with UT sexual assault survivors. One important initiative, Moore said, is the victim feedback project, which may include working with the Institute of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault within the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. This could include focus groups, surveys or in-person interviews. Carter said historically,

E D U C AT I O N continues from page

program launched. The debt goal, which involves reducing the amount of graduates with student debt to 50 percent by 2020, exceeded its benchmark by 4 percent — the only initiative to do so. Gardner said he believes these numbers are on track for the board’s goals. “I’m a big believer that we are (achieving our goals), but I don’t assume that it will happen naturally,” Gardner said. “That’s why we collect data regularly, that’s why we are moving forward.” Progress toward these goals

reports of sexual assault are consistently low in the U.S., so obtaining survivor feedback when survivors are comfortable is important. “Are you comfortable in reporting to the police? Do you feel that the police have some kind of prejudice or bias against you?” Carter said. “Those are the kinds of things that we need to know if we’re serious about finding best practices involving sexual assault investigations moving forward.” Ashka Dighe, an officer of UT’s chapter of It’s on Us, a campus sexual assault prevention organization, said the biggest barrier students face in reporting sexual assault is the fear they will be forced into an intense investigative process and have to relive their trauma. “While that does help find perpetrators of sexual assault and rape and seems like you’re doing justice, it actually really harms the victim after they’ve already been harmed,” said Dighe, a neuroscience and health and society sophomore. “Sometimes people just won’t believe you.” Carter said police cannot investigate without the cooperation of the victim, but UTPD can reopen cases once the victim is ready to continue within the time period set by the statute of limitations. Darla Gay, senior planner for the DA’s Office, said UTPD

is working on the intersection between Title IX reporting and reporting to the police because students should feel like they have places outside of the University where they can report sexual assault. “We need to look more at … how victims who are using the Title IX reporting feel that their needs are being met,” Gay said. “We need this alternative route we give victims … because they clearly need support services.” According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 91 percent of rape and sexual assault survivors are women. “(Relating) to the survivors is really important, and since obviously women are the vast majority of the survivors, you want to make sure that police seem sympathetic and at least empathetic toward victims,” Carter said. Carter said the collaboration between the team’s agencies allows better opportunities for students, especially those who report sexual assaults off campus. “If we’re on the same page as these other police departments where a student might actually live, then we’re talking the same language and we’re sharing information,” Carter said. “We’re able to get them the help they need and more likelihood for a successful prosecution so that justice can be served.”

is accomplished in different ways. The board has teams for different regions to meet the needs of institutions in those areas. Rosemary Haggett, member of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex Regional Advisory Group, said this allows regional differences, such as high school graduation patterns and local labor markets, to factor into strategic planning. For example, UNT is helping create early college high schools to increase opportunities and degree attainment, Haggett said. “The region is still working on our complete implementation plan, but many of our institutions have a foundation of work on which to implement the strategies and continue and

build upon the good work that is ongoing,” Haggett said. The UT System is helping the board complete these goals as well. Rebecca Karoff, UT System associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the System has developed and funded programs focusing on student financial well-being, advising and social belonging to improve academic success. “The System’s framework for student success — developed in collaboration with institutions — takes a holistic approach to helping students achieve their educational and career goals,” Karoff said in a statement. “Research makes it clear that support in these areas is critical to student success.”

eilish o’sullivan | the daily texan staff Accessibility issues arise, especially for people with disabilities, when elevators go out of service. Allie Runas, the West Campus Neighborhood Association chair, is trying to do something about that by looking into how the association can make elevators more accessible in the future.

E L E VAT O R S continues from page

people with mobility disabilities, that’s too much time. “I don’t have to deal with (a mobility disability), but for anyone who does, it would be

a really hard struggle for them because … they couldn’t rely on the elevators,” Martin said. Jean said she hopes changes can be made because accessibility is important for all students. “I think if West Campus (apartments) could come

together, like a coalition, and support what we have going at UT, it’s an opportunity for them to say, ‘Hey, not only are we giving you housing that is not connected to the University, but we are also are forward thinking with the (UT) culture,” ’ Jean said.

jeb milling

| the daily texan staff

LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

Editor’s note: Every year, candidates for student body President and Vice President submit columns to The Daily Texan outlining their platforms and goals for the next year.

This year, two executive alliance campaigns submitted columns to the Texan. Online voting for Student Government positions will be open Monday March 4 and Tuesday March 5.

eddie gaspar, katie bauer

GUEST COLUMN

Camron & Amie want a ‘UT Led by You’ further means by which they connect with students. Furthermore, Student Government executive alliance candidates changes leadership every year and with that comes the possibility of projects goThis is your campaign, and you ing unfinished. So then what happens to have made it your own. The messages the work of previous administrations? we have seen already have blown us We will create a continuity committee away. Students are sending in stories of Student Government members to about how their smaller schools and continue to fight for initiatives, such as colleges struggle to be included in imReinstate the Rivalry, the Sure Walk portant conversations across campus; program, Thanksgiving Break, Career stories of uninCloset and the sured students Food Pantry. in need of more In an effort to mental health build the crediand wellness bility of the orgaservices; stories nization, we need about the need for to show students Most of all, this camgender-inclusive we are committed paign is focused on housing; stories to finishing what about the estimatwe started and you and your voice.” ed 8,000 students being transparent living in Riverside about the progress being neglected of our initiatives. because of where The continuity they live. The courage it takes to share committee will also identify success and these experiences is amazing. Let’s missteps of legislation that can be ackeep writing and let’s keep talking, but tively considered as a way to establish a as we do that, let’s start changing. Let’s precedent for proctoring successful and take it from passion to words and from sustainable legislation. words to policy. This campaign is committed to other That is what this campaign is all areas such as sexual assault prevention about. We want to do less talking and training expansion, Sure Walk expanmore listening. We want to do less sion, nontraditional student resources talking and more executing. and mental health efforts. Most of all, Our campaign desires to take palpathis campaign is focused on you and ble actions on diversity while emphayour voice. From our experiences, we sizing and reaffirming inclusion efforts. understand the power of voice and As a member of the Student Advisory have worked to uplift underrepresented Committee for Diversity, Camron has communities on campus. When Amie been working with student leaders and I couldn’t find what we needed, and administration to make campus we wrote new paths. When there were an inclusive space for all students. In no pre-existing routes to follow or expursuit of that mission, UT currently amples before us, we became pioneers. offers diversity and inclusivity training Understanding the distinct individuto faculty and staff, but we believe stuality of each student, we’ve recognized dents should know which professors that everyone has a path to traverse as have gone through the various training a pioneer no matter their external facing courses. We will implement a training identities. This birthed the vision of UT tag system that shows which professors by You. have undergone inclusivity training by If elected, Camron and Amie will identifiable tags on the course schedules stimulate a campus environment where and syllabi. This will provide students each student feels empowered to use with more transparency about the learntheir voice, create the change they want ing environment and encourage profesto see and write their own chapter in sors to proudly undergo trainings and UT history.

By Camron Goodman and Amie Jean

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.

| the daily texan staff

GUEST COLUMN

Izzy & Elena campaign to ‘Recreate’ UT By Isabella Fanucci and Elena Ivanova executive alliance candidates

This campaign has been unlike anything we have ever experienced. While both of us have spent years working to improve student life at UT, we feel so fortunate to be given the opportunity to reach thousands of students, staff, faculty and administrators with consolidated thoughts, critiques, and ideas. With that being said, this campaign is not about us. We began this effort with issues and solutions in mind. The first question we asked each other was, “What are your priorities?” We decided to run one week before campaigning officially began. We were told by many that it couldn’t be done, that there was not enough time to plan an elaborate campaign. When we heard this, our response was simple. We do not need an elaborate campaign. We need to engage the student body on issues that matter, and we need to be able to advocate on behalf of students within the bureaucracy of both Student Government and UT. Our slogan, Recreate, while multi-faceted, comes down to making substantial, feasible, necessary changes on campus. While change implies reform, it also constitutes creation. Recreate culminates in many different aspects of our platform and goals that we hope to achieve if we are elected. Our focus is less on politics, and more on follow-through. In light of the proposed Title IX rollbacks on survivors’ rights, interpersonal violence prevention is at the forefront of our platform. Working to address sexual assault prevention efforts on campus, we often get asked, “What is the biggest issue that UT students face?” In response, we cite the 2017 CLASE study that states at least one out of every five women and one of every 16 men at UT is a survivor. All the while, survivors are having to balance college while attempting to deal with a traumatic event that could have been prevented. If elected, we would immediately work on increasing the number of confidential advocates on campus, which means students can talk to a formally-trained faculty or staff member without the worry of

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

having to go through a reporting process. Furthermore, we prioritize expanding legal services for survivors, rebranding the “Be Safe” campaign, implementing an IPVP feedback week and adopting the “Texas IX.” These imperative changes could fundamentally shift the responsibility of safety from the student to the University, emphasize the need for further prevention education, streamline reporting and provide additional University support for survivors and the accused throughout the investigation. With all of these changes, our mission is to create a culture of care and consent for all Longhorns. A culture of care involves advocacy for mental health resources — mental health is a critical issue on every college campus. As students, we inhabit a precarious position during this time of our lives. We are finally independent yet we are expected to know exactly what we want to do after graduation. We want to make counseling more accessible. By expanding the Counselors in Academic Residence program and by introducing virtual counseling, students will no longer have to make the trek to the Student Services Building to meet with a counselor. CMHC appointments are difficult to come by and there can be days where you cannot or do not want to get out of bed. You should not have to miss that potentially critical appointment because of the inability to be physically present. Everyone has a different college experience, so it is imperative every student receives support tailored to their experiences throughout their time at UT. We recognize this proposed list is ambitious and raises the concern of time constraints. Can all of this be done in one year? By the end of our term, most of these ideas will be implemented. Some long-term projects will not be, but that does not mean we are going to shy away from working on them. Making continuity a priority in SG is critical to ensuring the next group of student leaders picks up right where we left off. Administrators have walked over student leaders for years — this year, we will not let that happen. We are not afraid to speak up for students and recreate campus alongside every student voice. So, join us and recreate what it means to be a student on this campus.

RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

MEN’S SWIMMING

Ariola, Evans lead Texas charge towards conference championship By Samuel Saucer @samuelsaucer

Halfway through the Big 12 Championship week, the Texas women’s swimming and diving team appears well on its way to yet another conference title. The Longhorns built on a strong opening day performance by sweeping all five of Thursday’s events. The six-time defending league champs claimed gold in the 500-yard freestyle, 200yard individual medley, 50-yard freestyle, 400-yard medley, and 1-meter diving while amassing a commanding overall team lead in the process. “I thought the times were pretty good today. A lot of us aren’t very well rested,” freshman Grace Ariola said. “So considering how rested we are, it was a good performance.” Ariola has as much to do with Texas’ fast start as anyone. She was part of the 200-yard medley relay team that notched its first win of the meet Wednesday night

and followed it up with a pair of first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley Thursday. “As we said at our team meeting, even if this isn’t most competitive conference, we’re still competing against each other and competing for each other,” Ariola said. “And that’s what I love about this team.” Among those contributing highly to the Longhorns’ successful run was senior Joanna Evans. The two-time All American broke the Big 12 conference meet record with a 4:36.87 time in the 500-yard freestyle, surpassing her own record-setting time by nearly two seconds from two years ago. “It isn’t quite as fast as I was earlier in the season,” Evans said. “But breaking records is always kinda fun. At this time of the year, it’s exciting.” Finding her way to the record books has become something of a habit for Evans, who also currently holds the top times in school history in the 1650- and 800-yard freestyles.

When asked to assess her team’s overall performance, the senior echoed the words of Texas head coach Carol Capitani by stressing the importance of Big 12s in preparing the team for potentially greater treasures at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. “This isn’t always the most competitive meet, but it’s good preparation,” Evans said. “I think a few people wanted to be a bit faster. But I think everyone is excited for the next couple of days. For those of who have already qualified for the NCAAs, we’re just getting ready for what’s to come in a couple weeks’ time.” Through day two, the Longhorns lead their next closest challenger, the Kansas Jayhawks, by a 384.5–241.5 margin. Texas remains a perfect 3-for-3 in relay events. Action will resume Friday with preliminaries set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center, followed by finals at 6 p.m.

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anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Freshman Grace Ariola congratulates her teammate after finishing a race at the Big 12 Championships in Austin. Ariola’s relay team contributed to Texas’ already sizable lead in the meet.

Krueger, Longhorns close in on another Big 12 title

anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Freshman Daniel Krueger reaches out to West Virginia sophomore Merwane El Merini during the Big 12 Championships in Austin. Krueger edged El Merini to take first in the 50-yard freestyle.

By Liliana Hall @lilihallllllll

As the fourth-ranked Longhorns work towards their 40th straight conference title at the Big 12 Championships this week, freshman Daniel Krueger shoots for something smaller — his first Big 12 title. At the conclusion of Wednesday’s events, Texas sat in second place in the standings, trailing West Virginia by seven points. With the Longhorns needing to make up ground Thursday night, pressure was high at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center as Krueger went head-tohead in the 50-yard freestyle alongside teammates freshman Charlie Scheinfeld and junior Jacob Huerta. Senior Tate Jackson was scratched from the heat earlier in the afternoon. However, after going headto-head with West Virginia sophomore Merwane El Merini, Krueger outstretched his opponent with a final time of 19.40, just under threetenths of a second faster than El Merini.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to be swimming for a team as great as Texas,” Krueger said. “When you step up on the block, you become a

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be swimming for a team as great as Texas. When you step up on the block, you become a longhorn tradition and I owe a lot to my coaches for preparing me for tonight.” DANIEL KRUEGER SWIMMER

part of the Longhorn tradition and I owe a lot to my coaches for preparing me for tonight.”

Krueger closed out the night on the 400-yard medley relay alongside Scheinfeld, junior Ryan Harty and senior John Shebat. The A-team broke the preceding Big 12 meet record in the 400 medley with a time of 3:04.57. But for Krueger, day two of the Big 12 Championships was his opportunity to showcase his readiness for the NCAA Championships, which are hosted in Austin on March 11. “No matter how we closed out the night, it was a fantastic experience competing with my team,” Krueger said. “I was so pumped from all my teammates cheering me on and I owe so much to (Texas head coach) Eddie (Reese) for preparing me for this moment.” After successfully claiming his first Big 12 title, Krueger closed out the second night of the biggest meet of the year with a solid shot at heading to the NCAA Championships next month. “If I go to nationals, I am going to immediately get back into training and do whatever I need to do to keep Coach (Reese) proud,” Krueger said.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 01, 2019

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, March 1, 2019

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Did You Know? Lorem ipsum

9 out of 10 Longhorns get a safe ride home. Whether it’s a rideshare, bus, or designated driver, plan ahead! @UTBruceTheBat 2018 UT-Austin National Social Norms Center Survey

ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

BASEBALL

‘Learn and get better’

Texas faces toughest test of the season this weekend at the Disch.

carlos garcia | the daily texan file Designated hitter Zach Zubia swings at a pitch in Texas’ 10-7 loss to UTSA at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Feb. 27. Zubia hit his second home run of the year in Wednesday’s game and will look to spearhead a Texas offense against a strong LSU pitching rotation after blowing a six-run lead against the Roadrunners.

By Daniela Perez @danielap3rez

nder the warmth of the dugout’s heaters, Zach Zubia sat with his back pressed to the wall and feet atop the Longhorn bench while reflecting on the Wednesday night loss to UTSA. The 6-foot-4-inch designated hitter barely fit under the dugout as he towered over reporters’ microphones. “There is a hiccup every once and a while (sic) and I’m not saying losing to a team is acceptable, but sometimes you’ve got to learn from baseball,” Zubia said. “It’s a humbling game for sure, and it can really teach you (that) whenever you feel on top, it can bring you right back down.” Zubia was visibly

disappointed by the loss, although he tallied his second home run of the season. Texas nearly had the Roadrunners heading toward I-35 before the game was even over. But in the fifth inning, the Longhorns gave up eight runs and watched their six-run lead crumble. “You score six runs in the first four innings and then don’t put up anything else on the board the rest of the game until the ninth, that’s bad from an offensive standpoint,” Zubia said. “It really wasn’t the best put together game.” Yet, Zubia was hopeful about the weekend’s matchup against top-ranked LSU, per the USA Today Coaches Poll. “You can’t get consumed in them being the number one team in the country. They put on their pants the same way. You

You can’t get consumed in them being the number one team in the country. They put on their pants the same way. You just can’t get consumed in the hype.” ZACH ZUBIA

DESIGNATED HITTER

just can’t get consumed in the hype,” Zubia said. “That’s a big thing, we gotta make sure that we stay focused and mentally prepare for what’s coming in. It’s going to be a dogfight all weekend, and I think we’re ready for it and pretty excited for it.” Named Collegiate Baseball’s All-American DH during his freshman season, Zubia has carved out an important role in the rotation after recording eight hits, six RBIs and five runs through the first two weeks. Now Zubia will face his biggest challenge of the season, as LSU enters 8–0 start to its season while the Tigers’ three starting pitchers have a combined 4.81 earned run average. “You just gotta trust your skill and be ready to hit the pitches you can handle. You’re not going to get a lot of chances when

you dig yourself in a hole,” Texas head coach David Pierce said. “Everything we’ve talked about day in and day out, no matter who we play, now playing one of the best teams in the country, and we’re going to have to come with our best performance to be successful.” Hours now separate the Longhorns from their biggest challenge yet as Texas faces the Tigers under the lights of UFCU Disch-Falk Field with a sold-out crowd Friday. “I think everyone has to understand that one loss doesn’t define your season, that’s the biggest part of it,” Zubia said. “You’ve got to come out every single day, especially on a day like today, and learn and get better. Friday, it’s game time.”

BASKETBALL

Ramey, Hepa shine as Longhorns fall hard at Baylor By Steve Helwick @s_helwick

WACO — Texas traveled across I-35 to Waco with optimistic March Madness hopes, but arrived with a shorthanded roster. For the second consecutive game, shooting guard Kerwin Roach II sat out with a suspension for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Power forward Dylan Osetkowski joined Roach on the inactive list, missing the game with flu-like symptoms. The Longhorns were bereft of all senior leadership, relying on the young guns to catapult the team back into tournament contention. Texas trotted out a new-look starting five, featuring combo guard Courtney Ramey in Roach’s place and stretch four Kamaka Hepa in Osetkowski’s position. The underutilized lineup paid dividends at first, but the Longhorns could not sustain success, falling 84-83 in overtime to Baylor. Ramey’s omnipresence on both ends in the first 20 minutes sparked the Longhorns to a 40-29 halftime lead. The freshman scored 17 points, but 15 of those were accumulated in the first half. Ramey’s contributions as a floor general drove Texas’ offense to a new level as well. He dished a career-high 10 assists, consistently setting up open looks for teammates including Elijah Mitrou-Long and Jericho Sims.

“My teammates did a great job putting me in situations where I could attack and be myself,” Ramey said. “Eli coming off the bench to give us a spark got me going, Kamaka playing more minutes than he normally has and Jericho (Sims) getting rebounds and dunks really got me going.” In the second half, Ramey was less visible on the stat sheet. He only recorded two points on 1-of-4 shooting and Texas’ offense regressed, suffering scoring droughts which paved way for Baylor’s comeback. “I thought he did a good job attacking in the first half — he made a couple really, really tough shots,” Smart said. “When Matt (Coleman III) was out, that was when he was most assertive. Some of our guys played really heavy minutes. That might have played a bit of a role as the game went on.” Hepa, a healthy scratch in more than half of Texas’ conference games, was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time of his collegiate career. The Alaska native scored 11 points and sunk three 3-pointers, providing valuable spacing around the exterior in Texas’ four-out, one-in offense. Hepa also grabbed four boards and held firm as a rim protector on the defensive end, where he elevated for a career-best two blocks. “He had great poise,” Smart said. “He didn’t get rattled. I told him today, ‘You’re gonna play a lot, so just go out

anthony mireles | the daily texan file Guard Courtney Ramey drives the lane and goes up for a layup in Texas’ 71-64 loss to Kansas State on Feb. 12 at the Frank Erwin Center. Despite a strong game from Ramey, Texas’ loss to Baylor on Wednesday seriously hurt hopes of making the NCAA Tournament.

there and attack.’ He’s not yet at the point confidence-wise where we want him to be and (we) know he will be, but I thought tonight he didn’t overthink things and just went out and played.” In the second half,

Baylor collapsed the Longhorns’ 19-point lead to tie the game with under three minutes left. When Texas was in desperate need for a clutch bucket, Hepa delivered. The freshman situated himself on the left wing and swished an open three to regain a 67-64 edge.

Although Baylor eventually forced Texas’ overtime, Hepa struck again on an uncontested look beyond the arc with 1:45 left in the extra period to provide the Longhorns a six-point advantage before the Bears usurped the lead. Unfortunately for Texas, the

insertion of Ramey and Hepa into the starting lineup didn’t end in victory. Osetkowski will likely return from illness soon, but the Longhorns will go back to the drawing board with lineups going forward as the team continues to play without Roach.

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

ARTS

Art exhibit debuts in Austin

anthony mireles | the daily texan staff Hopscotch: Light and Sound encourages people to put experiences over objects by showcasing unique, interactive experiences throughout the art exhibit.

Hopscotch: Light and Sound gives guests immersive experience. By Celsia Smith @celsmit

n interactive art exhibit featuring bright colors, flashing lights, an adult-sized ball pit and an indoor thunderstorm has taken over Airport Boulevard. Open from Feb. 13 to March 31, Hopscotch: Light and Sound boasts 13 distinctive art installations created by local, national and international artists. Hopscotch encourages guests

to put experience over objects by interacting with the exhibit through touching, listening to or even screaming at the art on display. Hopscotch co-founder Nicole Jensen said she wants the experience, which takes about an hour, to be one that relieves stress and fills guests with wonder and joy. The exhibit is open Thursday through Sunday and after 7 p.m., guests must be 18 or older to attend. “We want people to come in and forget their troubles and ignore everything else and go back to that nostalgic peace of when you were a kid and things were easier,” Jensen said. “We want to tie into that carefree vibe that adults don’t always get to have anymore.” Malika Boudissa, Hopscotch project manager and producer, said the installation brings about playfulness and encourages deeper thought. “The depth and the thought and

the technical aspects of the installations are all different,” Boudissa, who also worked on sound design, said. “You might go in and wonder, ‘How is this made? What’s gone down behind the scenes?’ But also, ‘Hey, that’s a ball pit and I’m going to jump into it to have fun!’” Hopscotch provides a rare opportunity for artists who primarily do light and sound-based work in that it allows them to showcase their art to a large, public audience. Boudissa said Hopscotch is special to her for this very reason. “(Hopscotch) brings a platform for work to be shown and for there to be an opportunity for local artists to work on installations,” Boudissa said. “There aren’t a surplus of finished out warehouses (in Austin).” Some UT students were also involved in the behind-thescenes work. Mechanical engineering sophomore Matthew Freeman said the UT Center for

Integrated Design introduced him to Hopscotch. As a result, Freeman was able to help with the setup of the exhibits. “I got to see the skeleton of (the show) before it was all put together and I was already like, ‘Wow, this is already so cool,’ and then came back a few days later and I was just as in awe,” Freeman said. “I have such an appreciation for the work that brought it to life.” Freeman, who now works as a host at the exhibit, said students should come to the show to get an appreciation for the unique, engaging art offered by Hopscotch. “Most people think of art galleries as just seeing a painting on a wall, but the Hopscotch experience is immersive and interactive,” Freeman said. “It’s an art form that I have never experienced before and I think most people haven’t experienced, but should.”

GAMES

Longhorn gamers embrace live streaming, esports with Apex Legends By Denise Emerson @kaonashidenise

Battle royale video game Apex Legends reached a million downloads within eight hours of its release, far surpassing blockbuster Fortnite. UT gamers are hopping on the Apex train, and their live streams can be found among the thousands of channels on Twitch. Jordan Gladstone, competitive director for Longhorn Gaming, said although it is new, Longhorn Gaming embraces the desire for an Apex esports team.

“(Apex) took features from games that weren’t even battle royale, and it’s a big genre bender,” Gladstone said. “It’s universal in a sense that everybody can appreciate something about it.” As online gaming becomes more popular and destigmatized, opportunities open up for UT gamers. Gladstone said that Longhorn Gaming events average about 100 attendees, whereas in prior years, there would only be 100 attendees for a whole semester. Biology junior Talon Romero said he saw an opportunity after winning prizes in gaming tournaments. He now streams

under the channel Slayer24tkr on twitch.tv. Paul Toprac is the associate director of game development at the Moody College of Communication. He said the appeal of a game boils down to how fun it is, but creating a fun game is easier said than done. “Any new game is risky,” Toprac said. “You can never be sure how players will react to new games and whether there will be enough players to make the game financially successful.” Mechanical engineering senior Adam Bolin said the fact that Apex is free has contributed to its popularity. He said games such as Apex are more enjoyable to watch because they are fastpaced and compatible with live streaming. Bolin said he streams Apex himself under the name FimbleThimble on twitch.tv not only for the possibility to make income, but because he enjoys the interaction. “I think it’s fun on both ends — being able to always be talking to random people (and) being able to have communities around certain streamers and the games they play,” Bolin said. Romero hopes to become a twitch.tv affiliate, a title that allows streamers to have subscribers who each pay five dollars a month. He said streaming can be a reliable source of income if a person has versatile skills and a large enough audience. “If you’re good at first person shooters, you can

barbra daly

pick up any other game out there and learn the mechanics of the game,” Romero said. Gladstone said he attempted streaming in the past but knew he wouldn’t be able to break through in his favorite game, Hearthstone, because of established celebrity streamers. Bolin, however, plans to stream more consistently when his schedule is set after graduation. He said he is comfortable putting himself online. “If you asked me four years ago, I would not be

It’s universal in a sense that everybody can appreciate something about it.”

JORDAN GLADSTONE COMPETITIVE DIRECTOR

| the daily texan staff

inclined to (stream),” Bolin said. “Now, I (spend) so much time playing these multiplayer games (that I’m) used to interacting with people.” Esports are now sponsored by brands such as Coca-Cola and the U.S. Air Force. Toprac said that new games will come out to rival Apex. “Apex is either going to continue to grow at a rapid pace and just blow Fortnite out of the water, or it’s going to burn really fast and just die off quickly,” Gladstone said.