The Daily Texan 2019-05-01

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

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119,

issue

NEWS

OPINION

LIFE&ARTS

SPORTS

New session at orientation aims to help first-gen students adjust to college. PA G E 2

John Brown remembers his brother Harrison on the anniversary of his death. PA G E 4

Student musician finds success, leaves University to tour.

PA G E 8

Texas loses seventh game in eight tries, falling to the Islanders in Corpus Christi. PA G E 6

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lauren ibanez

| the daily texan staff

College enrollment is low for former foster care youth, but graduation rates are even lower.

By Caroline Cummings @C_Cummings2022

nly 2 to 9% of former foster youth graduate from institutions of higher learning in Texas, according to 2017 data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Department of Family and Protective Services.

The National Factsheet on the Educational Outcomes of Children in Foster Care indicated 70 to 84% of foster youth in 2014 wanted to go to college and 31.8 to 45.35% attended.

Tymothy Belseth, a research coordinator with the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing, said some reasons for the low college graduation rate are a result of students’ time in foster care.

“There may be unresolved trauma that may negatively affect nearly every aspect of their life,” Belseth said. “(Also), foster youth have lived in a legal bubble for their adolescence, and some may not be ready for independent adulthood because they lack hands-on experience in unsupervised settings.”

Belseth said former foster youth face substantial challenges during their transition from adolescence to adulthood,

in part because they lack a supportive network of people to rely on outside of foster care.

“Foster youth sometimes have a hard time asking for help when they need it,” Belseth said. “Many of these people are incredibly resilient and have learned to figure things out on their own, but sometimes there are problems that are simply too big for one person to address alone.”

Shannon Mann-Butler, a foster care liaison at UT and senior development and operations coordinator at the institute, said the Spark program at the institute, through the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, was designed to serve as a

“safety net” for former foster students by providing services to students such as oneon-one support and financial assistance.

“We are trying to reach out to people on a long-term basis,” Mann-Butler said.

“We have paid rent for students when they’ve been behind or had a roommate move out, we’ve given utility assistance, we’ve done all kinds of things to help in emergency situations.”

A former foster student at UT, who asked to remain anonymous, said lacking family support is one of the biggest challenges they face in college.

FOSTER

Marijuana reform bill headed to Senate

By Chad Lyle @lylechad

UT System partners with nonprofit for children

By Savana Dunning @savanaish

anthony mireles | the daily texan file State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, right, introduced House Bill 63 which would downgrade possession of an ounce or less of cannabis from a Class B to a Class C misdemeanor.

dollars on over 75,000 arrests, almost all of which are for small, personal-use amounts of marijuana.”

Though HB 63 does not aim to legalize marijuana, state Rep. Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia, said eliminating jail time as a penalty would have the effect of “legalizing it for those folks who have enough money.”

“I just want this body to be clear, we are literally taking the position if we vote for this bill that we want this to be a ticketable offense,” Bell said in remarks on the House

floor. “Recognizing that we have the effect of legalizing it if you have enough money.”

Moody said he disagreed with the point of Bell’s argument.

“This is not legalizing anything,” Moody said. “Under that same argument, speeding is legal, an open container is legal, any other Class C criminal offense is legal — and I reject that.”

Bell was the only member of the House to testify against HB 63, but two high-profile members of the Senate have pushed back on the bill’s

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LEGISLATURE

The Texas House voted in favor of legislation that would lessen penalties for marijuana possession on Tuesday.

The bill will now be considered by the Texas Senate, where state Senators have indicated it will face more strident opposition.

Introduced by state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, House Bill 63 would downgrade possession of an ounce or less of cannabis from a Class B to a Class C misdemeanor, removing the possibility of jail time for offenders. The bill also eliminates the six month driver’s license suspension currently mandatory for those caught with marijuana. Possession is still punishable with fines or community service.

In a statement after the House approved HB 63, Moody said his work on the bill was inspired by his experience with the criminal justice system.

“HB 63 has been a fiveyear-long journey,” Moody said in the statement. “It’s one that I began as a prosecutor when I saw firsthand how taxpayer dollars were being wasted on an ineffective enforcement system that ruined lives over such a petty offense. Each year, Texas spends more than 730 million

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momentum. The chair of the Senate’s Criminal Justice committee, John Whitmire, D-Houston, has previously said he does not think there is enough support in the Senate to give HB 63 a hearing.

Shortly after it passed the House, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who serves as the president of the Senate — said he would not consider the legislation.

“HB 63 is dead in the Texas Senate,” Patrick said in a tweet. “I join with those House Republicans who

STATE

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The UT System is partnering with Austin community leaders to improve educational attainment in Texas by focusing on improving the lives of Austin children.

In a speech last Wednesday, Chancellor James Milliken presented the most recent strategic plan for Success by 6, a coalition created by nonprofit United Way for Greater Austin. This new five-year plan will create programs and policies to support Austin children and their families before they enter kindergarten.

“I hope that I, and especially the UT System, can be part of expanding opportunities for early childhood development and education in Texas, needed here as much as anywhere in the nation,” Milliken said in the speech.

Success by 6 aims to close the opportunity gap for children from low-income families by creating more prekindergarten programs and supporting Austin families with young children through home visit services and parent education programs. Initiatives of this new plan include increasing mental health services in early-learning settings, increasing screenings for developmental delays in children and expand-

ing nutritional programs for young children.

The coalition began seven years ago and has already had two three-year strategic plans since its creation.

As part of this new strategic plan, the coalition will partner

I hope that I ... can be part of expanding opportunities for early childhood development and education in Texas, needed here as much as anywhere in the nation,” JAMES MILLIKEN

UT SYSTEM CHANCELLOR

with UT-Austin students and faculty to work childhood development programs, such as work-study programs where UT students work with young children on reading skills.

“We have been very excited by the support that we received

SYSTEM

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CLAIRE ALLBRIGHT NEWS EDITOR @THEDAILYTEXAN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

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Student launches a course on health communication

By Tien Nguyen @tienjpg

Deepanjli Donthula had a bold idea, and this idea led her to launch a full-fledged course at UT. After creating a seminar on health communication, neuroscience junior Donthula has received approval to turn the seminar into a three credit hour course called “Communication Strategies for the Pre-Health Professional: Difficult Discussions.”

Starting fall 2019, the course will be offered to all pre-health students.

Donthula spent time shadowing many different physicians during her freshman year, and she said she became intrigued by how each physician had their own unique way of interacting with their patients. This sparked her interest in health communication.

“It’s important to expose students to difficult conversations that occur in various fields of health care, because it’s important to consider whether or not you want to go into a field that requires you to be very attuned to the person you are talking to,” Donthula said.

While shadowing a palliative care physician, Donthula was present during a conversation between the doctor and the family members of a patient about taking that patient off of life support.

“That was a really powerful interaction for me to witness, and I honestly doubted my own ability to handle a situation like that,” Donthula said. “I wanted to come up with a way for undergraduates who are aspiring to enter the health field to practice effective communication strategies and understand the importance of it in their careers.”

With help from David Ring, a

armin panjvani | the daily texan staff Neuroscience Junior Deepanjili Donthula, who started a student-led honors health communication seminar, will be turning the seminar into a three credit hour course titled “Communication Strategies for the Pre-Health Professional: Difficult Discussions,” to be offered in fall 2019.

Dell Medical School professor, and Madison Searle, director for College of Natural Sciences Honors, Donthula launched an honors seminar to teach students about health communication.

The seminar is taught by Ring, but the content is completely student-led, with Donthula adjusting the course based on student feedback. Donthula said the course is also very interactive, with students practicing their communication skills through role-play and medical improvisation activities.

“I had to actively think about how I was communicating during our role-play activities; it definitely

takes a lot of practice,” said neuroscience junior Cindy Hu, a current student in the seminar.

Ring said throughout the class, undergraduate students learn the importance of effective communication in the role of a health care profession.

“As someone who will be using their expertise to help people become healthy, students start to understand that they need effective communication strategies to do that well,” Ring said. “That’s not something that comes naturally, and (students) have to learn how to do that just as they would learn physics and math.”

While Donthula has set up the framework for the new course, she said she hopes there will be students who would be interested in continuing to run the course in the future after she graduates.

Ring said he hopes Donthula project can show undergraduate students they have the ability to turn their ideas into a reality.

“Your ideas, your energy and your efforts make a difference,” Ring said. “You don’t have to wait until a certain day or title. If you have an idea and the energy to carry it out, you can make it happen.”

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Contemporary sculpture ‘The West’ raises eyebrows, questions

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… from the UT community,” said Cathy McHorse, vice president of Success by 6. “I think we have more and more opportunity to grow and build on this partnership.”

The UT System is invested in improving educational attainment of Austin children as they grow up, Milliken said in his speech.

Children who are schoolready by kindergarten are more likely to succeed in grade school, which increases their likelihood to attend and graduate from college, said Jennifer Duc, a UT pediatric assistant professor and a community partner with Success by 6.

According to Success by 6’s website, children who receive prekindergarten education are more likely to be “School Ready” when they enter kindergarten, but only 34% of low-income families receive prekindergarten education at all. That poses a problem

s tat e

continues from page 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 2019 Texas Student Media.

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oppose this step toward legalization of marijuana.”

Moody’s statement said the lawmaker “remains optimistic” about reforming marijuana laws, because efforts to

| the daily texan staff

for Travis county, where more than one in three children under six are living in low-income households.

“Every dollar that you spend in programs that support those children pays dividends in the end,” Duc said. “It really sets a child up for success way beyond their preschool years … The earlier that we all as a community can support parents and children, the better the outcomes are going to be for the education and overall functioning of those children in the future.”

Duc said Success by 6’s program is really important for populations at high risk of dropping out later in their educational career, such as children from low-income families.

“Programs that United Way is involved with are really important resources and bridges for the community to lift people, their educational attainment and their overall station in life,” Duc said.

do so have continued to build support.

“Decriminalization in favor of a civil penalty has bipartisan support and is actually a plank in the Texas Republican Party’s platform,” Moody said in the statement. “Twenty-two states have passed similar measures.”

As one of the University’s first contemporary art sculptures, “The West” created by Donald Lipski has been featured on the east side of the UT Tower for more than a decade.

The location of these two metal, spherical buoys in relation to the Tower has raised many questions among students about its meaning. But, Landmarks, the campus public art program, did not intend to reinforce a phallic interpretation of “The West” while installing it, Landmarks director Andree Bober said.

“We realized that (this interpretation) would happen once we installed it,” said Bober.

“And, we decided that it was not a great concern. There are many different ways to interpret its meanings, and that’s part of what the artist intends. This is not linear.”

However, the location of the sculpture has limited the many other interpretations of the piece.

“The (phallic) idea almost became a common knowledge thing,” neuroscience senior Tamanna Basri said. “No one even has the room to make their opinion before someone tells them about it. They devalue the sculpture, and the idea

pedro luna | the daily texan staff Donald Lipski’s “The West,” displayed on the East side of the UT tower, has piqued students’ attention for over a decade due to its phallic appearance when juxtaposed to the Tower.

just spreads.”

Virginia Beshears, a studio art and advertising junior, said the phallic image was immediately pointed out to her when she saw the sculpture for the first time as a high school student. But, Beshears said she does not view the art piece solely as a phallus.

“I have a deep love for the absurdity behind ‘The West,’” Beshears said. “Basically, Lipski’s entire concept behind the piece is rendering the buoys and pennies useless. I think Lipski was making a joke about masculinity, capitalism and our preconceived notions about art.”

There are many ways someone can interpret the sculpture.

For some, this piece implies

uncharted territory of the western United States, according to the Landmarks’ website.

For others, the shape of the buoys suggests conquering the unknown with masculine and military energy. The deliberately corroded pennies attached to the surface of the sculpture also suggest capitalism and Western values.

Beshears said the location helps reinforce her personal interpretation.

“I regularly wonder why ‘The West’ was put where it was,” Beshears said. “I go back and forth between thinking it was a happy accident and hoping it was a Lipski fan wanting to further the joke he was making with ‘The West.’”

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

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First-gen orientation introduced first-generation students where all of those resources are presented upfront,” Gangakhedkar said. “I really wish something like that would have happened when I was coming into college.”

Mondie-Milner said the purpose of the session is to also share resources available to first-generation students, such as the new First Generation Living Learning Community beginning this fall in Jester West.

“One of our coordinators will be responsible for working with first-generation students in that residential area, where they’ll have a common place of living and also learning and discussing some of their experiences,” Mondie-Milner said. “(They will be) able to share their experiences and support each other during the academic year in their living space.”

Dezarae Olivo, a social work and education freshman, said her transition to UT was very difficult because she felt like she did not know anyone or any place to ask for help.

“Now that I’ve met a lot of first-gen students, I realize that there’s a lot of people that are going through the exact same thing as me, and that we’re all figuring it out as we go,” Olivo said. “I feel like if we had this little session during orientation, I think it’d be very helpful. The amount of help that could have been given, not only to me, but thousands of students is mind-blowing.”

Social work freshman Destiny Ayala also said the peer support within the orientation session would be a huge benefit for incoming first-generation students, because speaking with someone who understands and has lived through their situation would give new students solidarity.

“It’s a lot easier to seek guidance from people that are similar to you, so I feel like it would be very beneficial,” Ayala said. “It’ll feel good to see people like yourself, like you’re not here alone.”

By Emily Hernandez @emilyhernandez

An optional welcome session for first-generation students will be offered beginning this summer, at freshman and transfer orientation sessions, to help incoming first-generation students adjust to UT. Launched as a collaboration between New Student Services and the First-Generation Commitment Working Group, this 50 minute session will be offered at the beginning of each three-day orientation session, said Celena Mondie-Milner, director for New Student Services and co-chair for First-Generation Commitment Working Group.

“We will have an opportunity … for incoming students to ask questions to other first-generation college students and have those students share their experience of success and how they have persisted — the little things that sometimes you don’t get an opportunity to ask or you’re not sure what questions to ask,” Mondie-Milner said. “We want to create an environment where first-gen college students feel welcomed and comfortable that they can celebrate their journey with other peers when they arrive here on campus.”

Business freshman Arjun Gangakhedkar said he would have definitely benefited from this kind of session because even now, he feels he is unaware of all resources available to first-generation Longhorns.

“Without a program like that, it’s really on me to go out and make the effort to try to discover what kind of programs and what resources are available, as compared to if we had a onehour session … (at) freshman orientation for

roxanne benites

| the daily texan staff

LEGISLATURE

US Senate considers raising tobacco age to 21, as Texas Senate close to passage

By Chase Karacostas @chasekaracostas

With the Texas Legislature just weeks away from passing a bill to raise the age limit for tobacco purchase and consumption to 21, the United States Senate is preparing to propose the same measure on the national level.

Just before the April Congressional recess, which ended Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said raising the age limit was a “top priority” for when lawmakers returned.

“For some time, I’ve been hearing from the parents who are seeing an unprecedented spike in vaping among their teenage children,” McConnell said at a news conference earlier this month. “In addition, we all know people who started smoking at a young age and who struggled to quit as adults.”

McConnell said he would introduce the bill in May. The Kentucky Republican did not mention specifics of the bill, but said he believed it would receive support from both parties.

The U.S. House has already introduced two proposals, one from each party, that would

foster

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“You might not realize it, but you rely on your parents for a lot,” they said. “I have to figure out the loan process by myself, and you can’t get an apartment because you don’t have … a parent to act as your insuree. There are definitely different challenges, but you just gotta get through it.”

raise the age limit to 21. The Democratic bill raises the age limit and orders the Food and Drug Administration to speed up on other anti-tobacco steps, such as including graphic health warnings on cigarette packs.

In Texas, Senate Bill 21 was passed out of the Senate 20-11 and sent to the House on April 9. The bill was authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin.

It applies the same penalty for underage tobacco purchase and consumption already in place, a Class C misdemeanor, but includes an exception for active-duty military members. The exemption was added as a favor to State Sen. Pat Fallon, who said he would vote for the bill if it was added, but ultimately voted no anyway.

“Tobacco and nicotine use is truly detrimental to young Texans, and it is imperative we make these changes now to ensure the healthy future of our state,” Huffman said during the bill’s hearing at the State Affairs committee in March. “It’s hard to think sometimes that we could pass legislation that could save lives … when I became convinced that this legislation could save the lives of children who

are alive today, it became important to me to promote this to the Senate.”

In the State House, SB 21 was sent to the Public Health Committee for consideration where it passed unanimously on April 15 and was sent to the Calendars Committee.

Ian Sims, the co-president of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said he has mixed feelings on raising the age limit because he is concerned about the implications for people under 21 who are already addicted to tobacco products. Someone who has been smoking for two or more years could suddenly find themselves legally barred from doing so, regardless of their level of addiction, Sims said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27% of American teenagers are already current smokers.

Sims also said he is unsure of how effective the restriction would be, and said it could potentially create a situation similar to underage drinking.

“If a young person wants to smoke nicotine, they’re going to find a way,” Sims said. “(Similarly), clearly the alcohol age is 21, but we’re all drinking when we’re not 21.”

Texas Education Code requires every higher education institution in Texas to appoint a liaison for former foster youth.

At UT, three people — including Mann-Butler — fulfill this role.

Yet, the student said they have not received support from UT for their transition to college.

“It was on my file that I was a former foster care (youth) and nobody has reached out to me

and offered to help me in any way,” they said.

Mann-Butler said the program is still trying to identify all former foster care youth because confidentiality laws can make it difficult to access a list of former foster youth.

“It has been an imperfect system at this point, and we know that people are falling through the cracks, but we want to do whatever we can to try to fill

cameron dehghani

those holes and help people find us,” Mann-Butler said.

Audrey Urbis, a Plan II honors and finance senior, is writing her thesis on foster care student experiences at institutions of higher education in Texas.

Urbis said it is difficult to identify former foster care students outside of their FAFSA. “A recurring theme I have encountered is how can we increase communication (and)

collaboration across entities and departments on campuses to better facilitate the transfer of information and data (so that) students can be better connected with what does exist for them,” Urbis said.

Belseth said he would like former foster care students at UT to know resources are available to them on campus.

“Do not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help,” Belseth said. “I

| the daily texan staff

know that it can be a challenge to ask, but there are great people on campus that are truly committed to seeing you succeed. Many foster youth sometimes feel vulnerable asking for assistance, but it is an empowering experience to have others believe in you and aid you on your journey.”

Editor’s note: A source in this story asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons.

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LIZA ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TEXANOPINION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

GUEST COLUMN

Remembering my little brother Harrison

By John Brown Guest columnist

Today marks the two-year anniversary of my little brother’s murder. It was two years ago that his hand, the hand that selflessly handed out so much to others, was stilled; and his voice, the voice that sang songs of hope and encouragement to so many, was hushed. The events of that day took place in the heart of our University. It is a day that I, and so many others, will never forget.

May 1, 2017, was a Monday. I was finishing my first year of law school at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio. The day was already significant for two reasons.

First, my wife and I were celebrating our son turning 11 months old that day. Second, my daunting property law final exam was scheduled for that afternoon. Law school exams come with an enormous amount of pressure; the butterflies in my stomach that morning seemed to have reason to exist.

Like my preparation for other exams, my morning was spent on campus reviewing my property notes one last time. When it came time for testing, my classmates and I filed into the classroom like cattle in a slaughterhouse. But as I took my seat and the proctor read the instructions, the strange feeling in my gut intensified. It was a feeling I had never experienced before. It was more than just a manifestation of my exam anxiety. I simply could not shake the feeling. The exam began, but my ability to pay attention and recall information became increasingly difficult. I could feel it in my bones that something, somewhere in the universe, was terribly wrong. It was about that moment when I looked up from my test to find the proctor staring down at me. In her hands, she held a folded piece of paper. She passed it to me, and I opened it up. The message read, “You have an emergency phone call. Call your wife immediately.”

I darted out of the classroom to call my

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.

wife. While waiting for her to pick up the phone, I began imagining many of the horrible scenarios for which she might call. My first thought — our son fell down the stairs and was in the emergency room getting stitches. Then, I thought something had happened to my dad. My dear daddy was in the final stages of Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was confined to a power chair, unable to walk, speak, eat or breathe on his own. I feared that he had fallen out of his chair and injured himself, or worse, that he had passed away. But my wildest imaginations could not have been

As fellow students and Longhorns we must look out for each other.

We are truly our brother’s keeper.” further from the truth. When my wife finally answered my call, she told me, in a calm and collected voice, that my little brother had been stabbed. Harrison had just finished a game of basketball and was walking out of Gregory Gymnasium when a fellow student came up to him and thrust a knife into his chest. She could not tell me where he was or his condition. I left St. Mary’s campus and headed to Austin — I would be there for my little brother.

While battling my way through traffic on Interstate 35, I just remember repeating out loud, “Don’t worry Harrison, big brother is coming, big brother is coming” and offering prayer after prayer. Despite my prayers and incantations, the strange feeling remained in my gut. Only now do I understand what the feeling represented. I knew that something horrifying had occurred.

Then my phone rang. My phone was mounted on the dashboard of my car and I could see that it was my wife calling. The moment her name came up on the screen of my phone I knew what she was about to tell me. I answered her call and said nothing. She said, with sheer horror in her voice, “John,” she paused to take a deep breath, “Harrison died.

He didn’t make it.”

I still have a hard time believing that my little brother is gone. I have an even harder time believing that my brother was murdered on the campus of my own alma mater — a school I loved and took great pride in attending. I think of all the times that I entered and exited Gregory Gymnasium. I could have never imagined that I was walking past the place where my little brother’s life would end.

Harrison loved this school. He thought it was a phenomenal place. It is my opinion that The University of Texas remains a phenomenal place. It is a phenomenal place because of its students — students we recently lost, like my brother, Haruka Weiser and Nicky Cumberland, and the many students who were murdered by Charles Whitman in 1966.

In each instance of tragedy, UT students rallied together and because of that, this school remains a phenomenal place.

As fellow students and Longhorns, we must look out for each other. We are truly our brother’s keeper. Several of these murders were preventable if people had intervened when help was available. By keeping an open eye and reporting things that don’t seem quite right, we can prevent further acts of horror and can prevent the deaths of other students.

As I walk across the stage at St. Mary’s University School of Law this month, accept my Juris Doctorate degree and speak on behalf of my classmates at commencement, I will know in my heart that Harrison would have been there, holding his almost 3-year-old nephew, so proud of his big brother. As students, alumni, parents and grandparents, one thing holds true — at the end of the day, all that we have is each other.

iris bilich

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| the daily texan staff

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5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

CAMPUS

CAMPUS

University Boxing club fights for official RecSports recognition

By Romi Geller @macaromes

Every weekday at 5 p.m., members of University Boxing can be found sparring in a Belmont room.

University Boxing took its first step toward becoming an official recreational sport at UT in January, more than a decade after its initial founding in 2007. The UT RecSports screening process is a series of stages clubs must undergo to ensure they meet RecSports’ criteria.

The process consists of several meetings to prove that team is well organized, would benefit from becoming a official UT recreational sport and more.

While all sport teams must complete the process, University Boxing co-president Joe Vasquez Jr. said this process has been especially strenuous because of boxing being a combat sport and the need to ensure student safety. Despite this, Vasquez, a marketing senior, said the opportunity to be recognized as an official recreational sport will be worthwhile. ”College boxing is on the rise and in order to grow it in Texas, this is one of the steps we need to keep it going,” Vasquez said. “Right now students aren’t aware of us and if RecSports puts us out there, it creates a better environment to grow martial arts.”

Neuroscience junior Vikas Ravi has been a University Boxing member since the fall semester of 2018. Ravi said he prefers boxing compared to a traditional workout because it is more cognitive and forces him to focus on his technique.

“Boxing pushed me way further than working out on my own ever had,” Ravi said. “I remember the first time I sparred, I got hit in

the face and, at the same time, punched someone else. It felt good and after that I was like, I want more of that.”

Prior to joining the boxing club, exercise science sophomore Alejandra Gutierrez said she was not athletic. Coming to college Gutierrez had a few boxing lessons under her belt and now, after a year of consistent training, she said she now feels like she belongs in the sport. “(Boxing) changed my character,” Gutierrez said. “I have more confidence because I know if I can show up to practice and push myself physically, then I can do well in academics.”

Gutierrez said that being in a male-dominated sport has only made her more competitive and eager to push herself to a new level.

Another member of the team, Plan II biology freshman Elaine Fung said the male majority has lent itself to positive experiences as well.

“Being a female in a male-dominated sport, I’ve never experienced anything sexist directed towards me,” said Fung. “I joined the club by myself and I never thought of it as something that would be bothersome or a difficulty for me.”

Fung attributes her positive relationship with her team members to the club’s encouraging nature. While Vasquez and Michael Mollenhauer, co-president and physics senior, are certified coaches, members also often help each other during practice, which members say allows for the sport to feel like a team effort despite it being an individual sport.

“Being collaborative was the number one priority for the club because if we don’t have that, then no one grows,” said Vasquez. “We are all here for a common purpose so fostering that environment grows the sport, grows the club and grows everyone individually in their skill set.”

dan martinez

Houseplants easily improve air quality, aesthetic in dorm rooms

By Molly Bolf @mollybolf05

College dorms can be dark, desolate and musty rooms that reek of ramen and despair, but they don’t have to be.

In addition to being an aesthetically pleasing addition to any room’s decor, some houseplants are scientifically proven to detoxify the air, boost productivity and reduce stress.

Although adorning every corner of an apartment with lush, green plants seems impossible with a busy schedule and limited college budget, it is possible to be a successful parent of multiple, thriving potted plants. Here are The Daily Texan’s tips on starting a collection:

Stick to these plants

Ace Osbourne, who works at the garden center in Home Depot, recommends any variety of succulents, dracaena, peace lily, philodendron, pothos or snake plants as beginner plants.

For students living in less-than-ideal housing, dracaena is known for purifying chemical compounds from the air — particularly xylene, which is emitted from household objects such as floor coverings, copy machines and paint.

Mathematics sophomore Emma McKelvain said she recommends varieties of herbs or ivy vines. Fragrant herbs, such as rosemary and basil, can be both aesthetically-pleasing and useful for cooking.

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Texas Student Media will keep you connected with daily links to the news, sports and culture stories shaping the UT community. pedro luna | the daily texan staff History junior Julian U., left, and neuroscience Junior Vikas Ravi, right, brawl off during a University Boxing practice at Belmont Hall. Although the group has been at UT for over 10 years, they only recently took the first step to become an official recreational sport at the University.

| the daily texan staff

“I go to places like IKEA, Wheatsville Co-op, and local plant nurseries,” Alexandra Waldinger, a marketing senior, said. “IKEA also has a nice variety of pots and other planting materials, so you can get it all in one stop.”

For students who don’t have disposable income to spend on houseplants, only one plant is needed to begin a collection. Propagating plants, or

growing new plants from the trimmings and seeds of existing plants, is a slow but thrifty method that can save money and resources.

“Propagating depends on the plant and the season, but for pothos it works year-round,” Osbourne said. “Simply break off a root stub, stick it in water and let it sit until the roots are grown — then gently transfer them to soil before it gets acclimated to life in water.”

The Daily Texan does not endorse students taking trimmings from indoor plants in public UT buildings.

Watch the water

“Overwatering is what I see kill most plants,” Osbourne said. “Underwatering is rarely an issue because the plant will obviously start to appear wilted and shriveled.”

Although it may seem plausible to water houseplants everyday, Osbourne said doing so can oversaturate the soil.

“I combat overwatering succulents by placing several ice cubes in the pot and letting it melt, watering the plant throughout the day,” Laura Pike, a communication and leadership freshman said.

Beware of the Texas heat

Although a plant’s needs seem simple enough, many forget the Texas sun is extremely harsh for houseplants, Osbourne said.

“Putting your houseplants by a westward-facing window and exposing them to afternoon sun is a surefire way to kill (them),” Osbourne said. “If you can, find a window facing east. The sun coming from that direction won’t fry them.”

Being cautious of plants that are potted in heat-conductible containers is also important, Osbourne said.

“Plants wouldn’t have a problem if they were sitting in the ground,” Osbourne said. “But if they’re in a pot directly in sunlight the entire soil can heat up and fry the plant.”

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6

ROSS BURKHART SPORTS EDITOR @TEXANSPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

BASEBALL

Texas coasts to loss in Corpus Christi Slumping Texas blown out by struggling Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

By CJ Vogel @cjvogeldt

rips down to Corpus Christi when the weather starts touching the mid-80s normally result in a venture to the beach, a sunburn and fun memories all around.

The Longhorns experienced anything but that Tuesday night following an 8-2 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

“This was just a poor job preparing all the way around starting with me,” Texas head coach David Pierce said during his postgame press conference. “We’ve just got to make an adjustment and get ready to play on the road at Kansas.”

Despite the burnt orange faithful traveling very well down south to outnumber the Islander fans in attendance, the manufactured home-field advantage ended up not helping the Longhorns at the end of the day.

After scoring two quick runs in the top

joshua guenther | the daily texan staff Head coach David Pierce speaks to the media at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. After reaching the College World Series in his second year at Texas, Pierce and his Longhorns are in the midst of a struggle, losing seven out of eight contests.

of the first inning, the Texas bats went dead. In the ensuing eight innings, the Longhorn bats were only able to manage two hits.

The bottom five batters in the Longhorns lineup went a combined 0-for-15 at the plate and reached base just twice

on two walks.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi pitcher Zach Rumfield shut down the Longhorns in his four innings of work. He faced the minimum 12 batters, struck out four and did not allow a base runner.

“I actually made note of (his

approach) in the dugout,” Pierce said.

“Reason why he was successful — he topped out at 91 (miles per hour), but he threw three pitches for strikes and threw secondary pitches in full counts.

It’s called pitching. We were one speed, one location, and we’ve got to get better.”

The Longhorns traveled to Corpus Christi fresh off a 10-2 victory over West Virginia on Sunday and hoped to build momentum against a struggling TAMU-CC team. “(Texas) A&M-Corpus Christi had been struggling,” Pierce said. “We took the momentum early, and we let them right back in the game. Poor pitching, poor defense and really after the first inning, we didn’t swing the bat well.”

While the Texas lineup did not produce anything after the first inning, the men on the mound certainly didn’t add any help. The Texas pitching staff allowed nine walks compared to just five strikeouts.

Texas pitchers Coy Cobb, Kolby Kubichek, Donny Diaz and Owen Meaney all allowed two runs against an Islanders lineup that had scored eight or more runs just once in the last 11 games.

The loss for the Longhorns is the seventh in the last eight games.

With two conference series remaining in the regular season, Texas needs every win possible and the first step begins at practice, according to Pierce.

“We’ll have a pretty tough practice tomorrow,” Pierce said. “(We have) to get ourselves ready to go to Kansas on Thursday.”

Pierce added that the Longhorns will roll out the same pitching rotation against the Jayhawks, beginning with Bryce Elder on Friday, Blair Henley on Saturday and freshman Ty Madden on Sunday.

SOFTBALL

Team chemistry powers Texas through end of regular season

By Sydney Tasman @sydneytasnam

The Longhorns have one final midweek game before their last regular season series.

Texas, which is currently 10–6 in the Big 12, will see Incarnate Word at home on Wednesday night before playing two games against Baylor over the weekend.

The Longhorns are coming off a series sweep against Kansas over the weekend, and while this proved to be a better outcome than the Oklahoma series, they still ran into some improvements that need to be made.

“We didn’t really capitalize and put them away at the end there,” Texas head coach Mike White said after the Longhorns surrendered two late runs to the Jayhawks on Sunday. “(Pitcher) Miranda (Elish) pitched well, but they came back on us and gave us a good fight.”

As Texas comes closer and closer to the end of its season, the competition is only going to increase. Finding a way to stay consistent in their play, especially with a lead early in the game, will be imperative for the Longhorns’ postseason success.

For Texas, the season began with a few new faces, but the players have chosen to make team chemistry a priority among the group.

Whether it be interviewing each other with pickles at an away game, as seen on Texas Softball’s Instagram or challenging other schools to dance challenges during games, the closeness of the team is evident.

“I think we can go pretty far,” catcher Mary Iakopo said before the Oklahoma series. “Just getting to know the girls and knowing how hard they work has been such a great journey so I’m ready to go all the way with them.”

Iakopo has been a force both defensively and offensively for the Longhorns. White praised her last weekend saying that she’s been the most consistent player for Texas as of late.

“Mary’s the one that’s consistent right now and we just can’t seem to help her out a little bit, but hopefully we can put it together and get some of these guys hot,” White said.

eddie gaspar | the daily texan file Catcher Mary Iakopo rounds the bases during a matchup with Oklahoma in mid-April. Iakopo has recorded a hit in six consecutive games, tallying 12 hits throughout the stretch. A former Oregon transfer, she leads Texas in RBIs in 2019.

The sophomore transfer has recorded nine home runs and many defensive saves, along with 34 RBIs so far this season.

“Just keeping a lookout for where my fielders are, looking for where (second baseman) Janae (Jefferson) is, where (outfielder) Shannon (Rhodes) is, and I kinda just have this telepathy with

them too, really just to help out the pitchers and get them out of big situations,” Iakopo said of her performance against UT-Arlington, once again emphasizing the benefit of strong team chemistry.

Texas will hope to utilize that chemistry to its advantage when Incarnate Word visits Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 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 Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Crossword ACROSS 23 Poehler of “Parks and Recreation” 1 Walk in big boots, 24 Institutions say propped up with 6 Practically government support 10 Alternative to Venmo 30 When repeated, start of a cheer 14 A3s, A4s and 33 Newton who lent A8s, in the his name to three automotive world laws of motion 15 Black-and-white item you can consume whole

34 “That’s my ___!”

35 Da Vinci’s “___ Lisa” 36 Catherine who married Henry VIII 37 Gives the cold shoulder 39 McGregor of the “Star Wars” prequels 40 “Just joshin’!”

41 Verb whose past tense is formed by moving the first letter to the end 42 Matrimonial path 43 Chinese path

16 Adjoin 17 Like galoshes weather

SUDOKUFORYOU 8

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3 4 7 6 9 9 6 1 6 2 4 3 8 7 4 3 4 6 9 7 4 3 9 6 7 5 1 6 9 5 4

18 Ground beef sandwich with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions

Today’s solution will appear here next issue

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20 Success story like Uber or Airbnb 22 “True Detective” and “True Blood” airer

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE S O M E

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U P O N E

N I N O S

G E T E R S O I D T A R E E D I D A B L E A R I A R O T S A O Z E T E S S S

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P L A N T

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T U R T O U C K O P E L A T D O S

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H I B R E S B E A U S E S N T H U R A N I T E D K V E I T E N I N G T E P E D S

C A R A L A R M S

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T R A C T

T Y K E

44 One profiting through litigation, not innovation 47 Granola ___ 48 Granola bit 49 Misconceptions about money … or a loose hint to 20-, 24- and 44-Across?

57 Discuss one’s toilet habits, for example 58 West African republic 60 Something a complainer might raise 61 Easter basketful 62 404 Not Found, e.g.

63 Lodgings 64 Aussies with deep pockets?

65 Poke DOWN 1 “Wheels” 2 Beach bash 3 Ruler of Valhalla 4 1” version of a 15-Across 5 Mind reader 6 “Didn’t bother me at all” 7 1978-79 revolution site 8 Trips up 9 Provocative comments on current events 10 Toyota debut of 1982 11 Help the offense?

12 Classic George Takei role 13 Beginning of a link 19 Orange dish

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PUZZLE BY MICHAEL HAWKINS

21 Queen’s honour, for short 24 “That’s enough out of you!”

25 Universal Studios Japan site 26 Brother of video games 27 Balladeer 28 Less than right 29 Sister 30 “Why do you think that?”

31 Totally

32 Group of talking heads 35 Israel’s Golda 37 Role in hide-andseek 38 It’s over your head 42 Chief law officer: Abbr.

44 “Ugh” reviews 45 To boot 46 Scot’s headwear 47 Homes for owls 49 Hubs

50 Turgenev who wrote “Fathers and Sons” 51 Deutschland turndown 52 “Othello” schemer 53 Ship of myth 54 Drive-___ window 55 Like walnut shells 56 Smooch, in Britspeak 59 “___ we finished now?”

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

8

TIANA WOODARD & JORDYN ZITMAN LIFE&ARTS EDITORS @THEDAILYTEXAN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

MUSIC

UT student finds Spotify fame Advertising freshman’s first album, ‘Fuzzybrain,’ reaches wide audience.

By Abby Hopkins @abbyhopkins_

hen Sloan Struble released his first album on Spotify in September 2018, he had no idea that what he wrote, recorded and produced in his bedroom in Aledo, Texas, would be heard by over 350,000 people from around the world.

Professionally known as Dayglow, Struble released the indie-pop album Fuzzybrain independently and has since garnered thousands of followers across social media platforms. With increasing support and opportunities, Struble said he has learned to juggle responsibilities while maintaining sincerity and optimism in his music and performances.

“It’s very therapeutic for me to write and make music, so it really feels natural,” Struble, an advertising freshman, said. “I’m doing what my brain feels like it’s fit to do and thankfully it has turned into a career.”

Struble taught himself how to play guitar, bass, keyboard, synthesizer and drums, as well as produce and mix.

When he began producing Fuzzybrain, he created every part, including the album cover and the clay art on it. Struble said its growing popularity is completely organic. “(The album’s) grown way farther than I thought it would, way faster,” Struble said. “It’s doing it on its own.

I’m just sitting around and people everywhere (are) listening to it.”

Nick Wong, studio art sophomore, shot Struble’s promotional photos and has built a friendship with him through their collaborative efforts. Wong said he admires Struble’s unwavering

copyright nick wong, and reproduced with permission Since releasing his album Fuzzybrain, advertising freshman Sloan Struble, professionally known as Dayglow, has experienced a growth in popularity and opportunities to pursue his passion.

personality and character.

“I think some artists put on a persona (to try and) communicate to their fan base,” Wong said. “But he’s just the same cordial, kind of quirky guy on stage I see as in person.”

This spring, Struble performed regularly at venues such as South by Southwest and sold out The Parish.

He said these opportunities, meeting with management companies and being a full-time student have forced him to multitask.

However, he said getting noticed in public has been an encouraging experience.

“It’s an honor that people associate good feelings with what I’m doing,”

Struble said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re Dayglow. Your music makes me happy.’

If that’s what people think of when they see me, that’s a good place to be.”

This summer, Dayglow will tour around Texas with “aggressive elevator soul” artist Ginger Root. Next semester, Struble will withdraw from the University to begin pursuing music full-time.

“Maybe I’m just not processing it fully, but I’m really not scared,” Struble said. “I’m more excited than anything because it’s so obviously what I want to do. I just feel so lucky to have the opportunity right now.”

Struble’s mother Kristy said his family is looking forward to following his musical career as he pursues what’s next.

“I’m really not fearful about anything with him,” Kristy Struble said. “We’ve been able to see his maturity about how he’s handled a lot of different situations, and I’m not worried.”

Struble said his ultimate goal is to spread optimism, and he wants his audience to see that while he loves music, it’s not his ultimate purpose.

“I’m really passionate about (music) and I work really hard to get these things going, but there’s more to life than just being an artist and walking around with your arms crossed,” Struble said. “If I can (show optimism) and be that as a musician, I’ll feel like I had good success for however long it lasts.”