The Daily Texan 2021-10-08

DT VOLUME 122, ISSUE 24 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

History in the making Kiara Kabbara is the first Black female student body president at UT in 32 years.

peyton sims

/ the daily texan staff

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Sanika Nayak Managing Editor Myah Taylor Assoc. Managing Editors Jennifer Errico, Hannah Lopez Director of Digital Strategy Katya Bandouil Director of Diversity & Inclusion Abhirupa Dasgupta Internal Relations Director Carolynn Solorio External Relations Director Rachael Hatchett Assoc. Opinion Editors Izzy Costello, Sruti Ramachandran, Megan Tran, Julia Zaksek Illustration Coordinators Abriella Corker, Audrey Williams

Newsletters Editor Jessica Garcia Copy Desk Chief Phoebe Hayes Assoc. Copy Desk Chiefs Mantra Dave, Alex Mercadel, Chloe Roman, Andrew Walter Design Editor Megan Fletcher Assoc. Design Editor Juleanna Culilap Senior Designers Jenny DeVico, Marissa Kapp Digital Designer Ciara Casarez

Assoc. Photo Editors Hannah Clark, Connor Downs

Beat Reporters Lauren Abel, Tori Duff, Marisa Huerta, Katy Nelson, Kaushiki Roy, Kevin Vu Life&Arts Editor Fiza Kuzhiyil Assoc. Life&Arts Editor Morgan-Taylor Thomas Life&Arts Desk Editors Dina Barrish, Zoe Tzanis Sr. Life&Arts Reporters Sofia Treviño Senior Film Columnist Noah Levine Sports Editor Nathan Han Assoc. Sports Editor Matthew Boncosky Sports Desk Editor Taylor Hawthorne Senior Sports Writers Ross Fisher, Christina Huang, Hannah Williford Double Coverage Editor Kaitlyn Harmon

Video Editor Anchal Raghuvanshi Assoc. Video Editor Ethan Greeno Senior Videographers Kameryn Griesser, Sofia Reyes Comics Editors Destiny Alexander, Barbra Daly Assoc. Comics Editor Alicia Paz Sr. Comics Illustrators Rocky Higine, Ana Louisa Matzner Social Media Editor Nuzha Zuberi Assoc. Social Media Editors Bernice Chen, Sarah Winch Senior Digital Staffers Lily Kane, Nick Susa Audio Editor Addie Costello Assoc. Audio Editor Carly Rose Senior Audio Producers Mikayla Mondragon, Laura Morales Editorial Adviser Peter Chen

Comic Artists Derrick Lam

L&A Reporters Reya Mosby, Bethany Vodicka, Isabella Gonzalez-Lawson

Copy Editors Sage Dunlap, Andrea Rodriguez, Isabella Zeff, Kamryn Brownlee

News Reporters Fernanda Figueroa Photographers Peyton Sims

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Opinion Illustrators Sydney Perkins

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NATION

UT international students compare US COVID-19 protocols with responses in home countries

By Fernanda Figueroa @fernanda_figs

Senior Photographers Kara Hawley, Julius Shieh

ISSUE STAFF Columnists Hillary Ma

06

Some professors continue using Proctorio despite discouragement.

Double Coverage Copy Editor Angelina Braese

Photo Editor Jack Myer

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UT should provide preparatory resources for standardized language tests.

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Opinion

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DT

Contents:

International students compare the United States’ response to COVID-19 to their home countries.

Students from Pakistan, South Korea and Kazakhstan say the United States has more vaccine access and rollout than their home countries, but the U.S.’s restrictions in regards to mask requirements and gathering are more lenient.

Graduate student You Chul Shin, who moved from South Korea to Austin in July, said the U.S. and the University’s COVID-19 response is relaxed compared to the precautions of his home country, which has a nationwide mask mandate and a public website that tracks the movement of COVID-19 infected people.

“In my country, the central government strongly regulates the whole nation for the sake of public safety,” Shin said in an email.

For instance, private meetings are limited to two to eight people depending on the severity of COVID-19.

Graduate student Muhammad Jahanzaib Aijaz said that while the United States has more COVID-19 tests and vaccines available than in his home country of Pakistan, he has seen a relaxation in restrictions since he first

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moved to Texas in January.

“Especially (apparent) in classes, (the U.S.) removed the mask mandate,” Aijaz said. “But what I’ve heard is that in Pakistan they still have the mask mandate for indoors and big gatherings, … and they enforce it.”

Graduate student Ali El Mussauy, who moved from Kazakhstan in August, said the Sputnik V vaccine available in his country has not been accredited, so he waited to get the vaccine in the United States.

“I didn’t take (the vaccine) back home,” Mussauy said. “When I came here, I contemplated (taking) the vac-

/ the daily texan staff

cine, but once I said I would, it was very easy to get the vaccine.”

Mussauy said he appreciates the autonomy given by the U.S. to citizens in its COVID-19 response.

“I like the openness of giving each person (the choice) to make their own decision to wear masks on campus,” Mussauy said.

Mussauy said while everyone should have the ability to decide whether or not to get the vaccine, the U.S. should do more to promote it.

“Just making sure people are aware of the benefits,” Mussauy said. “Increase that awareness. … That’s more than enough.”

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

NEWS

B R O O K E PA R K

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News Editor | @THEDAILYTEXAN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

STUDENT LIFE

‘I realized I didn’t want to go through that ever again’ Restrictive abortion law draws concerns for emergency contraception access among UT students.

By Marisa Huerta @_marisahuerta

hen Lindsey Guajardo had to buy Plan B, she found herself in a 24-hour Walgreens only to realize they had run out. Guajardo then went to Target where she purchased it for $50.

“I was broke for a week because that was my budget,” nursing sophomore Guajardo said.

“After that moment, I realized I didn’t want to go through that ever again, so I talked to my mom about going on birth control.”

Guajardo said while emergency contraception is not always accessible or in-budget, it is crucial for sexually active college students after the new Texas abortion law that bans abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy. However, the federal government is contesting the validity of this law.

Every Body Texas, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable reproductive health care like STI screenings and family planning services, announced Sept. 17 it would receive additional funding from the federal government to continue to give Texans access to emergency contraception and birth control. Students such as Guajardo said nonprofits should continue working to make reproductive

health resources more available.

The funding is in response to Senate Bill 8, which took effect Sept.

1. A Texas federal judge issued an injuction against the abortion law Wednesday that will temporarily block officers of the state from enforcing it on grounds of unconstitutionality. However, the state of Texas is trying to appeal the injunction.

Mimi Garcia, Every Body Texas’ communications director, said they expect to receive the funds by late October or early November. Garcia said the funds will be used to help clinics across the state extend their hours of operation and create quicker emergency contraception pickup.

“These funds … help to create greater opportunity and expand that access,” Garcia said. “(They give) us the opportunity to do public education and outreach and provide supplies for clinics all across the state.”

Matthew Thompson, interim director of Every Body Texas’ Title X program, said students do not need health insurance to use Every Body Texas’ services, and if students are under their parents’ plan, they can choose not to use it for privacy purposes.

“Access to contraception and emergency contraception is critically important because it is those preventative medicine methods — with abortion access now being so limited in the state — that prevent unintended pregnancies,” Thompson said.

A UT student who asked to remain

anonymous for personal reasons said she experienced difficulty in finding emergency contraceptives because of the cost.

The student said the only place she knew that offered emergency contraceptives for around $10 was Costco, but they require a membership for purchases.

“I desperately called the two people I knew who had a membership, but they weren’t picking up, but finally the lady behind the counter said, ‘I believe you have a membership, I’ll just scan my own,’ and helped me out,” the student said. “If she hadn’t helped me I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

Guajardo said Senate Bill 8 is scary because women could have to carry an unwanted fetus to term.

She said birth control could help alleviate those fears, but access to it is limited since some college aged women do not have insurance or want to tell their parents they are sexually active.

“I feel like (emergency contraception) should (be) more accessible for this because they can’t afford it out of pocket,” Guajardo said.

destiny alexander

/ the daily texan staff

S A N I K A N AYA K

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Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

COLUMN

OPINION

Provide more preparatory material for standardized language exams UT must provide preparatory resources for internationally recognized standardized language tests.

By Hillary Ma Columnist

s someone who is currently juggling studying two different languages on top of school work, preparing for internationally recognized standardized tests can be daunting.

anna kaminetz

Language proficiency tests — such as the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test or the Test of Proficiency in Korean — are multi-level tests designed for individuals in any career to assess their language proficiency and receive international recognition.

Because these tests require copious studying, UT should provide learning aids and preparatory resources for language-learning students.

Proper reference books that are designed to help you ace these exams, such as Nihongo So-matome or TOPIK Research Society, can be pricey. A single textbook that only covers the reading comprehension portion of an exam can easily cost $20 to $30 — and that’s only for one level of an exam.

Imagine going through this vicious financial cycle of restudying and rebuying new material for the next level of difficulty.

Language classes at UT already often feel like a full-time job to students, but the lack of free resources provided by the University to ace these exams makes mastering a language even more difficult. On top of that, students will not be able to put that recognized achieve-

ment on their resumes.

Rather than linked databases to other resources, online access to University-owned preparatory textbooks, flashcards and practice tests can alleviate the financial burden for students.

“I think I spent around 50-something dollars for two books,” psychology senior Yang-Kai Hsieh said.

On top of his psychology coursework, Hsieh is currently pursuing a Japanese language certificate and has taken the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test three times in his home country, Taiwan. Due to the pandemic, Hsieh rarely frequented the library and thus struggled to prepare himself for his next JLPT exam.

“If there are any kinds of online resources, I would really enjoy using them because they are just more convenient.

Currently because of the virus, I don’t travel to the library as often anymore,” Hsieh said.

“I think there are some online resources where you can take practice exams or (study) something related to the JLPT online. … If UT had that, I think it would help a lot.”

Mary Rader, South Asian Studies librarian, said that UT’s library currently holds some practice material in their collection for languages like Japanese, Chinese or Korean that students can

sydney perkins

access for studying.

“We don’t collect a lot (of instructional material for those exams) but there are a lot of articles and reviews of those kinds of exams available through our databases.”

Rader said.

Rader explained that UT possesses an extensive collection of non-English resources, as well as language learning resources in English and other languages. Rader also introduced the Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning, a comprehensive database of language-learning resources for non-commercial use.

This website pulls in a plethora of material for 23 different languages, ranging from Arabic to Urdu.

However, the site still lacks

/ the daily texan staff

targeted preparation for standardized language tests, as well as resources that cater to upper division coursework.

UT needs to provide more online and accessible resources to aid students in their preparation for language proficiency exams.

“We are always interested in suggestions to improve our collections to make sure that they are what people at UT need,” Rader said. “So we encourage people to request materials that teach us what you want.”

The demand for resources like online textbooks and practice tests to be readily available at the PCL is clearly present.

It’s now up to UT to respond.

Ma is a journalism and Chinese language and cultures junior from The Woodlands, Texas.

/ the daily texan staff

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NEWS

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

RESEARCH

“E-tattoo” being developed to monitor pneumonia

By Kevin Vu @Kevin_Vu_

Doctors may be able to monitor patients’ pneumonia symptoms from their homes for the first time as UT researchers work to complete a wearable prototype device that tracks the disease in the coming year.

The National Science Foundation awarded $1.5 million to UT researchers to work on the device researchers are calling an “e-tattoo” to better monitor a patient’s recovery and prevent deaths from pneumonia. Patients will wear the device on their chests at home while hospital personnel track their breathing rate, oxygen levels and heart rate, said associate professor Nanshu Lu, who is leading the study.

Lu said current pneumonia detection methods are expensive and are only available in hospitals. Parag Jain, a pediatric critical care physician at Texas Children’s Hospital, said pneumonia patients are currently overflowing his emergency room. “(The device) has potential for being a game-changer in how we care about our patients, essentially,” Jain said.

“Where we will be able to keep more families safe at home. And maybe eventually decrease some health care dollars by minimizing admissions.”

Lu said the e-tattoo contains a Bluetooth chip and a rechargeable battery protected by multiple layers, which allows the device to continue monitoring patients without getting wet or harmed.

In 2019, nearly 44,000 people died due to pneumonia and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pneumonia complicates COVID-19. Furthermore, Lu said pneumonia is hard to track.

“Pneumonia is very tricky to track, especially out of a hospital because (pneumonia) can change abruptly,” Lu said. “Sometimes the rescue is not timely enough and pneumonia suddenly worsens and can take over their lives even before the rescue team could arrive.

Jain said he will lead the clinical trial for the device when researchers complete the prototype. Jain said his team will test the device on 20 pneumonia patients aged 13- to 18-years-old

to collect data and see if it works.

Jain said it usually takes a week for patients to recover from pneumonia, which is how long the battery of the e-tattoo will last.

“It has potential for being a game-changer in how we care about our patients,” Jain said. “Where we will be able to keep more families safe at home. And maybe eventually decrease some health care dollars by minimizing admissions.”

Hongyu Miao, associate professor of statistics and data science at University of Texas Health Science Center, said he will be analyzing different data for the study. Miao said he will analyze past data of pneumonia patients, such as heart rate and blood pressure to train the e-tattoo’s algorithm. He will also examine data from the e-tattoo during the clinical trials to verify whether it works.

Jain said he hopes the device will be able to monitor more diseases than just pneumonia in the future.

“Honestly, we’re just scratching the surface in terms of remote monitoring. …

The potential of this is enormous,” Jain said. “Once we have the data (on) how to monitor the heart rate (and) respiratory rate, then we can definitely bring it onto other conditions.”

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What job title do you want?

Exploring your next steps beyond graduation can be overwhelming. If you’re trying to narrow down your Graduate School options, we can help.

Learn more about graduate degree programs and connect with recruiters at schools around the country at GraduatesofTexas.com – the site built for UT students to explore post-grad opportunities in Texas and beyond.

Join us at the Graduate School Fair!

October 12, 2021 | 10 AM-2 PM In front of Gregory Gym on Speedway Meet in person with recruiters from graduate schools around the world.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

NEWS

UNIVERSITY

Some professors still use Proctorio despite release of University reporting suggesting negative student impact

By Lauren Abel @laurena0324

Some students say their professors still use Proctorio, an online test proctoring tool, after the University released a report saying the small benefits of the service did not outweigh the costs.

University administration published findings from a committee investigation of Proctorio that indicated the psychological and financial costs of the tool are not worth using the software.

The University discouraged further use of the platform in a message sent to faculty in August.

“Student groups report that these tools can make it difficult for students (and particularly students of color) to get admitted into the exam,” the report said. “The invasive nature of the tools as well as the warnings that the tools may send to the screen during the exam cause

high levels of anxiety.”

Biology junior Ashlynn Barrera said her psychology professor, Christopher Beevers, uses Proctorio for exams.

“It’s hard to find a space where I feel like I won’t get flagged because they say Proctorio flags for things like people and noise in the background,” Barrera said.

“Especially living in a complex with a bunch of other roommates where noise is always bound to happen.”

Barrera said her professor did not explain why Proctorio was being used, nor did they acknowledge the statement released by the University. Beevers did not respond to several requests for comment.

Luisa Gil Fandino, a textiles and apparel professor, said she uses Proctorio for in-person exams that are administered online to discourage students from opening other tabs or communicating with students. Only the lock down browser Proctorio setting is used, so

students are not recorded during their exams, Gil Fandino said.

“Because it’s face-to-face, (Proctorio) is no longer monitoring their every move,” Gil Fandino said. “It’s only used for a calculator and to make sure that’s the one screen that is being operated during the exam.”

According to the report, Proctorio was used extensively during the 20202021 academic year, University members only reported 27 cases of academic dishonesty to the Student Conduct and Academic Integrity office. Of the 27 reports of potential violations of academic integrity, the University only upheld 13, the report said.

Last semester, the Senate of College Councils passed legislation to ban the use of proctoring software, citing the negative findings from the Liberal Arts Council survey. According to the survey, 72% of respondents view proctoring programs negatively and 24.47% of BIPOC

marissa xiong

people and 38% of students with disabilities report feeling wrongly flagged.

William Shi, Liberal Arts Council vice president, said exams given on Proctorio are more stressful.

“I definitely felt like it was a lot more stressful than a standard test-taking environment, especially because of the inclusion of the eye-tracking software and the noise-tracking software,” Shi said. “Other students had even more pressing issues like them not being able to be identified with their ID.” In the report, the committee recommended alternate test options such as avoiding multiple-choice exams and offering open-note exams.

“If the primary reason for tests is to ensure mastery of content and skills, then instructors are encouraged to consider a testing plan where there are many short tests throughout the semester,” the report said. “Each test (should have) a relatively low impact on the final grade.”

/ the daily texan file

LIFE&ARTS

FIZA KUZHIYIL

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Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

kabbara paves the way Kiara Kabbara makes history as first Black female student body president in 32 years.

By Reya Mosby @ReyaMosby

iara Kabbara stood in her apartment surrounded by her friends, brother, campaign staff and running mate, Ethan Jones, eagerly watching the television. As the 2021-2022 student government election results broadcast across the screen, the room buzzed with nervous energy.

When McCombs Dean Lillian Mills announced Kabbara’s name, the apartment went into a frenzy. As Kabbara took in the news, her brother looked at her and said, “Kiara, do you realize you just made history?”

In winning, government senior Kabbara became the first Black female student body president elected to the position in 32 years, the last being Toni Luckett in 1990. Because Black students only make up 5.3% of UT’s student population, Kabbara said she feels she can use her position to advocate for underrepresented minorities on campus.

“Now, since I’m student government president, I want to make sure that everyone feels like (they) can have this position, too,” Kabbara said. “It’s time to make this change. We are the representation that actually needs to be in the position to make change because we are the ones that need it.”

With such a small Black population on campus, many incoming Black freshmen said they initially had concerns about coming to a university where they don’t see enough Black representation.

“At first, I kind of felt like I wasn’t going to really be able to find other Black students,” exercise science freshman Aaliyah Barlow said. “Three thousand Black students sounds like a lot, but there’s over 50,000 students that go here. I just really thought I wasn’t going to be able to find my community.”

Barlow said she worried about not having

peyton sims

/ the daily texan staff

Kiara Kabbara makes history as the first Black female student body president elected to the position in 32 years. Kabbara says she feels she can use her position to advocate for underrepresented minorities on campus.

any Black women in positions of power to look up to, but after seeing Kabarra as the student body president, she said she and other Black female students can have an air of hope and empowerment.

“Seeing someone who looks like you succeed can take you so far,” Barlow said.

“Sometimes, the Black students can struggle because they don’t see anyone that looks like them, that understands them.

Having someone around that can truly relate to you can lift your spirit, help you succeed and feel close to home.”

Ethan Jones, student body vice president, stressed the importance for Black and other minority students to see people who relate to them on a closer level

in places of success, like Kabbara. Students can look to someone who walked in their shoes and can give them a sense of familiarity, making success seem more realistic. After the recent Black Lives Matter protests, Kabbara’s success in the election impacted UT students in a more meaningful way.

“It’s important for minorities to see (themselves) in that way, especially coming after a year where if Black lives mattered or not was being questioned so much,” the business honors and public relations senior said. “I think that it says a lot about our school’s culture and our character. Despite the divisiveness in Texas, we still are pushing for what’s right

and hoping to serve all people effectively.”

Kabbara said she wanted this position specifically so she could have a platform to help others. After taking on several service and leadership opportunities throughout both high school and college, she knew that her presidency would allow her to do what she always does best — serve her community. Her electoral success gave her the confidence she needed to recognize her own value as leader in the UT community. “(My presidency) means everything to me because it’s just who I am,” Kabbara said. “It is what I’ve always wanted to do and what I will do for the rest of my life — give back to the community that I’m in.”

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

LIFE&ARTS

MUSIC

UT graduate student grows music collective at Community First! Village

By Bethany Vodicka @bethany_vodicka

Beating his hands against a cajon drum alongside Abbey Young, a Butler School doctoral student, Cody Wilson said he feels alive, watching the outside world slip away.

“I can’t fight people here. I can’t live that rowdy punk rock life. And to be honest with you, I don’t want to anymore,” Wilson, a drummer for the Pure Goodness Music Collective at Community First! Village, said Wilson.

Bridging the gap between musical access and homelessness, the collective provides community members with a platform to curate their musical talents through outdoor concerts, weekly jam sessions and opportunities to collaborate with other Austin musicians. With her leadership in the collective, Young continues to touch the lives of members like Cody.

“When my husband and I first came to take a tour of Community First! Village, we were immediately mesmerized by the structure of the place,” Young said. “I knew I wanted to get involved.”

After her first visit, Young adopted a new life in the village. When she’s not relaxing in her village mobile home or actively studying for her music performance degree, she helps organize the group and plays her clarinet alongside her neighbors.

“We all want to feel heard. That is especially the case for musicians. I have been given outlets my whole life to express my talent — for my voice to be heard. Now it’s my turn to share that with my neighbors,” Young said.

The collective, a musical subgroup of the Community First! Village, promotes purpose and passion within their members. The group’s signature event, a Tuesday jam session, brings together local musicians, bands and eager listeners.

“I love coming here every Tuesday,”

copyright river morgan, and reproduced with permission

UT graduate student Abbey Young uplifts former homeless Austinites Through Music.

said Brain Bell, a vocalist for the collective.

“It gives me the opportunity to learn a new song each week. A lot of us come from places of drugs, violence and criminal activity.

A real community has been built through the collective and embraced through these jam sessions.”

The Butler School of Music awarded Young the Rainwater Innovation Grant to accelerate the group’s growth and provide new instruments and opportunities for the musicians, ultimately allowing her to scale up the Tuesday jam sessions.

“I really wanted to do a live performance day, giving my

neighbors something to work toward: performing for a live audience outside,” Young said.

Young used the rest of the funds to purchase instruments and equipment for the group. Cody said the new instruments allow the group to explore music as well as be unique and original.

Yet, Young’s unwavering support for the group doesn’t stop there. Lori Nava, another organizer at Community First!

Village, said Young’s commitment not only spurred new opportunities but an increase in group membership.

“Many members of the Butler School of Music have come out to perform with

our musicians, as well as professional guitarists at Austin Classical Guitar,” Nava said. “They have really filled the gaps of the collective.”

The collective plans to have UT chamber groups come in November, a partnership providing musicians with a means to get off campus and into concert halls.

For now, the group continues to flourish internally, blending their interests in blues, punk rock and gospel.

“From a young age, my neighbors have been white noise on sidewalks,” Young said. “They’ve been ignored.

Not anymore. ”

LIFE&ARTS

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

STUDENT LIFE

Mixed students on navigating their cultural identity

By Isabella Gonzalez-Lawson @isauhbellah

For many, identifying one’s race or ethnicity on a generic form or questionnaire can be achieved with a single, simple checkmark. But for undeclared freshman Narah Green, forms such as these cause a cultural identity crisis.

Green originally identified herself as Black and Korean, but after Green’s mother took a 23andMe test, she revealed 40% of her ancestry came from Puerto Rican descent. With college scholarship deadlines just around the corner, many of those being ethnicity-based, Green felt pressured to fit her complex identity into a box.

“It’s always very confusing,” Green said. “Most of the time, to make my life easier, I say I’m Black because that’s what I look like.”

In the past decade, the population of UT students who identify as two or more races grew from 1.7% in 2011 to 3.6% in 2020.

As these demographics continue to trend upwards, many mixed students still struggle to find their cultural footing within the Forty Acres.

Journalism freshman Sofia Elena Chaelin Xochimitl Lee identifies as half Korean and half Indegenious Mexican, Nahua. She said she encounters difficulty being accepted in Korean spaces due to her lack of Korean features.

“At Korean school or going to events that are Korean, they’re

like, ‘Why is she here?’” Lee said.

“I had a lot of struggles feeling at place just because I didn’t really look the part.”

The lack of acceptance Lee faced when entering Korean spaces at home impacted her perceptions of entering those spaces in college, especially pertaining to clubs featuring Korean ethnicities.

“I wanted to be involved and be around other Koreans but it’s just really intimidating,” Lee said. “Being mixed and then trying to fit in with all these organizations that are only meant for half of you, it leaves you with this feeling of not being enough.”

To help students who feel like Lee, UT’s Counseling and Mental Health Center started a support group called Re:Mixed. The group serves as a safe space for

bi-racial students, where they discuss the difficulties of navigating their cultural identities and stands as a focal point for the students involved.

Stephanie Dodoo, assistant director of Diversity, Counseling & Outreach Services at the CMHC — mentions the importance of having spaces like Re:Mixed on campus to help affirm these unique identities.

“Our students who are multiethnic, multiracial often get lost in the shuffle,” Dodoo said. “A place like Re:Mixed is very integral to their sense of belonging, development (and) community building.”

As clinicians involved in Re:Mixed come from similar backgrounds much like the students involved, a further understanding between clinician and

teagan jensen

student can be established. Dodoo attributes this to making the start of the healing process begin sooner.

“There’s something that’s extremely powerful and healing to be able to receive support from a clinician where you feel like you have a lot of shared experiences,” Dodoo said.

As for Green, she mentions during her journey of finding identity, relating to those around her who also identify as culturally mixed provides the most solace.

“Find different mixed kids, people who are similar to you, (or) have the same issues,” Green said. “Because when you feel like you have a community, there’s no better feeling than feeling like you have someone to talk to.”

/ the daily texan staff

N AT H A N H A N

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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

SWIMMING

SPORTS

Women’s swimming and diving kicks off exciting season Two freshman Olympians join an already talented team

By Pierson Livingston @piersonjl

his year with multiple returning stars, some fresh faces, including two Olympians, and head coach Carol Capitani back for her 10th season, Texas women’s swimming and diving expectations are high once again.

Last season, Texas won its ninth consecutive Big 12 championship with ease after dominating in the pool. Not only did Texas win the meet, but its athletes also swept every single award given during the meet as well as set 16 new Big 12 Championship records. Following the Big 12 Championships, Texas had its first top three finish since 2001.

This season, Texas will have its opening meet Friday at home at the Dust Off Your Boots Invitational.

Returning to the team this year are multiple Longhorns who had exceptional seasons last year. Kelly Pash, the Women’s Swimmer of the Meet at last year’s Big 12 Championship, is returning for her third season at Texas and is ready to help lead the team to more victories with her first place finishes.

Also returning to the pool will be seniors and All-Americans Julia Cook and Evie Pfeifer. Cook and Pfeifer both are back to swim the freestyle, with Pfeifer also competing in the back stroke and individual medley races. After setting records in the butterfly all season long, sophomore Olivia Bray returns after taking home the award for Newcomer of the Year in the Big 12 last season.

angela wang

/ the daily texan staff

Expectations are high for senior Evie Pfeifer and the rest of the Texas women’s swimming and diving teams, following their record-setting wins during last season’s Big 12 championship.

On the diving side of the pool, there are also some key athletes returning to keep an eye out for. Paola Pineda, a senior from Veracruz, Mexico, will be back hoping for another strong year of performances after her high finish at the NCAA championship last season. In addition, Bridget O’Neil returns to the platform for the 2021-2022 season after her own record breaking performance at the Big 12 championship.

While Texas does have a lot of stars coming back to the pool, there are also some newcomers ready to make a splash after their Olympic debuts in Tokyo this

past summer. Diver Hailey Hernandez entered her first Olympic games at the age of 18 and left with a top-10 finish in the 3-meter springboard final, all before even competing in a collegiate event.

Fellow Olympian Erica Sullivan will also make her debut in burnt orange this week after her exciting summer where she won a silver medal in the 1,500-meter freestyle, finishing only four seconds behind swimming legend and fellow American Katie Ledecky.

With Capitani back as head coach, hopes are high after she has led the Longhorns to a top-10 finish in eight of her

nine seasons. This year, fans and athletes alike are hoping to honor Capitani’s 10th season with a national championship.

This week at the Longhorns first meet of the season, it will be time for Texas to show that they are worth the hype they have been given. Expect the Longhorns to come out with fast times between the lanes and high scores from the air.

The Dust Off Your Boots Invitational will be held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on Friday at 4 p.m. The meet will not be televised or streamed, but will be open to the public.

SPORTS

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

TENNIS

Harper, Ciamarra knock off top seed in deep Tulsa tournament run at ITA All-American Championships

By Nikhil Guddati @nikhil.guddati

As a redshirt freshman at Texas, Cleeve Harper’s season only got better with time. He ended the 2021 season tied for the team lead in singles victories and second in doubles victories, solidifying himself as an essential part of Texas men’s tennis.

Harper has only wanted to get better since then. After a quarantine and summer spent honing his skills in Florida, he is ready to take off.

This past weekend, Harper got off to a hot start at the ITA All-American Championships kicked off in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He started off his tournament run by defeating Francisco Pini of Oklahoma State in the Round of 256 in qualifying singles.

Meanwhile, on Monday, in qualifying doubles, Harper immediately racked up two quick victories.

Harper’s success in the tournament didn’t stop there, and he only continued his run in the doubles matches.

Harper was paired with graduate transfer Richard Ciamarra for doubles, and the duo started off their Monday advancing past the qualifying doubles Round of 64. They subsequently defeated Kikuchi/Overbeck of California to advance past the Round of 32, as well.

After qualifying, they carried on their success to the main draw doubles the next day.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ciamarra and Harper played the No. 1 seed, Trey Hilderbrand and Bogdan Pavel of UCF, in the main draw Round of 32. The pair claimed a resounding victory over the top seed and the No. 3 duo in the nation, capping off an amazing week.

The duo was defeated in the main draw Round of 16, but the success in the rest of the tournament speaks for itself.

The rest of the Longhorns also found success earlier in the week. Evin McDonald advanced to the Round of 128 and Nevin Arimilli to the Round of 64 in the Prequalifying Singles.

In the Qualifying Singles, Ciamarra was defeated in the Round of 256, and Woldeab and Harper advanced but were defeated in the Round of 128.

The only Longhorn competing in the main draw singles is standout sophomore Micah Braswell.

Braswell defeated Weststrate from USC in the Round of 64 before facing a defeat in the Round of 32 early Thursday afternoon.

While the tournament is over for the Texas team, it was a great start to the season at one of the biggest tournaments in the fall, especially for Ciamarra and Harper.

hannah clark

/ the daily texan staff

The only Longhorn competing in the main draw singles is standout sophomore Micah Braswell. Braswell defeated Weststrate from USC in the Round of 64 before facing a defeat in the Round of 32 early Thursday afternoon.

Stearns, Collins represent Longhorns this week in Indian Wells, Charleston

copyright courtesy of texas athletics, and reproduced with permission

Sophomore Peyton Stearns took an impressive victory over the United States’ CoCo Vandeweghe on Monday. This was her first WTA win ever against a former top- ranked player in the world.

By Shezan Samanani @ShezanSamanani4

Sophomore Peyton Stearns took an impressive victory over the United States’ CoCo Vandeweghe on Monday, a former top-10 ranked Women’s Tennis Association player. This was her first WTA win ever against a former topranked player in the world.

Both Stearns and sophomore Kylie Collins represented the Longhorns earlier this week, each at a different tournament.

Stearns competed at the BNP Paribas Open, a WTA tournament in Indian Wells, California. Even though she recorded the win over Vandeweghe, she did not advance out of the qualifying draw.

Collins competed at the ITA Women’s All-American Championships in Charleston, South Carolina. On Wednesday, she fell short in the third and final round of the singles qualifying draw.

Stearns’ first match and win against Vandeweghe went down in two sets of 6-4, 7-5. Vandeweghe is currently ranked No. 145 in the WTA singles ranking, but

she has previously ranked No. 9.

On Tuesday, Stearns fell to No. 102 Astra Sharma from Australia in her second match and last match of the tournament.

She was defeated 7-5, 6-0, and this loss prevented her from advancing into the main draw.

On Wednesday, Collins was defeated

by Marlee Zein from Florida in her third round match. This final match was hard fought and went to three sets of 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. In the ITA preseason women’s singles rankings, Zein ranked No. 64, three spots ahead of Collins.

Monday was the opening day of the tournament and Collins won both of her matches. In the four sets of action she saw, she only dropped four games.

Collins dominated and defeated Melodie Collard from Virginia 6-1, 6-0 in the first round. In the second round, she won 6-0, 6-3 against Rice’s Federica Trevisan. Trevisan ranked No. 70 in the ITA preseason women’s singles rankings.

Senior Fernanda Labraña and sophomore Malaika Rapolu are also competing in Hilton Head, South Carolina at an International Tennis Federation USTA 15K tournament.

COMICS

DESTINY ALEXANDER

Comics Editor | @TEXANCOMICS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021

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