The Daily Texan 2022-02-01

DT VOLUME 122, ISSUE 44 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Facing his past Chris Beard returns to Texas Tech to face the basketball program he spent five years building.

assad milak

/ the daily texan staff

PERMANENT STAFF

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Sr. Life&Arts Film Columnist Noah Levine

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Student and author Taylor Franklin explores her passions through creative writing and YA fiction.

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TODAY Feb. 1

05

Texas head coach Chris Beard returns to Texas Tech for a crucial Big 12 matchup.

TOMORROW Feb. 2

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Rotating PCT sites return to UT campus amidst return to in-person classes.

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03

Required courses should be made available in both spring and fall semesters.

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Contents:

Austin wastewater helps UT researchers track COVID-19 transmission

By Leila Saidane @leilasophiaaa

UT epidemiologists are using fecal matter from Austin’s wastewater plants to track the transmission of COVID-19 in the area.

Led by Mary Jo Kirisits, an architecture and engineering professor, the research team analyses composite samples from the city’s treatment plants to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and compare the levels of the disease found in the wastewater with city reports.

“I think it’s useful for looking at trends over time,” Kirisits said. “We look at case counts over time: Is the concentration rising? Is it falling?”

Researchers collect composite samples of wastewater at city treatment plants over a 24-hour period, according to Kirisits. The samples are then brought to the lab where researchers concentrate the sample’s SARS-CoV-2 and extract its mRNA. A transcription method is then used to count the number of copies of a particular gene in the SARS-CoV-2 genome, Kirisits said.

This process can identify different COVID-19 variations.

Alisa Lu, a math and Plan II senior, said she used the data to find correlations between COVID-19 case count data from Austin Public Health and the COVID-19 mRNA levels within the wastewater.

“Prior to coming into the project, I had no idea that wastewater epidemiology was a tool that we can utilize to monitor disease,” Lu said.

Whether an individual is symptomatic

or not, COVID-19 is still shed through fecal material that is picked up in wastewater, Lu said.

“One of the big findings was (that) the case count data that’s reported by Austin Public Health sort of underestimates how many cases there are,” Lu said. “If you’re asymptomatic, the probability of you going to get a COVID test is not very high. … It’s underestimating how many cases there actumegan clarke / the daily texan staff ally are, which was the motivation behind the project in the first place.” succumbing to COVID.” The project attempted to determine The researchers began collecting if there was a lag or lead in the time besamples from the Omicron surge at tween the levels of COVID-19 mRNA the end of December and will analyze in the wastewater and the city case rethem this semester, Kirisits said. ports, Lu said.

Wastewater epidemiology has been The project also observed spatial used nationally to track the transmisdifferences with COVID-19 levels in sion of COVID-19. On Jan. 21, the Austin, looking at trends within zip Centers for Disease Control and Precodes to study the transmissibility vention published a study finding early of the disease. The study found that evidence of the Omicron in community COVID-19 levels were high in East wastewater, suggesting that the variAustin and low in West Austin. ant was spread before the first report“The East/West trend also reflects ed case on Dec. 1, 2021. several underlying socio-demograph“The next thing that we’re going to ic patterns. Specifically, East Austin’s be focused on with this is prominently zip codes have … more vulnerable looking for … the dominant variants,” and lower income levels compared Kirisits said. “Do we see new variants to zip codes in West Austin,” Lu said. arising over time? Presumably they’ll “If (the zip code is) more socially vulbe dominated by Omicron as we pronerable, the people who live in those ceed in other geographical regions, but communities are more at risk of the data will figure out if it’s true.”

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OPINION

S A N I K A N AYA K

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Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

COLUMN

Make essential classes readily available UT should increase availability of major specific classes to both the fall and spring semester.

By Mia Abbe

Associate Editor

egistering for classes at UT is notoriously difficult.

Students spend days carefully constructing schedules and backup options, only to wake up the day of registration and find that most of their chosen classes are unavailable. For students attempting to register for required classes specific to their major, the process can be especially strenuous.

UT must increase ​ class availability for major specific classes and offer these courses both fall and spring semester. Many classes close before students can register, leading to long waitlists and stress during the beginning of the semester.

Some classes are only available for certain semesters, putting students at a disadvantage if the class fills up or if they plan to be gone for a semester.

One example of such classes are COM 301E and 302E, which all students in

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.

rong hua wong

the Moody College of Communication are required to take. Both courses are only offered in the fall and must be taken sequentially.

Students who have highly specific plans for their major may also find themselves taking too many difficult classes in one semester, and not doing as well as they may have otherwise.

Junior mathematics major Samira Ravilisetty has struggled with registering for classes in the past. “I’ve had to push my classes … I’m doubling up on math classes or doubling up on (computer science) classes so I can graduate on time,” Ravilisetty said.

Because students must register for 12 hours to be considered full-time students, a common solution to the registration problem is registering for

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

/ the daily texan staff

filler classes if nothing else is available.

“There’s like one or two semesters where I didn’t get the class for my major or minor, so I had to take other classes to fill my schedule and it just felt like I was wasting my time.”

Ravilisetty said.

Students cannot afford to waste their time at UT, and the University should take steps to ensure this does not occur. The University must add more sections to major specific classes to minimize waitlists and the amount of time students must push classes back. Additionally, UT should work towards enlarging class sizes and making sure that required classes are offered both semesters instead of exclusively in the spring or the fall.

According to university spokesperson

Kathleen Harrison, the registrar’s office uses enrollment data from previous years to help with their decisions on class sizes and sections.

“The colleges, schools and departments then provide the Registrar’s office with what courses they want to offer, how many sections and who will be teaching which classes. And finally, the Registrar will assign the classroom space for the requested sections,” Harrison said via email.

Even though UT uses enrollment numbers from previous semesters to calculate class sizes and the number of sections, registration continues to pose problems. Enrollment is not the best way to determine demand, especially since students have been struggling to enroll in the right classes in previous years. Because advisors cannot do anything about class size or availability, for many students, class schedules are determined by luck and timing.

“I usually just email my advisor, but they can’t do much better. I either have to wait a semester or join a waitlist … there’s some hope I’ll get some luck during the add/drop period.”

Ravilisetty said.

UT students deserve to be able to take the classes they need at the times that are convenient for them. The University must increase class availability to students by expanding the sizes, number of sections and requiring classes to be available both semesters.

Students should be able to easily take the classes that they are paying for.

Abbe is a communications studies and government sophomore from Fort Worth, Texas.

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ANNA CANIZALES

4

News Editor | @THEDAILYTEXAN

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

COVID

NEWS

Rotating walk-up PCT sites reintroduced to campus leila saidane

To combat Omicron surges, UT reimplements roaming PCT test sites.

By Leila Saidane @ leilasophiaaa

s students and staff return to campus for in-person classes, University Health Services plans to reimplement “roaming” COVID-19 Proactive Community Testing sites, offering results in 15 to 30 minutes with no appointment needed.

This week, the University will offer walk-up PCT sites in Robert Rowling Hall on Tuesday, the Nursing Building on Wednesday and in the Doty Fine Arts building on Thursday. On Friday, tests will be available at the Pickle Research Center and Student Services Building.

The sites are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day.

Locations will be updated each week on the Proactive Community Testing site.

“This is just a response to overcome higher and higher surges,” PCT program director Jessica Klima said.

“We’re always looking for ways to lower barriers for testing (that is) provided to make it more accessible.”

Students can only participate in PCT if they are asymptomatic. The Student Services Building, Speedway & 21st Street and the Texas Union Eastwood Room are consistent PCT locations on campus that offer RTPCR and rapid antigen tests by appointment.

The University first introduced the rotating sites model in the fall of 2021, but it has now been modified to provide more consistent times each day, Klima said.

From Jan. 17 to Jan. 21, 9.7% of the total UT population participated in PCT, according to the UT Austin COVID-19 dashboard. Over the past week, 3.36% of students and staff tested positive through PCT testing, with 300 out of 8,265 tests returning positive.

“We haven’t reached our capacity for testing,” Klima said. “Please come out and get tested. You don’t have to

/ the daily texan staff wait in a long line; testing is quick and painless. It’s a really easy, quick way to have some peace of mind, testing to find out your status.”

Marketing and German senior Mia Orlandella said the roaming PCT centers will encourage her to get tested for COVID-19. Last semester, Orlandella said she got tested every other week, which she plans to continue as in-person classes resume. She said getting tested regularly last semester was reassuring.

“I wanted to know (if I was positive for COVID-19), just in case,” Orlandella said. “And I figured, why not? Because it was so easy to get tested that there’s kind of no good reason not to. (After testing) I had this little flag in my mind that knew, ‘OK, I’m not positive right now.’”

Psychology freshman Zehra Mirza only got tested once last semester but said she is more likely to get frequently tested with the reinstated rotating PCT sites.

“I tested when I first moved in, it was really quick and easy,” Mirza said. “The more (PCT sites) there are, the easier it is to go, just for the sake of convenience.”

SPORTS

HANNAH WILLIFORD

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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Chris Beard returns to Lubbock facing ire of fans Chris Beard left Texas Tech last April, and his return has his former fans riled up.

By Nick Pannes @nickpannes

n Jan. 18, the Texas Tech home crowd was on their feet as the Red Raiders held a commanding lead over Iowa State. The atmosphere in the sellout stadium was electric, growing more intense by the minute. The Lubbock fans responded to every basket and blocked shot with a deafening roar.

But the moment that blew the roof off the place wasn’t a high-flying dunk or a deep 3-pointer. It was when the score for the Kansas State vs. Texas game was announced during a short break.

Texas Tech and Texas have a long history of heated competition, but the fervor behind this year’s matchup is stronger than usual. On Tuesday, the Longhorns are expected to walk into United Supermarkets Arena facing what could be the most hostile crowd of the season. The reason? Texas’ new coaching hire, Chris Beard.

Beard spent 15 years coaching the Red Raiders before taking the head coaching role at his alma mater. He served his first 10 years as an assistant coach at Tech under the tutelage of coaching legend Bob Knight before leaving briefly to explore head coaching options. When

he returned five years later as head coach, he was welcomed with open arms by the Tech faithful.

Just as he’s done at Texas, Beard was quick to integrate himself with the student body in Lubbock. He grew year-over-year attendance by thousands almost every year and backed up his promises with stellar performances. During his tenure, Tech became the first Texas university to reach the NCAA basketball national championship since Houston’s “Phi Slama Jama” squad in 1983.

“I was there 15 years, and I gave it everything I had,” Beard said. “I didn’t take one day off, mentally or physically. I think our success together is real. It’s well documented.”

Yet Beard will enter the United Supermarkets Arena with the ire of the Red Raider fan base focused strictly toward him. Not toward a multi-sport rivalry that predates FM radio or a major conference game against a ranked opponent, but toward a formerly beloved head coach.

Texas Tech donor Lee Lewis told the Dallas Morning News that Beard was a big factor in transforming Lubbock into a basketball town.

When he left, Lee said fans felt betrayed that he abandoned the program — and left for conference rival Texas — after rallying the community around it.

Just last Saturday against Tennessee, Beard witnessed the opposite scenario unfold. Under Beard’s quest to “unite the Texas family,” fans at the Frank Erwin Center welcomed back former Texas basketball coach Rick Barnes with a raucous ovation. Texas players sported “thank you Coach Barnes” shirts during warm up, and a video tribute played on the jumbotron

before the game.

But Barnes departed Texas on different terms, being fired after a long career that included 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament and a Final Four appearance. He was followed

by Shaka Smart, who failed to live up to expectations after six seasons and posted just a 109-86 record with zero NCAA Tournament wins.

Beard left Texas Tech voluntarily, just two years removed from an NCAA championship berth. He made the decision with little warning, agreeing to Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte’s offer after a three-and-a-half hour McDonald’s breakfast in Del Conte’s hotel room.

“Chris did so much for this community, for this program,” Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said on Jan. 18. “Had he gone to any other university, he’d be celebrated.

But there’s just certain things you cannot do, and one of them is you can’t leave Texas Tech for Texas.”

Despite the breakup, Beard had nothing but good things to say about the Red Raiders. He praised senior forward Bryson Williams as a surefire NBA talent, wished his former assistant Mark Adams, now the Texas Tech head coach, the best of luck and said he has nothing but respect and love for the fan base and faculty.

That said, Beard understands why the fans who once loved him are now lining up — some are even camping outside the stadium — to send their resentment his way.

“Change happens in life, in sports,” Beard said. “I worked really hard there (and have) no regrets at all. I chose to come back to my alma mater and try this challenge. All of us have the right to make choices, and that’s what (I) did.”

madison morris

/ the daily texan file

Chris Beard on the floor taking a photo with players, the Hook ‘Em, students and fans.

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Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

BOOKS

LIFE&ARTS

Freshman author talks journey after book publication

copyright taylor franklin, and reproduced with permission

Taylor Franklin discusses the experience following the release of her most recent novel.

The latest novel in freshman Taylor Franklin’s series, “The Unfortunately Famous Diaries” was released Dec. 16.

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By Kaiya Little @kaiyalitle

hen she first saw the package just outside her front door, Taylor Franklin said she felt dizzy with disbelief.

As she gently removed the book nestled inside and ran her fingers down its neatly bound spine, she saw it — her name staring back at her in fine print.

Novel in hand, Franklin realized her book, a project she started at 15, had finally materialized into a tangible reality. Heart thumping, Franklin said she imagined others holding her work and wondered what they might think.

“I was terrified,” the speech and hearing sciences freshman said. “This is my brain splattered on paper. It’s a look at who I am.”

Franklin self-published her first novel, “Unscripted,” in 2019. The first of a four-part series, the young adult romance follows the storyline of two actors who fall in love on and off screen. The fourth installation “Unexpected” was released Dec. 16, 2021. Franklin said writing and sharing her work allows her the opportunity to explore herself, destress and make lifelong friends.

“This character is a lot like me,” Franklin said. “She goes through the same type of self-discovery situations that I had to go through. It was really rewarding at the end to finally release it and it kind of be my story too.”

Franklin’s writing career started with an interest in fantasy but morphed into a love for realistic fiction as she said she began to gravitate more toward romance novels that she and her friends like to call “junk-food books.”

“I love the enemies-to-lovers trope. I love the fake relationship trope. I love all of it,” Franklin said. “This is solely junk food. The world needs more angst and fluff.”

Franklin said many people assume she will pursue writing as a career after college, but she said she feels more than satisfied with self-publishing and doesn’t want to risk burning out from one of her biggest stress relievers.

“The book is always just for me,” Franklin said. “That’s why I’m doing this in my free time; because I love it so much.”

For Franklin, one of the best parts of being an author is connecting with others. While she first met Katie McEnroe through her sorority, Alpha Phi, it was not until they met for coffee and bonded over their love for literature that McEnroe said she knew they were peas in a pod.

“We became close friends because we’re lovers of books, particularly trashy romance novels,” McEnroe said. “Only later did I realize that she actually wrote books. She’s very shy about it.”

Struck by Franklin’s humility and kind heart, McEnroe said Franklin appears just like the perfect characters she creates.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would know someone who’s in college writing and releasing books,” McEnroe said. “It’s really impressive how much she knows, how much she cares and how motivated she is to write everything in her head.”

When Franklin was young, her mother, Wendy Franklin, read books to her constantly and encouraged her to build up her shelves as she grew. Wendy said her daughter’s transition to penning stories herself came as no surprise.

“It started with reading,” Wendy said. “I always joke that she started writing because she read all the rest of the books.”

Taylor said finding time for her passion amid academics and sorority activities is a balancing act even she can’t explain. At the end of the day, she said she believes taking the time to write and create storylines teaches her more about herself. “(Writing is) my escape,” Taylor said. “Life is just so overwhelming, but when I write, everything is finally calm.”

LIFE&ARTS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

STUDENT LIFE

Tat Tuesday: Finding meaning, comfort through tattoos

By Kaiya Little @kaiyalittle

When biology freshman Graci Hale turned 18, she could already trace the imagined letters of her dream tattoo winding across the inside of her arms.

Within a week, she found herself stepping inside a tattoo parlor buzzing with excitement, with her long-time dream about to become reality.

Hale watched the drag of the needle over her skin with fascination. As the word “special” began to etch itself in ink under her elbow, Hale said she reclaimed the years of confusion and hurt that followed her in and out of many doctor’s office doors.

“I have been through a lot of medical things for a long time, … (and when they) don’t know what’s wrong with you, they call you special,” Hale said. “I think it’s meant to be comforting … (but) for me, it just meant that another doctor didn’t know what was going on.”

After a smooth first tattoo experience, Hale said her love for tattoos grew into an obsession. However, she maintains the belief that anything she puts on her body should be significant.

“I applaud the people who get a random tattoo,” Hale said. “(But) being 19, … I didn’t want (older) me to regret it.”

Months later, in a moment of spontaneity, Hale said she decided to get another tattoo while on a study break.

With no particular idea in mind, she

took to Pinterest for inspiration and set“We walked in on a wedding and were like, ‘We are severely underdressed,’” tled on a picture that she said she beHale said. “(Getting lost) can be exlieved others would find ironic. tremely fun, which is the point of the “I am the most directionally chaltattoo: You follow your heart, somelenged person on the planet, … (so) I was like, ‘I’m (going to) get a compass times horribly, but sometimes you get the best story out of it.” tattoo. It’s (going to) be hilarious,’” While Hale’s past consists of both Hale said. “I thought about it, I was like, fond experiences and periods of sad‘I could actually make this mean someness, she said her goal is to look at her thing.’ That’s why a heart is in place of tattoos and find reminders of her own true north. … I just go where my heart strength as she continues to add to takes me.” her collection.

Hale said the design, a personalized “Both of my (tattoos) initially came take on a traditional compass, someout of an insecurity of mine,” Hale said. times reminds her of jokes friends and “(Getting them) was me accepting who family make about her habit for wanderI am and what I’ve been through. Every ing. More often, though, she said she entime I look down at them, these things joys remembering the time when a few wrong turns lead her and a friend into a that were once bad things about me are stranger’s backyard celebration. like a good memory.”

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, February 14, 2022

Crossword ACROSS 1 Police officers 5 Activity with a lotus position 9 Word before Actor and Actress at the Oscars 13 Tie score 14 Emerged, as an issue 16 Story about Zeus or Hera, say 17 Where to get one’s Kix? 19 Have on 20 Birds in a gaggle 21 Dig in at dinner 23 ___ Lanka 24 Jeans or jodhpurs 25 Singer/ songwriter nicknamed “Piano Man” 28 “___-Man” (Paul Rudd superhero film) 29 Gloomy atmosphere

30 In the countryside 31 Forlorn, directionless type 34 Some hotel and restaurant staffers 35 Place for a ship’s captain 36 Top-of-the-line 37 Places among the troops, as a journalist 40 Survey of Election Day voters 44 Somewhat, informally 45 Street ___ (acceptance among peers) 46 One of 435 in D.C. 47 Greener energy source 49 Skedaddles 51 Org. promoting oral health 52 Source for maple syrup

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

copyright graci hale, and reproduced with permission

This Tat Tuesday, freshman Graci Hale discusses her love for tattoos and how she uses them to control her own narrative.

P I T S A W S

A N O S M I A

S T O N I N G

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A N G L E P A R E L T H I N K S M G M F A T E S A C H A H T E S T R T E A C A B W I L L A L U L L S B E L A M P L E F I R S T E G O E S

53 Derisive cries from the audience 54 Jab 56 Categorize simplistically 60 Diabolical 61 Marine animals with flippers 62 “___ go bragh!” (“Ireland forever!”)

63 Cold and damp, as a basement 64 Barbecue skewer 65 1-Across in Manhattan, for short DOWN 1 U.S. public health agcy.

2 Common herb in pizza 3 Perennial embarrassments for teens 4 Like most desserts 5 New Haven alma mater of five presidents 6 Sphere 7 Melted chocolate, e.g.

8 To boot 9 Luxury German carmaker 10 Blight on the landscape 11 Fix one’s gaze on 12 Sensations at amusement parks 15 Carrier based at Ben Gurion Airport

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PUZZLE BY LYNN LEMPEL

18 Nincompoop 22 Ruthless ruler 24 Chum 25 “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” writer 26 Under the weather 27 Minty drink at Churchill Downs 29 Capitol insiders, informally 32 Letter before iota 33 Many family cars 34 Emptiness

36 Figure skating jump 37 Got away 38 Neighbor of Ukraine once part of the U.S.S.R. 39 Burglary, e.g.

40 Noted stretch of time 41 Grand speechmaking 42 Reveal inadvertently 43 Discs on hi-fis 45 Xeroxes, e.g.

48 Mushroom parts

49 George or Louis, to William and Kate 50 Leonard who wrote the song “Hallelujah”

53 The late Alex Trebek, for one

55 Antlered animal

57 Distinct disparity 58 Pharmacist/ philanthropist Lilly 59 Finale

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.

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