THE DAILY TEXAN
Check out some of the best stories the Texan covered while you were away
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
The Texan is now hiring for all departments. Pick up an application in the HSM basement
Welcome back edition
>> Breaking news, blogs and more: www.dailytexanonline.com
@thedailytexan
Monday, August 22, 2011
facebook.com/dailytexan
Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences address decreased budgets By Victoria Pagan Daily Texan Staff Original run date: Aug. 11, 2011
UT’s two largest schools, the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Natural Sciences, chose to tackle required budget cuts in very different ways, and both stand by their tactics. The College of Liberal Arts offered a sec-
ond round of retirement incentives to eligible professors last month in direct response to continuing budget cuts that started in 2009, said Assistant Dean for Business Affairs Jamie Southerland. The college offered 38 packages as the first step in cutting the $1.5 million dollars still needed to reach the college’s goal of cutting $3.5 million by 2013, Southerland said.
Southerland said by the end of this process the college will have reduced its budget by another $500,000 and reduced its number of instructors by 10 percent. He said the college has also saved $400,000 by reducing staff beginning in 2009. “It is becoming more and more painful to make these cuts,” Southerland said. Southerland said the college has cut $9.3
million from its budget since 2009 by implementing recommendations from the facultyled Academic Planning and Advisory Committee. He said the cuts were made by reducing staff, teaching assistants, assistant instructors and lecturers by offering the first round of retirement packages and by reducing liberal arts’ academic centers’ budgets. Southerland said the faculty committee’s
Mooov-in 2011
recommendations showed their priorities on teaching and research over outreach. He said they will make more recommendations in the fall. “We will try to spread the remaining cuts over two [years] in hopes that the economy will rise and appropriations will begin to reap-
CUTS continues on PAGE 10A
Proposal to reduce West Campus rents fails first hearing
Board members agreed with the working group’s plans to shift the basis for affordability standards to the University Cost of The Community Development Attendance, but proposed more Commission voted against a pro- public comment be generated on posal from West Campus de- the topic. velopers, proper“We are supty owners and stuportive of adopting dent residents to standards based on We are supportive of create more affordthe undergraduate adopting standards based cost of living, but able student housing. on the undergraduate cost we would like to The Universi- of living, but we would like find out more on ty Neighborhood that option,” said to find out more on that Overlay working Karen Paup, vice option group began creatchair for the Com— Karen Paup, commission vice chair ing the proposition munity Developearlier this year ment Commission. in hopes of makT he work i ng ing West Campus group revised premore affordable to vious stipulations that made students from low-income fami- multi-family income the basis lies. Those serving on the com- for measuring affordability to almission decided after hearing low affordability rates to be meafrom the group to develop a sep- sured by the University Cost of arate plan which will be submit- Attendance instead. Additionally, ted to the Codes and Ordinance Commission next week. RENT continues on PAGE 11A By Jillian Bliss Daily Texan Staff Original run date: Aug. 10, 2011
Fanny Trang | Daily Texan Staff
A few days before school starts UT’s campus is revived by new students moving into their dormitories on the Forty Acres and apartments around campus.
“
“
Farming leads to much more at Urban Roots By Liz Farmer Daily Texan Staff Original run date: June 23, 2011
The smell of oak-grilled rib eye with onions and braised okra wafted through the kitchen of La Condesa as local high school students cooked side by side the restaurant’s chefs. Wednesday, 15 students learned to cook using their own organically grown produce as an activity for Urban Roots, a program sponsored by the nonprofit YouthLaunch. Urban Roots’ 30 stu-
dents work in paid internships to farm produce and learn leadership skills. The students who cooked Wednesday served the meal made with their own produce to 37 people at an East Austin community center. Rene Ortiz, La Condesa’s head chef, and Jessica Peterson, chef de cuisine, showed the students how to cook the meal. “We told them the rules of the kitchen, and they had fun with it,” Peterson said. “They liked yelling in the kitchen. It’s something we take for granted. We do it everyday.”
Erika Rich | Daily Texan file photo
First year farm intern at Urban Roots, Shamar Brown, puts the finishing touches on a blueberry and peach crisp.
La Condesa is a Mexican restaurant in the Warehouse District that uses farm-tomarket produce. Peterson helped create the menu from the list of Urban Roots’ produce which includes zucchini, carrots and homegrown potatoes. “I took whatever was summery — that’s something that we do at the restaurant,” Peterson said. “Our menu is very seasonal, and we tried to find something that was all their own creation.” Casimir Bissereth, a senior at Reagan High School, spoke to the group about his experience as a student intern with Urban Roots. “When I tell my friends that I work on a farm they look at me like I’m crazy,” Bissereth said. “But I embrace that because I know I’m doing something different. I’m impacting my community.” Bissereth said his experience with Urban Roots changed him as a person because he appreciates food more now. “People don’t realize it’s hard out [on the farm],” Bissereth said. “The sun is so hot sometimes. You have to be a leader and work hard so [other interns] follow behind you.” Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez said he supports the sustainable philosophy that Urban Roots promotes when he spoke to the students about their work. “You’re prepared, not just for growing but for the future,” Martinez said. “This really is the seed to success. We owe you
ROOTS continues on PAGE 10A
AUSTIN TXbooks The Students’ Bookstore 2116 Guadalupe St. 512-499-1559 www.austintxbooks.com
Allen Otto | Daily Texan file photo
A. W. “Whit” Riter III and his colleagues discuss the “Closing the Gaps by 2015” program at the Higher Education Coordinating Board meeting Thursday.
Texas improves enrollment diversity By Jillian Bliss Daily Texan Staff Original run date: July 28, 2011
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board released an annual report Thursday indicating progress toward improving the state’s reputation for higher education. Members of the board launched a master plan 11 years ago entitled “Closing the Gaps by 2015,” which was designed to make Texas’ higher education statistics more com-
petitive with other states. The plan set goals to increase enrollment in state universities, increase the number of undergraduate degrees and certificates awarded, boost individual Texas college ratings and secure more funding for research conducted at individual institutions. The plan set a goal to bring total enrollment in higher education institutions to 1,650,000 by 2015. Although statewide admittance for Hispan-
ENROLL continues on PAGE 2A
Lowest cost textbooks sales and rentals on campus
FREE UT SHIRT WITH $150 PURCHASE! Locally owned since 2005
Only bookstore accepting Bevo Bucks