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Kendall Scudder argues for better student representation in city govt
Volume 123 / Issue 10
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Women’s basketball snaps three game losing streak with 64-50 win
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Thursday, February 21, 2013
Gun control discussion morphs into debate over SGA’s role at university
JAY R. JORDAN Staff Reporter A debate over gun control led to the debate over the role the student government plays in relation to representing the student body during their Tuesday night meeting. Some members, including the president and chief of staff, believe students elected the group to vote on their behalf. Others say the matter is too big for a group of 23 students to speak on behalf of the entire student body. S013-2 the “Sam Houston Personal Protection Bill” would put support behind the idea that students should be able to carry concealed weapons on campus with the proper permit. Rules and Regulations Chief Steven Perry proposed the amendment that sparked the discussion and would put the bill up for a student vote during the Spring 2013 election cycle. “For the first time, I am truly embarrassed,” Perry said after the amendment failed. “When the student body says that they should make this decision and not (SGA),
that’s (the student’s) decision to make.” Of the 23 members of the Senate, only eight members were directly voted into the organization by students during their election. The rest were all elected internally, something Perry says causes a problem in cases like these. “You have no mandate,” he said. “You can come in here every week and play government, but this is something that actually matters.” SGA President Shane Rankin said the organization had the right to vote on the bill and represent the student’s opinion. “We are elected to represent our constituents in the way the want to be represented,” Rankin said. “I think SGA fulfills the role of representing students. We are elected by the students for the students.” He and Sen. Josh Beaman, author of the legislation, are demanding a public apology from Perry. “Senators should be on their best behavior,” Rankin said. “Perry wasn’t.” Chief of Staff Ramiro Jaime said students wouldn’t have the patience to read the bill all the way
Debate spills over to social media STEPHEN GREEN Editor-in-chief
Jay R. Jordan | The Houstonian
TABLED: David Cullen, mass communication student, speaks to SGA senators during a discussion on the on-campus concealed carry gun bill.
through before placing their vote. “I was hoping that we’d vote on it tonight, not necessarily for the fact of convenience, but just for the fact that I stated that people aren’t going to read the bill,” Jaime said. “It’s just like [situation of] Obamacare. It’s doesn’t matter whether you’re for or against it. Both parties, whether for or against it, didn’t read the bill and it was voted on.” Several senators and students took offense to the statement, which they say called them lazy or unintelligent.
Jaime said this wasn’t his intent. “Basically, I just wanted to point out that I wasn’t calling stupid lazy I was sating the fact that we are all students and nobody reads those emails,” he said. Several students spoke in favor of the amendment while none spoke against it. Only a handful of senators actually voted to pass the amendment. The vote was not taken by roll call so precise numbers are not available. The SGA elections will be held April 3 and 4. All referendums that — DEBATE, page 6
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LIFE THREATENING: “DOC” can come in powder form like this, or in paper tab form. A student on campus suffered from severe hallucinations taking this drug.
Student warns of new psychedelic drug “DOC”
CHEYENNE SIMPSON Multimedia Reporter A psychedelic hallucination from an uncommon drug has one Sam Houston State University student speaking out about their experience and the damage that it caused. Very little is known about the drug Dimethoxychloroamphetamine or “DOC”, which was first reported by the DEA in late 2005. The drug is classified as a psychedelic drug, which causes increased awareness, euphoria and heightened senses. It can be compared to Lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD and can last up to two days. These are some of the
same effects that the student experienced, as well as a magnification of their conscious thoughts. “I was in my dorm room and began to have hallucinations that magnified my worries and concerns about college, my life and the company I chose to keep. The drug combined thoughts I had about my friends and other people in my life that resulted in a horrific psychic experience that combined my conscious thoughts with what was going on around me at the time,” the student said in an anonymous letter to the Houstonian. This “bad trip” ended in a hospital bed as IVs pumped a detox through the student’s body. The student said that if it
hadn’t been for the University Police Department, Huntsville hospital staff, roommate and their residence advisor the drug might have claimed their life. Dean of Students John Yarabeck contacted the Houstonian in hopes that he along with the student could get a message out to other students about the dangers of this drug. “This drug seems to be very unstable and can cause seriously bad trips as can be seen in his account of his experience. Anything you guys can do to discourage students from trying this or any other illegal drugs will be much appreciated,” said Yarabeck in an e-mail to the Houstonian. The student wanted to share
the bad experience so that others could be informed on the dangers of DOC. “If this letter can stop even one student from taking ‘DOC’, a drug that very little is known about in the first place, I’ll have done my job. I don’t think anyone should suffer the consequences of taking ‘DOC’, whether that’s hospitalization, arrest or (worst case scenario) death. Take the time to think about why you’re at college in the first place: to get an education and a degree so you don’t have to wander aimlessly through life. Study hard, make good friends and don’t take ‘DOC’, it will only bring negativity and harsh consequences to your life like it did me,” the student said.
Texas bill could turn SHSU’s Crime Victims Institute into task force MOLLY WADDELL News Editor A bill is going through the Texas Legislature that, if passed, would turn the Sam Houston State University Crime Victims Institute into a task force that would address sexual assaults occurring on campus. Director of the Crime Victim’s Institute, Leana Bouffard said that this bill works with the legislative mission of the Institute.
“This is very much in line with the legislative mission of the Institute, which is to conduct research on issues of victimization and to provide recommendations to the state legislature for policy efforts that would address victimization,” Bouffard said. Bouffard said the goal of the task force would be to develop a better understanding of sexual assault on campus and among college students which would help the CVI make policy changes
or program efforts directed at reducing sexual assault. “The task force efforts will hopefully give survivors a voice in understanding this issue as well as in developing more effective responses to sexual assault,” Bouffard said. “These efforts will also send a broader message that sexual assault anywhere cannot be tolerated and that we all have a responsibility to support survivors and to prevent this type of victimization.”
Bouffard said the bill should have positive results in helping sexual assault victims and preventing sexual assault. “We are optimistic as this bill moves forward and we are able to begin a statewide dialogue with colleges and universities and victim service providers that the efforts of the task force will improve response to sexual assault and strengthen prevention programming,” Bouffard said.
Some senators from the Student Government Association spilled their anger over onto Facebook after a heated gun control debate on Tuesday. “I just love being thrown under the bus asshole!” Sen. Josh Beaman said in a Facebook post. Caucus Chair for the College of Education Ian Cottle commented on the post trashing one of the speakers and an entire college. “Don’t worry he’s only a fine arts major haha,” Cottle said. Beaman said the post was not directed as a student as some first believed, but instead directed towards another senator. “My status last night…was in no way directed at any of the students in the audience at last night’s meeting it was directed at one senator that spoke during the meeting,” Beaman said. However, Cottle didn’t offer any apologies about his comment some say insult an entire group of students. “I was unaware (the senator from Beaman’s post) was not a fine arts major,” Cottle said. SGA President Shane Rankin said although the post wasn’t necessary, Beaman had every right to make the post. CONFESSIONS A thread about the bill also appeared on the Facebook page “Prison City Confessions” where anyone is able to post anonymous comments. Debate broke out between student Ginger Malone and several SGA members, as well as other members of the university community. Malone said SGA hasn’t fully advertised the forums and discussions on the issue. “Hardly anyone showed up,” she said. “Whether you are for or against it isn’t really the issue.” She said the senators don’t want to hear what students say. “They think that we are too stupid and too disinterested to be able to decide for ourselves,” Malone said. “Voting on the bill will happen this Tuesday. I urge you to speak to the SGA before that, and let them know that you want the student body to decide this.” Beaman commented on the level SGA has attempted to get student feedback. “We advertised this in the (Houstonian), on Facebook and through channel 7 news for the last 3 weeks,” he said. “So don’t you (Malone) dare try and say we are trying to pass this without the student body’s knowledge.” Although KSHU Channel 7 news has yet to have a newscast or publicly air information about the meeting, the Houstonian has written several articles about the bill debate, as well as, the Student Government Facebook page. Rankin repeated Beaman’s ideals. SHSU students John Pham and Steven Smith also commented that it is up to the individual students to read student media and follow group publications in order to find out relevant information. “All the tools have been given to (the students),” Smith said. “It’s your responsibility to use said tools to do what you will.” Malone said regardless of what was done, the lack of participation in SGA activities “should say something.”