March 27, 2019 WEDNESDAY
VOL. 105, NO. 3 Cirque Italia pg 2
Alderman’s Legacy pg 3
Academic Excellence pg 6
Community | Courthouse
Party like it’s 1979!
Denton Courthouse
By ADRIANNE LAKY Saturday, March 30, Denton’s very own Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. The Denton County Office of History and Culture will be holding a celebration for this event on that Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Denton County Courthouse-on-theSquare Museum opened on the second floor in the former 16th District Courtroom in 1979. Since that historic year, the museum has been acquiring an expansive collection of artifacts from Denton County’s history. Behind each of the museum’s artifacts are stories about the community of Denton and the individuals that reside
Caitlyn Laky / The Lasso
there. From oddities such as apple cores to zithers, the history of the county is displayed as vast but intricate. At this event on the square, a new exhibit will be unveiled in honor of the Courthouse turning 40 years old called “40 for 40: Forty Artifacts for Forty Years.” This exhibit will showcase a selection of 40 different items found in the museum’s collection of artifacts. Some prominent artifacts that will be found at the exhibit are Russell’s Department Store boots from 1897, Dr. Moten’s Homeopathic Kit from 1869, an Eli Young Band signed guitar from 2008, the Justin telephone from 1900, Braley Villanueva’s Bronze Star and much more. At the opening of this
exhibit, there will be a ceremony and ribbon cutting in the Commissioners Courtroom. There will also be live music performed by the Mike Luzecky Trio beginning at 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m, as well as a macramé workshop presented by Christina Hammond of Rosebud & Bear in the 1896 Room until 3 p.m. Finally, there will be crafts for young kids, snacks and tours of the clocktower from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. All of these activities are free. “I have never been to the courthouse before, but it is very pretty,” said Julie Edmonds, a freshman majoring in Child Development Pre-Occupational Therapy at TWU. I love downtown Denton and would like to learn more about the programs and exhibits they have there.”
When asked if this special event for the courthouse’s anniversary would be something she was interested in checking out, Edmonds said, “I would love to know more about the history of Denton.” This exhibit will open March 30, 2019 and close February 3, 2020. All exhibits, events and lectures at the museum are free and open to the public. The Courthouseon-the-Square Museum is found at 110 W. Hickory. The courthouse does have handicapped parking and accessibility through the north entrance of the museum. For more information about the museum or this event, go to the Denton County Office of History and Culture’s website, or contact Kelsey Jistal, the museum’s curator.
Opinion | Draft
An advocacy for a gender-neutral and voluntary draft
By AMBER GAUDET Two court cases have sparked controversy over women’s roles in the military over the past month, and they could open the door to a ruling that would change the draft in one of several ways, including making it gender-neutral and voluntary – as it should be. The longstanding debate over whether women should be required to enroll in the draft was reignited Feb. 24 when a Texas federal judge ruled the requirements that limited registration through the Selective Service System to men over 18 unconstitutional. Though the ruling did not have immediate legal effects since the judge did not grant an injunction, it could serve as precedence in future court cases, including a lawsuit by a 21-year old New Jersey woman. Elizabeth Kyle-Labell is suing the Selective Service System in an attempt to force changes in requirements that would either require women to register, make registration voluntary or eliminate the system entirely. Kyle-Labell first filed a suit against the Selective Service System when she tried unsuccessfully to register at age 17. March
4, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas ruled that the case could proceed, meaning a ruling could be handed down that would potentially change the male-only requirement that has existed in the United States in some form since 1863. Salas ruled to let the case proceed based on Kyle-Labell’s argument that male-only conscription deprives women of “equal protection of the law.” Though the Supreme Court ruled the maleonly draft constitutional in 1981, Salas based her rulings on the assumption that today’s draft could be unconstitutional in its application even if it was not three decades ago. Further complicating discussions on gender and the military is a Trump administration policy put into place last year that would ban all transgender individuals from serving in the armed forces. The fate of the ban is still being decided in the courts, with one temporary block preventing the policy from taking effect. If recent debates over gender-as-social-construct have proven anything, it’s that society acknowledges the widespread existence of individuals that do not identify with traditional gender
roles. Along with this acknowledgment comes the need for reassessment of long-standing traditions like the male-only draft that have relied on outdated notions about how gender defines individuals’ roles in society. “I’d rather have a trans person fighting for me any day than a person who doesn’t want to fight and who’s hiding out,” Dr. Patricia Stukes, multicultural gender and women’s studies professor at TWU and U.S. Army veteran, said. And she’s right. Rather than wasting resources seeking out draft evaders, why wouldn’t we open up our draft to willing volunteers of all genders? Forcing men to fight while we reject the women and transgender individuals who volunteer to serve is not only an affront to equal rights, it defies logic. Just like women should not be denied the right to serve in times of war, men should not be obligated to sign up for the draft simply because of their anatomy. Individuals of all genders should have the opportunity – not be required to – register to be drafted. Many argue that women should not be drafted because the hypermasculine military culture is harmful to women. While concerns
about the treatment of women in the military are fair, the problem has a simple solution – more women. The more that women serve, the more they can change the male-dominated culture within the military. A larger number of women in the armed forces would mean they were less vulnerable than they are as a minority. Though questions about how pregnancy might affect the needs and capabilities of women in the draft are also valid, the answer is not to exclude women from conscription. Rather, pregnant women can serve supportive roles or, in the case of high-risk pregnancies, be granted medical exemptions as determined by their physicians. “How do we know what women are going to be better at until we give them an opportunity to try it?” Stukes said. In the case of women and transgender individuals, the question we should be asking is not “Should they be allowed to serve?” but rather, “Why wouldn’t we want them to?” The draft should be voluntary and open to willing participants regardless of gender, or it should not exist.
Anissa Clark / The Lasso
Campus | Voter-Friendly
TWU named voter-friendly through efforts to increase student engagement By AMBER GAUDET
Texas Woman’s University is one of six highereducation institutions in Texas to be named a “Voter-Friendly Campus” for 2019 based on their efforts to increase student engagement in the 2018 election. The designation program, which began through a partnership between NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Campus Vote Project, assists administrators in strategizing ways to increase electoral participation among students and selects campuses for official designation based on “their commitment to promoting democratic engagement on campus,” according to CVP’s website. As part of the program, TWU’s Civic Engagement Task Force hosted voter registration booths on campus, provided educational resources through the “Speak Up” series and held “Walk to the Polls” events. The initiative focused particularly on increasing engagement among “weaker turnout populations” – including underclassman and African-American and Latinx students - according to the TWU 2018-2019 action plan. Another goal outlined in the plan was to establish a polling booth on campus, and to “obtain (a) final decision by January/February 2019.” Though The Lasso could not find evidence of a request by TWU to place a ballot box on campus, Michelle Reeves, former director of the Office of Civility and interim director of TWU’s Health and Wellbeing Initiative, said that the university and the city “are currently in
discussions but nothing has been finalized yet.” What is certain is that TWU has not been chosen as a polling location for the May 2019 municipal elections, though the Denton Civic Center, which is within walking distance of campus, will be an early voting polling location. Regardless, students say the university’s efforts to increase engagement have had a positive impact. Clarissa Martinez, a first year nursing major, said she feels the TWU voterfriendly designation is well-deserved. “I can see why (they were named voter-friendly),” Martinez said. “They always have those little tables where they sign up people, which is actually how I signed up…to get my voter registration.” Martinez said that she voted in the last election because of the resources that campus staff provided, and that, in her view, the university does a good job of helping students participate in the voting process. Senior Aaron Harmen, a communications sciences major, echoed Martinez’s sentiments, saying that he also registered to vote because TWU provided sign-up booths. “I’ve seen the voter registration booths around here a lot, and I think that’s really cool, because honestly, I’m not from here, so I wouldn’t know where to go to do that kind of stuff,” Harmen said. “I actually did register to vote through them, so it was helpful that they were around.” According to the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, TWU had a voting rate of 51.9 percent in 2016, but numbers for 2018 have not been released.
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Opinions
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 twulasso.com
The Lasso Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief
Krista Simpson ksimpson9@twu.edu
Managing Editor Lacey Cutburth lcutburth@twu.edu
Copy Editor
Katelyn Garst rgarst@twu.edu
Graphic Designer Anissa Clark aclark20@twu.edu
Community | Circus
Opinion | Staff
Italian water circus visits North Texas
STAFF
By KRISTA SIMPSON
PIC KS
MADELINE BOUTWELL
ANISSA CLARK
I try and keep myself busy over spring break so I never get too lazy to begin with. This spring break I went to Florida on a mission trip and that kept me busy! I have found that if I keep myself busy, even with simple tasks like laundry, it helps keep me productive!
I like to make sure I know all of my assignments that are due after the break so that I can start planning how I’m going to get things done when we get back.
JUNE COOKE
LACEY CUTBURTH
KATELYN GARST
Going back to school is jarring especially if you had a quiet, stay-in vacay. Exchanging reading for pleasure with reading to study was particularly hard for me, but I find reading a book that’s not for school before I go to bed, is helpful in getting a long night’s sleep. In addition, you could try adjusting your sleep schedule for school hours over a weekend, if you’re used to staying up late.
I struggle with prespring break laziness, so getting back into the swing of school never really happens. My motivation comes in waves, it really depends on the day if I get work done or not. On a good day, I just keep my motivation up and try to be most productive on those days.
I hate to admit it, but I am never in the groove of school. My schedule is never the same, but one thing that I can always count on is my well-pruned planner and tendency to keep my room clean. It won’t save my grades, but spring cleaning definitely helps to save some of my sanity.
ADRIANNE LAKY
CAITLYN LAKY
KRISTA SIMPSON
Coming back from break
All photos by Caitlyn Laky / The Lasso
Page Editor
Madeline Boutwell mboutwell@twu.edu
Reporter
June Cooke jcooke1@twu.edu
Reporter
Amber Gaudet agaudet@twu.edu
Reporter
AdriAnne Laky alaky@twu.edu
Photographer Caitlyn Laky claky@twu.edu
Advisor
Joseph Alderman jalderman@twu.edu
AMBER GAUDET
I don’t feel like I ever really do! I get everything done but I feel like spring break totally throws my rhythm off and the rest of the semester kind of drags by.
It’s always hard to try to get back into the swing things when coming back from a middle of the semester break. I normally try to sit down before the break is over and plan out the coming weeks so I don’t get too overwhelmed when I’m thrown back into the frying pan.
To be completely transparent I am not sure I ever truly get back in the groove because I’m not sure I was ever in the groove. I just take every day and the struggles and blessings that accompany it with faith and hope that I will do better than I did the previous day.
The circus is coming to town, and it’s bringing a 35,000-gallon water tank with it. The Cirque Italia will be presenting its newest show, “Aquatic Spectacular,” to Denton April 4 through 7. The show is open to all ages and will feature many artists from around the world. The tent will be set up for circus-goers on the North Texas Fair and Rodeo grounds. Prices for the show vary depending on which level the seat is on, but adult ticket prices range from $20 to $40, and children’s ticket prices range from $10 to $35. The Water Circus was created in 2012 by Manuel Rebecchi when he came to America from Italy. “He has circus in his blood,” said Samatha Kulinski, a circus performer and the on-site social media specialist. “He came to the United States wanting to make his own American dream.” And so, the Water Circus was born. “Aquatic Spectacular” takes the audience through a glimpse of Italy with different acts throughout the performance. The Lasso had the opportunity to attend a show and experience the water circus first hand. Among the acts that were shown were a contortionist, several acrobats and a daredevil archer. Rebecchi’s water circus is the United States’ first traveling
water circus, which is only part of the reason that it is unique. Kulinski said that the water circus is special because of the experience that it offers to the audience. “It’s not a mud show. It’s a very elegant experience,” Kulinski said. With its ambient lighting, splashing water fountains and carefullyselected music, the water circus attempts to make the audience feel as if they are experiencing Italy. Performers also interact with the audience throughout the show. Every show is different depending on the audience. The circus clown continuously walked among the crowd and made sure everyone was entertained in between acts. Performers even interacted with the audience in the middle of their acts to make the show feel very personal and intimate. “The best thing about our show is that it’s fairly intimate for a show this size,” Kulinski said. The seating within the circus tent is very intimate as well. Although the tent can fit up to 1000 people in its seats, every seat has a good view of the stage. “Even from the furthest seat, you’re only 40 feet from the stage,” said Kulinski, “You can get a good view from wherever you are, and for us performers, that means we can see everyone’s faces and reactions.”
Spring break is always tricky because I just want to continue being lazy and pretending my classwork doesn’t exist afterwards. However, one way that I make sure that I get back in the groove is by making todo lists for each day. To-do lists help me to remember what I need to do each day and gives me the satisfaction of checking tasks off. Terence Giannuzzi performing “Rolla Bolla”
Opinion | Safety
Photo Courtesy / Riley Nadwodny
Importance of strength By LACEY CUTBURTH
Anissa Clark/ The Lasso
Being strong can range from being able to stay emotionally stable during tough times to lifting weights over your head. One thing is for sure, being strong is one of the most important things someone can be. Whether it be walking to the parking lot after a night class or walking from a parking lot to a restaurant, there are times where we find ourselves walking alone at night. Women often hold the stigma of being the weaker sex. As much as we want to pretend we live in a perfectly safe world, that will never be true. Women are targeted a lot of the time,so because of this, we need to learn how to be strong, not only mentally, but physically as well. Going to the gym is a great way to keep your muscles strong and
lean. The stronger our muscles are, the better we can defend ourselves. Having the strongest muscles does not always mean you know how to protect yourself. Taking a self-defense class can help educate those wanting to feel safe when out alone. The purpose of these types of classes is to gain confidence in oneself and be able to defend against anyone of any size. Every person has a weak spot on their body,and these classes help find those spots. Self-defense classes can be found in and around Denton. Texas Woman’s University also offers a class for students to take. A lot of the time, women are told what to avoid to remain safe, like “don’t walk alone” or “don’t wear your hair up, because it’s easy to grab.” These remarks are probably made out of the good in mind, but it
is not good advice. Yes, it is smart to avoid dark alley ways, but to alter your lifestyle is ridiculous. Women should aim to be strong and be able to defend themselves. Signing up for a class can be intimidating, but it is better than being caught in a dangerous situation. Having the confidence to fight back and know what you are doing will only benefit you in the long run. While the classes are aimed to help participants gain knowledge, you could also meet new friends and socialize. The phrase, “Better be safe than sorry” is something everyone, no matter what age, gender or size, should live by. It is always better to “be in the know” than to be sorry later. Knowing how to pinpoint certain spots to take down a predator, even if it is never needed, is good knowledge to hold onto.
Campus
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 twulasso.com
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Sports | Gymnastics
Leaps of faith: senior gymnast hopes to leave spiritual legacy By AMBER GAUDET
For many people, their religious faith is a core part of their identity. For senior gymnast Erin Alderman, that faith has defined not only her experiences as a student, but as an award-winning gymnast. Alderman, ahead of the final performance of her career this weekend, was named the Midwest Independent Conference Woman of the Year. Alderman’s recent honor comes just weeks after being named Edward Jones Athlete of the Month for her February performance and receiving Midwest Independent Conference Performance of the Week honors earlier this month for her Balance Beam routine against
Arizona, Air Force and Centenary. Alderman, who is graduating in May and enrolling in a master’s program for speech pathology, says that although she was honored to be recognized, awards have been far from her mind this season. “This season has just been really sweet in the sense of just being free and enjoying the last few moments that I have with this team and with my coaches because I’ll be done in a month,” Alderman said. “My focus has been more on that and in glorifying God in all that I do, so it hasn’t been about trying to get certain recognition, but it’s still nice to have – it was a big honor.” Alderman said she owes her recent successes to
the determination that her spirituality lends her. “Just the freedom from my faith, glorifying God in all that I do and being what I can be for my teammates and going out there, going big and having fun,” Alderman said when asked about what made February such a standout month for the athlete. Surrendering to her beliefs has made a
Photo Courtesy of TWU Athletics
fundamental difference in Alderman’s life, allowing her to embrace the present and granting her a self-assurance that she said has made all the difference in her athleticism. “My freshman and sophomore year especially, I really struggled with fear in general, but also just trying to please people and do things to make people proud of me,”
Campus | AAUW
Be smart about your salary
By ADRIANNE LAKY The American Association of University Woman Start Smart is a salary negotiation program that is designed specifically to teach individuals how to negotiate salaries for a new job with confidence and success. The AAUW Start Smart program specifically works to aid women in learning to negotiate their salaries more fairly. This program is heavily involved in reducing the gender pay gap. According to AAUW’s research about the gender pay gap, one year out of college, women are paid significantly less than men. Their investigations found that in 2009, women who were one year out of college and
working a full-time job were only getting paid about 82 percent of what men who were working at the same level as them with the same amount of experience. Their most recent research in 2017 shows similar results as well. Deborah J. Vagins from AAUW has an article explaining that it will take action from individuals, employers and policymakers to bring an end to the gender pay gap, and it will take all of these individuals working together. Vagins suggests that a good way to begin this action is to encourage women to get trained in salary negotiation with an AAUW Start Smart learning tool or in-person workshop. At the end of a typical AAUW Start Smart
workshop training, an individual will be informed on the gender pay gap, the causes of it and the effects that it has on society. Participants will also have the ability to navigate the steps of salary and benefits negotiation through the practicing of negotiation strategies and techniques in role-play exercises. Additionally, individuals who attend should also have the skill of developing a budget, a target salary and benefits package for themselves. However, the main takeaway that AAUW Start Smart sponsors say they want their participants to have is to feel confident in their own abilities to negotiate salary and benefits packages. This program holds workshops all around
the United States in universities and colleges. In fact, AAUW Start Smart will be hosting an event soon at Texas Woman’s University that will be open to the public. This event will take place in Blagg-Huey Library, room 234, on TWU’s Denton campus. It will be held Tuesday, April 2 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Space is limited for the event, and preregistration is required in order to participate. The cost to attend is free for anyone who signs up. If interested, visit the TWU career conections website. For more information on this event and program, go to the TWU calendar website or contact Elizabeth Macdonald at emacdonald@twu.edu with any questions.
Campus | Menstrual Products
Should menstrual products be put back into TWU bathrooms?
By ADRIANNE LAKY It has recently been brought to the attention of Texas Woman’s University students that the Denton campus restrooms are no longer carrying menstrual products. This has caused a ripple amongst many individuals who attend TWU, especially the TWU Psychology Doctoral students who have expressed concern for the issue and wondered what prompted the removal. “During a period several years back, when TWU was experiencing an especially difficult budgetary climate, the institution was, and continues to be, focused on ways to operate more efficiently,” Dr. Stephanie Brown, Associate Vice President for Student Enrichment, Health and Support in Student Life, said. “At that time, custodians brought to the attention of Facilities Management (FM) that they were regularly throwing out many of the supplies
in the feminine hygiene dispensers because the products were expired. In addition, some of the machines were in a state of disrepair. Given this context, a determination was made that it may not be a good use of institutional funds to continue to fill them.” As some TWU students might have noticed, a campus-wide survey was sent out at the beginning of March about the need for menstrual products for students and faculty members. This short survey was sent out by the Psychology Doctoral students who have shown interest in getting the menstrual products put back in the TWU bathrooms. The survey included questions such as “Were you aware of the decision to remove menstrual products across TWU restrooms?” “Have you ever tried to access menstrual products from dispensers in TWU campus restrooms in the past?” “What prevented you from accessing menstrual products in TWU campus
restrooms?” and more. Participants in the survey were then entered into a drawing to win one of three $20 Starbucks gift cards as an incentive to take the survey. Interested TWU student leaders and TWU administrators have been working together on this issue in order to decide what should be done. When asked about what was currently being done about this problem, Brown was very clear. “An inquiry was sent forward by SGA on February 11 and a meeting between administrators and students occurred on February 18.” Brown said. “In that meeting, administrators sought input from the students about how the campus should proceed to address the concern. They decided that the best place to start would be to get a clearer understanding of TWU student needs and develop a solution that would best meet the identified needs. The students wanted to take the lead to develop a
survey. And they have done that.” This work to decide between students and administrators on whether TWU should put menstrual products back in the bathrooms is a group effort and has seen help from either side. “The survey was initiated by students, with the support of the Administration, as a result of the conversation between student leaders and administrators,” Brown said. “The Administration at TWU takes the concerns of our student very seriously,” Brown said. “We agree that the issue needs to be addressed and we are working towards a resolution. We are awaiting the data from the survey to guide next steps.”
Anissa Clark / The Lasso
Alderman said. “The last two years, but especially this year, a lesson I’ve been learning has just been letting go and… being obedient in what I can be and letting Him take care of the rest. That’s what I mean by freedom – just being in the moments that I’m in and caring for my teammates and just enjoying this last little season and…focusing on the journey more than the destination.” Alderman is eager to embrace life beyond the beams, though she said the lessons that she learned in her time as a student-athlete will stick with her. “On one side, it’s exciting that I have this whole new journey ahead of me of life without gymnastics and just
focusing on my masters,” Alderman said. “But the other part of me is sad about it, because it’s been a part of my life for 18 years. I love my teammates and my coaches and the things I’ve learned through gymnastics – hard work, perseverance, discipline and time management – has been like no other.” Alderman also hopes to leave a legacy of her own for her teammates. “My whole focus… has just been that they would see Him through me, so honestly, that is what I hope I leave,” Alderman said. “I hope they see Jesus through me and develop their own relationship with him and just enjoy this journey for what it is.”
Campus | Fit and Rec
TWU Fit and Rec
Caitlyn Laky / The Lasso
Staying active at TWU By LACEY CUTBURTH The Fitness and Recreation Center not only has 8,000 square feet of free weights, cardio equipment, basketball court, climbing wall and three multipurpose exercise rooms, but is also the heart of where events and programs take place to promote a healthy lifestyle. Texas Woman’s University hosts events at the climbing wall, indoor pool (located in Pioneer Hall), intramural fields, tennis court, sand volleyball court and the Fit & Rec throughout the semesters that students can sign up for. Events coming up at the climbing wall include Girls Night on April 3 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Girls Night at the climbing wall aims to help women connect with other women and feel empowered. Prom Night at the climbing wall is on April 11 from 6-8 p.m. Climbers can come dressed in their best prom attire while enjoying snacks, music and climbing. For those who have a more competitive side, the climbing wall offers a crate stacking competition April 25 from 4 to 8 p.m. During the competition, climbers will compete to stack the greatest number of crates while climbing on top of them. The person with the highest stack wins a prize. There is a $10 entrance fee for those who want to compete in the cratestacking competition. The Outdoor Adventure Center hosts events that students can sign up for to explore the outdoors. Coming up April 13, students can kayak down the Elm Fork Trinity River just north of Denton for $10. Departure from the TWU campus is at 9 a.m. and after a few hours of kayaking, students can expect to be back on campus around 3 p.m. Lake Day is April 27 and students will leave campus
at 9 a.m. and head to Lake Ray Roberts State Park for some fun in the sun. The buses will load up and be back on campus around 3 p.m. The $10 fee will cover transportation. With the same fee, students can participate in the intramural sports offered on campus, including dodgeball, indoor and sand volleyball, basketball, soccer and tennis. Each sport has a deadline for registration, and each student can either register as a team or individually. Upcoming registration deadlines are April 9 for the 9v9 outdoor soccer tournament and April 23 for the 4v4 indoor volleyball tournament and dodgeball tournament. To register, visit the Fit & Rec front desk. The multi-purpose basketball court can transform into an open rec facility where basketball, soccer and volleyball can be played. These games are free to join, but proper athletic attire must be worn. To view the schedule for the open recreation times, visit the Fit & Rec website or in person at the front desk. For those wanting to stay cool in the pool, activities are offered for students at the indoor pool in Pioneer Hall. Water Works is a group exercise class with low-impact alternatives for aerobic and strength conditions. All fitness levels are welcome. For those with a love for yoga but who enjoy a different scenery, floating yoga is available. This beginner friendly class allows participants to get comfortable floating on their mats while in the water. The more advance level of floating yoga is floating HIIT, where the main focus is balance and coordination. To view times of these group classes, visit the Fit & Rec website. For any further questions, visit the Fit & Rec front desk or call (940) 898-2900.
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Wednesday, August 30, 2017 twulasso.com
News
Community
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 twulasso.com
Community | Health
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Health promotions aims to educate students on sexual health By AMBER GAUDET
“Sexual health” is a phrase that might still make some students uncomfortable if spoken above a whisper, but an initiative on campus is looking to change that. Texas Woman’s University’s health promotions department, a branch of student health services, is aimed at providing a range of wellness services to students. Prominent amongst those offerings are sexual health services including screenings for sexually transmitted infections, barrier protection and educational resources. For college students – particularly young women – those services could end up meaning the difference between a curable infection and a debilitating illness with long-term consequences. A study by the Centers for Disease Control found that young women between the ages of 15 and 24 accounted for 45 percent of reported Chlamydia cases in 2015. The report also cited increased, long-lasting risks to young women who go undiagnosed including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Amy Allison, assistant director of TWU health promotions, said those potential complications from going untreated are a good reason to prioritize regular screens for STIs.
Community | Rangers
“When we provide sexual health education, we try to stress the importance of getting screened and tested to know your status, but also the importance of medical care for STIs,” Allison said. “It’s important to educate on ways to prevent STIs, but also educate on the importance of medical care to treat or manage STIs.” Allison said that, at a minimum, students should get tested annually, but that she “encourage(s) every six months, or when ending a previous or starting a new sexual relationship.” Students who have never been to a screening before can expect a similar process to a regular health appointment. For free HIV screenings, which health services offer periodically, the process differs only in that students will be screened by a health professional not employed by TWU. “Students will be given a packet to fill out and then one of trained personnel from our partners with U-Prevent will escort the student back and go over the process and information and administer the test,” Allison said. But, because STI testing is protected health information and screenings are done inside the health services center, Allison said that students should feel at ease. Appointments typically last less than 30 minutes,
and students should get results before they leave the facility. Allison suggests students call health services to secure a specific time slot for free HIV screening, as appointments fill up quickly. Aside from STI testing, Allison said that the health promotions department aims to support and educate students about sexual health in its many forms. “Our goal is to connect students to relevant information to emphasize consent, healthy relationships, reduce risks and promote healthy choices,” Allison said. Allison said that education is an important part of destigmatizing the conversation about STIs and encouraging those who are sexually active to get tested. “I think by providing accurate information and reducing the negative stigma of getting tested and STIs,” Allison said. “I think the other thing to stress is that a positive STI test doesn’t mean ‘it’s the end.’ STIs, with proper treatment, some can be cured, and all can be managed.” Students can request barrier protection products here and can access health resources about a variety of wellness topics at TWU Student Health 101. To make an appointment with student health services, call (940) 8983887.
TWU takes the Rangers and the Astros by storm
By ADRIANNE LAKY Texas Woman’s University is traveling out to Houston and Arlington in the coming weeks to enjoy a night out at the ballparks. The Rangers and Astros baseball teams will be hosting college nights for
TWU. Any TWU students, faculty, staff members, alumni and the general public are able to purchase a ticket to either of these events and participate. The TWU Night with the Astros will be Tuesday, April 3 at 7:10 p.m. at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Additionally, the first 100 fans to purchase tickets will receive a limited edition TWU-themed
Astros ball cap. Tickets for the Astros game should be presented to the TWU Houston Student Life office to receive the free hat. To be eligible for this hat, tickets must be purchased at https://groupmatics. events/event/Twunight. The deadline for the group tickets is March 27. TWU Night with the Rangers is currently scheduled for Tuesday, April 24 at 7:05 p.m. at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
Community | Book Festival
The first 1,000 individuals to purchase a ticket from www.texasrangers.com/ twu will get a voucher for a limited edition TWUthemed Rangers ball cap. There will be a themed lunch in The Underground in the Student Center of TWU’s Denton campus March 27 with Texas Woman’s mascot, Oakley, and the Rangers’ mascot, Captain. Tickets will also be given away during the Pioneers’ softball game Friday, March 29.
The pre-game events for TWU night in Arlington will begin at 6:55 p.m. and will include the TWU Student Chorale, directed by faculty member Joni Jensen, which will perform the national anthem. TWU gymnastics coach Lisa Bowerman will throw out the first pitch. Transportation for the TWU Night with the Rangers will be provided by TWU from Denton to Arlington for any TWU students, staff or faculty; all that is required is a Uni-
versity ID. In order to receive this bus transport, there is a pre-registration that needs to be done by midnight, Monday, April 9. In the midst of a semester, TWU offers a variety of activities meant to provide students, faculty and staff with a way of having fun while at school or work.
Anissa Clark / The Lasso
Booked on giving: North Texas Book Festival benefits local libraries, authors
By AMBER GAUDET Booklovers with a giving spirit could find themselves at home at the annual North Texas Book Festival this April. Saturday, April 6, marks the 19th annual North Texas Book Festival. Organized by the non-profit group of the same name, the festival will feature local authors selling autographed books, as well as games and prizes. Coordinators will host the event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, located on Hickory Street in downtown Denton. Attendees can also attend the pre-festival Chuckwagon
breakfast and awards ceremony with this year’s featured author, Randy Schmidt, at 8 a.m. Saturday’s proceeds will benefit literacy programs and public libraries in the greater North Texas area. While the chief purpose of hosting the festival is providing funding for grants that support libraries and literacy programs in North Texas, Katherine Boyer, treasurer of the non-profit organization, said the event serves another purpose. “The other part of what we do is support the indy (independent) authors,” Boyer said. “They can’t get their books into Barnes and Noble…(so)
they have to get out there and let people know about their books.” This year’s event will feature as many as 70 independent authors from across Texas and Oklahoma. In terms of bringing increased exposure, Boyer said the festival is usually a success for the authors that make the journey to Denton every year. “It just depends whether they get out there and convince people that they can’t live without that book,” Boyer said. Apart from books, the festival features door prizes and returning performer Al Curlett of Al’s Totally Twisted Balloons. This year’s grant and
award recipients will be announced at the prefestival breakfast, and attendees will hear featured author Randy Schmidt speak. Schmidt will share his experiences as an author in a lecture entitled “Only Just Begun: Adventures in Research.” Schmidt has written several bestselling books on prolific women including Judy Garland, Dolly Parton and Karen Carpenter. Organizers encourage those wanting to attend the breakfast to RSVP so there is enough food for everyone. The planning board expects a typical, if modest, turnout to the festival this year.
“We usually have 200, 250 people,” Boyer said. “It’s the best kept secret in Denton.” Although there have not been significant increases in turn out to the festival, Boyer said board members have seen need for the organization continue to grow. “We’ve gotten more (grant) applications this year than we’ve ever had before, which is exciting,” Boyer said. When asked why she thinks the number of grant applications has increased, Boyer simply said “budget cuts,” referencing the shrinking funding of school libraries across Texas.
Considering those dwindling budgets, Boyer said she feels the proceeds from the event are making a difference in local communities, and she continues to be proud of the work the group does. “For a small festival, we’ve done over $75,000 to literacy and libraries,” Boyer said. “It’s not a whole lot of money compared to others that do this, but for as small as we are, we do a pretty good job.” Admission to Saturday’s event is free. Those interested in learning more about North Texas Book Festival can do so at their website.
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Wednesday, March 27, 2019 twulasso.com
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