facebook.com/theutdmercury | @utdmercury
April 1, 2019
THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
Richardson traffic lights to undergo retiming Study finds city traffic at its peak in last decade
NOAH WHITEHEAD | PHOTO EDITOR
Traffic signals in Richardson will be retimed thanks to hardware upgrades. MARCO SALINAS Mercury Staff
sg BHARGAV ARIMILLI Editor-in-Chief
L
ast week’s Student Government election resulted in a runoff between the top two presidential candidates, guaranteeing that a president and vice president from different tickets would serve the student body in the most contested election in SG history. Political science junior Ayoub Mohammed of the Labor ticket and neuroscience senior Danni Yang of the Ignite ticket are set to go head-to-head in the runoff election, scheduled for Wednesday. Public affairs junior Hope Cory of the Tier One ticket won the vice presidency with 37.8% of the vote. Her running mate, Trevor Schmaeling, finished third in the presidential race. Student Government bylaws dictate that in a threecandidate presidential race, the candidate with the most votes must command at least 40% of the total votes to win and must have a margin of victory greater than 1%. Neither Yang nor Mohammed won 40% of the vote. Yang garnered six more votes than Mohammed, well within the margin. “It’s an honor just to be in this runoff. That clearly shows that we do still have supporters and that there are students passionate about our ticket and campaign,” Yang said. “Mostly, my thoughts were just next steps. What can I do to incentivize more students to vote and make sure that hopefully all student voices are represented?” Mohammed said he was motivated by the fact that eight senators on his ticket had been elected. “I’m just really excited,” Mohammed said. “We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing, spreading our message and platform, and hopefully we’ll win (on) Wednesday.”
→ SEE ELECTION, A recently completed traffic study found Richardson traffic volume at its highest in over a decade, prompting officials to update traffic light infrastructure. The study, conducted by engineering firm Big Red Dog, took three years and monitored traffic at signals throughout Richardson. The director of transportation engineering for Big Red Dog, Dan Hennessey, said the study showed a 1% year-over-year traffic volume increase from 2016 to 2018. Following the study, the North Central Texas Council of Governments gave $928,000 to the City of Richardson, after the city applied for $1.2 million, toward improving detection equipment and retiming around 100 traffic signals throughout Richardson. “(Traffic) increased about between 1015% since roughly 2011, and so now traffic volume goes back to where they were in their peak sometime around 2001 or 2002,” Hennessey said. Robert Saylor, the city of Richardson’s traffic engineering and operations manager, said the Big Red Dog study was a comprehensive analysis of Richardson’s traffic. “It was analyzing the performance and then comparing it to the cities and comparable arterials and locations in surrounding communities,” Saylor said. “It was more of a high-level analysis — it was not a detailed analysis of intersection by intersection.” The study includes three main recommendations for improving traffic management in Richardson — updating the traffic signal cabinet and controller equipment, upgrading vehicle detection and updating traffic management system software. The city will update both the traffic signal cabinet and controller equipment — a process that can only be done on-site — as well as updating vehicle detection, which currently only monitors traffic at individual traffic signals using electromagnetic loops underneath the road surface that are less accurate than video detection. “The existing (vehicle) detection is mostly in-pavement electromagnetic loops which are fine for individual signals, but they make it hard to manage a system,” Hennessey said. “The city is currently upgrading all of that
→ SEE TRAFFIC,
Ayoub Mohammed Labor
Danni Yang Ignite
ALESANDRA BELL | MERCURY STAFF
PAGE 12
Faculty works to be featured at downtown arts hub $250K donation establishes three-year program to sponsor UTD art installations at Eisemann Center PATRICIA MATHU Mercury Staff
Two North Texas philanthropists donated $250,000 in early March to bring UTD art to the Richardson community through the creation of the Eisemann Edge Endowment Fund. Ann and Charles Eisemann have directed their philanthropy towards many aspects of the art scene in Richardson over the years. ATEC Dean Anne Balsamo said the quarter million-dollar donation will allow an ATEC faculty member to create annual installations from 2020 to 2022 at the Eisemann Center, an arts hub in downtown Richardson. “We have to ask ourselves — where are the most creative people in the Southwest?” Charles Eisemann said. “Those people are at UTD. (The) incoming crop of freshman is the best and the brightest. Every year, the arts
are going to change because these people show up and they have new ideas about arts and technology.” The Eisemann Edge Endowment Fund will support Andrew Scott, an associate professor and visual artist, whose projection art caught the attention of the Eisemann Center, Balsamo said. He will work with students in ATEC’s 3D studio to create installations that will explore the intersection of arts and technology. “I’m filling up notebooks with ideas that we can do,” Scott said. “It is a wonderful challenge and a wonderful opportunity to do what excites me most every day when I come to work — engage my students.” Scott said he does not know exactly where the arts scene in Richardson is heading but that he is grateful for the patronage to pursue something larger
→ SEE EISEMANN,
PAGE 12
NOAH WHITEHEAD | PHOTO EDITOR
The Eisemann Center, an arts complex in downtown Richardson, will host UTD faculty artwork from 2020-2022 as the result of an Eisemann family donation.
Men's baseball makes comeback after losses Comets defeat Concordia in ASC Tournament match PRANATI CHITTA Mercury Staff
AMINA HUSSAIN | MERCURY STAFF
PAGE 12
ELECTION TRIGGERS RUNOFF
Senior infielder Matt Mikusek competes against Mary Hardin-Baylor on March 26.
The men’s baseball team played three games of this year’s American Southwest Conference Tournament this weekend against Concordia University, coming up short in the first two but making a comeback in the third. The team competed in two ASC series earlier this season where it won one game each series. The ASC Tournament will consist of 15 games to end the sea-
son, three of which have already been played against Concordia University. The Comets lost 7-1 and 7-5 in the first two matches played on Friday but defeated Concordia 6-1 on Saturday. “This season has kind of been up and down,” said head coach Shane Shewmake. “(The freshmen are) playing hard and working hard but sometimes you don’t get the results you want as often as you want.” Last season, the team had 16 seniors
→ SEE BASEBALL,
Learn about the histories behind classic American foods.
→ WATCH THE VIDEO
AND
SEE PAGE 4
PAGE 12
→
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
2
THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVIV No. 40
NEWS
UTD PD Blotter
Editor-in-Chief Bhargav Arimilli
editor@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2294
Managing Editor Cindy Folefack managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287
Copy Editor Diego Alvarez
copyeditor@utdmercury.com
Graphics Editor Matt Strack
A
D March 12 • A student reported the rear wheels of his vehicle stolen at 10:20 p.m. in Lot T.
A
March 14 • An unknown person reported a burglary of a vehicle at 10:58 p.m. in Lot J.
B
graphics@utdmercury.com
Photo Editor Noah Whitehead
photo@utdmercury.com
News Editor Emaan Bangash
news@utdmercury.com
Life & Arts Editor Ayoung Jo life@utdmercury.com
Web Editor Bharat Arimilli
web@utdmercury.com
Outreach Editor Carolina Alvarez
media@utdmercury.com
Opinion Editor Madison York
March 20 • An unaffiliated male was arrested for theft of greater than $2,500 at Canyon Creek Heights North at 6:21 p.m.
C
March 23 • Two unknown males removed a locked Bait Bike belonging to UTD at 5:46 a.m. at the Waterview Science and Technology Center.
D
March 25 • A Facilities employee reported inflammatory writing on a bathroom wall at Classroom Building 1.2R2 at 12:55 p.m.
E
E
B
opinioneditor@ utdmercury.com
Video Editor Ryan Magee
video@utdmercury.com
Contributors Ruqiya Barreh Alesandra Bell Sarah Besserer Mansi Chauhan Jenna Cherrey Pranati Chitta EJ Chong Bianca Del Rio Dulce Espinoza Thomas Hobohm Amina Hussain Ruhma Khan Anika Kotaru Michael Lockwood Samantha Lopez Amanda Maceda Patricia Mathu Chiamaka Mgboji Louise Nillas Anna Phengsakmueang Marco Salinas Anna Schaeffer Medha Somisetty Sarah Streety Pavan Tauh Megan Zerez
Media Adviser Chad Thomas
chadthomas@utdallas.edu (972) 883-2286
Mailing Address 800 West Campbell Road, SU 24 Richardson, TX 75080-0688 Newsroom Student Union, Student Media Suite SU 1.601 The Mercury is published on Mondays, at two-week intervals during the long term of The University of Texas at Dallas, except holidays and exam periods, and once every four weeks during the summer term. Advertising is accepted by The Mercury on the basis that there is no discrimination by the advertiser in the offering of goods or services to any person, on any basis prohibited by applicable law. The publication of advertising in The Mercury does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the newspaper, or the UTD administration. Opinions expressed in The Mercury are those of the editor, the editorial board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily the view of the UTD administration, the Board of Regents or the Student Media Operating Board. The Mercury’s editors retain the right to refuse or edit any submission based on libel, malice, spelling, grammar and style, and violations of Section 54.23 (f ) (1-6) of UTD policy. Copyright © 2019, The University of Texas at Dallas. All articles, photographs and graphic assets, whether in print or online, may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without express written permission.
The Mercury is a proud member of both the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
LEGEND VEHICULAR INCIDENT
THEFT
DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD | COURTESY
C
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
3
NEWS
UTD’s ‘Dhunki’ a cappella group advances to nationals Students to compete in annual All American Awaaz competition against seven groups RUHMA KHAN Mercury Staff
A UTD a cappella group, Dhunki, will be competing for the first time at a national competition for a chance to win the championship title. The competition will take place on April 13 in Washington, D.C. All American Awaaz is an annual championship for South Asian a cappella groups. The top seven groups compete for a chance to win the title of national champion. Healthcare management sophomore and co-director of Dhunki, Bethany Zachariah, said the team has been practicing tirelessly for the competition, spend-
ing several hours a week rehearsing both vocals and choreography. The group normally practices three times a week for two hours each session. However, in the weeks before competitions, the group practices every day. “Part of (the rehearsal) will be dedicated to specifically choreography,” Zachariah said. “How we move on stage, what formations we’re supposed to be in, our facial expressions, basically how we’d use our body to tell the story as well as the song.” To date, the group has competed in seven competitions in order to qualify for the championship event in Washington, D.C. Performances are scored from zero to 10 based on vocals, choreography and visual appeal, among other factors.
Although this is the first time the team has competed nationally, it previously won first place at Anahat, a regional competition, at the University of California, Berkeley in 2018. For its set, Dhunki will be performing a retelling of “Baahubali,” an Indian film adaptation of the classic King Arthur tale with roots in Hinduism and ancient Indian history. “You have to tell a story in a way that flows and that the audience will understand,” Zachariah said. “For example, in the very beginning of the story, the main character just finds out that he’s a king even though he’s lived his entire life as a
→ SEE A CAPPELLA,
PAGE 8
MEDHA SOMISETTY | MERCURY STAFF
Healthcare management sophomore Bethany Zachariah is the co-director of Dhunki, a South Asian a cappella group at UTD.
Students provide free consulting services Newly established UTD chapter to support non-profits ANNA SCHAEFFER Mercury Staff
PAVAN TAUH | MERCURY STAFF
Economics graduate student Adarsha Piya and computer science senior Santhosh Paramasivan shake hands during a 180 Degrees Consulting meeting.
UTD’s new chapter of an international consultancy group is working alongside Dallas nonprofit organizations to provide pro bono advice. Mechanical engineering junior Logan Harless first learned about 180 Degrees Consulting — an organization that works globally as a university-based consulting service — while studying abroad in 2018 in Australia. He brought the idea back to Dallas, and UTD’s chapter was integrated into
the larger organization in January. As the chapter president, Harless oversees two project teams: one working with Camp Kesem, an organization providing year-round services for children whose parents are living with cancer, and another partnering with sustainability education conference EarthX. “I’m most looking forward to seeing the impact we can have on the Dallas community and the network we can build,” Harless said. “We want to connect students and (not-for-profit) partners who are passionate
→ SEE CONSULTING,
PAGE 8
SAMANTHA LOPEZ | MERCURY STAFF
4
LIFE&ARTS
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
Q&A: Hector Cantú Co-creator, writer of popular newspaper comic strip visits UTD
NOAH WHITEHEAD | PHOTO EDITOR
UTD’s Alpha Epsilon Delta hosted its first annual color run to raise money for Wendy’s Eagles and the Lymphoma Research Foundation. SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES | COURTESY
Comic writer Hector Cantú launched the comic strip “Baldo” along with illustrator Carlos Castellanos.
Creative writer Hector Cantu, the cocreator of the widely syndicated Baldo comic strip, visited UTD on March 25 to give a lecture sponsored by the School of Arts and Humanities. The Mercury sat down with Cantu to learn more about the inspiration behind the comics. Q: What inspired the Baldo comics and the characters? What made you decide you wanted to create this specific family with its themes? A: I didn’t see people like this in the newspaper. I would see other comics based on cats or based on dogs or other people, but I did not see this kind of family. I said, “You know, it’s time for this kind of family to try to be in the comics page.” And that’s why we pitched it. I think that’s why people decided to put it in the paper. Q: Is there a specific message or theme you want your readers to follow or be inspired by? A: I think it all boils down to tolerance and seeing things from a different perspective. With how this family sees things, I think all stories tell us about things we are not familiar with. That’s why you read a book, that’s why you read the news — you want to experience things that other people have experienced. Baldo is written in that spirit: presenting stories to show you how other people experience things.
Students run to beat cancer Pre-health group organizes on-campus walk to benefit lymphona research PRANATI CHITTA Mercury Staff
UTD’s pre-health honor society, Alpha Epsilon Delta, held its first-ever color run Sunday afternoon. Color runs are untimed, 5-kilometer races in which participants are doused in colored powders at various milestones during the event. Proceeds from the 5K color run will benefit a fundraising organization, Wendy’s Eagles, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Biology sophomore Cindy Ngo, who serves on the AED board, proposed the idea for the run. She had previous experience organizing a color run at her high school in Plano ISD. “Traditionally, we do a fundraiser every year for Wendy’s Eagles,” Ngo said. “Previously, we would
just sell T-shirts and hope we get a lot of sales through that.” AED partnered with adjunct UTD faculty member Wendy Harpham for the event. Harpham, a lymphoma survivor, gives a talk to the organization’s members every spring about her own journey battling cancer. “This year, Dr. Harpham threw out a lot of ideas instead of doing a T-shirt fundraiser and suggested a 5K,” Ngo said. “After that, (the AED president and vice president) brought me in since they knew I had experience planning 5Ks and color runs.” After Harpham received her lymphoma diagnosis in 1990, she underwent several rounds of treatment. When her lymphoma went into remission, she became involved in the LRF and started a Dallas chapter as well as founded her non-profit
Q: What sort of future do you see for your comics? What legacy has there been and will continue to be? A: I hope people see Baldo and his family as an American family that are just like everyone else. They may see things a little bit differently, but at their hearts, they are just like everybody else. As for me as a writer, the idea that my work has touched people is what means the most. A year ago, at a Comic-Con, this 18 year-old young woman came up to me and said how she had a comic strip taped up on her wall for 10 years and she was a big fan of (Baldo’s little sister in the comics). The comic strip helped her get through a lot of stuff. To me, that touches me and makes me realize that we are in a lot of newspapers and we have a lot of readers and that we are touching hopefully a lot of people in the right way. We are happy if they’re inspired by the characters and the stories. That always makes me feel warm inside. Q: What character would you say you resonate the most with?
→ SEE BALDO,
PAGE 8
→ SEE COLOR,
PAGE 8
Junior spreads smiles through baked goods Student grows business from farmers markets to on-campus sales, collaborates with student organizations AYOUNG JO
Life & Arts Editor
Q: Are any part of the comics based on yours or Castellanos’ life? A: I would say some instances here and there might have happened to us as teenage boys. But after 20 years, and after 300 or more comics a year, you have to make up a lot of stuff. Most of it is made up. Q: What do you usually base these off of? You mentioned how you read up on the news, and since the majority of your characters are teenagers, do they follow the trends that teenagers today are following? A: Right, I try to do that. I try to make them very tech-savvy and social media-savvy and deal with other kids in school. I’m always reading about that. You know, it’s a matter of making sure that it is more or less accurate, and that it’s staying close to reality.
organization — Wendy’s Eagles — which consists of a team of walkers who participate in the LRF Dallas Lymphoma walk every year. Wendy’s Eagles has raised approximately $130,000 so far, which is donated to lymphoma research efforts. Harpham has published eight books about her journey through the fight against cancer in which she discusses how to build hope for patients who have also struggled like she has. “I hope everyone can see and understand her story and be inspired by it,” said AED vice president Nidhish Lokesh, a biochemistry senior. “I want them to meet the people behind this and the cause. Everyone can come interact and see who the money is really going to.”
ANNA PHENGSAKMUEANG | MERCURY STAFF
Entrepreneurship and marketing junior Andrew Blodgett (center) founded Smiles Bakery in 2016 before he started hosting pop-up events on campus in 2018.
A student combined his passions for people and creation to start his own baking business. Since he introduced it to his network at UTD, he has been growing its reach by collaborating with various student organizations on campus. Smiles Bakery is a pop-up bakery business started by entrepreneurship and marketing junior Andrew Blodgett. Since establishing his business in the summer of 2016, Blodgett has been selling fresh baked goods to customers from around the metroplex, as well as UTD students. Blodgett said his mother inspired him to start his business. His family had a bread business called Family Bread Basket, and he and his brother would help out by washing dishes and delivering baked goods.
american cLASSICS EMAAN BANGASH Mercury Staff
Some of the most beloved foods in American cuisine are simple but interesting and unique. A combination of fruit puree and peanut paste between slices of bread makes a delicious staple in millions of kids’ lunchboxes. Breaded pieces of chicken soaked in hot oil are essentials
at family picnics and cookouts. A sinfully tangy but sweet tomato and vinegar sauce is put on all things including burgers, fries, eggs and even rice. Over-the-top descriptions aside, my fellow Chew Crew member Chiamaka Mgboji and I tried the famous peanut butter jelly sandwich, fried chicken and ketchup. Although these foods are extremely common and well-known, their backstories are fascinating. The recipe for peanut butter and jelly
“We were always getting really good food to eat and also getting really inspired by the process of how you can make food,” Blodgett said. “When she kind of stopped doing the bread business thing, I was like, ‘If I were to start a business, this would be a good way to get into it.’” Blodgett said another reason behind his business was his love for building things. “Growing up, I always had a passion for making things, whether it’s building Legos or planting a garden or making notebooks,” he said. “It’s cool to see something grow or be built.” With his new business established, he started selling at a local farmers market near White Rock Lake in Dallas. “I remember very distinctly my first customer, and when she bought my loaf
→ SEE SMILES,
PAGE 8
RYAN MAGEE | MERCURY STAFF
sandwiches isn’t very old, but its components all have varying origins. Grape jelly was originally a Concord grape puree known as “Grapelade” and was created by Paul Welsh in 1917. Peanut butter was introduced in the 1800s and was considered an upscale food served in New York City tea rooms. However, the PB&J sandwich recipe as we know it today was published in The Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics by Julia Davis Chan-
dler in 1901. The sandwich became very popular during World War II as a ration for soldiers because of the ease in preparation and consumption. Fried chicken has been around since 4th century Rome, but the first-ever “American” fried chicken wasn’t created until the mid-1700s when a British cookbook, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, published a recipe for it. By the time it spread
→ SEE AMERICAN,
PAGE 8
SPORTS
5
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
eyes on the prize Senior outfielder sets sights on future after breaking Division III record, becoming three-time All-American
NOAH WHITEHEAD | PHOTO EDITOR
Senior outfielder Melissa Livermore recently broke the Division III record for number of stolen bases. Livermore has played softball for all four years at UTD. MEGAN ZEREZ Mercury Staff
It’s 6 p.m. and UTD’s softball team is running one last set of laps before the weekend. As her teammates round the field, Melissa Livermore’s cleat taps home base. For a moment, she stands there alone, eyes cast out somewhere beyond the outfield. Then the spell is broken. Livermore extends a hand for a high five as the first of her teammates finishes up behind her. Livermore, a healthcare studies senior, has played outfielder on the softball team throughout all four years at UTD. Last week, she was named the American Southwest
Conference’s hitter of the week. She’s a threetime All-American winner and recently broke the Division III record for the highest number of stolen bases throughout her career. Head coach James Kling said that stealing bases is one of the most exciting parts of their game. There’s a lot of strategy involved, with an almost telekinetic communication between player and coach. “Bunt, get on base, steal second,” Livermore said. “That’s my whole role, basically.” Bunting refers to a technique where a batting player will hit the ball low, into the dirt, rather than aim high and far into the outfield. It’s common in college softball, as it allows a batter to strategically “place” the ball in the infield. If
done properly, it opens a window so a quicker player, such as Livermore, can attempt a steal. “That’s the difference between softball and baseball. In baseball, you don’t see a lot of bunting,” Kling said. “But in softball, when you’ve got a person that’s quick like Mel, you use that short game.” In NCAA softball, a player can’t attempt a steal until the pitcher throws the ball. Once that happens, Livermore is essentially racing against the ball. In college softball, a talented pitcher can throw at speeds upwards of 60 miles per hour, Livermore said. Kling said that before he even interviewed
→ SEE LIVERMORE,
PLAYER STATS LATEST GAMES TEAMS
BA RBI R SB AB
UW-LA CROSSE
.508 1
1
1
3
CENTRAL
.522 1
1
2
4
WIS.-PLATTEVILLE
.549 0
3
2
4
EAST TEXAS BAPTIST
.533 0
0
1
4
EAST TEXAS BAPTIST
.513 0
0
0
3
EAST TEXAS BAPTIST
.506 0
0
0
3
PAGE 11
Bad weather leads to rough season opener for women's golf DULCE ESPINOZA Mercury Staff
UTD WOMEN'S GOLF | COURTESY
Junior golfer Marissa Langer said wind and low temperatures affected her performance at the Pinecrest Intercollegiate Tournament, where the team took second place.
SAMANTHA LOPEZ | MERCURY STAFF
The UTD women’s golf team opened the spring season with a second place finish at the Pinecrest Intercollegiate, a two-day event hosted by LeTorneau University. UTD finished at the event, held March 5, with a 36-hole total of 708, 16 shots behind the tournament champion. The event began with a 360 on Monday and increased by 348 on Tuesday over the final 18 holes. Marissa Langer, a junior on the women’s golf team, has been golfing since she was a sophomore in high school and is now in her fifth year of playing competitive golf. “We really overcame the challenges we were faced with,” she said. “With our overall performance, we did a great job … and I think it was a great outcome for our first tournament.” Langer said the team was unaccustomed to the weather they faced at the
tournament. She added that they are usually only let out to play in 40-degree weather, whereas during the tournament they were faced with 30-degree weather, which led them to shooting scores less than they had hoped to shoot. Lindy Patterson, a sophomore, also said the weather made for a difficult tournament. “It was some of the worst conditions that I’ve ever played in at a golf tournament, so expectations weren’t high,” Patterson said. Patterson said her scores of 88-84 aren’t scores she would necessarily be happy with, but considering the wind, the cold and how much it had rained, she felt that she performed well. “Before (the tournament) we were struggling with a lot of weather, so we really didn’t get out to practice as much as we would hope,” Langer said. “The tournament just affirmed that we still have a bunch of stuff to practice to do better at the next tournament.” Since the Pinecrest tournament, the team
has taken home two first-place wins at the Hal Sutton Invitational, with a 36-hole total of 670, and the Texas Cup. The latter, hosted by the Comets, was shortened due to lightning. The team shot an 18-hole total of 324 in the opening round, winning after the second round was suspended. “Since the (Pinecrest) tournament, the team has seen that we can place well and really be a contender coming into the next few tournaments,” Patterson said. “There is a serious dynamic in practice going into the tournaments knowing that we need to work hard so that we can do well.” She said the team is adding more competitive drills and reps into its practices to ensure they do well and win in their upcoming tournaments. The team’s next game will be its American Southwest Conference championships on April 12-14. “We definitely want to win (the) conference and get those rings,” Patterson said. “I really want UTD to be the best golf program it can be.”
6
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
ADVERTISEMENT
COMICS O&B: THE HOLE
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
7
#JUST COLLEGE STUDENT THINGS
JENNA CHERREY | MERCURY STAFF
CARLZ SAYS
SARAH STREETY | MERCURY STAFF
CAROLINA ALVAREZ | MERCURY STAFF
WHAT’S HAPPENING
WATERING MY PLANTS
WHAT IS GOING ON
EJ CHONG | MERCURY STAFF
CAROLINA ALVAREZ | MERCURY STAFF
BIANCA DEL RIO | MERCURY STAFF
EJ CHONG | MERCURY STAFF
CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | MERCURY STAFF
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
8
NEWS
→ BALDO
piece of me in different ways.
A: It’s just natural to say Baldo, though I think a part of me resonates with all the characters. Whether it’s Gracie who likes books, or Dad who’s trying to keep traditions alive, I think they’re all a
Q: In your opinion, what has been the biggest accomplishment so far with your comics? A: It kind of goes back to that story of touching people. (It) is a big accomplishment for me personally that people read it and
are actually touched by it. We are a part of people’s lives because we’ve been around for almost 20 years, and people are growing up with this comic. They’re hopefully learning a little bit from it and having laughs over it. And that to me has been important to see that happening.
“I was thinking about stopping Smiles Bakery, because I thought it wasn’t getting anywhere since I was selling at the same farmers market, because it’s pretty hard to build a strong customer base there,” Blodgett said. “I started selling on campus. I already knew a lot of people here, I was already an Orientation Leader, I had played rugby my freshman year and I had connections through my brothers as well because they both came here before me. ” Blodgett said he had some apprehension about bringing his business to campus and showing it to those he knew. “It was kind of scary, being like, ‘What are people going to think? Is it going to be welcomed here?’” he said. “But the amount of support that I was met with was so cool and
everyone was super excited about it and wanted to try and buy things.” Smiles Bakery collaborates with student organizations on campus to help them with fundraising efforts. “The best event is when it’s winwin,” Blodgett said. “We can partner with another organization, and they can grow their reach and bring their people, so it helps us, and it also helps them.” Although he hasn't sold his baked goods at farmers markets since last December, Blodgett said he made the right decision because of the connections his business is helping to form among students. “Our vision isn’t just selling baked goods,” Blodgett said. “It’s spreading positivity and love through baked goods and a wholesome community of students coming together.”
ted and organized into this strong team creating really cool projects, we start to attract the attention of industry professionals.” Both Rubanov and Harless plan to pursue professional consulting after graduation. Harless said he sees this organization as a training ground for both people interested in consulting and for those exploring the possibility. “I also enjoy working with nonprofit organizations,” he said. “180DC combined these interests in the best possible way.” More than 50 students applied to join 180DC’s nine-person project team. Harless said he wanted creative, personable members with strong communication and diverse skill sets, as
well as for those nine students to have majors ranging from biology to computer science to finance. The team working with EarthX is developing marketing strategies, while the second team, partnering with Camp Kesem, is focused on fundraising for an increased sponsorship goal of 50%. 180DC is the world’s largest university-based consultancy, with approximately 2,500 completed consulting projects throughout 30 countries. UTD’s chapter is one of more than 100 global branches. “I’ve enjoyed seeing how much help we can give them even with a semester-long project,” Harless said. “It’s crazy to see how much impact we can actually make.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
→ SMILES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
of bread, I was just feeling like, ‘Woah, I made this, and she is paying money that she earned,’” Blodgett said. “And I also liked seeing people’s reactions after trying out my samples.” Blodgett said that as he got more customers at the farmers market, he started adding more variety to his baked goods. “Every time I would add a new product, I would learn a lot from the process of buying ingredients and doing inventory, pricing packaging,” Blodgett said. Blodgett said he brought Smiles Bakery to UTD as a part of his Startup Launch I course in hopes of further growing its reach.
→ CONSULTING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
about social impact so they can help each other maximize their potential.” Physics junior Benny Rubanov, the consulting director for 180DC at UTD, said his longterm goal includes giving back to Dallas as well as building a presence for professional consulting on campus. “180DC has a real chance to be one of these premier organizations on campus because it does have a meaningful impact, and at the same time, you’re increasing the profile of the consulting bloc at UTD,” Rubanov said. “You start bringing better people into the organization and because they’re vet-
→ COLOR
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
The color run had approximately 180 participants. So far, the club has raised over $2,000, surpassing officers’ expectations. “One goal I had was I wanted a lot of our members to sign up, but I also wanted a lot of participation from the
→ AMERICAN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
to America, the recipe had been influenced by Scottish and West African cuisine, in which Scottish frying techniques and West African seasonings were used. It was — and still is — a very common and beloved dish in the South. Ketchup is a centuries-old Chinese recipe. Derived from the Hokkien Chinese word “ketsiap”, it was originally a fermented fish sauce. The British discovered it in the 17th century and tried to make their own version using oysters, walnuts and anchovies. It looked nothing like ketchup today and was then a dark, thin sauce put on almost everything. It wasn’t until 1812 when American scientist James Mease created the first recipe for ketchup using tomatoes. In 1876, Henry J. Heinz took up the recipe and added more sugar and vinegar to let the sauce preserve longer, which was the basis for the recipe for ketchup that is known worldwide today.
→ A CAPPELLA
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
peasant. And so, at that moment, he’s really unsure of himself, so for that specific part of the story, we made a song that we thought would fit in well.” Child development sophomore and Dhunki co-director, Srishti Arora, said the team will also perform song arrangements combining Indi-
community because this is open to the public,” Ngo said. At the run, Harpham gave a speech about her fight against cancer. “I want everyone to come and hear Dr. Harpham’s message about hope,” Ngo said. “She’s been through so much and makes you see things in a different perspective. I think that’s valuable for anybody to be optimis-
tic about life. Her story is so raw and inspirational, and I hope people come out of the color run feeling inspired.” Lokesh said he hopes to see the color run continue in the future. “In the future, I want to incorporate more of UTD, outside of AED, like other students and groups,” he said. “I want to extend this to other organizations across campus.”
First, we tried the PB&J sandwich. It took a while before we could master the perfect ratio of jelly and peanut butter; the jelly had to be mixed in the jar to make it easy to spread, and the peanut butter was thick and dense and took a while to spread all over the bread slice. I didn’t imagine a fruit and nut combination to be particularly yummy, but it was an interesting mixture of tastes. The nuttiness of the peanut butter mixed with the sweet fruity taste of the grape jelly made for a delicious combination in the sandwich. I was particularly excited to try fried chicken because I love meat and anything fried. We tried Kentucky Fried Chicken’s version of the dish because one particular franchise nearby served halal meat. The fried chicken looked extremely crispy, spicy and greasy. After one bite, I instantly knew why it was such a favorite among people. A tantalizing combination of crispy chicken and peppery spice, my mouth was flooded with delicious fried goodness.
Amaka and I also wanted to find out why ketchup was so popular. We poured a bit of ketchup on a spoon and tried it by itself. I could definitely taste the vinegar and sugar together, but it was a nice duo and made for a delicious sauce. I’m not sure I would eat it by itself very often, which was why we decided to try the sauce with the leftover fried chicken and PB&J sandwiches. It tasted incredible with the fried chicken, but I’m not sure I could say the same for the PB&J sandwich. Of course, it should have been fine seeing as ketchup is made from tomatoes — which are fruits — but the extreme sourness of the ketchup did not blend well with the sweetness of the peanut butter and jelly. It’s weird that some of the foods people eat almost daily have an extensive backstory. Many of these foods didn’t even come from America, but their recipes were modified here. They’re such huge parts of world culture that we don’t even think about where they’re from or what their histories are.
an music and popular English songs. “Since this is the first year that Dhunki has gotten into nationals, I feel like we’ve just crossed a milestone and we’ll be working hard to cross even more milestones,” Arora said. “We’ve just been telling the team, and I believe this too, that we should just be proud of what we perform on stage, and that’s all we really want to accomplish.”
Zachariah said that although she hopes that the team wins the championship, victory is not their primary focus. “The main goal is to affect your audience,” Zachariah said. “You know if you don’t leave that stage and have the audience feeling some sort of way after each of your performances, we say as a performer, you haven’t done your job because the main goal is to impact them in some way.”
OPINION
9
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
LOUISE NILLAS | MERCURY STAFF
Why we stand for the victims
‘Pro-life:’ a misnomer
Graphic images of aborted fetuses necessary to highlight injustice of abortion
Anti-abortion groups must consider dangers of limiting access to abortions
MICHAEL LOCKWOOD Contributor Last Tuesday, Comets for the Preborn, a campus organization, displayed graphic photos of aborted preborn children outside the Student Union. Our signs bore genuine pictures — neither staged nor photoshopped — of babies aborted within the first six to 20 weeks of life. The accuracy and authenticity of each photo were personally verified by both the photographer and Anthony Levatino, a New Mexico physician who has performed over 1,000 abortions. Anyone in doubt can easily search online for a diagram of fetal development or common abortion methods. It is hard to deny that our pictures were painful to look at. The sight of severed heads, arms and legs may rankle the consciences of those who support abortion and sadden the hearts of those who do not. But since these pictures were real, the moral vexation which they created was not misplaced. We had a hard time looking at the images, too. But we stood by them because they are the truth. They are the reality behind euphemisms like “choice,” “termination” and “reproductive rights.”
They are the genuine face of abortion. We feel it is our duty as fellow human beings to reveal that face, and so we stand next to these victims of injustice. We stand to expose what a barbaric — yet regretfully legal — practice has done to them. Many have called our signs disgusting, and we agree; we take no pleasure in seeing them. However, we must solemnly honor the thousands of babies slaughtered every day in this country. To those who may criticize our method, we say it is much worse to support abortion than to show pictures of it. Because it is always wrong to intentionally take an innocent human life, there are really only three questions worth asking: Are the preborn human? Are they alive? And are they innocent? We know from the science of embryology that the preborn are indeed human beings. Every cell in a baby’s body, from conception, is a human cell, stamped with her own unique DNA. Every thought a baby thinks, however primitive, is a human thought. A preborn child is not merely part of her mother’s body. She has her own brain, her own heart, her own eyes and fingers and toes. The preborn are indeed living. A child
→ SEE PREBORN,
RUQIYA BARREH Contributor Ever since the most recent Comets for the Preborn demonstration this last Tuesday, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about exactly what it means to be “pro-life.” As someone who’s protested at both of CftP’s demonstrations, I’ve had the chance to hear the main concerns of those who consider themselves to be prolife, and it always seems to go back to the idea of the sanctity of life and the importance of protecting an allegedly vulnerable population. However, promoting anti-abortion policies does nothing but put women at risk for unsafe abortions and take efforts away from supporting policies that could serve as an alternative to abortion, such as improving the U.S. foster care system. Abortion is meant to serve as a medical option, and trying to remove this option doesn’t protect the sanctity of life but instead puts more people at risk. Anti-abortion policies generate more harm than it prevents. First and foremost, the United Nations recognizes access to abortion as a human right. In 2000, the UN
PAGE 10
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights stated that the right to health includes “the right to control one’s health and body, including sexual and reproductive freedom, and the right to be free from interference” and “requires the removal of all barriers interfering with access to health services, education and information, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health.” Therefore, attempting to deny people access to abortion is preventing them obtaining a medical procedure that, according to the UN, they should be able to access. Additionally, denying people access to abortion leads to higher rates of maternal mortality because of unsafe abortions. The World Health Organization estimates that about 25 million unsafe abortions take place worldwide every year and that between 4.7% and 13.2 % of maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortions. If people who support anti-abortion policies are just as “pro-life” as they claim to be, then they would recognize that all that removing access to abortion does is lead to more deaths. Another concern raised constantly by pro-lifers is how their main goal is
→ SEE MISNOMER,
PAGE 10
THE CAMPUS CAMPAIGN How UTD's canvassing policy harms Student Government elections, engagement THOMAS HOBOHM Contributor
EJ CHONG | MERCURY STAFF
When running any sort of campaign, be it political, charitable or even social, canvassing is the most effective way to spread your message. Broadly speaking, canvassing refers to direct outreach to potential supporters of a cause. In political campaigns, canvassing usually entails block walking — knocking on the door of every house on the block to share your message with its residents.
For charitable and social campaigns, canvassing involves handing out flyers in public or approaching people on the street to discuss your cause. Canvassing isn’t about bothering people — it’s about disseminating information to the public in a constructive, nonintrusive way. Considering this, it’s vexing that UTD has forbidden practically all forms of canvassing in Student Government elections. When it comes to political campaigns, canvassing is a critical tool because it enables any candidate or party to directly reach out to the community they hope to represent. For up-and-coming, unestablished
candidates, canvassing is the only way to get their name out and connect with potential voters. As a member of Beto O’Rourke’s U.S. Senate campaign, I witnessed the importance of canvassing firsthand. Beto’s campaign strategy was successful because it relied on a grassroots team of canvassing volunteers who knocked on doors, distributed flyers and passed out stickers to potential voters all over Texas. When Beto started his campaign in early 2017, he was little-known outside of El Paso, but by election day, he was a household
→ SEE CANVASSING,
PAGE 10
Finding middle ground UTD must find pathways to more effectively combine art, science for students AMANDA MACEDA Contributor
This past Friday, I read the March 11 opinion article published in The Mercury titled "Letter to the Editor: How to Help ATEC Grads Improve Job Prospects," which proposed that ATEC students should be required to take on a STEM minor in order to increase the chance of getting a job after graduation and improve the STEM departments at UTD. As it stands, there’s an uneven exchange. ATEC students can minor in a STEM field, but STEM majors can’t minor in an ATEC
pathway. The option of a double major is on the table for STEM students, but some don’t have the time or money to pursue that many hours. Others just want to gain some — but not expert-level — experience and skills in the fields ATEC encompasses. Still, others are on scholarship and can’t risk a lower GPA by dividing their attention equally between the two. Nothing is stopping these students from taking a few courses a semester if they have the space to, but if they took as many hours in the ATEC curriculum that equals or exceeds the amount of a minor, the dedication and effort put into expanding their skillset would not be justly recognized. Furthermore, if ATEC were to put a requirement such as this into effect, it would create a standard that suggests having just an ATEC degree isn’t good enough. The fact that STEM students aren’t being encour-
aged to take ATEC classes through the offering of a minor only amplifies this notion. I understand that this suggestion was coming from a scientist who sees the value and potential of integrating this emerging field with STEM research. However, the proposed suggestion may not create the desired outcome. To many ATEC students, it would be a forced collaboration, as they initially chose ATEC because of their desires to pursue design, production or media studies — not to learn how to synthesize it with a science or math “of choice.” Students should retain the ability to choose whether they want to minor in one of these fields. Interest in interaction with STEM research and applications varies significantly among students. It would be unfair to those
→ SEE ATEC,
PAGE 10
CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | MERCURY STAFF
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
10
OPINION
→ PREBORN
→ MISNOMER
in the womb grows — rapidly and beautifully. At three weeks, her heart starts beating. At four weeks, her eyes and ears are forming. At six weeks, she has delicate arms, legs, fingers and toes and face starts to form. All of these qualities are present before most abortions occur. Since the preborn are distinct, living humans, the only possible justification left for abortion is that they are not innocent. But what crime are these tiny children guilty of? Merely existing? A preborn baby’s dependence upon her mother for survival does not make her an intruder. After all, she did not come into existence of her own will. She depends on her mother’s womb as a newborn depends on her mother’s breast. This state of weakness shared by young children, if anything, gives us more of a responsibility to protect them, not less. We call ourselves pro-life because we believe that all innocent human lives — inside the womb and out –— are worthy of protection. Sadly, in our society, the lives of the preborn are aggressively devalued. Their violent deaths, numbering nearly a million a year, go unmourned. This state of injustice will continue until the public recognizes the humanity of the preborn. That is why we sought to raise awareness of their plight on Tuesday and why we will continue to do so in the future. Michael Lockwood is a mathematics freshman from Ohio.
to provide a defense for these unborn children who have done nothing wrong, and my response to that is always: “What about the vulnerable children that are already here?” The websites for famous antiabortion organizations such as the National Right to Life and Created Equal, the national organization to which CftP belongs, don’t make a single mention of any actions or policies that can be taken to improve alternatives to abortions, such as the U.S. foster care system. Instead, the main focus is targeting and adopting punitive measures against those seeking abortions with no regards for the hundreds of thousands extremely vulnerable children stuck in our incredibly damaging foster care system. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children,
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
→ ATEC
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
who have absolutely no enthusiasm for it, especially if they already had a minor in mind that doesn’t fall under the STEM umbrella. However, the “T” in both ATEC and STEM stands for “technology.” What makes the technological aspect of ATEC any less attractive than the technological aspect of STEM? I fully agree that there are plenty of potential employment opportunities for students possessing all the above skills, but taking one up without truthfully having a passion for both areas will only hinder the creative potential of both the graduate and their
there are currently over 437,000 children in foster care, 10% of whom eventually end up aging out of the system, which lowers their chances of finishing their schooling and increases their chances of incarceration. The National Conference of State Legislature found that up to 80% of children in foster care suffer from significant mental health issues, compared to between 18% and 22% of the general population, and yet the “greatest unmet health need for children and teens in foster care,” according to the Healthy Foster Care American Initiative is mental health. So when people who consider themselves to be “pro-life” rally against abortion so fervently and yet remain awfully quiet on issues concerning the U.S. foster care system, the hypocrisy in the anti-abortion argument becomes that much more apparent. Antiabortion policies aren’t about
protecting children, because if they were, then the supporters would be devoting the same amount of passion to making sure the vulnerable children that are already here and in dire need of help that they do to demonizing a safe medical procedure and vilifying anyone who chooses to get one. All in all, referring to the antiabortion movement as “pro-life” is a misnomer. If those who support anti-abortion policies were actually as “pro-life” as they claim to be, they wouldn’t be devoting their time to policies that have been shown to lead to more deaths while neglecting an already present vulnerable community that could actually use their help. Ruqiya Barreh is a sophomore from Austin who is majoring in psychology and minoring in public health.
new employer. But if the need is that great, then the first step should be to open the opportunity for ATEC minors. There is so much untapped creative potential as well in STEM students who might have had a difficult time deciding between their current major and ATEC. Plenty of them probably strive for these same opportunities, but their game plans involve prioritizing expertise in their STEM field and gaining the needed technological and design abilities along the way, something that could be eased if UTD offered an official path towards those ambitions. Not offering this option could be interpreted as the university believing that dedicated scientists can’t reach the same creative abilities as a non-sci-
entist, or that developing the creative side of themselves isn’t as desired as developing their STEM side. The notion that one’s analytical and creative mind — the overall configuration of an individual’s personality and talents — cannot successfully develop at the same time antagonizes the culmination of new, greater innovators. We need more Leonardo da Vincis and more Galileo Galileis. UTD already provides an excellent college education, but an increased focus on exercising and appreciating skills in both the arts and sciences would truly improve our campus in both research and camraderie among schools of study. Amanda Maceda is a chemistry sophomore from Dallas.
→ CANVASSING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
name. Using the power of canvassing, Beto garnered the support of an impressive 48.3% of Texas voters. Insofar as Beto gave these voters a voice, he showed how important canvassing is to free speech and democracy. Yet, despite the widespread use — and demonstrated effectiveness — of canvassing, UTD still severely limits students’ ability to do it. In several emails, Student Government candidates were told they were not allowed to actively approach students on campus for election-related purposes. This put several campaigns on hold because they couldn’t approach potential voters, even if they were in public spaces on campus. Essentially, they had to run campaigns without campaigning. What happens in elections where canvassing is prohibited? Oftentimes, they turn into a popularity contest. Candidates fall back on their friends and pre-existing social ties to garner votes, leaving the majority of potential voters remain uninformed and unengaged. In the long-run, voter turnout falls, elections become less meritocratic and establishment candidates are given an unfair advantage. Some opponents of canvassing claim that it merely pesters students, but this concern is misguided. Canvassers are careful not to be bothersome because it is counterproductive. Annoyed students are less likely to vote, and if they do vote, it usually won’t be for the candidate that badgered them. If UTD is concerned about
campaigns excessively pestering students, they can prohibit campaigns from continuing to nag students after they have already expressed disinterest. These rules are subjective, but determining whether canvassing is restrained or excessive is typically straightforward. When asked why canvassing is banned, Student Government officials stated that approaching students is “hawking.” I’d argue that hawking is not simply approaching students in public; it should be interpreted as continuing to accost students after they have turned you away, harassing students by following them or yelling at students as they walk around campus. This definition prohibits campaigns from excessively bothering students, but it gives them the latitude to meaningfully reach out to potential voters and inform them about their platform. How come, when antiabortion activists are allowed to approach students with graphic images outside the Student Union, and fraternities are licensed to blast music on the Plinth, the university forbids Student Government campaigns from any and all canvassing? In order to make Student Government elections more meaningful and engaging, UTD should enforce its policies with a less all-encompassing definition of “hawking” and permit campaigners to unobtrusively approach students in public spaces on campus. Thomas Hobohm is an economics sophomore from Dallas.
THE 99 THESES OF ATEC
EJ CHONG | MERCURY STAFF
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Students interested in writing opinions or letters to the editor can email editor@utdmercury.com. Letters must be 500 words or less. Students should include their full name, major and year. Faculty, staff and administrators should include their full name and title. Authors may only have one letter printed per edition of The Mercury.
Email letters to editor@utdmercury. com. Although electronic copies are preferred, a hard copy can be dropped off at the reception desk of the Student Media suite (SU 1.601). Please include a headshot.
We reserve the right to reject submissions, and we cannot be responsible for their return. We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, good taste, accuracy and to prevent libel. Apart from your name and photo, personal info will not be published.
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
11
NEWS
→ LIVERMORE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
for the head coach position, he had heard about Livermore’s explosive speed and talent for stealing bases. “Speed, you know, you can’t teach,” Kling said. “From an early age, coaches should see that and use it, and it’ll make a huge difference in a game.” Livermore said she first picked up a bat at the age of four, playing tee-ball. She’s been playing ever since. When there weren’t any softball teams, she played baseball instead. But it wasn’t until high school that her coach took note of her penchant for speed. “I was really small at the time. I hadn’t hit my growth spurt, and (my coach) was like, ‘Mel, you’re too fast to not be on the left side (of the batter’s box),’” Livermore said. “Since then, it’s like, get on base and steal.” Livermore said when she’s stealing a base, every second counts. She said one of her greatest challenges was learning how to optimize those first few steps off the plate. By her last recollection, she said she can get from first to second base in under three seconds. “It’s kind of an adrenaline rush,” Livermore said. “Coach Kling, he’ll give me a sign and you’ll get all excited to go, and then you take those first hard steps off.” And the adrenaline is infectious. “When Mel is our leadoff, it’s a catalyst for the team,” Kling said. “It gets that enthusiasm; it gets that momentum going for us.” But Livermore’s energy and amiability don’t go away when she’s off the field. “I like to be the mom,” she said. “We’re like a big family.” The team often spend time together outside of practice.
They go to Smoothie King together, study together and hang out afterwards. Livermore said she’s even formed a small Bible study group with a few other teammates. “Just living on campus together, you know, (my teammates) are some of my closest friends,” Livermore said. “It’s the little things we do together, not the awards and accolades.” Livermore will graduate this May. This week, she’s gearing up to take the exam for EMT certification. She’ll work as an EMT while she applies for sports medicine and physician assistant programs. Livermore said even though so much of her life revolves around softball, she’s always loved school, especially when she can use it to connect different aspects of her life, such as her knowledge of anatomy. “The human body is just fascinating,” Livermore said. “With Anatomy and Physiology I, I really enjoyed the muscles and bones, which is the huge one, for most people, that they didn’t like.” Livermore started out in the pre-med track. During her healthcare studies courses, she found out about physician assistant programs, which she decided were a better fit, she said. “I think being a PA will help me to better educate patients just on the day-to-day things,” Livermore said. “It’ll also be a better work-life balance for me.” Livermore said she’s no stranger to juggling different responsibilities. For most of her life, she’s balanced softball with work, school and relationships, she said. It hasn’t always been easy, Livermore said. For many college athletes, balancing school and their sport can be difficult, and sometimes, people burn
out. She said doesn’t judge them — junior year was particularly tough for her, with a heavy course load and a transition between coaches. “Google Calendar is my friend,” she said. “But a huge part of it was learning to say no (to events) and … that it’s important to take time for yourself.” Livermore said practice has become its own sort of release for her, a time when she can just let go of all the stresses that have built up over a day of classes. She said while academics are important to her, she’s looking forward to a bit of a break from classes between graduation and professional school. Livermore said she got a few invitations to try out for a few non-career teams after graduation but turned them down. She always knew that that her time in the sport was finite, that graduation from UTD, a Division III school, was going to look different than if she had played on a Division I team. “Everyone dreams of it, you know, playing Division I,” Livermore said. She said she ultimately picked UTD because it seemed like a good balance — she was able to secure a scholarship, it was close to home and it had a strong reputation for academics. And, she added, it had a softball team. “I love UTD,” Livermore said. “I’ve found my place here.” Livermore said she’s not quite sure what exactly her future holds, but she’s confident she’ll always find a way to be a part of the softball community here in Texas. “When you don’t have classes or practice together anymore, you just have to make more (of an) effort to see each other,” Livermore said. “Whatever happens, I know we’re going to be OK.”
UPCOMING EVENTS COMETS GIVING DAY Join fellow students and faculty in challenges across campus to raise money for UTD.
April 2, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Under the Trellis
INTERNATIONAL TEACHING KITCHEN Work with UTD chefs to make a snack in this International Week event.
April 3, 4 - 6 p.m., Dining Hall West
CHINESE PAPER CUTTING AND CALLIGRAPHY Learn about calligraphy as well as how to make a paper cutting.
April 4, 1 - 3 p.m., SSA Lobby
GLOBAL TALENT SHOW Experience the diverse cultures at UTD through song and dance.
April 5, 7 - 9:30 p.m., AC Main Gym
April 1, 2019 | The Mercury
12
NEWS
→ ELECTION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Danni Yang spoke about her ticket, Ignite, and her Student Government initiatives at the SG Election Debate on March 14.
A total of 3,424 votes were cast in this year’s election, representing a 55% increase from last year. Nearly 12% of the student body voted in this year’s election, a 3.5% increase from 2018. Economics senior Alexander Holcomb, the current chair of SG’s Election Board, partly attributed the increase in turnout to a larger election budget. “We spent a considerable amount on getting the word out (and) putting marketing materials out there,” he said. “Most of it was going to social media, trying to hit people who typically wouldn’t have been involved in Student Government.” Holcomb said the rise in voter turnout was a positive step
→ TRAFFIC
→ BASEBALL
UTD TV | COURTESY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
to video detection, which will then in the future allow them to watch all intersections from their offices instead of having to visit a site (to view traffic).” Assistant Director of Transportation and Mobility Mark Titus said the city applied for funding for vehicle detection upgrades to be made at 80 intersections and was awarded funding for 60 intersections. Titus also said that the city was awarded funding for retiming over half
→ EISEMANN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
than himself. “I’m not being cheeky when I say I don’t know where it is going to end up. This is something that is evolving,” Scott said. “What I can say is that I am going to enjoy the ride and the journey. I have every confidence that it is going to be great because of the people that are involved.” Balsamo said she is optimistic about the potential of the Eisemann Edge Endowment Fund as a means to raise awareness about contemporary forms of art. “You have to cultivate that
the intersections in Richardson. “For the signal retiming project, we applied for funding to retime 120 of our 128 signals and then got awarded funding for 80 of those, which is pretty good,” Titus said. “That’s still over half of our signals.” Hennessey said congestion occurred mostly during peak periods at expected locations such as major intersections and areas near U.S. Route 75. He also said UTD is a factor in the congestion in northwest Richardson. “It’s the result of having a big, healthy, active university, and that’s not a good thing or a bad
thing, but it’s one of the issues that the city is going to have to be aware of as they attempt to manage traffic west of 75 and along Campbell and north of it,” Hennessey said. Design and production junior Rousvel Flores said the traffic in Richardson affects how he plans his class schedule. “I have more classes on certain days rather than have it evenly spread out … because I’d rather not come to campus, waste gas and get stuck in traffic when I could be doing homework instead,” Flores said.
type of awareness. We do have some super interesting art venues and interesting contemporary art in Dallas, but they tend to be art coming from elsewhere, not art that is coming from and emerging from our region,” Balsamo said. “This gives us the opportunity to organically grow an interest and appreciation in emerging art forms to show what is out there in the world but also see what is possible to create, here in our area, in the Metroplex.” Charles Eisemann said he does not make this type of donation often. He said the recent strength of the American economy was a catalyst for the dona-
tion to establish the program. “Arts is the first to go when you cut back economically,” he said. “It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. A positive economy was important to us.” Though the donation supports a three-year program, Eisemann said he is thinking long-term. “Arts are everywhere in the world,” he said. “I like to see people come together, so I’m not just thinking Richardson. I’m thinking the U.S. and the world. We want to set something going here that is going to live on for a very long time, being refreshed every year to reflect the fine arts that we have.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
who graduated after the team won the ASC Tournament. The team is currently 9-14 overall. “Basically, we kind of got off to a slow start in Arizona, but we ended up getting a win,” said junior pitcher Blake DiValerio. “We started off with high hopes and high expectations because we just got off the conference championship, and we didn’t play as we should’ve.” This season is DiValerio’s first on the baseball team after transferring from Oklahoma Wesley University last fall. “Being on the team, I’ve learned that patience really is a virtue,” Di-
for SG. “It’s pretty encouraging,” he said. “Whenever you think of the amount of exposure that SG has to the student body, I think that the more that it has, the more effective it can be.” Mohammed said while the uptick in turnout was encouraging, there is still more work to be done. “I still think (12%) is a very small number, and it could be way higher,” he said. In runoff elections, candidates can only spend up to $100, which is 20% of what they can spend in standard elections. Both Yang and Mohammed said they were working to ensure students were aware they would have to vote again in the runoff. Cory said she was looking forward to working with either of
the runoff candidates, both of whom ran on different tickets. “It was also unexpected that Trevor didn’t get it. We knew that was a possibility going in,” Cory said. “Everything that I stuck by on my ticket — the platform, the initiatives — will still be carried over.” Incumbent SG president Eric Chen was elected as a senior senator, winning 12.2% of the vote. Incumbent vice president Carla Ramazan ran for the Senate seat to represent EPPS, beating her opponent, Thomas Hobohm of the Labor ticket, by one vote. Students will receive an email on Wednesday with instructions on how to cast their votes for the runoff. Voting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the results will be announced no later than 6 p.m.
Valerio said. “Sometimes you realize you’ve done the best you can and you’ve gotten outcompeted or outplayed and there’s nothing you can do about that.” DiValerio is 2-2 and second for innings this season. “Going in to the tournament, it will come down to consistency,” DiValerio said. “It’s about who can throw strikes constantly and play better baseball than we have been.” The Comets faced off against Concordia once earlier this season, where they lost 10-3. “With Concordia, they’re probably the best competition we’ve faced in the ASC,” DiValerio said. Shewmake said his goal is to
win 10 out of the 15 games the team will play in the tournament. “The main thing we’re trying to do is getting our guys to relax and play the way they’re capable of playing,” Shewmake said. “We’re at the point where we’re trying to fix the small things and not trying to do too much.” Shewmake said the team will not change its strategy significantly in the future. “I’m excited to see what the last half of the season holds for us,” DiValerio said. “I’m excited for us to fulfill what we know we can fulfill.” On Friday, the Comets will resume the ASC Tournament by playing against the University of the Ozarks.