The Mercury 09 07 21

FOOD TRUCK TIME

Restaurants-on-wheels like Eggstand and Bobaddiction are excited to be back regularly serving Comets outside the Student Union

Emergency Relief Fund reupped

UTD makes relief fund accessible independent of COVID

FATIMAH AZEEM Opinion Editor

After a change in its primary funding mechanism, UTD’s Emergency Support Fund (ESF) is still available for students seeking financial assistance.

Created during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, the grant started within the Division of Student Affairs in collaboration with the Financial Aid Office and the Bursar’s Office. Funds for the ESF originated from institutional funds and federal COVID-19 financial aid programs last fall and spring. However, Associate Dean for Health and Wellness Initiatives Laura Smith said the grant is funded primarily through donations from faculty, staff and UTD community members now that the programs are inactive.

“We created [the Emergency Support Fund] to help students with unanticipated expenses,” Smith said. “We were noticing that there were a lot of students, especially during the pandemic, that were all of a sudden needing new technology now that classes were remote. Or they were having difficulty meeting their rent because their loved one has lost a job due to COVID, or they weren’t able to do something.”

Smith said many of these unforeseen expenses are still at play for students struggling financially, whether from COVID-19 or not, which is why the grant will stay active until funds are exhausted. Students can receive a maximum of $1,000 in funds through the grant and can apply for the grant as many times as needed until they reach the cap. Smith said funds can’t be awarded tangibly in the form of food cards or technology, but students can put the funds received in their Bursar account towards these necessities if they choose.

“It was really designed to be for shortterm unforeseen expenses,” Smith said, “So, [it’s] not something that we can award students monthly or regularly, but if they needed textbooks or they needed a laptop or they needed help with rent or with their grocery bill for that month then we can as-

After a year-and-a-half hiatus, food trucks are back on campus! If you see a crowd gathered outside the Student Union between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on a weekday, they’re probably getting lunch from the day’s lineup of food truck partners. With 11 different trucks on rotation, food options range from egg sandwiches and boba to pizza and even Asian-Cajun fusion.

Michael Luttinger, owner of the food truck Eggstand, has been serving at UTD for about three years. The truck serves all kinds of sandwiches—ranging from burgers to a spinach grilled cheese—but the unifying theme is that each one comes with a fried egg. He says the inspiration came from seeing something similar during business trips to the west coast.

“I started this truck about five years ago after being in sales management, where I was traveling the country three weeks out of the month. When I saw something

Sweet sweat sensors Fire near campus

A house close to campus near Huntington Drive caught fire on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 4.

Firefighters arrived on scene at approximately 8:30 p.m. and attempted to contain the damage; roughly four fire trucks, as well as electrical emergency services and other emergency vehicles, were present.

The fire was thought to have been due to a grill mishap, though the cause has yet to be confirmed.

Flames and smoke could be seen from streets away, and according to UTD graduate student and eyewitness Israel Flores, who was walking back from dinner near the area, “another bystander directly across from the house’s backyard on

Devansingh Sankhala, Kai-Chun Lin, Badrinath Jagannath and Madhavi Pali.

A UTD research team recently created sweat sensors that detect the body’s immune response to viral infections.

With funding from the North Texasbased company EnLiSense, UTD scientists in 2018 wanted to develop a noninvasive device that would detect and alert if a person was exposed to the Influenza virus. UTD bioengineering professor Shalini Prasad is the co-founder of EnLiSense and has actively been working on this project at the Biomedical Microdevices and Nanotechnology Lab with her research team, including

“In 2018, the biggest seasonal epidemic we had was Influenza,” Prasad said. “The vision was to track and notify people if they have the virus.”

The sweat sensor looks for cytokines – messenger molecules that your body releases when infected – in your passive sweat. This means that users don’t have to do anything for the device to detect inflammation.

“Passive sweat is sweat that you and I would sweat right now in an air-conditioned room. You don’t necessarily have to work out or do any sort of exer -

cise for this kind of sweat,” Prasad said. The sensor cannot tell what kind of virus you have, but it can monitor and alert individuals to get a diagnostic test, such as a flu or COVID-19 test.

And after the pandemic hit, Prasad and her team noticed a massive elevation in the rates of cytokines detected in patients with COVID-19. It differed greatly in number from the rate of cytokines detected in Influenza patients.

“We discovered that we could essentially repurpose the sweat sensor to figure out the trajectory of an individ -

Waterview Drive said the fire was raging enough that she ‘was afraid the flames would spread to the leaves of the trees.’”

Moreover, Flores said, “the volume of water firefighters applied to the burning home was impressive and overflowed the nearby storm drains flooding a portion of Cheyenne Drive.”

The occurrence was very close in proximity to campus, with Housing Operations sending a campus-wide email blast advising students not to be alarmed “in the event [they] smell smoke or a burning smell.”

No one appeared to be harmed and all members of the home evacuated safely. Our webpage will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

ALI KHAN | VIDEO EDITOR

Michael Luttinger first brought Eggstand—a three-year Food Truck program participant—to campus after Comets he met at other events requested he do so.

JUHI KARNALKAR | MERCURY STAFF

Tyler Burkhardt editor@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2294

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Life & Arts Editor Lauren Dougherty life@utdmercury.com

Opinion Editor Fatimah Azeem opinioneditor@ utdmercury.com

Outreach Editor Jacky Chao media@utdmercury.com

Video Editor Ali Khan video@utdmercury.com

Web Editor Trevor Tomer web@utdmercury.com

Contributors

Blake Bathman

Manya Bondada

Charlie Chang

Astrid Hernandez

Juhi Karnalkar

Elizabeth Nguyen

Sihanya Rocha

Quinn Sherer

Aishni Shrivastava Isabelle Villegas

UTDPD Blotter

August 19 • At 7:59 p.m., a student reported theft of a bicycle rack near University Village Building 20.

September 1

• A student near W. Campbell Rd. reported a stolen speaker at 1:21 p.m.

September 1

• A student in University Village Phase 6 reported theft of a bicycle at 5:40 p.m.

September 1

• At 2:15 in the afternoon a student reported burglary of their apartment in University Village Building 10.

Richardson, TX 75080-0688

Coach check-in: Marci Allison

Comet volleyball returns to play after abbreviated offseason, academic recognition

TYLER BURKHARDT Editor-in-Chief

GOAT of UTD Esports moves on

BEN NGUYEN Managing Editor

After three years of running UTD Esports, Greg Adler will be moving on to the LCS Operations team at Riot Games.

In his time on campus, Adler accomplished many things while refining the esports program. Starting with a League of Legends and an Overwatch team, the Esports team has since expanded into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Rocket League, added on multiple staff positions for coaching, social media and broadcast and won the first national athletics trophy for UTD in Smash Ultimate. More importantly though, Adler has laid the foundation for a team supported by passionate students with an emphasis on academic success. ATEC senior and Social Media Head at UTD Esports Hector Mavrakis said that the team’s focus is always on education.

“I think Greg, as opposed to many other program leads that I’ve heard of and talked to, has always always always punched in the fact that education is always first over everything else,” Mavrakis said. “I’m glad that he was able to kind of drill that into all of the student athlete’s heads that ‘if you don’t win a single championship here, I don’t care as long as you graduated with a degree.’ And I think that mentality was super, super key to keep everyone on board.”

Adler’s optimism and faith in every

for successful esports program

student in the program defined his time as its head. Students from the esports athletes, coaches, social media coordinators and even the volunteer commentators can recall how Adler set them on their path. CS junior and Smash commentator Hrithik Ochani said that Adler was the one who set him on his path to casting.

“Greg Adler was one of the greatest supporting factors I had. [He’s the reason for] the mark I’ve been able to make, the things I’ve been able to do right: casting stuff like the collegiate esports league that he himself was running. He recommended me to Rec Readiness, which was the group that was there broadcasting. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have had an amazing opportunity like that,” Ochani said.

Students attest that Adler saw whatever potential they had and always pushed them toward maximizing that potential. There is marketing junior Eric Aaberg, brought on as the first Student Assistant Esports Coach, who is now working an internship at Team Envy. While he had to turn away biology junior Avery Carter from playing on the Overwatch team, Adler then introduced her to the role of casting, which led to her role as Broadcasting Lead today. ITS junior and long-time Overwatch tank player Jonah Salinas said that early on, Adler saw the potential for him to be a leader and helped him grow into that role for the team.

“He always came to me and gave

me advice and told me that he expects me to be the leader and has high expectations,” Salinas said. “And he sees a lot of leadership skills and qualities in me that I feel like a lot of people have not seen, but he saw it in me. And he believed in me and gave me the shot to essentially be like the team captain.”

As a coach, Adler was able to steady the course for all the teams in the esports program. While managing four different teams can be difficult, Smash player and CS junior Marcel Hayek said that Adler taught them a team mentality as well as how to stay in the mental game throughout sets and series. Additionally, Hayek said that Adler was a constant and consistent motivator.

“Greg was the one I would turn to for motivation. He knew whenever I felt bad. Whenever I did bad at a tournament, even before I even said anything, he’d be like ‘don’t even worry about it. You got this in the next one. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You got this. It was just a bad day.’ He constantly motivated me. He was always looking over all of us at the team,” Hayek said.

On top of being the team’s motivator, Adler was the team’s mentor and biggest fan. One of Aaberg’s favorite moments with the team coach was when he jumped from the commentator’s desk

SEE GOAT, PAGE 8

For the second iteration of “Coach check-in,” I sat down with Head Volleyball Coach Marci Allison to discuss the summer accolades accrued by the volleyball team—who went undefeated in last year’s regular season— the impact of the abbreviated offseason and her expectations for the fall.

Can you give me an overview of the previous season? How did postponement disrupt the team, and how did they handle themselves throughout that adversity?

“Looking back on the spring, I think for all of us, we had to learn to make adjustments. Even more so on the court, with all of the changes we’d been trying to implement for COVID policies. And then our athletic directors made the decision that we would play only doubleheaders, so it was pretty rough mentally and physically. That meant trying to keep everybody healthy—not just because of COVID, but also the wear of back-to-back matches—definitely took a toll on us, and unfortunately, we had quite a few injuries going into the postseason tournament. Every team did. So, we came out against Concordia, were able to sneak past them—and at one point, they were up on us 2-1, but our team was really gritty, we changed our lineup … and that worked out for us—but then Mary Hardin-Baylor just played really really well at home, and we weren’t full throttle. But I told the team after the spring that, regardless of win or loss, I was so proud of them. They showed really, really mature character: we were the only team that chose to wear masks, not just on the sideline, but also during competition. I think that shows a lot about their mindset, and it meant a lot to all the teammates who were dealing with a little bit more high risk than them, with the whole team respecting that.”

What’s the significance of the preseason rankings to this group of athletes, and how do you feel internally about the upcoming season?

“We don’t ever put a ton of clout into the preseason stuff, you know, and especially that AVCA poll. Even though we’re number 13, it was really hard for those voters because a lot of teams didn’t play last year, so they’re having to go off of 2019 and 2020 and strength of schedule, and so what we always tell our athletes is to look at those rankings as rewards, not pressure. Within the conference, coming in second to MaryHardin Baylor, that’s just what happened last year. Unfortunately for us, we do have a couple of injuries going into the start of the season, so we’re having to deal with some adversity out the gate. I think that’s a chance to work on one of the things for this team to improve upon, their resiliency. And obviously, starting the season at number 13 in the nation can put a lot of pressure on you mentally if you let it, but we try to just appreciate those who came before us and earned that respect.”

What is the continuing impact of COVID likely to be this semester?

“I mean, we’re still dealing with COVID. Obviously, the vaccines are helping, but we’re still having to stay on top of precautions, not only here in Dallas, but anywhere we travel, so making sure we follow all of the precautions in St. Louis or wherever we may be headed.

But the biggest thing, I think, that was hard on our team, is that we aren’t used to the kind of a turnaround where you finish in May and then start back up in August. There wasn’t time to heal and take time off; we basically ended our season and then jumped straight

BEST OF 5 THOUGHTS ON ESPORTS

BEN NGUYEN MANAGING EDITOR

Gurg7 moves on The man, the myth, the Pac-Man legend Greg Adler recently announced on Twitter that he’d be moving on from UTD Esports to work in the LCS Operations team at Riot. His contribution to UTD Esports and collegiate esports in general cannot be understated. He built the foundation for the UTD team, organized events and leagues and focused on ensuring that UTD students had a successful academic career first, then a great esports experience. The first University national athletics trophy being won in “Super Smash Brothers Ultimate” is a testament to all of Adler’s hard work and dedication. His absence will be felt, and I hope that he’ll be able to sneak North America (NA) a Worlds win on the LCS Ops team. A replacement will be chosen in a process involving the top students on the team, but for now, Adler moving on will be a bittersweet loss for UTD.

100 Thieves becomes the fifth team to win the LCS

Dominating 3-0, 100 Thieves became the newest team to win the LCS in nearly four years. With this victory, the old guards of TSM, C9 and TL (we don’t count CLG anymore) have finally been felled. Every member on the team has an interesting storyline, but the highlight performance of the series was from Jungler Can “Closer” Çelik, whose performance carried all three games of the sweep. NA is sending three teams to Worlds this year, looking to break the curse of poor NA performance at previous appearances. With the return of Luka “Perkz” Perković on C9, Team Liquid finally playing their starting roster and the rise of 100 Thieves, NA fans are hopeful that an NA team will make it past the group stage.

LANs are not back

Well, that was poor timing. Owing to the increase in cases due to the COVID-19 Delta variant, the in-person LCS Finals were canceled and the Overwatch playoffs moved from Arlington to Hawaii. I may have tempted God by trying to declare LANs back, but League of Legends is still planning on holding the LCS Finals in Texas and the World Championship in NA, so there’s still hope for the return of massive events in the future. In the meantime, LAN fighting game tournaments and events are continuing on and offcampus, so in-person esports still persist in some form.

The Overwatch League will play on an early version of Overwatch 2 in 2022

Recently, Blizzard announced that in the next season of the Overwatch League (OWL), the pros will be playing an early version of Overwatch 2. This gambit is likely to hype up the new game and try and keep Blizzard afloat after the firestorm of sexual harassment lawsuits and stagnation within the current version of Overwatch. A pro league playing on a premature build of a game like Overwatch 2 might lead to the early showcase of bugs and other issues, backfiring before the game even has a chance. However, considering their options right now, this may be the company’s only shot at remaining in the public eye.

Minecraft Steve reigns supreme

If you’ve attended any number of local “Super Smash Brothers Ultimate” tournaments, you’ll notice a name constantly creeping to the top: Minecraft Steve. As a player or a spectator, Steve has been consistently frustrating with his camping ability and insane kill potential. Most characters have difficulties dealing with his block building, letting Steve mine and play Minecraft while everyone else is stuck playing Smash. The difference between Mango and Zain’s 10-game grand finals versus MuteAce and Yonni’s 10-game grand finals is that the first series had hype moments at every turn while the second series was a camping snooze fest till 1:30 in the morning.

Greg Adler will be missed as he leaves behind the foundation

$5 for 5 hours: Musynx

Cheap rhythm game can’t compare to free alternatives

Novel takes readers to new depths

"On Such a Full Sea" is a uniquely realistic dystopian tale that will stick with the engaged reader far beyond cover's close

“It is known where we come from, but no one much cares about things like that anymore.”

Thus begins celebrated author Chang-

Rae Lee’s dive into a dystopian future that honestly comes a little too close for comfort. Calling it dystopian prepares you for Hunger Games-level spectacle, Orwellian repression or Gilead-like depravity. However, Lee’s vision of a world in slow collapse amidst climate change and class division comes across less like a caricature and more as a wellgrounded prediction in reality. As the story itself points out, though: nothing is inevitable. A single choice can change everything.

Can you feel the beat? Even if you can, it might not help you play this rhythm game.

Musynx is a rhythm game for $3.99 that is similar to all of the rhythm games that came before it: difficult and containing high-speed charts and almost midi-accurate mappings of notes to the music. But there are a few things that make Musynx inferior to other rhythm game options on PC right now, and that might come from its PS Vita origin. Its leniency with notes and the way it punishes missing notes makes it feel weird in comparison to the clear and difficult osu! or Clone Hero (the PC Guitar Hero emulation).

Musynx, in presentation and song selection, looks like it’s trying to be similar to osu! Most of the music is Japanese, with the main offerings being high-speed EDM beats to burn your fingers. However, the $25 DLC requirement for additional songs when osu! and Clone Hero are free leaves a sour taste in the mouth. The presentation is sleek, with the four lanes and rectangle notes evoking the feel of a Japanese rhythm arcade machine. However, there are a few things that make Musynx miss the mark.

To the uninitiated, rhythm games like Musynx and Guitar Hero work off a basic premise: “notes” will come down across the screen in multiple lanes that correspond with keys or buttons. Pressing the respective key or button will hit the note, and failing to do so counts as a miss. The goal is to hit as many notes as possible, and the notes are supposed to line up to the beat and melody of the music being played. Musynx, however, fails to fulfill the satisfaction of hitting the notes to the beat.

There is a ridiculously large window in which to hit the notes in Musynx compared to osu! and Clone Hero.

When just mashing on the keyboard during fast segments, I’d hit all of the notes out of order, but the game would go on as if nothing weird had happened. This hinders the skill-building inherent to most other rhythm games, since normally in order to improve the player has to learn to hit the notes in rhythm.

In Musynx, however, a player could go on for some time spamming the keys as much as possible and ace a song while not really learning the game.

When the player misses a note, the game handles it in a weird way audiowise. Missed notes will not play in the song, and if the player presses the wrong key a different note will play, adding to the confusion while trying to keep up with a fast-paced EDM song. Even if the notes are played correctly, if they are out of order, the sounds will play out of order. For example, when playing the Canon in D map, the classic melody can be completely butchered at a higher difficulty but still be passed – at the cost of your ears.

Osu! and Clone Hero don’t have this issue. Missing notes doesn’t completely butcher the audio, so the player can listen to the music and get back on track. Musynx’s failure to do this makes the learning curve unnecessarily higher than it should be while also worsening an already mediocre experience.

Perhaps Musynx is better on the PS Vita or Nintendo Switch, but as a Steam game, it misses the mark against other options that are completely free. If you want to try Musynx, you can be my guest, but in comparison to osu! and Clone Hero, it’s not quite my tempo.

Rating: 1/5

In a post-climate-catastrophe U.S., refugees make a living in middle-class labor colonies, supplying upper-crust Charter villages with goods and the occasional gifted kid, all surrounded by the violent and lawless Open Counties.

“Full Sea” and its protagonist—begin in a resettled Baltimore (“B-Mor”) after decades of extensive flooding. Before any characters come in, the story takes the perspective of a community, the collective “we,” looking back on the events that will make up the rest of the novel. That kind of framing device could be slow in the hands of a less skilled author, but Lee’s style of increasing tension and dropping reveals at perfect times is incredible. By the time the book’s protagonist, Fan, rebels against the status quo, you can’t put it down.

Literally: this is one of the few novels I’ve pulled an all-nighter to finish.

After the disappearance of her boyfriend, Reg, a wall of red tape comes up that blocks any news of him, so Fan decides to leave the only world she’s ever known and find him. She journeys through the poverty-stricken counties outside B-Mor’s walls, traveling all the way up to the Charters that sent him away. She meets countless obstacles and crosses every starkly drawn line in their world, uncovering questions of identity, community and the true nature of progress itself. All the while, we hear from the community she left behind, shattered in the wake of her unprecedented departure.

It’s worth noting here that Fan herself isn’t extraordinary. Before she leaves, B-Mor is one of many struggling colonies. Common. She develops no superhuman abilities, no ruling hand over the world she lives in, no sudden miracle—what sparks this whole story, this unremarkable hero’s journey, is her choice to simply not give up. That’s the quiet revolution that shakes her society and compels the reader to follow her every move. This parallels the nature of the book, which makes for an absolutely fascinating dystopian drama. It doesn’t go out of its way to shock you; refreshingly, the twists, while stunning in the moment, fall right into place as natural consequences of individual choices. Think “Knives Out,” not “Game of Thrones.” Even the dystopian disaster doesn’t come from too far afield, presented instead as the logical outcome of climate change and socioeconomic division.

That’s where the real power of this

novel comes from, in my opinion. It feels incredibly real, from individual characters’ motivations and choices to their lasting impact on the story as a whole. Lee has gotten writing human beings and communities down to a science. The “we” perspective of B-Mor’s chapters between Fan’s journey gives you

the feeling of being told an old story, passed through who knows how many hands before reaching you—but with none of the hazy edges that folklore tends to fade into over time. Lee’s prose is as clear as day.

What's what: this month's local art highlights

Collections from both seasoned and emerging talent offer something for every taste

As this semester eases into its monotonous groove, it’s time for Comets to get cultured. How else are you going to sound smart in that art elective you enrolled in for core credit? Peruse the finest DFW art selections with this curated guide.

1. Armando Sebastian “Serenade”

A standout of the Dallas arts scene, Armando Sebastian’s artistic practice re-envisions Mexican folk art through a personal lens. His scenes often teeter between visions of dreamy nostalgia and intimate confession. As indicated by its title, the work in “Serenade” takes inspiration from the music of his childhood: as Sebastian said, “Serenades were very popular in Mexico, mainly by Mariachi and typically sung by a man at night by the window of his lover.”

Among this new musical riffing, the classic Sebastian style remains, with an added confessional and harmonious

edge. The exhibit will run at Cluley Projects until Sept. 25.

2. Angela Faz

“The Grammar of Animacy”

Since their gallery debut over a decade ago, Angela Faz has continued to make waves on a local and national level. Their multi-disciplinary practice confronts social injustice through aesthetic means. In “The Grammar of Animacy,” Faz taps into a larger discussion of DFW’s connection to water. In their words, “Who is water? If water could talk, what would they say? … If we viewed water as a living relation, how might that change how we steward our most significant natural asset? This new body of work explores the river's personhood by activating their spirit through illustration and installation.”

You can see Faz's work at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center until Oct. 14.

3. 500X

“Hot and Sweaty 2021”

Bookending the grueling Texas

summer, 500X’s self-proclaimed “uncurated” exhibition brings a second helping of red-hot talent to DFW. Showcasing the work of literally any local artist, “Hot and Sweaty” features wall to wall, floor to ceiling artwork making this a must-see for anyone interested in the work of DFW artists. In the words of the gallery, “If we have space for it, we will hang it!” All donations, sales and entry fees go directly to support Dallas’ oldest co-op gallery. Even in their 43rd year of business, 500X continues to impress and display some of Texas’ best artistic talent. "Hot and Sweaty 2021" will be on display at 500X Gallery until Sept. 19.

4. Amy Bessone “Amy’s World”

Amy Bessone’s work speaks for itself. Not only speaks, but shouts, exclaims and interrupts. Her recent work continues in this vein, though grounding itself in muted Earth tones. Bessone brings the unsettling

to 12.26 with a collection of work that can’t help but announce its presence.

The exhibit will be displayed at Gallery 12.26 until Oct. 30.

5. Andie Flores

ANTI-TOURISM MANIFESTO Andie Flores, @Bidibidibummer, self-proclaimed “LITTLE DUMMY MAGIC DEMON DOODIE DOO DOO HEAD” lives up to her many titles in “ANTI-TOURISM MANIFESTO”. Featuring an in-drag Flores – as long as we can include naked cats in our definition of drag –her newest exhibition excites as much as it confronts. The confronted target? Murals; tourism; Austin, Texas; and the history of sociopolitical injustice intertwined. Somehow, Flores finds a way to entwine all these subjects into an effective and damaging critique of Austin-based tourism, a feat of which only she seems capable.

The exhibit is available digitally until Sept. 10 on https://www. welcometomyhomepage.net/.

BEN NYUGEN Managing Editor

BLAKE BATHMAN Mercury Staff

BEN NGUYEN | MANAGING EDITOR

MARGARET MOORE Mercury Staff

Meet your Student Government Judicial Board

“Academic Affairs will be focused on making this new school year as accessible as possible so as many students are on campus for the first time in a long time or ever. We want to make this academic transition as kind and conscious as possible as we are still feeling the effects of COVID-19 and can continue to be affected by it well into the year.”

—Kruthi Kanduri, Academic Affairs Chair

“My goals this year revolve around working with other organizations at UTD, especially OIT and the other SG committees. I want to focus on student outreach, making sure everyone is informed about the technology services UTD offers, like the laptop loaner program and the TechKnowledgy Bar in the Student Union. In the longer term, I would like to work on projects with student organizations, especially on-campus hackathons and technology events, to encourage new ideas that can help UTD students in their day-to-day life.”

—Vishvak Bandi, Technology Chair

“I see Student Affairs' mandate in two parts: student life and student services. This year, we're looking to work more closely with campus organizations to promote events and provide logistical support, as well as ensure students know about and have access to UTD services. I'm so excited to bring together a committee that's experienced things like Greek life, club events and being new to campus and/or Texas and getting involved for the first time; we've all used services like the Comet Cupboard, SG's free attorney consults and the Student Counseling Center. We're committed to making the student experience the best it can possibly be. Feel free to drop by meetings, my office hours, or shoot me a message anytime and get in touch regarding Student Affairs!”

—Margaret Moore, Student Affairs Chair

“Some of the goals this year include, increasing student engagement with the civil processes and increasing awareness on policies that affect the UTD campus. Practically speaking, this will include voter registration drives and future town hall opportunities for students to directly interact with their local representatives.” —Camila

Santos, Legislative Affairs Chair

“My main goal for this year is to focus on informing UTD students and the community about the opportunities and programs that support a more sustainable and green lifestyle. We will be holding events throughout the semester to promote green and sustainable practices, as well as working to support the events held by the Office of Sustainability. Another goal for this year is to work to make sure the UTD COVID procedures are as sustainable as possible and that sustainable practices and programs in the university are resumed that were paused or put on hold due to COVID.” —Madison Ibe, Green Initiative Chair

“My goals for the committee this year are to create a transparent atmosphere between Student Government and our constituents using our social media platforms and any other means necessary. Additionally, I hope to do as much as we can to promote the voice of our students and the power that the Student Government has to serve our student body. I have many exciting projects planned for this year, such as an SG-sponsored vaccination campaign, to keep our student body informed, safe, and best represent our organization.”

—Ishmerai Gonzalez, Communications Chair

“The GIA committee advocates the interests of both the international and graduate students at UTD. The goal for this year is to expand our repository of resources for the graduate and international students by collaborating with GSA, Intercultural Programs, and other departments and cultural groups on campus and continue to hold events that promote networking and communication to increase access to job opportunities.” —Merline Joseph, Graduate and International Affairs Chair

“The Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Committee’s primary goals for this year will involve advocating for the expansion and creation of services for underserved and marginalized communities on campus. We will serve as a channel of communication between the student body and University administration in the ongoing implementation of these efforts, particularly freshman diversity training and bolstering programs for low-income students. Some more of our goals will be working with the Graduate and International Affairs Committee to explore ways to better serve international students, working towards implementation of LGBTQ+ healthcare services in the Student Health Center and expanding menstrual equity efforts.” —River Bluhm, Diversity Equity and Belonging Chair

“In previous years, the role of Residential Student Affairs has been to ‘[serve] to make living on campus the best that it can be, and put power in the hands of campus residents’. This year, I want the committee to expand its agenda to serving off-campus residents as well. All UTD students are residents in some way, and I want to make sure that students are aware of their rights as tenants and can enjoy a high residential quality of life.” —Talia Devanadero, Residential Student Affairs Chair

Gogate

like the idea of having the option of being both online and in person. I do see the point of being in person because I have been struggling a lot with just online classes.”

MICHAEL STOUT Courtesy

Our nation’s mortified exit from Afghanistan has wrenched open barely mended wounds; among its old conscripts, refugees and young veterans of war, there is a terrible feeling that our nation has done it again: sustained continued bloodshed for nothing.

When Afghanistan’s regional capitols began falling to the Taliban last month, analogies to the Vietnam War were already being made. For many, it felt that we had again wasted lives and decades when the territory and governance slipped away with nothing to show. Larry Chambers, a retired rear admiral who participated in the 1975 evacuation of Saigon, said “To be perfectly honest with you, what is happening now is worse than what happened in Vietnam” during an interview with Military Times. He is right, too. Saigon fell a few years after our military withdrawal, but for Kabul, it was immediately on the heels of our retreat. When our nation entered Afghanistan shortly after 9/11, our mission was to deny extremists of their territory and deliver judgment to Osama Bin Laden. As mission creep would have it though, we continued to deploy our youth in pursuit of other dangerous men even after the first had been killed, having no clear measure or consensus between us and Afghanistan. Like Pete Seeger said in a 1967 anti-war song, “We were neck-deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool said to push on.”

It is no surprise to anyone familiar with the situation in Afghanistan that the U.S. could not win. In a 2015 report published by the Center for American Progress, bil-

Fire and Adjust

lions of U.S. aid and defense dollars were said to have been wasted or stolen by Afghan officials. And in 2012, insider attacks (or deliberate friendly fire) accounted for 14% of U.S. killed according to the journal of Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis. As the money went missing, we could not even keep the Taliban out of the ranks of those we equipped and trained. And this is just a high-level review of it all.

During my time in Afghanistan, I regularly reviewed reports that the Taliban had beheaded renegades to be found at sunrise. Their militia protected the lush valley full of opium despite our best eradication efforts. Any territory that did not have a firm U.S. presence was theirs. The fighters were cunning too, using our own Rules of Engagement to avoid being labeled a combatant. So even then I thought, how could we “win” this?

One of the worst experiences in my life was during that time of the war which painted a similarly dispirited outlook. A group of children, huddled in a courtyard, were hit by mortar fire during a nighttime skirmish between Afghan troops and the local warlord’s men as they blindly fired at each other. While witnessing the effort to transport them to medical aid, I never did come to know their fate, only that they had passed through my base in Lashkar Gah on their way to a local hospital. There were no reports of friends or enemies injured that I recall, just children.

In that night’s horror, there was no territory captured, no weapons seized and no martial gain, only meaningless bloodshed.

To be clear, I am by no means an expert in the Afghanistan conflict, nor can I identify points of failures where some other course could have secured victory. I also cannot

speak for all veterans. I just know how I feel and what I have heard from my friends, and we agree that these horrors were brought to life again this week. Refugees flooding the tarmac at Hamid Karzai International Airport; images of desperate people falling to their death from outbound aircraft; suicide bombers killing dozens of Afghans as they wade through sewage canals, desperately trying to escape. Most veterans do not seem to care much for the politics of it all either. After all, when a forward observer sees that artillery has missed its mark, they simply call for “adjust fire.” There is no benefit in chastising the gun line just yet. People die

that way. Just fire and adjust; fire and adjust — that’s it. We still have time as a nation to avoid this being all for naught even now that the war is over. As intellectuals we can acknowledge General Sherman’s truth that “War is hell” and take responsibility and learn from our mistakes. We can also implore our nation’s leaders to not meddle in other countries’ martial affairs because while self-defense is mostly clear, it becomes less so when talking about an imminent threat. As compassionate people we must open our doors to refugees now, especially to those who served as our allies

or to anyone the Taliban may persecute. We must continue to support and donate to NGOs like the International Rescue Committee and the Afghan Red Crescent Society, who deliver support like clean water, medicine and fair education.

As much as my heart hurts for everyone involved, I know it is impossible to turn back time and avoid the war altogether or to recall the millions of munitions we laid down in Afghanistan. The Taliban cannot be expelled either. But we can adjust our ways and pray to heal our nation’s wounds. Let us remove our military from South Asia for now, but never our compassion.

I want YOU to get vaccinated! I have a Comic 4 You!

There are many misconceptions about comics, the main two being that they are only about superheroes or are just there for the Sunday funnies in newspapers. So, to divorce you from any misunderstandings that you have about the comic medium, my first recommendation and review are for a series called “Amelia Rules!” by Jimmy Gownley.

To summarize, the comic is about a girl named Amelia who moves from New York to a small town after her parents get divorced. We then follow her adventures from having to deal with being the new kid to seeing her mom start dating again. This simple narrative is exactly why “Amelia Rules!” is a great starting point for comic beginners: you don't need to have any background knowledge on any of the characters or pick a specific year or series line, like for superhero comics.

As the semester kicks off to a crowded “de-densified” start, we predictably see our phones notifying us every day of a new long list of COVID-19 positive students. In order to ensure the true safety of the UTD community and surrounding areas, it's really no question at this point: all students need to get vaccinated.

It’s surprising when we look at the small population of college students who have reported their vaccination status. According to OEMCP statistics, as of Sept. 3, 2021, only 68.51% of the UTD student body has reported being fully vaccinated. Experts are still unsure about the exact percentage of a population that needs to be vaccinated for herd immunity, but some estimates range as high as 90%. Here at UTD, it’s even gotten to the point that students are receiving generous monetary rewards in exchange for getting vaccinated (because if $125 won’t incentivize students to get jabbed, then what will?)

This is ironic when we see people in other countries waiting for months and even paying off healthcare workers in order to receive a vaccine for themselves. Unfortunately, that’s how desperate we’ve gotten to get the UTD community as close to fully vaccinated as possible. With COVID-19 cases on the rise and the potential of another completely virtual semester looming over our heads, vaccinations are our only chance at achieving herd immunity.

The term “herd immunity” widely refers to when a sizable community devel-

ops immunity to a certain disease, thus significantly decreasing the spread. It’s crucial during a time of mass infection because when immunity becomes more ubiquitous, the disease becomes harder to spread and eventually gets wiped out.

This concept has been demonstrated in several outbreaks from Polio in the 1950s all the way to H1N1 in 2009.

Researchers describe two ways to achieve herd immunity: natural infection and vaccines. Sure enough, only one of these options seems to be the most effective within a short period of time.

If we depend only on natural infection, experts estimate that 70% of the population would have to suffer and recover from COVID-19 before case numbers would start to slow down.

Timothy Bray, associate professor of public policy and political economy, said that herd immunity would have no impact on campus if it is not universal. This means that even if nearly 70% of students are vaccinated in one dorm but not another, we haven’t achieved herd immunity since the risk of transmission in one area is still too high.

A questionnaire conducted by epidemiologists at CU Boulder shed some light on why college students are reluctant to get vaccinated. Many are understandably wary of its side effects or are under the impression that their young and healthy bodies could recover easily from COVID-19 without help from the vaccine. Fear of the unknown is understandable but not corroborated. Long-term complications from

But like many Sunday funnies, the comic is about a child doing childhood-related things (playing outside with friends, going to school and getting in trouble), but it's also much deeper than that. The series

manages to be a lighthearted read while still touching upon heavy subjects. For example, Amelia — the series’ protagonist — has to deal with the aftermath of her parent’s divorce, losing touch with close friends and being an outsider in a new place.

Main character aside, the side characters are equally as complex, and the series does a

great job of subtlety showing their personas even when the focus of a scene is on Amelia. For instance, whenever Amelia’s having a dilemma and reaches out to her aunt Tanner for advice or guidance, one gets to see how there is depth to her aunt's chill persona.

Athletes struggling with mental health need our support

Stigma surrounding mental health discourse in athletics must be erradicated

MANYA BONDADA Mercury Staff

Simone Biles’s decision to withdraw from the Olympics emblemizes the need to be more empathetic toward athletes who are focusing on their well-being and promote open discussion of mental health in sports.

Simone Biles and her extraordinary achievements increasingly put her in the spotlight. The entire sports world constantly scrutinizes her every move, which has inevitably taken a toll on her mental health. As a result, to protect herself and her team’s success, Biles withdrew from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in what seemed to be one of the most controversial storylines from the Games. Many critics disapproved of her choice, voicing the opinion that Biles wasn’t being a team player and should not have competed if she was going to withdraw anyways.

Athletes, whether professional or not, carry an extremely important responsibility: they are symbols representing a specific group of people. With the pressure that comes from having to consistently train

and perform well during competitions, athletes must constantly balance their physical and mental well-being. The heat that comes from personal athletic goals and critique from the media creates conflict between athletes’ mental health and their ability to safely compete in their sport.

The media coverage around Simone Biles and her decision to withdraw from the Olympics is significant for two reasons. First, her withdrawal promotes awareness regarding the mental health stigma that many professional athletes face. In a study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, most athletes named stigma as the factor that prevented them from speaking up about their mental health concerns. These athletes believed that poor mental health seemed like a sign of weakness and an excuse for not performing well. Second, Biles’s open conversation about mental health serves as great inspiration for college athletes by letting them know that it’s okay to reveal mental health issues to coaches, family and friends.

The stigma surrounding mental health doesn’t just affect professionals; it heavily influences college athletes as well. In fact, 33% of college athletes deal with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and burnout, but only around 10% of

SIHANYA ROCHA Mercury Staff

AISHNI SHRIVASTAVA Mercury Staff

SIHANYA ROCHA | MERCURY STAFF

similar on the west coast, I just knew that I could get into the business,” Luttinger said. “So, I came up with the idea and put basically the entire menu together in the middle of the night because I knew eggs were a hot commodity, people love them and they’re healthy.”

Interestingly enough, it was at the behest of Comets that

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Eggstand first got involved with UTD’s Food Truck program.

“I had a lot of the kids coming to events, or when I was serving food at apartment complexes and they kept asking for me to come to campus,” Luttinger said. “So, we figured out how to make that happen, and now we’re excited to be back in 2021. I love it here. I don’t know how many trucks give away free drinks with their sandwiches for lunch, but we do. We appreciate the opportunity to serve here, and we want to give

back something to the students.”

By all accounts, the food trucks’ return to campus has been met with enthusiasm at every turn. Bobaddiction manager Jailine Chavez ran food truck operations at UTD in 2020, up until the disruption of the semester. Regarding the turnout last week, she said:

“This is our first time this year, and I’m very impressed with the crowd that we got. We were not prepared to have crowds as big as we did last year, but man I had a line

going all the way down Food Truck Alley. I was so surprised; I thought it was going to be super dead, but looks like people love boba.”

This surge of business is a welcome transition from operations during the pandemic. Both Chavez and Luttinger noted the difficulty of driving business in a food truck when large groups are out of vogue.

“During COVID, we weren’t doing a whole lot of food truck events,” Chavez said. “A lot of weddings and events like that

were canceled, so business was basically just run out of our storefronts.”

Luttinger, meanwhile, got creative with the places that Eggstand provided service, saying:

“We served home developments, apartment complexes and some of the businesses that were bringing in lunch for the few employees that were coming into the office. Mostly, we took it one day at a time.”

If Wednesday’s line of students was any indication, Luttinger won’t

be needing to take Eggstand back to apartment complexes anytime soon. It remains to be seen whether the students or the food trucks are more excited about the program’s return, but either way, food trucks on campus are a win-win. As Chavez put it:

“Thank you to everyone for welcoming us back on campus! The administrators are super helpful, the students are so nice, and we are very excited to be back … the tips have been awesome, and we love you guys so much!”

figure out the trajectory of an individual’s COVID-19 disease,”

Prasad said. “The sweat sensors answered questions such as ‘Are they going to get super sick and end up in the hospital?’ or ‘Is this something they can manage

at home?’” Prasad said the sweat sensors could become a great clinical tool since hospitals are running out of resources and experiencing shortages of beds available in the ICU. By using the sensors, people can find out if they are really in need of hospitalization or not.

In addition to Influenza and COVID-19, the sweat sensors can detect sepsis and chronic diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Tracking the number of cytokines is integral in detecting and differentiating between what disease the user could possibly have. Because this device could

prove incredibly useful in the medical field, UTD scientists are working on expanding its ability to diagnose specific diseases. For instance, they are currently collaborating with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation to create and design sweat sensors specifically for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

“We can create a specific panel for a certain disease so that it works in detecting the inflammation associated with that disease,” Prasad said. “It’s a very versatile device.”

the sensors more accessible to the health care industry.

Currently, the team is conducting clinical studies. They have completed several human studies and are working toward making

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or they needed help with rent or with their grocery bill for that

at a Smash regional above another player to celebrate with the team. And for Salinas, it was when he made a series-saving play in a playoffs bracket.

“He felt like my dad at that point, telling me that he’s super proud of me,” Salinas said. “And I’ll never forget that, ever. I’ll never forget that moment in my life.”

Adler was a major presence

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into pre-season training. So, I think that’s been a major adjustment as well. And then for both our freshmen and sophomores, they’re having

DYSTOPIA

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Even so, you have to pay attention to this book. It’s not going to beat you over the head with its message:

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month then we can assist with that.”

Students can apply for the fund on the Student Emergency Financial Assistance Program

in the burgeoning collegiate esports program, helping to set up the Collegiate Smash Bros. League and providing an example of what a successful collegiate program looks like.

GCU Esports Director Sean Shannon said that Adler was always willing and ready to help others.

“He’s just an overall really solid, genuine kind of guy when you get to know him. And then when it comes to like who he is

pretty much their first fall on campus, so we have two classes trying to learn how to balance school and volleyball as soon as we’re getting going here. So, we’re all just trying to figure out how to be flexible, do what we need to do with COVID

reading between the lines is crucial. I’m still discovering hints I didn’t catch in prior chapters— themes that come through hours after the fact. There’s a line within the first six pages that tells you the

peer-reviewed research papers that clearly outline a relationship between serious bodily defects and the COVID-19 vaccine. So, when clusters of college students choose to remain unvaccinated, they are

webpage, where they will need to fill out their reason for applying and attach supporting documents such as bills and invoices

in the workspace and everything like he’s really driven, he’s really focused, he’s super dedicated. I think a lot of the success that UTD saw under his leadership is in no small part due to his leadership there in the way that he was able to get the most out of the students,” Shannon said. After his time at UTD Esports, Adler is moving on to join the LCS Operations team at Riot Games. While he doesn’t have a lot of details on what he

and figure out how to play volleyball in the fall again.”

Speaking of balancing school and volleyball, can you tell me a bit more about the ACVA Team Academic Award?

“Well, our goal within the

ending and its meaning in a onetwo punch, but its genius only hits long after you close the back cover! And just as each read reveals new depth, each person will find something different in this novel

putting many vulnerable populations at risk. In fact, previous clinical immunity and virology studies have shown that the spread of COVID-19 through an unvaccinated college campus can lead to mutated

onto the application. Eligibility criteria for the ESF is less restrictive than federal pandemic relief funds—that is, it’s accessible to

will be doing, he said that he’s excited to take the next step in his career and continues to have his trademark faith in UTD students and the program.

“In the grand scheme of things, I was [at UTD] for three years, and I think this program is going to be there 20+ if not a lot more. So I think we did a really good job kind of creating a foundation, you know, getting some strong students and some good leadership,” Adler said.

program is for everyone to shoot for 3.3 academically, which if anybody knows UTD, that’s no easy feat because of our plus/minus system. So, that is a goal of ours: not only to win championships on the court but in the classroom too.

that most speaks to themself. I will warn you not to put it down expecting a sequel. The ending I mentioned is, admittedly, a bit unsatisfying. However, that lack of an easy answer makes it

strains that pose a direct threat to the elderly population in surrounding communities. Ultimately, we are still not out of the woods. COVID-19 cases in the Dallas area are increasing

international students, doesn’t require students to have a FAFSA on file and doesn’t require that students be enrolled in a certain

“The students are absolutely incredible. I mean, really they’re some of the best individuals I’ve ever met.”

Adler left a large impact on the students continuing the program at UTD. His absence will be felt, and he’s left large shoes for the next director to fill. His replacement will be decided by the UTD Administration, with the help of the students in the program. Regardless of who the next director is, Adler won’t

And, they took care of business, even though they were virtual. I’m really proud of the team for their efforts; they were able to get it done and get that national recognition for the team’s cumulative GPA being above a 3.3. And I want to say

stick with you, leaving a puzzle to work out. It leaves Fan sitting at the back of your mind, asking what comes next; maybe that passes on a certain refusal to give in, even when disaster seems

at an unnerving rate. Over the course of one week in late August, the number of active cases rose by 35%. If action isn’t taken quickly to ensure that all unvaccinated people get vaccinated as soon as

amount of credit hours. Smith said students simply need to be enrolled at UTD during the semester they apply.

forget his time at UTD just like the students on the esports team won’t forget him.

“I just kind of want to thank the students. You know I say it, but I don’t say it enough really. They are, they are everything to this program. I mean, without them literally nothing could have happened at all. So, uh, you know, just thanking them for all of their hard work and I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” Adler said.

it’s the seventh or eighth time we’ve been able to get it. We all know that’s what they’re really here for, and volleyball is just an extracurricular, bonus activity they choose to be a part of, so that’s an award that we’re extremely proud of.”

inevitable. After all, what if it isn’t? What if you—and your choices —matter? The impact of a single choice in Fan’s story would suggest that you do more than you can possibly imagine.

possible, then we will shift further away from normalcy at a rapid rate. Times are still tough, and the path to our new normal will only be accessible if we ensure that all students are vaccinated.

“Data from our clinical studies have been selected and submitted for regulatory application filing,” Prasad said. “It takes anywhere from 18 months to three years to get regulatory approval and become accessible to the general public.” the vaccine, especially in perfectly healthy people, are incredibly rare. There are also no released

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During small moments like this, we see that there was someone ambitious yet reckless, idealistic and perceptive due to Amelia’s experiences trying to pursue a music career.

And despite being a comic, this series maintains an interesting and interactive narrative. This is mainly thanks to the way the author uses stable comics tools such as panels, speech and thought bubbles to express a scene's action or character thoughts. For example, instead of just having a single thought bubble lay out all of Amelia's thoughts, the first page has Amelia simply looking at the reader and inviting them into her room, then talking

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and burnout, but only around 10% of this group seeks counseling. While there are admittedly other stressors upon college athletes, stigma around mental health continues to be an issue at all levels of sports.

So, how does poor mental health even affect an athlete’s performance? The British Journal of Sports Medicine stated that ath-

through where she's at in the moving process and how connected she is with her mom because of the divorce. The story follows with pages of her breaking the fourth wall by being drawn looking straight ahead in the page and talking directly to the reader, walking them through her thought processes on whatever she's contemplating. This type of fourth wall breaking becomes pretty common in the series because of how regularly it happens when tension starts to build up or there's some background information that needs to be addressed. This perfectly captures what it’s like to be a perceptive child!

Yet, what makes this series stand out the most is the heart and understanding behind it, and it's

letics are competitive enough to reveal psychological issues that have been buried within athletes. Personality traits that drive athletes to strive for perfection can help them excel at their craft, but they can also cause athletes to put too much pressure on themselves. The added strain of the media and critics’ harsh comments can also lead to athletes overthinking and second-guessing themselves during crucial moments in com-

noticeable from the way Amelia is allowed to just be. She is depicted as having both girly and tomboyish qualities without it being a big deal to her close ones, she's allowed to have complicated emotions and she frequently makes mistakes. Her mom and aunt Tanner are present, involved and affect her life instead of being absent like the disembodied voices that are supposed to represent adults in other media where kids are the main characters. The town and the rest of the cast are fleshed out by the depictions of the seasons changing, the characters having more than one outfit and the panels and typography playing off one another to drive home the message any given scene is trying to convey.

petitions. Therefore, thoughts of self-doubt and poor mental health can directly lead to performance injuries. Now that we know how mental health stigma can heavily influence athletes’ well-being and we acknowledge that this is a troubling issue at both the college and professional level, we can focus on what sports and online communities need to improve upon in order to destigmatize discussion around

To acquire a copy of this series so you can start your comic reading journey, you have three options. First, all the volumes are on sale on Amazon by the author himself (Jimmy Gownley). Second, you can fill out a suggested title form on the UTD library website and request they order the series since when you look up “Amelia Rules!” on their website, they only have peer reviews of it. Third, you could go to your local book or comic book store and see if they have it there and if not, request it through them. Regardless, no matter how you decide on reading this series and using it to jump into comic reading, Amelia and her supporting cast will undoubtedly touch you in some way.

this topic.

As seen through the Simone Biles incident, online communities and the media play a huge role in shaping an athlete’s competition experience. If we are to create an environment where athletes can comfortably talk about their mental health, people need to be mindful of what they post online. This netiquette holds true in any situation. While aggressive online comment exchanges between fans

from two opposing teams might be difficult to control all the time, posting encouraging feedback about an athlete’s performance is a simple way to counter and decrease intense online negativity. If positive discussions about mental health occur more frequently, there will be less stigma surrounding athletes who want to reach out for help.

Additionally, athletes need to be taught how to identify signs of

depression, anxiety and exhaustion in themselves and their teammates to cultivate an environment where athletes can openly discuss their mental well-being with others. The discussion around mental health in general has been getting better, but it is still a relatively untouched issue in sports. Destigmatizing the need to ask for help and prioritizing selfcare in sports is crucial to ensure that athletes can stay healthy and inspire one another.

JACKY CHAO | OUTREACH EDITOR