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December 7, 2015
KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF
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TUITION INCREASE PROPOSED University aims to pay for faculty salaries, buildings among other expenses NIDHI GOTGI AND TEENAZ RALHAN Mercury Staff
For the first time in four years, a tuition increase is coming to UTD. President Ad Interim Hobson Wildenthal submitted a proposal for a tuition increase to the UT System Board of Regents on Dec. 7. UTD is considering a 6.4 percent increase in resident and non-resident undergraduate tuition, an 8.5 percent increase in resident graduate tuition and a 10.4 percent increase in non-resident graduate tuition. This proposed increase would only affect incoming students starting Fall 2016, as current students have fixed tuition rates under the Guaranteed Tuition Plan. The Regents will vote on a decision about the proposal in February. Inflation has decreased the value of UTD’s income over the last few years, and there hasn’t been a rise in costs in the past four years. “(Chancellor William McRaven) had presented the Regents a concept that the universities needed
THE PROS OF HIGHER TUITION At this point in the game, it’s pretty clear that the tuition raise is simply non-negotiable. If students want basic functions of the university, like hiring faculty and staff that can cater to our high demands, this raise needs to happen. Even though UTD already has the highest tuition of any public school in the state of Texas, the university helps its students with financial aid packages and scholarships. Having higher tuition isn’t going to make more students want to come to school here, which may hurt UTD when it comes to getting high quality students. But when the alternative of not being able to pay bills is put into perspective, it really isn’t that big of a loss.
to have a base 2 percent per year increase to deal with inflation,” Wildenthal said. “And that it was conceivable that (the universities) would ask for more than 2 percent to deal with competitive gaps, and the Regents were receptive to considering that kind of proposal.” He said the university is already operating at a deficit and, if student costs don’t increase, it could lead to cutbacks on services. “We’re not affording what we’re doing now. We’ve got two layers: things we need to do that we’re not doing, but to be honest, we can’t afford to do what we’ve been doing because you can’t continue to run a deficit,” he said. The additional funding that the tuition increase would provide would go towards hiring more advisors and teachers’ assistants, provide competitive salaries to TA’s and health insurance to graduate
→ SEE TUITION, PAGE 14
-Esteban Bustillos, Editor-inChief
THE CONS OF HIGHER TUITION While it may not be a secret by now that UTD is in desperate need of a tuition raise just to pay to keep itself afloat, it doesn’t mean it’s something we should praise automatically. Student debt is already a massive issue in this country and the idea of a university raising the costs for students to attend school can be detrimental. While this particular increase in tuition may not be the end of the world, it makes me wonder what will happen in the future. Will there be more and more increases in how much it costs to go to school? How much say will students actually have in these decisions? It’s a chilling thought, but this tuition increase may open the door to more hikes in pay on the road to Tier One. -Esteban Bustillos, Editor-inChief
ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Student stars in Nat Geo Memorial for transgender Jersusalem documentary victims marked by grafitti
Film highlights life of women of different religions in holy city LGBT groups seek better awareness on campus after incident
JASON JANIK, PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE | COURTESY
Neuroscience junior Farah Ammouri (left) stands with Daniel Ferguson, the writer and director of “Jersusalem 3D.” The film screened at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science on Dec. 3. SURAIYA RAHMETULLA Mercury Staff
Almost all 297 seats were filled at the Perot Museum’s Hoglund Foundation Theater on Dec. 3 for the premiere of “Jerusalem 3D.” The film follows the stories of three young women and their families, all of whom practice one of the three Abrahamic faiths: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. One of those young women happened to be a UTD student. Farah Ammouri, a neuroscience junior, is a Muslim
whose family and ancestors have been in Jerusalem for thousands of years. “Jerusalem, to me, is more than just a city. It’s beauty, it’s spirit and it’s also my religion,” Ammouri says in the first few lines of the film. “But, most importantly, it’s my family. Most people don’t think I’m Muslim. It’s only when I go to the mosque and put a headscarf (on), and it surprises them. Jerusalem is full of surprises.”
→ SEE JERUSALEM, PAGE 14
RAINBOW GUARD | COURTESY
The word “weird” was found printed over a painting on Nov. 30 on Spirit Rocks memorializing individuals killed due to anti-transgender violence. ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS Editor-in-Chief
A display made on one of the spirit rocks in remembrance of transgender individuals lost to violence was defaced on the night of Nov. 30. The rock, which was painted by Pride and Rainbow Guard, was commemorating Transgender Day of Remembrance — an annual observance that memorializes those who were killed as a result of anti-transgender violence. This year, the Day of
Remembrance was Nov. 20. On the morning of Dec. 1, the rock was found with the word “weird” spray-painted over the message. Additionally, a separate rock painted with the words “#BlackLivesMatter” was also painted over with the words “#AllLivesMatter” for the second time in a month. Rainbow Guard President Adam Richards said he was upset by the message.
→ SEE MONUMENT, PAGE 13
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THE MERCURY | DEC. 7, 2015
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JUST THE FACTS
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OPINION
DEC. 7, 2015 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
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Student apathy to tuition raise part of bad trend
State’s cutback on Planned Parenthood dangerous for women
Cutback on group leaves vacuum of affordable care, safe abortions
Lack of attendance at town hall indicative of potential larger issue ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS COMMENTARY
When talks of a possible tuition increase started to spread through campus, there wasn’t as much of an uproar as people would think. In fact, there was barely a whimper. For the student body at UTD, that’s something that should be concerning to all of us. On Dec. 1 and 2, the university held town hall meetings hosted by President Ad Interim Hobson Wildenthal, Provost Inga Musselman and Dean of Undergraduate Education Andrew Blanchard. With a cast of administrators who have such a strong influence on the university, I expected that there would’ve been a high turnout at these events. At each of these town halls, there were only a dozen or less people there. To be fair, it has to be pointed out that for a large number of students on campus, the proposed tuition increase will not affect them. For undergraduates who are already on the current tuition plan, the rates are locked in and they won’t change. Understandably, since this issue doesn’t directly affect the students currently at UTD, the level of concern just doesn’t seem to be there among the general population. Even though the current student body may not feel the direct effects, that’s not enough to justify the lack of care shown by the overall public at UTD. At a time when student debt is at an all time high, the administration is trying to increase the cost for what is already the most expensive public school in the state in terms of tuition, and students are letting that pass without any questions. While the individual schools like EPPS and JSOM hosted town halls that did have more attendance than the campus town hall, none of these were hosted by the top-level administration who are directly involved with making the decisions that will affect the university. At the town hall, it was almost shocking how open the administrators were in explaining just how desperately the university needs this tuition increase. It didn’t really sink in that UTD is in dire straits financially until Wildenthal pointed out that the university has been borrowing money for years just to make sure it could pay for everything. For those who didn’t attend, it’s hard to convey just how serious this issue actually is. If the increase
isn’t approved, UTD will have trouble paying the mortgages on multiple buildings, filling up labs with equipment and hiring new faculty, among other issues. The sky isn’t falling just yet, but it’s starting to collapse. Yet through all of this, it seems there hasn’t been much of a concern at all from the student body. One of the biggest criticisms that people have of students here is a general sense of apathy that seems to pervade the population, and that wasn’t more apparent than through the process of discussing the tuition increase. As a student, I felt embarrassed sitting in the town hall knowing that I was one of the only people representing the thousands of students who hadn’t bothered to show up. There have been several theories I’ve heard as to why this is — ranging from people being focused on finals to general exhaustion from the semester. Additionally, even though the university sent out emails to everyone letting people know about the town halls, they could’ve done a much better job of informing students of what exactly was going on. Emails and a few social media posts coming right after the fall break just aren’t going to catch the attention of 18 to 21-year-old students. Still, the general lack of interest for campus issues is disturbing — and it isn’t anything new. Turnout for Student Government elections have always been shockingly low, reflecting this lack of care. Taking this a step further, this kind of attitude is the reason why we see such a ridiculously low amount of voter participation in actual government elections, especially among young people. In the last presidential election, for example, only 41.2 percent of people between the ages of 18-24 voted, compared to 71.9 percent for people age 65 and older. Heading into an election year, it’s disheartening to know that if people don’t care what happens to their university, it’s unlikely that they’ll care what happens to their country. Whether or not the tuition raise is beneficial, or even happens, is debatable, but what isn’t is that the student body as a whole has done a bad job of educating themselves about this issue that will bring about major changes to how UTD operates. There has to be a better student voice when we’re presented with a chance to raise our concerns directly to the university leaders. If not, don’t be surprised if one day changes start to take place that many won’t agree with but we couldn’t stop because we didn’t do anything when we had the chance.
One of the biggest criticisms that people have of students here is a general sense of apathy that seems to pervade the population ...
COMET COMMENTS
ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As of June, Texas only had 15 clinics within the state that would provide abortions. Since Governor Greg Abbott announced his plan to defund Planned Parenthood, several of those clinics are facing shut down.
RAMAH JARADAT COMMENTARY
The Texas defunding of Planned Parenthood led to a public controversy on both sides of the pro-choice and pro-life spectrum. After I found out about Greg Abbott’s decision to defund, I was upset. I don’t personally use Planned Parenthood, but as a pro-choice woman, I was upset for the plethora of women who would be unable to access birth control, to access affordable healthcare and to be in control of their own decisions as to whether or not they should have an abortion. Planned Parenthood was defunded in Texas after the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion organization, released videos showing representatives from Planned Parenthood discussing the sale of aborted fetuses for medical research. In addition to the defunding of the non-profit, the videos released seem to have had a larger impact on some pro-life advocates. The organization was recently attacked when 57-year-old Robert Lewis Dear shot and killed three people in a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colo. Although the motive is not yet disclosed, Dear had apparently mentioned “baby parts” and expressed anti-abortion views. If that is the case, I find it very ironic that someone who preaches pro-life would go and steal the lives of three people. Defunding Planned Parenthood is simply not a good idea. Although Planned Parenthood provides other services like cancer screenings and HIV tests and Republican candidates have pointed out that there are other clinics that offer those same services, they’re sone of the only clinics that offer abortion procedures. Ninety-three percent of Texas counties have no abortion clinics. There are only about 10 abortion clinics left in Texas, and they’re basically all in major cities like Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, which means that women in rural areas are out of luck. The defunding of Planned Parenthood is unfair to women in Texas and it takes away a woman’s
choice to control her own life. The government should not dictate what a pregnant woman decides to do with her own body, because the fetus is affecting her body and hers alone. Of course there should be limits — aborting a 6-month-old fetus in the womb is much different than aborting a 1-monthold fetus — but the general idea is that the option of abortion shouldn’t be taken away from women completely. It should be her personal choice alone. And with that, a woman shouldn’t have to risk her life to get an abortion, just like how Dear risked everyone’s lives in the clinic in Colorado Springs. Two-point-seven million women and men visit Planned Parenthood, and one in five women in the U.S. have visited a Planned Parenthood facility at least once in her life. Based on the immense amount of people who use Planned Parenthood, one can see why the defunding of it could be a problem. “It’s been statistically proven that if you cut that funding, other clinics can’t pick up that amount of people that still need healthcare,” Shelby Schram, senior sociology major and president of the ProChoice Feminist Alliance, said. “Planned Parenthood provides so much to so many communities, especially location-wise and price-wise … private practices can be more expensive.” Schram said the defunding of Planned Parenthood affected her individually. “I do personally use Planned Parenthood,” Schram said. “As a student, it’s a very easy place to go to … (and) they accept Medicaid.” Half of all Planned Parenthood patients use Medicaid, which is what makes Planned Parenthood so affordable. Abortions will now be so much harder to come by due to the already low amounts of abortion clinics in Texas. This puts a limit on women’s personal choices on what happens inside their own bodies. Overall, the defunding of Planned Parenthood is going to be a hard problem to fix because it leaves a large number of women who won’t be able to afford the costs of other clinics. Nobody really knows whether or not Planned Parenthood will ever be funded again in Texas, or whether the issue of abortions will ever be open to the pro-choice side. “Personally, that’s what we have been fighting for,” Schram said.
“Do you think the tuition raise is good or bad for the university?”
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THE MERCURY | DEC. 7, 2015
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Syrian refugees gain entry OSV’s garden relocated Despite states’ objection, refugees admitted by federal ruling
Community Garden moved to Phase 1 with additional features
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS | COURTESY
LINDA NGUYEN | MERCURY STAFF
Refugees rest at a camp in Europe.The flow of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East has led President Barack Obama to announce that the United States will accept 10,000 of those seeking shelter. This move received backlash after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
On Nov. 11, volunteers at the Community Garden learned that construction for the extension on Loop Road would begin months earlier than expected. After initial confusion, the garden was relocated to a parking median in Phase 1.
RAMAH JARADAT Mercury Staff
After the horrifying terrorist attacks in Paris, the issue of allowing Syrian refugees entry into the U.S. has been pushed to the forefront of discussion. On Nov. 16, when Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas would not admit Syrian refugees in the wake of the Paris attacks, a number of protests took place all over the state. Democratic presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are encouraging the entrance of Syrian refugees, while many Republican candidates have spoken out against it. Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio have said that only Christian refugees should be admitted, and Donald Trump shut down the idea and threatened to send them back to Syria. Multiple states have followed in the footsteps of the Republican candidates. In fact, 31 U.S. states are not welcoming the refugees. This has gotten so serious that Texas state officials have filed a lawsuit to keep out a family of Syrian refugees that arrived in Dallas on Dec. 4. The family consists of a man with his parents, wife and two young children who are being moved to the Dallas area by the International Rescue Committee. The nonprofit is being sued due to reasonable concerns about the safety of the citizens. Although Abbott gave these orders, he doesn’t have the authority to do so. According to the Supreme Court decision Hines v. Davidowitz, the federal
government has supreme say in foreign affairs — including powers of immigration, naturalization and deportation. States are not allowed to overrule the federal authority on these matters, especially since Obama recently announced that the U.S. will be accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees. Additionally, the Refugee Act of 1980 states that the president may admit refugees who face persecution — just like those of the Syrian refugee crisis. “I understand the fear of terrorism in our American community,” Randa Ahmad, neuroscience sophomore and Syrian, said. “I think it’s just because they’re misinformed, or they don’t want to know the truth. They don’t want to know that these refugees are fleeing the same terrorism that people in America fear.” Since 2012, the U.S. has accepted 2,174 Syrian refugees. Texas has taken in more than 210 Syrian refugees in the last 14 months. Since 9/11, the U.S has admitted over 750,000 refugees, and none have been involved in acts of terrorism. Even though ISIS and other extremist groups have posed a threat to America since before the Paris attacks, Syrian refugees have still fled to the safety of the United States. Syrian refugees go through a rigorous screening process when coming to the United States. It can take refugees up to two years to be accepted. They have to register with the U.N. and their refugee status is sent to the U.S. State Department, which
→ SEE SYRIA, PAGE 13
race relation s explored Diversity and equal opportunity studied after Mizzou protests CARA SANTUCCI News Editor
In the aftermath of the heated protests at the University of Missouri over racial incidents and allegations of inequality, officials on UTD’s campus are cognizant of the issues that could lead to similar incidents at home. George Fair, vice president for diversity and community engagement and dean of interdisciplinary studies, sees almost all of the complaints filed against the university in regards to issues of equal opportunity FAIR and discrimination. “There have been issues just like as with any organization there are issues. We’ve had issues related to students feeling that they’re discriminated against by professors — which is not uncommon in a university,” he said. “We’ve had issues DOCKERY with employees feeling that, for some reason, they didn’t get the raise or get the kind of position that they wanted and some may attribute that to diversity issues or discrimination.” When those possible problems with discrimination arise, Fair said the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance is dedicated to investigating the situation. “I don’t think there’s an unusual amount (of issues),” Fair said. “I think that it’s the amount that you would see in any large organization and … (the office has) had investigations when that’s necessary and we’ve remedied those situations.” Assistant Vice President in the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator James Dockery is involved in those investigations. “At the end of the day, it all works around treating people with dignity and with respect,” he said. “That’s the core component of the entire office is to ensure that the university policies as it relates to treating people with dignity and with respect. That includes the entire community.” Instead of going into the investigations intending to substantiate the complainant’s claim of discrimination, Dockery said he seeks to uncover the truth — whatever
that may be. “What we’re looking for is to really develop the truth, the total truth,” he said. “And that is working hard to find out what really happened and then, only at that time once we find out what really happened, do we really come to a conclusion.” Although Fair said he has seen some disgruntled students and faculty members who are unhappy with their treatment at the university in the context of diversity, he said their issues at UTD are not the same as those at Mizzou. For example, he said UTD’s relative youth will prevent the same kind of unrest that is present at older institutions. “We didn’t exist when black students couldn’t come to the university, so I think the history has a lot to do with it,” he said. “They’ve had a long history of issues not being attended to. We don’t have that long history of issues not being attended to.” As far as the demographic makeup of the population of both students and faculty goes, Fair said it is not representative of the greater Dallas community in terms of ethnicity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Dallas County is 23 percent African American. Fair estimates the faculty population to be “more like 3 percent or 5 percent.” However, Fair said that is something the university continues to work on. “I think that diversity is a beneficial quality. Not only just diversity in terms of ethnicity, but diversity in terms of thought, diversity in terms of people,” he said. “I just think that it’s a better atmosphere when you have a diverse group of people that are looking at problems, that are looking at issues, that are looking at ways of making life better.” In addition to UTD’s adolescence, Fair said the rapid expansion of the university creates an air that facilitates change, rather than rigidity to old, potentially unwelcoming attitudes. “Each year we grow another couple thousand students … and in a growth situation, there are more opportunities for advancement. There are more opportunities to do new things. There are more opportunities for new ideas,” he said. “And I think that’s been to our advantage.” Although Fair said the university does not have an “ongoing, active effort” just to boost numbers of minorities at UTD, he said diversity is an instrumental part of the identity of the school. Because of this focus, Fair emphatically expressed that the
→ SEE RACE, PAGE 13
MIRIAM PERCIVAL Mercury Staff
The project to extend Loop Road has begun on the spot where the Community Garden used to be. The Community Garden is a project run by the Office of Student Volunteerism. It is located at the intersection of Drive A and Drive H at the edge of Phase One. Students tend to the garden and all food is donated to charity. The extension of Loop Road wasn’t supposed to begin until spring 2016. However, on Nov. 11, volunteers at the garden learned it would begin at the end of the month. They received an unofficial announcement from a gardener who happened to work for Facilities Management — the university never officially contacted them. This left the volunteers in a tricky situation. With little time to move the garden, they had no idea where it would be relocated or how they would fund it. That’s when Megan Zerez, a molecular biology junior and volunteer at the garden, put together a petition on Change.org to postpone construction until the garden was moved. The petition is only 25 signatures away from its goal of 200. When the Dean of Students office contacted Zerez, they told her they were not aware the garden was in the way of the Loop Road construction project until they saw her petition. Student Government Vice President Grant Branam said the plan was always there to move the
garden to a new location, but the quick escalation of construction caused confusion. “I think students were just very upset and they thought, ‘Oh, it’s being (torn) down',” he said. “There wasn’t an immediate alternative location. I don’t think that was planned out because it was supposed to be six months later than planned. And I think that the alternative location would have been planned by then.” Shortly after the Dean of Students office contacted Zerez, Kim Winkler, associate dean of student engagement initiatives, and Amanda Smith, interim associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, began working with her and other volunteers at the Community Garden to resolve the situation. As of Nov. 20, the garden’s new location will be located on a parking median in Phase One. There have also been several other improvements, such as three new plant beds, freeze-proof plumbing and more hose connections. While Zerez doesn’t plan to take her petition down until all promises regarding the deadlines are met, she said is pleased with the quick response from the university and the help from Facilities Management to move the garden. She also hopes the university will improve their communication with students about future construction projects. “I think this is an issue with a much broader scope,” she said. “Construction projects, because they often disrupt day-to-day activities, access and resources, need to be announced publicly much further in advance, by at least a month.”
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DEC. 7, 2015 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
PINPOSSIBLE
Bath Bombs
LIFE&ARTS
Breathe In, Breathe Out
YES club helps students find inner peace through meditation
LINDA NGUYEN | MERCURY STAFF In the midst of finals, the excuse to take a break and relax can seem like something out of a dream. I’m going to be honest — up until I attempted this project, I had never looked at Lush Cosmetic’s Instagram and I have never stepped foot into a store. I’m not a huge bath person, but the swirling colors had me sold. With the holidays coming up, these bath bombs are a great option for a DIY gift that won’t break the bank and will have a certain air of classiness to them. I’m going to admit that these bath bombs were an adventure, and it took me about five mini-batches divided from doubling the recipe we found online. In addition, we used old Easter eggs as the molds rather than buying molds, but some people have suggested using two halves of an ornament, while others have just used cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
INSTRUCTIONS - 12 oz. baking soda - 6 oz. citric acid (found in the canning aisle of Walmart or online) - 6 oz. corn starch - 6 oz. Epsom salts - 3 teaspoons of olive oil - essential oils - food coloring - whisk - mixing bowl - bath bomb mold - water in a spray bottle
WHAT YOU NEED 1. Combine the baking soda, citric acid and Epsom salts in the mixing bowl. 2. In a small jar or container, mix the olive oil and food coloring. 3. Slowly, and in small amounts, pour the liquid ingredients into the mixing bowl fully combining the ingredients. 4. Mix the ingredients with your hands, add-
ing a very small amount of water so when you squeeze it together in your hands, it maintains shape. 5. Pour into the mold, packing it down tightly. 6. Allow them to dry overnight. Bath bombs are full of ingredients that are ripe with therapeutic ingredients that are perfect for relaxation. The Epsom salts are used to give the bath a more therapeutic soak and are helpful for sore or stiff muscles. The baking soda softens the water and also helps to counteract the possibility of irritation from the citric acid. The essential oils can also add an therapeutic aspect to the bath bombs. Also, certain fragrances are known to provide different effects. For example, Lavender is known to have a relaxing effect while peppermint is known to have an invigorating effect. My favorite scents are usually vanilla, which has a calming effect, and grapefruit, which has an uplifting effect. Some people have also suggested using tea as a scent as well, which seems like a good combination. So the caveat of this recipe is to limit the amount of water you use as much as possible to limit the amount of fizzing that occurs whenever you combine the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients. The first three batches I made, I ended up using too much water because the recipe said the consistency of wet sand. In actuality, it's more like the consistency of actual sand with a little, tiny bit of water. My suggestion for making them Christmaspresent ready is to make them either in the large bath bomb molds or ornaments and wrapping one in a piece of wax paper in a small burlap pouch with a cute ribbon. Another alternative is to make them in cupcake liners with a bunch of different colors, tie them together with a ribbon and put them in a clear bag with a ribbon at the top. Or you can combine this project with a few others for soaps, sugar scrubs and candles and make a small spa set to gift.
CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF
CHAD AUSTIN | MERCURY STAFF
A student sits at a meeting of the YES club, an organization that meets every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The club's programming is offered by the Art of Living, a program that works to promote meditation and other exercises to help people live stress-free lives. MIRIAM PERCIVAL Mercury Staff
Jake's name has been changed to protect his identity A club on campus is using a 5000-year-old practice to help students reduce stress and become more self-aware. The Youth Empowerment Service club, a program offered by the Art of Living, promotes stress management tools such as meditation and yoga to help students become better leaders in the community by having a stress-free, focused mind. The club meets on campus every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. During finals, they are hosting several special meditation events to help students manage their stress levels. On Dec. 9 at 7 p.m., they will hold a meditation session in Residence Hall West. Students attend the YES club’s yoga and meditation workshops to help deal with the stress in everyday college life. Jake, a Ph.D. computer science student, has meditated for over 12 years. He was first introduced to it by a close friend and is now a member of the YES club on campus. He said these meditation techniques helped him through a difficult time in his life nine years ago. In 2006, Jake began his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago. During his first year, he was mugged and beaten. Although he recovered his laptop, he lost his sense of safety. “The mistake was that I never spoke with my professors about the (mugging) over there,” he said. “I was trying to act stronger and that weighed me down.” Afterwards, his grades and his self-esteem plummeted. Over the course of the year, several of his research papers were redacted and he became very depressed. He was then admitted to the psychiatric ward at UIC where he was diagnosed as bipolar with psychotic tendencies. “I had cried a lot because I did not inform my family of the (mugging), so that stayed in my heart too long,” he said. During this difficult period, Jake relied on meditation to help him deal with the stress. After dropping out of the doctoral program at UIC, he returned to India where he learned additional meditation techniques and began to recover. Since Jake began working on his Ph.D. at UTD, he still struggles with depression, but he said the support of his professors and daily meditation have helped him become a successful student. “Just like we exercise our muscles, we have to exercise our mind as well,” he said. “Meditation helped me overcome that psychological depression.”
Other students have been able to deal with stressful situations through the YES Club. Krishna Bang joined the organization in January when he started his Master’s degree in informational technology. That summer, he took three classes in two months at UTD and was overwhelmed with the workload. However, the meditation techniques he learned helped him deal with the stress. “After doing meditation, (my) mind is stable and I was able to prioritize things,” Bang said. Since joining the club, he said he has found a sense of community as an international student. “It’s a great networking opportunity and it’s helped me a lot in my job search and getting friends to move along in Dallas where initially I knew no one,” he said. Bang has also learned about personal qualities in himself such as the leadership skills he discovered when the club was hosting events. While many members have been a part of the club for a long time, Omar Alvarez, a senior accounting and international business major, tried out the YES club for the first time on Nov. 21. He said he wasn’t sure what to expect his first time attending a session, but he felt relaxed afterwards. “I came in feeling normal, but after we did the breathing exercises, I felt this big calmness rush over me that I don’t usually get in a regular day,” he said. Alvarez said although meditation won’t make problems go away, it can help manage them. Kala Krishnan, a teacher at the Art of Living since 2005, instructs the YES club yoga and meditation classes. The Art of Living is a program that works internationally to promote meditation and other exercises to help people live happy, stress-free lives. “Through the breath and meditation techniques, we are able to let go of a lot of the stress and come back to our true nature,” she said. “It’s like peeling the layers of an onion, removing all of the things we have accumulated.” During the 2008 financial crisis, both Krishnan and her husband lost their jobs. To make ends meet, they sold their house and moved into a much smaller apartment. Krishnan clearly remembers the day she was laid off from her urban planning job. Her husband had already lost his job and they were in a desperate situation. “I came back home and I had my cry,” she said. “I took a nap and, after that, I got up and went straight
→ SEE BREATHE, PAGE 8
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CHAD AUSTIN | MERCURY STAFF
LIFE&ARTS
THE MERCURY | DEC. 7, 2015
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A NEW HoPE
Fans share their theories, expectations for latest “Star Wars” flick
I could speculate at length about plot elements in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Has Luke Skywalker turned to the Dark side? Is Rey a child of Han and Leia? Is Jar Jar Binks secretly Kylo Ren? These things are minute, however, when compared to my larger hopes for this newest chapter in George Lucas’ beautiful world — a world I’ve lived and breathed in since birth. Director J.J. Abrams and writer Lawrence Kasdan have proven that they have the ability to write faithful sequels to beloved movies (“Empire Strikes Back” and, arguably, the 2009 “Star Trek”), so the plot of TFA doesn’t worry me terribly. No, what I hope for is less of a specific story and more of a feeling. Star Wars always gives me that warm fuzzy feeling like when you rescue that childhood toy you loved from your parents’ garage, or when you see that kid in front of you at the bookstore buying the book that got you into reading. Even just wandering down the action figure aisle at Target gives me that tiny lip quiver and involuntary “aww” as I see these characters I’ve known my whole life — Han and Chewie, who showed me what friendship is; Leia, who taught me to be brave in the face of danger; Luke, who encouraged me to explore the unknown; Anakin, who taught me that it’s never too late to do something good. This is what I hope for from TFA. I want to, once again, visit this world that has had such an impact on my life — this world that is more than just movies and books and games and toys. This world from which I’ve drawn inspiration and love and wonder. Maybe it’s a tall order, but I feel like I’m in good hands. But I liked “The Phantom Menace,” so what do I know? - Bill Mikesell, Radio UTD DJ First things first, I have to point out what I think is going to happen in “The Force Awakens.” Kylo Ren and Rey are going to be revealed as the son and daughter of Han and Leia, Captain Phasma will be revealed as the daughter of Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker will come back from years of seclusion and hiding to help take on the Dark Side once again. As you can tell, I’ve spent a long time thinking about this. To be honest, every theory I’ve had on the newest installment of “Star Wars” is fun and exciting, but only because the movies themselves are so powerful and meaningful to their fans. I remember going to the midnight release of Episode III with my dad back in 2005 and having one of the greatest nights of my life. The line stretched out of the theater. People were decked out as their favorite characters and there was a level of energy and excitement that’s difficult to put into words. Ten years later, I’m finally feeling that same vibe again for the first time. There’s something about these films that makes me indescribably happy — and it’s not the intricate story telling or iconic characters, gadgets and spaceships. No, for me, it’s the sense of hope “Star Wars” brings to people. In a world where good and bad have blurred lines and fear has clouded our minds, “Star Wars” sends a message that evil cannot win as long as love prevails. Is it escapism at its finest? Sure. But that doesn’t mean we can’t aspire to be Jedi Knights of our own making. - Esteban Bustillos, Editor-in-Chief Oh, “Star Wars,” you perennial source of joy and consternation. For every amazing space battle sequence, you give us a Jar Jar Binks. For every “Empire Strikes Back,” you give us a Christmas Special. In the hands of Mickey Mouse and J.J. “Lost-has-an-ending-I-swear” Abrams, what will you bring us? So far, the trailers for TFA have been gorgeous. And while the average fan knows little about the plot (beware, younglings, you don’t have to venture to a galaxy far, far away to find spoilers), we can rest easy knowing that the script was in the hands of Lawrence Kasdan (who also wrote “Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”). The original trilogy was a classic hero’s journey, following the ascent of Luke Skywalker from lowly farm boy to savior of the galaxy. The prequels were a sort of anti-hero’s journey, chronicling Anakin Skywalker’s descent into evil, from lowly slave boy to oppressor of the galaxy. The trailers for TFA seem to indicate a combination of those themes — a dual trajectory, double-bladed lightsaber, if you will. Kylo Ren is seeking to finish what Vader started and will be embarking on an anti-hero’s journey, assuming he doesn’t pull a Darth Maul and get killed before he starts. Finn, our confused Stormtrooper-turned-Rebel, will do the opposite. Over the course of the next trilogy, the story of Finn and Ren will intertwine and collide in a battle (battles?) that will change the Star Wars universe forever. The big question I’m interested in seeing answered on the Dec. 17 is this: What is Luke doing post-Yavin? He’s celebrated the victory of the Rebels, he’s burned his father, he does a voiceover in the trailer — but he’s not on the posters! Perhaps he’s training the next generation of younglings or maybe he’s off chilling with Yoda and Anakin’s force ghosts. Or maybe he wears a mask and finishes what his father began. Whatever the answer, I’ll be there to see it. - Cody Owen, UTD TV member
KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF
As one of the biggest forces in popular culture, Star Wars has an ability to cross generations like nothing before. We’ve lived and breathed it, and it’s become an integral part of our culture. It was all we played, all we talked about. It’s been 35 years since Star Wars came out, and Hollywood has yet to top it. It’s seen as one of the greatest film franchises of all time. Some single episodes are considered to be some of the greatest films ever created. Its initial release some thirty-odd years ago sparked the imaginations of millions, and the subsequent prequels, whatever you may think of them, were able to do the same for a whole new generation. They bridged the gap between generations, giving both the old and young common ground, allowing them to connect through a shared interest in the Force, lightsabers and Wookies. Star Wars hasn’t been out of style since its first screening and shows no signs of slowing down. Now that we are on the cusp of a whole new set of movies, a whole new generation will be able to share in the same experience. Also, with the announcement of Anthology films, pop culture’s constant thirst for all things Star Wars might finally be satisfied. - Humza Khan, Radio UTD station manager
TIM SHIRLEY | MERCURY STAFF
KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF
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to the computer and I sent an email to the entire Art of Living group and said that we were going to be offering daytime classes because I could.” She credits her resilience with the stress management techniques she learned over the past 18 years at the Art of Living. Before learning these stress man-
LIFE&ARTS
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agement techniques, Krishnan said she would not have handled the situation as well. “I’m doing more with my life now than I did before just because my mind is clear and I am able to do it,” she said. “Things come up and I just keep saying yes. You don’t carry all the stuff that is going on — you just keep moving. It’s that clarity of mind that you’re able to accept.”
CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF
Kala Krishnan, a teacher at the Art of Living, runs classes on meditation like the one pictured above.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SPORTS
DEC. 7, 2015 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
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SIGNING DAY Baseball team welcomes 9-year-old boy battling to stay in remission PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor
Putting pen to paper during a signing day press conference on Nov. 16, Hamilton Grant’s signature on his celebratory letter made him the youngest player ever in UTD baseball program history. Applause filled the room during the much-anticipated afternoon. Smiling from ear to ear, the 9-year-old — with a Comet’s baseball cap positioned firmly on his head — posed for the cameras once he officially joined the team. Hamilton isn’t your typical Division III student-athlete, however. The 9-year-old continues to fight to stay in remission. During 2 a.m. one night in February of 2010, Hamilton developed a stomachache. The previous day he had been enjoying a pizza-filled, rambunctious night at Chuck E. Cheese's. His parents figured he was just feeling the after effects from that evening. At around 7 a.m., a temperature accompanied his stomachache. Because Hamilton rarely fell ill, his parents decided to take him to the hospital. “When we took him to the doctor that day it wasn’t like we were thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope he doesn’t have cancer,’” Hamilton’s mother, Meika Grant, said. “We were thinking, ‘How long is this little virus going to last so that he doesn’t miss school?’” Initial blood work revealed something resembling a virus, but the oncologist was not completely sure and could not make an official diagnosis until further testing was done. Hamilton was admitted to the hospital for the night. The following day, he had a bone marrow aspiration test performed on him. Later that afternoon, the family received the breaking news that their 3-year-old son had cancer. “To say we were floored would totally be an understatement,” Grant said. “My son, at that point — by three years old, I don’t even remember him having an ear infection. He went from healthy, happy and just running around crazy all the time to somebody walking in the room and telling us he had cancer.” Moments after the diagnosis, the doctors went into full gear and prepped Hamilton for surgery. He had a port placed on his torso so that he could receive proper treatment. Hamilton underwent chemotherapy immediately and was hospitalized for 15 days, receiving his treatment around the clock. “At 3 years old, (Hamilton) just knew he was sick and he knew that he was going to get better,” Grant said. “There was no other option in his mind.” It wasn’t until Hamilton was closer to the age of 5 that he saw a commercial on TV about cancer and started to understand the complexity
CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF
Hamilton Grant sits in the UTD athletic conference on Nov. 16 after signing to the baseball team. When Hamilton was just 3 years old, he was diagnosed with cancer.
of the situation he was facing. “(He was) sitting watching a television commercial for this Cancer Treatment Center of America and one of the people on the commercial said, ‘The cancer almost killed me, so I went to Cancer Treatment of America and now I’m here,’” Grant said. “He heard that and he looked at me and said, ‘Is cancer a terminal illness? Can I die from this?’” Grant and her husband, Frank, said they told him some people don’t make it, but that he was going to and that he didn’t have to worry. They said he’s been a trooper ever since. One of the difficulties during the treatment was when Hamilton began losing his hair. Grant said she and her husband never realized how fond Hamilton was of his curly set of hair — even at just 3 years old. His hair didn’t fall out right away, but when it did, it fell out in patches. However, Grant said Hamilton would not let her cut his hair, so it eventually fell out on its own.
Once it fully grew back, Grant’s husband told his son that it was time to go to the barber, but Hamilton wouldn’t have it. Now he only lets his mother trim it every now and then. After roughly three years of chemotherapy, various other medications and constant trips to the hospital, Grant went into remission in March of 2013. Grant said Hamilton took the news in stride. “He was happy, but, you know, he was sort of like, ‘Yeah I know, well, that’s what I thought was going to happen … didn’t you?’” she said. Among the challenges throughout the process was Hamilton having to miss school for extended periods of time. After his initial diagnosis at the age of three, he didn’t return to school until he was 5 years old. If other parents sent their kids to school with a little cold, Hamilton would have to stay home to avoid a trip to the hospital.
→ SEE HAMILTON, PAGE 10
Alum returns as assistant coach Former point guard, member of program’s only Elite Eight squad returns to men’s basketball team after stints at Franklin, Schreiner PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor
A UTD alumnus and former member of the men’s basketball team has decided to return to his roots and rejoin the three-time ASC championship winning program — this time with a whole new set of responsibilities. On Sept. 23, the team announced the hiring of their new full-time assistant coach, Jared Fleming. Fleming played at point guard for the Comets from 2006 to 2010. He was a member of the two teams that advanced to the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen in back-to-back years in 2009 and 2010, respectively. “When I had the opportunity to come back and work for coach Butterfield, I jumped at it immediately,” Fleming said. “I think he’s a great coach, and playing for him really gave me a lot of appreciation for what he does here and how good —Jared of a program this is. This is home for me.” Before returning to UTD, Fleming spent three years at Franklin College and one year at Schreiner University gaining some coaching experience. Fleming said he had no intention of pursuing a coaching profession when he first enrolled in college. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in finance. After using up all four years of his playing eligibility, he became the team’s graduate volunteer assistant coach in 2010. It wasn’t until then that he realized his calling. “I really fell in love with the aspect of being on the sidelines, working with guys, talking through plays and strategizing,” he said. “After that year, when it came down to deciding what I was going to do with my life and having to find a real job, I just couldn’t walk away from basketball.” Fleming was introduced to sports at an early age and grew up on the sidelines watching his father coach high school football and basketball. Once Fleming decided to follow the coaching career path, he said it became a natural transition to follow in his father’s footsteps. Right after each game, his father’s number is the first one he dials. “I go to him for all sorts of advice,” Fleming said. “He
has a ton of experience. He’s definitely the biggest role model I have when it comes to coaching.” Head coach Terry Butterfield said one of the biggest responsibilities Fleming will be in charge of as the assistant coach will be recruiting. “At this level, you have to be able to recruit,” Butterfield said. “It’s all about the players and being able to attract quality (talent) to the program who, most importantly, are really good students. So with (Fleming) having been through that … he knows exactly the sort of kids we’re looking for and the kind of kids that would fit well in a campus like this.” With Fleming having played for Butterfield for four years, it did not take long for them to get on the same page. “He knows what my strengths and weaknesses are,” Butterfield said. “He knows my temperament. He knows how I like to do things. He knows what my expectations are. He knows how to roll his eyes and walk away sometimes when he has to. I think that’s very helpful rather than starting fresh with someone who doesn’t know me.” Fleming After making sure he shares Butterfield’s vision, Fleming said building relationships with the individual players is the next step of the process in ensuring the team has a successful season. “I’ve had nothing but great experiences with them,” he said. “We have a great group of guys. They’re receptive to coaching and they really get what we’re trying to do.” Sophomore forward Reagan Keogh’s first interaction with Fleming was actually at a Texas Rangers baseball game. He said Fleming’s demeanor and familiarity with the team’s system is an advantage for both Fleming himself and for all of the players. “He’s a pretty laid back guy,” Keogh said. “I think he brings a different type of coaching to the table. It’s kind of nice to have that balance between the head coach and the assistant coach and have a couple of different personalities that you can go to.” Fleming said he’s still in a period of adjustment after taking the position so close to the beginning of the season. However, he said he feels the sky is the limit for a team that features a plethora of offensive weapons. “We’ve had four games with four different leading scorers,” he said. “I think that’s rare. We have a good group of guys that are very balanced … and (are) sharing the ball really well. The first goal for us is to get better every week.”
When I had the opportunity to come back and work for coach Butterfield, I jumped at it immediately.
CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF
Jared Fleming guards sophomore foward John Hatcher during a drill at practice. Fleming was a point guard for UTD from 2006 to 2010.
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If he developed a fever, he would have to be rushed to the emergency room. The temperature threshold for sending him to the emergency room would be 100.4 degrees for more than two hours or a 101 temperature reading for any period of time. After treatment was over, Hamilton really got into football and the rest of the sports followed along. Because of the side effects of the chemo, he isn’t able to participate in athletic events with other kids his age. “(Hamilton) wants to play, run, jump off of things and play sports and I didn’t quite know how I was going to be able to merge his situation and sports,” Grant said. Grant did some research and came across Team IMPACT — a nonprofit organization that drafts participating children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses onto local athletic teams to the greatest extent possible. “To me, Team IMPACT was like a godsend,” she said. “It allowed (Hamilton) to see what being on a team is about — going to games, seeing how things are played and getting behind the scenes.” The team has already taken a liking to him and they said they feel that they can show Hamilton a variety of things that he wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. “When I first heard about Hamilton joining us, I was very excited to be able to be a part of his life and his family’s life and be able to show him what a team sport can offer someone as an individual,” catcher, Bobby Garner, said. “I know we’re going to have a great friendship.”
SPORTS
Grant said the team plans to take Hamilton not only to baseball games, but also to other sporting events around campus. He’s also invited to attend team workouts. Their intention is to stay in contact with him beyond the diamond — for example, by having players go up to his school to sit down and have lunch with him. “That would, of course, be a huge win for him,” Grant said. “Now the boys who maybe tease him a little bit because he’s a little slower can see these ‘brothers’ of his that are all athletes and think he’s a rock star.” Hamilton said he’s very excited to join the team and was blown away on his first visit to campus. “I really like (the campus) so much,” he said. “I wish I could go here for regular school.” Aside from fulfilling Hamilton’s wishes, head coach Shane Shewmake believes that, through Hamilton, the program — from the coaching staff to the players — can learn a lot of invaluable lessons. “Our guys go through practice and games and sometimes they don’t have a whole lot of adversity,” he said. “Obviously, (Hamilton) has been through a lot of adversity in a short amount time. I think he has a lot to teach our guys about just getting through life with a positive attitude.” Seeing something like this put together for her son is something that Grant expressed a lot of gratitude for. “It means the world to us,” she said. “It’s only us and our son. Of course we love our son, so we’re happy to do it. But the motivation for anybody else to do it is really special.”
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SPORTS QUICK HITS SOCCER PLAYERS MAKE ALL-REGION
Three players from each soccer team were named to the NSCAA All-West Region teams. From the men’s team, sophomore forward Danny Meyer was named to the first team, while junior defender Sam Konstanty was named second team and senior midfielder Jordan Rubel made the third team. On the women’s team, freshman forward Jacqueline Kaufman was named to the second team, while freshman defender Maegan Chavez and freshman forward Melissa Fuller each earned third team honors.
MEN’S KEEPER NAMED TO SAAC Junior keeper Joseph Weber was named as the first-ever UTD member of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on Dec. 1. The committee is responsible for being a voice of students in official NCAA decisions by recommending potential legislation, reviewing and reacting to current NCAA legislation and soliciting student-athlete responses to NCAA legislation, among other activities.
CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF
Hamilton has trouble playing sports because of the cancer treatments. Members of the baseball team expressed hope that now he will be able to experience first-hand what it’s like to be a part of a college team, even though he can’t play like other kids his age.
CHAD AUSTIN | MERCURY STAFF
COMICS&GAMES LIFE OF TEMOC
DEC. 7, 2015 | THE MERCURY
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POOR BB-8
EMILIO CHAVEZ | STAFF
FINALS HAVE ME LIKE ... ALVIN NGUYENLY | STAFF
THE BINKS AWAKENS
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ANTHONY INGA | STAFF
EUREKA!
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PUN WARS
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EVOLUTION OF SPEEDERS
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“Who does that?” he said. “I think the striking thing to me was the fact (that) they had … put ‘All Lives Matter’ over the ‘Black Lives Matter’ stuff and then went and defaced a memorial for dead transgender people … I mean, you know, your true colors are showing here.” Although Richards was angered by what happened, he said there isn’t anything the university can do to discipline whoever was involved with painting the words. “As abhorrent as all of that is, it does fall within the purview of First Amendment rights,” he said. University policy states that messages on the Spirit Rocks must comply with the Handbook of Operating Procedures. In Chapter 46 of the handbook, Subchapter B, there are four types of prohibited expression: obscenity, defamation, speech that incites imminent violations of the law and solicitation. Kim Winkler, the associate dean of students, said this specific case does not fall under the type of speech that is deemed unacceptable by the university. She said incidents where the language is more threatening are treated differently.
I want the university to be recommitting itself to educating the people about the struggles of minority students... — Adam Richards,
Rainbow Guard president “(That) would go through our discipline process,” she said. “If the people were identified, then we would do an investigation and it would follow our regular discipline process.” She said no one has contacted the Dean of Students office about the incidents yet, but she also acknowledged that if students wanted to see a change in how the University polices the Spirit Rocks, then the Dean of Students would consider it. “If students felt like something about how the rocks are done, the ability to have that freedom of expression, if they feel like that needs to be changed, then we would certainly look at that,” she said. Even though Richards said the university has made great strides in regards to LGBT rights — like allowing preferred names on Comet Cards — he said he still wants people to understand that this type of action should not be acceptable, and that the university should make its commitment to the LGBT community clear. “At the very base level, that’s kind of what we expect,” he said. “We just kind of want acknowledgement that, first off, this is happening. Second off, that they’re committed to not just the LGBT community, because the Black Lives Matter stuff is being vandalized too. I want the university to be re-committing itself to educating people about the struggles of minority students and why this kind of behavior is not OK and what this kind of behavior does to people and the kind of environment it can create on campus.”
NEWS
THE MERCURY | DEC. 13, 2015
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then leads to heavy screenings and background checks and meetings with FBI officials. Just over 50 percent of the applicants pass the screening process and half of the refugees admitted are children. “We are literally turning people away who are in need,” Ahmad said. “I don’t agree with that, even in times like these. Everyone is afraid of ISIS, but this isn’t a way to combat terrorists. It’s going about it the wrong way. I think people are just being xenophobic.” Some non-Syrians and non-Arabs are also disagreeing with Abbott’s stance. “Playing devil’s advocate, I can kind of see where (Abbott) is coming from,” political science sophomore Tyler Leadbeater said. “But you shouldn’t turn everyone away. There are bad people in every race and religion. If Abbott opens the door to Syrian refugees, that just lets in more culture, more different ideas, different people.” Nobody really knows what the fate of the Syrian family moving to Dallas will be — or the fate of the thousands of other Syrian refugees who seek a new home. “People are forgetting what America started out as,” Ahmad said. “People came here hundreds of years ago because they were being religiously persecuted — kind of like how the refugees are now being persecuted in their home countries. Turning our backs on them, that’s not what America is about.”
FREE FOR ALL Free Play Arcade opens in Richardson after months of waiting SURAIYA RAHMETULLA Mercury Staff
Free Play Arcade opened offically on Dec. 5 on Beltline Road in the Richardson East Shopping Center. The arcade features approximately 50 games and an eatery serving craft beer and various entrees.
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issues at Mizzou are not ones that are likely to show up on campus in the same scale. “It is the UT Dallas goal to be, without exception, a welcoming, inclusive and discriminationfree community where each person is respected and treated with dignity,” he said. “I think that’s what we try to do and that’s what we will continue to try to do. And we were trying to do that prior to Missouri and we will continue to do that after Missouri.”
The arcade was open from 11 a.m. to midnight on Dec. 5. For a $10 entry fee, customers can play games for as long as they choose. There’s a variety of games, showcasing everything from pinball machines to “Ms.Pac-Man.”
A visitor enjoys “Confidential Mission,” a light gun game featuring a plot line with a special agent. Other games include “Mortal Kombat II,” “Power Drift,” “Virtua Fighter”and “Time Crisis II.”
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NEWS
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posing tuition increases. While the plan is still in the making, some of the proposed facets — like the amount of increase to be expected students and rehabilitate old spaces while building and where this new money would possibly go — have been revealed. new ones with more equipment. Caitlynn Fortner, the Student Government presWildenthal said that if the tuition increase isn’t approved, the university would still be able to func- ident, and Grant Branam, SG vice-president, met with Wildenthal in October to discuss the protion, but the quality of education would diminish. “We’ve reached the point that we won’t be allowed to posed increase and have been answering students’ run a deficit much longer, but is it institution-threaten- questions regarding this proposal. “Nothing is guaranteed. All the UT System ing? No, it’s just going to start having an impact on the institution we have right now, because we’re not quite schools are asking for different things according to their specific needs,” Fortner said. “UT Dallas paying for the one we’ve got right now,” he said. He highlighted the fact that financial aid programs is arguing for some pretty large increases. So, 6.4 would continue to tackle affordability issues for low- percent for undergrads and 10.4 percent for nonresident grad students.” income families. Branam said that there is some validity in ask“Our goal is to keep things the same,” Wildenthal said. “The problem is things will not remain the ing for these large increases because UTD is trying its very best to get to Tier One status. The money same if we don’t increase the per capita income.” According to a town hall meeting hosted by the would be used to pay for resources that the univerdean of the School of Management, the proposed sity does not have access to right now and would increase is expected to bring in $10 million in rev- help the university reach its goal. “One big question that was brought up during enue in the next academic year. However, only a our system meeting was that it is really third of the student body next year will hard to find the balance of sacrifice. So be paying those increased rates. Right now, how much do you want to take from The allotment of the new income will we're diverging the salary that you pay to faculty and follow a similar model that is currently between our give that to the students?” Branam being used. More expensive programs income and our said. “And I think that not a single like engineering, graduate programs and person is going to have the answer to management will receive more funding expenses and that question and it is possibly going to cover the costs. However, if more we've got to get to come from the conversation that pressing issues arise, the funding will be the two paralwe have with administration.” redirected to prioritize spending. lel again at the Fortner said that while salary “Priorities will emerge,” Wildenthal very least. increases for faculty are important, said. “Some of these things you can’t control. We know what we need but — President Ad she would also like to see some of this also know what our deficit is and so Interim Hobson money go to student services directly. “This is the first year in a really the extra money will have to go in Wildenthal long time that the Board of Regents part to deal with debt problems and has agreed to even consider tuition to partially deal with enhancement issues — but it’s going to take years to address and fee increases,” Fortner said. “So I think that Dr. Wildenthal sees this as a rare opportunity that (enhancement) issues.” One of the reasons for the proposed increase cited they might not get for a while.” Branam said that the student body has not by the Deputy Chancellor of the UT System David Daniel was the need to retain faculty and staff with displayed a strong opinion either way as of yet. Student opinions have been gauged through the competitive salaries. Wildenthal said that the competition doesn’t lie so town-hall meetings. “I remember I was in a committee meeting in much within other universities in the UT System as it did elsewhere in the professional world in a non- an open area and a student overheard tuition fee increase. (He was) very against it — he didn’t like academic setting. “Our salaries in the UT System are high,” he said. it at all — and when I told him it didn’t apply “We have made faculty and staff salaries a high pri- to him, he was like, ‘Oh well, it might be a good ority over the years. The real competitive pressures thing,’” Branam said. “I don’t think it was him are not in Texas universities but in the Dallas-Fort saying that tuition increase is a good thing, but I think a lot of students think that if there is a Worth economy.” Currently, UTD’s budget primarily consists of tuition increase, then they would have to pay it tuition and fee payments that amount to $380 mil- — which they don’t — because it only applies to lion. The university’s total endowment is $400 mil- new students because we do have a locked-in rate.” Wildenthal said that although the univerlion, with $16 million used per year. However, this sity can continue to function without the added money is prescribed to very specific purposes. Wildenthal said he anticipates that income from income from the tuition, the quality of education grants and contracts and state funding won’t go up wouldn’t improve. “Yes, you can survive and we’ve been surviving anytime soon. “There is no magic bullet other than tuition fees,” years and years by not having as many TAs as we Wildenthal said. “We’re doing a great job, but we needed and not having as many advisors as we’d need to do an even better job. We can’t even afford like to have, so things are not going to drastically the great job we’re doing now without more money. change,” Wildenthal said. “But the trajectory We’ve been running at a deficit and our debt ratios will have to change a little bit. Right now, we’re have gone the wrong way and at some point they’ll diverging between our income and our expenses and we’ve got to get the two parallel again at the say you can’t do that again.” All the universities in the UT System are pro- very least.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
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Ammouri, who moved to the U.S. in her late teens, transferred from Collin College and started at UTD this fall. She attended a Catholic school in Jerusalem as a teenager and was 15 when she was selected to be a part of the film out of the hundreds of applications. The selection was coined “Jerusalem Idol” by Daniel Ferguson, writer and director of the film. “Within the Palestinian community, there are both Muslims and Christians. In fact, a majority of the girls in my school were Muslims in the Catholic school. Our principals and supervisors were nuns,” Ammouri said. “A nun walked into our class and asked for girls who would like to participate in a National Geographic movie (related) to Jerusalem. I auditioned and, after a couple of months, I heard back from the director that I was chosen as the Muslim girl for the movie and it started from there.” Ammouri had the opportunity to travel to cities such as Toronto, Cincinnati, Washington and Los Angeles for the film. Throughout the process, she said she gained insight on what religion and culture signify in various communities. “When I came here, I grew up in a very conservative society where religion was primarily your most important thing and is connected to your culture (and) is rooted in you. I was surrounded by religion my whole life. When I came here, I noticed that not a lot of people have this attachment,” Ammouri said. “That’s something that’s really important for the movie here. I feel like this movie is eye-opening to people who are not really attached. You don’t have to have a certain religion to watch it. You just have to be open-minded.” Ferguson, who made 14 trips to Jerusalem and spent six months living in the city with his family, was initially hesitant to make the film. “I didn’t actually want to make this movie at first, to be honest. I was totally terrified of how we were going to do the subject justice. It’s pretty explosive — to use a tricky word — and difficult to get right in 45 minutes for audiences who come to science museums like this,” Ferguson said. “So, initially, I asked for three months to just read material on Jerusalem. Then I started to travel there and tried to figure out a story that was novel. It was important for me to do something different. I watched all the movies I could see on
Jerusalem and there (are) amazing films, (but) most of them are about the conflict. This is not about the conflict. It’s about the reason we all relate to and why we all love Jerusalem in our own ways.” This eventually led to the thorough and rigorous casting process. Ferguson said he wanted to cast against the stereotypical image of what an individual would look like based on their culture or religion. “I wanted to cast against type. Initially, I didn’t want the audience to know which religion or culture the girls were,” Ferguson said. “I wanted the audience to guess and be a little confused, because that is what Jerusalem does to you.” He wanted each cast member to present places that would show viewers a tale of Jerusalem from her eyes. Ammouri took Ferguson to various places that she cherishes, from the streets where residents purchase their groceries and eat spicy foods to the historical religious landmarks. “I took (Ferguson) to the old city of Jerusalem, where the movie was shot. I (also) took him to Damascus Gate. We went to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which is on the noble sanctuary. I took him to where I usually go with my mother,” Ammouri said. “Going into the movie, I wanted a movie that introduces a new perspective, a new image of Jerusalem that I know, that I live by every day.” “Jerusalem 3D” took about five years and had a budget of approximately $8.5 million. From getting permission to film at various historically sacred sights to revising the script and meticulously capturing Jerusalem in a way that would portray the city far from the stereotypical perspective of a land filled with conflict, Ferguson and Ammouri said they hope viewers can be captivated by this vision. “(The film) is not a tell-all documentary. It doesn’t even mention the word Israel and Palestine once, and that’s very deliberate,” Ferguson said. “It’s brand Jerusalem and what that means for everyone. It’s meant to be inclusive. It’s not about good guys or bad guys or Team A or Team B or who’s right and who’s wrong and who was there first and who wasn’t there first. That’s just mudslinging. It’s about what’s beyond politics and what’s beyond conflict.”
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