Think Like Us: The staff picks their favorites from 2013 | Page 4
VOLUME XXXIII NO. 19
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF UTD — WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM
DECEMBER 9, 2013
Follow us online: facebook.com/theutdmercury | twitter.com/utdmercury | By UTD students, for UTD students: continuously in print for over 30 years
Alcohol in The Pub: what students want
Ice storm derails graduation
ELLEN SHIH/STAFF
Beer choices in Pub limited, overpriced say students SARAH LARSON Life & Arts Editor
Since introducing the sale of beer and wine on campus three years ago, The Pub has reported steady alcohol sales and is working to better serve students interested in a drink or two after class. Assistant Retail Director Shadaya Haddix said that while The Pub doesn’t sell considerably large amounts of alcohol, it does sell much more beer than wine each week. “We sell around 115 to 120 drinks per week,” she said. “The only time we would sell more would be during SUAAB events, if that. A lot of people just don’t seem to want to order beer and wine.” Beer selection is limited to four choices to make ordering easier for students, Haddix said. Beer options currently include Bud Light, Blue Moon, Shiner Bock and Dos Equis. Wine options include Chardonnay, White Zinfandel and Merlot. Chemistry senior Giovanni Contello said he believes that if The Pub had a better selection, it could attract more customers. “It’s not a bad selection; it usually appeals to a broader scope,” Contello said. “But there’s a growing trend of people getting into craft beers, so if they incorporated that, they could get more people.” From the week of Nov. 15, The Pub sold 103 beers and 12 glasses of wine, which amounts to almost $400 in sales. The most popular beer has been Shiner Bock, which has been a successful first test run this semester of the addition of a seasonal beer to the menu each season. The Pub restocks every two weeks, which Haddix would like to see happen more often. “I wish we sold more, so we’re going to try and promote (the sale of beer and wine) next semester with a wine display,” Haddix said. “I think students know we serve it but can’t see what we serve.” In 2010 when alcohol sales were introduced to campus, The Pub obliged to students’ extensive requests for the establishment to live up to its name. However, The Pub never wanted to be known for selling beer and wine, yet there is still reason to sell it, Haddix said. “(The) Pub is a safe place for students to have a drink and not have to worry about driving anywhere,” she said. “And since there’s a twodrink limit, there’s no worry of drinking too much or being around people who are.” Contello said he was concerned about the prices of beer and wine and the effect it can have on sales. Beers are $3.50 a bottle and wine is $4 a glass. “While it is a nice commodity to have, it is a bit overpriced, and no one wants to sit down and pay so much for something like Dos Equis,” Contello said. “You want a beer you can sit
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BOTTOM CENTER: CATHRYN PLOEHN/STAFF | ALL OTHERS: YANG XI/STAFF
From the evening of Dec. 5 through the start of the following week, icy conditions shut down the university’s normal operations. Power outages were reported from multiple phases of University Village, food service was limited on campus and the Student Union and residence hall rotundas became makeshift shelters. Commencement excercises for fall 2013 were cancelled hours before they were scheduled to occur, disrupting travel plans for families and friends of graduates.
How do you feel about the postponement of commencement due to the weather? “Right now, I feel disappointed... I was so looking forward for some sort of closure, recognition and celebration for all of my hard work. However, I love and trust my uni!"#$%&'()*)+,!")-,%&+)&+,&)&+"').%//)0)12),)3442) alternative for us fall 2013 graduates...” Michelle Scandura, EMAC senior
5*67)2"0)1%&"/')2%$,884%1&"2)&+,&)*)2%216&)3"&) to walk since I had family come into town for &+").""9"12:);<&)%&6$)2"0)1%&"/')$,-"#)&+,&)&+") school stayed closed. I’m just hoping for an alternative commencement date before the end of the semester” Sean Jordan, economics senior
Disabled after political violence, Zambian student fights for rights JOHN THOTTUNGAL Mercury Staff
CONNIE CHENG/STAFF
Daniel Nsomekala, a political science senior, is a Zambian political activist and disability rights advocate.
Daniel Nsomekala sat in a wheel chair patiently waiting for the UTD 883 shuttle on a warm November morning. The bus arrived and the driver got up patiently, moved to the middle of the bus and opened the door while activating the disabled access ramp that lowered onto the pavement. This is a very routine, day-to-day affair here in North America and nobody even batted an eye-lid. However, this is not the story for disabled people in many other parts of the world. “Anyone who comes to America will be amazed at the disability access available everywhere for disabled people, it is hard not to,” said Nsomekala.
Nsomekala, a political science senior comes from Zambia where disability access is a concept that is being fought for and he along with others are trying to bring about a change that allows integration of disability access everywhere in Africa The name Nsomekala means, “trigger”, which he said came down from a hunting heritage from generations ago. He grew up in the western province of Zambia to a small farming family who also raised cows and had a small shop. At that time, there was only one political party in power who controlled both the executive and legislative functions of the government. “When I grew up, we heard about the term
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