facebook.com/theutdmercury | @utdmercury
December 5, 2016
On a campus where 70 percent of survey respondents reported experiencing depression, students and faculty are working to offer support and
THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
FIGHT THE STIGMA STORY BY : CARA SANTUCCI | MANAGING EDITOR
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hirty-four percent of college-aged students have felt depressed at least once in the past few months, according to a survey conducted by the Associated Press. UTD fits into that national narrative regarding depression. In a survey conducted by The Mercury, out of 303 respondents, about 74 percent reported experiencing depression, and 40 percent of those who’ve experienced depression have been diagnosed by a medical professional.
Virginia Beam, an arts and performance senior, is one of the many students on campus with depression. She has shared her story with two other students who have struggled the way she does. Although each of them has a unique version of the disorder, they all agreed with Beam’s basic description. “If I listened to my brain, where it’s saying ‘It’s too hard, it’s too much work, it’s not worth it,’ I would never go anywhere or do anything,” she said.
→ SEE DEPRESSION, PAGE 12
(Left to right) Virginia Beam, Mimi Newman and Caitlin Rogers support one another to help cope with their depression.
Fire delays bldg progress
SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
UTD reaches Tier One status
Officials unsure of effect on new Phase 7 project President announces distinction after university meets external benchmarks MIRIAM PERCIVAL News Editor
DEV THIMMISETTY Mercury Staff
A fire damaged the roof of a building under construction in the new Phase 7 apartments on Nov. 30. The Richardson Fire Department responded to a call Wednesday morning at 2:55 a.m. from a police officer driving down Campbell Road who noticed the fire. They arrived at 3:02 a.m. with a total of eight units on the scene. The fire was extinguished in less than an hour. “We were actually pretty fortunate under the circumstances that it didn’t burn the whole thing down,” said Interim Fire Chief Ed Hotz. “If it had been a long time before it was reported, it could’ve been.” Geoscience junior Siloa Willis was driving to her job on campus when she saw the fire. “As I was getting closer to UTD, I saw these huge, black clouds and I thought that was weird,” she said. “I looked across the hedges by Campbell and the top of one of the apartment buildings was completely on fire.” The investigation into the source of the fire is still ongoing, but Hotz said the fire marshals believe the cause was the spontaneous combustion of a cloth mop left in a bucket of hot tar. “Something like that, they estimate the fire doubles in size every two minutes,” he
President Richard Benson declared Dec. 21 as Tier One Day to mark UTD’s achievement in reaching Tier One status. For years, UTD administrators have pursued the goal of making UTD a Tier
SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
A fire, caused by the combustion of a cloth mop in a bucket of hot tar, damaged the roof of an apartment building under construction in Phase 7 on Nov. 30.
said. “(The firefighters) said it was rolling pretty good when they pulled up on the scene.” Director for Physical Plant Services Kelly Kinnard said the school is still assessing damages from the fire. All costs associated with the incident will be covered by the construction insurance. “It will probably take us a good couple of weeks to get a good handle on the cost of the damage, they are still removing the top portion of the roof,”
→ SEE FIRE, PAGE 12
ANDREW GALLEGOS | PHOTO EDITOR
After UTD reached Tier One status, UTD President Richard Benson named Dec. 21 Tier One Day.
One university. They aimed to demonstrate UTD’s progress in influencing the Metroplex as a premier institution. “Tier One was my predecessor David Daniel’s rallying cry, which was to take UTD from being a very good university to one that truly had a national impact through its research and the students we graduate,” Benson said. Tier One status itself is not sharply defined because there is no official set of criteria. Certain external benchmarks determined by institutions like the Texas state government and Indiana University must be met, but school administrators make the announcement after looking at a variety of other factors as well. These include the academic ability and size of the student body, the facilities available, the research capacity and more. One of the first steps in external recognition is being listed in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which is determined by the Indiana University School of Education. In February 2016, the Carnegie Classification, which is released every five years, labeled UTD as R1 for the first time. R1 indicates that UTD is one of the top 115 schools in the nation based on
the level of research activity. “For years they have sort of clustered universities really based on research magnitude. For a very long time, we were sort of in that second echelon (which was) very good, but we have moved into the top tier,” Benson said. Besides the Carnegie R1 classification, a multitude of other factors go into being a Tier One university, such as student academic level, research programs and infrastructure. “(Tier One status) is somewhat ill defined but you know when you’re there. You know it because of the sorts of students who apply, the research projects you can attract (and) the sorts of new faculty and staff you are able to hire,” he said. Another classification that helps determine if UTD is Tier One comes from the state. “The state of Texas also has put out some benchmarks for what they call national research university fund, or NRUF. To make our university eligible for a nontrivial investment, about $9 million from the state, we have to hit certain benchmarks (for two years in a row),” Benson said. UTD is about to hit its second year of
→ SEE TIER ONE, PAGE 11
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THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVII No. 29 Editor-in-Chief Nidhi Gotgi
editor@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2294
Managing Editor Cara Santucci managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287
Ad Sales Representatives Naima Abedin Sneha Ramashesha ads@utdmercury.com
Graphics Editor Hamid Shah
graphics@utdmercury.com
Assistant Graphics Editor Chad Austin
graphics@utdmercury.com
Photo Editor Andrew Gallegos
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Assistant Photo Editor Saher Aqeel
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News Editor Miriam Percival
news@utdmercury.com
Sports Editor Pablo Juarez
sports@utdmercury.com
Life & Arts Editor Bhargav Arimilli life@utdmercury.com
Web Editor Bharat Arimilli
NEWS
THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016
UTDPD Blotter November 15 • An employee reported graffiti had been written on the bleachers on the northeast side of the Student Union between 1:03 a.m. and 1:15 a.m. November 16 • An unaffiliated male was given a criminal trespass warning for soliciting on campus at 1:15 p.m. November 17 • Between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. a UTD employee gave $1,000 to an unknown person she believed worked for the immigration department, who later proved to not be employed there. • A student struck a UTD Police unit on Drive H at 12:40 p.m. • At 3:48 p.m. a student reported their bicycle stolen from the Phase 2 apartments. • A student’s basketball was stolen from the Activity Center at 12:16 a.m. November 18 • Three students were transported to the hospital for medical attention after consuming a large amount of alcohol in Res Hall South between 12:25 a.m. and 1:14 a.m. November 28 • A student reported their bicycle stolen with an estimated loss of $50 at a rack in Phase 2 between 9:00 a.m and 12 p.m.
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LEGEND VEHICULAR INCIDENT Contributors Carolina Alvarez Vibu Anbarasan Ankith Averineni Esteban Bustillos Thomas Cassa Brianna Huberia Ramah Jaradat Summer LeBel Yash Musalgaonkar Hussein Njoroge Shannon Ramirez Ian Seamans Matt Strack Dev Thimmisetty Kevin Vanhorn
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JUST THE FACTS
Media Adviser Chad Thomas
chadthomas@utdallas.edu (972) 883-2286
Mailing Address 800 West Campbell Road, SU 24 Richardson, TX 75080-0688 Newsroom Student Union, Student Media Suite SU 1.601
As of 2015
The Mercury is published on Mondays, at two-week intervals during the long term of The University of Texas at Dallas, except holidays and exam periods, and once every four weeks during the summer term. Advertising is accepted by The Mercury on the basis that there is no discrimination by the advertiser in the offering of goods or services to any person, on any basis prohibited by applicable law. The publication of advertising in The Mercury does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the newspaper, or the UTD administration. Opinions expressed in The Mercury are those of the editor, the editorial board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily the view of the UTD administration, the Board of Regents or the Student Media Operating Board. The Mercury’s editors retain the right to refuse or edit any submission based on libel, malice, spelling, grammar and style, and violations of Section 54.23 (f ) (1-6) of UTD policy. Copyright © 2014, The University of Texas at Dallas. All articles, photographs and graphic assets, whether in print or online, may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without express written permission.
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SOURCE | NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
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OPINION
DEC. 5, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
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Anti-Trump protesters safeguard First Amendment right Right-wing politicians’ harsh criticism of demonstrators harmful for maintenance of democracy, free speech in United States IAN SEAMANS COMMENTARY
The First Amendment is one of our most important rights as Americans. Its protection of our right to protest also safeguards democracy itself, and yet many are criticizing anti-Trump protesters. Since the election, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Kellyanne Conway and others have criticized and characterized anti-Trump supporters as whiners, crybabies and sore losers. On Nov. 29, Trump tweeted that burning the American flag should have consequences such as loss of citizenship or jail time. On a basic level, these statements make sense. If someone lost a game to you and then continued to pester you about it days afterwards, you would be reasonably annoyed. And if you saw an American flag being burned, you might feel a good bit of indignation. Although these emotions are understandable, they’re not good for democracy. When we think of democracy, we usually think of near-universal franchise, but protest is also a key avenue by which citizens can influence public policy. Protesting is just as much a civic activity as voting or attending city council meetings. Politicians can gage the populace’s willingness for certain
policies based off protests — and antiTrump protests are no different. These protesters are largely not disputing the results of the election. They are instead peacefully stating their disagreement with a number of Trump’s policies in a public forum. I agree with Trump’s Nov. 11 tweet that those protesters are passionate about this country, but I disagree with his denigration of them as professional protesters that were incited by the media to treat him unfairly, which he wrote on Nov. 10. I’m troubled by the fact that Trump doesn’t seem to think unpopular speech is covered by the First Amendment. The reason why speech must be protected is for cases of disliked speech, not speech with which everyone agrees. Trump must stop this type of behavior, as he is not only the President-elect but also a leader whose opinion is often repeated by his supporters. In this climate of heightened political emotions, the First Amendment is more important than ever. Our country relies on a free and open marketplace of ideas; A place where anyone can express themselves no matter how distasteful, disliked or offensive their speech is, even if it’s aimed at Trump. I hope at least Trump will become more respectful of the First Amendment and those that exercise it, and at most I hope that he and his team start considering the opinions of those who did not support him, including the protesters.
HAMID SHAH | MERCURY STAFF
COMET COMMENTS
Comets and Craters New Bike Lanes The addition of designated bike lanes on Synergy Park Boulevard is cause for celebration for all those who ride bikes to and on campus.
Jacob Fitts Biomedical Engineering Sophomore
Traffic Trouble Students, faculty and staff trying to leave campus at the end of the day experience some delay on the intersection of Floyd and Synergy as people come to a full stop instead of adhering to signage by yielding to oncoming traffic.
Winter Break on Campus The International Center is hosting events to engage students staying on campus over winter break through activities such as a bowling trip to Plano Super Bowl and a Texas-themed party.
Ana Ablanedo Child Learning and Development
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?
Students interested in writing opinions for The Mercury can email editor@utdmercury. com.
“I do a lot of skateboarding to get it out of the system, a lot of physical activity. I try and sleep more so I try and work in some extra time to my sleep schedule.”
“I just like to walk out, walk for a while and relax. Water makes me really calm down. You can’t be stuck in your dorm all day.”
Freshman
Packed House in Library A senior librarian at the McDermott Library has noticed a semester-long increase in traffic in the building. Empty study spaces are a rarity, creating a possible need for expansion.
How do you de-stress during finals?
Prithvi Uppalapati Computer Science Graduate
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“One of these stress busters would be playing pool on campus or badminton or squash. I think that’s one of our main things on campus to do.”
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THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016
Q&A:
NEWS
Mark McKinnon
Co-founder of bipartisan, national political organization No Labels
Mark McKinnon is a political adviser, television producer and newspaper columnist who has worked in American politics for the last 30 years. He has served on several political campaigns and created and produced “The Circus,” a Showtime TV show. In 2010, McKinnon co-founded No Labels, a political organization devoted to bipartisan problem solving in the political process. The Mercury had a chance with him to discuss the importance of working with the other side as he has popularized with his work in No Labels. McKinnon spoke about the rise of Donald Trump and how the political climate itself has changed in the country. When you founded No Labels in 2010, how did you know or predict the importance of bipartisanship cooperation in an increasingly polarized political environment? Well, yes, we did know. The reason we formed the organization was because the co-founders of No Labels had worked in politics at a time
ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF
Co-founder of No Labels Mark McKinnon came to campus on Nov. 28 to discuss his career as a political adviser, television producer and newspaper columnist. McKinnon discussed the unusual nature of the 2016 election, among other topics, with The Mercury.
Comet Discount Program Student Government is planning to update the Comet Discount Program, which provides various deals on goods and services found within a 10-mile radius of UTD. A full list of businesses offering deals can currently be found at SG.utdallas.edu/ discount under “Comet Discounts.” Auto repair shops, child care facilities, restaurants, health/beauty merchandisers and housing facilities are among those businesses that offer discounts with a valid Comet Card through the program. Before SG decided to oversee the program, the CDP had a total of 250 businesses participating. As of Nov. 29, there are 120 businesses that have pledged to contribute. The reduction is due to changes in leadership or location from when the businesses were originally recruited. To increase the total, SG Senate members are reaching out to businesses in the Dallas and Richardson areas directly. Their hope is to support businesses in the surrounding area. Title IX Communications Committee Leader Anu Emmandi is working to increase student awareness of Title IX requirements for university staff when it comes to confidentiality about reports of sexual assault. Emmandi advised the senate to look for the statement of the Title IX standards in their syllabi, which should state that the professor, as a responsible employee of UTD, is required to report incidents of sexual misconduct. A link to official UTD policies is also acceptable since it will also present the responsible employee information of Title IX. If this information isn’t included, students should first inform their professors and then, as a last resort, the Title IX office with any additional concerns. As of now, a video about consent is being created by SG. Student Affairs Committee Leader Nancy Fairbank is at the head of the project. The Title IX office will use and show the video during orientation in 2017, although the complete list of all of its uses is not final. It will include the legal definition of consent as well as the standards to which students should hold themselves and their peers.
Housing System Changes Residential Students Affairs Committee Leader Uttara Thiagarajan explained the changes coming to the campus housing system. Automated online lease renewal begins on Jan. 23 and is active until Jan. 27. Some changes regarding housing sign-ups can be expected. National Merit Scholars, McDermott Scholars, Terry Scholars and current first-year University Commons residents will have priority when roommates are assigned. If these students plan to live with individuals who don’t fall into those groups, it will impact the way they receive housing assignments. The numbers assigned to each classification will be averaged and these students will receive priority based on the resulting number. Students can expect to know the details of their housing situations by the end of February, allowing them to plan if they don’t receive on-campus housing. Emails will be sent out with links and the details about the process of applying for housing. Campus WiFi Switch Further updates to WiFi on campus include the availability of CometNet in University Village and University Commons. An additional network, TemocNet, has also been added for gaming and will only be accessible within the apartments and the dorms. TemocNet will require users to register all of their devices. As for the apartments, the change from Time Warner Cable will require the removal of all currently established routers. The new routers will be higher quality compared to the 1990’s technology in use now. As a result, the wireless router in each unit must remain untouched by residents. The 35 mbps internet speed that comes with new routers will be split among all the devices each user has hooked up to the network. There will be 24/7 monitoring of this system, but servicing will only be available during regular business hours. The system will be in place between late March or April once routers have been installed and the switch from Time Warner Cable is complete.
UTDMERCURY.COM
when people did work together. I worked for George W. Bush when he was a Republican governor with Democratic Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and it was amazing how much bipartisan work they got accomplished. So the co-founders and I had lived in an environment where people worked together to solve problems and it worked because the parties worked together. Experts have predicted the same legislative gridlock that Barack Obama experienced throughout his terms will happen in the Trump administration. How can No Labels work to make a genuine difference in this polarizing, “I’m not going to work with the other side” approach to politics? Well, the first thing to say is we are getting results. We’ve brought Democrats and Republicans together who worked on producing ideas and legislation and to show that we can solve problems. No Labels is a facilitator. All members of Congress want to be able to go back to their constituency and say, “I got something done.” People are increasingly demanding that their representatives solve problems. That’s what No Labels facilitates – the problem solving. And we do that a lot of ways. We bring people together, we try and create a voice that’s absent from the dialogue. We try and produce policy proposals like the 60 ideas and four goals that we’ve just produced. And importantly just facilitate bringing the parties together. Now we’ve got a six-year track record of doing that. At the end of the day I think the most important thing is, as I said, that people want to go back to their constituents and say they are producing results. And No Labels is a facilitator for problem solving. In 1997, you said George Bush was “ahead of the Republican Party on many issues.” You said he was talking about typi-
cally Democrat issues. Was Donald Trump ahead of the Republican Party in similar ways by appealing to issues not addressed by the establishment? Yeah, that’s where I think there’s a lot of potential for Donald Trump. Because he first of all comes from a world that demands problem solving and negotiation, that’s the world he lives in. He understands the art of the deal. He wrote a book about it. So I think he in many ways is post-ideological, postpartisan. He’s not a partisan ideologue or hasn’t been one all his life. I think the way the system had been working hasn’t been working. And I think he’s taking a new approach with new constituencies. Donald Trump may be ahead of the Republican Party. He’s president now so he’s not only the head of the party but he’s ahead of the party as in he’s creating a new direction like George Bush did in the late ‘90s. He’s talking about compassionate conservatism. Trump is rewriting the vision of the Republican Party that includes infrastructure spending and renegotiating trade deals. That’s all completely new for the Republican Party, and he’s taking the party in a new direction. You highlighted the fact that Trump’s narrative-based approach to campaigning in your column in The Daily Beast starkly contrasts Hillary Clinton’s. The Tyndall Report said in 2016, the three big networks dedicated only 32 minutes to policy coverage on their evening newscasts, a tremendous drop from previous years. How much has the focus changed from policy coverage to a personality narrative in recent years, and what has been the effect on our political consciousness?
→ SEE NO LABELS, PAGE 11
Students push protection for undocumented residents
UTD PD Chief: Campus police won’t keep track of undocumented students ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS Mercury Staff
In response to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration and deport millions of undocumented residents, students at UTD are petitioning the university to protect information about undocumented students from the federal government. During his campaign, Trump said he would stop the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Barack Obama started in 2012. The program allows undocumented immigrants without criminal backgrounds who came to the United States as minors to be protected from deportation and to get work permits. Currently, participants must renew their status every two years. As of June, Customs and Immigration Services has accepted 238,206 applicants. Danielle Edmonds, president of the UTD chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, helped put together a petition to the university asking UTD to make a public statement in support of undocumented students. The petition also asks the university to protect information of DACA students if the federal government requests it once Trump takes office. “Whenever our students elect to pursue higher education and go to university, they shouldn’t be punished for an act that ultimately is a hope for a better life for themselves and a demonstration of what they want to contribute to their community,” she said. The petition went up on Nov. 30 and has gotten 400 signatures as of press time. Students have taken similar actions at the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University. A petition to label UNT as a “sanctuary campus,” meaning the campus university would protect information about undocumented students from federal officials, has received more than 700 signatures. Students also organized walkouts on those campuses on Dec. 1. In the event the federal government
ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS | MERCURY STAFF
Due to recent insecurities about the fate of undocumented immigrants in the United States, students from the UTD chapter of LULAC have circulated a petition for the university to protect DACA students from federal requests.
would target undocumented students, UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias said university police are not tasked with enforcing such actions. “What most people don’t realize is that most immigration violations are civil and not criminal,” he said. “So we actually don’t have any authority to enforce them. So the act of crossing the border is a criminal act, the act of remaining in the country then illegally is civil. So we don’t take civil enforcement and on a campus ... we have no reason to ask anyone what their immigration status is.” Under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, all student information, except enrollment status, their major and year and whether they live on campus, is protected. Law enforcement agencies do have access to information of students accused of criminal activity, however. Dean of Students Amanda Smith, whose office handles disciplinary actions for students, says she does not keep track of whether or not students are documented. “I won’t know if they’re undocumented,” she said. “An enrolled student here is an enrolled student and if they’re a stu-
dent, they’re my student. I wouldn’t know. I would treat them as I would treat any other student on our campus.” Zacharias said there won’t be any change from police on how they deal with undocumented students and university police don’t keep track of the number of undocumented students on campus. On Dec. 1, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted he would cut funding to any state campus that establishes sanctuary status. Edmonds said even though any actions against undocumented residents by President Trump are still hypothetical, it is important for the university to take a stance on the protection of DACA students. “This is a time where predictions or playing it safe hasn’t proved to be very effective,” she said. “We have to prepare for any kind of scenario.” In a statement to The Mercury, the Office of Communications backed up UTD’s stance on acceptance. “UT Dallas is committed to serving all students and providing educational, living and working environments that are welcoming and respectful of all members of our community.”
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THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016
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DEC. 5, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
LIFE&ARTS
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
‘Arrival’ fails to deliver
Senior staff member discusses growing role of library at UTD
Science fiction film disappoints with uninspiring dialogue
YASH MUSALGAONKAR | MERCURY STAFF
Loreen Henry, a senior librarian at the McDermott Library, serves as a liaison to the School of Management and is responsible for collecting literature for the library. BHARGAV ARIMILLI Life and Arts Editor
As students head to the McDermott Library in droves to prepare for upcoming finals, Loreen Henry, a senior librarian, is one of the staff members working behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly. Born in Jamaica, Henry moved to New York when she was 10 years old and developed a love of reading while exploring the city’s public libraries. “One of the best things I remember is being allowed at 12 to walk to the local public library by myself with my younger sister,” she said. “The librarian introduced us to a lot of American-type books because before then we had been reading a lot of British books.” Henry graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in journalism and began working as an editorial assistant at Random House. She was primarily responsible for reading manuscripts
submitted by authors and writing She relocated to Dallas in 1988 with her comments on their viability, but also husband and began working part-time at public libraries in the area answered fan mail on and in the library at Collin behalf of Dr. Seuss, who College. Henry saw an ad was a client of Random It's almost as for an opening at UTD’s House at the time. if the building library and applied for the “Students and position of bibliographic teachers … always is just bursting. instruction librarian. wanted the authors to Students will “I liked the way UTD come to their schools. sit on floors or was growing. This was We had a set way 2001. They were going of telling them no,” tables meant through a transition in the Henry said. “Then for four will ‘80s and ‘90s and by 2001, (we would) send them they had admitted undera big package of posthave twelve. graduates,” she explained. ers and books.” — Loreen Henry, “I liked that they were Henry said she found Senior librarian young people and (I liked) her work enjoyable, but the energy and change gofound the daily commute ing on around campus.” to Manhattan difficult. Since she’s assumed her role at the McIn addition, she found there weren’t many promotion opportunities available. Dermott Library, Henry said she’s seen After leaving her job, Henry said she the university transform from a small realized that books were her true passion college to an ever-expanding university. “It seemed like it was very strong on and obtained a degree in library science.
computer science and engineering,” Henry said. “I like that (the university) is very progressive on arts and technology. I’m also very interested that (we’re) moving towards health sciences. That’s another field that can only grow because the U.S. population is changing so much.” The university’s rapid growth has had a noticeable effect on the McDermott Library, Henry said. Typically, library staff see a surge of students at the beginning of the semester, but the crowds taper off as the semester progresses. This year, however, things were different. “It’s almost as if the building is just bursting. Students will sit on floors, or tables meant for four will have twelve,” she said. “We can’t go sideways and we can’t go up. The administration will figure that out.” To support the needs of UTD in its expansion, the McDermott Library
→ SEE HENRY, PAGE 7
PARAMOUNT PICTURES | COURTESY
Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner play the roles of linguist Louise Banks and astrophysicist Ian Donnelly.
VIBU ANBARASAN COMMENTARY
In his latest feature effort Director Denis Villeneuve helms “Arrival,” based on Ted Chiang’s science fiction short story “Story of Your Life.” “Arrival” is an effective adaptation and showcase of creative filmmaking. Although the film is entertaining, it fails to deliver on the scale that it promised in previews. In the film, extraterrestrials have found their way to Earth. Twelve shell-like structures fly into the atmosphere and spread themselves across
→ SEE ARRIVAL, PAGE 7
CHAD AUSTIN | ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR
THOMAS CASSA COMMENTARY
“Dishonored 2” is a first-person, action-adventure game with a focus on stealth. The player must reclaim the royal throne after it was lost in a coup. Players are given a wide range of methods to tackle objectives, which means subsequent playthroughs can provide different experiences, assuming they opt for a new playstyle. The game feels and works similar to its 2012 predecessor, but that isn’t necessarily a drawback. “Dishonored 2’s” gameplay and level design are incredibly polished, aside from a few minor annoyances, and it is definitely a worthwhile experience throughout. Upon starting the game, players are given the choice to play as either royal empress Emily Kaldwin or her father, Corvo Attano, who is the protagonist of the first game. The story takes place 15 years after the first “Dishonored” and revolves around reclaiming Emily’s throne after it was lost in a rebellion lead by her aunt, Delilah Kaldwin. The plot plays out in a similar fashion to the first game, which makes it seem a bit predictable at times. “Dishonored 2’s” visual style is highly unique and gorgeous to look at, even though the game isn’t photorealistic. Instead, the designers opted for an almost painting-like look, which helps the game’s 19th century setting pop. Unfortunately, the visuals aren’t strong enough to warrant how the game technically performs on PC, as there are noticeable frame rate drops when tran-
ARKANE STUDIOS | COURTESY
sitioning from indoor to outdoor environments, even on a high-end rig. Emily and Corvo have a large variety of tools to either dispatch or avoid enemies, and the player is encouraged to experiment and see what works best for them. The game offers weapons such as swords, pistols crossbows and deployable mines, which have lethal and nonlethal variants. Both characters are given magical powers with more depth than the physical weaponry. There are some powers shared between both characters, but most of Emily’s are brand-new while Corvo’s are largely what he had in the first “Dishonored” game. By employing them, players can leap across large distances, see through walls, possess enemies or summon a copy of themselves. Having so many weapons and powers at the player’s disposal helps keep the gameplay fresh and enjoyable, as they can change up their playstyle or gear of choice if the experience starts to become dull. With that being said, it felt at some
points the game couldn’t decide whether it wanted its players to stick to a stealthy, non-lethal playstyle or leave it to them to decide. It gives players an equivalent number of options for both play styles, however the game’s Chaos system seems to strongly steer players toward the pacifist route. If the player kills more enemies, then the game will in turn throw more opposition at them as it moves forward, essentially making it harder. Players who opted for a lethal run will also receive a worse ending. Also, Emily and Corvo will occasionally say lines during gameplay that suggest that enemies should be avoided rather than engaged. “Dishonored 2’s” levels are spectacular, and felt much more memorable than the previous game’s. Most of the game takes place in a new location called Karnaca, which contains large and open levels that are engaging to explore. Players will also visit memorable
→ SEE DISHONORED, PAGE 7
UTDMERCURY.COM → ARRIVAL
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the planet. Linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and astrophysicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) are recruited by Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to find out why they are there. The trio’s performances are less inciting than expected. Their potential is untested by the mediocre screenplay. The stale characters they portrayed could have been satisfied by any actor or actress. Their attachment to this project is intended to satisfy marketing needs. Over the course of the near twohour runtime, Banks and Donnelly decipher the heptaopods’ (the aliens) mode of communication. It is a non-linear form of expression that has no beginning or end. It appears in the form of circles with blotches protruding in every direction. These blotches are mapped to different words in English. Banks and the heptapods learn
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maintains liaisons with each individual school within the university. Henry serves as the liaison to the School of Management and regularly meets with faculty and students to teach them how to access resources related to management studies. Part of the challenge of her job lies in educating the UTD community and general public about what
LIFE&ARTS
from each other, as they can respond to Banks’ writing in English and vice versa. The “shells” that land on other sites take to different tactics of communication. Villeneuve has organized the film in a manner similar to the aliens’ form of communication. The nonlinear narrative running throughout the film is effective in disguising the overarching purpose of the approach. The cinematography and score complement the moody atmosphere. However, the dialogue fails to hold the ambiance together at times. Boring exchanges between the characters make some scenes more dreary than captivating. Excessive explanations of obvious courses of action bog down the film and seemed to be in place to accommodate mass appeal. The supporting cast is rarely seen. Instead, they are inserted awkwardly in certain situations to move the plot along. The film spends almost no time explaining how Banks and Donnelly’s team decoded the heptapods’ language.
Other things such as Donnelly’s work and Weber’s character depth, are also left unexplored. “Arrival” is entertaining at moments and offers enough in performance, story and visuals to watch it once. It is a very simple film that may deceive in scale. The casting, the director and special effects probably made up a large chunk of the $50 million budget. Villeneuve is effective in his vision. The outcome is a decent, Hollywood-scale science fiction film that doesn’t have much to say. Beyond the corny elements of world unity and the gift of a universal language (thanks to the heptapods), “Arrival” gently breaks the boundaries of what to expect from a major studio film. It is an ordinary film with an innovative narrative structure that is unlike any film that came out this year.
the library has to offer and how to navigate its vast collections. “You can’t have a university without having an academic library,” she said. “We’re a support role for everything — every student, every faculty member, every researcher — and we have what they need. Getting them to know that we have it, and that we can get them what they need, that’s a challenge.” She also serves as a mentor to library science students at
the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University who are enrolled in practicums. But for now, Henry said she hopes to continue working at the McDermott Library for as long as she can. “I like the moment when I can find the ideal resource for someone or just telling people what the library has, because we have a lot,” Henry said. “That’s what I like. The discovery.”
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areas such as an abandoned hospital and a mechanical mansion with robotic enemies, all of which feel unique and play differently. “Dishonored 2” is an excel-
THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016 lent game, and holds its own with its well-received predecessor. I felt that the levels and the introduction of a second playable character were the biggest improvements, which overpowered the technical annoyances and lack of love for more combat-oriented players.
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However, the game itself plays almost identically to its predecessor, and the story is also similar. With that being said, players who didn’t enjoy the first “Dishonored” game probably won’t see a reason to enjoy “Dishonored 2,” but those who did will have just as memorable of an experience here.
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DEC. 5, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
NBA age limit curbs prospects
SPORTS
Overlooked
Athletes overcome height disparity to break stigma surrounding undersized players
Proposed change to rules unfair to players
BRENT SODERBERG via FLICKR | COURTESY
The NBA age limit was last changed in 2005. The restrictions were first implemented in the 2006 NBA draft.
PABLO JUAREZ COMMENTARY
Should there be an increased age restriction on amateur athletes seeking to declare for the NBA draft? That question has been on the table for years and will be up for debate once again as the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on June 30, 2017. These athletes deserve to be compensated for being the best in their field. As it stands now, all NBA prospects are required to be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft and be one year removed from their high school graduation. This rule was adopted in time for the 2006 NBA draft and has been in place ever since. As a by-product, this rule forces NBA prospects to complete one year of their NCAA eligibility and then declare for the draft — thus meeting the Continental Basketball Association’s two stipulations. This phenomenon is widely known as being “one and done.” There have been arguments as to whether the rule should be left alone, removed altogether or be more harshly enforced by increasing the age restriction. Commissioner of the NBA Adam Silver has adamantly been in favor of increasing the minimum age to at least 20 years old. “Their principal argument is that it’s a restriction on players,” Silver said in an interview with GQ. “And as a philosophical argument, I totally understand that. Of course it’s a restriction, in the same way a draft is a restriction. But our view is that it would make for a better league. You’d have more skilled players, more mature players. The draft would be better. It would be better for basketball in general. Strong college basketball is great for the NBA. And we know those players are eventually going to come to the NBA, whether they are 19 or 20 or 21.” The problem with Adam Silver’s reasoning, though not inaccurate, is that the benefits derived from an age increase seem to only benefit the league, its owner’s pockets and the NCAA — pretty much everyone except the players themselves. Although waiting a year or two might not seem like such a long time, the opportunity cost of someone forgoing one or two years of NBA salary is substantial. Not to mention the effects it would have on an athlete’s lifetime earnings. Take, for example, a draft prospect that is projected to be a lottery pick. Given the NBA’s rookie scale, they would be eligible to make 1.65 million their rookie year and 1.73 million their second year plus a 120 percent salary increase that most draft picks receive. Entering the NBA draft at 20 or 21 as opposed to 19 would cost top players in the country roughly 2 to 4 million dollars and any money they could have gained through endorsements. The biggest effects are during a player’s second contract, which is usually when a majority of an NBA player’s lifetime earnings are made. These contracts usually last four to five years with an annual base salary upwards of $10 million. Extending the age limit by one or two years would mean a player losing out on $10 to $20 million in salary during the prime of their careers. At the same time, having an NBA prospect play another year of college without compensation puts them at risk of getting injured without anything to show for it. Some players, such as Brandon Jennings and Emmanuel Mudiay, have opted to play overseas to earn income while at the same time fulfilling the criteria of being one year removed from high school, though these seem to be extreme cases. If someone is in the top 1 percent of their field, they deserve to get paid. Future and current NBA players should be protected, despite any pressure they may feel from the league and its owners.
MERCURY FILE PHOTOS
Caleb Banks makes a run at the basket in an ASC game against Louisiana College early this year. Banks, at 5 foot 6 inches, is the shortest member of the men’s basketball team. PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor
A
lthough a couple of players on UTD’s basketball teams fall below the average height for their positions, that hasn’t stopped them from pursuing the game they love. The average height for a point guard in women and men’s basketball at the Division III level is 5 foot 5 inches and 5 foot 9 inches, respectively. Point guard Shannon Mathis and Caleb Banks fall a couple of inches below those averages. Banks, who is listed at 5 foot 6 inches, said his height isn’t as big of a factor now as it was during the recruiting process. “Before college, when was I doing recruiting, it was more of a disadvantage because it was easy for me to get looked over,” he said. “Bigger colleges look for bigger guards. From that stand-
point it was a disadvantage, but as far as on the court it’s not because of the way I play.” The height difference between him and other players didn’t become noticeable until he was in high school, Banks said. “My sophomore year I started to see that everybody else was pretty much way taller than me,” he said. “I started to see how this could affect my recruiting. I feel like every kid has aspirations of … playing at the highest level in college. It kind of sucks that if you’re a certain height it’s 10 times harder for you to get recruited.” For Shannon Mathis, who measures at 5 foot 3 inches, she’s been one of the shortest players on her team for as long as she could remember. “I’ve made the comment sometimes that I
don’t realize how tall people are because I’ve always been this small,” she said. Mathis knew she wanted to play collegiate basketball since eighth grade, but she said she knew her size would be something she would struggle with. “It was something that I had to mentally overcome,” she said. “People around me were saying, ‘You’re not fast enough, you’re too short, you’re too small, you’ll never be able to play at the collegiate level.’ I never let (my size) prevent me from becoming a collegiate athlete.” There are, however, some advantages to being short, and her skill set has been affected as a result,
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Program overhaul provides early results Fall sports bring home three conference titles one year removed from strength, conditioning coach hire Clinton said. They stuck with the routine and trusted her. In return, athletes came to her after the summer and told her how UTD’s strength and conditioning much they felt they had improved. “That’s the benefit of the athletes program played a major role in helping three fall sports teams win confer- who put in an entire year’s worth of work,” Clinton said. “It’s so rewarding ence championships. The program, which began in the for them to come in and feel stronger.” The athletic department expanded summer of 2015, is led by Head Strength and Conditioning coach Jami the strength and conditioning departClinton. A year after the program’s in- ment this year, both in personnel and ception, UTD has had a successful fall in equipment. Clinton said the new sports season, winning three out of four equipment they purchased this year contributed to the success of the seapossible conference championships. It takes about a year for a strength son because it gave athletes the ability and conditioning program to make to train better for each sport. Even more important to Clinton, her a significant difference with the athtwo assistant athletic trainers were hired letes, Clinton said. “The athletes have to buy into what to aid in managing all the student-athwe’re doing, which they obviously did letes at UTD. After a year of Clinton running the program single-handedly, a wonderful job at doing,” she said. Time with Clinton and her team the addition of two assistants allowed is usually scheduled before or after the department to spend more time with each sport. practices during the Assistant Athletic season. This was new The off-seaTrainer Jordan Worrel to the athletes and plans each team’s worksometimes caused son is just as outs and oversees the conflicts with schoolimportant as teams with Clinton. work, but the athletic department worked “I’m her right hand the in-season with them to prioriman and I see it as my when it comes tize academics. The job to make her the to conditionathletes also adjusted best possible strength to a dedicated strength coach, even though ing, if not more and conditioning time she’s already the best important. during the off-season strength coach there as well, which is not — Rayn House, is,” Worrel said. “I’m mandatory but key to just trying to help her XC head coach look even better.” keeping in shape for the following season. Coming in this year, “That was a unique situation. Be- Worrel could see the athletes’ efforts fore they had strength and condition- from the previous year paid off as they ing, they could go workout at the Rec continued to push themselves this year. at 10 p.m. and do their own thing. “What they planted last year got harThey weren’t accustomed to having it vested this year,” he said. in their schedule,” Clinton said. Cross-Country head coach Rayn House The athletes’ buy-in to the program said year-round workouts with Clinton encouraged them to push harder this year, were essential to her team’s success. SUMMER LEBEL Mercury Staff
ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF
Jamie Clinton (left) was UTD’s first-ever strength and conditioning coach. She is joined by assistant trainer Jordan Worrel (center) in the Athletics Performance Center, the private training room for student-athletes.
“The offseason is just as important as the in-season when it comes to conditioning, if not more important,” she said. The women’s cross-country team has performed well in the past few seasons, finishing second in both the 2014 and 2015 ASC championships. This season marked their first conference win. House said the strength and conditioning program was what put the team over the top. “I really think that her position here in UTD athletics is what sets us apart in the conference,” she said. “We’ve got a strong conference, but I really think that she’s the resource that pushes us the last ten percent.” House is looking forward to seeing the future of the younger athletes who have the opportunity to train for all four years with Clinton, because the current
seniors only had two seasons with her. “When she gets a whole four years under some of these kids’ belts, they’re going to be strong,” House said. “It’s going to make a big difference and I can’t wait.” Mechanical engineering senior Michelle Toro, who is on the volleyball team, said she’s seen a tremendous change from when she started at UTD to where the team is today, thanks in part to the addition of the strength and conditioning staff. “Across the board, we’re a lot stronger, especially when it comes to injuries,” Toro said. “We’re more preventative, and that’s what Jami really focused on. That’s the goal of weight training — not just to get stronger, but to also improve our mobility so that we prevent injuries where
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UTDMERCURY.COM → STRENGTH
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they may happen.” Clinton talks to the coaches regularly, which allows her team to play off of what is done in practice wherever possible, choosing workouts that complement what they’re refining. She also always asks the athletes to always put in a high level of effort. “You don’t look back and say ‘Oh, I wish I hadn’t worked so hard in June,’” Clinton said.
“That doesn’t happen because you’re getting fitted for conference championship rings.” The athletes go out and support each other when they can, Clinton said. That turns to competitiveness between the sports and a drive to match each other. “Winning is contagious,” Clinton said. “A challenge I put on the board is that three out of five of our fall sports won conference championships. I just simply said, ‘What will that list look like come March and May?’ Hard work pays off.” In the future, Clinton said
SPORTS she thinks the conversation will turn to which team will win the first national championship. For now, she hopes that the sports will keep up with the precedent set by volleyball, men’s soccer and women’s cross-country. “It would be great if 20162017 was the most successful year ever for UTD athletics,” Clinton said. “We’ve had a good start and hopefully we’ll continue on. The rest of the sports have the same mindset, so it’s going to be an exciting winter and spring.”
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THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016
Upcoming games Dec. 5 Men’s Basketball vs UT Arlington
Away
Dec. 7 → PLAYERS
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Mathis said. “I do think it’s made me, when I was younger and developing as a player, focus more on my fundamentals and just being really skilled,” Mathis
said. “I don’t have height or athleticism or length to fall back on. I think it shows what a big heart I have for the game just because being small you are kind of at a disadvantage.” Banks said he believes there’s a stigma about short athletes not being able to compete at a high level across all sports.
“You can look across the board in any sport and most sports are looking for these bigger athletes,” he said. “Most of the time (scouts) look for potential in an athlete and they don’t look at their skill set. A lot of the time smaller athletes are more skilled.”
Women’s Basketball vs Concordia
Home (5:30 pm)
Men’s Basketball vs Concordia
Home (7:30 pm)
Dec. 17 Women’s Basketball vs Howard Payne
Away
Men’s Basketball vs Howard Payne
Away
Dec. 19 Women’s Basketball vs Sul Ross State
Away
Men’s Basketball vs Sul Ross State
Away
Dec. 21 Women’s Basketball vs Austin College
Away
Dec. 30 Women’s Basketball vs Milwaukee Engineering
Away
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DEC. 5, 2016 | THE MERCURY
TOO MANY QUESTIONS
COMICS&GAMES
THE PROBLEM WITH CUTE BOOTS
CAROLINA ALVAREZ | MERCURY STAFF
SNOWGLOBE
SHANNON RAMIREZ | MERCURY STAFF
BUNDLED UP
KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF
EYES ON YOUR OWN PAPER
BRIANNA HUBIERA | MERCURY STAFF
CAROLINA ALVAREZ | MERCURY STAFF
MATT STRACK | MERCURY STAFF
SUDOKU
UTDMERCURY.COM
NEWS
Alum starts local branch of international charity ‘100 Men Who Give a Damn Dallas’ raises money for organizations RAMAH JARADAT Mercury Staff
A man, surrounded by 100 others, waits excitedly in the Davidson Auditorium in the Jindal School of Management for the first speaker to come on stage. As the lights dim and the presenter faces the audience, the man sits back and prepares to make a difference in his community. Alumnus Charles Gillis is part of an informal group called 100 Men Who Give a Damn Dallas, and they have a unique way of bringing about change in the community. The group, which was co-founded by Gillis and alumnus Marv Bramlett, meets four times a year in the Davidson Auditorium HUSSEIN NJOROGE | MERCURY STAFF in a shark tank-like scene, where Marv Bramlett (left) and Charles Gillis both graduated from UTD three charities are invited to pres- before starting a local branch of a charity. The two men were inent their missions to the audience. spired by the Nova Scotia cohort of 100 Men Who Give a Damn. At the end of the night, the men vote for the charity they want to the most votes receives at least the power of the herd mentality,” contribute to, and each person $10,000. Although the other two Bramlett said. “We’ve had a couwrites a minimum $100 check charities of the night may not win ple of guys say, ‘I’ve never been a to that beneficiary. The winning the funding, they get the chance part of anything like this, this is to present to a large audience, the kind of thing that you always charity receives all 100 checks. “The whole concept is pretty which gives them the opportunity dream about.’ To be able to get together with a hundred other simple,” Gillis said. “‘How can we to network and gain publicity. Gillis said these efforts help charitable-minded brethren and raise awareness for local charities and how can we make a huge im- streamline the process of do- talk about the good things that pact on one of them?’ Us getting ing good in the community for are happening in our commutogether, we can at least raise 40 those who have newly joined nity, it’s just a fascinating thing. This is just a great way to give the workforce. grand for four charities.” “For a lot of young profession- back to the community.” When Gillis was in Nova Scotia After the winning charity als, it’s a great foray two years ago, he into giving,” Gillis receives the checks, they are came across a group The whole said. “Some of our asked to come back to the called 100 Men younger members next meeting to share what Who Give a Damn concept is haven’t yet found they did with the contribuHalifax. After joinpretty simple. a charity to com- tions, so the men can see ing the group, he ‘How can we mit to, so this is a first-hand how they impacted told his soon-to-be co-founder Bramraise awareness really easy way to someone’s life. “Aug. 25 was our third meetdo it without belett about the idea. for local chariing on a board or ing,” Bramlett said “Children’s Eventually, 100 Cancer Fund came in and they something.” Men Who Give a ties and how In November, had been the recipients at our secDamn Halifax ascan we make a the group met for ond meeting, which we had given sisted the Dallas huge impact on the fourth time at them about $11,000. They made cohort in starting UTD. After the a presentation which I’m tellup the venture. one of them?’ three charities on ing you, grown men much more A few challenges like finding a — Charles Gillis, the agenda had manly than I am were out there name, getting the UTD Alumnus presented for the just weeping! It was unbelievable night, 22Kill, a to see (Children’s Cancer Fund) website started, group that aims to saying ‘Thank you so much for finding a location to host the meetings and publi- help veterans, won the cash prize. what you’ve done, you’re going to “We are very humbled,” said Ex- help save other kids.’” cizing the group arose at the getExecutive MBA student Chris go, but once everything was set- ecutive Director of 22Kill, Jacob tled, about 100 men signed up Schick. “We really appreciate the Azzaretto joined 100 Men Who 100 Men Who Give a Damn, and Give a Damn Dallas on its secand attended the first meeting. The requirement to join the group what they’re doing is a fresh idea. ond meeting. “You know, we have so much is each member donates at least $100 We couldn’t be more appreciative. quarterly. However, members can Every charity that was there de- and it’s really easy to get lost in served to win, but we are blessed that and always want more,” Azchoose to donate more. Now that they are fully estab- and fortunate we came out on top.” zaretto said. “It’s refreshing to take The donations not only affect a step back every now and then lished, 100 Men Who Give a Damn Dallas assists other branches the winning charities, but the and be able to help other people.” The group plans on continuwith launching their charity efforts. members who do the giving. “It’s humbling to be able and ing their charitable efforts in the “Some folks from Denver, Chicago and Tennessee have reached look these folks in the eye and hand future and expanding as more out,” Bramlett said. “We are a in those stacks of checks,” Bramlett members join. In fact, a few direct lineage of 100 Men Who said. “How humbling it is to help members want to start 100 Men Give a Damn Halifax, and 100 these folks and to see it in their eyes Who Give a Damn Frisco sometime in 2017. Men Who Give a Damn Halifax when they thank you.” “We’re going to make this comThe group emphasizes the idea are a direct offshoot of 100 Wommunity a lot better around us,” that there is strength in numbers. en Who Love Halifax.” “The idea of bringing 100 guys Bramlett said. “The reason we do After watching charities present, the men vote on their pref- into a room and getting a $100 it? Well, we do it is because we just erences and the charity with check from each of them, that’s give a damn!”
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That’s been declining. That didn’t happen overnight, but I would say that is a response to largely what the American appetite for information and knowledge is. And what that means is, something I learned in presidential politics is that people don’t really vote on issues for president. It’s a vote on attributes, and the attributes that they focus on are strength, trust, character and shared values. So what they are doing when they look at a candidate they evaluate, “Are they strong enough to be president, are they strong enough to stand up to a foreign power, will they stand up to me for the issues I care about?” And those shared values, “Are they honest, are they trustworthy?” And if the answer to all of those is yes, then what they
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the research capacity of the university. Katherine Morales, the director of communications, said the increasing number of new academic programs available at UTD can help the university qualify for NRUF. “Some examples would be Brain Health, Neuroscience. I mean, just ten years ago, the engineering department had EE (electrical engineering) and CS (computer science), she said. “We went from two and now we have six.” For Benson, attracting researchers and students are the two biggest indicators of UTD climbing to Tier One status. “Students have many, many, many choices, hundreds of choices. You don’t have to come to UTD, but many students choose to, in fact in ever increasing numbers. People want to come to UTD for an education,” he said. “People choose to come here. That’s why I feel we’ve reached President Daniel’s goal.” UTD meets the needs of stu-
THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016
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What was surprising about the Trump campaign was that it was so unlike any other structure of a campaign we’d ever seen. It was like Clinton was a battleship and they were a pirate ship. And, it was challenging because it was erratic. Half the time you wouldn’t know who to talk to, you don’t know who’s making decisions. I mean there’s really only one person making decisions in that campaign. But it was very
authentic, very transparent, and the Clinton campaign wasn’t. The Clinton campaign was very professional, very methodical, you knew who to talk to, you knew where to get answers, but it was not very transparent, it was not very authentic. As I said in my article, we talked to Trump a bunch, we interviewed him in his plane, in his home, in his office. We couldn’t get near Hillary Clinton. And we almost lived with Bernie Sanders, we were with him all the time. And it’s just that was part of what I say is important for campaigns. You can’t just put out a bunch of information, you have to connect it in a coherent way, but also voters want authenticity. They want to get a sense of what kind of human being you are. And they kept her on a very tight leash inside a bubble. And that’s another side of her we never got to see. We were giving her the opportunity to do it!
dents by offering academic programs to make them successful in the modern world. Benson said this is why students are increasingly choosing to attend the university every year. “As we’ve offered majors that are very much in demand and made it clear that students that come here will be taught by first rate faculty teachers. That makes us attractive,” he said. Benson said UTD’s modernity is an important factor that sets it apart from any school and helped it reach Tier One status. “The newness just keeps it interesting. We have some very fine facilities,” he said. “(What’s) changing rapidly is just the physical presence. That’s a major factor attracting students and faculty; new buildings and modern facilities.” With all the recognition and esteem of a Tier One status, students won’t feel the effects of it until later. Tuition will not be affected by this change. “The value of your degree gets better and better. (It) will be at the lowest right before you graduate. Thirty years from now when you
graduate and have that diploma on the wall, it will be very significant,” Benson said. Carter Haines, an associate research professor who works in the MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, has conducted research at UTD for years. Like Benson, Haines sees Tier One as a marker of excellence and believes that Tier One is an achievement of all the hard work that researchers have been putting in for years. “It’s important for helping bring in good, high-quality undergraduate students,” he said. “It’s not a switch from zero to one. It’s indicative of this … continuous progression … Tier One is a milestone along the way.” For Benson, Tier One status is only the beginning of a new challenge. Maintaining the position and continuing to innovate are among his major goals. “We’re not done founding his university. We are still defining UTD,” he said. “From the very beginning it was stated, ‘We should become the MIT of the Southwest.’ I actually think that’s too limiting. I want to be more than that.”
do is make the conclusion that they are going to be right on the policy issues they care about as well. So the discussion becomes more about the attributes, because that’s what people are really looking for in a president. When you were working on “The Circus,” the behind-the-scenes documentary series about 2016 presidential campaigns, what surprised you the most about Clinton and Trump’s campaigns?
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NEWS
THE MERCURY | DEC. 5, 2016
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“That little bit of extra effort to do anything:” What does depression look like?
threw everything off,” Beam said. “So it was like, ‘We’ll try again next semester.’” Newman, on the other hand, describes herself as a “battle axe.” She just keeps pushing through the “waves of sadness,” often using her studies as a distraction. “I hide from my conditions in school,” she said. “Which isn’t necessarily good. … I put myself in this state where everything is resting on my schoolwork. My entire mental state is resting on this one random paper that is 3 percent of my grade. But it’s really important that I get an A because that’s going to change everything. And suddenly I find myself completely breaking down and having a mental breakdown.”
Beam, Mimi Newman and Caitlin Rogers have all been diagnosed with depression. “I kind of describe it as Jenga,” Newman, an arts and performance junior, said. “I’ve been carefully building up and building up and building up. And then I take one Jenga block out and the whole thing falls down. I almost feel like I’m starting all over again.” Newman characterizes her depression as antithetical to Beam’s. Beam, a 26-year-old student, instead feels a constant, low-level version of the what “I just felt normal:” Seeking Help the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual — a classification text Beam has been on antidepresfor psychologists — considers a sants since she was 14 years old. mental disorder. “I hit on one where I realized “It’s less of peaks and valleys and more of a quiet hum in one day (that) I feel normal. Not the background,” she said. “It’s happy or high, but I just felt noralways there, for about 15 years mal,” she said. In the past, she’s tried sevnow. It’s kind of like walking in a pool, where everything is just a eral times to go off her medilittle bit harder and it takes that cation. Eventually, her doctor little bit of extra effort always to convinced her to stop and allow herself to accept the help. do anything.” “I have people who need me, Rogers, a literary studies senior, recently experienced and I owe it to them to take care one of her depressive episodes of myself,” she said. All three women have had after receiving her GRE scores. Following that disappointment to fight their tendency to isolate themselves and a negative from everyone critique from It’s hard to be when feeling one of her proaround somedepressed. Part fessors, Rogers of what makes said she never one consistentreaching out difwanted to go to ly and not be ficult, Rogers school again. “You just lay able to fix them. said, is not knowing wheththere and you ... And I don’t er or not the sulk and you blame anybody response she gets wallow, but you will be helpful. have to do that,” for feeling that “I’d go seek Rogers said. “If I way. out my mother had pushed it and I’d gone to class, — Virginia Beam, and she’d say something like, it would’ve been Arts & Performance ‘Oh, you’re fine. way worse down senior You’ll be better,’” the line.” she said. “That’s The three women — all non-traditional not what you want to hear. You students — have formed a sup- want to (hear), ‘You’re right, port system for one another that sucks. Let’s do something.’” Newman said she feels lucky over the past year. Newman, Beam and Rogers are quick because the people she’s reached to finish each other’s sentences out to in the past have responded and often find it easiest to to her negative affect in construcdefine their depression by the tive ways. similarities and differences in “My friend happened to what they experience. respond in the exact way I Beam and Rogers, for exam- needed it to,” Newman said. ple, both have gotten so discour- “Now I’m very careful about aged by their depression in the who I talk to, because if you get past that they’ve dropped out of the wrong response from someall their classes. body, it can literally throw you “One year I was hospitalized back. And then you’re drownfor a suicide attempt and it just ing again.”
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“You don’t have to explain yourself:” Making Meaningful Connections Now, with each other to turn to in times of stress, all three are less likely to seclude themselves. Rogers remembers first meeting Newman when she sat down next to her in a class. Without pause, Newman began telling her about what she was going through, leading Rogers to feel comfortable enough to share her own struggles. “Accepting the things that are a part of your life, like depression, and being able to communicate about it with other people makes them realize that it’s okay, too,” Rogers said. Beam said she’s felt relief from interacting with other students, like Rogers and Newman, who are similar to her. “I’ve met a lot of people who have similar stories,” she said. “It’s encouraging to be like, ‘I’m not the only one who’s not on the four-year plan and who can’t just power through it when things are tough.’” Newman, Beam and Rogers are all uniquely able to understand what the others are going through, something Newman said has been extremely important. “You don’t have to explain yourself anymore,” she said. “It’s really tiring to constantly come up with excuses as to why you are the way that you are when you had no choice.” The Counseling Center Although Newman, Rogers and Beam never employed the services of the psychologists on campus, the Student Counseling Center at UTD does offer help to students who are struggling. Director Jim Cannici estimates the center saw between 5,000 and 6,000 students last school year. The center allots 12 free sessions for each student per year. On average, a student will use about half of those, which is consistent with the national averages, Cannici said. The most common problems people present to counselors at the center are anxiety, depression, academic difficulties and relationship problems. “Some of those relate to one another,” Cannici said. “For example, if there’s a break-up in a relationship, often that will lead to anxiety or depression.” A major issue Cannici sees students face, however, has to do with the transition from high school to college. “It’s such a huge change for people to go from high school,
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where people had a certain group of friends and things were taken care of by family, … and to be more independent at the college level for those that live away from home can be a real challenge,” he said. “And for a lot of students, having all that independence is too much for them.” That transition, Cannici said, contributes to the high prevalence of depression in collegeaged students. “There’re so many challenges to being a young adult,” he said. “It involves choosing a career, making new friends, figuring out how to fit into a new environment. … And there are a lot of disappointments that occur. We get a lot of students here who were towards the top of their class in high school and they come here and all of a sudden, classes can be very hard, they’re getting B’s, they’re getting C’s. They start to doubt themselves.” As for solutions for that depression, Cannici strongly recommends counseling, despite any stigma that might exist about getting help. “There’s a history of people who, understandably, may want to be more private about seeking mental health services,” he said. “Here’s the challenge I think. A lot of things are bunched together. We have severe mental illness on one side, and then we have what are sometimes called problems of living or adjustment problems. We see the entire gamut here. Mostly people don’t want to be called mentally ill. Everybody in the world has adjustment problems from time to time in their life. But they don’t want to be associated with (the mentally ill), but they’re all put in the same bag of mental health. … I think that’s changed
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he said. “The water damage caused from dousing the fire was actually more substantial than the fire itself.” Construction has stopped in the damaged areas until a
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Alan-Michael Sonuyi co-founded a chapter of the national nonprofit organization Active Minds on campus this fall. The club seeks to spread understanding about mental health and reduce the stigma associated with mental disorders. “I know someone who has suffered from mental illness. I know someone who’s contemplated suicide before,” Sonuyi, a neuroscience sophomore, said. “I feel that a lot of the people who go through mental illness are afraid to say anything. I feel like that’s a group (whose) voices aren’t heard and we as a community should try to stand up for them.” Active Minds raises awareness on campus about the resources available to students who are struggling — namely, the Student
Counseling Center, the Student Wellness Center and the Center for Students in Recovery. Beam, with her personal experience with depression, said she has experienced the very stigma that Active Minds aims to erase. “People are uncomfortable with things they can’t fix,” she said. “It’s hard to be around someone consistently and not be able to fix them and just to be in it with them. It’s hard. And I don’t blame anybody for feeling that way.” Eighty-seven percent of respondents in The Mercury’s survey said they believe there is a stigma about depression in society. Active Minds focuses on the negativity around that stigma. “A lot of people aren’t comfortable with things that are different than themselves. It’s easy for you to judge people with mental illness without having experienced it yourself,” Sonuyi said. “We at Active Minds want to change that.”
structural assessment is complete and the building is clean and dry. Kinnard said he does not know how this will affect the completion date of the building yet. UTD is taking the lessons learned and applying measures to prevent this from happening
again, he said. “There were no injuries, the damage is minor compared to what it could’ve been if it started on a lower floor,” he said. “We are currently working in the building, they are removing the damaged materials and it’s full speed ahead.”
over the years and the stigma is getting less and less.” “It’s easy for you to judge:” Fighting the Stigma