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April 10, 2017
The Art Barn’s uncertain future
THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
Qurans found in SU bathroom UTD PD involved in investigation of incident
Growing resources for art at UTD raises questions about necessity of longtime work space
Greg Metz, a senior lecturer in ATEC, said the Art Barn has served an iconic role for Dallas-based artists since 1978 by offering a place to work, study and teach.
STORY BY : DONIA BOSAK-BARANI | MERCURY STAFF PHOTO BY : ROMAN SORIANO | MERCURY STAFF
SAMMY LUTES | COURTESY
Student Government Senator Jonathan Schuler found Qurans in the toilet in a bathroom on the lower floor of the SU on March 28. SG reported the matter to UTD PD immediately. SAMEE AHMAD Mercury Staff
A group of Student Government senators found copies of the Quran inside the toilets in the bathrooms adjacent to the Galaxy Rooms. The Quran is the holy text in Islam, and it is considered sacred by Muslims around the world. Jonathan Schuler, the head of the SG legislative affairs committee, discovered the Qurans in the bathrooms after the Student Government meeting on March 28. Schuler came to the office and asked the senators what they were supposed to do. “I was appalled. It made a lot of the hate I had been hearing and seeing on national news real, and very present,” he said. Sammy Lutes, a neuroscience senior
→ SEE QURANS, PAGE 14
New LLC to focus on women in STEAM University Housing to launch program in fall 2017
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rt students may soon have to seek alternative spaces to create, as the Art Barn faces an uncertain future. The space was threatened with closure for years, but student activists postponed it, said Greg Metz, an ATEC senior lecturer. However, recent developments in art resources around campus have led to speculation from professors and students alike that it may close, but there is no definitive decision or timeline. Metz is consulting with architects regarding a new gallery space, but he is concerned about leaving the Art Barn behind. The building has hosted a number of film festivals, avant garde theatre, galleries and electronics. “It’s a cultural icon for Dallas. Almost every artist who is showing in Dallas has showed, certainly in midcareer, in this gallery, or have taught here or have used this space or have attended seminars,” Metz said. “This is a major work for Richardson, since 1978 when they built this building. This has been a nucleus, an art hub, a cultural hub for Richardson.”
If there is no recognizable art des- things will happen.” One such resource is the Makerspace tination on campus, the ATEC program could lose its competitive value on Waterview, which includes a fabrication lab, studio as an art school, spaces and woodMetz said. The shops for students program needs the There is no desto use in lieu of space in the Art ignated space on the Art Barn. Barn to conduct its mandated courses campus that is avail- Nonetheless, students who paint and foster creativable to any student and sculpt are ity, but that room almost completely is growing harder who needs a workrestricted to using to secure. ing studio space. ... the Art Barn, said “We’ve just Nothing possesses David Rake, an been dwindled ATEC sophomore. down to not a lot. that unique feature “What I do at It’s hard to sell on campus that the the Art Barn, I can a program when do at Makerspace. you’re bankrupt Art Barn does. They have mostly of space, and we have done so — Amanda Marder, the same equipment. But (the much with so ATEC graduate student Art Barn) is more little to maintain for other students our presence combecause there’s no petitively with the other universities, so we hope other outlet for painting to that scale,” that those efforts would grow the he said. The Makerspace is not suitable program,” he said. “We have great potential, but it has to be a destina- for every art student because it tion for them, so hopefully good focuses more on the engineering
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to consider proposed changes to ATEC, EMAC programs MIRIAM PERCIVAL News Editor
The Edith O’Donnell School of Arts and Technology may undergo a restructuring of the school’s two degree programs. The proposed change would merge ATEC and EMAC and bring additional changes to the graduate program. Final approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board could come as early as May. “We’re anticipating it’s going to go very well at the state level. We’re not going to on day five of fall semester
say, ‘All classes are cancelled.’ We’re not going to do that. … We’re moving forward anticipating approval,” said Eric Farrar, associate dean of undergraduate studies, at the town hall. On April 5, ATEC faculty and staff held a town hall for undergraduates, the first public forum since the changes were announced a month ago. After a short presentation discussing details and dispelling rumors, Farrar, Senior Associate Dean Todd Fetcher, ATEC Dean Anne Balsamo and Associate Dean of Academic Administration Lisa Bell, as well as other advisors and faculty
SRIKAR BASKARA | MERCURY STAFF
NATHAN STEINLE Mercury Staff
→ SEE LLC, PAGE 14
→ SEE ART BARN, PAGE 14
ATEC awaits degree reorganization
Mary Jane Partain, director of University Housing LLCs, said the program will offer 28 females a slot for fall 2017.
To advance female representation in the STEAM fields and help foster connections among those female students, University Housing is piloting a program in fall 2017 called Women in STEAM, which will be a new Living Learning Community on campus. From the LLC website, “Living Learning Communities are groups of freshman students who share academic goals and interests … live in designated
aspect of ATEC, rather than the art aspect, Rake said. The space is shared with a variety of other students, including engineering and UTDesign students. If the Art Barn closes, students who depend on it will be forced to seek the resources at Makerspace, which would lead to overcrowding of the already small space, Rake said. Amanda Marder, a graduate ATEC student, manages the digital fabrication lab on campus and used to work at the lab in the Art Barn. “There is no designated space on campus that is available to any student who needs a working studio space,” Marder said. “There are students who have had the privilege of being assigned a physical studio space. There are students who have had the privilege of working with certain professors who have had some studio space that they allow access to, but unless you know someone who knows someone, nothing possesses that unique feature on campus that the Art Barn does.”
NOAH WHITEHEAD | MERCURY STAFF
Eric Farrar (left), the associate dean of undergraduate studies, and Todd Fetcher, the senior associate dean of ATEC, spoke at a public forum on April 5 to detail the changes students can expect in the degree programs offered.
members answered questions about the professor positions, the statewide hiring freeze is delaying the process. future of ATEC. “We have to wait until August for The plan is to fuse ATEC and EMAC into one unified program our new hiring plan. … The entire state named Art, Technology and Emerging is under a hiring freeze so we’re very Communication. The update would also lucky we got a lot of our jobs posted implement a portfolio review and incor- before then,” Balsamo said. “Our next phase is as soon as porate five pathways, the hiring freeze is or specializations, for (We wanted to lifted. … We hope to students to choose make) a larger more have people lined up from: animation, so once the jobs are games, critical media cohesive program posted we can start studies, design and and the other thing taking applications.” production or mediAnother difficulty ated communication. ... is the ability of ATEC faces in hiring “(We wanted to the current degree faculty is recruiting make) a larger more program to pick and experienced industry cohesive program and the other thing … is choose and not dive professionals who have an academic the ability of the curdeep into a particubackground or are rent degree program interested in teaching to pick and choose lar topic. at a university. and not dive deep into any one par— Eric Farrar, “Finding qualiticular topic,” Farrar Undergrad associate dean fied industry professionals that also said. “It doesn’t do have the academic the students service if they’re not forced to get deeper into a credentials that allow them to teach at the university level, it’s hard,” Farrar particular topic.” A common theme among students said. “People that are in production at the town hall was concern about the number one are not necessarily looking availability of classes needed to satisfy for academic jobs, or they don’t know degree requirements. Several professors or they don’t think they’re qualified were not renewed for the fall, leaving meaning they don’t have the academic credentials to teach at a university.” courses potentially unavailable. While ATEC could fill as many as → SEE ATEC, PAGE 14 seven tenure-track and 12 non-tenure
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THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVII No. 36
THE MERCURY | APRIL 10, 2017
NEWS
UTDMERCURY.COM
UTDPD Blotter A
Editor-in-Chief Nidhi Gotgi
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B
March 28 • A student's apartment mailbox was damaged by an unknown person at 1:11 p.m.
A
March 29 • An unknown person stole an employee's gold parking permit at the Police Department at 9:15 a.m.
B
March 30 • A non-affiliated person was arrested for theft and possession of marijuana in Jack in the Box on Coit Road at 10:14 p.m.
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March 31 • A student's Cross 300 bicycle was taken without his consent from the Phase 2 rack at 3:37 p.m.
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Contributors Samee Ahmad Donia Bosak-Barani Srikar Baskara Emilio Chavez EJ Chong Srichandrakiran Gottipati Ariana Hadden Logan Harless Robert Johnson Shelbye Karr Chris Lin Sam Lopez Anthony McNair Chiamaka Mgboji Minh Nguyen Nadine Omeis Sid Patel Shannon Ramirez Bianca Del Rio Roman Soriano Nathan Steinle Matt Strack Dev Thimmisetty Ruth Varghese Noah Whitehead Marisa Williams Media Adviser Chad Thomas
chadthomas@utdallas.edu (972) 883-2286
Mailing Address 800 West Campbell Road, SU 24 Richardson, TX 75080-0688 Newsroom Student Union, Student Media Suite SU 1.601
The Mercury is published on Mondays, at two-week intervals during the long term of The University of Texas at Dallas, except holidays and exam periods, and once every four weeks during the summer term. Advertising is accepted by The Mercury on the basis that there is no discrimination by the advertiser in the offering of goods or services to any person, on any basis prohibited by applicable law. The publication of advertising in The Mercury does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the newspaper, or the UTD administration. Opinions expressed in The Mercury are those of the editor, the editorial board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily the view of the UTD administration, the Board of Regents or the Student Media Operating Board. The Mercury’s editors retain the right to refuse or edit any submission based on libel, malice, spelling, grammar and style, and violations of Section 54.23 (f ) (1-6) of UTD policy. Copyright © 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.
The Mercury is a proud member of both the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
LEGEND VEHICULAR INCIDENT THEFT DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD | COURTESY
JUST The FACTS This school year, The Mercury entered the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association’s on-site and previously published competitions and took home a total of 21 awards.
Newspaper division two FIRST PLACE - OVERALL EXCELLENCE, STAFF - IN-DEPTH REPORTING, NIDHI GOTGI - NEWS FEATURE STORY, CARA SANTUCCI - SPORTS NEWS STORY, ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS
SECOND PLACE - SPECIAL EDITION/SECTION, STAFF - SPORTS FEATURE STORY, PABLO JUAREZ - EDITORIAL, NIDHI GOTGI - FEATURE PHOTO, SAHER AQEEL (ON-SITE) - OPINION EDITORIAL PAGE DESIGN, NIDHI GOTGI
THIRD PLACE - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ONLINE, STAFF - NEWSPAPER DESIGN, CARA SANTUCCI (ON-SITE) - SPORTS PAGE DESIGN, PABLO JUAREZ - INFORMATION GRAPHIC, CHAD AUSTIN - NEWS PHOTO, ANDREW GALLEGOS - PHOTO ILLUSTRATION, CHRIS LIN
honorable mention - HEADLINE WRITING, ARIANA HADDEN (ON-SITE) - PAGE ONE DESIGN, NIDHI GOTGI - SINGLE SUBJECT PRESENTATION, CHAD AUSTIN & CARA SANTUCCI - CRITICAL REVIEW, NYEMIKE OKONKWO - FEATURE DESIGN, CARA SANTUCCI - ILLUSTRATION (NON-PHOTO), HAMID SHAH
OPINION
APRIL 10, 2017 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
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Science march to bridge cultural divide among issues
Nonpartisan science-based movement to focus on discovery to address legacy of prejudice, anti-science within community NATHAN STEINLE COMMENTARY
Following the momentum garnered by the successful Women’s March, a March for Science is planned to take place in cities nationwide on April 22. Only by universally unifying all supporters of science can the March for Science have the potential to be a force for good. The stated mission from the march’s website is, “The March for Science champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for … political leaders and policy makers to enact evidence based policies in the public interest.” Relative to this mission, the march will be a constructive pursuit only if it is being held to support common principles of scientific discovery and not just to support scientists. To see why it must focus on being inclusive, one must understand that there exist these two major issues within science: prejudices of ethnicity and sex, and a deep cultural divide.
There is a long history of minorities being denied access to scientific knowledge and rejected from publication or employment opportunities. Problems of institutional and implicit bias within science and academia still exist today, and are hotly debated by the march organizers, as reported by Brian Resnick at Vox. If the march organizers claim it is for everybody, but they don’t invite everybody, or if the marchers welcome only certain supporters of science, then the march will feed into those unfair prejudices. To avoid this, it must be made very clear by the march organizers and especially by the demeanor of the marchers themselves that all supporters of science are strongly encouraged to participate. Another divide within academia, detailed by C.P. Snow in his 1959 essay, “The Two Cultures,” is between the humanities and the sciences. The split in the 1990’s culminated into the so called “science wars” which were disagreements between several groups within and across the two cultures — positivist natural scientists, postmodernist philosophers, constructivist philosophers — about questions such as, “What is science?” and “Is science the best way of knowing anything?” One does not have to tread very far into
academic life to find the legacy of the divide between the humanities and the sciences, and how the science wars simply made it much worse. The science wars did not produce a clear victor, but rather a new enemy — sometimes called the anti-science movement — which is the desire to deconstruct the relationship between science and state. In doing so, this anti-science movement becomes the common enemy of the two cultures: humanities and sciences. And so, assuming it is inclusive to both two cultures, the March for Science can be a seed for healing that great divide and then be a rallying cry against their shared enemy. Science and state are not separate in America, unlike church and state, because scientific evidence is in principle how we legitimize public policy decisions. It is this anti-science movement’s aim to remove science as the arbiter of good and bad policy by manipulating scientific knowledge for political gain, intentionally misrepresenting statistics to justify political actions, using religious beliefs to legitimize public policy, simply ignoring scientific facts that are inconvenient to an agenda, and more. As the march’s goal states, a mass demonstration in the name of science, not just scientists, is a defense of that relationship be-
ANTHONY MCNAIR | MERCURY STAFF
tween science and state, because it will show that people choose science as their tool in finding truths about the world and society. There are issues within science that must be worked out, and if done correctly the march can mediate resolutions among all supporters of science. Also, by being inclusive the march can be a banner of unification against increasing encroachments upon the important role science plays in our society. Whether they are for reasons of politics, religion or anti-science, the encroachments all attempt to displace scientific truth with
something else to legitimize policy decisions. Such attempts run counter to everything we know about what makes a society thrive, and they cannot go unanswered. As long as the march is carried out in the name of inclusive nonpartisan science, then the march will be a force for good by publicly confronting prejudices within the scientific community, bridging the deep cultural divide within academia and unifying supporters of science across society and against a shared threat.
Unity needed to address equality Comets and Craters regarding pay for working women Myths surrounding pay gap need clearing up in light of recent House resolutions
UTD ranked first The Young Universities ranking report from Times Higher Education listed UTD as No. 1 in the United States of universities founded less than 50 years ago. UTD is also ranked 21st in the world, up three rankings from 24th last year.
Art auction On April 26, JSOM will host an event called Artistic Impressions of Management that will display paintings and sculptures by acclaimed Texas artists. The exhibition is to help JSOM raise funds to adorn the new building with permanent art collections.
Planting trees UTD has begun planting trees by parking lots A through D, adding to campus foliage. The addition of more trees will help continue to beautify the campus as a whole.
Emergency sirens hacked On April 7 just before midnight, 126 sirens were hacked and malfunctioned. They sounded until about 3 a.m., as each had to be manually shut off. The Dallas 911 system was flooded with calls, resulting in as much as a six minute wait time.
COMET COMMENTS
BROOKE LOPEZ OP-ED
The gender pay gap is real. Women are consistently earning less money than men even when they have the same qualifications. In a political era filled with uncertainty and turmoil, now is the time to stand unified against an issue that matters to every woman. Contact your representative and tell them to support the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 862/H.R. 1619) and the Pay Equity for All Act (H.R. 6030). As of 2015, women are paid 80 cents for every dollar men earn, which is exponentially greater than what women earned comparatively in 1960. This is largely due to women’s progress in both education and workforce participation, said Kevin Miller, a senior research analyst for the American Association of University of Women. If everyone is satisfied with the amount they earn without taking others’ earnings into consideration, why does a movement exist to even out pay between men and women? The consequences of the gender pay gap span farther than annual income earnings. Women received less monetary benefits from Social Security, pensions and life insurance as well as incur higher amounts of student debt. The amount of money earned today will af-
fect livelihood beyond retirement. Today is the day we debunk the myths related to the gender pay gap. Women of a racial minority, a specific age and those who have a disability earn far less than their male counterparts. It is silent discrimination at its finest. There are three different factors that heavily influence the explanation as to why the gender pay gap exists: occupation, education and parenthood. If a man chooses to search for a career in the engineering field while a woman chooses to hold employment as a teacher, there will be an obvious discrepancy in pay. However, the argument of occupation should focus on comparing men and women within the same career such as male teachers versus female teachers. Men still receive more income than women in male-dominated positions. Therefore, the belief that the occupational cause for the gender pay gap can be “solved” with women actively pursuing careers in historically maledominated fields is a myth. In a data study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, women will continually receive less than men even with higher education tracts, making education another factor influencing the gender pay gap. Just because women pursue a higher educational degree does not mean they will receive a higher income. The final factor used to explain the gender pay gap is family life. Women with children are at a disadvantage as employers are less likely to hire mothers due to an unsubstan-
tiated fear of losing valuable work time to motherhood. Miller states in his research that women receive a “motherhood penalty” where pay may be diminished while men receive a “fatherhood bonus” which can include a promotion, special privileges or a monetary addition to their income. Essentially, there is no valid reason as to why men and women earn different incomes for doing the same job. Gender discrimination and bias is the only true cause of the gender pay gap. The State of Texas ranks 26th out of all the states in terms of equal pay with women bringing in 79 percent of what men bring in annually, Mille said. This percentage is not only lower than the national average but this is also not consistent across the state. Women in District 36, which includes all of Newton, Jasper, Tyler, Polk, Orange, Hardin, Liberty and Chambers counties, plus portions of southeastern Harris County, earn only 64 percent of what men receive incomewise. This pay gap is tied with the last-ranked state of Wyoming. Women nearby are receiving less funds than men. Imagine telling your mother, sister or daughter that she will only be worth 64 percent of the average American man’s abilities. Consider the reaction and conversation that must ensue when you explain to your friends, loved ones, students and coworkers that women won’t amount to their male counterparts. You hold the value of America’s income in your hands.
How do you think a hub for artists to display their art on campus would impact UTD culture? HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Students interested in writing opinions can email editor@utdmercury.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
“I think it would be a great platform for everybody to showcase their art, so that overall the talent of everybody would grow.”
Shaleen Yadav Information Technology and Management Graduate
“I think if it was conspicuous enough it would increase the conversation about the arts and humanities. I think it would illuminate that aspect of the college.”
“I think it will inspire it. I think any type of art on campus will inspire a lot of students. It would be very beneficial, and I don’t see anything negative coming out of it.”
Madeleine Keith Political Science Sophomore
Samah Elnomrosy Healthcare Studies Senior
Letters must be 250 words or less. Students should include their full name, major and year. Faculty, staff and administrators should include their full name and title. Email letters to editor@utdmercury. com. Although electronic copies are preferred, a hard copy can be dropped off at the reception desk of the Student Media suite (SU 1.601). Please include a headshot. Authors may only have one letter printed per edition of The Mercury.
OP-EDS
Apart from your name and photo, personal info will not be published. We reserve the right to reject submissions, and we cannot be responsible for their return. We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, good taste, accuracy and to prevent libel.
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THE MERCURY | APRIL 10, 2017
NEWS
UTDMERCURY.COM
SG updates constitution
Judicial, voting changes reflect goals of incoming, outgoing administration RUTH VARGHESE Mercury Staff
Student Government voted on new modifications to the constitution, including changes in representation and an increased role for the judicial board. The updates will go into effect May 1, when the new SG senators and executives take office. After the changes to the constitution were made, each class — freshman, sophomore, junior and senior — now has six seats in the SG senate instead of one seat per 500 students. In addition, there will be one senate seat per 1,000 students in each academic school. For the next election, students can vote for delegates based on the school they are in, such as EPPS or BBS, as well as their classification. Akshitha Padigela, the current SG president, said it is important to have diversity in SG and having members from each program can bring in different perspectives. “I also think it would be good because if you’re voting in your school,
then you’re going to campaign in your The responsibility of the judicial board school,” she said. “So we think that this is to interpret the constitution and dein turn will cause more students to par- termine whether the rules in it are beticipate in elections being enforced. cause you’re really cam“The people who reI’m really hap- ally put in a lot of effort paigning really hard in one specific school.” into it were some of the py that these older people who had When running for changes hapbeen through Student a position, candidates pened because Government for a couwill list both their clasple of years, so we were sification and program. Alex and I have able to look at what isStudents can vote for been preaching sues we have, how we candidates in their can fix that, and so really same classification and (that) commuthat into the constiin their school. Candinication and ac- put tution,” Padigela said. dates could win either countability are JW Van Der Schans, the one of the six seats for SG president-elect, said he classification or one the two biggest thinks the changes with the of the seats for every issues. judicial board will improve 1,000 students in each accountability in the senschool. Padigela said she believes this will — JW Van Der Schans, ate, leading to an improveSG president-elect ment in communication. give more people the “I’m really happy that opportunity to be a these changes happened part of SG. Another change in the SG constitu- because Alex and I have been preaching tion involves the judicial board playing → SEE CONSTITUTION, PAGE 13 a larger role in Student Government.
RUTH VARGHESE | MERCURY STAFF
Akshitha Padigela (right), current SG president, explains the new constitution to Rebecca Macaluso, a biomedical engineering junior. The constitution will come into effect on May 1 with the new administration.
Chlorine in water part of routine maintenance Elevated levels used to flush municipal water system ARIANA HADDEN Mercury Staff
A noticeable difference in chlorine levels in the water around campus is the direct result of routine annual water maintenance by The North Texas Municipal Water District, which will last until April 10. Hunter Stephens, the assistant director of public services for the City of Richardson, said the chlorine is there to ensure if impurities enter the water system they are eliminated. They perform a free chlorine flush of the system every year and the process usually lasts about 30 days. “The chlorine is only there as a secondary disinfectant,” Stephens said. “The water is already disinfected when it leaves the plant, but the chlorine offers another layer of protection. If organics or any sort of virus or disease is introduced into the water, (the chlorine) would kill that and wouldn’t let it proliferate or grow in our systems.”
The month of maintenance ensures the chemical completely reaches the end of the system before the switch back to the regular ratio, which relies on chloramine. “Chloramine uses ammonia to react and create the secondary disinfectant, free chlorine does not,” Stephens said. “They are kind of resetting the system and getting ready for the summer months. It makes the chloramine usage through the summer more effective by doing this maintenance.” Students began to notice the effects about a week after maintenance began, and will continue to notice them for up to a week after it ends. To address these concerns, management at Northside sent an email to its residents to alleviate any reservations regarding the water. The email said that despite the odor and strange taste, the water will not harm anyone. The city will flush the lines after
→ SEE WATER, PAGE 13
ANTHONY MCNAIR | MERCURY STAFF
Fallen Comets remembered Rocks engraved with names to be placed in reflection pool to honor students
D UTD App D Joey Campain, SG vice president, is continuing to oversee the production process of a new UTD app structured to track the Comet Cabs and Comet Cruisers. The app will also have links to important websites, such as the library’s site. Android and Apple versions of the new app are currently in the works with Office of Information Technology SG senator Megha Bhatnagar is working on the interface and the technology committee is looking for an outside entity to help with programming the app. To speed up the development process, SG is looking for an undergraduate with programming skills. The most recent version has not been shown to SG. They will be receiving the beta as early as April. Meanwhile, Campain is working with Parking and Transportation as they also transition and put GPS systems into place on buses and Comet Cabs. The target release date is early in the fall semester. Not everything will be included, but the first version will hopefully be useable by students for parking and transportation with access to mobile websites commonly used by students.
F Parking Signage F Tiffany Chu and the residential student affairs committee made plans to install signage in UTD’s parking lots
to assist students in locating their cars. The signs are too expensive so the committee is looking for cheaper options for parking signage.
u Dining Hall Straws u There have been increased requests for the availability of straws in the dining hall. Straws were originally removed because of environmental concerns, but Chu is looking for alternative options.
S Net ID Upgrade S The upgrade of the Net ID system was supposed to be complete by the time students returned from spring break. Rahul Sonwalkar, leader of the technology committee, has been informed the changes will come at the beginning of the fall semester. The changes include the use of a secure phrase rather than a single password, making upper and lowercase letters, as well as numbers, no longer required. The goal is to make it easier for students to remember their passcodes for sites, like eLearning. Changes to passphrases will be immediate and will only expire once a year rather than every six months.
X Consent Video X The video on the moral and legal definitions of consent created by SG was released on Facebook on April 3.
DONIA BOSAK-BARANI Mercury Staff
Four students who lost their lives during the past year were commemorated during the Comets Remember ceremony sponsored by Student Government on April 7 in the Galaxy Rooms. The memorial recognized the lives of Ian Kubik, James “Jack” Cloudt, Satyanarayana Ganapathibhotla and Solana DeLamant. The ceremony began with the Richardson Police Department marching in formation, followed by a live performance of bagpipe music. Gene Fitch, vice president for student affairs, formally welcomed the friends, students and staff members present. “It is important to honor the ones we have lost, and today we unite as a community to celebrate the lives and the legacies of those students who have passed,” Fitch said. Joey Campain, SG vice president, led the moment of silence, and Executive Vice President Hobson Wildenthal gave the opening remarks. Wildenthal spoke of how college is recognized as the best years of a person’s life, a time in which they are able to reach their full potential. Cloudt, one of the students being remembered, passed away during the summer before beginning his freshman year at UTD. “To lose that life at that stage is particularly poignant and a particularly big, big loss. And we feel that. Our fellow students feel it, our staff and
SID PATEL | MERCURY STAFF
Executive VP Hobson Wildenthal, VP for Student Affairs Gene Fitch, SG President Akshitha Padigela and SG Vice President Joey Campaign spoke at Comets Remembered to honor students lost in the past academic year.
faculty feel it, and we are dedicated to sharing our empathy with the friends and family members for, of course, the most acute and personal loss,” Wildenthal said. SG President Akshitha Padigela delivered a message from students after the opening remarks. To conclude the ceremony, Amanda Smith, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, deemed each student in remembrance an eternal Comet and delivered the formal eulogy. As a bell tolled for each
name, SG senators accepted flowers on behalf of the families of the deceased who could not attend the ceremony. Padigela gave the closing remarks. “I ask after each of you leave here today that you call your family and friends and tell them that you love them. As we have seen today, life is precious,” she said. This year marks a new chapter for “Comets Remember,” as SG has dedicated a reflection pool on the campus
→ SEE REMEMBER, PAGE 13
LIFE&ARTS
APRIL 10, 2017 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
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ONE WHEEL WONDER Unicycling enthusiasts find community at UTD
ROMAN SORIANO | MERCURY STAFF
Lee Price, an emerging media and communications senior, practices unicycling at UTD's tennis courts. Price, who serves as the president of UTD's Unicycle Club, picked up the activity while in middle school. ROMAN SORIANO Mercury Staff
When Lee Price was in middle school, his uncle gave him and his brother an old unicycle. He didn’t immediately pick up unicycling after that, but today, Price relies on it regularly to get from one place to another on campus and is a strong advocate of the activity through the Unicycle Club. He picked up the skill through online tutorials and communities. “I saw some YouTube videos, saw some people doing some really cool stuff,” Price said. “Me and my brother were like, ‘Oh we have one in the garage, let’s go try it out.’ Then we stuck
with it until we learned it.” Price, the president of the Unicycle Club, said it’s open to all skill levels, both advanced and beginners. New members are taught how to ride, while more experienced riders are given the opportunity to continue practicing their skills. The group provides a loaner to those that don’t own their own unicycle for practice. They are working to raise money to purchase more. The club meets on campus biweekly, and on off weeks they practice at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. Shelby Steaphen, the club’s event coordinator, said Arbor Hills has a trail for mountain cycling, a concrete area ap-
propriate for distance riding and an area to do tricks. He found out he preferred mountain cycling when his friend Erick Gonzalez let him try it out. “I borrowed one of his extra mountain unicycles, I tried it for the first time and I loved it,” Steaphen said. At these meetings, the club coordinates with members of the DFW Unicycle Club, a local organization open to anyone who wants to join. The DFW Unicycle Club was co-founded by Gonzalez, one of the founders of the Unicycle Club at UTD. Gonzalez got his start unicycling after seeing one in a bike shop seven years ago. He decided to buy it and learn how to ride it, after which he discovered he
could learn to do tricks as well. He founded the DFW Unicycle Club because he didn’t know many other unicyclists in the area. “I didn’t know anybody in Dallas I could ride with,” Gonzalez said. “On an online forum I found another rider in Dallas, so we came up with the idea for the unicycle club.” Gonzalez was the one who invited Steaphen to join the Unicycle Club at UTD. “It’s unique, you’re relearning how to balance. When you first get on, you think can do it, but you realize you’re learning how to walk again, learning how to ride a bike again. It’s a new experience,” he said. Both Steaphen and Price admit that
unicycling draws a lot of attention, but they have learned to accept it. “At first I didn’t like it. I was very nervous going out into public and riding,” Steaphen said. “But as I started riding more and more, especially around UTD I’ve gotten more used to it and embraced it.” To Price, unicycling is a practical means of getting around, more so than bicycles or longboards. “You can effectively ride in crowds, unlike on a bicycle or a longboard,” he said. “Most people don’t get offended if you bring it inside with you so you don’t have to leave it outside, and it’s
→ SEE UNICYCLING, PAGE 7
Professor writes original play ‘Alhambra’ inspired by centuries of religious co-existence in medieval Spain BHARGAV ARIMILLI Life and Arts Editor
SRIKAR BASKARA | MERCURY STAFF
Arts and Humanities Professor Fred Curchack began writing “Alhambra” last May after a trip to visit the palace in Spain.
The UTD Theatre premiered a play on April 6 written and produced by a professor in the Arts and Humanities department. “Alhambra,” written by Fred Curchack, follows the journey of two couples as they travel through Spain and explore Muslim, Christian and Jewish co-existence in the country’s history. Curchack said he was inspired to write the play after visiting the Alhambra, a fortress in Spain built by Moorish rulers in the 13th century.
For Curchack, the Alhambra stands as a testament to peace, but also serves as a reminder of tragedies such as the Alhambra Decree, which ordered the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain in 1492. “This notion of harmonious blending of influences from these various religions was very touching to me,” he said. “Art itself is one answer to the level of hatred and distrust and bigotry … that leads to things like the expulsion of the Jews and Muslims from Spain. That leads to extremely problematic contemporary
things, as well.” Following his trip, Curchack spent eight months researching the Alhambra’s history and writing his play. One challenge that he faced during the writing process was condensing the information he learned into something understandable for audiences. “I didn’t want it to be like a boring lesson of history and art,” Curchack said. “I wanted it to have a dramatic force.” He also grappled with finding humor in the subject matter of “Alhambra,” he said.
→ SEE ALHAMBRA, PAGE 7
Campus architect wins award
Acclaimed designer honored for contributions to UTD landscape, buildings ARIANA HADDEN Mercury Staff
For the past ten years, Peter Walker has devoted his time and energy into expanding and beautifying the UTD campus, winning multiple awards for his work. Landscape architect Peter Walker was named the 2017 Richard Brettell Award in the Arts recipient for his contribution to UTD’s landscape design. His work will continue to add to UTD’s Campus Enhancement project as well as its overall design. “It’s always wonderful to get recognition,” Walker said. “They give it to a person but it’s actually that they give it to the office and the profession. I take it more as a collective honor than an
individual honor.” Vice Provost for the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History Richard Brettell said Walker’s contribution to the campus has redefined UTD, especially in a city distinguished by architecture. “Peter is receiving the award because of all artists or architects or anybody who had anything to do with UTD in its almost 50-year history, he has had the most profound affect by reimagining an already existing campus through landscape,” Brettell said. Alongside receiving the award, Walker will give a series of lectures from April 11 to 13 in which he will discuss how landscapes shape universities. Walker’s passion for landscape architecture stemmed from his love of nature.
“I love art, I love design and I love architecture, but I also love the outdoors,” Walker said. “I chose landscape over architecture because architecture is inside and landscape is partially outside so that responded to my needs. I thought I’d put all those things together and it worked out. I love my career.” In the fledgling stages of UTD’s establishment, Brettell said the campus had a distinguished beginning with a master plan that mapped out where the buildings should go and focused more on where the space between the buildings should be bigger or smaller. “The campus just took off and there was no sense of landscape being anything
→ SEE ARCHITECT, PAGE 6
UTD COMMUNICATIONS | COURTESY
Peter Walker, the recipient of the 2017 Richard Brettell Award in the Arts, speaks at an engagement honoring his contributions to the university.
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Boba house opens at Northside Delish Bubble Tea offers attractive prices yet underwhelms with flavor, wait times DEV THIMMISETTY COMMENTARY
Delish Bubble Tea had its long-awaited grand opening at the Northside location. Overall, I thought the store itself was quite satisfactory in terms of service and ambience, but the drinks themselves felt mediocre or even lacking. My first order was a large classic milk tea with boba, or tapioca pearls. The tea had an above-average flavor. It was nothing exceptional or amazing, but it had a satisfying, sweet, milky and slightly bitter taste. However, I was disappointed by the boba. Although the em-
ployees cook fresh boba everyday, the boba wasn’t chewy, and it fell apart after a few seconds of munching on it. In addition, the flavor of the boba was lacking. Compared to the traditional sweet taste, I felt that Delish’s boba was bland. As for the environment, the boba house had a modern, brightly lit look. Sparsely furnished, Delish has high seating, sleek tables and a singular television. I enjoyed the open, clean and inviting ambience. The teas are priced competitively at $4.10 for a large with a topping, like boba, or $3.30 for a medium without a topping. The prices are higher for slushes, smoothies and milkshakes, but everything is standard from what I have seen from various boba houses. If anything,
Delish is a little cheaper. Delish is often packed with UTD students, so waiting times can get long. On the grand opening night, I waited almost thirty minutes after stepping inside the store to get my tea. On a Wednesday afternoon, it took me only about ten minutes to get my slush. Most boba houses tend to be faster, but a bit of wait is expected when the shop is so busy. From a service perspective, the employees are kind and do their best to get you exactly what you want, which was much appreciated. At this time, there is no stamp card or rewards program, but an employee notified me that the manager was planning to set up something of the sort soon.
Delish has a wide variety of drinks available. The second time I went, I ordered a medium mango slush with lychee jelly, so I could try something fruity with a different topping. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this drink. Both the slush and the jelly had a very artificial taste — the entire thing had a syrupy sweetness rather than fruit flavors. The slush was not made well either as the ice and liquid flavoring were almost on separate layers. I could taste both components separately, and it was apparent they weren’t blended to create one consistently thick drink. There were even a few times that I encountered pure ice crystals in my mouth when I tried to take a sip. The lychee jelly topping, just like the boba from the opening night, seemed to clump together, and was
SRICHANDRAKIRAN GOTTIPATI | MERCURY STAFF
After some construction delays, Delish Bubble Tea opened in the Northside complex on March 28.
hard to get through the straw. Despite having a similar problem with the topping, the milk tea itself was far better than the fruit slush. At the end of the day, I think Delish Bubble Tea is a decent boba house that offers a plethora of choices for the consumer at a competitive price. While
there were flaws, part of it could be attributed to how recently they opened and how new the employees are. In any case, the ambience and location makes it an easy place to grab a drink and socialize with friends, which is something I value greatly in a boba house.
Lost in translation American adaptation of popular Japanese franchise fails to live up to expectations LOGAN HARLESS COMMENTARY
PARAMOUNT PICTURES | COURTESY
“Ghost in the Shell” was released in the United States on March 31. Scarlett Johansson plays the role of Mira Killian, a survivor of a cyberterrorist attack who becomes a counter-terrorism operative.
“Ghost in the Shell,” directed by Rupert Sanders and written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger, turns a successful manga and film series into a somewhat bland science fiction & action movie. Though filled with stunning visual effects and based on an intriguing concept, the film lacks character development and has a generic, one-dimensional plot. The film stars Scarlett Johansson as Major Mira Killian, who, after surviving a terrorist attack, has her brain placed inside a robotic shell. Major’s enhancements make her the key asset to Section 9, an elite Department of Defense team directed by Chief Daisuke Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano). Aramaki’s character presents a question that the film never answers — whether events are meant to be occurring in Japan or the United States. Both the good and bad aspects
of the movie show their origins in depicted from the outset as an imprint media. The opening scene, patient, cold-hearted and power hungry man. which depicts Aside from a the process The ethics of score of nameby which enhancing humans less, masked the protagominions, he nist Major’s with technology is works alone, brain is put mentioned, though presenting a into a robotic very clear-cut “shell,” sets a not necessarily disgood-versusstandard for cussed. ... However, evil scenario detailed, inwhen the plot conthat drives triguing visuplot, albeit in als the rest fronts these issues, a very predictof the movie they are generally able manner. generally upIn fact, beholds. On the glazed over. sides Hideo other hand, Kuze, played by the generally predictable dialogue and occa- Michael Pitt, the supposed terrorsional prolonged periods of si- ist, and Major, there is little time lence may work for manga, but spent in developing a back-story or context for the characters that are not the best for film. The lack of depth in many char- could help viewers to understand acters may also be a symptom of the their actions. Furthermore, Major transition to film, with filmmak- seems to sometimes act differently ers assuming viewers already have than one would expect based on context for the characters based her values. Though Major challenges Kuze on the manga. The film’s main villain, Hanka Robotics CEO Cut- on his murderous mode of revenge, ter, played by Peter Ferdinando, is she rarely has any trouble beating,
or even killing people who could be spared. Even more telling, after learning her past, Major immediately puts aside her earlier desire to kill Kuze, ignoring the many innocent people he has killed, and becomes his protector. Despite this, there are interesting ideas the movie brings up and explores in varying depth. The ethics of enhancing humans with technology is mentioned, though not necessarily discussed. Some characters mention their pride in staying purely human, and the commercialization of cybernetic improvement becomes a large part of the background, with openair shots showing hundreds of massive holograms advertising robotic enhancements. However, when the plot confronts these issues, they are generally glazed over. After discovering that Kuze is not simply a cyber terrorist, Major confronts him and Kuze asks her to evolve, transcending humanity and joining his mind network. Major
→ SEE GHOST, PAGE 7
Mansionz disappoints with debut Self-titled album shows promise with complex themes despite generic lyrics, jarring acoustics ROMAN SORIANO COMMENTARY
Mansionz is a collaborative duo composed of Mike Posner and Blackbear. Their debut album, also titled “mansionz,” explores themes of love, non-conformity and depression. They have worked together twice before on individual songs, but this is the first album released as a team. Although the album contains a few interesting songs, most of them are fairly generic. There’s not a lot of experimentation going on, and many of the songs sound similar to one another.
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except for a few trees and shrubs around the buildings,” Brettell said. “What Peter did was to think about those spaces and make them positive, to make those spaces between the buildings as important as the buildings.” While it is a work in progress, Walker emphasized that the overall aesthetic, although important, is not his main focus of the campus. Rather, he said, it is crucial to be sensitive to the surroundings. “The first phase was very formal,” Walker said. “We wanted to make something people would recognize as a campus.
The opening track, “Snoozefest,” is an instrumental that previews what the production on the album looks like, which follows the current trend of pop-music with a lot of electronic influence. This is especially clear on songs like “Wicked” and “Dennis Rodman.” However there are tracks with a more acoustic sound, like “Strip Club.” Overall the production is well executed, although it doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from other pop albums. It’s clear, and stays consistent throughout the project and it’s a good fit for both Blackbear and Posner. The lyrics are one of the album’s biggest setbacks. At the best the lyrics are cheesy and cliché, at the worst, they try too hard to be deep.
The biggest offender is the song “I’m thinking about horses,” a six-minute monologue by Mike Posner that ends with a really abrupt, generic beat drop. Although it’s technically a poem and not a song, Posner ponders God, sex, death and horses. Posner occasionally screams some of his sentences to accentuate the emotions he’s feeling, but it ends up being jarring and unpleasant. The theme is consistent throughout the project, and they do a fair job of making sure to keep the themes relevant. Detailing substance abuse, relationships and mental health, the pair clearly expresses what they want to, just not always in the most elegant way. Lines such as “I’m chasing a feeling
I could describe as great” are common, and although they try to convey their emotions, it’s surface-level. Despite all of these downsides, “mansionz” does have several good moments. “STFU” presents soothing music. Although the lyrics are far more aggressive and cold, this juxtaposition makes it an interesting song. “Wicked” is generic, but it’s catchy and makes you want to get up and dance. “Mansionz” doesn’t make an effort to differentiate itself from other pop albums. Although it has a few very strong songs, most of them are formulaic and boring. Many songs from “mansionz” will likely see a lot of radio play, but in a few short months, they will be forgotten completely.
The second phase is informal, so I think we would have a contrast between institutional expression and place.” Walker’s initial aim was to make UTD more appealing to new people. He said similar to how MIT appeals to its STEM majors, he wanted to display not only the contrast, but a nice setting for any student. “The goal was to put it on the map,” Walker said. “If you are a student, faculty member or a visitor we want you to remember the school. We wanted a landscape that would be stuck in your memory.” What started as a mission to build an attractive space be-
tween the SU and the library, now called the Plinth, turned into a bigger plan to bring the campus together and give it quality and charm. While having the goal in mind is critical, it takes time and planning
to ensure the elements will all work together constructively. “Campuses tend to fund landscape development with each building,” Walker said. “The problem is that various different rings of landscape don’t al-
The goal was to put it on the map...if you are a student, faculty member or visitor we want you to remember the school. We wanted a landscape that would be stuck in your memory. — Peter Walker, Landscape architect
ISLAND RECORDS | COURTESY
Mansionz released its debut album, “Mansionz,” on March 24. The duo is composed of singers Mike Posner and Blackbear.
ways fit together so you have to look at the overall campus as a whole. You have to look at the space in between, not just the buildings. ... Here, the city and university get along very well. The city manager came to every single lecture and they were very enthusiastic. They used to love (the campus) because of its function but now they love it because of its form.” Although some students have been on campus long enough to see the transition, the newer students only know the enhanced campus. “Landscapes are alive, so over time those trees mature,” Walker said. “The campus is in a
period of great growth and will hopefully get twice as large as it is now, and you have to keep the landscape up.” While people passively and actively interact with the campus throughout the day, Brettell said his hope is that students take the time to appreciate the landscape that Walker has given to UTD. “The meeting point near the SU and library and all of those things that now give the campus a sense of place and make us all proud to be on the campus has come about as a result of Peter,” Brettell said. “It is not a building that is the center of UTD’s campus, it is the landscape.”
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seems to sidestep the question, not presenting a clear yes or no, and when pressed again, simply answers “not yet.” What is explored deeply is the importance of memory and connection to others. Though she does not know it, when her human brain was placed in a
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cool, it just attracts a lot of attention.” Although he has taken a few hiatuses, Price said he always ends up coming back to unicycling, even if it’s just as a means of transportation. “I think it was just former mem-
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“How to find comedy in the midst of such dark things such as the Spanish Inquisition or the Spanish Civil War (was) a central challenge,” he said. “Truly, truly dark periods of human history.”
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robot body, Major’s memory was wiped and replaced with false ones. Major struggles throughout the film to define herself and fit in, and as she discovers more of the truth, she begins to ask more questions about her origins. By the end of the film, she has concluded, in spite of a long search for her own history that she is not defined by her past, but by her actions.
For viewers looking for thought provoking concepts, fairly good action sequences and fascinating visuals, “Ghost in the Shell” is a good match. If you are turned off by occasionally cheesy dialogue and one-dimensional characters, however, then this may not be the film for you.
ber Erick, he’s like a big inspiration to try to get better,” Price said. “Watching him do his incredible stunts and stuff, I really wanted to pick it back up so next time I see him I’ll be a little bit better.” Steaphen said Gonzalez is also very supportive of other riders, constantly encouraging them to improve and learn more. Without Gonzalez, Stea-
phen would have quit trying to learn how to unicycle. “On my first day I got maybe half a rotation or not even a foot. That didn’t seem motivating for me because I spent two, three hours in the hot sun and I got half a foot forward,” Steaphen said. “(Erick) kept pushing me, saying, ‘You can do it, you can do it, just keep trying.’”
As a part of his vision to blend comedy and tragedy, Curchack created a video and wrote a rap that was included in the theatrical performance. “I have been incorporating, on occasion, video and rap into my plays for decades,” he said. “It’s a continuation of an artistic inclination and interest that
I’ve had for a very long time.” Curchack said he hoped the audience would leave with a reminder that history tends to repeat itself. “(The Alhambra) is both a symbol of the sublime but also something quite horrible,” he said. “It would be a worthwhile mirror for the audience to ponder.”
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Diversity Games Students participate in The Great Gummy Bear Challenge during Diversity Games on April 5. International Travel Safety 101 Imperio Shanks an international risk and insurance analyst, presents students tips about assessing the destination risk in a ‘International Travel Safety 101’ session during iWeek. Passport to the World A student demonstrates the art of Kendama at Passport to the World where a variety of cultures were showcased through food, music, cultural dress and colorful displays on April 3. Passport to the World Chamni Jayarathna stands next to a large Buddhist lantern for the Sri Lanka booth at Passport to the World. Passport to the World A student shows the judges an Iranian artifact at the their Passport to the World booth. Passport to the World Reem Dawelbeit dressed in traditional clothing welcomes students to the Sudanese booth. Henna Computer science graduate student Akshaya Udayakumar draws a henna design on biology freshman Alyssa Briggs in the Women’s Center on April 6. Global Grad Happy Hour Graduate students gather at the Global Grad Happy Hour, an event put on to encourage international and national graduate students to get together and mingle with each other on April 6 in the ATEC lobby. Global Talent Show The annual Global Talent Show was held on April 7 and showcased the school’s diversity through various musical and dance performances in the Activity Center. West World Fair Dining Hall West provided a Korean, Indian, Latin and Italian fusion for students on April 7. International Brew House Various cultural groups presented tea and coffee from around the world as well as their rituals and history at the International Brew House on April 5. West World Fair Computer science graduate student Bogdan Armaselu adds his home country Romania to the map at Dining Hall West for West World Fair on April 7. Global Talent Show The annual Global Talent show was held on April 7 and showcased the school’s diversity through various musical and dance performances in the Activity Center. M N O P
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Athletics should expand reach
SPORTS
Powerlifting promotes self-improvement
Team attends national competition in San Antonio three years after club’s founding at UTD
Social media can be used to increase engagement with student population
SRIKAR BASKARA | MERCURY STAFF
Student-athletes ran in the Division III Week 5K on April 8. The race was held on campus following a week of events celebrating athletics at UTD, which also included a breakfast thanking faculty and professors of athletes.
SUMMER LEBEL COMMENTARY
Staff members in the athletic department staff announced on Twitter that they will dress up in costumes as an incentive to raise money for Comets Give, but their efforts were only directed at student-athletes instead of the student body as a whole. The charity drive, which was held for the first time, was a competition that encouraged different departments at UTD to see who could raise the most. This year, it fell during Division III Week, which included a 5K run on April 8. Athletic Director Bill Petitt offered to wear a sumo suit while running the race if the athletic department gave 200 donations. Basketball head coach Polly Thomason and assistant coach Natalie Marlowe joined in as well, telling their team they would race in a Christmas tree costume and a pink gorilla costume, respectively. Petitt ended up off the hook, as the athletic department only had 148 donations at the end of the day. While the goal wasn’t achieved, it was a good effort by the athletic department. Dressing up is a common idea that administrators around the country have taken part in some form in the past. The problem is that their attempts to foster a sense of community using Twitter were only aimed at the athletes and not at the entire student population. Between being a Division III school and not having a football team, UTD struggles with getting students interested in sporting events. Attendance numbers are low at games and there is a lack of passionate fans. Using social media to increase visibility for the athletic department is a great tool that has proved effective for other programs, but it doesn’t help when the efforts are directed at the athletes. The athletes already know about their sports, so the work to bring attention to the department should be focused on the rest of the student body. It was a good idea to use these incentives to get people talking in the athletic department about the charity drive. However, it could've been taken one step further and used in conjunction with other promotional tactics that appeal to everyone else as well. After encouraging the athletes to join in the fun, it could've been expanded to target the entire student population using the costumes as a sales pitch. More community engagement ideas through social media and better implementation of those ideas can be used to help improve attendance numbers and increase attention to the athletics department. UTD has a social media presence already, but it needs to be built up if they hope to use it to make a lasting difference.
ROBERT JOHNSON | MERCURY STAFF
Eric Martinez, a neuroscience sophomore, practiced on April 5 in the Activity Center. The club headed to San Antonio the following day for the national competition, where they didn’t place, but had lifters break personal records. Powerlifting is in its third year as a club at UTD and has seen significant growth since its inception in 2014. In addition to competitions, the club also focuses on relationships and self-improvement, allowing participants to be more flexible with their commitment. MARISA WILLIAMS Mercury Staff
Members of UTD’s Powerlifting Club participated in a national competition in San Antonio on April 6. Austin Li, a biology junior and one of the founders of the club, always had an interest in physical fitness. He be-
gan bodybuilding after his senior year of high school. When he started using the facilities at UTD, he was exposed to powerlifting. He met people who shared his passion for maintaining an active lifestyle and, beginning in the summer of 2014, eight of his closest friends helped him create, as well as lead, the Powerlifting Club.
Mechanical engineering senior and cofounder David Shelton assisted Li in the logistics and currently serves as team captain. Although the Powerlifting Club competes, it isn’t all they focus on. Shelton believes in becoming stronger and building confidence at one’s own speed. “There’s a bunch of different people … we’re trying to get stronger. We’re trying
to get better. We’re trying to mature as people, inside and out,” he said. Teams of lifters vary widely, from how much they weigh to how much they can lift. Given these variables, powerlifting competitions have found a way to put all competitors at the
→ SEE LIFTING, PAGE 11
WNBA combine held at UTD
CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF
The Merit Women’s Pro Combine, a WNBA combine, was held on April 2 in the Activity Center. Two graduating seniors, Alyssa Crockett (left) and Kayla Reinhart, were in attendance coming off of their final season as Comets. Merit’s combine is the longest running WNBA combine in its 20th season.
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same starting point. “In a competition, there is no strength level that you need in order to compete. We’re talking about a show of the strength that you have at that point, at that time, and if you’re training, you can only get stronger,” Shelton said. Li and Shelton often notice new members become discouraged about their ability to succeed at powerlifting. “A lot of our new members always tell us, ‘I’m not strong enough to join powerlifting’” he said. “We always tell them, we all start off somewhere. When I started off, I couldn’t even hold the bar … You don’t have to be a certain strength to join powerlifting. You
could start wherever you are and we will help you reach whatever goals you want to reach.” Li and Shelton have gone through that internal fight themselves. “It’s self-realization through training that you can do something that you originally didn’t think you could do. A lot of the time you’re breaking a lot of those barriers. Whenever you go out in life, it’s just like … you just have more confidence. It gives you the reality in your mind that I can do this if I work on it,” Shelton said. Members focus much of their efforts on making their whole team successful with every lift. Shelton, as team captain, has the technical role of overseeing the lifts and facilitating the rest of the team, but he isn’t the only one. “What we stress a lot is that
SPORTS everyone is there to help each other out. It is not one person helping every single other person. It’s everyone helping everyone,” he said. The club holds general meetings once or twice at the beginning of every semester, allowing new members to see what the club does on a general basis and the lifting events they can attend. The club has seen sufficient growth in not just interest, but the relationships its members have forged over the last two years. “We started off with the mentality that we are all about improving ourselves and having fun,” Li said. “We saw the other teams, they were more on the strict side ... We didn’t want to impose that onto our people because we started off powerlifting mainly just for fun.”
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April 10 to try and push out the higher chlorine water faster, resulting in the level returning to its standard chemical make-up. “What the public is expressing interest about is the change in disinfectant that is used,” Stephens said. “There is no health concern, and it is still good to drink.” Students, such as ATEC
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mall as the Comets Remember Memorial Fountain, which will include engraved stones that feature the name and year of entrance to UTD of each student who has passed. Additionally, the McDermott Library has donated memorial plates to be
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(that) communication and accountability are the two biggest issues,” he said. Van Der Schans said he believes the changes to the constitution will lead to larger effects
NEWS
freshman Christian Webster, said the foul smell and taste is difficult to ignore. “I live in the residence halls, so the quality of the water is very important to me,” Webster said. “Even when I use the sink or shower, I immediately smell the chlorine.” Despite the confirmation that the water is consumable and will not harm anyone who comes in contact with it, Webster said he is sensitive to the chlorine. “I noticed that the smell was
very strong when I came back from spring break, and it felt like I was drinking pool water,” Webster said. “Even though they say it’s safe, I’m not drinking it with that amount of chlorine.” Even though some students have expressed their concern and are skeptical of the overall water quality, the City of Richardson informed UTD that the maintenance is necessary to maintain health code standards and is tested every day.
placed in books that represent each student’s major. The ceremony is held annually to unite the UTD community in recognizing the lives and remembering the legacies of the comets who’ve passed away. “Each student remembered here today has certainly left their mark on our campus and
has made a significant impact in our lives. I want to express my sincere condolences on the behalf of the entire UT Dallas student body to the family and friends of our UTD students who are no longer with us,” Padigela said. “We are very lucky to have had them as parts of our lives and their memories will always shine bright in our hearts.”
on SG members’ involvement in elections and communication. “Communication trickling down will show, ‘Hey, we’re out here, we’re ready to represent you. Come talk to us,’” he said. Padigela and her colleagues, along with the administration and members of SG, worked
hard to make sure the changes to the constitution would benefit UTD. “We spent a lot of time on (the changes). We spent hours and hours and hours arguing over just one itty bitty little change, so we really did think things through,” Padigela said.
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residence halls, enroll in community-specific courses and participate in group activities designed to enhance learning.” The new LLC program, spearheaded by University Housing LLC Director Mary Jane Partain and Computer Science Senior Lecturer Janell Straach, is the latest attempt on campus to provide female students with the support they need to excel in STEM fields. Straach said she felt the pressure of stereotypes during her college years and was upset to learn that the situation in STEM was no better for the next generation of women. “The program is an educational and academic community of females meant to harbor a sense of companionship and belonging within their classes, their majors and into their professional lives,” she said. There are currently seven LLCs at UTD which are geared toward freshmen, but Women in STEAM is the first LLC offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors with the express goal of helping female students feel more connected in their area of study. Twenty-eight applicants will be selected for the new program. “We have 28 spots available in the program mostly because there were only that many apartments available, and because in the first test run of any program it must remain relatively small so that things don’t
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who serves as a senator on the legislative affairs committee, immediately took pictures as evidence. “I was just really shocked. And I was kind of in disbelief for a moment. I didn’t believe that was a real thing that must have happened,” Lutes said. The senators immediately reported it to the Student Union manager,
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get out of control,” Partain said. The new program welcomes female students majoring in engineering, computer science, arts and technology or emerging media and communication. “While we don’t want to actively exclude anyone from this program, we also have practical limits. For example, we had to pick a few majors that are similar enough that the 28 students can easily relate to each other,” Partain said. The program will be housed in the new Phase 7 apartment currently under construction. There will be one peer advisor serving as a liaison between the students and the main advocate of the program, Straach. Through this structure, Partain and Straach will seek feedback from the students to improve the program based on their needs. Partain and Straach consulted a few campus organizations to understand what kinds of features and actions the students will find appealing. The program will host numerous activities and events, such as inviting guest speakers from industry and academia to share their experiences and offer advice. The program will also engage in educational outreach at local public schools to inspire young minds. It also aims to tackle issues with female representation in the workplace. For instance, as Erik Sherman
from Fortune magazine reports, “In 2013, only 26 percent of computing professionals were female — down considerably from 35 percent in 1990 and virtually the same as in 1960.” “A major purpose for this program is to construct a pipeline for female students to follow from elementary school to their professional careers after college. Through various outreach and service activities, Women in STEAM will work to create a natural thread that future generations of female students can follow,” Partain said. Women in STEAM is the first of its kind at UTD in its creation of a community of female students who are empowered by common connections. “We definitely want to expand the program after this pilot run is a success, so that anyone who wants to be in the community and is eligible can be accepted,” Straach said. Partain and Straach have decided to extend the deadline another month to April 21, because they want to make sure that as many eligible students as possible have a chance to apply. There are no added costs to being a part of the Women in STEAM program. “We truly just want to do our part in helping to build an environment where young women can achieve their goals,” Partain said.
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who called UTD police and removed the Qurans. A police officer arrived at the scene and collected evidence. The case is currently under investigation, but UTD police could not be reached for comment. The Muslim Student Association held its regular board meeting and discussed the incident. Mohammad Syed, president of the MSA, strongly condemned the act. “Given the current political climate
and how Muslims are portrayed in the media, it makes certain individuals act in this hateful way,” he said. Syed said, however, the MSA board was surprised something like this happened on campus because of the supportive sense of community at UTD. “We have received so much support and appreciation from fellow student organizations and the university itself, including the president,” Syed said.
Student Government released a larger statement on April 5 condemning the incident and reaffirming that the action was unrepresentative of the UTD community. “In itself, I think it is an isolated incident not part of a larger effort. But I still think it is extremely frightening. I think that administration should really address the situation of Islamophobia and hate on campus,” Lutes said.
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However, a new professorial job introduced by the UT System Board of Regents called professor of practice would allow ATEC to hire an industry professional that does not have a master’s or doctoral degree. While the process began at the administrative level over a year ago, for many students, such as sound design sophomore Catharine Nanagas, news of the restructuring was surprising and sparked rumors such as game design or sound design being eliminated from ATEC. “I wish that they had done this earlier because … rumors fester
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Marder, given her status as a graduate student and the manager of the digital fabrication lab, has different spaces on campus to do work. “My alternative source is that I have a studio on campus and I also have my wood shop here, so I kind of made do based on the current situation of the Art Barn. Other students are not going to be able to make the same accommodations,” she said. The space is open all day, allowing students to work on their own
UTDMERCURY.COM and even if we dispel them the feeling is still there,” she said. “The timing is really off but I’m glad they’re opening it up and they’re saying, ‘This is what we’re doing and we want your questions and we want your input’ and it’s better late than never.” However, Farrar said the administration couldn’t disseminate information about the program until it was finalized. “That’s why for some of you it seems like it’s being done in a black box with a lack of transparency. It’s not because we didn’t want to share it with you guys, it’s because we’re limited by the state exactly what we can share with you once we get final approval,” he said at the
town hall. With all of these changes coming by next fall, Nanagas said she wishes ATEC administration had communicated with students better. “I’m going to be a junior next year and I even asked a question about what they’re doing infrastructure wise while they’re looking for faculty and they gave a vague answer for something that’s happening in a few months and that’s a little bit disheartening,” she said. “That’s the issue going on right now and of course they have a lot to think about in terms of long and short term but as a personal note I just wish they had more to say now.”
time. If the building is removed, that accessibility will be lost and students may not be able to find accommodations to complete their projects, she said. “Sometimes students need to be working at 3 o’clock in the morning, and other buildings aren’t accessible at 3 o’clock in the morning. But the art barn is open all the time, so that’s its main luxury, it’s unique quality,” Marder said. “It’s completely accessible.” There is hope among ATEC faculty for there to be an artistic cultural hub in the center of campus, and although the univer-
sity is on a path from STEM to STEAM, they have not connected with that plan yet, Metz said. “This is now, exactly, the center of campus, and how great would it be to have something like an arts district, that would emanate out of here. So this would become a professional gallery, you could have a main street through here, so the students walking through would see the work and the upstairs galleries and there’s studios, and a blackbox performance space, that would then be at the center of campus. That would be the vision,” he said.