The Mercury 10/16/17 by The Mercury

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October 16, 2017

GAME REVIEW: CUPHEAD

STUDENT ART ON CAMPUS Page 5

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RECORD STORE REVIEW Page 7

Resiliency through support Student shares importance of resources, friends during times of crisis

STORY BY: EMAAN BANGASH | STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY: SAHER AQEEL | PHOTO EDITOR Cynthia Nguyen was driving to escape her friends back at UTD. They were worried that she was suicidal and wanted her to stay on campus. As she drove, the destructive thoughts that always plagued her mind returned. Though she was able to avoid her friends, she couldn’t run from those dark, scary ideations. Her peers had reported her suicidal tendencies to the police and soon, Nguyen found herself driving at 30 mph above the speed limit and then saw police cars tailing her. “I tried to act nonchalant like, ‘I’m okay so I don’t have to go to the hospital,’” she said. “But they handcuffed me for my safety and took me anyways to (Medical City) Green Oaks.”

→ SEE RESILIENT, PAGE 14

Playing the odds Outdoor excursions Fledgling poker club teaches mechanics, strategy

University Recreation introduces local adventure program, explores nature AYOUNG JO Mercury Staff

SRIKAR SUDARSAN BASKARA | MERCURY STAFF

Mechanical engineering freshman Neil Kale looks at his cards as the round begins during a poker game on Oct. 12. DEV THIMMISETTY Mercury Staff

Starting this fall, a new student organization is focusing on a popular card game, poker. The Poker club is open to any and all students who are interested in the game, looking to practice before they go out to gamble or wanting to pick up something new. The club is one step away from being official — the only requirement left is finding a faculty member sponsor. Marketing junior Mitch Meegan, who founded the club, said it evolved from personal frustration with his own failures at gambling. “We had a couple of friends go up to Choctaw and play some tables and I didn’t do very well, so I wanted to get better and I started watching videos and researching ideas on how to

get better without spending a lot of money,” he said. “I thought maybe if I start a club for people with the same interest then I can get better and perform way better when I do go out there and gamble.” Meegan and other members are now making posters to put up around campus, but Meegan’s first method of mass outreach was through a simple post on the UTD Reddit page. “I cast out a line to see if anyone was interested and I got a lot of responses, way more than I thought,” he said. Twenty people commented on the initial Reddit post, but computer science sophomore, Alejandro Guariguata, saw the post and decided to start attending club meetings. Guariguata has been playing poker online for the past year and a half, and he said the in-

→ SEE POKER, PAGE 14

Students interested in exploring local destinations and learning outdoor skills such as zip lining and campfire building and can now attend trips with other like-minded students. University Recreation launched an outdoor excursions program that offers day trips led by a UREC staff member to various locations in North Texas. The excursions take place once a month, and 10 to 12 students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The idea for the program emerged last school year when Ben Piper, the associate director of programs of UREC, proposed the idea to Carly Johnston, the aquatics coordinator. Johnston contacted other universities with successful outdoor programs and combined them with ideas from her own experiences of traveling to introduce the program at the start of the fall semester. “We actually went and visited SMU, and they have a really established outdoors program,” Johnston said. “They do week-long camping trips and even alternative spring breaks. It was really cool to see a program that had really grown.” The first outing took place Sept. 9. A group of 10 students and UREC staff gathered on campus and traveled together to White Rock Lake in Dallas. There, they spent their time kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding. Neuroscience senior Luis Vaquero said he and his friends were searching for activities to do together outside of campus when they discovered the new program offered by UREC. “It was a good experience. We got our kayaks and we spent the entire time having fun,” Vaquero said. “I also

IAN BIRD | MERCURY STAFF

A student balances on a rope to practice slacklining by the UTD soccer fields as part of a clinic offered by University Recreation’s outdoor excursion program on Oct. 13.

got to meet a lot of new people that I would not get to meet otherwise.” Liliana Trejo Jr., a biomedical engineering junior, said going to White Rock Lake with the program was a different experience than the trips she had taken before with her family. “I’ve done outdoors things before but I was kind of forced to, because they were family trips. I’m usually not

outdoorsy, but it was really fun because I went with my friends,” Trejo said. “I’m glad that they created this program and I hope that they expand it for more people.” Through this program, students get the opportunities to not only participate in outdoors activities, but also to

→ SEE EXCURSIONS, PAGE 14

THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVIII No. 16

NEWS

THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017

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UTDPD Blotter

Editor-in-Chief Miriam Percival

editor@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2294

Managing Editor Ariana Hadden

Oct. 3 • A UTD student damaged a window at Green Hall at 2:22 p.m.

Ad Sales Representatives Eeshan Pandey

• At BSB, an unknown person damaged a door leading to the basement area at 2:33 p.m.

Graphics Editor Chad Austin

• An unknown person stole a student’s third-row seats from her vehicle in Lot B at 7:34 p.m.

Oct. 6 • At 12:47 p.m., a UTD student left her wallet unattended in a copy room in JSOM and an unknown person stole it.

managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287

ads@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2210

graphics@utdmercury.com

Photo Editor Saher Aqeel

photo@utdmercury.com

News Editor Ruth Varghese

C E

news@utdmercury.com

Sports Editor Summer LeBel

sports@utdmercury.com

Life & Arts Editor Bhargav Arimilli life@utdmercury.com

Web Editor Bharat Arimilli

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Contributors Madeleine Ambrose Sachin Arya Neil Bhamoo Noumika Balaji Emaan Bangash Srikar Sadarasan Baskara Ian Bird Sarah Chan Jenna Cherrey EJ Chong Kolton Coats Ethan Christopher Erin Eubanks Cindy Folefack Anupam Gupta Christina Jia Ayoung Jo Madeleine Keith Christi Lazutkin Tina Lin Sam Lopez Anthony McNair Keaton Nations Valerie Perez Edgar Gonzales Pineda Shannon Ramirez Ian Seamans Yannis Shafi Meha Srivastav Matt Strack Anjali Sundaram Dev Thimmisetty Vyasraj Vajramani 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 © 2017, 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.

• A former professor did not return a laptop that he was issued at Green Hall at 1:37 p.m. Oct. 9 • At 2:20 p.m., an unknown person stole a student’s bike from University Village.

E D

D A LEGEND VEHICULAR INCIDENT

THEFT

DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD | COURTESY

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NEWS

THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017

Club bolsters competitive thinking Student org offers alternative to traditional study group sessions through interactive gameplay, building social community SARAH CHAN Mercury Staff

A new student organization on campus is featuring a fresh way of reviewing for tests. Competition-driven study groups will foster both learning and community while encouraging students to push themselves intellectually. Supply chain management freshman Bobby Terrell founded the Quizlet Club using his previous experience with Quizlet. The purpose of the club is to help students review for tests in an environment different from a typical study group, while also having a social aspect with the competition and the prizes. Accounting freshman and vice president of Quizlet Club Shannon Cotts brought in her experience from high school to guide the study competitions. Students gather in groups of four or five and individually answer questions. A scoreboard is projected onto a larger screen, and the first team to reach 10 points wins. “I think that a lot of people, in order to beat someone in a competition, especially if there’s a prize involved, then work the extra mile to try to do the best they possibly can,” Cotts said. With an exam review and guided

direction through the material, the officers offer a structured learning setting. The classroom feature includes information such as commonly misunderstood concepts so that the officers can accurately assist the students. This ensures that a student will be prepared for their upcoming test, Terrell said. “You get a great test result out of it, you’re talking about it, you’re building camaraderie,” he said. The Quizlet Club offers high-quality prizes to the winning team. The most recent competition had stainless steel water bottles as the prizes. In the future, members will continue having the opportunity to decide on prizes through the most popularly-voted item in a group chat. “I think there’s a certain level of selfdoubt,” Terrell said. “That once you come into a group like this and you really start talking to other people and start feeling out where you are on your knowledge, you start losing that doubt and make better, stronger decisions,” The executive board and officers, all of whom volunteered to help start the club, worked hard to get it running in a short period of time, Terrell said. While student organizations take around four months to start a club, the Quizlet Club was fully functioning in two and a half weeks,

with officers funding their first competition out of their pockets. Their faculty sponsor, Angela Scoggins, associate director of academic outreach, said she attributed their swift start to dedication and enthusiasm. “I think it’s a really innovative club, and the students have worked hard to get it up and running fairly quickly,” Scoggins said. “It really does have the potential to grow and offer an alternative way for students to gather and study.” The board’s goal is to help students be better equipped for their tests, Terrell said. To make it easy for students to obtain help, the club does not require dues and is open to anyone who has enough people willing to commit for a certain class’s exam. Currently, the Quizlet Club focuses on Oceanography, but as it continues to expand, the board is looking to include additional subjects, Terrell said. Students will be able to contact the Quizlet Club to set up a review session for their class. “Testing is like combat in an abstract way,” Terrell said. “You survive all this horrible crunch time and then what do you get out of it? You get a better job. It’s through those trials that we create those stronger bonds, that real human spirit.”

SAM LOPEZ | MERCURY STAFF

Int’l student applications declining Reduction in UTD foreign population representative of national trend IAN SEAMANS Mercury staff

EJ CHONG | MERCURY STAFF

Residential Parking Next year, students living on campus will only be permitted to purchase residential parking passes. This change was because of a greater number of residential students buying commuter passes instead of residential passes. Unavailable to commuter students, residential parking passes are restricted to students with on-campus housing. By purchasing commuter passes, residential students are leaving parking spaces that are otherwise unobtainable to other students and increasing the parking congestion. Community Piano Sammy Lutes, chair of the Student Affairs Committee, is working on acquiring a piano to place outdoors. Much like the Spirit Rocks on campus, the community piano will be available for students to paint and play music. The idea behind the piano is to create another tradition for students. The piano will either be sourced as a donation or acquired used. To keep the piano properly tuned and functional, Lutes estimates the cost will be $100 annually.

24-Hour Food Danni Yang of the Residential Student Affairs Committee is currently surveying students to see if there is an interest in 24-hour availability of dining services on campus. Yang is planning on asking for a pilot program, however student interest would have to be high for the pilot to be permitted by UTD administration. Updated Comet Cards In a meeting with UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias, SG proposed an update of the Comet Cards to maintain campus security. The need for an update comes after concerns about the escalation of card cloning. Card cloning is the process of illegally collecting data from a card’s magnetic strip and copying that data to another blank card’s strip. New Comet Cards will have security chips, eliminating that risk. To make the switch, all card readers on campus must be replaced to be compatible with the new technology. Updating the Comet Cards and card readers will cost an estimated $1.6 million.

International students are not sending as many applications to UTD as in previous years, according to data from the university. This fall is the first time the number has declined since 2011. This fall, the Office of Strategic Planning and Analysis’ preliminary estimate is for 12,614 applications, compared to 13,342 the previous year. Parikshit Suhaney, an international information technology and management graduate, said he attributes the change to the United States’ political climate, and a downtrend in India’s information technology sector. “Many of my friends were previously planning to come to the U.S., but after all these political conditions, and the layoffs in the Indian IT sector, they have decided to either move to Canada, Australia or Ireland,” he said. UTD’s Office of Strategic Planning and Analysis Executive Director Law-

rence Redlinger, said the university is actively pursuing international students who fit their graduate profile, and that the decline is a trend nationwide. He said he attributes the decline mainly due to the uncertainty around immigration policy. In March of this year, a survey led by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers polled 250 American universities, of which 38 percent reported a decrease in international applications. Inside Higher Ed reported in September that college administrators believed the majority of those who were not filing applications were from India and China. Redlinger said the number of international student applications will normalize over the next 12 to 18 months, as he expects more clarity in immigration policy. Interim director of the International Center at UTD, Leticia Zamarripa, said UTD is known for being a good host to international students, and that a student survey in April had a

90 percent positive response rate to the question, “Do you feel that UTD is a welcoming community?” Foram Gosrani, an international marketing graduate said she noticed a change in the goals of her fellow international students. “Most of the students that I know want to go back … The ratio has changed,” Gosrani said. “Probably earlier it was 80 percent (of ) people wanting to stay back here for long term, 20 percent wanting to go back immediately. Now it would have come down to 50/50 I’d guess.” Gosrani also said the United States has a reputation for mass shootings. “That is a serious concern, not just for the students, but for the parents,” Gosrani said. “They would think twice before sending students to the USA. They would rather send them to a safer place where they would at least be sure that all these kinds of shootings don’t happen.” The numbers for next year will be available for compilation after the fall semester Census Day in 2018.

UTD submits proposal for Amazon headquarters Corporation announces opportunity to host newest location RUTH VARGHESE News Editor

UTD submitted a proposal to host Amazon’s second headquarters when the company requested bids for a new site to complement its Seattle location. On Sept. 7, Amazon released the application and is accepting offers from cities across North America. Calvin Jamison, vice president of UTD, said he could see reasons why Amazon could move to UTD, including the students, the proximity to President George Bush Turnpike and Highway 75, the possibility of a DART station near campus and the multiple corporations within a five-mile radius of campus, including Toyota and State Farm. Amazon would be an additional partnership to UTD’s current one with Texas Instruments. “The message to UT Dallas is this: We have an extraordinary talent pool that every major corporation that moves to this area wants to take advantage of, because probably two-thirds of the

graduates that finish UT Dallas will or want to stay in the area and that’s positive for corporations who are looking to grow their talent pool,” Jamison said. Bill Sproull, president and CEO of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, works with the university. He said UTD had one of the largest available areas in Richardson, approximately 100 acres north of campus, and is one of the best sources of talent in the region. He said having Amazon come to UTD would be a source of opportunities for the school. “It could quite possibly be transformational for the university, in the sense that you’d have a huge employer right next to campus, do a lot of work … with student internships and research,” he said. “Just the energy that it would bring, the resources potentially to the UT System and to UT Dallas.” Amazon is expected to announce the new location in 2018.

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THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017

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National Night Out educates public about police roles UTD Police Dept hosts annual cookout to promote crime prevention, spread knowledge on deterrence for community safety NEIL BHAMOO Mercury staff

UTD hosted a cookout for National Night Out, providing free food, entertainment and safety information for the hundreds of students who attended. NNO is a national event held on Oct. 3 to increase awareness about law enforcement and its role in the community in order to deter crime. Communities hold block parties to enhance relationships between neighbors, the community and law enforcement workers. NNO has been active in the United States for 36 years, and is an annual occurrence at UTD as well. “(National Night Out) is a community program to enhance relationships between police department, firefighters and the community in which we serve,” said David Spigelmyer, UTD Police Department’s crime prevention officer. “To bring us all together to have block parties, get to know each other, get to know our neighbors, because when we know our neighbors, that’s a great crime deterrent.” UTD PD provides different crime-prevention measures, including self-defense classes and speakers at student orientations. Among these events is the NNO block party, which has grown to become

the largest crime-prevention event at UTD, Spigelmyer said. “When I started this program six years ago, no one knew about National Night Out. Now I have kids coming up, asking, ‘When is National Night Out?’ which is so cool,” he said. Since Spigelmyer has been in charge of the cookout, he has invited many student talents over the years to perform at the event, and this year, the main event was the UTD cheerleaders who performed a dance routine. Spigelmyer said these performances are a way to showcase the talents of UTD students outside of the classroom. In addition to the entertainment and free food, the focus of the cookout was on crime prevention and the role of the police force in the community. On and off-campus organizations set up booths to provide students with information about how they can remain safe. Trevor Gawronski, a biology freshman, was one of the students who attended the block party. “This event is important because it is hosted by the police and it’s basically a measure for prevention, getting everybody out and standing against crime,” he said. UTD PD had members present at the event as well, including the Chief himself,

EDGAR GONZALEZ PINEDA | MERCURY STAFF

Faculty and UTD police gather together to prepare hot dogs for students attending the National Night Out event. The cookout occurs every year as a way to increase awareness about the role of police in deterring crime.

to interact and socialize with the students, and to help them know that the officers are here for the students, not at their expense. Furthermore, it’s an opportunity for the students to get to know the officers who work for UTD PD, because they

It's on us :

Annual event brings awareness to sexual assault

will see that the officers are just people doing their jobs, not people who are out to hurt the students, said UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias. “Tonight is just another night of us building the partnership between the

police department and the students,” Zacharias said, “If (the students) meet one officer they don’t know and they have a problem, they go, ‘I’m going to call because I trust these guys,’ so that’s what it’s all about.”

Hosted by the Student Wellness center on Oct. 3, students gathered in the Student Union to gain knowledge on how to prevent sexual assault at the yearly event entitled It’s On Us. Student organizations had the opportunity to write a positive message and present it on a poster.

EDGAR GONZALES PINEDA | MERCURY STAFF

LIFE&ARTS

OCT. 16, 2017 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

Diversity through dance Indian folk dance group TaRaas welcomes non-South Asian member for first time in group’s history

Students launch initiative for art LOTUS project to feature artwork following demolition of Art Barn

SACHIN ARYA | MERCURY STAFF

Finance sophomore Charlie Hooper joined TaRaas at the beginning of the semester. Hooper said he was inspired to join the group because of his love for Bollywood films. MEHA SRIVASTAV Mercury Staff

When Charlie Hooper auditioned for Indian folk dance team UTD TaRaas, members thought the “white guy” was in the wrong room. To make sure, the team captains asked Hooper if he came to the right audition. After passing both the audition and callback rounds, Hooper, a finance sophomore who is half-Caucasian and half-Taiwanese, became the first non-South Asian member of TaRaas this year. “At auditions, I didn’t feel too outcasted because I was with my friends,” Hooper said. “But when I walked into the practice room, I was 90 percent sure someone was going to tell me, ‘This is TaRaas practice, by the way.’ But now I barely notice I’m the only white guy; they treat me the same as everyone else. They’ve been really welcoming.” Although a few non-South Asian students have been part of UTD dance teams such as Sharara and Chalak in the past, Hooper is the only non-South Asian member among all the South Asian dance teams this year. Additionally, as he had no previous experience in any dance form, Hooper’s audition came as a surprise to the two captains of TaRaas, computer science senior Pooshan Shah and business management

junior Rupal Kotecha. “I honestly didn’t expect a white person to audition,” Shah said. “But it was always a hope. We thought, ‘When is our first non-Indian going to join the team? What if this happens this year?’ I’m glad it happened, because (Hooper) is a lot of fun to have on the team.” Shah and Kotecha said they were surprised with Hooper’s interest in TaRaas in particular, because of the traditional style of the dance. Raas, the dance form TaRaas performs, focuses on traditional Indian folk dance, distinguishing it from the style of dance teams on campus such as Sharara and Chalak, which incorporate Western-style Bollywood fusion steps. “Non-Indians don’t usually do Raas — they do Bollywood, which incorporates hip hop and everything,” Shah said. “Very few people do such a specific style of dance, which was awesome. (Hooper) is really good. Some people that come have a background in dancing — he not only had no background in the culture, but also dancing in general. It was really cool to watch.” Hooper first became interested in Indian dance during his freshman year, when friends took him out to try Indian food at Swadeshi, a restaurant in Dallas. He noticed the Bollywood movie playing on the television in the restaurant and became intrigued by the dance number.

“So I saw that, and I was like, ‘Wow, I form at one of them. want to dance like (Bollywood actor) Hrithik “My friends brought me to Diwali, and Roshan,’” Hooper said. “The first movie I it was really cool,” Hooper said. “I was saw was “Ye Dil Hai Mushkil,” with (Bol- fresh after seeing (the Bollywood movie) lywood actress) Aishwarya “Dhoom 3.” That was Rai. I loved it, so my friends when I first saw the dance showed me everything else teams and was like, ‘Oh Maybe some from there.” my God, they’re so good.’ people are like, I watched the perforComputer science sophmances, and it was that omore Navya Monga, who ‘Why is this day that I really noticed introduced Hooper to the white dude trythem. When I saw TaRaIndian restaurant, said she ing to be Indias, I thought they must be recalled first hearing Hoopdifferent from the normal er express his interest in Bolan?’ I’m not tryBollywood stuff.” lywood dance and movies. ing to be Indian, Having “flirted with “At the beginning I was the idea” for some time, surprised, but then I got though. I’m just Hooper looked into the used to it, since that’s his having fun. dance teams at UTD afpersonality,” Monga said. “I got him an Indian outfit — Charlie Hooper, ter his freshman year and decided to audition for over last winter break and finance sophomore TaRaas as it fit into his he wore it for UTD’s Bolschedule best. Initially, lywood night. And then he faced some challenges when he joined TaRaas, I was a bit shocked at first, but I’ve seen him in learning the Raas dance style, as it indoing the steps and he’s really good. Seeing volves the complex and rhythmic usage of someone else embrace your culture so fully dandiyas, or sticks. “When I first started out, I didn’t know like (Hooper), it feels good.” After becoming interested in Bollywood how to spin a dandiya, and everyone was dance and music during his freshman year, able to do it more than me,” Hooper said. Hooper attended several Indian cultural → SEE DANCE, PAGE 10 events, and he first saw the TaRaas team per-

MADELINE AMBROSE | MERCURY STAFF

Visual and performing arts senior Victoria Brill featured her painting, “Untitled II,” at a recent LOTUS project exhibition. AYOUNG JO Mercury Staff

Started this May, the LOTUS project is displaying student artwork throughout buildings on campus. Global business senior Sh’muel Avraham launched the organization to help spread artwork beyond the galleries. “We (provide) campus spaces to student artists to push exploration and appreciation of the arts on campus,” Avraham said. “It’s a community project, as I see it.” After working on the project’s concept for two years, Avraham said he was able to turn his ideas into a reality when his proposal to the Victor Worsfold Grant Program was accepted. Through the program, which awards student-led activities that benefit UTD and communities beyond campus, Avraham received a grant that allowed his project to take off under the name of the LOTUS project. Although the university administration established a new art gallery on the far northwest corner of the campus to fill the

→ SEE LOTUS, PAGE 6

Indie game wows with aesthetic Cuphead succeeds by offering players reimagined narrative experience through customizable character abilities, challenging levels KOLTON COATS COMMENTARY

Cuphead is a challenging, bullet-hell platformer with an art style based on classic cartoons from the 1930s. While many gamers are interested in its unique aesthetic, its difficult playstyle is proving to be more than they can handle. Although the story is straightforward and simple, the colorful and distinct aesthetic enhances the narrative experience. The story is focused on the two main characters, Cuphead and Mugman, trying to resolve a gambling debt they owe to the devil. The way the heroes repay their debt is by defeating various debtors in diverse and exciting battles. Bullet-hell gameplay, where damaging items are constantly moving towards the player, and the customizability of the character’s abilities provides players with diverse ways to complete the same challenges. While newer generations of western gamers may not be used to the difficulty of bullethell games, players can overcome any boss fight using different combinations of abilities, persistence and memory. Cuphead’s ability system provides an ingame currency (coins) for players to purchase a permanent unlock of an ability. Each ability is balanced so that no specific weapon or

charm, a bonus to the character’s abilities or health, is overpowered or game breaking. With this system, Cuphead gives players multiple playstyle options as they progress through the game. To progress through different areas, players must complete boss battles and platforming levels called run ‘n gun stages. Each boss battle is designed to test the players’ reflexes and pattern recognition through increasingly difficult waves of enemies and attacks. The run ‘n gun stages provide arduous gauntlets of incoming enemies and platforming challenges that focus on players’ attention to detail and memorization skills. Players on the PC version can choose to approach these levels using a game controller for precise movements or using a keyboard and mouse for ease of use. Cuphead approaches each battle at an individual level, forcing the player to completely restart each scenario upon death. While this may seem unfair to certain players, the system compromises by having each level operate in a predictable pattern that players can memorize. While players are restricted to Cuphead during the single-player campaign, they can bring in a friend to help them on their campaign as Mugman. The two-player system provides players having difficulty with certain bosses the ability to have extra damage, health and a new perspective to each battle. Although an additional player seems to be an advantage, bosses have increased health and extra players

STUDIO MDHR | COURTESY

Studio MDHR released cuphead on Sept. 29. The game’s visual design draws from the works of 1930s cartoonists.

add to the on-screen clutter. Although Cuphead has an intimidating level of difficulty for new players, the game offsets this by using a low learning curve. While games such as Bendy and the Ink Machine and the Epic Mickey series have attempted us-

ing character designs based on 1930s cartoons, Cuphead’s complete use of the aesthetic creates a more streamlined and uniform design. Overall this is a well-developed, balanced game that focuses on tough battles and individual playstyles. By combining

its superior design with unique graphics and a two-player experience, this game tands out as one of the better releases of 2017, earning it 5 out of 5 stars. Cuphead is currently available for $19.99 on Steam, the Microsoft Store and Gog.com.

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Veteran spreads laughter Former radio announcer audits UTD communications class, connects with other students MARISA WILLIAMS Mercury Staff

VYASRAJ VAJRAMANI | MERCURY STAFF

John Lemburg (left) audits Lynn Winstead’s communications class.

In the quiet hours of the morning, you may see a gentleman in a USS Ticonderoga hat walking through campus passing out printed jokes or pairs of handmade paper fake teeth that he keeps in his wallet. John Lemburg audits Lynn Winstead’s class, Communications in America. Lemburg comes into her class early every morning and sits in the front row to inter-

act with the students. “He’s not getting a grade, but the students have all just enjoyed communicating with him, but wanted to just audit, specifically, a modern … communications class,” Winstead said. “He is adding to our class.” Lemburg has been involved in communications his whole life and Winstead said she loves that he has circled back around, not for a grade or for another degree, but just to stay plugged in.

“Before the Navy, I was a radio announcer and assistant engineer at KCPA-FM so I was fascinated by communications all my life and as a radioman (with the Navy), I got to work the circuits,” Lemburg said. “Had some wonderful experiences and that was a long time ago.” During the pre-Vietnam War era, Lemburg sent Morse code and was present during the Gulf of Tonkin incident. He was a radio supervisor and witnessed

Patrol Torpedo boats attack two escort ships, the Turner Joy and the USS Maddox, on Aug. 4 and Aug. 6 of 1964. While a radioman on the USS Ticonderoga, Lemburg said he had the privilege to stand and talk with one of the most famous comedians of all time, Bob Hope. “I saw what he did to the morale of the crew of the ship … He had a

→ SEE VETERAN, PAGE 10

‘A home away from home’ International students adjust to new life in the United States NOUMIKA BALAJI Mercury Staff

At UTD, international students make up 23 percent of the population. During the first few months of the school year, adjustment and adaptation are part of the process as new students try to make a new place their “home away from home.” Statistics graduate Jiwon Nam said she struggled at first to adjust to the education system in the United States. “At first, the coursework can be a little overwhelming,” she said. “I have to review after each class to study better.” Comparing a typical U.S. classroom session with one back home, Parikshit Suhaney, an information technology management graduate from India, said she found the curriculum at UTD to be more of a hands-on experience than just a classroom session. “The one thing on which I can

→ LOTUS

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void left by the demolition of the Art Barn, the main part of the campus still lacks an outlet for the display of student art. Avraham created the LOTUS project for all students on campus to benefit from being surrounded by art. “I used to go to the Art Barn when I was stuck on a project or needed ideas, because I always found that it helps me to relax and get different sources from the arts,” he said. “When you expose yourself to the arts, whether it be visual arts, music, comedy, theater, you get this unique perspective on different things. It makes

compare the Indian education system with the U.S. education system is practicality,” he said. “Here, professors rely much more on practical knowledge than theoretical knowledge, which is totally opposite back home.” Having experienced a different education growing up, Maryam Ahmadi Jeshvaghane, a supply chain management freshman exchange student from Korea, said she was surprised at class decorum in some of her classes. “Here, they are really free,” she said. “They don’t care about how I sit or what I do. It is okay to eat in class. These kinds of things are okay in the U.S.” With recent shootings in the U.S. making headlines, Jeshvaghane also said she was concerned about safety on campus, with respect to the gun laws in Texas. “I thought it would be really dangerous and you can’t go out by yourself,” she said. “People

can carry guns here. But it’s really not that dangerous. Safety on this campus is good.” In regards to the current political climate, Suhaney said he was apprehensive about the administration’s changing laws concerning international students. “There was one thing on my mind about the political conditions here — I thought they might implement something with respect to F-1 students, but not to a great extent,” he said. With a diverse student community, students from different countries get opportunities to bond with each other through classes, events on campus and activities. Sandeep Shahi, a computer science senior, said it was difficult at first for him to befriend people from different backgrounds. “At the beginning, it was tough,” Shahi said. “At first, I only had Nepali friends. If you see some Nepali person, you

go, ‘Hey! What’s up?’ If you see someone from a different country, it’s awkward. They’re from a different culture and I’m from a different culture. I don’t know what to expect.” Neuroscience freshman Shruti Mahale said she had an experience about stereotypes getting

in the way of befriending people from different backgrounds. “I ended up meeting someone on campus. When this person asked me where I was from, I said India,” she said. “The person found it strange that I was fluent in English.” Shahi said he envisioned life in

the United States from its Hollywood perspective. “I was expecting pure Hollywood,” he said. “We grew up watching movies. I didn’t expect it to be a desert like Texas. I thought it would be downtown everywhere. So that was my (expectation).”

you think. It helps to think beyond yourself and what you know and challenge yourself.” To gather artists and artwork for the project, Avraham and his team contacted student artists whose pieces were featured at the Art Barn’s spring exhibition last semester. Victoria Brill, an arts and performance senior, is among the artists who got involved with the LOTUS project and shared her artwork. Brill’s oil on canvas piece, “Untitled II,” is one of the pieces on the current exhibition. “When they reached out to me, I immediately reached back because art opportunities on campus are very hard to come by,” Brill said. “When

people outside of the art community on campus wants to make a connection, it’s exciting.” Arts and technology sophomore Ben Zerbo initially became involved with the LOTUS project as an artist, but later joined the team to help with marketing and general assistance instead. “We have a few sculptures in ATEC, but other than that, you look at the walls and they’re basically empty. The project is basically livening up the campus, and I think it really encourages artists to make art,” Zerbo said. “And as an artist, I love the idea of bringing more art to campus, especially art by students because that’s inspiring to other students.”

The LOTUS project has been collaborating with the School of Management to display student art in the JSOM atrium stairwell, as well as the JSOM II printing lab on the second floor. Avraham said he hopes that as the project grows, it will be able to showcase diverse art pieces on the campus. The project team is working on getting in contact with the administration of various schools at UTD to allow more artwork to be featured. “We want to expand to Green Hall, SSA, SSB and other different buildings on campus,” he said. “I really want this to be something that binds itself to the student body.”

In addition to providing an artistic environment for the larger student body, the LOTUS project team hopes to to help student artists push themselves, Avraham said. Unexpectedly meeting artists on campus — such as a police officer who is also a tattoo artist and a facility manager who is also a sculptor — is another reason he was inspired to create the LOTUS project. “I realized we have this really strong undercurrent of people who really need to be brought to the forefront,” he said. “We really want to see the artists grow and hopefully get connected to the industry.” Avraham said he hopes that hav-

ing artwork displayed on campus will encourage students to visit the newly opened SP/N Gallery at Synergy Park North 2. “I’d like to see the support for arts and humanities on campus,” he said. “We can put a lot of art up in the buildings, but we can’t be very experimental because we have to stay within the guidelines.” Avraham said with the student population rapidly growing, UTD has the potential to be like other universities that have robust art programs. “I’m really forward to seeing how students embrace art on campus,” he said. “I think that’s a really big part of what UTD can become.”

TINA LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Students learn to line dance at UTD’s Texas Party, an event designed to introduce students to Texan culture.

ERIN EUBANKS | MERCURY STAFF

VALERIE PEREZ | MERCURY STAFF

Artist Yayoi Kusama’s installation, “All the Eternal Love I have for the Pumpkins,” is on display at the Dallas Museum of Art through February.

Senior lecturer Diane Durant (left) and Fort Worth-based artist Devyn Gaudet present their art collaboration, “50 Boots,” at the SPN Art Gallery.

ANUPAM GUPTA | MERCURY STAFF

MADELINE AMBROSE | MERCURY STAFF

SUAAB hosted its first Lift Off Music Series concert, featuring local band Medicine Man Revival.

Students built original games in 48 hours during the Student Game Developer Alliance’s annual Game Jam event.

UTDMERCURY.COM

LIFE&ARTS

THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017

STORY BY: CINDY FOLEFACK | MERCURY STAFF DESIGN BY: SAM LOPEZ | MERCURY STAFF PHOTOS BY: SAHER AQEEL | PHOTO EDITOR

Turntables have made their comeback With technological advances and growth of the millennial generation came a wave of nostalgia that channeled the days of John Hughes, Ferris Bueller and the Brat Pack. This nostalgia has brought back cassette tapes, typewriters and most recently, record players. In fact, because of this rise in popularity, Sony will once again mass produce vinyl records for the first time in nearly 30 years. As a vinyl collector that’s never shopped in Dallas, I took it upon myself to find the best record stores near UTD. Located just outside of Dallas, Josey Records is by far the best store on this list. It’s perfect for collectors and those new to vinyl. Its selection ranges from heavy metal to spoken word, and with over 1,000 records available at any given time, there’s something for everybody. The best part of the store is the $1 to $2 long-playing records, also known as albums, which are great for building a record collection. Josey also hosts live music sessions and sells Polaroid cameras as well as turntables. The store also offers movies and plans to sell books in the near future. With its seemingly endless record collection, Josey Records is a store you can get lost in, and three hours can feel like three minutes. Spinster Records is a hipster’s paradise. With an exposed brick wall reminiscent of a Manhattan loft, decorated with records and a host of albums by indie artists, it seems to be made with millennials in mind. Its genres range from ’80s synth pop to Portuguese slows. Spinster also has $1 vinyl records from local artists and turntables for sale. The only downside is that it’s located in Oak Cliff, which is about 10 minutes away from South Side Ballroom, a concert venue for indie musicians, so anytime an artist comes to town, expect their vinyl to be sold out.

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Good Records is great for those who like underground indie artists, preferably with less than 1,000 followers. The focus of Good’s is to provide a consumer base for local and national indie artists. About five of the albums in the store’s sizable selection are made by well-known artists such as Coldplay and Green Day. In addition to these records, they also offer box sets with records from artists such as David Bowie and Tom Petty. The quirky and unique albums they stock keep a steady flow of customers coming.

Bill’s Records is about 10 minutes away from Spinster in Oak Cliff, but the two stores couldn’t be more different. While Spinster is best for new and casual vinyl users, Bill’s is for experienced vinyl collectors. An endless amount of shelves filled with alphabetized records ranging from rock to polka greets customers as soon as they enter. The floor remains hidden under stacks of records. While this may seem intimidating, Bill’s Records is the best place to get a collector’s vinyl for a great price because of the owner’s pricing method, in which price is determined based on the quality of the record. The more damaged a vinyl is, the lower the price will be. The shop gave away The Go-Go’s debut album for free because it had two scratches, so the prices are extremely competitive. If you’re looking for that one record you haven’t found anywhere else, chances are it’s at Bill’s.

This store is in Grand Prairie — which means the drive from campus will be twice as long compared to the other stores on this list — but it’s completely worth it for the over 250,000 LPs, cassette tapes and CDs. From the most obscure garage band that no one’s heard of to Beyonce and The Jackson Five, Forever Young Records has everything. The only downside is that its products tend to be overpriced compared to the other stores on this list, but for that variety, it’s worth it.

A spread of

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OCT. 16, 2017 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

SPORTS

Friendly competition Overabundance of players motivates student athletes to improve play during season

VALERIE PEREZ | MERCURY STAFF

Members of the men’s soccer team participate in a practice on the campus fields. The team has over 40 players, nearly double the size of an average team. The men’s team was tabbed as favorites to win the ASC championship before the season began, but had a slow start to the season. They have a 7-5-1 record through the first 13 games of their 17 game season. MADELEINE KEITH Mercury Staff

Where a typical Division III soccer team would have 11 starters with an additional 12 players for substitutions, UTD’s team includes over 40 members on its roster. According to Division III regulations, the UTD athletics department is not allowed to hold any official tryouts nor offer any athletic scholarships. Additionally, new members of the team also compete against far

more players than normal to gain a spot in the starting line-up. For players such as Christian Vieria, a junior midfielder, however, these unconventional aspects are not viewed as a detriment but rather as motivation to play at the best possible level. “The fact that none of us are here on scholarship kind of makes it more of a fair game, more of a free-for-all,” Vieria said. “The best players are going to play and that’s what coach always tells us.” Freshman midfielder Jesse Ardila

said his desire to gain a spot out on the field drives his performance at every practice. He said he felt athletic scholarships did not equate better skill, but detracted from the experience of the game. “A lot of times, with these scholarships, there’s a little bit of added pressure,” Ardila said. “Knowing that you’re pretty much getting paid to perform takes away from the experience and without that pressure, you’re able to just really focus on the basics.” Though no athletic scholarships are

offered at UTD, all players are eligible for academic-based awards, something that Vieria and his teammate, junior defender Kasden Williams, said they believe to be far a greater priority. Both players said that although soccer was a passion for them, it comes secondary to their pursuit of mechanical engineering careers. “For me personally, the primary reason I came (to UTD) was to get an education and the fact that I get to play soccer while doing that is just the icing on the cake,” Williams said.

“I feel like that’s the case for a lot of guys around here.” Williams said that UTD’s academic foundation does not take away from the game day experience and they still see a great level of support from friends and family who come out to cheer them on. “We’re not just athletes, we’re students too,” he said. “We’re the ones sitting next to you in all your classes and we appreciate all the support we can get, so come out and watch us play.”

Fan apathy concerns Academic work UTD fan culture struggles to find its footing while the sports teams thrive

strains athletes Passion for the sport overcomes lack of stipends YANNIS SHAFI Mercury Staff

ANUPAM GUPTA | MERCURY STAFF

Students cheer on the men’s and women’s soccer teams during a pair of home games against Hardin-Simmons on Oct. 12. The men’s team played to a 0-0 draw in the second overtime while the women’s team lost 2-1 to the sixth-ranked team. ANJALI SUNDARAM Mercury Staff

The absence of a football team differentiates UTD, a Division III school, from other universities in Texas. That is the main difference for sophomore volleyball setter Caroline Schecterle between her experience in high school and now. “In high school, our football team got all the glory, so it is kind of nice here,” she said. “Here, we don’t have one prominent sports team. All of us get the same amount of attention.” Shecterle said the absence of a football team also strengthens the bond between different athletes. “All the athletes seem to stick with other athletes,” she said. “We always have each other’s backs and are supporting each other. It’s nice that this is an academic school, because our student athletes are mostly pretty smart too. It’s just nice to have good people that are also student athletes, being there and being friends with each other.” Junior soccer defender Maegan Chavez said the importance of athletes going to an academic school

is that academics come first, which makes UTD an appealing choice “It is a really nice feeling to put academics in front of sports,” Chavez said. “One of the main reasons I picked UTD was because it is a Division III school so they don’t pay you for academics, you focus on academics. Especially with mechanical engineering, to be able to know that I can be like I need another day of studying and miss a day of practice and not be penalized is a big stress reliever.” Time management also plays a big role between the balance of sports and school, sophomore basketball center Broderick Johnson said. “When I know that I am on this strict schedule and if I don’t know my work during this time I have outside of sports and outside of my commitments, then I am not going have time to get that work done,” Johnson said. “My grades were better during season than they were outside of season.” Though the university might not be known for sports, UTD’s athletics teams continue to be as competitive as sports-driven schools, he said. For instance, UTD’s basketball team

has made an appearance in American Southwest Conference tournaments 14 times and won the ASC Division tournament six of those times. “We are really (good at) sports itself, I think that we just fall behind in the sports fans,” Johnson said. “What might be the biggest cause of it is that we are a big commuter school. A lot of people go home, a lot of people have better things to do and they are gone and they are just not here to see that stuff and that takes away a big population of people that would come.” Johnson said the social activity of football bonds schools. Referencing a Texas A&M game, he said watching football becomes more of an event, creating a community with the school, something that UTD might lack. “I think we find our community in different ways, but it’s definitely not in the same sense,” Johnson said. “We don’t have that common thread to tie us together. For unifying the total student body, the only thing that would do that is Temoc. The love or hatred for that mascot. I definitely think that the lack of the fan support is detrimental to the community.”

The demands required of student athletes have played a role in the national debate about whether or not student athletes should receive additional stipends because of their limited academic flexibility. Though UTD has a student population of over 25,000, it is a Division III school, which is the smallest category of schools that make up the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Because of its classification, UTD is not eligible to offer its student athletes the incentives Division I schools can give. These incentives include free meal plans, exclusive academic tutoring and athletic scholarships with stipends. Isaiah Swann, a sophomore baseball shortstop, said student athletes have much busier schedules compared to that of the general student body. In addition to the tight baseball schedule, Swann is a neuroscience major, is taking 17 credit hours and is involved with a research lab. “It’s really tough because you have a four to five hour block in the middle of the day that you have to take out for sports,” Swann said. “It makes scheduling really difficult and it takes a lot away from what you can do as far as extracurricular activities. Student athletes at Division I schools are offered athletic scholarships that waive tuition costs and offer a stipend. A variety of schools also offer exclusive academic resources to student athletes such as peer tutors that come directly to the practice facilities. The men’s soccer has to give up as much as seven hours on a particular game day. This gives athletes a limited amount of time for school-related activities. Despite not receiving incentives at the Division III level, high school athletes still continue to pursue athletics at these schools because of their passion for their sport. One of the student athletes that debated whether or not she wanted to play after high school is senior Megan Badejo, who plays center for the women’s basketball team. Badejo said she wanted to take her game to the next level and believed that she wasn’t done with play-

YANNIS SHAFI | MERCURY STAFF

Junior midfielder Rachel Mullen does work on a project in between her soccer practices and her classes.

ing basketball. “My high school career ended in a bust, and I knew I hadn’t gotten to my full potential yet,” she said. “I got a lot of joy out of playing and I figured a new beginning would serve me well.” Swann said while it is difficult to reschedule exams and major projects, student athletes are proactive in making sure that they are on the same page as their professors in regards to what deadlines need to be met. “The fact that I still get to make up assignments versus taking a zero is a good thing,” Badejo said. “I will say, many professors are learning more about our experience as athletes and are more willing to work with us.” There are a various number of student athletes that continue to pursue their love for sports in college, even if they do not receive special incentives. Rachel Mullen, a junior women’s soccer midfielder, said she was passionate about soccer and wanted to continue to pursue it throughout her collegiate career. She said she believes student athletes knew what they signed up for and were willing to put in the work as long as they got to compete at the collegiate level. “I knew I wanted to continue to enjoy my sport until the last possible second I could,” Mullen said. “Division III is amazing to me because we are held to a higher standard for who we are, not because they are paying us to do well.”

UTDMERCURY.COM

THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017

→ DANCE

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“Most of these people there have been doing dandiya raas their whole life. So I asked if I could get some more help at practice, and I’ve gotten better.” In September, Hooper performed at the Plinth for the first time, along with four other TaRaas members, as part of a fundraiser for the team. He said that although he felt strange performing in front of an audience, the reactions to his performance were mostly positive. “A lot of my friends saw me dancing at the Plinth and were really supportive,” Hooper said. “Some people were bewildered. There are some Snapchats my friends have sent me, saying ‘Oh look at this white guy, look at what UTD does to white people.’ But I don’t mind, I know they’re just having fun. So I haven’t really gotten

any negative reactions.” Kotecha said the TaRaas events have garnered more attention with Charlie’s presence, such as when the team set up fundraising booths on campus in September. “He does bring diversity — there’s no denying that,” Kotecha said. “But it’s also his personality. People just like him because he’s fun to talk to. He attracts people because he’s so nice. At our Krispy Kreme fundraiser, he brought in more than half the sales, and I think it’s just because he was so friendly. In our team, no one’s treated differently. Everyone’s just there for the same goal of dance.” Shah and Kotecha said increasing diversity was not a factor in considering Hooper for the team. “Even though he brings diversity, honestly, during auditions, none of that mattered,” Kotecha said. “He earned his spot. I think for all the dance teams and Indian groups

LIFE&ARTS here, our goal is to promote the culture through different styles, so him being on the team definitely helps us with that by extending our reach. But at the end of the day, he got his position in our team only because of his dance ability.” Though he acknowledged that people may have negative reactions to him being the first Caucasian member of the team, Hooper said he is enjoying the dance experience and plans to stay in TaRaas for the rest of his undergraduate career. “There’s probably always going to be critics, no matter what you do,” Hooper said. “I have fun doing what I do. Their opinion doesn’t really change that fact. And I still have my TaRaas team — I guess we already call each other a family now. Maybe some people are like, ‘Why is this white dude trying to be Indian?’ I’m not trying to be Indian, though. I’m just having fun.”

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love in his heart for those people, those sailors,” he said. Lemburg said all of Hope’s humor was clean and none of it was offensive. Hope influenced the way Lemburg interacts with the stressed college students he comes across every morning as he walks through campus. Every day, Lemburg hands out 40 to 50 printed jokes to students from the thousand pages of jokes he’s been collecting. He edits them so there is only clean humor present. He’s been handing out “the

UTDMERCURY.COM funnies” for over a decade. The student response he has received over the years motivated him to keep doing his best to care for people, especially strangers, he said. “In handing out ‘the funnies,’ the jokes, friendships developed with people and over a period of many, many months or a few years they know I don’t have any ulterior motives,” Lemburg said. “Sometimes, they will unload their difficulties and then I will invite them to pray with me and I’ll write two or three sentences or whatever they would recommend for the prayer intention and then

so each day I pray for that person.” He also goes to several health care facilities to do standup comedy for the residents there. “One of the things that I learned out of it is that if you take the stress that people have and give them something that they can get rid of it, everything changes,” he said. “Their whole ability to get through the day is changed and that’s something that touches me … and that’s one of the reasons that drives me to do what I do because I care about all the people. They’re important to me and friendships are wonderful and they are very, very important.”

COMICS&GAMES

SMILE MORE

OCT. 16, 2017 | THE MERCURY

11 7

GHOST OF AUTUMN PAST

JENNA CHERREY | MERCURY STAFF

FOURTUNE COOKIE

EJ CHONG| MERCURY STAFF

KEATON NATIONS | MERCURY STAFF

ALLERGY DENIAL

FOOD AT COSTCO

SHANNON RAMIREZ | MERCURY STAFF

SPICE EVERYTHING

CHRISTINA JIA | MERCURY STAFF

ANTHONY MCNAIR | MERCURY STAFF

MATT STRACK | MERCURY STAFF

OCT. 16, 2017 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

OPINION

Food fad encourages widespread acceptance of Muslims Rapid increase of immigrants paves path to rise in halal food options, inclusivity in fight against Islamophpobia EMAAN BANGASH COMMENTARY

With the rapid growth and constant influx of immigrants, particularly in Dallas, there has been a rise in the incorporation of “halal” food in restaurants. Beyond being a business tactic, the rise in opening these restaurants is contributing to acceptance of Muslims in a society where Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslims are rampant. A report by Pew Research Center estimated 3.3 million Muslims in the U.S. in 2015. Thus, halal restaurants are popping up all over the country. What began as a way for Muslims who have little access to delicious, but rarely halal dishes has now become a nationwide phenomenon. According to Zabihah.com, there are around 287 halal restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and 1,114 in Texas overall. In bustling cities such as Plano and Richardson, well-known restaurants such as KFC have included halal options on their menus. With the growing halal food fad, food-lovers are including halal restaurants in their tweets and Facebook posts. In Islamic Law, meat must be halal, which means permissible, and zabiha, which is the term used to define the Islamic method of meat slaughter. The umbrella term “halal” is used by restaurants and companies, but the word implies the meat is zabiha.

At the time of slaughter, the animal needs to be alive and the person must utter the name of Allah before killing the animal. The animal must be treated respectfully and it is forbidden to be subject to abuse. The process is more than just a way for Muslims to eat clean, healthy meat, it entails that the animal’s pain and feelings were taken into consideration. Although the practice of religious slaughter applies to a very small population of people (again, Muslim population in U.S. is 3.3 million compared to 323.1 million), organizations continue to oppose a century old religious tradition. PETA and Farm Animal Welfare Council continually claim halal meat controversial because of how the animal is slaughtered when it’s alive and draining the blood after it is killed, thus causing public hysteria and associating Islamic traditions with barbarity. Globally, this is an issue because halal restaurants are also opening in places such as Britain and France. According to The Guardian, British National Party website regarded halal meat being sold in stores and restaurants as “obvious erosion of our traditions and customs.” It’s difficult not to think about how this might just another way to point fingers at Muslims and find another reason to fear them for. It feels like whenever halal is brought up, there is an Islamophobic attitude associated with it. For example, as the Houston Press reported, shortly after Campbell Company of Canada introduced halal soups, a Facebook group called “Boycott Campbell Soup” was created. The group’s

ANTHONY MCNAIR | MERCURY STAFF

members on the Facebook page included comments such as, “This is just another way that terrorism and its sponsors are insinuating themselves into our culture. … I will not pay money for soup or any other product that supports, aids, or abets their tactics.” It feels like people are angry that cultural change is happening (which oftentimes is quite true). Yet again, an Islamic tradition is downgraded with ignorant assumptions and offensive theories. While there are definitely opposing forces against halal, businesses continue to open establishments and stores sup-

ply halal chicken and lamb meat on their shelves. This is exactly what’s creating inclusivity and fighting Islamophobia. While it may seem so infinitesimal that these restaurants are popping up all over the U.S. and Dallas-Fort Worth and businesses are appealing to the hype of halal foods, these are important ways of accepting Muslim culture into society. Each time a restaurant opens that serves halal food, people become familiar with the term “halal” and its traditions. When restaurants such as “Halal Guys” became popular in social media and people (including non-Muslims)

post pictures of their favorite halal dishes, we’re taking one step closer towards increased cultural acceptance. It’s the integration of the concept of halal in our society that is making opening these halal restaurants so important. The massive amount of halal restaurants in Texas means Muslims aren’t always being subject to hate. In a society where ignorance is rampant and Muslims are frequently attributed with terrorism and barbarism, having these small moments of inclusivity means there’s still hope for cultural acceptance of Muslims in society.

Lack of diversity on runway incites change Women of color should work together to change beauty industry practices CINDY FOLEFACK COMMENTARY

CHRISTI LAZUTKIN | MERCURY STAFF

COMET COMMENTS

The beauty industry has been lacking in diversity for some time now, and this becomes glaringly obvious with each new industry “first.” According to ELLE Magazine’s New York Fashion Week 2017 Diversity Report, this fall was the first time that every show at New York Fashion Week featured at least one model of color. The event has been held semiannually since 1943. This historic lack of diversity on the runway routinely translates to store shelves, where I can never find a foundation for my skin tone and end up paying triple the price so I can mix different shades and hopefully get mine. Men and women everywhere use makeup in their daily lives, but don’t always consider whether the brands they use are accessible to people of color, and that’s where the problem lies. This year isn’t the first time that the media has acknowledged the lack of diversity

in beauty. The question has been posed to makeup companies for years, and each time they used the same excuse: black women don’t buy makeup. According to a 2016 Refinery29 article, makeup for darker skin tones costs more to manufacture because it needs more pigment. Makeup brands claimed that because not enough black women buy makeup, they couldn’t justify the production costs. According to a 2013 Nielsen report, black women spend nine times more than their ethnic counterparts on hair and beauty products. This shows that the market is there, but you can’t buy a product that doesn’t exist. The limited shade ranges provided by brands such as It Cosmetics and Tarte have led celebrities and models featured in beauty campaigns to look white or light skinned, which is an inaccurate representation of minority communities. This has caused colorism in black communities, where light skin is preferable to dark skin, causing young minorities to feel as though they’re too dark to be acknowledged. It’s because of this colorism that my seven-year-old sister wishes she was light. The controversy surrounding diversity in beauty reached a fever pitch when

Marc Jacobs released his new line of Remarcable Foundation, which included only one shade for deep skin tones. After years of being ignored, women of color demanded to be heard and that’s where Fenty Beauty emerges. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna launched in September, and the darkest shades sold out almost immediately. In fact, my shade is still unavailable. Rihanna’s line provided the diversity women of color needed and followed the trend of selflove in the black community after years of exclusion. Rather than being ignored, young black women are embracing their differences not just with makeup, but with clothing, as dashikis grow in popularity, and UTD’s own Kurlfriends, an organization that helps black students embrace their natural hair. Thanks to Fenty Beauty, other brands have begun expanding their shade ranges. Things are looking up for women of color in the beauty industry, but we still have a long road to inclusion. Diversity can become less of an issue if we all become conscious of the diversity (or lack thereof ) in the beauty products that we use every day. By taking action, we can eliminate an unnecessary social stigma.

Is there enough student activism at UTD? HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Students interested in writing opinions can email editor@utdmercury.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“I feel that if a student emerges themselves into it, then yes, but if a student doesn’t involve themselves in an organization that focuses on political aspects, then no.”

“We don’t have that kind of activity in China at all, so I think it’s pretty normal if there’s no kind of activity on campus, but I see that there is a lot around downtown Dallas.”

“Actually, no. I haven’t seen anything. There’s the Democrat and Republican things, like posters for them, but I haven’t really seen anything else.”

Mariela Cedillo Information Technology Sophomore

Ning Wang Geoscience Graduate

Rafay Shah Biology Sophomore

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.

UTDMERCURY.COM

OPINION

THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017

Current college students represent new counterculture Millennial cohort responsible for changing meaning of activism through social media post participation, involvement CINDY FOLEFACK COMMENTARY

Millennials. The kids who are always on their phones, too lazy to get jobs but not lazy enough to stop complaining about their financial situations. At least, that’s the stereotypical definition of our generation. This stereotype ignores the fact that in our turbulent political climate, millennials refuse to stay silent. Political discussion has become a hallmark of our generation, and this can be seen in the UTD College Democrats and the College Republicans, both of which foster informed debates between their respective members. These discussions have translated into action in the form of activism. However, like counterculture of the 1960s, millennials have a lower voter turnout rate than older generations, meaning our voices aren’t heard. According to a 2016 report by Achieve, a research agency, more than half of millennials consider themselves to be activists. This is because their definition of activism is participating in protests or some form of publicly noticeable action. Social media has made it impossible to ignore millennials who, according to Roy Chan, the CEO of Philanthropy for America, are becoming increasingly aware of social injustices and less fearful of speaking up. The effects of social media on activism can be seen in the January 2017 Women’s March and the April 2017 March for Science, both of which had over 2 million participants globally according to the March for Science website. The most recent example is the Take a Knee campaign, where former

San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, now a free agent, took a knee during the pledge to protest the lack of indictments in cases of police brutality. A millennial himself, Kaepernick’s actions allowed other members of our generation to demonstrate the power of cyberactivism, also known as online activism, as the protest took social media by storm, eventually reaching the president of the United States. Millennials have become powerful because of their solidarity. According to a 2016 report by the Pew Research Center, millennials have donated more to crowdfunding than any other age group. Examples of this are seen on websites such as GoFundMe and Change.org, and it’s on these types of websites that 68 percent of millennial donors have given help to someone in need rather than a startup or a local business. The UTD College Democrats showed this willingness to help without having a personal connection when they hosted a protest against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in November 2016. Growing up during a recession helped millennials become aware of social injustice and understand those affected by it. Now they’re spreading their message with social media activism. Despite the progress we have made, there’s still one problem that remains. Our generation is more than happy to protest both in the streets and online, but when it comes to voting, we’re lacking. According to a 2016 report from the Pew Research Center as well as a 2014 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, millennial voter turnout in the 2016 election was roughly the same as that of young adults in the mid to late ‘60s at about 49 percent, when the ‘60s counterculture was at its peak. Voter turnout for younger generations has been and will remain low until we realize that activism isn’t enough. As

EJ CHONG | MERCURY STAFF

long as we don’t vote, our voices will never be heard. Like the protesters that marched at Berkeley in the ‘60s, today’s activists refuse to back down in the face of disillusionment. According to Achieve’s 2016 report, millennials don’t trust

the government to right the country’s wrongs. Instead, 70 percent count on themselves to create the change they want to see. This independent, doit-yourself mindset has manifested in online petitions and campaigns that have seen real results such as with

the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised over $100 million for the ALS Association according to their statistics. Millennials have made social justice a part of their identities, and it’s about time that voting becomes just as important.

Comets and Craters Sidewalk signs UTD has placed signs along Franklyn Jenifer Drive in order to bring attention to pedestrians walking in the streeet and creating potential traffic problems.

Delish food options In addition to boba and ice cream, Delish Bubble Tea began serving food options such as grilled pork, teriyaki chicken, Java rice and steamed buns on Oct. 4.

Restroom closure in Classroom Buildings Classes in the portable buildings have been disrupted by loud noises coming from the restrooms, which have been unavailable sporadically.

Brain Performance Institute The new institute will unveil its grand opening in Dallas on Oct. 19, offering scientifically based programs to increase brain performance and health.

Construction closes pedestrian pathways On Oct. 13, construction crews began renovating Drive C, which will close off the walkway between ECSS, SSA and the Activity Center until Nov. 30. ANTHONY MCNAIR | MERCURY STAFF

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learn about North Texas, especially if they are among the growing population of international students or students from outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “We have a great campus, but there (is) other great stuff out there as well,” Johnston said. “Since we are University Recreation, we wanted to tie it into fun excursions and outdoors activities.” In addition to the local trips, the UREC outdoor program also provides on-campus clinics, where students can learn new skills, such as building a campfire and slacklining. Students are not required to attend the clinic to take part in the trips, but the skills taught in the clinics are relevant to the excursions. The remaining trips for fall semester

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It was the seventh and last time she had stayed in a hospital because of suicidal feelings and attempts. “Every time I went to a hospital, I would be angry for being there because I thought, ‘Oh, why am I here? I should have died,’” she said. Nguyen isn’t alone in her struggle. In a survey of 104 respondents conducted by The Mercury, 46 percent reported having suicidal thoughts or feelings while attending UTD. Of the respondents who reported this, 58 percent of them attempted to get help from a friend, family member or mental health professional. *** Between her freshman and sophomore years at UTD, Nguyen went through seven hospital visits after experiencing panic attacks and attempting suicide. She said she remembered most of her time on a gurney or handcuffed at the back of a police car. During her first stay in the hospital, doctors diagnosed her with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder the second time and borderline personality disorder the sixth. While her ways of coping leaned more towards self-care and communicating

include the zip line and treetop adventure at Go Ape Zip Line and Treetop Adventure in Plano on Oct. 20 and a nature walk and bouldering trip to Mineral Wells State Park on Nov. 4. Johnston said she hopes the outdoor excursions program grows to be successful so that it will be able to receive increased funding, allowing the program to accommodate additional students who wish to participate in the events. She said she also hopes the program will be able to offer longer trips to farther destinations in the future. “Right now, we are really counting on student support to make the program successful. The first one was really popular and I’ve got my fingers crossed for the next one,” she said. “I’ve got a wish list of places I’d like to travel with students. Ultimately, I would love to do international travel.”

with friends, Nguyen said university services such as the Student Counseling Center were useful to her at times because of the anonymity and nonjudgmental atmosphere of the workers. “It’s really helpful when you don’t have the money or you don’t want other people to know,” she said. Kacey Sebeniecher, director of UTD’s Student Wellness Center, works with students undergoing personal issues through stress management and prevention. She said she advocates for having understanding friends to help someone going through suicidal tendencies as well as going to a mental health professional for treatment. “Some issues mental health professionals have the training to help in the best possible way but I do think there is something to be said about self-care or your friends and family helping you if it’s a manageable issue,” Sebeniecher said. Cynthia Nguyen said there were times where she would confide her feelings to friends and they would immediately try to give her solutions. She said that while seeking professional help is beneficial for someone suffering from suicidal ideations and feelings, it’s also worthwhile to just have a friend listen and validate the person’s feelings rather than immediately try to solve the problem. “I think there should be more educa-

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person experience was quite different from what he was accustomed to. “This is actually the first time that I’ve played in person. It’s much slower because online, everything is automated,” he said. “But the difference is you can see their faces so you can see if they’re bluffing or not.” Because UTD regulations forbid students from gambling with real money, Meegan proposed a long-term creative solution to provide competition for the students and support local companies at the same time. “What I really want to do is get super popular, to the point where we can have company-sponsored tournaments,” he said. “Maybe the winners can get gift cards or something like that and this

tion on how to help as a friend,” Nguyen said. “You’re being there for them and listening but that’s the most you can do.” Psychologists at the SCC such as Alanna Carrasco had more than 50 students within the first week of school and that wait times were at their peak. She stresses the importance of seeing a mental health professional in times of difficulty, even if it’s for a friend. “It’s definitely not a friend’s responsibility or their job to try and be that mental health professional cause that’s a lot of pressure on them … being there with the person but then saying, ‘Hey, let’s go talk to a therapist tomorrow.’” *** The SCC assists students who are dealing with emotional problems ranging from light to severe in the form of counseling sessions with a trained psychologist or student worker. The center offers six free sessions per year to students and can direct them to other sources catering to their needs. These two centers were active in creating events and advertisements on mental health awareness during Suicide Prevention Week in September. Eden Kasprak, a psychology sophomore, had two close friends commit suicide during her first semester of freshman year. She said the psychologists at the

THE MERCURY | OCT. 16, 2017 way we aren’t playing for actual money. The companies can sponsor the tournament for free publicity.” Meegan said first he wanted to make sure there was a consistent membership before teaching students about what a fold or a flop is or introducing them to competitions. “Once we get more established, I want to do a lot more about the mechanics of poker, like where to fold (and) how to flop,” he said. However, there are more pressing logistical issues that need to be handled first, Meegan said. “In your average poker game, you have 8-10 people. Getting a room that will fit two tables of 8-10 people is hard,” he said. “Hopefully after we get sponsored and have some seed money, we can buy two poker tables that we can actually play on. I’m actually just

thinking of going ahead and spending my own money to get those tables.” Meegan said that his ultimate goal is to improve himself while helping improve all the members who join the organization. “We are really close to finalizing everything and getting a sponsor and all that, so once we do, we can really get going with playing and teaching poker effectively,” he said. “One thing is that even if you don’t know how to play, you should come to a meeting because it’s not that hard to learn and it can be a lot of fun.” The club currently meets at the Phase 8 Clubhouse at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday nights, but Meegan expects to reserve a classroom once the club receives official status, which he said should happen in the next couple of weeks.

SCC were helpful to her when she was going through severe depression, despite her initial reluctance to going at first. “I was really against going to the Counseling Center because there’s a huge stigma attached to going to see help,” Kasprak said. “I wish coming in I would have been told that it’s okay to ask for help.” Along with the SWC and SCC, the student organization Active Minds advocates for fighting the stigma against mental health and asking for help. During Suicide Prevention Week, the organization left motivational sticky notes on walls and chalk messages on concrete throughout campus to raise awareness on mental illness. An anonymous respondent to The Mercury’s survey described their experiences with the organization. “Going to their meetings helped me feel like I was not alone in my recovery and helped me understand that there is no shame in going through mental health issues and … getting help,” they said. In the survey, when asked if students were aware of suicide prevention and mental health during suicide prevention week, 51 percent said yes. “I definitely think the advertising piece is something that is one of our growth edges … being able to advertise in different ways like Instagram,” Carrasco said.

“It can be something as simple as … the chalk messages, putting up little forms of awareness … hopefully we’re trying to get more connected with (Active Minds) and do some activities with them.” *** Nguyen said the road to recovery was difficult, and is still unsure if she’s recovered completely. Along with her friends helping her and being there to listen, she found that learning more about her mental illness, borderline personality disorder, and finding other people’s stories online going through the same condition made her feel less alone. “Mental illness doesn’t excuse what I do, but it explains the things I do, what I say and how I think,” Nguyen said. As she continues to cope and learn more about her condition, Nguyen found that distractions such as eating, watching TV or sleeping deterred her from the intense negative feelings she felt at times. She said that as long as she lives, she gives hope to others that they too can overcome and learn to handle their mental health. “Even though I still have those thoughts and sometimes I feel suicidal, I would remember that it’s still a win because I’m still alive.”

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