The Mercury 6/6/16

facebook.com/theutdmercury | @utdmercury

June 6, 2016

THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

OUT OF UNIFORM Student veterans adjust to civilian life by finding community, inform classroom discussion with experiences

As a veteran, you’re getting shot at or mortared at.

When you try to talk to somebody that’s never been through that, people look at it as ... surreal.

— Richard Bailey, Staff Sergeant

STORY BY CARA SANTUCCI | MANAGING EDITOR PHOTO BY CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

I

t was only within the first two weeks of Richard Bailey’s deployment to Iraq that his life was put seriously in danger.

He was coming back from the on-base gym with a few of his buddies. All of a sudden, something heavy flew over the wall and landed inside the twisted wire of the compound with a thud.

“We heard this noise and we looked up and what looked like a thermos was coming out of the sky,” he said. “It hit the ground, and first we’re like, ‘What the heck is this?’ And then we realized it was an artillery round.”

The group, upon realizing what it was, booked it

from the site, hearts racing and adrenaline pumping.

The mortar turned out to be a dud. Had it gone off, Bailey and his friends would not be alive today.

“It’s stuff like that that keeps you up at night,” he said.

“That was a close call. But you experience that type of stuff when you’re in a combat zone — especially some place like Iraq. … It’s a war with no front lines.”

Bailey carried that memory, as well as others he made while deployed, everywhere he went. And when he came to UTD at age 40 to become a student once more, he used those experiences to contribute a unique perspective in the classroom and connect with other student veterans.

→ SEE VETERANS, PAGE 12

BACKGROUND RICHARD BAILEY

• Political Science Junior • Army Reserves - Staff Sergeant • 22 years of service

DANIELLE NAVARRO (pictured) • Political Science Senior • Army - Paratrooper • Four years of service

ERIC BRUNO (pictured)

• Political Science Senior • Marine Corps - Gunnery Sergeant • 16 years of service

Sophomore makes studying abroad easier International student starts YouTube channel to offer information, tips for individuals looking to pursue college in United States MIRIAM PERCIVAL News Editor

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Harsh Gosar, a computer science sophomore, started a YouTube channel called “ThatIndianGuy” to make informational videos for international students who’d like to study abroad. One of his videos specifically focuses on why universities in Texas are the best option for students looking to come to the United States for college.

He walks around campus filming himself with his phone. He’s not crazy, he’s a vlogger with thousands of fans.

Harsh Gosar, a computer science sophomore, creates YouTube videos to talk about school in America and give advice to other international students interested in studying abroad.

“There are so many students who are deserving and who can go abroad, but just are not able to go because they cannot find the right information,” he said.

Gosar began making videos on his channel, ThatIndianGuy, which now has over 10,000 subscribers and averages 70,000 views per month.

He was inspired by another advice channel, HappySchoolsBlog, that covers similar topics about international education.

When he was interested in studying internationally, Gosar used the United States-India Educational Foundation in Mumbai to guide him during the application process.

However, he realized that there are only seven educational advising centers in India, preventing potential students from getting the help they need.

“What about people who don’t live in metroplex

cities?” he said. “I want them to learn the same things I learned.”

His videos cover various topics, such as how to take entrance exams, what an average American student has in their backpack or advice on budgeting.

One of his most popular videos, “Why Apply to Universities in Texas,” explains that if international students receive a scholarship of at least $1,000 at a public university in Texas, their tuition is reduced to the in-state rate.

“I (make videos) because I’m going to make it easier on others,” he said. “It’s (not) like I’m giving them the documents, I teach them.”

The application processes are similar enough for students at multiple levels, so Gosar’s videos cater to a wide audience.

“I started with the undergraduate thing, but I realized there are so many graduate students who also need the help too,” he said.

His fans helped shape his content through questions and requests for videos.

“The best part about all of this is the thank you messages I get from people,” he said. “Even small videos about packing things, people appreciate it and I like to get that feedback and it motivates me to make more videos.”

→ SEE VLOGGER, PAGE 12

2

THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVII No. 20 Editor-in-Chief Nidhi Gotgi

editor@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2294

Managing Editor Cara Santucci managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287

Ad Sales Representative Naima Abedin ads@utdmercury.com

Graphics Editor Hamid Shah

graphics@utdmercury.com

Assistant Graphics Editor Chad Austin

graphics@utdmercury.com

Photo Editor Andrew Gallegos

photo@utdmercury.com

News Editor Miriam Percival

news@utdmercury.com

Sports Editor Pablo Juarez

sports@utdmercury.com

Life & Arts Editor Bhargav Arimilli life@utdmercury.com

NEWS

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

UTDPD Blotter April 26 • A student reported their art work display stolen from the Art Barn at 4:30 p.m.

April 28 • At 1:28 p.m., a student reported their vehicle’s passenger side window shattered in Lot T. April 29 • A professor reported the theft of 10 textbooks from their office in Founders North at 10:23 a.m.

April 30 • At 1:18 a.m., a student reported $50 of clothes stolen from the Phase 1 Laundry Room.

• Several students were cited for consumption of alcohol by a minor at 1:35 a.m. in Res Hall Southwest.

May 10 • At 11:08 a.m., a student reported their bicycle stolen from Res Hall West.

May 13 • At 6:01 p.m., a student reported their bags, containing retail and personal property, stolen from the Activity Center.

May 31 • At 3:43 p.m., a staff member reported his laptop deliberately damaged in Founders North.

B A F

B

A

E F G

D

H

LEGEND VEHICULAR INCIDENT THEFT DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD | COURTESY

Media Adviser Chad Thomas

chadthomas@utdallas.edu (972) 883-2286

Mailing Address 800 West Campbell Road, SU 24 Richardson, TX 75080-0688

JUST THE FACTS

Newsroom Student Union, Student Media Suite SU 1.601 FIRST COPY FREE NEXT COPY 25 CENTS

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.

H

C

D

web@utdmercury.com

Senior Staff Chris Lin

E

C

Web Editor Bharat Arimilli

Contributors Esteban Bustillos Bryar Bennett Eunjee Chong Thomas Grice Anthony Inga Alvin Nguyenly Nyemike Okonkwo Sid Patel Shannon Ramirez Kevin Vanhorn

UTDMERCURY.COM

SOURCE | PEW RESEARCH CENTER

G

OPINION

JUNE 6, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

3

Bathroom use debate ignores basic rights Transgender people wrongly portrayed as dangerous in national discussion about using bathrooms corresponding to gender identity

CODY KUHN OP-ED

The reason many people are so frightened about allowing individuals to use restrooms corresponding to their gender identity rather than that listed on their birth certificates is, for the most part, based on a fundamental misunderstanding of transgender people.

On April 1, North Carolina set House Bill 2 into effect. HB2 made it illegal for anyone to use a bathroom or changing facility that did not correspond with the sex on their birth certificate. The intended effect of HB2 was to prevent transgender people from using facilities that corresponded with

their gender identity.

It caused immediate and widespread uproar throughout the nation.

Following HB2, many other cities and states proposed similar ordinances, called Bathroom Bills, which have been met with varying levels of success. In our own backyard, Rockwall successfully killed one such bill this past month.

Businesses and celebrities have also begun to take positions in the debate, and individuals have begun boycotting cities, states and corporations that pass, or refuse to pass, Bathroom Bills.

Prominent politicians like to paint transgender people as sexual deviants, so confused or depraved they don’t know who they “really” are, and in order to prey on others, pretend to be a different gender. Think: Greg Abbott’s “No men in women’s bathrooms” tweet, which garnered responses from the electorate like, “It’s not safe. … Anyone can claim to be trans … and I’m sure kidnapping and child rape will increase.”

This is far from the truth. There is not one recorded instance of a transgender person sexually assaulting anyone in a bathroom. In fact, according to Zack Ford, the LGBT editor of thinkprogress.org, it is significantly more likely for a transgender person, especially a transgender woman, to be attacked in a bathroom than it is for her to attack someone else.

Transgender people are not inherently sexually depraved and do not want access to bathrooms so that they can prey on children or women. Transgender people are simply people whose gender identity does not correspond with the gender assigned to them at birth. For example, a transgender woman is someone who was assigned male at birth but identifies as female. A transgender man is someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies as male.

Many transgender people choose to undergo a series of social and/or medical procedures to reaffirm their gender

identity, or simply to have fewer legal problems. Some may choose not to, while others may be financially unable to go through these changes formally.

Although birth certificates can be changed to correspond to one’s gender identity, it is often a difficult and lengthy process, so many transgender people do not have birth certificates that correspond to their identity. This is why politicians have picked birth certificates as the qualifier for bathroom use. Transgender people are just people, not confused, not mentally ill and not sexual predators.

Why, then, should transgender people be able to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity? Because there is no reason not to and so many reasons to let us. Transgender people don’t want to assault people in the bathroom. We just want to use the toilets, just like everyone else.

We’re safer in our bathrooms of choice, too. Numerous reports detail

attacks on transgender women by cisgender individuals (people who are not transgender) in bathrooms, but there have been no confirmed reports of transgender people attacking the latter, according to Ford.

Also, sexual assault continues to be illegal. No predator who was previously planning to go into a restroom to harass people will be deterred by more laws.

Sexual assault is already illegal and pretending to be transgender won’t allow sexual predators to go unpunished. Sexual assault is sexual assault, regardless of gender identity.

The only thing transgender people will be allowed to do in bathrooms is what everyone else is doing: using the bathroom. Reaffirming that right creates a supportive environment for transgender people. It shows transgender people that the school, or gym or office is supportive of them and acknowledges they are in fact human beings — not sexual predators.

Gorilla’s death should bring focus back to endangered species Protecting western lowland gorillas in wild best way to honor Harambe’s memory, come to terms with controversial shooting

NIDHI GOTGI COMMENTARY

When Harambe, a western lowland gorilla, was shot about a week ago at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens to save a toddler who’d fallen into his moat, I immediately joined the side of the debate that was enraged at the gorilla’s death.

Despite watching the footage of the 17-year-old gorilla dragging the 3-year-old boy around the pool in his enclosure multiple times, I somehow still felt it was unfair for the gorilla to die.

I instantly clung onto witness reports stating the boy had been repeatedly claiming he’d go into the enclosure, and as soon as his mother’s attention was diverted, he did just that. I was angry the mother hadn’t led her son elsewhere if she’d noticed he was restless about entering the exhibit.

Another account said, even though the mother’s attention was lost for only a matter of seconds, the child managed to

climb over the seemingly secure barrier, which would’ve required some time and effort on his part. I began speculating about just how long the parent wasn’t alert and started to look into whether the zoo was following the regulations for animal enclosures.

No matter which way I looked at it, I blamed the humans involved and mourned the loss of a stunning animal due to human negligence.

I think part of the reason I felt so sorry for Harambe was because he died in a scenario that was completely out of his control. He didn’t have a say in the fact that he’d been born and raised in captivity. He’d just been in the wrong place — a place he didn’t belong — at the wrong time.

No matter how long a wild animal is under human care, it can never fully be domesticated, and its natural instincts will prevail. Harambe had to deal with an unannounced visitor and, despite interacting with zoo personnel on a daily basis, was startled by the child’s unexpected presence.

Harambe and his endangered species belong in the wild, not in a bounded space to serve as entertainment for humans, who could potentially put their lives in danger. Even though I pointed fingers and took sides when I first heard about Harambe’s passing,

COMET COMMENTS

I realized putting the blame on one party or the other wasn’t the right way to commemorate the beautiful creature we’d lost.

I found out Harambe’s name meant “working together, caring and sharing” in Swahili. His death definitely brought people together, whether it was to argue about the circumstances of it or to mourn his passing. But the “caring” aspect of his name’s meaning was only apparent when the Harambe Fund was started at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX. The crowd-funding campaign is raising money for a research project to learn more about and to protect western lowland gorillas in Africa’s Congo Basin. The Cincinnati Zoo is also continuing its $12 million improvement to the gorilla exhibit to “help tell the story of wildlife in the wild … and what it takes to protect them in the future,” said Thane Maynard, the zoo’s director.

These efforts will not only pay respect to Harambe in the best way possible, but will also turn the discussion to broader, more impactful topics than who was responsible for the gorilla’s death. Not only will Harambe be remembered, but the value of the remaining western lowland gorillas will be brought to light.

KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF

Recently, North Carolina passed a bill stating individuals can only use bathrooms and changing facilities that match the sex on their birth certificate. How do you feel about this bill?

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?

Students interested in writing opinions can email editor@utdmercury.com.

“The way I feel is that whatever your physical, sexual gender is, that’s the bathroom that you should use. Personally, if you don’t mind me using absurd language, I don’t want someone with a penis going into the women’s bathroom — especially if there is someone younger in there.”

Tim Lehman Computer science junior

“I feel like people should be a little bit more liberal. It’s not necessarily accurate for someone to say that your gender at birth should determine what you currently identify as. It’s not necessarily upon me to impose my opinion on anybody else’s, but personally I think that it is incorrect for them to make the assumption that they are posing a risk to other people.”

“(Give) them the opportunity to be able to pick what they want. It is a part of their right, so there is nothing wrong with asking.

If they are asking for neutral bathrooms, then they should be able to go. … I guess neutral bathrooms should work, there is no reason you can’t give them that opportunity, it is a part of their basic rights.”

Nishi Patel Neuroscience sophomore

Harish Narayanaswamy Computer science graduate student

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

OP-EDS

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.

Apart from your name and photo, personal info will not be published.

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.

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.

4

NEWS

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

UTDMERCURY.COM

HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR COMET CENTS | COURTESY

MONEY TALKS Service teaches money management, works to erase debt stigma

swers by now. I think that’s where peer education works, because it’s a lot easier to go talk to a fellow student that has been there before.”

Gorman attributed the low number of students A financial success program has made progress in wanting one-on-one financial coaching to a tendency bringing financial literacy to campus, but social stigto ignore the topic of money. ma and a lack of awareness continue to cause money “A lot of people push it under the rug too,” he management issues among students. said. “(They say), ‘I’ll worry about it when I graduComet Cents began as a way to meet the reate’ or something.” quirements dictated by Texas’ House Bill 399, They explained that incoming students have difwhich was passed in 2011. It amended the Eduferent “money personalities,” which dictate how they cation Code to require an institution of higher view financial matters. education in Texas to start offering training in Gorman said non-traditional students who personal financial literacy, no later than the fall come to college after working and saving up for semester of 2013. their education are more skilled at mainMichael Saenz, the assistant director taining healthy finances, whereas Harris of the Student Success Center, in which pointed out high school graduates aren’t Comet Cents is housed, said the law was It’s hard to ask for help, especially in as prepared. put in place to prevent credit card comcollege. You feel like you should know the “But then you also have other students panies from preying on college students who come in as freshmen (because) it’s just who didn’t understand the ins and outs of answers by now. I think that’s where peer the next step after high school,” Harris said. money management. education works, because it’s a lot easier “They don’t really consider the money as“When I was going through school, there pect of it.” (wasn’t a program like this),” he said. “No to go talk to a fellow student that has been This year, Comet Cents was able to help one (knew) what (they) were doing. You there before. seven students on a one-on-one basis, usujust hear from a friend, ‘Oh yeah, they give ally in preparing a budget. you money if you do this.’ … Little (did) — Michael Saenz, “They just kind of decided, ‘Well, I need you know you have to pay all that money back times five. They put in these laws to Asst. Director of Student Success Center a budget’ so they just kind of made one,” Gorman said. “They didn’t really have anyprotect the consumer.” thing to work from, no one told them to do Comet Cents, which opened in 2013, Gorman said he tries to combat the prejudice by it. So they didn’t know if what they were doing was hosts workshops that have experienced a high turnright. They wanted to make sure they were going to out, with 40 to 50 percent of attendees going to mul- openly discussing his own finances.

“We try to use personal examples a lot,” he said. be safe for the future.” tiple events among the 400 to 500 unique individuals But, he also said, there have been a few stuthat came to the center’s programs in fall 2015 and “I’m pretty transparent with my finances and my spring 2016, but these workshops weren’t a part of situation, and I’ll talk about where my wife and I dents who were having trouble managing credit card debt. are at.” the starting agenda.

“The thing with credit card debt is … you just Saenz pointed out approaching someone of the “The original plan of Comet Cents was to (offer) … pure financial coaches, so students would come same age about monetary issues is more effective for swipe (the card) and you get whatever you want,” Harris said. “(It’s) mostly just mental. (People) don’t in, pretty much on their own accord and say, ‘I have college students than seeking professional help.

“It’s hard to ask for help, especially in college,” this problem. I want to make a budget’ and we would → SEE MONEY, PAGE 11 help them,” said Thomas Gorman, an accounting se- Saenz said. “You feel like you should know the anNIDHI GOTGI Editor-in-Chief

Int’l students struggle for work permits Foreign grads at UTD unable to take jobs in fields of study THOMAS GRICE

nior and student coordinator at Comet Cents. “But we had to change (the) game plan a lot because that wasn’t really happening.”

Jason Harris, a finance senior and another student coordinator, said part of the reason for the low turnout of students seeking financial help on a one-onone basis was due to the stigma attached to discussing money matters.

“I kind of get a feeling that some people that may be struggling don’t want to come in and talk about it,” he said. “If we can find a way to break through that barrier and get them to come in and just open up, discuss one-on-one, we’d probably find out a little bit more.”

Transgender bathroom debate comes to campus

SG installs neutral bathroom signage, members of UTD LGBT community respond to nat’l policies NYEMIKE OKONKWO Mercury Staff

Mercury Staff

Strict caps on the number of H-1B visas distributed each year by the United States Citizen and Immigration Services means that only around of 36.5 percent of all applicants will be able to attain permanent jobs in the United States after graduation.

For many international students, a primary goal of their stay in the United States or other countries is the improved chance for a career outside of their home country, according to a study by the Academic Cooperation Association. Unfortunately for those students, the number of H-1B visas is capped each year, which puts a limit on the likelihood of an immediate career in the United States.

When you apply for a job, some people will ask if you’re an international student. If you’re on a student visa, they will immediately say, ‘Sorry we don’t hire international students.’

— Leo Li UTD Alumna

Student Government joined with a committee on campus to construct an initiative to update restroom signage across campus to be more inclusive of transgender needs.

The UTD LGBTQ Education, Advocacy and Programming Committee helped SG with the signage updates, which are expected to be completed by the end of the summer.

Student Government Senator Grant Branam was integral in the drafting of the initiative and encouraged the development of signage designed to service a wide variety of students.

“The ultimate goal is to be inclusive to all students,” Branam said. “If transgender students do not feel comfortable using the communal restrooms on campus, the singular space is safer.

They can go there without the fear of judgment or harassment.”

UTD’s efforts to include more gender-neutral signage fits into the current national discussion over transgender rights.

On May 13, the Obama administration issued guidance to public schools across the nation outlining policies that allow transgender students to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity. The Department of Justice and the Department of Education issued a joint letter to public schools reflecting the President’s stance saying, “transgender

UTD L.E.A.P. | COURTESY

Gender neutral restroom signs like this one were proposed by SG Senator Grant Branam last year. The more inclusive signage will be updated across campus by summer’s end.

students enjoy a supportive and nondiscriminatory school environment.”

Although the president’s guidelines do not carry the full force of law, Cody Kuhn, Rainbow Guard’s vice president, views the action as a positive.

“It’s definitely a step forward,” he said. “It’s definitely a significant document that legislatures will point to in the future while making policy about trans bathroom use.”

Additionally, the Obama administration has

threatened to withhold funding for public schools if the state does not abide with the directives.

“If you’re going to use federal money, you have to follow federal policy,” Kuhn said.

The actions of the executive branch have caused uproar in many states, including Texas.

On May 9, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently called for the resignation of Fort Worth ISD superintendent Kent Scribner for proposing policies more inclusive of transgender students, arguing that the policies were created unilaterally and lack transparency. Because there were no public hearings, forums or meetings with parents during the formation of those guidelines, segments of Fort Worth residents strongly criticized Scribner’s policy.

“Even if the majority of the community doesn’t want (transgender bathroom equality), trans students are being hurt,” Kuhn said about community involvement on transgender rights.

On May 17, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted that Texas will sue the federal government to “stop Obama's transgender directive to schools,” and challenge how President Obama is “trampling” on the Constitution.

“This is the same type of cultural resentment and bigotry that’s been present since this nation was founded,” Adam Richards, Wesley at UTD president, said about the governor’s comments.

→ SEE TRANSGENDER, PAGE 11

“None of my international friends have been able to receive the H-1B,” said ATEC senior Martin Tran, who is a native Norwegian and son of Vietnamese immigrants.

The H-1B is a visa that allows foreign citizens to work in specialty occupations, such as engineering or business. The number of such visas issued each year by the USCIS is cut off at 65,000 for bachelor’s degree holders, plus an additional 20,000 for post-graduate ddegree holders. This quantity is greatly outweighed by the number of

→ SEE INTERNATIONAL, PAGE 11

CHAD AUSTIN | ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR

UTDMERCURY.COM

NEWS

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

5

Entrepreneurial program comes to campus next fall

Blackstone Charitable Foundation brings LaunchPad program to three Texas schools, provides resources for student entrepreneurs

On June 2, Blackstone Charitable Foundation announced the expansion of its entrepreneurial program, Blackstone LaunchPad, to three Texas schools.

This expansion includes a $3 million grant split between UTD, UT Austin and Texas A&M. It provides students of all majors access to tools and resources to pursue their ventures.

The Mercury sat down with the chairman and CEO of the Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman and Executive Director of Blackstone Charitable Foundation Amy Stursberg to discuss the expansion of the Blackstone LaunchPad program.

Why did you pick UTD? What potential do you see here?

Stursberg: “We looked at a bunch of schools in Texas, about six or seven schools that have a lot of activity around entrepreneurship, but have a gap.

We are here to fill that gap which is to open up entrepreneurship to those that might not think that they are entrepreneurs or have a great idea. They may be an advanced engineering student that has the next new product, so we look for universities that are poised to accept this program, are excited about (Blackstone LaunchPad) and fits into its existing programs. Some schools we look at don’t need us and some schools we look at aren’t evolved enough to take full advantage of it, and UTD was incredibly excited about this.”

How are you going to pitch the program so that nonbusiness students feel like they can join? How are you going to open it up to other majors?

Stursberg: “We talk about it the first day of freshman orientation. Every student is told that if

ANDREW GALLEGOS | PHOTO EDITOR

Chairman and CEO of the Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman, speaks at the Visitor Center where the expansion of the Blackstone LaunchPad program to UTD was announced.

you have an idea … it’s open to everybody. … You have an opportunity to get a coach, to find a partner, if you have an idea, you can want to be a part of something that’s a start-up. It’s talked about at every freshman orientation and you get it on your website, you’ll hear a lot about LaunchPad when it opens up on your campus, directed (and) targeted to those students who are not business or engineering students. It’s currently at 21 schools and … it’s flooded by students who are not business students.

Students are so hungry for this.”

Schwarzman: “That is not a problem, because if you figure after you graduate you have to go someplace. Either you go to more school or you go out to the real world. ... The idea of being able to have

your own business, your own self-reliance, is a very attractive thing for a certain percentage of students.

So this provides one vehicle to explore, so there is no shortage of people visiting.”

What kind of advice would you give to students who aren’t business majors but are trying to start a venture, or to entrepreneurs in general?

Schwarzman: “There are people like Mark Zuckerberg who aren’t business people, he just wanted to get a date so he came up with something that worked. I wasn’t a business undergraduate. I was a social science undergraduate. Business is not very difficult. It is power of an idea, the ability to organize yourself and attract others

to execute on that. No one was born to be a CEO … it is a learned behavior. Part of the LaunchPad is to have people come in and have us help teach them those types of things. … There are some basic do’s and don’ts and if you don’t know them, you do a lot of don’ts and the objective is to do more do’s. So all of us have learned with the help of other people. So if somebody can help you or a system can help you, then the answer is why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that? Execution is a separate thing. That is good to have too, but if you are executing an idea that is deeply flawed, it doesn’t matter how good you are at execution. You have to have both, but the key is to have a great idea — something unique that actually will find somebody who wants it.”

UTD Police continue search Professor creates survey measuring sexual assault for MSA board vandals SG provides support, hopes survey can fix Title IX policy confusion Members redesign display to combat misinformation, prejudice ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS Mercury Staff

Several months after two unknown individuals vandalized a display for a campus religious group, neither UTD police nor members of the group have made much progress in trying to identify the perpetrators.

On Feb. 17, two men, who Lt. Ken Mackenzie said he believed to be students, were caught on camera walking into the Student Union, examining the Muslim Student Association’s board and vandalizing it with phrases such as “Terrorists” and “Islam is not a religion of peace.”

Although the two suspects’ faces were caught on camera, UTD police are still in the dark about the identity of the alleged culprits.

Nashotta Luckett, the investigative specialist assigned to the case, combed through three weeks of security camera footage to see if she could find any identifying clues. Despite her and the police department’s efforts to look through the videos, reach out to students, faculty and staff and post the footage on social media, no leads have been found in the case.

“We haven’t received anything. No calls, no emails, nothing,” Luckett said.

As the case moves forward, UTD PD are still searching for any leads they can get about who the suspects are. MacKenzie said the department has classified it as criminal mischief, but he acknowledged the district attorney has the option to elevate the charges to include a hate crime if the suspects are identified.

If they are found guilty of criminal mischief, the two could face a maximum of six months in the Collin County jail.

“The university and the police department take this, especially since it was against a religious organization, type of crime very seriously,” MacKenzie said.

“I can tell you I assigned this to Investigator Luckett and she has spent a lot of man-hours in this. Like I was saying, we don’t want these guys to have the last laugh and they thought this was a joke.”

The members of the group that this “joke” was aimed at were also the ones laughing the least.

When accounting junior Mariam Allahrakha first heard of the defacing of the MSA bulletin board, she said it came as a surprise.

“I think initially we were just all really shocked because it wasn’t something we were expecting to happen,” Allahrakha, the president of MSA when the incident happened, said. “UTD is a very tolerant campus, there’s a lot of diversity. So I think our initial reaction was shock, and then kind of just hurt.”

The lack of closure has been hard to deal with for Allahrakha and other members of MSA. “I got a call that said that (UTD police) still hadn’t been able to find the person, even though they posted videos. No one had come forward because no one knew who they were,” she said. “That someone could do this and (we) don’t even know who they are and we can’t find them or hold them responsible (is frustrating).”

Although there has still been no progress in finding the individuals responsible for the acts, the members of MSA have moved on and rebuilt their bulletin board. While the last year’s board was more focused on the social aspects of the group, the new board,

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Associate Professor and Lead Researcher Denise Boots discusses the sexual assault survey and its unique measure of cultural background and lifetime prevalence of sexual victimization.

CARA SANTUCCI Managing Editor

MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION| COURTESY

The Muslim Student Association redesigns Student Union display in response to the vandalism earlier this year.

which is black with stark, white letters, centers on what Islam represents.

“Our historian came up with a really good idea that said, ‘Islam is not a religion of hate, it’s a religion of peace and we promote peace.’ It just went through all the things MSA stands for and what Muslims stand for and what Islam really is,” she said. “It was just to show and highlight that this is who we really are and that is what we kind of did in response to the vandalism that happened to our board.”

Allahrakha said having to debunk the myths about Islam is part of the uphill battle she faces as a Muslim.

“Most of us have all grown up in the (United States) and this is where we were born and raised,” she said. “To have to still prove that, you know, this is our country, we love it just as much as everyone else … it is really frustrating that you constantly have to prove something that isn’t true and that you think you wouldn’t have to prove.”

While Allahrakha and the other members of MSA are planning to move on by doing more outreach to the campus community, she said the incident still shows the hate Muslims have to face.

“It comes off kind of in a negative light to even the campus because I know I have friends who were non-Muslims and were not part of MSA who were like, ‘Hey, I saw y’all’s board, is everything OK?’ Because I think it’s just an attack on the community,” she said. “I don’t think it’s per se the board, that’s something we can easily replace — it’s what it stands for behind that.”

The UTD criminology program has created and sent out a survey to all student emails to address the campus’ climate regarding sexual assault.

Associate Professor of Criminology Denise Boots is the lead researcher on the project.

Boots said the survey was created with the diverse characteristics of the student body in mind. Unlike other surveys conducted on sexual assault, Boots’ form includes a section on the cultural background and upbringing of the participant.

“We wanted every student to feel like their voice mattered and that their experiences mattered to the research team,” she said. “We have a large number of international students here, and so culture matters when we talk about issues like sexual victimization.”

The survey presents questions about students’ awareness of the Title IX office on campus, if students have experienced or been a bystander to a sexual assault and how they felt about the university’s response to the incident.

“We ask … about the lifetime prevalence of sexual victimization in our student body, which has never been asked, to my knowledge,” she said.

Last fall, UTD distributed a questionnaire called the Cultivating Learning and Safe Environment (CLASE) survey, which dealt with a similar topic.

CLASE asked broader, general questions about the campus climate, Boots said, and had a different focus than her team’s survey.

“I think the surveys are very different and I think they should complement one another,” Boots said.

“Even if there’s some repetition, that’s a good thing.”

The ultimate goal of the survey is the creation of an executive summary report, which will include what the team found and what those results suggest about best practices. Boots expects that report to be completed by next fall.

Student Government was also involved in the promotion of the survey. Grant Branam, a current SG senator and last year’s vice president, met with Boots to discuss the survey so he could present it at the next senate meeting.

“Some of our complaints in our resolution voiced that we wanted more clarification (and) communi-

cation regarding Title IX,” he said. “She showed us … (she) was concerned for a lot of students and (she) wants students’ concerns to be heard and she wants faculty senate’s concerns to be heard.”

Branam said the hope is to use the raw data from the survey to efficiently fix the confusion regarding the university’s Title IX policies.

At the final senate meeting of the year, Branam and the rest of the senate drafted an official letter of support for the survey, which Boots presented to the Provost when getting approval for the research project.

SG has worked to promote the survey though talking to students and faculty members to encourage them to participate and spread the word. “(The survey) was very appealing because it had specific questions to complaints that we’d been hearing,” Branam said. “It talked about the difference between harassment and misconduct, stuff like that.”

Boots said the idea to do the survey came from her history as an advocate for victims of sexual assault.

Her areas of specialty in teaching and research revolve around women and violence.

“We had never done a campus climate survey like this before, and so that was the main impetus for the study to happen,” she said.

Along with Boots, Assistant Professor of Criminology Nadine Connell and Clinical Assistant Professor of Criminology and the Director for the Institute of Urban Policy Research at UTD Timothy Bray are working on the research team. The team is joined by outside researcher and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Wayne State University Jennifer Warehem, with whom Boots has worked in the past.

To create the survey, the team pored over a thousand pages of questionnaires put out by universities.

“It’s been great to have a collaborative initiative on the research team where we’re all looking at that from different perspectives,” she said. “It’s created a very rich instrument, very rigorous in the measures.”

As Title IX has rolled out, Boots said, guides dictating best practices are coming in from other universities and institutions. She said this survey was an opportunity for UTD to use that information to create its own guide.

“I wanted UTD to be a leader in this, and not wait for another school or even system to be the voice for our campus,” she said.

6

JUNE 6, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

LIFE&ARTS

new skate shop opens in Mckinney UTD junior-owned specialty store to offer full-sized skateboarding ramp, individualized lessons for patrons of all ages

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Daniel Brodsky, an information technology and systems junior, purchased the shop from its former owner and re-opened it with his business partner on April 30 after a month of renovations.

BHARGAV ARIMILLI Life & Arts Editor

Skaters across North Texas now have a one-stop store for all things related to skateboarding, thanks to the efforts of a UTD student.

Daniel Brodsky, an information technology and systems junior, came up with the idea for the Point Skate Shop with his business partner, Nathan Smith. The two met while working at a skate shop called Vertigo, which stood where The Point Skate Shop stands now.

After working at Vertigo for two years, they realized they had creative differences with the owner. Last year, they took the plunge and purchased the store.

“We had a different vision for the shop and thought we could do a lot better,” Brodsky said. “We just wanted to put our dreams into action, and the only way we could do that was to do it by ourselves.”

When their lease began on April 1, they sprung into action. Instead of hiring contractors to renovate

the shop, they built everything themselves in less than ity available to anyone who wants to learn.”

Smith pointed to the lack of skateboarding instruc30 days to meet the opening date of April 30.

“We worked 24 hours straight prior to the open- tors as part of their motivation for offering lessons.

“We need to progress our sport and ensure there’s ing,” Smith said. “It was a mad dash to get everya future, so we want kids to continue to try skatething ready and presentable.”

Located in a 3,500 square foot lot at The Vil- boarding,” he said.

Brodsky agreed, noting the fulfilling aspects of lage at Fairview, The Point Skate Shop, which has a UTD student discount, offers “full-service giving skateboarding lessons.

“It’s pretty cool to skateboarding” see kids go from some— that is, anyWe just wanted to put our dreams one who bought his thing and everyfirst skateboard to an thing relating into action and the only way we could actual skateboarder,” to skateboarddo that was to do it by ourselves .

Brodsky added. “They ing. As a part of really grow with us.” their vision, the The ramp is also owners included — Daniel Brodsky open for public use a 1,500 square for a $5 fee when foot indoor classes are not in session. Customers who purramp, used primarily for skateboarding lessons.

“It’s a serious ramp and we’re serious about it,” chase items from the shop are invited to skate on Smith said. “We have a world-class training facil- the ramp for free.

Operating the shop has not been without its difficulties. Between balancing classes and running a small business, Brodsky said the paperwork can be a problem at times.

“You have to worry about things like payroll and taxes, but I don’t look at these as challenges — more like projects,” he said. “Other than that, my biggest challenge is quality control and making sure we’re offering top-quality products to our customers.”

In the future, Smith said he hopes the shop will become a salient feature of Dallas’ skateboarding community.

“Before expanding to another location, I want to make sure everyone in this area knows who we are and supports us,” he said.

Brodsky added that he hopes to expand the shop’s online offerings before opening up branches in other cities and states.

“We’re not in any rush to get there,” he said. “We want to make this store as good as it can be before we branch out.”

“X-Men” disappoints with “Coloring Book” could be thin plot, poor visual effects album of Summer 2016 Newest film in franchise suffers from clichés despite efforts of young cast SID PATEL

ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS

Mercury Staff

“X-Men: Apocalypse” is a surprising step backwards from the series’ last installment.

Bryan Singer returns a fourth time to direct a movie in a franchise that he helped create. Singer’s initial return to the X-Men series was with the 2014 smash hit “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Unfortunately, Singer fails to do it again.

“X-Men: Apocalypse” struggles with many of the same issues other superhero movies deal with. The plot, while interesting, is a clichéd mess. One of the world’s first mutants, Oscar Isaac’s Apocalypse, awakens after sleeping for thousands of years and plans to take over the world through death and destruction.

Humanity’s champions are, once again, a band of young mutants who must overcome their differences and team up to stop him. It’s a classic end-of-theworld plot that is made thoroughly boring by a villain lacking depth.

The movie’s overuse of visual effects also detracts from the plot. For example, Michael Fassbender’s Magneto is shown harnessing Earth’s magnetic fields, which in itself is intriguing, but the distracting little pieces of metal and sand that keep fluttering across the screen prevent you from enjoying it too much.

That being said, there are plenty of redeeming qualities. The young cast of X-Men, as in the previous movies, really shines. Sophie Turner plays a promising Jean Gray, who is still coming to terms with the full extent of her power. Cyclops and Nightcrawler are reintroduced to the franchise and given fresh starts, propelled by solid performances from Tye Sheridan and Kodi Smit-McPhee, respectively.

Much like in the previous flick, Evan Peters’ Quicksilver steals the show every time he’s on screen.

Unfortunately, the other side of the fight isn’t so lucky. With the exception of Magneto, the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse are useless. Olivia Munn’s

Chance the Rapper’s latest album features catchy tunes, religious themes Mercury Staff

20TH CENTURY FOX | COURTESY

“X-Men: Apocalypse” came out May 27 and stars Michael Fassbender (center) as Magneto.

Psylocke and Ben Hardy’s Archangel seem to spend most of their time either standing around or getting knocked down far too quickly. As the first Horseman introduced, Alexandra Shipp’s Storm fares a bit better throughout the movie, putting up more of a fight and having more character development than the others.

Overall, the movie is fun to watch if you can shut down your brain and just get lost in the action. The shift in focus of the X-Men franchise towards the younger cast is one that works really well for the series and carries a lot of potential.

Each summer, music fans anxiously await a sound that will define those three magical months. This year, an early contender for the summer standard bearer is Chance the Rapper’s third project, “Coloring Book.”

Chance had huge expectations to meet after his 2013 breakthrough album “Acid Rap,” and thankfully he surpassed all of them with “Coloring Book.” The powerful opening track “All We Got,” which features Kanye West, the Chicago Children’s Choir and a backtrack of triumphant trumpets sets the tone for the rest of the album.

This isn’t music made by the stoned out, angst-filled Chance his fans had become accustomed to from his previous two albums. This is a more mature, grown up artist who has been through everything from being labeled the voice of his generation to becoming a father.

He’s been through the ringer to get where he’s at and on “Coloring Book,” Chance takes his fans’ hands and allows them to share in his success.

Songs like “No Problem,” which features Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, showcases a Chance who has been through the perils of record labels trying to sign him and has lived to tell the tale, while “All Night” will set dancefloors across the country on fire. Meanwhile, “Juke Jam” is sure to be the soundtrack to countless summer love affairs. There really is something on the album for everyone.

The album also features a slew of guest spots, with everyone from T-Pain to Future to Justin Bieber taking a turn on the mic. What’s surprising is how easily these seemingly mismatching artists all come together to make music. Usually features on hip-hop albums are either half-spirited or are only there because of contracts, but that’s not the case here. Each guest verse has a purpose and power behind it to help round out the project as a whole.

Where “Coloring Book” will stand out among the

CHANCE THE RAPPER | COURTESY

“Coloring Book,” which was released on May 12, has been met with widespread acclaim from critics.

competition is the reoccurring theme of faith and religion that is present throughout the album. Songs like “Blessings,” “Angels,” “How Great” and “Blessings (Reprise)” all have gospel-like names, which is fitting. While listeners may have first listened to “Coloring Book” expecting a hip-hop album, in many ways what they actually got is a gospel album where Chance is praising a higher power for helping him get through his struggles. Boasting as many Biblical references as a Sunday sermon, “Coloring Book” takes its listeners to church.

Chance the Rapper isn’t your everyday MC — and that’s a good thing. With “Coloring Book,” he fully embraces his weirdness and makes an album that doesn’t subscribe to any of the norms typically associated with hip-hop. Instead of MPCs and samples, the album is built on choirs, a brass section and positive vibes. Although there are sure to be plenty of summer bangers during the season, very few will achieve the legendary status “Coloring Book” seems destined for.

LIFE&ARTS

UTDMERCURY.COM

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

Wildflower!

Annual music festival in Richardson brought big names to Galatyn Park this year

Toadies

nt Farm

Alien A

Dennis DeY oung

mpton Peter Fra ANDREW GALLEGOS | PHOTO EDITOR

CHAD AUSTIN | ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR

7

78

JUNE 6, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

NEW PAINT JOB

SPRING SPORTS

SPORTS

Main gym gets makeover as Comets logo takes center court

UPDATES

BASEBALL After entering the ASC tournament as an eighth seed in their bracket, the baseball team made an unlikely run to their group finale before falling to the UT Tyler Patriots in a 7-2 loss. UTD finished with a 24-20 overall record,

ANDREW GALLEGOS | PHOTO EDITOR

The main activity center gym underwent renovations in May to add the Comets logo to center court. In addition, the wood floor was updated. Athletic Director Bill Pettit said the new floor is part of a series of changes the department wants to make to the athletic facilities on campus.

including a 10-14 mark in conference play. The team also placed 11 players on all-conference teams, the second most in program history.

COMETSPORTS | COURTESY

Senior second baseman Nick Marti rounds the bases during the final game against UT Tyler. The Comets fell 7-2.

AWARDS Numerous UTD athletes won a slew of awards since the end of the semester.

On May 23, UTD named men’s soccer senior Jordan Rubel the male Athlete of the Year, while volleyball senior Kayla Jordan picked up the female Athlete of the Year honor. On May 25, freshman outfielder Melissa Livermore made history after being named the first AllAmerican ever for the program.

ASC For the first time in program history, ASC rival UT Tyler took home the Division III national softball championship after defeating Messiah College 3-0 and 7-0. This marks the seventh time a UT Tyler team has won a national tournament. This season, the Comets were 0-3 against the Patriots.

ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS Mercury Staff

For the first time in school history, the main court in the Activity Center is getting a makeover to include the Comets logo, different paint stains and a revitalized surface.

The plans for the renovations started a year ago when Athletic Director Bill Petitt and the rest of the athletic department staff began looking at working on the floor. They collaborated with Recreational Sports, which maintains the Activity Center and decided this summer would be the best time to move forward with the project.

The athletic department spent the spring semester considering different designs and turned in its final draft in March. The new court, which was designed by Associate Athletic Director Bruce Unrue, features a large orange and green

The process to paint the court, which took about a week, started with crews sanding down the entire floor. Afterwards, they lined the floor with tape and began painting and adding different layers. When all the painting was complete, the gym was closed for another week to allow time for the paint to cure and settle. Petitt said the total cost for the project was about $20,000.

“It’s just a process to get it all done,” Petitt said.

The gym opened for use again on June 3.

Everybody’s excited about the Other schools in the ASC, such as UT Tyler, new look. ... It will really make it Louisiana College and Sul Ross State, already have high quality paint jobs on their courts. look sharp.

Although Petitt said that was not a deciding — Bill Pettit, factor in updating UTD’s courts, Dapo OgunAthletic Director fetimi, a senior guard for the men’s basketball team, admitted he and his teammates were envious of the courts at other schools.

COMETS.COM” painted in white letters fills out the baseline.

Comets logo at half court that extends nearly to the three-point arc on each side of the court. A darker wood stain fills in the area within the arc, while lighter wood with an NCAA logo fills in the paint underneath the basket.

The university’s official logo adorns each end of the court, and a dark green line with “UTD-

→ SEE PAINT, PAGE 9

NBA FINALS GUIDE

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

PABLO JUAREZ

ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS

Sports Editor

Mercury Staff

If NBA teams were fictional characters, the Cleveland Cavaliers would definitely be Hamlet after he got kicked out of the kingdom. After being trounced last year in the Finals by the Golden State Warriors, fans and pundits doubted the Cavs’ ability to reclaim the throne.

Now that the Cavs are here, however, they have a chance to vanquish the ghosts of the past and take their rightful spots as kings of the realm.

That may sound crazy given their competition is Golden State, who beat Cleveland the two times the teams met this season. But since then, the Cavaliers have matured and become possibly the only team in the league capable of stopping the juggernaut from Oakland.

The two biggest differences between this year’s Finals roster and last year’s is the presence of healthy star players Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The point guard and power forward were key in luring LeBron James to Ohio after his stint in Miami, but injuries prevented them from playing in the championship matchup against the Warriors last year. The Cavaliers were knocked off in six games.

Now that they are healthy, however, Cleveland may finally have a chance to match Golden State’s offensive prowess blow for blow. With 106.9 points per game, they have the eighth highest scoring team in the league. They are also stout defensively, with the fourth best mark in the league at holding opponents from scoring.

Although the trio of James, Irving and Love has been impressive, role players like Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Channing Frye, Tristan Thompson, Matthew Dellavedova and Richard Jefferson will all play a crucial role. This is a team that is fast, can shoot from anywhere on the floor and knows how to play together. As they have shown in this year’s playoffs, where they have only lost two games, they are capable of becoming monsters on the court any given day. All they have to do is execute.

With that being said, this series will start and end with one person for Cleveland: LeBron James. He left the comfort of South Beach to try to claim a title for his hometown, and it’s beginning to feel like now or never for The Chosen One. With the threat of a

Prior to this season, only nine teams in NBA history have come back from a 3-1 playoff deficit.

The 2016 Golden State Warriors now join the infamous list, becoming the third team to accomplish the feat in a conference final. They will now face a familiar foe, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in their effort to capture back-to-back championships.

The Stephen Curry-led team had perhaps the single greatest regular season in NBA history, posting a historic 73-9 record and featuring the league’s first unanimous MVP. Amid all their accolades, the team has faced plenty of scrutiny, primarily critiques of not being battle-tested on the road to their second-ever championship and for chasing a “meaningless” regular season record.

Their path to the NBA finals this year, however, was far from that. From the outset, Curry tweaked his ankle in the opening first round playoff game against the Houston Rockets. Curry returned in game four of that series only to sprain his MCL and

This team is battle tested and hungry to continue proving their doubters, and history, wrong. further prolong the amount of time he would be sidelined. Despite losing their MVP, the Warriors eliminated the Rockets in five games.

Next, the young, hungry and resilient Portland Trail Blazers came to town. The Warriors were at an immediate disadvantage since the timeline for Curry’s return was unknown. Just when it seemed the tides were beginning to turn in favor of the Blazers, Curry made his long awaited return in game four, contributing a record-breaking 17 points in the 4th quarter and overtime combined to edge out a victory. The Warriors would go on to defeat the Blazers in five games.

In a conference final match-up that many analysts and fans alike didn’t see coming, people were surprised at Golden State’s defeat in Oracle Arena in game one against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

→ SEE WARRIORS, PAGE 9

CHAD AUSTIN | ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR

→ SEE CAVALIERS, PAGE 9

SPORTS

UTDMERCURY.COM → WARRIORS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Fast-forward two blowouts later, and the Warriors were on the brink of elimination. With a small margin for error, the defending champions found some resolve and pieced together three straight victories to dismantle the team that pushed them to the very edge.

Golden State has two of the best shooters in the sport right now. While having a star-studded backcourt that can shoot from center court is a valuable asset, it’s not necessarily the reason why the Warriors have what it takes to defeat the Cavaliers. While the Warriors went generally unscathed last post-season, the team has had to overcome numerous hurdles to reach the same destination this year. This team is battle tested and hungry to continue proving their doubters — and history — wrong.

One could say the Cavaliers are the fresher team heading in, but they also had a much easier route to the finals and haven’t played under immense pressure in post-season. Also, the Warriors have the homecourt advantage. However, this time the Cavs will

→ CAVALIERS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Golden State dynasty looking more and more like reality than fiction, James only has a few years left in his prime to prove he is the best player in the world.

Make no mistake, if Cleveland is going to do this, it will be hard. They’ve shown sloppy play at times and have gaps in their armor. If they’re go-

→ PAINT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

“Since I was a freshman, we’ve been begging for a half court logo, and they finally got it for us,” he said.

“It takes a while to get stuff done, but we’re happy when it gets done.”

Petitt said the new floor is part of a series of renovations the athletic department plans to bring to its facilities, including putting a back-

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

9

have Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving suited up and ready to go. Though the Cavs took the Warriors to six games without two of their three best players, simply having them this series doesn’t automatically result in a victory because, as in all sports, basketball is non-linear.

Man-to-man, both teams match-up fairly well.

The series won’t necessarily come down to stopping LeBron, Irving or even Love. The Cavs’ biggest asset is their big man’s ability to crash the offensive glass. Andrew Bogut is going to have to be a factor this series in order for Golden State to win. That being said, the remaining players on the court have to get a body on their man to secure long rebounds, considering the Cavaliers attempt 33.2 three pointers a game — a postseason team high.

In the end, this series will undoubtedly live up to the hype as the Warriors seek to cap off one of the greatest seasons ever and LeBron James looks to further cement his legacy with a third championship — the first ever for the city of Cleveland.

Prediction: Warriors in six

ing to win, the Cavaliers will have to play perfect basketball on the road to steal at least one game in Oakland and defend their home court with a relentless fervor.

Still, if LeBron can be as great as we’ve seen him to be and his supporting cast can do their jobs, the Cavaliers just may have a shot at slaying basketball’s newest giants.

Prediction: Cavs in six

stop at the softball field, building an open-air press box at the baseball field and upgrading the locker rooms.

Petitt added that the players and coaches seemed pleased with the changes made to the court, which also include changes from Recreational Sports such as improved lights.

“The coaches like it, we showed it to them about a month ago,” he said. “Everybody’s excited about the new look. … It will really make it look sharp.”

CHAD AUSTIN | ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR

10 7 SUMMER PLANS

JUNE 6, 2016 | THE MERCURY

COMICS&GAMES SPLENDID

SHANNON RAMIREZ | MERCURY STAFF

EUNJEE CHONG | MERCURY STAFF

UTD TLC

BRYAR BENNETT | MERCURY STAFF

LIFE OF TEMOC

FIRST TIME OUT IN THE SUN

ANTHONY INGA | MERCURY STAFF

FANIMALS

KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF

ALVIN NGUYENLY| MERCURY STAFF

UTDMERCURY.COM

NEWS

→ INTERNATIONAL

International graduate student from India Ankit Sharma highlighted the plurality of studentrun organizations, citing the networking and cultural integration benefits that they offer when applications, estimated at roughly 233,000 received fellow international students “put (themselves) out there.” in 2015.

The process of attaining an H-1B visa is initiatUTD’s career fairs are another way students can ed by the employer, and will end up costing them make an initial connection with potential employaround $5,000. This cost means that students are ers. For everyone looking for a job after graduation, limited to applying for companies large enough these fairs offer valuable face-time with potential to field the cost and willing to take the chance employers — but they are especially competitive involved in the lottery process by which visas are grounds for international students. given out.

The lines at UTD’s career fairs are marked “When you apby long lines for ply for a job, some the employers people will ask you willing to sponThe only way to get a job nowadays if you’re an intersor H-1B visas, is knowing someone (with) the job. national student,” a visual indicator said Leo Li, a UTD of the increased — Subbramanian Lakshmanan, scarcity of such alumnus and Chinese native who UTD Alumnus companies. For students from graduated with a abroad, the anxdegree in Supply Chain Management in 2015. “If you’re on a student iety of waiting for replies from potential emvisa, they will immediately say, ‘Sorry we don’t hire ployers is worsened international students.’”

“Getting an interview, that’s the hardest part,” UTD offers career assistance to international stu- said Subbramanian Lakshmanan, a 2015 computer dents in a variety of ways. There are general resources science alumnus. “If you apply for 50 companies meant for both domestic students and those from that have H-1B, maybe 10 to 15 will even reply to abroad, as well as specialized workshops and events you, less than 10 will give you an interview call.”

The saying “it’s not the grades you make, it’s the specifically for international students.

Li expressed gratitude for the English Hour hands you shake” is even more true for students events sponsored by the International Center, in seeking H-1B sponsorships. which non-native English speakers are afforded “The only way to get a job nowadays is knowing the opportunity to practice English in specific someone (with) the job,” Lakshmanan, who will be contexts, such as eating out or networking with employed by a local telecom company starting June 2016, said. potential employers.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

→ TRANSGENDER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

comments. “It is something people haven’t really thought about and don’t really understand and are having a knee jerk reaction to it in this cultural moment.”

Richards said transgender people have been using the restroom of their choice long before

the debate gained attention, and since the LGBT community receives the majority of its support from the political left, he said this is an opportunity for the political right to raise the party platform.

“This is a solution in search of a problem based upon irrational fears because this is some polltested thing that (raises) GOP voter turnout,” Richards said.

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

11

→ MONEY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

NIDHI GOTGI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Accounting senior Thomas Gorman (right) works as a student coordinator at Comet Cents, the organization on campus dedicated to training students in financial literacy. Finance senior Jason Harris (left) is another student coordinator at Comet Cents, which is housed in the Student Success Center.

now to manage money better, but also to show what think about the money they’re spending.”

Gorman said that one student was able to students can do to set themselves up for success in pay off the debt on several credit cards by the future.

“Even now after two semesters of being active, adapting a mindset of planning and sticking to trying to be promotional and having weekly events, a budget with the help of a student-worker at it’s still been tough to get campus Comet Cents. awareness, but we’ve definitely “She’d actually made a lot grown a lot,” Gorman said. of progress in paying that off,” It’s still been tough To help improve the program he said. “I mean, this was in to get campus at UTD, Gorman and Harris half a semester, so it was really visited the University of North neat to see that the plan that awareness, but we’ve Texas’ Student Money Managethey’d originally made, (she’d) definitely grown a ment Center to get some guidstuck to it and was almost out lot. ance. UNT has established a set of debt.” up with many student workers, During the school year, — Thomas Gorman, five full-time employees and has they host one workshop every week, with topics such Comet Cents Coordinator integrated its program into the financial aid department. as creating a budget, reading Harris said that he was imand analyzing a credit report, calculating and improving credit scores, repaying pressed by their efforts, but one thing about UNT’s student loans, eating healthy on a budget and program especially stood out to him.

“They started out kind of the way we started out, finding cheap textbooks.

Saenz said a big focus moving into the next just small events here and there, just slowly starting school year is to not only teach what one can do to gain traction on the campus,” he said.

12

THE MERCURY | JUNE 6, 2016

NEWS

UTDMERCURY.COM

→ VETERANS

→ VLOGGER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

In his 22 years of experience, certain incidents stick out to Bailey, a political science junior.

He was mobilized to serve in Iraq from 2005 to 2006. He said, as a student veteran, he is able to bring real-life experiences to the table during class discussions. For example, when addressing the problems within Veterans Affairs, Bailey can point to when it took one year for the national department to administer him a cortisone shot.

“This isn’t something you hear on the news, this is happening to me,” he said.

Political science senior Eric Bruno spent 16 years in the Marine Corps. He said his time in the Corps made him both a better student and a better civilian.

“I learned to take everything in stride,” he said. “(To be) proud of my successes, and also acknowledge my failures.”

Part of what drew Bruno to UTD in the first place was the reputation of the Veteran Services Center.

“I felt really comfortable here,” Bruno said.

When Danielle Navarro, a political science senior and former Army paratrooper, went back to school, she too chose UTD. She got a work-study position at the Veteran Services Center connecting incoming student veterans with the resources available to them.

Although she is now retired and attends school full-time, she was originally motivated to serve abroad because she wanted to see what war was really like.

“A lot of people don’t get to see what we really go through,” she said. “We miss our families. We go though all this pain. … People think that we’re bad people sometimes, but we’re not. We’re here to help them.”

Navarro said one of the most challenging aspects of being a student veteran is dealing with the reminders of her more disturbing memories from her deployment.

“We have to come in and adjust to something (different),” she said. “Some of us have post-traumatic stress disorders. For myself, for example, what a professor says can … trigger PTSD, but we have to know how to be able to control it.”

She was deployed to Afghanistan for a year during her service, where she built a support system of colleagues who helped her when she saw frightening scenes.

“You become a family,” she said. “You build a bond with these people that you don’t know. … They are like brothers and sisters.”

She said it is often difficult for her to sit in a class when the discussion is over something that brings back distressing recollections from her time overseas.

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Richard Bailey, a political science junior, is currently a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves, where he’s served for 22 years. Bailey was sent overseas once in his military career — to Iraq in 2005.

“I think just getting out there and talking to other veterans always helps out a lot,” Navarro said.

“You don’t have to feel like you’re by yourself all the time.”

Bruno agreed that the veteran community on campus was helpful and supportive, especially during the sometimes rocky transition to civilian life.

“It’s nice to talk to other veterans, because I think a lot of us miss it,” he said. “It’s important for us to talk through our frustrations and … talk those feelings out.”

Bailey expressed similar benefits of having a community to relate to. He said it doesn’t matter what kind of service someone did in his or her deployment, the veterans on campus can uniquely understand each others’ experiences.

“As a veteran, you’re getting shot at or mortared at,” he said. “When you try to talk to somebody that’s never been through that, people look at it as kind of surreal. But it’s real to us and we can identify with that.”

In addition to the troubling memories some veterans come home with, they also face unique obstacles other students never confront.

As an active member of the reserves, Bailey has to manage his annually required training along with schoolwork. Usually, it occurs during the summer, but this past semester he had to miss a week of school to go to Fort Dix, N.J. Luckily, he said, when he has to miss school, it doesn’t take that long for him to catch up. At UTD, he said his teachers have been very understanding about his situation.

As a transfer student from Richland Community College, Bailey spent five or six

UPCOMING EVENTS UTD BUTTERFLY FLUTTERBY Help maintain the monarch waystation on campus.

June 7, 9-11 AM, SSB Lobby PHASE 8 POOL PARTY Join SUAAB for live music and free food at the poolside.

June 9, 7-9 PM, Phase 8 Pool ZOOTOPIA Bring your friends and pets to campus to see Disney’s latest film.

June 13, 8-10 PM, Res Hall SW Courtyard BLOOD DONATION DRIVE Join student volunteerism for the “Roll Up Your Sleeves and Give” campaign.

June 22, 10 AM - 3 PM, Drive D UNDERGROUND POETRY CIRCUS Come to the Pub to hear slam poetry and live karaoke.

June 27, 8-10 PM, The Pub

years pursuing his associate degree off and on.

After leaving to join the civilian workforce for a time, he eventually came back and finished his two-year degree in 2015.

“I was using the GI Bill at the time … (but) I couldn’t afford to go full time (at Richland),” he said.

Now, Bailey is not using the GI Bill to pay for his college tuition.

“I tried to apply for the post-9/11 GI Bill … and I’ve been having a heck of a time trying to (get it),” he said. “It’s been a big headache.”

Bailey has talked to both Veterans Affairs and a congressman to try to figure out his dilemma, but hasn’t received a straight answer.

“It is what it is,” he said. “If I don’t qualify for it, I don’t qualify for it. … I get one answer one time and then when I inquire about it again, I get a different answer.”

Navarro has also used the GI Bill to help fund her education.

“The GI Bill actually helps a lot, but you can’t always depend on it,” she said. “As a single mom …

(I) can’t live off it.” *** On campus student veterans carry with them a distinct perspective, shaped by years spent in military service. However, Bailey said, who they are is comprised of much more than just their time spent in war zones.

“I’m proud of my service. I’d do it again, if my country or my president asked me to do it,” he said. “It’s a big part of my life, but it’s only one aspect.”

He has also been recognized as ThatIndianGuy and greeted by fans at seminars about attending school in the United States. Several students on campus have also recognized him from YouTube.

“I came to the (United States) and a lot of people at UTD have seen my videos and that makes me happy because I’m helping people and they appreciate (that) fact,” he said.

Gosar said he hopes to continue to make YouTube videos to help others interested in studying internationally. He also plans to have a meet up with his fans in Mumbai when he travels back home this summer.

Gosar also wants to continue helping others by becoming a mobile developer and designing applications for people who have great ideas but lack the technical ability to make them a reality.

“If I have an idea to build something like an app or software or something … the skills I don’t have should not stop me from making it,” he said.