March 5, 2018
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Springtime Destinations in DFW
Conservative Commentator debates gun laws
Princesses with a Purpose
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SG proposes constitution amendment to election
Professor, research team isolate stem cells Investigation focuses on breast cancer treatment
Proposal might allow any non-SG student to run for presidential seat
ANUPAM GUPTA | MERCURY STAFF
A group of professors collaborate to create Scaffolded Training Environment Physics Programming, an interactive learning environment for integrating physics and computer science. Associate ATEC professor Midori Kitagawa (center) spearheaded the concept for the STEPP program and received a $1 million NSF grant for the project. ANUPAM GUPTA | MERCURY STAFF
Assistant professor of chemistry, Jiyong Lee, reviews isolated cancer stem cells with a member of his team. Lee’s research focuses on utilizing nanoparticles and lasers to destroy cancer cells.
MERCURY FILE PHOTO
Student Government President JW Van Der Schans proposed the constitutional amendment allowing any student to run for a presidential seat. DONIA BOSAK-BARANI Mercury Staff
In a proposed amendment to the Student Government constitution, students would no longer be required to hold a position for one term in SG before running for office. On Feb. 20, SG President JW Van Der Schans independently introduced an amendment to the organization’s constitution that would remove current restrictions on running for office and modify transition protocol. The proposal is a result of other universities, namely UT Austin and Texas A&M, employing this strategy to elect their student representatives. Van Der Schans said the modification would have two main benefits, including the promotion of student involvement in SG and broadening the pool of people who can be involved in the organization. Currently, any student can run for a senate seat, but presidential ticket candidates require one full term in SG, which Van Der Schans said is an arbitrary term because it can be interpreted by semester or year. “We feel that more people will be involved in the process if there was a better way for you to directly be involved in running for that, so right now, in a certain way, it feels like voting for another organization’s president, which naturally a group wouldn’t do or feel inclined to do,” he said. “The other main idea … is just a general more cohesive student body interaction with Student Government. We feel that right now, there’s already a limited pool of people that can run in the first place.” Van Der Schans acknowledges the weaknesses of his suggestion, but he said he is willing to assess them in the discussion. “There are drawbacks, so the idea of a joke ticket running, or the idea of people really not knowing what’s going on in the transitions, people not really being held to the standard we need them to be for SG to be successful next year, but these are all different points of discussion,” he said. SG members will discuss the proposal in the coming weeks and a final draft will be submitted to the dean of students, the vice president of student affairs, the SG advisor and others before it is voted on by senators, and, if it can garner a two-thirds majority vote, introduced to the student body. If the changes are approved by both the senate and student body, Van Der
→ SEE CONSTITUTION, PAGE 11
NOUMIKA BALAJI Mercury Staff
UTD group develops program to teach high school students physics, coding CINDY FOLEFACK News Editor
One UTD professor joined with students and faculty members to develop a new teaching tool after experiencing learning difficulties in her high school physics class. The team has since received a seven figure research grant to develop a computer-based program that simplifies the learning process. Associate professor of arts, technology and emerging communications Midori Kitagawa is the principal investigator for the Scaffolded Training Environment for Physics Programming, a project with the goal of simplifying physics education for high school students nationwide, while also teaching them computational thinking skills. Kitagawa received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund her research into STEPP, which allows students to go through modules where they build models simulating vari-
ous scenarios in physics problems, and then use those models to understand physics concepts. She plans to conduct testing with two Richardson ISD computer science and physics teachers, as well as 160 students, to gather feedback on the program for further development. The professor initially came up with the idea about four years ago while driving and listening to NPR. Kitagawa said she realized that synergistic learning could help students understand concepts more easily. “If kids are learning French and ... learn some other subject like math in French, their understanding of math and acquiring of French are much better than learning the two separately,” Kitagawa said. “I thought, well, computer programming is a language, so teaching physics using programming language might help students learn physics and programming better than learning them separately.” Computer science graduate Monisha Elumalai
→ SEE STEM, PAGE 11
A UTD professor and his team had recent progress in isolating cells that are believed to be the root cause of most cancers. Jiyong Lee, an assistant chemistry professor , and his team of student researchers have developed a unique method to isolate aggressive cells called cancer stem cells, which are thought to be the source of many metastasized cancers. “Every summer, we have to mow the lawn,” Lee said. “We just cut the top part of the weed, but we know that it’s going to come out eventually because the root is still there. You can think of the cancer stem cell as the root of the weed.” These cancer stem cells are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation, and even a small population of these cells is enough to initiate tumor growth again. The main limitation Lee and his team faced was in detecting these cells to isolate them. Luxi Chen, a chemistry research associate and part of Lee’s team, said their primary work was to locate cells that can identify cancer stem cells.
→ SEE CANCER, PAGE 11
Program provides community for first-gen students New Living Learning Community addresses 15 percent lower graduation rate among first-generation freshmen ANNA SCHAEFFER Mercury Staff
UTD will add one more living space to its current eight academically-focused areas. Rather than have a major-specific focus, however, this living space is designed for students whose parents did not complete a four-year college program in the United States. The university administration hired Mary Jane Suarez Partain in 2006 to launch Living Learning Communities, a predominantly freshman program based on career interest or specific degree programs. She is the leader of an effort to ease the transition from high school to college for individuals who are the first in their family to attend college in the United States. According to a study by UCLA in Forbes, first-generation students are 15 percent less likely to graduate college than students who have parents with higher education, a distinction Forbes calls an “Opportunity Gap.” Partain said the new First Generation LLC is meant to create a clear path for firstgeneration students so they can be just as successful as their peers. “There are many folks who might’ve gone to school elsewhere, but it’s a different experience than coming to
AMBARINA HASTA | MERCURY STAFF
Infrmation technology freshman Trenton Moore (left) and zfinance freshman Abby Flores study in the Elbow lounge of Residence Hall South for midterms. The new First Generation LLC is meant to aid students in achieving success on the same level as their peers.
university in the U.S.,” Partain said. “We realized that a lot of the services we were providing to first-generation students still weren’t relevant to folks whose parents hadn’t gone to school in the United States. Because what it’s really about is not understanding the landscape of a university.” Partain is also a first-generation student. Her family is from the Phil-
ippines, and neither of her parents attended college. She said she did not know what resources were available to students. “When I started at university, I had no idea what financial aid was,” Partain said. “I worked and went to school full-time, and I could’ve gone to school for free. I had no idea that I could’ve worked out for free or that there was a
career center or a health center, because there was nobody to go before me who knew that stuff. Something that’s common sense to you isn’t common sense until someone teaches it to you first.” The First Generation LLC allows students to live in a community in
→ SEE LLC, PAGE 11
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THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVIII No. 20
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February 22 • A UTD student reported damage to his vehicle that occurred between 10:15 a.m. and 1:53 p.m. on Armstrong Drive.
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February 27 • Two UTD students were arrested at 9:08 p.m. for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in the Natural Science Engineering Research Lab.
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February 28 • At 4:20 p.m., a UTD student reported that someone stole $50 from her wallet after she dropped it on the third floor of the McDermott Library.
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March 1 • The UTD Parking Office reported that a wheel boot was stolen afrom a car in Phase 7 at 8:45 a.m.
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March 2 • A UTD student was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in Phase 6 at 1:16 a.m.
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DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD | COURTESY
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Pre-law advisor hired after 4-month search New mentor to work with pre-law students, Moot Court members following former advisor’s resignation during fall semester WENDY YOON Mercury Staff
After their previous advisor resigned last semester, pre-law students went without a replacement during the fourmonth hiring process. A new mentor arrived to fill the position early last month. Former pre-law advisor Anne Dutia tendered her resignation in mid-August before officially leaving her office on Sept. 30. While Dutia continued to work with Moot Court members, other pre-law students were left without guidance during the law school application process. Top schools such as Harvard and Columbia had their deadlines in early to mid-February, and Barbara Kirby began her position the new pre-law advisor on Feb. 5. Economics graduate student Christina Lanier said the changes caused her to experience some uncertainty. “This period that we’re in right now, especially for senior pre-law students, is a very critical time to have an advisor,” Lanier said. “So I’m glad they brought (Kirby) on at this point.” Moot Court students, including political science senior Jared Looper, worked with Dutia until winter break. The class allows students to practice delivering their oral arguments before a mock Supreme Court. Looper said the abruptness of the change was surprising and he would have preferred more clarity and long-term planning from the school. “All the people in Moot Court heard a lot of different things,” Looper said. “There wasn’t a clear line of communication from the university.” Dean of Undergraduate Education Jessica Murphy served on the hiring board for the advisor position and explained during the hiring process, an email address was created to respond to student concerns. The school posted the contact information for this address on UTD pre-law websites, as well as a board outside of the pre-law advising center. “There were informal advising rela-
ANUPAM GUPTA | MERCURY STAFF
Political science professor Douglas Dow teaches a Moot Court class on Feb. 12. Members of the class learn to form legal agruments and present them to a mock Supreme Court. Former pre-law advisor Anne Dutia continued to coach Moot Court students until mid-December after her resignation.
tionships across campus with professors who have had experience advising students to pre-law,” Murphy said. “So anybody who had come to me, I would’ve been able to direct them to pre-law services.” She also explained that Dutia helped students through the early-application process, and acceptances started arriving after her departure. Kirby then filled the position and is currently helping the next cycle of law school applicants, as well as those who received acceptance letters and need help choosing a school. “There may have been a couple of weeks in there when there was not cover-
age from an advisor, but I would disagree with the sense that there was nobody there,” Murphy said. She added that the final step of the hiring process involved a luncheon with the two final candidates, including faculty members such as Honors College Dean Ted Harpham, pre-law students and Moot Court members. Murphy said this step took more time because of the winter break, but the overall process was handled in a timely manner. “The hiring process was completely normal, so from my point of view, there wasn’t really a gap,” Murphy said. “Dutia left Sept. 30 and we were interviewing
candidates in December.” Kirby, who practiced law for 20 years before advising pre-law students at the University of North Texas, said she plans on making students more aware of the resources she can provide in terms of career paths. “I have done a lot of research and gotten a lot of information about where the legal profession is going,” Kirby said. “So I want to be involved in picking and helping the people who are going to be our next lawyers.” Looper explained while Dutia was highly qualified and left big shoes to fill, he feels confident in Kirby’s abilities as
an advisor. “The institution has a lot of support for her, so what I want to see is someone who works really hard to get students where they want to go,” Looper said. Murphy also said for the most part, every student she’s spoken to has had a positive response toward Kirby’s arrival. In addition, she also expressed her own excitement about the new advisor. “Dr. Kirby’s approach is that every student across campus should be able to come to pre-law advising and get some advice on whether law school is right for them, and I think that’s what we need right now,” Murphy said.
Monks solicit students for money Non-affiliated individuals on campus give students books, request cash EMAAN BANGASH Mercury Staff
People claiming to be traveling monks or temple-goers are approaching UTD students around campus and asking for money. The people usually claim they are from a local temple and hand out religious texts, saying famous figures such as Albert Einstein read those books. They also ask the student for compensation in the form of donations. David Garvin, a computer engineering senior, was approached by a man near Founder’s North on Feb. 1. He said the man looked like he wasn’t supposed to be there and kept looking around constantly as he was speaking. The man mentioned that he usually takes donations for the books, and produced a card reader when Garvin said he didn’t have any cash. “He brought out books from his bag,” Garvin said. “The first one was about Hinduism, and he had (books about) Hinduism and Buddhism. It wasn’t just one religion. He kept bringing up historical figure names like, ‘Oh, so and so Jefferson was into this.’ At first, I wasn’t really bothered by it but then he started talking about Sanskrit, and at this point I had three books in my hands and I was trying not to be rude even though
I was late for class.” Seth Ray, a physics junior, was stopped by a traveling monk outside of Green Hall last year. He said the man was very non-aggressive and dressed in hipster-like clothing. “I said I didn’t have any money and he said ‘Well, money’s not an issue, you can have the book so as long as you read it,’” Ray said. “He seemed super chill, it was almost like he was really, really relaxed.” The Mercury attempted to contact the temple Ray was invited to, Hare Krishna Temple in Dallas, but they could not be reached for more information about this practice, and if these people are even from their temple. The UTD Police Department deals with the removal of unauthorized individuals on campus. Lt. Ken MacKenzie said since he joined the department in 2010, he’d frequently seen solicitation on campus and in many different forms. While he wasn’t familiar with the “traveling monks,” all solicitors are told to leave the campus unless they are a part of a student-backed program. “If you get in contact with somebody like this, it’s supposed to be approved, and the best thing for them to do would be to call us and we’ll send somebody out to approve the function,” he said. “I’ll tell you right now somebody here that’s selling books or walk-
ing around asking for money isn’t going to be approved.” MacKenzie said these types of scammers usually target UTD and other college campuses because of how small the campus areas are and the concentrated population density. He said that often, the solicitors approach college students because of their willingness to give. It’s difficult to help students who have fallen victim to these scams by giving them money to compensate for the amount they donated, because the students volunteer to give money, and the collection of those funds cannot be considered an offense, he said. “You have all these young students who maybe don’t know any better, even though they’re intelligent,” MacKenzie said. “When it comes to common sense, sometimes they’re still learning. At this college, we have so many people that are so intelligent that are preyed upon because they are so generous and want to help people.” People who receive a criminal trespass warning are not allowed to return. If they do return, they are arrested on the spot. If students encounter any form of solicitation, they should call the police non-emergency number, 972-883-2222, or simply 2222 on any campus phone, and a police officer will be dispatched to their location.
SARAH BESSERER | MERCURY STAFF
TAYLOR GUEST | COURTESY
Residence Hall Renovations Members of the Residential Life Committee are hoping to add a series of amenities to the University Commons, such as providing small bandage kits and rentable recycling bins to help increase sustainability within the residence halls. Chairwoman Danni Yang and her committee have also discussed the possibility of placing permanent hammock locations in the Phase 8 courtyard, so no rental equipment would be necessary. Additionally, Student Government members plan to work with Residential Life to replace the umbrellas available
for rent with more durable models, in addition to extending this service to the dorms in Canyon Creek.
Engagement committee and an online graduate pre-orientation module to assist undergraduate and graduate students in acclimating to college.
Orbit’s Arrival Northside Jungle Gym A new program called Orbit will be instituted on campus as part of the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan. Orbit’s primary goal is to provide all first-time college students with an engaging and inclusive experience during their time at UTD with a series of programs to encourage further campus involvement. Orbit will feature components such as a New Student Engagement Board, Global
SG has teamed up with Residential Life and University Recreation to develop an outdoor gymnasium in the Northside apartment courtyard. The gymnasium would include features such as pull-up bars, a climbing wall and a variety of outdoor fitness equipment. Contractors expect construction to be completed by the end of the spring semester.
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Conservative comedian sparks debate over gun laws UTD College Republicans sponsor host of podcast, online series in effort to open discussion on both sides of political argument CINDY FOLEFACK News Editor
Editor’s Note: This story originally ran on The Mercury’s website. Conservative political commentator Steven Crowder came to campus to discuss firearm legislation with students and find common ground between their viewpoints and his own. Over the course of his segment, Crowder drew a crowd of about 40 students. Crowder hosts a YouTube series titled “Change My Mind” — which has garnered over 10 million views — where he interviews students with the goal of being convinced to change his mindset on certain topics, such as his pro-gun stance. He and his team set up a table in front of the McDermott Library on Feb. 23 to film the show and talk to students. Public affairs freshman Elizabeth Egusquiza serves as president of the College Republicans and sponsored the comedian’s visit. She explained that the visit was planned in advance and only coincided with recent instances of gun violence, such as the school shooting in Florida, out of pure chance. “This series, ‘Change My Mind,’ is kind of sit down and discuss instead of the crazy conversations that we have in politics,” Egusquiza said. “This is more of a relaxed setting to have a ... deeper conversation.” In addition to his YouTube channel, which has over 1 million subscribers, Crowder also hosts “Louder with Crowder,” an online TV show and podcast that airs on the conservative network CRTV. Past guests on the show include current state senator Ted Cruz, as well as former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee. Political science junior Fawaz Anwar serves as president of the College Democrats and said while the College Republicans and Crowder were exercising
their rights to free speech, the conversations students had with the commentator may not have represented both sides of the debate equally. “I would start the conversation by including gun owners for sure, but also people who are victims of gun violence, people like Everytown (for Gun Safety), Moms Demand Action (for Gun Sense in America),” Anwar said. “Have more of a roundtable discussion rather than just one viewpoint.” Anwar also said while Crowder’s event remained peaceful, he believes that the comedian may have been invited for his provocative views rather than to start or continue a conversation. Crowder interviewed students over the course of three hours last week, and finance sophomore Logan Laird was part of the crowd that gathered to watch. He regularly watches the commentator’s online content and said it allows him to see opposing viewpoints. “It’s often entertaining, but there’s also a lot of good discussion that goes there as well,” Laird said. “I usually come away agreeing with one of the students he’s interviewing or standing with him, but I see the other side to an argument better.” Crowder has also gone to Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University as part of his YouTube series, where he discussed topics such as male privilege and abortion. The commentator first visited UTD on Oct. 20 to discuss gun laws, but was asked to leave by UTD police as he didn’t get the university’s permission to film and interview students at that time. Healthcare studies junior Michael Nguyen is a member of the College Republicans and said he enjoys the relaxed atmosphere Crowder brings to discussions, allowing students to sit down and expand their worldview. “When an opportunity like this
CINDY FOLEFACK | NEWS EDITOR
On Feb. 23 conservative political commentator Steven Crowder spoke to computer science senior Ahad Memon as a part of a video for his YouTube series, “Change My Mind.” Crowder filmed the segment on the Plinth and was invited to campus by the UTD College Republicans.
comes about, for any college student who disagrees with other people on certain issues, I think it’s a valuable thing for them to have the experience to go out there and talk about their own opinions,” Nguyen said. “One thing I don’t want us to do is to have these ideas that we agree with and believe, but we don’t actually know why. I think in college, it’s valuable for us to evaluate these beliefs because ... this is a place for a getting an education.” One of the students Crowder interviewed was computer science senior Ahad Memon, who advocated for increased background checks for gun purchases and said that some of the com-
mentator’s facts may have been incorrect. “I might be misinformed, but at least in doing my research, I didn’t think I was in saying that the gun laws in Texas and in many other states allow for private gun sales, so you don’t need a background check for these private sales,” Memon said. “That’s what I was trying to argue, but he outright said that’s not true and it’s illegal.” According to Giffords Law Center, Texas doesn’t require background checks for private gun purchases if the seller is an unlicensed dealer. Memon said despite the differences of opinion between him and Crowder, they may have found common ground. “I just wanted to argue that universal
background checks are necessary, and I think he agreed on that,” Menon said. “I think it’s just a question of miscommunication between what is legal and what isn’t.” Crowder’s table attracted a crowd of students to the Plinth, and Nguyen said the discussions that happened as a result allowed students to learn about their own opinions as well as those that differ. “If we compare this to the other dialogues we have around the country, a lot of it isn’t productive,” Nguyen said. “We just jeer at each other or make fun of each other, we actually don’t get any conversation done. But here, there are students who actually want to learn more.”
Community celebrates groundbreaking of Science Building 186,000 square foot structure projected to be complete in two years WENDY YOON Mercury Staff
MICHAEL STOUT | MERCURY STAFF
On Feb. 20, city of Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker (left), Student Government President JW Van Der Schans, President Richard Benson and Temoc helped to breakground on the new Science Building.
UTD administration, faculty and members of the student body attended the groundbreaking commemoration of the new Science Building. The new structure will be located in between the Science Learning Center and the Physics Building. Calvin Jamison, vice president of Administration, said it will host the Department of Physics and the Center for Space Science because they are two complementary fields.
“This exciting new science building will address much-needed space for primarily physics and spaces sciences, while adding to the inventory of critical classroom space needed for our growing campus population,” Jamison said in an email interview with The Mercury. “Architecturally, it complements the almost 4 million square feet, and $1.5 billion in development added to the campus over the last decade.” With its 186,375 square footage and an investment of $100 million, the Science Building will house five stories and resources such as classrooms, research
spaces and collaborative and study spaces for the growing number of mathematics, physics and UTeach program students. It will also include a grab-andgo food location, a lecture hall with 300 seats, another hall with 150 seats and a courtyard outside. The building will accommodate 1,750 students, 50 tenured and tenure-track faculty members and 20 senior lecturers and receive a research funding of $7.5 million per year. According to the Office of Facilities Planning and Construction executive summary, the plan is to complete the project by May 2020.
SAM LOPEZ | MERCURY STAFF
LIFE&ARTS
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MARCH 5, 2018 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
Students spread joy to children Honoring civil rights activists Members of UTD community dress as Disney princesses to support children facing serious illnesses
Residence hall staff create interactive history event
MADELINE AMBROSE | MERCURY STAFF
Students dressed up as activists to educate others about the civil rights movement for the Rights at the Museum event on Feb. 19 at the Residence Hall West lobby. TOMMY TAN Mercury Staff
PRINCESSES WITH A PURPOSE | COURTESY
The UTD chapter of Princesses with a Purpose, an organization working with hospitalized children, launched in 2016. Its members dress as princesses from Disney franchises. DEV THIMMISETTY Mercury Staff
Out of all the children celebrating at HopeWalk, there seemed to only be one who was crying. At the sight of Anna, her favorite character from “Frozen,” the girl’s tears stopped flowing as her face shifted from a frown to a smile. Interdisciplinary studies senior Brea Baygents was the princess playing Anna who made this girl’s day at a HopeWalk for HopeKids event on Oct. 7, when children were celebrating their years of remission from cancer or life-threatening illnesses. To this day, Baygents said this was one of her favorite experiences as a member of Princesses with a Purpose, an organization using Disney characters to brighten the lives of children, some of whom are facing serious illnesses.
“Seeing that little girl get distracted by me and stop crying — it was just adorable,” Baygents said. “Our mission is to bring hope, joy, love and happiness to the people, and I think we really are doing that.” Princesses with a Purpose is an organization serving the DFW area founded in 2014, and originally operated separately from UTD. However, Miranda Dymond, healthcare studies sophomore and president of the club, and the other officers formed a student organization on campus during the spring of 2016 to gather the attention of more students. Dymond said the club provides a way for students to combine their diversified interests of Disney and make a difference in the lives of sick children. “Disney’s something I’ve been a big fan of since I was a child, and a lot of
us still are,” Dymond said. “The idea of being able to help children while doing something that I’m really passionate about really appealed to me. I think that’s the driving force for a lot of us.” The student group partners with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital to individually meet children suffering from illnesses or to bring cheer to groups of children in the hospital while dressed up as Disney characters. They also participate in community events, such as parades, charity walks and photo shoots, to meet with children who may not be hospitalized and spread awareness of the organization. Dymond said the biggest obstacle is increasing the involvement from UTD students. “A lot of people out there simply haven’t heard about us,” she said. “We are trying to get our name out there,
but trying to do it in a way that attracts people. It sounds like a lot of work and that it’ll be really time consuming, but we don’t just need character performers. We need general volunteers as well.” The key is to capture student interest and then inform them, Baygents said. “We’re hoping to take over the Plinth one day and do a character photo shoot because that would be really cool,” she said. “The more members we have, the more events we can do.” Even though it may be time consuming to set events up and go through training, the outcome will be worth it, Baygents said. “We literally spread happiness for the kids and the volunteers,” she said. “We cheer them up, and at the same time, we are having fun too, goofing off just a little bit all the time.”
PHOTOS BY: AMIT SINGALWAR | MERCURY STAFF GRAPHICS BY: CAROLINA ALVAREZ | SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
LEMON CLUB TALENT SHOW Students performed in the Lemon Club’s third annual talent show, which took place on March 2 at the Plinth. The organization asked audience members and performers to make donations to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, a nonprofit funding cancer research.
The Residence Hall Southwest staff created an event to teach students about civil rights activists. Rights at the Museum is an event created by the peer advisors at RHSW and hosted in the Residence Hall West lobby. As part of the event, peer advisors acted as civil rights activists to teach students about the lives of advocates and the issues they supported. Jack Partain, psychology sophomore and peer advisor, said part of the motivation behind the Rights at the Museum idea to showcase a variety of civil rights issues and activists was to reflect the diverse staff of Residential Life and the diverse student body. “We worked really hard to make (Rights at the Museum) something presentable and something that would be really interesting to the coordinators,” Partain said. “And we won and it was fantastic. We were super happy because it was (out of ) all the areas and we were the ones who were selected.” During planning, Southwest Residence Hall Coordinator Rachel Deen said a big part of the Rights at the Museum was to represent aspects of civil rights activism such as education and privacy that have not typically received as much attention. Nixon Jose, a mechanical engineering junior who attended the event, reflected on what the event meant for him. “It's interesting because it's mostly people that I've never heard of until after this event,” Jose said. “It wasn't like Martin Luther King. It was people that nobody knows about or people who just came up, like Malala who got shot a few years ago. And Edward Snowden. No one really thinks of him as a political activist but he is.” Some of the advisors decided to showcase activists who spoke about issues that have personally affected them. “We were looking through a list and we saw Clifford Beers, who fought for mental health rights, and whom I'd never heard of,” Partain said. “Mental health is often not considered a civil right. But I consider it very important to me because I struggled with mental health personally before in the past.” Other advisors chose activists because of the impact they had on the national conversation surrounding civil rights. “A lot of the people were (focusing) … more on the fact of equality rather than straight up attacks on somebody's privacy,” said Samuel Wallaert, a mechanical engineering junior and peer advisor. “Snowden is more along the lines of technological attacks where it's you. It's impartial to race, gender and so forth.” As part of the research process, the peer advisors utilized different techniques to learn about their activists. For example, Wallaert looked directly at the dossier Snowden leaked to find far-reaching government surveillance programs. Partain, for his presentation on Clifford Beers, read Beers’ autobiography, “A Mind That Found Itself.” Deen said the idea for Rights at the Museum originated as part of a competition
→ SEE RIGHTS, PAGE 11
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SPORTS
ASC Disappointment TRAVIS DICKERSON Mercury Staff
The women’s basketball team made it to the local conference tournament before falling short 6 points in its semifinal game. After going 22-4 in the regular season and winning their first game against Hardin-Simmons, the team lost against East Texas Baptist University on Feb. 23, with a final score of 60-66. The team was ranked No. 24 by the Women’s Basketball Coach’s Association and selected for an at-large bid in the NCAA Division III tournament. The team also had several players honored throughout the season, including sophomore guard Victoria Pena, who was the ASC East Division Player of the Year. In the first round of the ASC tournament, the team played the Hardin-Simmons Cowgirls on Feb. 22. The Cowgirls fell behind as the Comets gained an early lead, beginning the second half up 7 points. The team kept the lead with the help of senior forward Madison Steele, who achieved a career high of 26 points, and Pena, whose game-high six assists helped the team get their double-digit lead. The Cowgirls were unable to bridge the gap, and the game ended with a final score of 86-56. Assistant coach Natalie Marlowe attributed this early lead to the Comet’s tendency to cycle players throughout the game. “We control their playing time,” Marlowe said. “We make sure we get the right group of kids in at the right time to help us get that edge.” In the semifinal round on Feb. 23 the team faced off against ETBU. The Comets faced the ETBU Wildcats on Jan. 11 and the game ended with a final score of 59-55 for the Comets. In the semifinals of the ASC tournament, UTD led ETBU for the first half of the game, ending with an 11-point lead. However, at the start of the second half, ETBU quickly gained a 6-point lead on the Comets. Head coach Polly Thomason said the loss was because of hesitation on the part of the offensive players. “We just stop making some shots, we were hesitant when we were open,” Thomason said. “We picked the wrong day to have a lack of confidence in our offense.” The victory against the Comets allowed ETBU to move on to the final round of the ASC. From there, ETBU faced off against Mary Hardin-Baylor, where they won the championship 71-70. The loss did not keep the Comets from the NCAA Division III Na-
tional Tournament and Pena said the team was hopeful for a comeback after the ASC loss. “We want to finish the season on a high note,” Pena said. “Even if we lose down the road, just knowing that we gave it our all is important for us.” During the regular season, the team had two nine-game winning streaks and sat on top of the NCAA Division III South Regional Rankings for all of February. Five Comets were given honors by the ASC, as well as head coach Polly Thomason, who was given ASC East Coach of the Year for the fourth time in her career. The Comets opened the NCAA tournament with a 79-70 win over Trinity University before being eliminated in their rematch against ETBU, losing 51-64.
UTD teams defeated in conference semifinals.
YANNIS SHAFI Mercury Staff
The men’s basketball season came to a close after losing to the Sul Ross State Lobos 54-62 in the semifinals of the ASC Tournament. After defeating the Concordia Tornadoes 81-65 in the quarter-finals on Feb. 22, the team advanced to the semifinal round for the first time since 2014, when they last won the championship. Although the Comets beat both Concordia and Sul Ross State in the regular season, they failed to capitalize against the Lobos at the tournament. Though they came up short of their goal, the team recorded seven more wins than last season, and finished with a 19-8 record. Against the Tornadoes, the Comets were down by 4 points at halftime before the offense began to click, and they outscored the Tornadoes 50-30 in the second half. They dominated on defense with 32 points off turnovers. Sophomore guard Dimitrius Underwood led the team in offensive production and recorded a double-double
by shooting 13-22 from the field, with 35 points and 10 rebounds. “There was a stretch where we went down 10 points, and I just remembered saying to myself, ‘Hey, this is not how I want our season to end,’” Underwood said. “I tried to make plays where I could, and luckily the shots fell and it was just a good night for me all around.” The Comets struggled offensively against the Lobos during their Feb. 23 game. They shot 18-61 on the field, with Underwood being the only scorer in double digits with 11 points. Although their field goal percentage increased in the second half, they were outscored 39-33, as the Lobos advanced to the ASC Finals, where they defeated East Texas Baptist University. Head coach Terry Butterfield said the players executed well on defense, but offensive production was subpar, especially against Sul Ross State. “We played good defense, and we held them to about 33 percent from the field,” Butterfield said. “We shot the ball very poorly and only shot 29 percent in the game, which is incredibly bad.” At the conclusion of the season, five Comets were awarded by the ASC. Senior point guard Caleb Banks was named to the All-ASC East Second Team. Freshman forward Kelden Pruitt was named to the All-ASC Freshman Team. Senior guard Jon Hatcher and senior forward Reagan Keogh were listed as honorable mentions, and Underwood was named to the All-ASC Squad and the ASC-East First Team. “I definitely worked hard for it, but I don’t want to become complacent,” Underwood said. “I want to just continue to get better and be the best player that I can be.” Looking toward next season, the Comets are keeping their core group together, as they are only losing three seniors. The players will begin the strength program this offseason and work individually to make another run in the ASC Tournament next season. “We’ve got a really good nucleus of guys coming back,” Butterfield said. “I think our guys have learned from the seniors this year, but I think they’re ready to chart their own course next year.”
WILLIAM LEGRONE | PHOTO EDITOR
Tennis teams picked to win ASC named both Comets clubs as division favorites in preseason poll AHMED ALHAQUE Mercury Staff
The UTD tennis teams started their spring seasons with a combined 5-1 record after the league picked both teams as favorites to win the American Southwest Conference West Division. The women’s team went undefeated through the first three match-ups against Concordia Texas 8-1, Whitworth 5-0 and Sul Ross State 9-0. The men’s team dropped its Feb. 25 game against Millsaps College 3-6 but won the other two, an 8-1 win over Concordia Texas and a 9-0 win over Sul Ross State. After falling to UT Tyler in the past two finals, players from the men’s team are looking to come back from the 5-0 finals sweep they lost last season. Senior Ryan Morton said the UTD men’s team aims to improve upon its doubles play because of the 0-3 hole it put the team in during the finals.
“We were in position to win two of those three (doubles matches) and had we won two of those matches, I am very certain we would have won that match,” Morton said. UT Tyler has won the ASC Tournament every year over the last decade, except for the 2013 UTD championship. The right to host this year’s conference tournament will be awarded to the team with the best conference record in the ASC West. Senior Alberto Hernandez said he was excited to have the chance at the home-court advantage. “If we win the Conference West, they’re going to come here to us and we’re going to bring it home,” Hernandez said. “We expect all of the fans cheering for us, and we’re going to give them a hell of a match.” The women’s team has been under .500 since its 2014 finals loss to UT Tyler, and started last year with a 0-7 losing streak. Bryan Whitt, head coach of both teams for 13 seasons,
said it was really the conference record which matters, not the women’s losing record. “The players want to win,” Whitt said. “But if (out-of-conference matches) get us ready for winning the west division and give us the opportunity to get more experience and really have a shot at winning the west division, then I’m indifferent to whether we win or lose, as long as we are growing and learning from it.” Junior Sumvruta Iyengar said it’s better starting off the season 3-0 instead of 0-7, although they have yet to face the same difficult matches they had in the beginning of last year. “We have a lot of new players on this team now, so that’s really going to give us the edge we need,” Iyengar said. The women’s team finished among the top three teams in the division for the past three years, but have also lost in the ASC semifinals for the past three seasons.
NOAH WHITEHEAD | MERCURY STAFF
Junior Sumvruta Iyengar practices on March 2 to prepare for the team’s March 3 match against Sul Ross State. The Comets defeated the Lobos 9-0 to stay undefeated this season. The men’s team also posted a 9-0 shutout against Sul Ross.
The women’s team will play its first conference matchup on the road at Howard Payne University on March 8. The men’s team will start conference
play two weeks later on March 21, also against Howard Payne University. “The ultimate goal for both teams are to get to nationals,” Whitt said.
ETHAN CHRISTOPHER | MERCURY STAFF
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SPORTS
THE MERCURY | March 5, 2018
7
Comets lose in second round of NCAA tournament
PHOTOS BY: WILLIAM LEGRONE & MICHAEL STOUT
TRAVIS DICKERSON Mercury Staff
The UTD women’s basketball team was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament after securing an at-large bid. Despite losing in the semifinal round of the ASC on Feb. 23, the team was selected for the NCAA Division III National Tournament after ranking No. 24 in the polls. The Comets hosted the first two rounds of the tournament on March 2-3 for the second consecutive year. The team was matched against Trinity University in the opening round before moving on to face East Texas Baptist University, the team that defeated them a week prior in the ASC Tournament. During the regular season, UTD didn’t play Trinity, who was ranked No. 21 in the NCAA National Polls. The last time the teams met was during the 20162017 season, a game UTD lost 46-54. This time proved different as the Comets started off by gaining and maintaining a small lead on the Tigers, ending the first half with a 4-point lead. Trinity head coach Cameron Hill attributed the Comets managing their lead to a home advantage as well as being able to do what they needed to do. “UTD took advantage of being at home,” Hill said. “When they needed the points, they got them, when they need the stops they got them. We did the same to a point, but it wasn’t enough
in the stretch.” The Comets continued to lead throughout the final half of the game, and the game ended 79-70 with UTD up 9 points over Trinity. Three freshman guards led the team. Kelley Skinner had seven rebounds, and she had a team-high 17 points and four assists in her 33 minutes of playtime. Alexa Boushey went 6-for-8 on field goals in her 36 minutes, and Raenett Hughes’ eight rebounds were the most on either team. Skinner said that the team was excited again after the disappointment of last weekend’s tournament. “Everyone was so upset after last weekend,” Skinner said. “But that was the incentive to come out and win.” On March 3, the team went up against ETBU after losing against them the previous weekend. The first quarter of the game started off close, with the Comets only leading by 2 points at the buzzer. The second started the same way until ETBU snagged a 5-point lead over the Comets halfway through the game. Head coach Polly Thomason felt the team’s defense was good, but lacking in some areas. “Defensively, we were solid,” Thomason said. “I just don’t think things went the way we need to. I thought we got some stops that we couldn’t finish with either a rebound or just maybe the right call at the right time.” The second half of the game started in favor of ETBU, as they
continued to gain ground on the Comets, with the team stuck on defense most of the third quarter. The Comets weren’t able to put points on the board for the first four minutes of the third quarter. Sophomore guard Victoria Pena put up 15 points in the second half, but the Comets couldn’t close the gap. The game ended 51-64, eliminating UTD and sending ETBU to the third round to play Saint Thomas. After the game, Thomason said she was happy with the season overall, despite how the tournament turned out. “We’re going to celebrate this season,” Thomason said. “I don’t think we’re going to look forward to next year just yet. We’ve got a great group of seniors we want to finish the year out with and we want to let them enjoy the rest of the school year as a team.”
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FUNRAISER
March 20
11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. SU Mall
(rain location Visitor Center Atrium)
Support your favorite student organizations by purchasing food, games and more! Bring your wallet. Bring a friend.
utdallas.edu/soc
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THE MERCURY | MARCH 5, 2018
LIFE&ARTS
UTDMERCURY.COM
Springtime Destinations As students are counting down the days until their well-deserved break from school, they may also be searching for places to spend time with their friends and family. Here is a short list of places around the DFW area you can visit during the break or any other warm spring day. STORY BY: AYOUNG JO | MERCURY STAFF
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You probably saw this one coming. How else can you feel the spirit of springtime other than to see and smell the flowers? The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a wonderful place to be any time of the year, but it is especially worth a visit around springtime, when colorful flowers are planted and the trees are blooming. From Feb. 24 to April 8, the Arboretum will be featuring “Dallas Blooms,” one of the largest floral festivals in the Southwest. The good news for UTD students and staff is that the Comet Card Office provides year-round discounted tickets to the arboretum for $11 (compared to the regular price of $15), so if you are planning a visit, be sure to purchase your tickets in advance on campus.
10656 FM2931, Pilot Point, TX Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Texas-Tulips
If you want to see even more spring flowers or bring them home with you (because picking flowers is not allowed at the Dallas Arboretum), Texas-Tulips may be just the destination for you. Located in Pilot Point, about an hour from campus, Texas-Tulips is an 80-acre tulip field where visitors can walk around, take pictures, pick and purchase any stem of the Dutch flower they desire. There are over 90 varieties of tulips to choose from, and each stem you pick is $2.50 each, including the wrapping and flower gel. This year, the field opened to the public on Feb. 24 and will remain open until late March or early April.
TEXAS-TULIPS LLC | COURTESY
Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival
201 Main Street, Fort Worth, TX
From April 19-22, Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival will be happening in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square. It is an annual festival featuring works of fine arts, live concerts, performance artists, street food and more. There are numerous opportunities to create your own artwork as well. The event is free, though coupons are available for purchase if you want food or drinks prepared by culinary experts. It is largest and highest-rated arts festival in the Southwest, so pay a visit if your weekend is not too hectic.
1301 West Belt Line Road, Richardson, TX
Cottonwood Park
You don’t have to drive all the way to Dallas or Fort Worth to enjoy your spring days — there are some great places close to campus. The first is Cottonwood Park. It is a well-kept park only 10 minutes away from campus. It may be a perfect destination for those who want to get active outdoors, as it offers amenities such as tennis and sand volleyball courts.
‘til Midnight at the Nasher
AMBARINA HASTA | MERCURY STAFF
2001 Flora Street, Dallas, TX
For many students, one of the perks of attending UTD is its proximity to the city. Downtown Dallas is home to many attractions, such as concert venues, shops, art galleries and eateries, so it is no wonder it is always bustling with locals and tourists alike. Obviously, all of the attractions draw visitors year-round, but not “‘til Midnight at the Nasher.” It is a free monthly event hosted by the Nasher Sculpture Center every third Friday of the month, and the first one of 2018 will be on March 16. From 6 p.m. to midnight, visitors can explore the museum for free, enjoy live music by regional bands and watch a movie on the lawn.
AMBARINA HASTA | MERCURY STAFF
2400 W Prairie Creek Drive, Richardson, TX
Prairie Creek Park
If you are looking for a spot even closer to campus, try Prairie Creek Park. It is a location that locals frequent for family photo shoots, or even wedding photo shoots, so needless to say, it is a scenic place — especially when the waterfall is flowing. There are also several picnic areas, so grab your friends and food and come for an afternoon picnic.
AMBARINA HASTA | MERCURY STAFF
UTDMERCURY.COM → STEM
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is a research assistant on STEPP, and explained that while she received her high school education outside of the United States, she can understand why this program may be helpful to students. “I think understanding physics from an interactive perspective, or any subject for that matter, is always more helpful, and I think this would help students not just understand what’s going on, but also get a better idea of what they can do further with it,” Elumalai said. “I know the words, but I don’t know where they’re getting applied in real life every day, so if you can bring that to them, I think they can see physics from a different point of view.” Kitagawa began recruiting
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“Through our research, we identified small molecules that bind only to cancer stem cell populations and not to normal cells or non-cancerous stem cell populations,” Chen said.
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called “Shark Tank.” For the competition, all the residential halls created and presented an idea for an event. The winner received funding
→ LLC
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Residence Hall Northwest with a PA who is also first-generation. The LLC administration is admitting 24 students — eight rooms of three students — for their first class of freshmen in the program, and is partnering with UTD admissions to connect with potential students. Partain said the rooms could be further categorized by career interests or majors, but the details depend on the students who apply. Global business freshman Alyanna Delloro is a first-generation college student. Her parents attended a university, but not in the United States.
NEWS
THE MERCURY | MARCH 5, 2018
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other UTD professors, including computer science professor and ATEC Distinguished Chair Paul Fishwick, in fall 2014. The team submitted their proposal to the National Science Foundation and received approval in August 2017. A team of research assistants, including computer science doctoral students Kira Jin and Zheheng Zhao, along with physics senior Baily Hale, physics doctoral student Nathan Steinle and Elumalai developed the Finite State Machine, allowing students with no coding experience to build their own simulations. Fishwick explained that the FSM is a way of simplifying the translation between physics and English. “It’s a way of formalizing English to be on top of the physics ... so you have something that you understand in natural language: initial state,
increase velocity, it’s the kind of stuff we might talk about once we learn the elements of physics,” Fishwick said. “So the FSM is a kind of visual language for formally representing English concepts and language which we already know.” Other co-investigators on the project include physics assistant professor Michael Kesden, planetary scientist and associate professor of science and math education Mary Urquhart and Rosanna Guadagno, a social psychologist and researcher at Stanford University’s Peace Innovation Lab. STEPP runs on Unity, a video game engine allowing students to run the simulations on various platforms including smartphones, PlayStations and computers. While this platform gives the program accessibility, Kesden said it also became an
obstacle during development. In video games, the interface conveys important information to the player using visual components such as text and avatars, as well as characters, sounds and buttons. The available interfaces running on Unity didn’t expand on the physics behind certain movements, and the team couldn’t personalize the program’s design. “Most of these interfaces were designed for game design, so they’re trying to suppress the physics and have the physics built in for you, so you don’t have to face it yourself,” Kesden said. “For us, we’re trying to teach the physics and make it much more explicit, and so that kind of mismatch between the primary intended users for these plug-ins versus the goals of our program, we decided to just make our own interface and not
rely on those built-in packages.” The team’s custom interface allows students to go through levels that present more difficult scenarios as the students learn about more advanced concepts. Richardson ISD physics teacher Clay Stanfield provides feedback to Kitagawa’s team so they know how to format STEPP’s content for on-level physics students. “(The team) has our curriculum, so we’re trying to get the modules to fit into that as seamlessly as possible,” Stanfield said. “They have to know where we’re starting from and what our long-term goal is in terms of our curriculum.” Testing is set to begin in June with the Women in Physics camp attendees who will be trying out the team’s first module for usability. Urquhart
said the team gauges student understanding through a wellresearched diagnostic physics content knowledge test. Guadagno added that one of the program’s long-term goals is to increase diversity in STEM fields by making the physics concepts easier to understand, as well as making the program more accessible through multiple platforms. She also said the program’s main long-term goal is to increase the number of students who choose to go into STEM careers. “Hopefully the experimental aspect of this will demonstrate that by learning physics and computer programming together, what it will do in the long run is be an enjoyable experience that builds people’s confidence and belief in themselves and their ability to engage with STEM fields,” Guadagno said.
The research effort started in early 2013 and received funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to conduct cancer stem cell research focusing primarily on the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Around the summer of 2016,
the team was able to successfully isolate cancer stem cells in their experiments, a breakthrough for their research. Their work was published Feb. 19 in Chemistry: A European Journal. The team also collaborates with Zhenpeng Qin, an assistant profes-
sor of mechanical engineering at UTD, in eliminating the targeted cancer stem cells. “We are trying to conjugate our small molecule with a nanoparticle,” Lee said. “We want to deliver this nanoparticle conjugate to the cancer stem cells and then use laser
to hit the cells and destroy them.” Lee said his team is hopeful of making more progress soon, and have already filed a patent for their unique approach in tackling cancer stem cells. “I knew it was not going to be easy to research about it,” Lee
said. “I get emails from patients and their family members, telling their story. Every time I got those emails, it got me thinking that we must do our best. We are actually getting something that patients can use and it can cure their disease.”
from University Recreation to make the event become a reality. This year RHSW won the competition and created Rights at the Museum. “It started off with me going, ‘Hey why don’t we do something like Night at the Muse-
um?’” Deen said. “And the staff loved it. It turned into, ‘Well how about we talk about some rights and things like that?’ And one of my members said, ‘Why don’t we try Rights at the Museum and bring out some
civil rights activists?’ That’s where we got the idea.” After the peer advisors gathered information about their activists, Deen organized all the research and consulted with the Galerstein Gender
Center and the Multicultural Center for feedback. When students finished walking through all the stations, they were given buttons and T-shirts to keep as souvenirs of the event. “Don't be complacent,” Jose
said. “Always find a better way to see the world. So (Snowden) tried to stop the security bill. Malala tried to give kids an education. Everyone has their own thing to better the world and that's what this is.”
She said they weren’t familiar with the Texas college application system or financial aid, and that made the process very difficult. They filled out the FAFSA incorrectly, and because of that, she never received federal student aid. “It was really hard because all my high school friends had parents who were experienced with the whole college process,” Delloro said. “It made me feel so behind and unprepared. Being around other people who felt the way I did would’ve been so helpful.” Neuroscience freshman Sandra Hagenimana’s parents received their college degrees in Rwanda. She said the most difficult part of entering col-
lege with parents who received degrees abroad was making sure to include her parents in the process. “I know for a lot of firstgeneration students, regardless of whether or not their parents went to college, there’s a tendency to disconnect or oversimplify your school life because, ‘Mom and Dad won’t understand,’ or ‘I don’t want to have to explain this 100 times,’” Hagenimana said. She opted to live in the prehealth LLC at UTD and attributes her smooth transition into college to roommates and residence hall neighbors whose parents also attended school outside the United States. “I think that an LLC de-
signed for first-generation students would be a wonderful idea,” Hagenimana said. “Being around other students who understand each others’ backgrounds may be enough to calm the nerves of many freshmen.” The students living in the First Generation LLC will take a freshman seminar course in the fall and a government class in the spring together. They also host an event for parents at move-in, monthly after-hours programming, game nights and a formal dinner with Associate Dean Courtney Brecheen. The specifics of what will be offered depend on the needs and wants of students, Partain said. In addition, each individual will receive a mentor.
“We’ve already had over 20 faculty and staff reach out to us to be mentors, and we’re pretty excited about that,” Partain said. “We think there’s going to be great support.” Around 700 students on campus currently live in an LLC. Partain said the overall goal of each program is to make the transition from high school to college a shift from one’s actual family to another family: a community based on connection. “If you have a lot of commonalities, it’s easier for you to develop a friendship,” Partain said. “If you can develop a friendship, you develop a sense of community. And if you have a sense of community, then you stay and you do well.”
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Schans and Vice President Alexander Holcomb said they hope the change will increase student involvement and result in smoother transitions. Van Der Schans hopes it will be implemented during his term, which ends May 1. The changes would go into effect during the next SG election cycle. “It’s the main idea of taking away those requirements and then supplementing it with more transitions and more clear transitions just so we can guarantee that the next people in charge come from the student body, but also have an understanding of how the SG works,” Van Der Schans said.
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MARCH 5, 2018 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
A REAL GAMER
OLIVER & BLUE: CATNIP
COMICS
SARAH STREETY | MERCURY STAFF
WHAT A TWIST
JENNA CHERREY | MERCURY STAFF
DECEPTION!
BIANCA DEL RIO | MERCURY STAFF
NOT MY MASCOT
SARAH BESSERER | MERCURY STAFF
FINGER BONE
IZZY MORANO | MERCURY STAFF
FEEL THE RAIN ON YOUR... SKIN?
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RAINY DAYS
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THISSSS ISSSS YOUR CAPTAIN SSSSPEAKING
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OPINION
MARCH 5, 2018 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
13
Vicente Fox and his non-laudable inheritance
Former Mexican president criticizes Trump administration despite allowing proliferation of drugs, corruption during time in office ALEJANDRA SILVA CHEMISTRY GRADUATE OP-ED
Last week, Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, visited UTD to give a talk about his book, “Let’s Move On: Beyond Fear & False Prophets.” An interesting title that fits perfectly with him: a false prophet, who criticizes the American president while he played the same position in Mexico without being any better. In this article, I want to state who is Vicente Fox, the corruption charges he is involved in, the harmful inheritance of his administration that is reflected in the actual economic and social crisis of Mexico and why we should listen to voices that really represent the immigrant community. Fox is not the best example of how a president should defend the interests of his population. According to Konkret Media, on May 3-4, 2006, Vicente Fox ordered the repression against the movement in Atenco, when the residents of this region were fighting to defend their lands from the construction of a new airport. Enrique Pena Nieto, the former governor of the State of Mexico and current president of Mexico, also ordered this violent repression, resulting in two murders and more than 240 people assaulted and arrested. Sexual abuse and torture occurred in detention centers and police vans. In 2017, 11 women brought the Mexican government before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for this case, one of the darkest epi-
sodes in both politicians’ careers. Mexico has a questionable democracy. As stated by the BBC UK, for 71 years, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) ruled the country using whatever means necessary, in a period described as “the perfect dictatorship.” According to The Washington Post, the PRI era ended when Vicente Fox, from the National Action Party (PAN), was elected in 2000, and after his promises to make Mexico less corrupt, Mexicans expected a transition. This change was never effective, and the corruption evolved during the PAN’s regime. As stated by The Guardian, Mexico dropped from 51 in 2001 to 105 in 2012 out of 176 countries in the Transparency International’s global corruption report. This is an important number that shows the null actions of Fox and his successor towards pre-existing corruption. According to Aristegui, since 2007, the Attorney’s General Office of the Republic (PGR) started an investigation after finding 27 million pesos that Fox did not declare while he was a president. Fox also received several gifts after being president. For example, he and his family obtained the shares of a transportation company for free. After he became a partner, the number of contracts this company had with the government increased by 13 times. In my opinion, these investigations demonstrate how Fox preferred to work for his own benefit instead of working for Mexicans. In Guanajuato, Fox founded a museum in his honor, Centro Fox, while his wife has a foundation called Vamos Mexico. According to Aristegui, both have received 553 millions of pesos in donations. In 2012, Outram In-
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vestments Limited, a British company that reported a capital of 2 sterling pounds, made a donation of $200,000, as stated by Aristegui. I consider that Fox should be prosecuted for receiving donations from a phantom company. A highlight of Fox’s period heritage in Mexico is the growth of the Cartel de Sinaloa, and the resulting “war on drugs.” This violent episode started after the drug lord El Chapo Guzman escaped from a high security prison. According to Anabel Hernandez’s investigation, reported by The Guardian, in 2001 at the very beginning of Fox’s period, Guzman did not escape from a high-security prison in a laundry car, as the official version declares. Instead, he escaped walking free in a police uniform. The “war on drugs” is one of the most violent periods in Mexico, currently driving the migration of Mexicans who are affected by the proliferation of violence and drug cartels. But the “war on drugs” was not the only wave of violence that emerged after Fox ruled Mexico; as stated by The Conversation, Fox decided not to prosecute corrupt governors from the PRI because he required the PRI’s votes in Congress to run his agenda, resulting in what is called “the most corrupt generation of state governors.” According to The New York Times, Tomas Yarrington, who was a governor of Tamaulipas during Fox’s presidency, faces charges in both Mexico and the United States for taking bribes from drug cartels. He allowed them to operate freely and continue spreading their violence in the region. In summary, Vicente Fox is not a good example of how to rule a country. He violently
CHRISTI LAZUTKIN | MERCURY STAFF
repressed his people, he continued the wellknown institutional corruption in Mexico, he made it evolve into a violent “war on drugs” and he allowed corruption to proliferate in several states. All these situations are deep problems that drive the migration of Mexicans to pursue better opportunities that were not available in Mexico. Unfortunately, Vicente Fox is listened to as a hero in the United States because of his declarations against President Trump, while in Mexico, he inherited a turbid future to my generation. How is it possible that Vicente Fox, who had the opportunity to lead Mexico, comes to the United States to defend the migration he created with his unwise government? Fox expressed his lack of seriousness at UTD when he said he “would also build
a wall” to prevent people under DACA to come back to Mexico. As a Mexican, I ask: Are these the solutions expected from someone who ruled the country where we don’t find opportunities? Is this the type of leader we should listen to at UTD to defend minorities? Vicente Fox doesn’t represent the voices that need to be heard. Let´s give a space to immigrants and victims of violence in Latin America. Those who left their countries and now face difficulties under Trump’s presidency are the ones who should be listened to by our community at UTD. Their experiences would allow us to understand the problems that affect our societies in both sides of the border and create active solutions to support our people in the Americas.
School shootings can’t be forgotten We need legislation to protect our children from preventable gun violence
SG president without being in the senate first?
Crystal Lewis Literary Studies Senior
Alex Christie Mechanical Engineering Sophomore
Fatemeh Khashami Physics Ph.D Candidate
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EMAAN BANGASH COMMENTARY
With the recent shootings at Michigan State University and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School within the last two weeks, the national conversation about gun control is becoming prevalent. As shootings occur week after week with little time to reflect on their impacts, it’s time to consider the ease of access to guns in the United States and the culture surrounding guns as a problem, rather than simply blaming the people wielding them. On Dec. 16, 2014, one of the world’s deadliest school massacres occurred in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan when six gunmen affiliated with the Taliban opened fire on students at the Army Public School, killing at least 141 people, including 132 students from ages ranging from 8 to 18 years old. However, the numbers don’t nearly compare to the casualties in the United States resulting from the gun violence related deaths. According to EveryTown for Gun Safety Research, there have been a total of 294 instances of firearms discharged on school campuses since 2013. The United Nations and the Human Development Index cite that the United States faced 29.7 homicides by firearm per 1 million people in 2012, compared to Germany at 1.9 homicides and Switzerland at 7.7 homicides. Despite such staggering numbers, they keep rising by the day. Guns are an extremely prevalent part of American culture. The United States holds the world’s highest gun ownership rank, and according to the Congressional Research Service, around 101 guns are owned per capita. Guns are given value under the Second Amendment of our
Constitution, and is widely considered one of the most important in the Bill of Rights. For this reason, it is frequently referenced and defended, which is why gun possession is such an integral part of American culture. Guns are a symbol of protection for many, despite there being other ways to defend yourself. The difficulty behind implementing gun control is that guns are very much an “American” thing compared to the rest of the world. What’s worse is many immediately blame the people suffering from mental illnesses. There are overwhelming amounts of evidence that there is little correlation between mental illness and gun violence. According to “Gun Violence and Mental Illness” by the American Psychiatric Association, mass shootings by people with serious mental illness represent around 1 percent of total gun homicides yearly. These serious mental illnesses often transcend common ones such as depression and autism, and include cases of personality disorders, sexual fetishes and sociopathy. Nikolas Cruz, the 19-year-old gunman from the Florida shooting, suffered from depression, ADHD, autism and OCD, yet refused treatment, despite being offered by his school teachers, according to Naples Daily News. Other factors such as alcohol and drug usage rank higher in importance when considering causes of gun violence, according to The New York Times. It’s juvenile to immediately blame mental illness as the cause for gun violence and mass shootings. Gun control is not an impossible solution. In Japan, very few people own guns, and even then, the types of guns one can own in Japan are restricted to shotguns and air rifles. To own a gun, you must attend an all-day class, pass both a written and shooting range test, go through multiple criminal background checks and mental illness checks and inform the
police department of the exact location of your gun in your house. According to Gunpolicy.org, there was a total of around 33,600 gun-related deaths in the United States in 2014. In Japan, there was a total of six gun-related deaths. We cannot turn a blind eye to the very real solutions other countries are implementing while we continue to endure the senseless gun violence. In the past, initiatives for gun control quickly were forgotten and proposals weren’t considered until the next mass shooting. After the Florida school shooting this year, however, things started to change drastically. Students in multiple schools across America participated in a national walkout to fight for tighter gun control, despite facing potential punishments such as suspensions. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart have raised the minimum age to purchase firearms and ammunition from 18 to 21. Both have also stated they will no longer be selling high-capacity magazines, bump stocks and assault rifles. Walmart also will no longer be selling airsoft guns and toys that look like assault-rifles. As terrifying as it is that another shooting may occur as predictably as the last several this year, the time is now to change the ease of accessibility to guns in the United States. While it’s unlikely that we will see a ban on guns, universal permit systems across states that include private sales seems reasonable. Banning modifications to semi-automatics to convert them to automatics and high-capacity magazines could be a start. We are in a state of disunity, and our lack of legislation tackling gun violence is a result. The time is now to start contacting our state and congressional representatives. As the midterm elections come near, it is imperative that the issue of gun control is not forgotten as part of this seemingly never-ending cycle. How much longer can we wait for another score of innocent deaths to occur by gun violence before we finally wake up?
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THE MERCURY | MARCH 5, 2018
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