The Mercury 10/17/16

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October 17, 2016

HISPANIC REPRESENTATION :

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THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

Student arrested on theft charges PD: student removed cash from AC lockers over course of semester

IT ENOUGH ?

Hispanic students face challenges due to background in university with lowest Hispanic population in UT system SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

UTD Police arrested a graduate student on three counts of theft on Oct. 12, after security footage showed him removing cash from lockers in the AC. SAMEE AHMAD Mercury Staff

UTD police arrested a student in the Activity Center on multiple charges of theft on Oct. 12.

Aditya Arolkar, an information technology and management graduate student, was caught on security footage several times since the beginning of the semester taking cash from students’ lockers, according to the police report. Many victims remain unidentified or unknown because the students have not realized they are missing cash, said UTD Police Lieutenant Ken MacKenzie.

Lead UTD investigators Melanie Cleveland and Nashotta Luckett said Arolkar started his streak on Aug. 31. He took advantage of a previous absence of cameras in one particular locker bank and discreetly opened the unlocked lockers to remove cash.

“The problem area that we were having with a lot of thefts was one that didn’t have coverage, and they didn’t turn those cameras on until Oct. 3,” Cleveland said.

Once the investigators identified the area, AC administration installed cameras immediately. MacKenzie said going through the security footage produced instant results.

“What’s funny about this is once the cameras were put in … all of a sudden, you know, not even realizing, there was (a) suspect on it. We see this guy acting weird, and we start watching him,” he said.

Cleveland and MacKenzie also identified the problem as student negligence. Students failed to properly lock their possessions because they did not rotate the knob to the closed position and press the green ‘C.’ Arolkar manipulated this carelessness, they said.

In security footage, Arolkar approaches the locker bank and tries to pull open nearly every locker. He finds two that are open and identifies one that has cash inside. He props up his backpack below himself and slides the money out.

“When you’re watching it, it’s almost unbelievable,” Cleveland said.

Though Arolkar committed these thefts in daylight, no one attempted to stop him, as the video showed.

“People pass by him all the time and nobody notices a thing,” Cleveland said.

Currently, UTD police said Arolkar may have stolen anywhere from $100 to $750, which is a Class B Misdemeanor, for which he was ar-

→ SEE THEFT, PAGE 14

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espite Texas having the second largest Hispanic population in the country, UTD’s Hispanic student enrollment this fall continues the university’s trend from last year of being the lowest ranked among all the UT System academic institutions for Hispanic representation.

With the Hispanic population totaling just 13 percent of student enrollment in fall 2016, the shortage in representation poses a challenge for Hispanic students as they compete with their peers and for the university as a whole.

STORY BY : NIDHI GOTGI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PHOTOS BY : ANDREW GALLEGOS | PHOTO EDITOR CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

The Tier One Bias Raul Hinojosa Jr., the director of Community Engagement, said one of the reasons The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at El Paso, The University of Texas at San Antonio and The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley have higher Hispanic populations than UTD is that the schools have a goal to maintain their Hispanic Serving Institution status.

→ SEE HISPANIC, PAGE 14

HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR

(Top left to right) accounting and finance junior Flor Morales, global business sophomore Jennifer Garcia, mechanical engineering sophomore Erick Villa, (bottom left to right) biology senior Junior Cruz, finance senior Govanny Quintana and EMAC junior Gabriela Torres discuss the struggles of being a minority, adjusting to college as a first-generation college student and how their backgrounds play a role in their pursuit of higher education at UTD.

Game library shut down temporarily Faculty plans to diversify space’s use for spring THOMAS CASSA Mercury Staff

The ATEC Games and Media Library is shut down for the remainder of the semester for renovations.

The GML was commonly used by dozens of students a day as a hangout spot to play video games and meet others interested in game design to potentially embark on collaborative personal projects. On Oct. 4, the space was shut down so changes could be made that would make it more appealing to a wider variety of students and faculty.

Michael Andreen, an ATEC game design professor involved with the faculty committee in charge of the GML, said all the planned changes ideally were to happen over the summer, but that was pushed back because of multiple new faculty members being hired. Now that the semester has begun, the changes are too jarring to be made while there are students occupying the space.

“If the students are watching this happen piece by piece, without a greater context and seeing all the stuff going on behind the scenes, it looks really disjointed, and that’s not the image we want them to see. We want to present them the whole pack-

age,” he said.

Over the summer, the GML transitioned from a small closet-like space that fit around 10 people, to a much larger space with its own projector, big round tables and small extra rooms that are attached to the original.

When the GML was re-opened just two weeks into the fall semester, the new room was intended to be packaged with policy changes involving time and inventory management that weren’t properly implemented due to the rushed re-opening of the space.

A goal for the new GML was to make it more friendly for students looking to use the room for research. Previously, the space was used more for gaming and socializing. Faculty is aiming to put policies in place to make both possible by implementing a time schedule for different activities.

“What we’re talking about right now is having a block of time during the day and over multiple days in the week — this is when you can come in to play,” Andreen said.

When students aren’t in the GML playing games for fun, the space will be devoted to conducting research.

Game design students often have assignments in which they need to play

→ SEE GAME LIBRARY, PAGE 14

SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

The ATEC Games and Media Library was shut down on Oct. 4. Originally used as a place for students to relax and play video games, the GML is undergoing policy changes to accomodate students who want to use the space for research.

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THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVII No. 27 Editor-in-Chief Nidhi Gotgi

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NEWS

THE MERCURY | OCT. 17, 2016

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UTDPD Blotter D October 4 • A student’s out-of-state license plate was stolen from their car in the Res Hall North parking lot at 8:06 p.m.

October 5 • At 9:25 p.m. a student reported their phone stolen from the charging station on the second floor in JSOM. October 6 • Police investgated graffiti found in Berkner Hall at 1:58 p.m.

• A student was arrested in Lot N at 2:54p.m. with a warrant for speeding out of the Forth Worth police department’s parking lot.

October 9 • At 12:24 p.m. a student reported theft of their cellphone from Lot J. • An unaffiliated male caused a disturbance at a soccer game and was issued a criminal trespass warning at 5:30 p.m.

October 10 • A Chartwell’s employee was arrested for theft of a car boot valued $459 at 11:42 a.m. in Parking Structure 3.

October 12 • At 11:50 p.m. a student was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Res Hall North.

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SOURCE | UTD

OPINION

OCT. 17, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

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Politicians should be allowed to flip-flop on issues Criticizing presidential candidates for changing opinions by calling them dishonest limits open conversations about policy changes

IAN SEAMANS COMMENTARY

Donald Trump is a flip-flopper. Hillary Clinton, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson and Ronald Reagan are also all flip-floppers. Flip-flopping is a derogatory term in politics. It insinuates politicians are dishonest for changing their opinions, either before the election or after. We shouldn’t denigrate policy shifts as a whole as they often benefit the people. We should support politicians who adapt their policy, and the best way to do that is to review the alterations before lambasting them. Criticizing politicians for flip-flopping discourages open discussion and prevents them from explaining themselves.

This year’s presidential candidates have been accused of being blatant flipfloppers on many positions. Trump has changed his stance on illegal immigration policy multiple times and Clinton has changed her position on both NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Clinton and Trump changed their minds in order to get more voters, but that political expediency also makes sure their policies better reflect the views of the general public.

Our greatest presidents have flipflopped on some of the issues for which we know them best. Lincoln declared while running for president

that he would not infringe on south- Often the latter two are seen as flip-flopern slavery. Wilson said he would not ping on issues, but a change in policy enter World War I and Reagan was isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I believe a change of opinion is usuoriginally a Democrat.

Presidents will always change their ally positive, but if a politician changes opinion to either best benefit the coun- their position on a core issue it might try, like in the case of George H.W. signal dishonesty. Core issues are those Bush’s “no new taxes,” or in response to that affect many peripheral issues. An expublic opinion, like in the case of Hillary ample of this is the economy. If a politiClinton’s change of heart on gay mar- cian believes in a free market, he or she riage. We shouldn’t shame politicians for will be less likely to vote in favor of strict changing their positions, but instead ask environmental regulation. The public is not and will never be open to a change in why they’re changing their positions.

A politician changing his or her core values by a president.

If a candidate changes fundamental mind should not be called dishonest. beliefs then we start seriInstead we should ously doubting that they evaluate their honwill govern on the poliesty and their opinA politician cies they supported while ion change individuchanging his or her running. ally. If an individual mind should not be Instead of calling running for office candidates flip-flopchanges his or her called dishonest. pers, we should have a stance on an issue in Instead we should more in-depth converorder to attract more sation about what isvoters, they thereevaluate their sues they changed their fore better represent honesty and their mind on, why they public opinion. opinion change changed their opinion Once he or she is and whether that iselected, however, it individually. sue was fundamental to becomes a political their ideology. It’s easy tightrope. Presidents, to have shallow political unlike candidates, are charged with representing the whole conversations, but instead we should inspect our politicians’ decisions beelectorate, not just their backers.

In general, presidents shouldn’t betray fore decrying them as dishonest. We the voters that elected them. Promises have applied this type of approach to made while on the campaign trail should historical figures like Lincoln, but now be kept unless either unforeseen circum- we need to apply those standards to the stances arise or the public’s will changes. politicians facing us today.

COMET COMMENTS

BRIANA HUBIERA | MERCURY STAFF

Do you think that a candidate’s behavior and attitude outside of the political realm should affect how people vote?

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?

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

“Yes. … Let’s say Trump, for example, that’s him in his personal life. Who’s going to say he’s not going to be like that when he’s in office? He already has the mindset of he can do whatever he wants and he will do whatever he wants. …

Who’s to say he won’t do that while he’s in office? He already has that mindset of he doesn’t really care what he does. He’s just going to do it anyways because he has the power to do it.”

“Probably, kind of. I feel like, yes, people say stupid stuff in the past, but that can be what their character actually is. … Don’t just look at that and be like ‘OK, that’s bad or not.’ At least do some more research and see if that was just an offhanded comment that they made or it’s been like an entire slew of that.”

Brandon Deamon-Jackson Science sophomore

Nicholas Saucier Speech Language Pathology junior

“I think it should, because as a president … you’re running a nation, basically.

So I feel like there should be a difference between your personal and your work life, but I feel like what (Trump) said is much more. … It crosses the line, basically.”

Tanya Trisna ATEC Senior

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Comets and Craters Halloween is around the corner

Bug clouds return to mall

The weather is finally cooling down just in time for Halloween. Candy corn, pumpkin carving and scary costumes are almost here, signaling the beginning of festivities during this fall season.

Gnat swarms have infested the campus walkways once again. Last year, when the North Mall landscaping project finished, the bugs swarmed campus because of the extra water used to establish the plants. Now it seems the bugs are back again.

New engineering building

Campus internet outages

Construction began this semester on a new engineering building at the old location of the Clark Center. The building is estimated to cost $110 million and is scheduled to be completed in 2018. As majors offered in ECS continue to be popular among incoming freshmen, this is a step in the right direction for UTD.

During the past few weeks, the internet on campus has been disrupted frequently. The Office of Information Security and Technology determined the disruption was because of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. The university has since contracted with Cloudflare to prevent future attacks.

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THE MERCURY | OCT. 17, 2016

NEWS

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SG, SUAAB help Women’s Center adds 1,200 students first LGBT+ coordinator register to vote Galerstein Women’s Center proposes name change to reflect new LGBT+ focus BHARGAV ARIMILLI Life and Arts Editor

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single door, decorated to collaboration that spearheads LGBT offered and how these services were commemorate National initiatives. Zackary Gentry, a literary named in order to understand how Coming Out Day, stood on studies senior who served on the pro- best to support not only the LGBT the Plinth on Oct. 11 as part of the gramming subcommittee, was one of and female populations, but the genGalerstein Women’s Center’s series of the students involved throughout the eral student body as well.

“Whether it be through our counprocess and said Johns’ programs to celebrate appointment came at a seling services, our events or through LGBT History Month.

I think my our advocacy efforts, we want everycrucial time.

The event was one of one to feel that they’re welcome to “There’s so much the first that the GWC goal at the end need from students for come in here, even if they’re not a organized after its apof the day is to these LGBT services. woman or an LGBT (individual),” pointment of a new … Having a person Johns said. director to focus on make sure that To complement the establishment the capacity and LGBT issues, part of (LGBT) students with administrative power of a new role focusing on LGBT isa larger rearrangement know that they of Matt Johns now sues, the Women’s Center also subto better serve UTD’s is just moving in the mitted a proposal to the Office of LGBT community. have value on right direction,” Gen- Diversity and Community EngageMatt Johns assumed and off this ment detailing a possible name try said. his new position on change to the Center in order to Part of the process Sept. 1 after working as campus. for writing the propos- better reflect both populations — a student development specialist at the Center — Matt Johns, al for the new position, women and LGBT individuals — the for a year. The title is a assistant director of which was submitted Center serves.

Gentry, who was also part of the significant step forward LGBT+ programming to the UTD Budget Committee and ap- ongoing effort to rename the Center, for the LGBT commuproved in the spring of highlighted the impact that a name nity at UTD, he said.

2016, included research into similar change would have on the LGBT “It’s the first time in UTD history centers at other UT System institu- population at UTD. that someone’s had ‘LGBT’ in their job title,” Johns said. “We’ve always tions and universities across the United “We want to have visibility that been serving LGBT students, faculty States. Johns and his team specifically → SEE LGBT+, PAGE 12 and staff, but now we have a specific looked into what services these centers role to recognize that the climate is changing — not only on campus, but in the United States and in the world.”

The GWC focuses on gender issues on campus and engages in community outreach and advocacy for women and LGBT individuals. However, Johns said the Center’s staff of four found it difficult to plan programming for both communities at the same time. This, coupled with an increase in LGBT visibility at UTD and universities nation-wide, prompted Johns to consider creating a new role that would allow him to focus solely on LGBT issues.

“With the current climate of the United States where a lot of LGBT efforts are becoming more and more prominent, it became very apparent that we needed to step up our game and make sure we’re properly serving the community,” he said.

The changes were the result of a UTD TV | COURTESY year-long effort by the LGBT, AdvocaMatt Johns, the new assistant director of LGBT+ programming at the Galcy, Education and Programming Com- erstein Women’s Center, attends the National Coming Out Day celebration mittee, a UTD multi-departmental on the Plinth on Oct. 11.

Student loses $2,000 in recent swindling scams

UTD PD: Three to four students fall victim to fraudulent schemes each semester VIBU ANBARASAN Mercury Staff

A UTD student fell victim to a job scam and lost roughly $2000 in an employment ruse.

UTD Police Lieutenant Ken Mackenzie said there are, per semester, at least three to four victims of identity theft and swindling. The campus police are trying to educate students about these cons.

“Students have been victimized in the past by many scams, that’s why I want to get the word out,” Mackenzie said.

The shams take multiple forms and the most common types reported are email phishing and phone scams, said UTD Police Detective Rod Bishop.

The scammers have improved upon existing methods over the years. The emails now feature personal information to provide authenticity and create a plausible premise. The most recent victim fell prey to a fake job posting and transferred money overseas.

“She was advised by the employer that she would be receiving a check for $1,900 for payment for her future employment,” Mackenzie said.

Any payment in advance for an employment opportunity is a red flag Bishop said.

Mechanical engineering senior Anusha Bhattacharya agreed to nanny for the scammer. She said the scammer paid for her service in advance if Bhattacharya would first wire money to the employer in China.

“She was instructed to cash the

HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR

Anusha Bhattacharya, a mechanical engineering senior, fell victim to an employment scam that requested she transfer money overseas to get a job. Senior Public Safety Officer David Spigelmyer recommends students be sure to do background research on online job postings as a precautionary measure.

check into her account and then transfer $1500 to China. … Once that transfer went through she was contacted and informed to transfer additional money to another location in China,” Mackenzie said.

Bhattacharya realized she was involved in a scam when her supposed

employer kept requesting more money to accommodate her current indebted situations. She was promised repayment on top of her salary, but Bhattacharya stopped her involvement after realizing the initial

→ SEE SCAMS, PAGE 12

Political organizations at UTD clash through discussion, inflatable boxing at campus debate

SID PATEL | MERCURY STAFF

Harris Chowdhary, an international political economy sophomore, speaks on behalf of No Labels, a nonpartisan political organization at UTD, at SG and SUAAB’s mock debate held at the Plinth on Oct. 11.

personal attacks, so it represents the nature of politics and how it can become literal personal attacks.”

Representing the Democratic SoStudent Government and SUAAB registered 1,200 students to vote cialists, physics senior and club presiwith the intention of encouraging dent Nicholas St. John said the group students to become more politically represents a wide range of people’s ideological beliefs. To better address excited and active.

With the presidential election that, the representative for the group coming up in November, SG moder- swapped out every few questions. ated a mock debate on Oct. 11 to ad“I was hoping that the audience dress current political topics. Along could take with them some of the politwith the debate, SG and SUUAB ical views that they could identify with, hosted multiple events throughout but maybe after they heard us talk they the week, all with the goal of register- would be interested in coming to our ing students, said meetings,” he said.

SG Vice President “One of our main Joey Campain. goals is to get our The inflatable boxing “The purpose of ideology out there.” ring added a unique our three events One of the topics this week (was) to discussed was gun humor aspect. After get people excited control policy. No (the candidates) deabout the political Labels representabate the topic, they will tive and sophomore process and kind of become more Harris Chowdhary box it out in the ring. knowledgeable, and the DemocratIt is a satirical take on while at the same ic Socialists were time just overall the presidential debate against campus carry pique their interfor gun control. because a lot of the na- and est in politics in However, Republitional debate this year the U.S.,” Camcan Party represenpain said. tative Alex Holcomb has been personal atNo Labels and the College tacks, so it represents President Nancy Democrats, repreFairbank and SG sented by junior the nature of politics Senator Songar Jason Purcell, were and how it can beIdeus served as the against gun control, come literal personal moderators for but with limitations. the debate. Each “We aren’t for attacks. representative got taking guns away, two minutes to — Joey Campain, but there are ceranswer each quesregulations SG vice president tain tion as well as a we think could be one minute rebuttaken and most tal time. Groups align with Hillary’s that participated in the debate were viewpoint,” Purcell said. “We should the national bi-partisan political or- reduce magazine capacity as well as ganization No Labels, the Demo- make sure that people on the terror cratic Socialists and a representative watch list do not have access to them.” of the Republican Party.

Fairbank said while No Labels is a bi-partisan group that encourages One of the pivotal points of the debate was that individuals with different → SEE DEBATE, PAGE 12 opinions came together to discuss major issues in American society as well as the candidates said Christian Filsouf, SG legislative committee chair.

“As an alternative to the actual debate, it gives students a chance to hear other students give reasons why they support or do not support the candidates, and also gets the gears turning to help them start thinking about voting,” he said.

Unlike a typical political debate, the SG debate consisted of a segment in which the representatives got to physically battle out their differences in a boxing ring.

“The inflatable boxing ring added a unique humor aspect,” Campain said. “After (the candidates) debate the topic they will box it out in the ring. It is a satirical take on the presiSID PATEL | MERCURY STAFF dential debate because a lot of the Alex Holcomb, an economics junior reprenational debate this year has been sents the Republican Party at the debate.

ARIANA HADDEN Mercury Staff

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THE MERCURY | OCT. 17, 2016

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Two years after she went missing, Christina Morris’ kidnapper has received a life sentence in prision.

Friends, family are all

Still searching

Q&A: State Sen. Kel Seliger Chairman of higher education committee shares views on rising tuition

STORY BY: ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS | MERCURY STAFF

ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF

Kel Seliger came to UTD as part of his committment to reach out to university students across the state. Seliger recently authored a letter to the presidents of Texas universities, criticizing their tuition hikes.

ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS | MERCURY STAFF

Every weekend, various friends and family members of Christina Morris show up to search for the missing alumna. Sometimes total strangers, touched by the family’s plight, join in. Morris’ father, Mark, said he was tired of never finding anything over the two years he and his family have been looking. The dragonfly has been the symbol of the search effort.

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s another day of searching for Christina Morris, the UTD alumna missing since 2014, comes to a close, her father, Mark Morris, slumps over the side of a truck and lets out a quiet sigh.

“I’m tired of never finding anything,” he says.

On Aug. 30, 2014, Morris was walking to a parking garage at the Shops at Legacy in Plano with Enrique Arochi, an acquaintance from high school who had been out with Morris and other friends that night. Video surveillance shows the two walking together into the garage and Arochi’s car driving out, but Morris is never seen again.

Arochi soon became the prime suspect in the disappearance of Morris. On Sept. 21, a jury in Collin County found Arochi guilty of aggravated kidnapping. On Sept.

30, Judge Mark Rusch sentenced Arochi to life in prison.

But despite the sentence, the Morris family and their supporters don’t have closure. Every weekend for two years, they gather in the parking lot of Allen High School to go out and look for Morris. And they have no plans to stop anytime soon.

When they first started searching, there were hundreds who came out to help. Now, there’s a core group of about five people, none of whom are related to the Morris family, who show up every weekend.

On the weekend after the sentencing, there were 18 in the search party. It’s more than the group has had in some time.

The searchers go out to fields the first days of the journey.

She said she always felt like Aroand woods and look for the smallest clues, equipped with only chi had been the one responsible walking sticks to clear foliage and for Morris disappearing and now high boots to protect from snakes the justice system has validated her beliefs. Still, she’s aware that and standing water.

They move slowly in lines with there’s work left to be done. about six feet apart. By now, “We’re always looking for peothey’ve already covered multiple ple to come help,” Blair said. “Just areas across the Metroplex two or because he’s guilty and given life, three times, but they keep coming for the family it’s still not over. back, just in case.

They need the help and the supThe group has come across ev- port because the only way they are going to find erything from aniher is with people mal bones to old out looking.” equipment like We just have chainsaws on their Then there are to keep on gosearches, but they newcomers like Erica ing, live our life. haven’t found any Hernandez, who is traces of Morris. joining the search for Nothing is norThat’s what keeps the first time. She’s mal anymore.

Robert O’Neil a bartender at the looking. He acts as Shops at Legacy and ... But I won’t one of the group’s was working the night ever give up on leaders and runs Morris disappeared.

Christina. the searches like a Since then, she’s drill sergeant. hired a personal — Mark Morris trainer and, in“We’re just keepspired by the case, ing on keeping on,” is prepping to join O’Neil said. “Until she’s found or until the family tells the McKinney Police department.

“This case definitely struck us to stop, we’re going to be doing every Saturday. … After the trial close to home for me,” Hernanwas done, that wasn’t the most im- dez said. “I think about how many portant thing to (the family). The other Christina’s are out there that most important thing is not to see have not made their way home.”

(Arochi) in jail, the most imporA large number of the supporttant thing is finding Christina.” ers, made up mostly of strangers O’Neil, who joined the group a who joined the cause after hearweek after the search started, is one ing Morris’ story, filled the galof the people who has been a part lery throughout Arochi’s trial and of the search from the beginning. cried alongside the family as the With him is Stacey Blair, who has decisions came down. For two also been looking for Morris since years, this case has been a large

part of their lives.

Upon getting back to the school after about six hours of searching, everyone gives each other hugs before taking off. Mark Morris sees everyone go, thanking them for once again donating their Saturday to search for his daughter.

He said he was glad Arochi is going to be locked up, but his main hope for the trial was he would be told where his daughter is, which still hasn’t happened.

“I thought it would be better after (the trial),” he said. “But it didn’t make anything better. I mean, don’t get me wrong, like I said, I’m glad (Arochi’s) off the street and can’t do it to somebody else, but not having my daughter, it’s still there. I can’t go see her, I can’t visit a grave. There’s nothing.”

He compared going and searching every weekend and coming up empty handed is almost like “spinning your wheels.” By this point, he said, he hoped there would be no more searching, that there would be answers.

But that doesn’t stop Mark Morris, his family or their crew of searchers from looking for the final piece of the puzzle they’ve been trying to solve for two years.

“We just have to keep on going, live our life,” he said. “Nothing is normal anymore, it’s not normal not knowing where your daughter’s at. But I still have a daughter and a son and my wife and, I mean, you still have to live your life, but I won’t ever give up on Christina. I come out here every weekend. That won’t change.

That’s not going to change.”

Kel Seliger is a Texas state senator representing District 31. He has served as the chairman of the higher education committee since 2012. Recently, Seliger led a drive to hold universities accountable for rising tuition costs. He came to UTD to talk to a number of groups as part of his goal to reach out to university students. The Mercury had a chance to sit down with him and discuss his push for lower tuition costs and his experience in office.

What should be the most pressing concern for students at UTD in relation to the future of higher education?

There are so many things that students should be concerned with because they are very largely shaping their future. And they need to determine if universities as a community reflect their values and their interests and if they are properly preparing them. Students also want to be concerned about costs.

So based on that, you and the Lieutenant Governor released a letter on March 4 addressed to the presidents of Texas universities, criticizing them for tuition hikes. What prompted you to author that letter?

You did, and your parents did, and people all over the state. And tuition is expensive. The most expensive tuition fees in the state of Texas are right here at University of Texas at Dallas. One of the least expensive within a four year university is probably Sul Ross.

Sul Ross is only about $6,000 a year.

The question I always ask of people is: What should your tuition be? For the tuition that you pay, look at where you go to school. Look at the faculty they hire. The point is that what about the young people who can’t afford University of Texas at Dallas? And so how do we address that?

One way is formula funding. And I’ve always been a fan of increasing the formula funding that goes to all the universities. And Texas Grants is our largest grant program that I think is something over a three-quarters of a billion dollars. We in the legislature can control the cost of tuition based upon what we put in the funding formula and what we put in Texas Grants. The return that we get on those monies is tremendous, I believe.

At the same time, look at everybody else who operates on state funds and is dependent on state funds. So there are always sort of competitive decisions that must be made.

How can the Texas legislature make funding for state universities sustainable, especially so that students do not experience tuition hikes.

MATT STRACK | MERCURY STAFF

Editor’s Note: The SG Report is a recurring section that provides UTD community members with information about Student Government initiatives and items discussed at their weekly meetings held in the Galaxy rooms every Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.

In an effort to increase campus spirit, SG Vice President Joey Campain said they are in the process of installing Comet Creeds, a student oath reading “As a Comet I pledge honesty, integrity and service in all that I do”

in 10 buildings around campus. The pledge will be hung in the buildings in the next few weeks.

Last year SG approved an initiative allowing students to rent hammocks to use in various locations around campus. Campain said they are now planning spots around campus where the posts for the hammocks can be placed.

At the Oct. 4 meeting, he cited a total cost of $300 for six hammock posts.

Currently the rules are only one person can be in a hammock and only one

hammock can be placed on the posts at a time.

SG Senator Uttara Thiagarajan of the residential student affairs committee announced University Village is looking to incorporate the MyHousing online form for students’ work order submissions. Students living in the apartments currently call, email or drop by the UV leasing office. University Commons uses this application for residents living in the dorms. UV has used MyHousing for apartment sign-ups in

previous years and estimates they will make the switch for work orders at the beginning of next semester.

SG President Akshitha Padigela said SG is working with the Sustainability Club to provide battery recycling bins to the residence halls. One bin will be placed in the lobby next to the trashcans in each residence hall. UTD currently provides this service in the academic buildings around campus, and this initiative extends these services to students’ living areas.

The state has to make spending decisions. And higher ed is one of those.

We can make the conscious decision.

Universities are obligated to watch those costs, and how they spend that money. It’s a good question because University of Texas system has all the money in the world. Midwestern State does not. Stephen F. Austin does not.

So how do we address that sort of thing? And I’m an advocate for putting more money in, but we’ve got to watch tuition and things like that and that’s why my bill, in the last session, was for

→ SEE SENATOR, PAGE 12

LIFE&ARTS

OCT. 17, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

7

PEDAL TO THE

METAL

Senior finds inner peace making metalcore music

SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Interdisciplinary studies senior Justin Ybarra (second from right) grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar while in the sixth grade. His band, Foxcatcher, will release its first album in May. The album, titled “Parallels,” features Foxcatcher’s metalcore genre — a blend of extreme metal and punk.

CARA SANTUCCI Managing Editor

Editor's note: This is the second part of a three-part series on full-time studetnts who are working to enter the music industry.

Three-year-old Justin Ybarra stood backstage, peeking between amps and curtains and sound equipment. Wires ran underneath his feet like snakes.

It was the early ’90s. Onstage was famous Tejano singer Selena, performing for a crowd. Ybarra’s father was her band’s original guitarist.

The idea of learning to play like his dad didn’t appeal to him then. He was more focused on the toys Selena would give him and his brother, or the rowdy circle of musicians hanging around backstage, the smell of their beer permeating the air.

Later, Ybarra, an interdisciplinary studies senior, would return to music, picking up the guitar in sixth grade.

But unlike his father and Selena’s Teja-

no music, he pursued “metalcore” — a fusion of extreme metal and punk.

“It’s just always been implanted in my mind,” he said. “I need to do music.” *** Although Ybarra had an experienced musician for a father, his older cousin is the one who finally drew him into the music scene.

“My cousin, anything he did I thought was cool. And so he started playing the base, and I was like, ‘Hey, that’s cool. I’m going to play guitar,’” Ybarra said.

He mostly resisted his father’s help, preferring instead to figure it out on his own. In this way, he learned guitar and sound mixing. Ybarra also taught himself how to scream.

His band, Foxcatcher, often features screamed lyrics on tracks. Ybarra shares the stage with his brother, Jason, who plays base in the band.

Ybarra has played in different bands throughout the years — The Shenani-

gans, Myths and Monsters, Imperfect Zero — some coming together and falling apart in a matter of months.

His brother, though, was a constant presence. If it wasn’t for him, Ybarra said he would’ve quit a while ago, discouraged by the band turnover and the difficulty of finding a singer.

“My brother was like, ‘Whatever you do, I got you,’” he said.

The bands didn’t work because the chemistry between performers wasn’t right, or it was just bad timing. And sometimes they just weren’t producing good music, Ybarra said.

With Foxcatcher, Ybarra is finally proud of the music he’s making. He has put down his guitar, instead writing music and screaming for the band.

Ybarra tried his hand at screaming three years ago because he was tired of waiting on his friends to get there so they could practice. One day, he recorded it and showed it to his brother.

“He was like, ‘Dude, holy macaroni, that’s really good,’” he said. “I just kept at it and now I feel like I’m ready (to perform).”

His mother, on the other hand, isn’t a big fan of his screaming.

“She says I sound like the Tasmanian devil,” Ybarra said.

Once he started screaming, Ybarra said he found the practice therapeutic.

He was deep in an existential crisis, struggling with whether or not he believed God was real.

“I kind of had this battle with religion, an internal battle,” he said. “The first song I screamed was actually a song about me (and) the conflicts. … I was angry and it actually helped. It was almost like venting. … Ever since then I never had that problem (again).”

Part of what drew him to “metalcore” in the first place was the intensity of the performances.

“I think it’s really cool, because live — and that’s what I think about when I’m writing music is how is the crowd going to react?” he said. “I really want people to throw down."

He first stumbled across the niche genre in middle school.

“At first I hated it,” he said. “It just

grows on you.”

Foxcatcher is putting out their first album in May, titled “Parallels.” The whole extended play was recorded with minimal equipment in Ybarra’s room. He is doing all the mixing and mastering for the album. Right now, the band is waiting on a copyright for their music.

After just around six months with his band, Ybarra is ready to play in front of a crowd.

“I’m tired of just practicing,” he said.

“We’re getting to the point where we need to play gigs.”

Although his dad played Tejano music and not “metalcore,” Ybarra said his dad is proud of both of his kids and their band. Ybarra said his dad loves to show off Foxcatcher’s music to his friends. “(He’s) super happy. He thought we weren’t going to play because our instruments were just sitting there for so long while we were growing up. He got kind of sad,” he said. “And then we just picked it up.”

Play readings honor Orlando victims Interdepartmental collaboration helps UTD community heal after Pulse shootings DEV THIMMISETTY Mercury Staff

SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Kristen Kelso, a literary studies graduate student, performs in one of the plays as a grandmother trying to rid the world of guns to take on the issue of mass shootings.

In the first effort of its kind in Texas, two departments on campus partnered up to present stage plays to spread awareness and support the LGBT community at UTD and around the nation.

The theater department in the School of Arts and Humanities and Galerstein Women’s Center came together to organize a reading of 15 short plays on Oct. 9 in the Jonsson Performance Hall as part of a nationwide response to the Pulse nightclub shoot-

ings in Orlando on June 12.

These plays, called “After Orlando,” were one piece of a three-day event at UTD to commemorate National LGBT History Month.

Shelby Hibbs, one of the chief organizers of the event and a clinical assistant professor in the theater department, said that the program was inspired by the efforts of Caridad Svich, a New York City playwright.

“When the Pulse nightclub shootings happened this summer, (Svich) and her company … decided that they had to do something about this. So they gathered

50 playwrights from all around the world and they asked them to write a play about whatever they wanted in response to this, the shootings and LGBT issues in general,” Hibbs said.

After the 50 plays were collected, theater groups around the nation were contacted and asked to host 10 to 15 of the plays as a reading. Hibbs’ colleague, Thomas Riccio, a professor of performance and aesthetic studies, brought the project to Hibbs after talking to Svich personally.

“We are actually the first reading that's

→ SEE PLAYS, PAGE 9 HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR

National collegiate food publication launches UTD chapter to build local database of student-friendly recipes, restaurants MARISA WILLIAMS Mercury Staff

Thanks to over 300 signatures on a petition, a chapter of a variation of a food blog has opened at UTD. “Spoon University,” offering a number of recipes, restaurant reviews and cooking advice, aims to be a food repository.

According to the its webpage, “Spoon University” is an online food publication written by college students for college students.

Grace Nguyen, a psychology sophomore, contacted the publication in August after hearing about it from a friend at The University of Texas at Austin.

“She is also a ‘foodie’ like me. She loves to cook and she loves to post pictures,” she said.

After attending online meetings with

other future founders from different universities, Nguyen said she realized how many college students across the country look to “Spoon University” for inspiration and information and began to take steps to make it available on UTD’s campus.

Her first step was creating a Facebook page titled “Bring ‘Spoon University’ to UT Dallas” and sharing it with her friends. She also encouraged them to share it on their own accounts.

Nguyen also connected with people in person throughout the day, providing them an explanation on what signing the petition meant for them and for the university as a whole. She also received information from “Spoon University” directly that helped her understand how to begin spreading awareness.

“It’s not just about recipes,” she said.

“You can talk about anything that’s foodrelated, like the best coffee shop in town or the best boba place in town. It’s a giant food network that you can do everything with.”

In order to establish a chapter of “Spoon University” on campus, Nguyen had to recruit 300 people to sign a petition to show campus interest in the blog and what it could potentially bring to the UTD culture.

Those who signed were also given the option to participate in the production of the publication.

“We want to build a team with members of the best quality who would work together to help build this amazing network,” Nguyen said. “It’s not just a food publication, but a food community that

we want to build here.”

In order to be a team member and contribute, the cost is a one-time fee of $15.

As for team members of the UTD “Spoon University” chapter, work must go through upper management before publication.

“It’s just like any kind of publication.

You have to go through your editor-inchief. You have to go through your photography director. It’s not like you just upload your work, like with a blog,” Nguyen said.

The UTD “Spoon University” is recruiting writers, photographers, videographers, marketers and a public relations team. These positions are managed by leadership roles, such as marketing director, editorial director, video director and photo director.

Nguyen said she wants to build the best

team in order to make UTD’s “Spoon University” chapter be up to par with the chapters of other big universities, such as Harvard.

“The better it is, the better it is going to serve our students and our community here,” she said.

UTD will have its own unique link to allow students to search for contributions relating to UTD through the main “Spoon University” site. Students will also have access to articles from universities across the nation.

Nguyen said she hopes to further UTD’s diversity with the establishment of “Spoon University.”

“We have a lot of international students and they don’t know how things are

→ SEE SPOON, PAGE 9

8

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‘The Birth of a Nation’ remembered for controversy not content Latest Nate Parker film echoes struggles faced by black community today but misses opportunity due to rape allegations against director ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS COMMENTARY

Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” aimed to start a discussion on race relations in the United States, but instead is weighed down by its director’s ghosts from the past.

On Feb. 8, 1915, D.W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” released in cinemas. At over two hours long, the black and white silent epic stood as one of the longest films ever made up to that point. It received near universal acclaim upon release and even gained the admiration of President Woodrow Wilson.

The film, which centers in part on a heroic portrayal of the founding of the Klu Klux Klan, also stands as one of the most controversial movies of all time. White actors in black face makeup play characters who are slow, dimwitted and dangerous.

The Klan, on the other hand, is shown as the proud guardians of innocent white Southerners.

On Oct. 7, 2016, Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” debuted in theaters across the United States. The film — a dramatization of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion that intentionally took the title of Griffith’s film to reverse its racist legacy — received near universal acclaim upon its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. This started a bidding war that even-

→ PLAYS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

happening in Texas. We are doing 15 (plays) and four of them are actually (written by) local playwrights,” Hibbs said. “The event is open to the public, but geared towards students so we can raise more awareness.”

Matt Johns, the assistant director of LGBT programs at the Galerstein Women’s Center, forms the other half of the partnership between the theater department and the Women’s Center. Johns and other Women’s Center staff members helped organize the venue, hand out flyers and post advertisements.

As audience members walked into the theater, they were handed paper slips that indicated random, small things about life that made it worth living.

At the end of the performance, they were asked to read what they had on their paper slips to show why that day could be a good day even though the tragedy that happened in Orlando will have a lasting impact.

“Even though (the shooting) was in Orlando, it affected the

tually ended in Fox Searchlight Films buying the rights to the film for $17.5 million.

But just like the original film it reclaimed its title from, the new “Birth of a Nation” is also steeped in controversy, this time stemming from sexual assault allegations against Parker dating back to 1999. And what could have possibly been a movie that sparked discussion on race relations in the United States has instead become another talking point in the debate over whether or not art must be moral to be successful.

As a film, Parker’s “Birth of a Nation” is slow to start. The depiction of Turner’s childhood feels like it’s chopped together to get to the more explosive part of the story, but it still takes over an hour until the movie really starts to pick up.

By that time, Turner, played by Parker himself, is a grown man who works in the fields picking cotton during the week and leads a congregation of fellow slaves on Sundays.

Slave owners have begun to notice how “well-behaved” Turner and his fellow slaves are, so they approach his owner with a simple proposition to have Turner preach to their slaves the virtues of obedience in exchange for a small fee.

It’s upon these episodes that the film begins to depict the horrors of slavery in full. Turner preaches in quarters that resemble barracks in concentration camps, prosely-

tizes on a plantation where a slave on a hunger strike has his teeth knocked out by a sledge hammer and goes to property where a little white girl drags along a black playmate by the neck with a rope shaped like a noose.

These experiences, along with the rapes of two black women, including Turner’s wife, at the hands of white men and Turner’s own whipping, push the preacher over the edge. He starts to have visions, such as blood coming out of an ear of corn, that signify a change is coming.

He begins to gather men.

Their plan is to steal weapons from the armory at Jerusalem, Va., and go from plantation to plantation, freeing slaves and killing white slave owners along the way.

Their swift and violent rebellion is ultimately brought down, but not before a trail of white bodies is left in its wake.

In retaliation, whites begin to attack blacks indiscriminately, culminating in the film’s most haunting scene as Nina Simone’s rendition of “Strange Fruit” chillingly plays in the background as black men, women and children hang from Southern tree branches.

The film is shocking when it needs to be, but subtlety is not one of its strengths. Turner’s actions are never questioned or portrayed in any light but positive. His death is almost messianic in nature. On the other hand, nearly every white char-

acter in the film is portrayed as unconcerned and dispassionate about the evils of slavery at best and actively villainous and sadistic at worst.

Still, it’s a film that has the potential to spark real, necessary dialogue in 2016. When Turner’s wife laments that black people are being killed solely for being black, it doesn’t sound like she’s talking about slaves in the 1830s. It sounds like she’s talking about Philando Castile and Sandra Bland and Trayvon Martin and the countless other black Americans who have died for crimes that appear no more serious than simply having a dark shade to their skin.

But the question that lingers throughout the course of the film is this: Can this movie be one that “woke” Americans get behind knowing the history of the filmmaker? As soon as the credits roll, Parker’s name is plastered over the screen as the writer, director, producer and starring lead in the film. It’s a quick and stunning reminder that, despite the film’s best intentions to turn a bloody and complicated chapter in American history into a simple martyr’s tale, the man responsible for the film itself still has sins on his own hands that have not been cleansed.

The film only made $7.1 million at the box office its opening weekend, far below what anyone associated with the project could hope to make for a movie that has received so much hype.

whole world,” Johns said. “We want to show that whoever you are, whatever walk of life you follow, whatever gender identity, gender expression, whatever it might be, you are welcome on our campus. We support the LGBT community here at UTD.” Kristen Kelso, a literary studies graduate student, was one of the actors in the “After Orlando” plays. In one play, she played an old grandmother who was trying to collect all the guns in the world so she could get rid of them — a somewhat satirical take on the serious issues surrounding mass shootings and LGBT rights. Kelso said it was rewarding to be a part of this project that gave back to the community by helping it heal.

“There are so many layers to these series of plays. There are some that are specifically about gay rights and there are others about gun control and then kind of how those two coincide. (This) is an important thing to talk about (as) this is something that happens over and over and over again,” she said.

The plays often mixed themes of sadness and grief with those of recovery and hope. Certain plays focused on how the survi-

vors of the event were deeply impacted while others focused on the effect the shootings had on those related to the victims.

Sometimes they played family or significant others of victims.

Other times, they were medical workers who had to listen to all the phones going off on the victims’ dead bodies as loved ones began calling in concern after hearing the news.

Several plays, especially towards the end, had to do with the process of healing. The last play illustrated understanding and getting past the pain by talking about it with friends in the same situation.

“I’m really glad that this is happening all over the country, because it’s (like) one of the plays said — this story needs to change, this story needs to stop and it needs to stop now,” Kelso said. “We never know when the next one is going to happen, and like they said, ‘Will it be you? Will it be me? Will it be on a train?

An airplane? The main thing to convey is that this is something we need to talk about, and we have to keep talking about it.”

→ SPOON

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES | COURTESY

Nate Parker plays Nat Turner, a slave and a preacher who starts a rebellion against slave owners, in ‘Birth of a Nation.’

Maybe it was Americans finally taking out their frustrations on a man who has allegedly committed a crime against a woman, or maybe it was their discomfort at addressing a film about a black man killing white people.

Either way, “The Birth of a Nation” seems to be headed down the path of the original D.W. Griffith production: A film remembered not for

its cultural significance, but rather for the controversy surrounding it. For a black film by a black director, this feels like a huge missed opportunity.

No matter anyone’s thoughts on Nat Turner, “The Birth of a Nation” addresses racism candidly and horrifies viewers with the realization that our country is founded on such a macabre system.

her mother and grandmother never formally taught her how CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 to cook.

“I read cooking books even though I just look at the picaround here. … I think it would be a great guide because tures. I never follow the reciwe have so many students from pes,” she said. “I love cooking all over Texas, from all over the because I see it as a chance for country and all over the world. me to cook for the people I love. … It’s like transIt would be referring happially cool if we I love cooking ness, but through had a database food.” of food places because I see Sanya Lakhani, to try.” it as a chance an EMAC sophoNguyen’s said more, has had her excitement for me to cook the opportunity for food is not for the people I to taste Nguyen’s only rooted in love. ... It’s like cooking. her desire to try “She puts a lot new things, but transferring of time and efalso in her famhappiness, but fort into it. … ily life and VietWith the moon namese culture. through food. cakes (she made), “My mom and my grand— Grace Nguyen, she spent hours them ma are great psychology making and preparing cooks. ... With sophomore them. …With the Asian cul(her) banana ture, too, you put an emphasis on home- bread, she’ll put less sugar in it and substitute bad things for cooking,” Nguyen said.

Although she was sur- good things to make the banana rounded by people who made bread healthier.”

Lakhani’s appreciation for food cooking a part of their everyday lifestyle, Nguyen said that has led her to share Nguyen’s en-

thusiasm for “Spoon University.”

“There aren’t a lot of clubs at UTD related with food. …

I think a blog written by college students so other students can use it is really smart. … It gives them more credibility,” she said.

Nguyen’s favorite dish is a Buddha bowl, which she described as a vegan and vegetarian dish made with vegetables that almost resembles a TexMex bowl. Her mixture of simple ingredients, similar to the Buddha bowls gives her a unique outlook on how cooking good food is possible and can be easy.

She plans to relay this through her own work with “Spoon University” in the near future.

“What makes this publication different is that it’s specifically for our generation, the generation that is so busy, the generation that is so lazy and those who just want simplicity. We want to eat well, but at the same time, we don’t want to put so much of an effort into it.

With everything I want to do and everything I want to write, I want to keep that in mind,” Nguyen said.

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OCT. 17, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

SPORTS

Division III COACHES Leaders of UTD athletics share what makes job unique, impactful

Retired soccer star speaks out against players with dual-citizenship

PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor

Division III sports offer a unique experience for both players and coaches alike. Coaches at UTD primarily stick with DIII because of the opportunities for relationship building and player development.

Women’s head soccer coach Kanute Drugan’s coaching pedigree stems from constantly hearing sports talk while growing up. His father and grandfather both coached at the high school level.

“I was in that environment where (I was) around (my father and grandfather) and their colleagues so (coaching) was a natural idea for me,” he said.

“Often times other coaches would come to our home and my dad would sit with them around the kitchen table or on the porch and they would talk coaching. I would sit somewhere nearby so I wasn’t interfering, but where I could listen in.”

He’s taken bits and pieces of various coaching and leadership styles in order to forge his own, Drugan said.

“I read books, especially autobiographies, of leaders in general whether they be military, sports or business

PABLO JUAREZ COMMENTARY

HUSSEIN NJOROGE | MERCURY STAFF

Women’s head soccer coach Kanute Drugan instructs the team during practice on Oct. 11. Drugan took over the head coaching position in 2014. Under Drugan, the team has posted two winning seasons with an overall 27-13-1 record.

leaders,” he said. “I draw from a lot of sources that aren’t necessarily athletics. I like the concepts and philosophies that go with leadership. As far as coaching goes … I draw a lot from Lou Holtz, Bear Bryant, Spark

Student-athlete wins logo contest Volleyball player’s logo design to be featured on ASC championship shirt for second straight year

Anderson and a number of people in basketball like Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Red Auerbach.”

Through the years, Drugan’s coaching style has changed.

“I’m rather quiet these days,” he

said. “I like to teach, (but) in soccer you can’t call a timeout and teach anything. What I like about soccer is that the teaching aspect happens in

→ SEE COACHES, PAGE 11

Women’s golf team reaches new heights Talented freshmen, seasoned veterans help program break tournament records in fall season

ROMAN SORIANO | MERCURY STAFF

The women’s golf team recorded four of their ten best tournament scores during this past fall season. Head coach Butch Edge said the program’s incoming freshmen have helped catapult the team to a new level.

don’t think the team has ever had before. They’re very driven,” she said. “They all have set goals. I don’t The women’s golf team posted its think last year we really had too four best tournament records in the many set goals individually. These program’s history this semester. Their girls have personal goals that push fall season ended earlier this month them to play better.” after they placed first in the #DalHailey Hollas, a marketing junior lasStrong Tri-Match. and team member, said the new freshmen In the first tournaI think we’re players have also been ment of the fall seavery easy to get along son, they placed third going to go to with, and the team has but broke a record for national chambonded really well. the program. It was a score of 318, the best “I care just as much pionships and I total score for the about their scores as think we’re gowomen’s golf program they do about mine,” ing to win. at UTD. she said. “We are competitive with each Michelle Oliff, a biology sophomore — Michelle Oliff, other to an extent, but we care about how we and team member, biology sophomore do as a team more so said breaking that than how we do indifirst record motivated vidually.” the team to continue to improve.

“Once that happened, I knew that The team’s head coach Butch Edge we all didn’t play our best, I knew we also said the freshmen have played could break it again, and once we break a major role in the team’s improvethat, we’ll break it again,” she said. ment this season.

The new freshmen on the team “The greatest coach in the world improved the group’s performance is the bench. If you care about your because of their determined mindset, sport and you’re an athlete, you don’t Oliff said. → SEE GOLF, PAGE 11 “They have a mentality that I ROMAN SORIANO Mercury Staff

RUTH VARGHESE | MERCURY STAFF

Sophomore setter Fayna Zeng became the first student to win the ASC championship shirt logo contest in consecutive years in the competition’s history. She said her volleyball background aided in her competitive approach to the contest.

SUMMER LEBEL Mercury Staff

A UTD student designed the winning entry in the contest for the American Southwest Conference championship logo for the second year in a row.

Fayna Zeng, an ATEC and EMAC sophomore, became the first student in the history of the competition to be chosen twice with her win this year.

Zeng first found out about the competition last year through Twitter while riding the bus on a trip with the UTD volleyball team, of which she is a member. She viewed it as an opportunity to add to her portfolio and resume.

“At first, I didn’t really think much of it,” Zeng said. “I was bored on the bus and I thought, ‘I’ll just do this for fun since I have nothing better to do.’ I made

Player shows American isolationist mindset

it without even thinking I would win. I just did it for fun and for practice.”

While designing this year’s entry, Zeng said she used design principles and aspects that she learned in classes over this past year. She also pulled inspiration from social media by following the accounts of famous graphic designers and learning from their styles.

During the decision process, she spent time reflecting on her last year’s design and analyzing what made it a winner in the eyes of the judges.

“I pulled it up and thought, ‘Okay, this looked good on last year’s shirt, so I think people will like it on this year’s shirt, too,’” Zeng said.

Another source of inspiration for Zeng were the previous shirts she had from other athletic events.

→ SEE LOGO, PAGE 11

How much do you love your country? Despite how proud someone can be of his or her heritage, this would be a hard question to answer. There’s no way to confirm the validity of an answer, but for Abby Wambach it should serve as a question to assess prospective U.S. men’s national soccer player.

In an interview with The New York Times, the retired U.S. soccer star questioned the influx of dual-nationals on the U.S. men’s national team.

“Do I agree with everything (Head Coach Jürgen Klinsmann) has done?

No, I do not,” she said. “It’s just my opinion, and I’m entitled to that. It feels a little bit odd to me that you have some guys that have never lived in the United States that play for the United States because they were able to secure a passport. To me, that just feels like they weren’t able to make it for their country and earn a living, so they’re coming here.”

Our On a standalone basis, misguided Wa m b a c h ’ s ignorance comments are turns into ill-advised, inaccurate and fear and borderline that fear xe n o p h o b i c .

But when her eventually words are put becomes in the context hate. of a presidential candidate who has built his campaign on the fears of the American people with regards to immigrants, refugees or anyone who doesn’t look or think like the “ideal” American, then we begin to see how dangerous nationalism can truly be.

Arguably two of the best players in the last two tournaments for the men’s national team have been John Brooks and Jermaine Jones, both of whom were born in Germany to stationed American military fathers. They aren’t “coming here” because they couldn’t earn a living in their birth country. Brooks actually plays in the Bundesliga, a premier German soccer league that features some of the best talent in the world.

To Wambach, they still fall under the “foreign guy” umbrella. But if these players’ constitutionally earned right to represent the United States is questioned, are we saying that their dualcitizenship is inferior to being a citizen of just one country?

The short answer, unfortunately, is yes.

The problem with that is the exclusion of the very people who have devoted their life to representing and respecting the United States, in whatever context, despite the animosity they face for how they look, talk or where they originate.

If we turn our backs on those people then we hinder the realization of America’s true potential as a nation. A country that suffers from a superiority complex does not deserve to call itself a leader of the free world.

It’s hypocritical to deem something or someone “unpatriotic” only when it doesn’t fit our definition of patriotism. If we let our biases drive our perception of “true” American ideals and principles then we let this country become a hostile place for people of color, immigrants, Muslims and others. Our misguided ignorance turns into fear and that fear eventually becomes hate.

The problem with what Wambach said is less about soccer and more about the United States ridding itself of an isolationist mindset that it’s heading towards. Her comments hurt the American soccer culture and, in turn, hurt the social culture of the country as a whole.

UTDMERCURY.COM → LOGO

with the school years.

Every championship winning team in the ASC, which “I’ve noticed common de- included UTD’s women’s volsigns, like how they incorporate leyball team and men’s soccer elements,” Zeng said. “For ex- team last year, is awarded shirts ample, banners with that year’s and ribbons to winning logo.

That’s such signify winning “That’s such or crossing the a great feeling, a great feeling, finish line, or a seeing your deseeing your decircle shape to sign on things represent medoutside of the sign on things, als or trophies. It computer and ... seeing how was really helpful seeing it on it could affect over the years bepeople, wearing ing able to be exit in their everysomeone’s life. posed to all those day lives, seeing different designs — Fayna Zeng, how it could afin a graphic de- ATEC, EMAC sophomore fect someone’s sign sense.” life,” Zeng said.

The winning “Even that small logo design for this year is a star of an aspect, it’s pretty cool.” with the ASC logo in the cenZeng said the competitiveter, wrapped in a banner saying ness she learned as an athlete “conference champions” along played a role in how she apCONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

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want to get left out of the lineup. And competition does that,” he said.

When Edge was introduced last year, he started making adjustments to the way the team practiced.

“I’m about winning. I’m about work ethic. I’m about having passion for that work ethic, as well as having passion for that sport,” Edge said.

UTD Athletics also implemented a conditioning and training program for all sports last year, and Edge worked with UTD’s trainer to come up with a program tailored towards golf.

“Golf is one of those sports where you’re out on the course for five hours and you have to have endurance,” Hollas said. “Physically we’re a lot stronger, so all we have to focus on is our mental toughness.”

The team’s performance during this season has changed how the team perceives themselves

SPORTS proached this competition.

“Sports and athletics made me want to win this contest. It helped me be motivated to put time and effort into it,” she said. “The feeling of watching other people wear it really motivated me to have that same feeling this year again.”

Marci Sanders, the head volleyball coach, said she was impressed with Zeng’s initiative in entering the contest.

“The thing, I think, that has made it more special than anything is she’s taken all of this upon herself to do it,” she said.

Zeng designed the regular t-shirts for the volleyball program this year, but Sanders said her championship logo is on the team’s mind.

“I think it’s a little extra motivation again for our team this year to earn that shirt again,” Sanders said.

and how they feel going into team’s motivation being different this year. tournaments, Oliff said.

“It’s nice to go into a tourna“Previous years we were ment and know that you have a focused on having fun and chance to win, individually and making it a good experience. as a team,” she Now it’s more ‘We have the said. “Now we’re I’m about actually compepotential to go out and win tition for other winning. I’m it, let’s do it,’” schools, which is about work she said. a good feeling.” ethic.

I’m about Hollas said in Oliff is conprevious years fident the team having passion the team wasn’t will continue to for that work really competiimprove during tive or in a posiethic, as well as the off-season, tion to win. and then will having passion “Now we have do even better for that sport. high expectations in their spring for ourselves beseason.

— Butch Edge, “I cause we’ve exthink perienced a little women’s golf we’re going to bit of success,” head coach go to national she said. “(Edge) championships expects a lot from and I think us which is a good thing, his ex- we’re going to win,” she said pectations have seeped into what “It’s just a matter of getting a we want individually.” couple good scores together This is also a result of the and taking home a trophy.”

11

THE MERCURY | OCT. 17, 2016

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the practice environment, which is the classroom environment for the sport. When practices are over and the game is the next day it’s out of your hands.”

Coaching a Division III sport allows the players to have a more balanced experience.

There aren’t strict requirements to abide by in comparison to other divisions.

“At the Division I (level) … you almost have to have a law degree to understand all the rules and regulations you have to commit to (in order) to be successful,” Drugan said. “I like the fact that (student-athletes) get to have another life outside of the sport and that I don’t have a rule that’s all intrusive.”

Men’s head basketball coach Terry Butterfield said he’s stayed coaching at the Division III level for so long because it suits his personality best.

“I’m really passionate about coaching kids at this level,” he said. “I think (Division III) is the purest form of athletics because the kids are here to be students first and athletes second. The kids that we’re able to recruit to (UTD) … have high levels of motivation, they’re

hard workers, they’re enthusias- pleting their degree. Volleyball tic, they’re smart and they have head coach Marci Sanders said good ideas. I can collaborate with it’s a unique job because she’s the kids here because of the level around these kids for four years as opposed to other professions. of their intelligence.”

“What (assistant coach Zach UTD’s basketball system is patterned after the University Villarreal) and I like to say is that we’re the cool aunt of Michigan’s. and uncle,” SandButterfield was ‘Coaching ers said. “We don’t able to spend like to try and be some productive is parenting their parents even time with the and parenting though one of my current U of M favorite quotes is head coach John is coaching.’ I ‘Coaching is parBeilein.

Even say that a lot enting and parentthough the team with our kids ing is coaching.’ I models its play say that a lot with after Beilein’s because we our kids because principles, Butkind of take we kind of take off terfield said his where their parcoaching inspiraoff where their ents leave. We vow tion still stems parents leave. to the parents that from his father.

We vow to the we’re going to take “My father care of their kids.” was revered as a parents that coach in upstate The team likes we’re going to New York,” he to have a good said. “He’s in the time, but when take care of National College they’re out on the their kids.

Football Hall of floor it’s time to — Marci Sanders, work. Overall, she Fame in South Bend. I got a Volleyball head coach has a good workchance to see it ing relationship done by the very with her players. best. It doesn’t really make any “We tell (our players) all the difference what the sport is. It’s all time that it’s not about winthe same.” ning, it’s about playing together At the Division III level, stu- and playing hard and hopefully dent-athletes often play through the winning takes care of itself,” their eligibility en route to com- Sanders said.

Upcoming games Oct. 18 Volleyball vs East Texas Baptist

Away

Oct. 20 Women’s Soccer vs UT Tyler

Home (5:00 pm)

Men’s Soccer vs UT Tyler

Home (7:00 pm)

Oct. 25 Volleyball vs UT Tyler

Home (7:00 pm)

Oct. 27 Women’s Soccer vs Belhaven

Home (5:00 pm)

Men’s Soccer vs Belhaven

Home (7:00 pm)

Oct. 28 Women’s Soccer vs Louisiana College

Away

Volleyball vs Southwestern

Away

Oct. 29 Cross Country - ASC Championships

Away

12

NEWS

THE MERCURY | OCT. 17, 2016

→ SCAMS

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check she was given was fake.

She got in touch with UTD Police the week of Sept. 25 to confirm if the check was bogus.

The faux check never deposited and the money she wired to China was out of her own pocket. Bhattacharya informed her bank about the situation.

“My bank said they couldn’t do anything since I made and approved all the payments,” she said.

Bhattacharya was contacted through email and continued to receive messages until the transactions were complete.

Depending on the scammer or scammers’ intentions, the target radius ranges from university campuses, counties to cities, states and whole countries. International scams are nearly impossible to trace because of the

→ DEBATE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

a bi-partisan group that encourages maintaining an individual’s own views, they also focus on a universal idea that the government should be about fixing, not fighting, and that political involvement is crucial.

“It’s very important we have events related to politics on campus,” Fairbank said. “It doesn’t matter the side, and a lot of millennials are sympathetic and that needs to

need for federal involvement.

Mackenzie said these types of phishing scams do not have an intended target in mind, they are waiting for anyone to take the bait. The most common victims to these scams are usually international students.

The Office of Information Technology is involved in matters regarding internet deceits in coordination with UTD Police. Researching online job postings as a precautionary measure and getting second opinions on Craigslist postings would be beneficial, Senior Public Safety Officer David Spigelmyer said.

Awareness is key to prevent people from falling prey to scams.

“The big thing is education, because we have had students that had read about this … and have not done it specifically because of that,” Mackenzie said.

change. We want students to go out to vote and that they can change the political system for the better.”

Although the deadline has passed to register to vote for the general election, SG will continue to provide opportunities for students to get politically involved.

“We will be hosting more voter registration booths for upcoming spring elections,” Filsouf said. “We just want to help students educate themselves before they hit the voting booth.”

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performance-based funding increases. For increases above inflation, we have metrics to determine if the university deserve more money. Nowadays, spending more money to do things the same way, to the same degree, is no longer adequate. Universities are great communities, and they do great things, socially they’re wonderful institutions, the people have a right to deserve a product, and so it’s set metrics like four-year graduation rates, five-year graduation rates, time to complete 30 hours or 60 hours or things like that. If you want more money qualitatively, offer it above inflation.

So do you propose moving away from enrollment-based funding?

No, you can’t. Because you have to use some sort of formula that treats people the same way.

And you’ve also proposed giving

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there is an LGBT center, (but) when it’s called the ‘Women’s Center,’ it’s difficult for people to realize that they can get help here,” he said. “We wanted to be representative of our mission and there was a huge portion of our mission that was not being communicated.”

The Office of Diversity and Community Engagement, which oversees all GWC initiatives, declined to comment on the proposal. The Center is still awaiting a decision on the name change.

The Women’s Center has also implemented an increase in the frequency of Safe Zone Ally training, an optional course to all members of the UTD and surrounding communities. Currently, training is offered once every fall semester. Over 500 faculty, staff, students and community members have gone through Safe Zone Ally train-

UTDMERCURY.COM

state lawmakers the power to regulate tuition again.

Along those lines, that’s what performance-based tuition is.

It’s important to keep in mind that tuition, when the legislature controlled tuition from the period 1999 to 2003, things went up more than from 2003 to 2013, during when it was deregulated.

So here you are, a prominent citizen in my district, and you come to me and you say we can do so much more at West Texas A&M or University of Texas Permian Basin if we need more money and all my friends think so and you’re my senator and we expect you to do that for these very worthy universities.

Well, now you’re increasing tuition because of political pressure. And so I don’t know, you have to be careful that the regulated environment is a rational one, and is not simply done by whim or political influence.

How does this impact tuition raises or cuts at the university? Because you mentioned when tuition

ing, but to cope with heightened interest and to keep trainees up-to-date, the Center will offer multiple training sessions during both fall and spring semesters.

“If you have one big training (session), people go once and they think they don’t have to re-engage,” Gentry said. “I think having multiple small ones and mixing it up … and really tailoring it to the time allows people to get more out of it and continue to stay engaged.”

Though the Galerstein Women’s Center is undergoing several changes, Johns emphasized the vision going forward has not changed and noted it will continue with its advocacy and programming efforts.

“I think my goal at the end of the day is to make sure that (LGBT) students know that they have value on and off this campus,” he said. “And that if they ever feel like they don’t have value, or if they’re disrespected in any way, that we’re a place they can turn to.”

was regulated, it was different.

Cost will very much be regulated by the institutions itself.

You don’t want the legislature to go in and operate those universities. Determine what educational offerings they can and can’t make and determine what’s a waste. You have so many smart people at a university. If they do a good job, we can set down some parameters, legislatively. At the end of the day, it’s going to be up to the universities and the boards of regents to operate officially and make sure the people of the state of Texas get their money’s worth, however subjective that may be.

What about the quality of education? How can you ensure that the quality of education is maintained at Texas universities while decreasing student tuition?

It’s not up to the legislature to determine the quality, it’s a self-regulating thing. When I say self-regulating, it’s regulated

all over the place. So you graduate with a degree in math and engineering and Toyota won’t hire a single member of your graduating class, but they’re dying to get to University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. The marketplace will determine to a great degree that value, but the marketplace is also communities and businesses all over the state of Texas.

Are we getting something as we have an educated populace? Are we getting responsible, productive people? It is, once again, it’s just almost a philosophical thing, do we have quality education. And in Texas, absolutely we do, in places people don’t even think about it. I won’t be able to tell the day you graduate if you’re worth a darn. But I will find out as time goes on and what your productivity has been influenced by University of Texas at Dallas. This is University of Texas at Dallas and so betting people would wager on your success, your productivity and your contribution.

Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up

NOAH WHITEHEAD | MERCURY STAFF

UTD celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with dance seminars, discussions and movies. The festivities went from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

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SID PATEL | MERCURY STAFF

Nicholas St. John, a physics junior and Democratic Socialist club president, was one of the representatives speaking at the debate.

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Zackary Gentry, a literary studies senior, was a part of the LEAP committee, a group working on LGBT initiatives on campus.

Contact: Ed Nemec ed@craigsearch.com

COMICS&GAMES

OCT. 17, 2016 | THE MERCURY

PLENTY OF TIME

13 7

THE FIRST SIGN

EMMA MATHES | MERCURY STAFF

FANIMALS

CAROLINA ALVAREZ | MERCURY STAFF KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF

THE CAB STRUGGLE

MIDTERMS

ALVIN NGUYENLY | MERCURY STAFF

LASER FOCUS

CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | MERCURY STAFF EUNJEE CHONG | MERCURY STAFF

WINTER ISN'T COMING

PUMPKIN SPICE OVERLOAD

EMILIO CHAVEZ | MERCURY STAFF

REALLY EASY

EASY

SUDOKU

SHANNON RAMIREZ | MERCURY STAFF

14

THE MERCURY | OCT. 17, 2016

→ THEFT

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rested and charged with three related counts of theft. But MacKenzie said the investigation is ongoing and the actual count could be up to $2,000.

“We didn’t have complainants because, you know, these people didn’t realize stuff was missing so we had to identify them and call them and we still got a couple and we’re trying to identify them. And I guarantee you there are going to be other victims out there that we have not yet looked into,” he said.

MacKenzie explained that students did not notice they were missing anything because Arolkar only took cash, and he

→ GAME LIBRARY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

games and analyze them, and the GML allows students to carry out this research together.

“That’s the sort of thing where the space is perfect, multiple people could go in there and engage in the same game at once, and they can sit there and discuss it,” he said.

Another concern that faculty has regarding the GML is the lack of a reason for professors outside of game design to recommend it to students, as its inventory is currently exclusive to games. To go along with the GML’s physical expansion, its inventory will be expanded to include resources to help ATEC students of other specializations complete classwork.

“I talk a lot about gaming, but this could also be a place where you go for your animation stuff, and you can get access to reference books for big animation studios,” Andreen said.

With these policy changes that are aimed to attract new students interested in research to the GML, the faculty is aware that the group who used the old space for gaming in a more social sense may be upset by the situation. The GML’s sudden closing is meant to remedy that by finding a balance between the new and old crowds.

“This is why we did want to shut it down as supposed to trying to implement new procedures as we went on, because at that point it looks like we’re trying to muscle the old community out,” Andreen said.

Once faculty has completed the changes planned for the GML, it is set to reopen to students at the start of the spring semester.

Additionally, the GML will be receiving new policies related to

NEWS

encouraged anyone who visited the Activity Center and has had cash go missing to contact the police department.

UTD Public Safety Officer David Spigelmyer identified several tips for students to keep their possessions safe around campus.

“When using a university provided locker for the very first time, ask a member of the staff of that department to assist you or show you how to properly lock and unlock the locker,” he said.

In addition to not carrying around excessive amounts of cash or overly expensive items, he also encouraged students to be aware of their surroundings.

“Pay attention to anyone just hanging around who is not doing anything specific. Most folks will want to get into the

gym and complete their workout and move on so if you see someone just hanging around the lockers call the UTD police or notify a staff member immediately,” Spigelmyer said.

Tricia Losavio, the director of recreational sports at the Activity Center, maintained the lockers in the Center were safe for student use.

“We believe the hallway lockers are secure, as long as users follow the instructions printed above each bank of lockers,” she said.

how its inventory should be handled. Previously, one library tech was present, who was responsible for keeping track of which pieces of equipment were being used by students. Josh Miller, an ATEC graduate student on the committee in charge of the GML, said that process can be rather complicated and faculty is looking into how it could be simplified.

“If we have like 30 people in there, one person won’t be able to track what games people have, or if people have taken a game out.

We need to have a more rigorous procedure for that,” Miller said.

Students also would come to the GML looking for a specific game, only to find that it wasn’t available. A database where inventory can be viewed outside campus is in the works, which would mend this issue.

Much of the GML’s inventory is also in rough shape, especially gaming equipment that is decades old, requiring maintenance. Students will not be able to use this equipment as a result and this will be a problem if the GML remains open, Andreen said.

“People in the place are never going to know what they can and cannot use, and it’s a lot of work to communicate over and over again why they cannot use something,” he said.

Some of the equipment taken in for maintenance will be usable in the new GML, but some will be beyond proper repair and disposed. However, disposing of useless equipment is a more complicated than one would imagine, Andreen said.

“Because it’s university property technically, we can’t just go throwing it away. There are proper disposal procedures and in that vein we need proper donation procedures to account for games we want in the space,” he said.

As far as video game inventory is concerned, the GML will be prioritizing donations of games that are relevant from an academic standpoint and can be put to good use through student research in the GML. “We’re going to need to have multiple of those, so when we set aside time for people to come in to play games for class, it’s not just a line of 30 people sitting there,” Miller said.

With these changes coming to the GML in the spring, it is in strong consideration that ATEC-related events could be held in the space. An idea of hosting a “Game of the Month” event is currently in the works, where undergraduate and graduate students can congregate in the GML and discuss the narrative, mechanics, animations or other aspects of games that are relevant in both play and study.

There is also the possibility of the GML hosting high school students looking to get feedback on ATEC-related projects, or industry speakers that are familiar with game design and cutting edge technology that UTD students will end up working with in the field.

“Having someone come in and talk about virtual reality would be a great asset to students,” Andreen said.

With the new GML, the ATEC faculty are trying to create a seamless mix of play and research, where students can continue using the space to be social while still gaining knowledge on how to design their own content.

“The Games and Media Library is an intersection of community, recreation and research, and I think that intersection is representative of what ATEC is as a whole,” Andreen said.

If you or someone you know believe that you had cash stolen in the Activity Center, contact Investigator Melanie Cleveland at 972883-2869 or email her at melanie. cleveland@utdallas.edu.

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This is a federal distinction for universities where 25 percent of total enrollment, including full-time and part-time students, is Hispanic students.

Although UTA, UTEP and UTSA are aiming to be Tier One along with managing their HSI distinctions, UTD is currently only focused on becoming a Tier One university, Hinojosa said. But, he emphasized, Tier One status and diversity aren’t mutually exclusive.

“It helps with research, it helps with innovation,” he said. “Obviously the more diverse perspectives you have, not just race and ethnicity but gender and country of origin, the more ways that adds to our research mission.”

Hinojosa cited a study done by a non-profit organization called the Institute for Higher Education and Policy, which provided another reason UTD’s Hispanic student population could be lower. Low-income households in that community run on a cash-basis, so student loans — which are usually necessary to cover whatever financial aid doesn’t — are frowned upon.

Tuition and fees per semester as of fall 2015 for UTD were $5,903 — ranked the highest compared to other Texas public universities.

“Even if we offer a financial aid package that covers all your costs or tuition, there may be students who say ‘Well, part of that package is student loans and I don’t want to get into student debt or my family is discouraging me from taking on student loan debt,’” he said.

The Student Perspective With Hispanic students forming one of the least represented bodies in the student population on campus, students like Junior Cruz, a biology senior, can visibly see the effect. In the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, only 13.4 percent of the undergraduates are Hispanic.

“I sometimes feel really ostracized,” he said. “In my science courses, I can point out maybe two or three other Hispanics in the same course. I remember freshman year, I could only point out one other Hispanic person out of 500 students in one big lecture hall. … It can be intimidating just because I can’t relate. Our cultural backgrounds aren’t the same.”

In accounting and finance junior Flor Morales’ experience, Hispanic students are usually first-generation college students whose parents aren’t able to help them make the most of their college education, which puts them on an uneven playing field.

“Not having a definitive answer to where you’re going kind of makes you feel like you’re alone,” she said. “You don’t know who to ask for help. … The lack of direction just adds to ‘How are you going to be inspired to do anything if you don’t even know how to get started?’”

Mechanical engineering sophomore Erick Villa, who is a firstgeneration college student, said although every day is a learning process for him, he chose his area of study to challenge the stereotype against Hispanic students. The Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Sciences has a 24.6 percent Hispanic undergraduate population this fall, which is the second highest among all the other schools at UTD. “I decided to try a very heavy work load and challenge that we can’t do it, that if we come to college we’re just going to drop out after the first year,” he said. “It definitely does exist out there where people will come and drop out immediately because we’re not prepared … just because we don’t know what to do. A lot of times we don’t even believe in ourselves.”

Hispanic undergraduate stu-

HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR

dents’ first-to-second year retention rates haven’t dropped past five percentage points from their cohorts’ rates between 2013 and 2015. Despite consistent retention, Govanny Quintana, a finance senior, said Hispanic students’ priority toward their family makes the decision to stay and make the most of college tough.

“I’m sure there’re some students just like me who don’t really know what to do because their background … was kind of all blue collar,” he said. “One of the challenges we face is being familyoriented. We want to give back to our families and family comes first, and learning about opportunities, being able to work around your (family) schedule to seek out those opportunities (is hard).”

Despite these difficulties, the Naveen Jindal School of Management took the lead this fall in undergraduate Hispanic student enrollment and ECS trailed closely behind. This represents the university’s trend in ECS, JSOM and NSM majors being the most popular among incoming freshmen.

According to the 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, 9.4 percent of individuals in management, business and financial operations occupations were Hispanic, as were 8.2 percent of individuals in engineering and architecture occupations. Hinojosa said UTD has the potential to be a leader in remedying underrepresentation of Hispanic individuals in these fields.

“I think that is where as a university we can play a really important part in solving a critical problem of shortage of engineers for example or a shortage in accounting and finance. (These) are places that we continue to see a lack of students of color going into those fields,” he said.

Institutional Efforts Although UTD doesn’t use race as a factor in determining who is admitted or presented with scholarships and financial aid, the university has other programs in place to recruit and retain eligible candidates who are Hispanic.

The Academic Bridge Program, which started in 2000, recruits about 35 students each year from school districts in Dallas, DeSoto and Duncanville, which all have large Hispanic populations.

Jennifer Garcia, a global business sophomore who is an ABP recruit, said its mentoring and tutoring services made the transition to college easier.

“I’ve been sticking with them,” she said. “They really changed everything. … In high school I did not see the opportunities that I see now. At some point I didn’t even think of going to college.”

Morales attributed the low Hispanic population at UTD to high school students not being able to meet admissions standards because of a cultural mindset.

“The status quo is just graduate high school and maybe get a college degree just so that you’re qualified for a job not go for this career. … Most Hispanic students don’t hear of the SAT until their last semester of high school and by then it’s too late. They take it

HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR

one time and don’t have a chance to retake it,” she said.

Morales, who is the president of the Association of Latino Professionals For America, is leading an effort similar to the ABP where ALPFA will identify a high school with a large population of underrepresented and underprivileged students and work to mentor and recruit students from that high school for JSOM. JSOM Dean Hasan Pirkul presented the project to ALPFA this September and is in support of the venture.

“One of the issues we face with (underprivileged students) is that they don’t even think they can go to college because they cannot afford it,” Pirkul said. “So if you can reach them early … and offer them hope then I think you can encourage them to actually get better prepared to do well in the SAT exams and to do well in the classes so that they are actually qualified to go to a good school.”

According to a study conducted

by Pew Research Center in 2014, 48 percent of Hispanic college students attend community colleges, which have lower tuition than four-year universities.

The project is still in its premature stages and Morales anticipates starting to mentor students at a chosen high school next fall.

Pirkul promised to allocate an estimated $600,000 in scholarship money to supplement needbased financial aid the university provides for about 10 qualified high schoolers to attend JSOM on a full scholarship. Although he is ready to support the students’ efforts, he said they will ultimately determine this program’s outcome.

“The project is going to be as successful as the (UTD) students make it,” Pirkul said. “I’m comfortable making the commitment.

I will have the funds for the scholarships for these students when the time comes, but we are just at step … zero.”

With efforts being made to recruit Hispanic students, the university is also providing resources to first-generation students already enrolled.

Twenty individuals receive the Diversity Scholarship every year and about 90 percent of the recipients are first-generation college students. The scholarship comes with access to an advisor that meets with the students every three weeks.

“They may come here and be intimidated by university and have challenges about ‘How do I fit in? Am I academically prepared, or if I’m struggling, where do I get help?’ We have someone helping guide them through the transition from high school to college,” Pirkul said.

Although the university has taken strides to increase representation of Hispanic individuals on campus and provide them with resources to do well in college, Gabriela Torres, an EMAC junior, said the cultural mindset she grew up around and the unfamiliarity with higher education continue to pose challenges.

“Taking my heritage into account, every step is one that requires courage,” she said. “I’m very happy to be here at UTD … but every step is like another step into unknown territory.”