T h e
u n i v e r s i T y
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T e x a s
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a r l i n g T o n
Wednesday June 9, 2010
volume 91, no. 120 www.theshorthorn.com
since 1919
dig site acts as window to past Paleontologists unearth fossils at Arlington site dating back 95 million years. neWs | page 2
The final curtain call Famous Broadway set designer’s work goes on display at Arlington Museum of Art. sCene | page 8
Texas
Leaders seek 10% budget cuts University officials await voluntary staff buyout deadline to measure budget deficits. By John harden The Shorthorn news editor
The university may be forced to dig a bit deeper into its budget if a voluntary buyout option falls short and the governor requests additional
budget cuts. In May, state leaders ordered state institutions, including UTA, to cut budget requests by 5 percent. State leaders now are asking state agencies to cut an additional 5 percent in preparation for an estimated $18 million deficit for the 2011 fiscal year. The results of the university’s Voluntary Incentive Separation Program, introduced last month, may
play a big role in determining how the university moves forward with cuts. Should everyone who is eligible for the program choose to participate, a net savings of $16 million would result, just shy of the proposed 10 percent. However, university leaders don’t expect all 247 eligible staff to participate, said university spokeswoman
Kristin Sullivan. The deadline for all eligible employees to take the buyout is June 15 and Sullivan said the university will wait until the deadline to see if more changes will be made. In a draft proposal to Perry, the university sent a cautionary note explaining the potential impact the state mandated budget cuts could have on student recruitment and retention.
“I’m afraid the university may start making cuts in places where I’ll begin to feel it,” said business junior Mike Hill. “They’re already raising tuition and I’m guessing they’ll probably begin making cuts in areas that will affect services that I use.” The fate of some services and programs rest will with lawmakers’ deciBudget continues on page 6
CompuTing and TeChnology
BaseBall
Four Mavericks selected in MLB draft Proposal sparks technical changes Changes include how students access and use server, software while on campus. By ali amir musTansir The Shorthorn senior staff
The Shorthorn: Aisha Butt
Surrounded by reporters, interdisciplinary studies junior michael choice holds a press conference only moments after finding out he was drafted into the Oakland Athletics on Monday evening outside his house in Grand Prairie. Choice is the highest picked draft in UTA’s history.
Outfielder Michael Choice was Nick Swisher, Kurt Suzuki Huston Street. selected by Oakland as the 10th andWhile Choice’s dream overall pick in the first round. of becoming a Ranger By sam morTon The Shorthorn sports editor
Surrounded by family, friends and a barrage of cameras and lights set up for on-air interviews, Michael Choice became the highest draft pick in UTA history when the Oakland Athletics selected him as the 10th pick in the 2010 MLB Draft on Monday. Choice, seated in between his parents and high school coach Robert Owens, received the phone call from A’s general manager Billy Beane just minutes before the official announcement was made, whereafter a loud roar filled the room with excitement. Choice joins an Oakland organization that has produced a number of major league regulars from its draft picks, including Barry Zito,
addiTional draFTees
was wiped away with the pick, the humble centerfielder is simply enjoying the process and gravity of being one of the first 10 players taken in the draft. But if Choice’s dream is to play at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, he’ll certainly have the opportunity with Oakland. After all, they play the Rangers 19 times a season. “It is a little bit special,” the new Athletic said. “I didn’t quite get to the Rangers but at least I got picked up by an AL West team.” As excited as Choice is about the pick, it wasn’t as visible as the excitement upon
Jason mitchell,
Logan Bawcom,
rett Varner,
Selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round as the 449th pick in the draft.
Selected by the Dodgers in the 17th round as the 532nd pick in the draft.
Selected by the Florida Marlins in the 6th round as the 197th overall pick in the Draft.
For more information about draft picks see page 3 Charea Choice’s face. Michael’s mother planted a big
choice continues on page 3
A new proposal to university president James Spaniolo may change the way students connect to the campus network, study and do homework. The Committee on Student Technology was created by Spaniolo to develop a plan the university can follow for the next several years to upgrade computing technology on campus. The committee was co-chaired by former Student Congress President Kent Long and Frank Lamas, Student Affairs vice president. Lamas said the need for further development of campus computing and the repurposing of Ransom Hall created a perfect situation for the university to look at computing needs. “We want to make sure there are facilities on campus until midnight,” he said. Lamas said the number of students using the facilities remained high until that time. The computer lab in the Architecture building also will be open until midnight Sunday through Saturday and the Central Library Monday through Friday, he said. Another of the committee recommendations is to encourage students to bring laptops to campus. The committee reports up to 80 percent of students own a laptop and do not bring them to campus. It suggests adding more power connections, improving laptop printer access and installing laptop security cables for students. Lamas said the committee also recommended creating a lounge that offers more connectivity for phones and laptops. “As campus becomes more wireless acceptable, I think for me, I’m going to bring my laptop,” Lamas said. Another recommendation is the creation of a virtual lab that would computer continues on page 6
Texas
Protestors rally in Dallas for Gaza Demonstrators cry out in response to Israeli attack on cargo ship. By aisha BuTT The Shorthorn staff
What was meant to be a peaceful, anti-war, prohumanitarian protest was transformed into a passionate dispute when protestors,
fighting to end the siege on the Gaza Strip, were confronted by their opposition on Friday. Cries of sorrow accompanied by a sea of posters plastered in red, black and green paint consumed Elm Street on Friday evening at the End the Siege Peace Rally for Gaza. All that separated the two impassioned assemblies were the barri-
cades that lined Elm Street. Although the barricades prevented the factions from physical conflict, it could not hinder their voices from being heard in Dallas. The protest was in response to an Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara in May that left nine dead and many injured. The Turkish ship was meant to provide aid to Gaza and was one of
several in a flotilla sent by the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedom and Humanitarian Relief. “I was supposed to be on that ship, those were all of my friends, my brothers and sisters that died,” accounting and finance freshman Yousef Hamad said. “It affected me treproteSt continues on page 5
The Shorthorn: Aisha Butt
Accounting and finance freshman Yousef hamad participates in the End the Siege: Peace Rally for Gaza on Friday evening on Elm Street. This protest was in response to an Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship that was meant to provide aid to Gaza. This attack left nine dead and many injured.