INSIDE
Fallout fumbles and falls short...Page 9 Texas A&M University-Kingsville
The South Texan
Volume 93, Issue 12
thesouthtexan.com
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Fond Farewell for Dr. Steven Tallant Students, faculty, staff bid goodbye after 10 years DARCY RAMIREZ Editor-in-Chief
Smooth jazz bounces off the walls as a melancholy feeling spreads in the Memorial Student Union Building. Dr. Steven Tallant is leaving Texas A&M University-Kingsville. In 2008 the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents selected Tallant as the sole finalist to become the 19th president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Tallant at the time was currently provost and vice chancellor
for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He has remained in “Javelina Universe” ever since. On Nov. 27 at 3 p.m. TAMUK held a Farewell reception in honor of the retiring president. Most faculty, staff and students marked this milestone in Javelina history as bittersweet. “We’re gonna miss him terribly. He has accomplished a phenomenal amount of good things for this university since he’s been here. And it’s a sad time for the university, but a time of celebration to remember all of the good things he’s done. And of course, we wish him well in his retirement,” Randy Hughes, chief of staff, said. Tallant announced his retirement in Spring. “After careful consideration, I have informed Chancellor Sharp that I will be retiring at the end
Campus poised to gain national notoriety
Photo by C.R Neal
Dr. Steven Tallant and wife, Karen Tallant, at the Farewell Reception. of December 2018. Karen and I have been extremely blessed to be part of this vibrant campus and community. We love this university, we love Kingsville and we especially love all the wonderful people we have met here,”
Farewell continued on Page 11
Members of TAMUK community participate during season of giving Annual Toys for Tots drive helps underprivileged children ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor As families decorate their Christmas trees and stores begin selling gifts and decorations, it is safe to say that the most wonderful time of the year is quickly approaching. While this season is known for gingerbread, eggnog and gifts, it is also the season of giving. At Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), students and staff were given the opportunity to give back by donating toys for the 2018 TAMUK Toys for Tots Drive.
Photo by Iliana Flores
Representatives from the Toys for Tots - Kleberg/Kenedy County and City of Bishop. The Toys for Tots Drive is an annual drive put on by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and the Office of Student Activities. Members of the TAMUK community are encouraged to donate unwrapped toys for children of all ages.
For student organizations who participated in the drive, the one that donated the most toys will receive a $150 sponsorship from CAB. Students
Toys for Tots continued on Page 12
CFSS works towards AVID campus of distinction ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) is on its way to becoming the first four-year higher education institution to be a designated and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Campus of Distinction. AVID is a non-profit organization that focuses on student success through professional development for teachers and staff to learn about different ways to engage students. The organization also believes in taking a holistic approach in education to ensure student success. AVID partners with schools that teach children of every level. From elementary to college, AVID works to support students throughout their education career and beyond. For college students, AVID encourages success at its AVID Higher Education (AHE) Institutions. This is done through various ways. “As part of their holistic offerings, AHE works with instructors and counselors on developing or strengthening first-year experience courses to help students improve their transition to campus and hone their organizational and study skills. To further increase student success, AHE also collaborates with student services to create an effective peer-to-peer Socratic tutoring approach,” AVID’s website said. For eight years, TAMUK has been an AHE. The Center for Student Success (CfSS) has led the charge to implementing AVID at the university.
AVID continued on Page 12
Page 2 - Campus
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
TAMUK Club of the Week- Pre-Vet Club ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Reporter
Texas A&M University-Kingsville is popular for its exceptional pre-vet opportunities. In January 2019, the Pre-Vet club will celebrate its four-year anniversary and its goal to help animal lovers by getting their pre-vet degree. The Pre-Vet organization is a great way to get involved and get your feet wet in the world of veterinary medicine thanks to its commitment to the community and diligent exposure to veterinary information. “Our goal is to create exposure for our members and provide them with information about networking and hands-on experience in the realm of Veterinary (medicine). However, this club is not specific to Animal-Science majors. We welcome everybody to join; we do a lot of community work and can provide several leadership opportunities,” said Avery Fajkus, the PreVet club president. The Pre-Vet organization volunteers in different events throughout Kleberg County. Members aid in keeping parks clean and help care for animals in pet shelters.
“We are actively involved within our community. We volunteer in pet adoption days, help set up, clean up and promote the event. We also volunteer in pet shelters. It’s a great way to gain hands-on experience and interact with the community,” said Ashley Lopez, the Pre-Vet club’s vice president. Several Pre-Vet Club members emphasized their learning experience since they have been part of the organization. The Pre-Vet Club is dedicated in enhancing the success of all its members; therefore, they attempt to involve guest speakers and showcase studying abroad possibilities for all its members. “Besides getting started in my network abilities, this club allows you to connect with peers and give an opportunity to get to know your upper classmates. A lot of the times upper-classmates are able to guide and provide us with useful information since they already took the course. Being involved in clubs within your major strives for academic improvement overall,” said Merideth Harvey, a pre-vet major. The Pre-Vet organization is a group of dedicated and selfless individuals willing to help others grow and achieve their goals.
Photo courtesy of Facebook Tamuk Pre-Vet Club
35th Annual Jazz Bash
TAMUK Jazz Bands perform music to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Reporter
The 35th Annual Jazz Bash was held Tuesday, Nov. 20, in Jones Auditorium. The concert consisted of a variety of music genres taking the audience on a ride through the decades. The Jazz Bash featured several of Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) jazz bands, including Jazz Bands I, II and III and Latin Jazz Ensemble. The performance was composed of rock, Latin and other distinct varieties of jazz. The audience had the opportunity to listen to an exceptional interpretation of Mariposa Tracionera performed by TAMUK’s Latin Jazz Ensemble. The concert was concluded strongly with the performance of Machito by Pete Rugolo. The night was filled with special performances featuring several of TAMUK’s talented students. Thomas Zinninger, TAMUK’s newest jazz faculty member, also had a special performance featuring him in
the jazz song Pegasus by Hank Levy. “It was interesting to see all the different type of styles of jazz. I think music is a very important part of our identity and our culture, so it was cool to hear music we don’t typically hear,” business management major Inri Sorto said. For the past 35 years, it has become a tradition to have the Jazz Bash on the Tuesday before students leave campus for the Thanksgiving holiday. “The Jazz Bash occurs each year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and has become a great way to kick off the holiday season. This concert is fun, exciting, relaxing, and showcases the many talented students within our internationally award-winning jazz program,” said Dr. Paul Hageman, director of Jazz Band I. All four of the jazz bands which performed had charismatic and vibrant energies on stage. Tempos, crescendos and decrescendos were all techniques showcased during the Jazz Bash performance. Aside from showcasing talent, the Jazz Bash showcased the time and hard-work put in to hold the annual Jazz Bash. “I enjoyed listening to a different type of music genre, and I thought it was cool to have songs feature several students during the performance,” said Alicia Villalta, a public service major.
Photo courtesy of Facebook TAMUK Latin Jazz
Photo courtesy of Facebook Tamuk Pre-Vet Club
Pre-vet club members with veterinarian Dr.Hilton.
Photo courtesy of Facebook Tamuk Pre-Vet Club
Thursday, November 29 , 2018
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Page 3 - Campus
Christmas arrives on TAMUK campus ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, Texas A&M UniversityKinsgville hosted its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. At the festive event, TAMUK students, faculty and staff, and Kingsville community members gathered to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. At the ceremony, the crowd listened to live holiday music, ate festive cookies and drank hot chocolate. Atendees were was also given the opportunity to donate to Toys for Tots. To commence the event, President Steven Tallant flipped the switch to turn on the 18,000 Christmas lights around campus for the last time before he retires.
Photos by Adam Pena and Iliana Flores
Page 4 - Opinion
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
Harassment excused by homophobia
The South Texan The First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.” The South Texan is a student publication produced by Texas A&M University- Kingsville students. The views, opinions and commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas A&M University system. The South Texan uses student fees in part to publish. The South Texan is part of the Art, Communications, and Theatre Department (ACT), The Javelina Broadcast Network (JBN), and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA). STAFF
Darcy Ramirez Editor-in-Chief Iliana Flores Managing Editor C.R. Neal Editorial Editor Plaserae Johnson Sports Editor
JOSUE VILLARREAL Reporter This past Sunday, the basketball world was sent into a frenzy when owner of “Mazani Mink” hair company Masin Elije revealed that he was harassed and threatened by Washington Wizard’s center, Dwight Howard, and his team. Elije took to Twitter with screenshots and photos of text conversations claiming that he had dated Howard, he cheated on him by attending transgender sex parties, and Howard and his crew began harassing him with homophobic comments and threats of violence. These posts have yet to be verified and may be false, but that does not excuse the homophobic backlash Howard faced. Obviously a very serious and disgusting behavior from Howard and his crew, but if you were just reading Twitter you would have no idea that was part of the story. What dominated the discussion was the reveal of Dwight Howard being into trans and cisgender men, many people making jokes and criticizing
Photo Courtesy nbcsports.com
Center for Washington Wizards Dwight Howard him for his sexuality. The privacy and safety of an innocent man is being threatened by someone in a position of power and all people want to do is make jokes about the alleged abuser liking men. It’s yet another infuriating reminder of the country’s perception of LGBTQ individuals. They are still viewed as a punchline to a joke, as sexual deviants, as something to not be taking seriously when threatened. Often forgotten is the concept of toxicity in men existing in not just straight men, but in all entitled men who have been put in positions of power. This situation is so bad it even lends itself to having sympathy for Howard, even though he has established himself as a potentially violent harasser. Since this story broke, people all over social media have been calling him homophobic slurs and insulting his sexuality. It doesn’t excuse his actions but it’s precisely a fear for a reaction like this that led to this behavior. Individuals scared of a homophobic backlash often hide their sexuality, and
when the possibility of being outed becomes reality, one can react violently, once they see that their fear was warranted. How are men supposed to feel comfortable coming out and being themselves if this is what they must deal with? Moreover, how are men supposed to be held accountable for their actions if people care more about sensational gossip than the actions of a harasser? How are LGBTQ individuals supposed to feel safe when their revealing of harassment leads only to mockery? This situation can be used as an example for both what to do and what not to do in response to LGBTQ individuals coming out of the closet. One must give them a comfortable and accepting environment for them to properly come out. Also, one must be called out for toxic and vile behavior. LGBTQ support is important, and a big part of support is making sure that people are held accountable on the same level as everyone else. Gay or straight, trans or cis, toxicity is still toxicity.
Normality of underage drinking Adolescent drinking culture dulls the excitement of legality
Jaylin Morales Advertising Manager Reporters Josue Villarreal Ashley Gonzalez Aaron Monreal Kelby Sprinkles Adriana Palomo Aryssa Enriquez Adam Pena Zachariah Wilson Nicole Morris Adviser Dr. Manuel Flores Consultant Advertising For advertising inquiries, e-mail The South Texan at thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu or call (361) 593-4370. Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters considered for publication must be 300 words or fewer. Letters may be emailed to thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu The South Texan, Manning Hall 165, Texas A&M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas 78363
photo courtesy bloomberg.com
KELBY SPRINKLES Reporter As I write this column, it’s my birthday. Not an ordinary birthday, but my twenty-first birthday. The birthday that I, and many others, have looked forward to with eager anticipation. I can finally drink alcohol, legally. Unfortunately, I, and the many others who have eagerly anticipated their twenty-first birthday, have also been drinking alcohol since we were teenagers. We have scrubbed off black Xs, used fake IDs and pre-gamed at our older friends’ apartments. Underage drinking culture has become a normality of youth. In addition to being dangerous, adolescent drinking has dulled the excitement of turning twenty-one. The allure of legal drinking has lost its appeal. For many young adults, the fes-
People taking shots of alcohol tivities of a twenty-first birthday have become the normal weekend routine. I celebrated my own twenty-first birthday last night at midnight. I went to Sixth Street in Austin, like every person who has ever turned twenty-one in Texas. Despite staying in a swanky downtown hotel, being surrounded by the people I love and wearing the outfit that I had picked out weeks ago, my twenty-first birthday felt strangely uneventful. The question, “This is it?” continuously turned over in my mind. It was not that I was ungrateful, or that I didn’t have a great time. I danced for hours, took too many Snapchat videos and drank an unhealthy amount of alcohol. Yet, the entire night I could feel an underlying sense of familiarity. I had done all of this before.
It wasn’t until this morning, my actual birthday, that I realized why the night felt off. I have been drinking alcohol for years. I was under the naïve impression that my first legal drink would be remarkably different. It wasn’t. It was just a normal vodka pineapple. It tasted exactly like every other vodka pineapple I have had before. I know underage drinking will always exist. It would be impossible to eradicate this behavior because alcohol influences our culture so heavily. I just want it to slow down. I wish I had slowed down, or waited to drink alcohol until I was of legal age. Maybe if I had waited, my twenty-first birthday would have been the glamourous night that I had always fantasized it to be. Then again, I may not have remembered it.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
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Page 5 - Opinion
Attacking the ‘other’
The divisive nature of religion
C.R. NEAL Reporter Religion is something everyone thinks about, but loathes talking about with a person who does not share that belief. The problem is that we will never understand, much less tolerate, people of different creeds if we refuse to communicate and accept that our beliefs are a product of our surroundings. How can a person understand something they have no experience with? A Baptist family in a Baptist community raised me. Understanding Catholicism or Buddhism was impossible for me. I didn’t even know other belief systems existed. As I grew up I began to see inklings of these beliefs, but even when tragedy struck my family I never thought about them. Through experience and empirical facts, my beliefs have changed. Now I feel alone. Whether they are religious or not, organizations tend to portray their opposition as the “other,” a demon to be
feared rather than another rational human being. This categorization as “other” serves only to further the agenda of those in power by artificially creating conflict where there should be none. Historically, Texas has never been much for understanding different religions. According to the Pew Research Center, 77 percent of Texans practice a form of Christianity, four percent practice non-Christian faiths and 18 percent did not identify with any faith. We can see this in our politics - Senator Ted Cruz shouting, “God bless Texas,” and President Donald Trump shouting, “God bless America.” Religion has unnecessarily divided us. The United States has always had an “us and them” mentality, but we have turned that division on ourselves. This column could point out each instance Trump has incited the fires of hate towards Muslims, but the absent-minded howling coming from the racist Troll doll in the White House has been covered to death. Instead, I will use examples that happened at Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) this semester. During the Fall 2018 semester, the Secular Student Alliance (SSA) officially became a chapter at TAMUK. Many students may have seen their flyers around campus claiming that they are, “The best damned group on campus.” Others saw to it that those flyers were defaced. To a small degree, that was funny.
Photo courtesy vox.com
A call for different creeds to coexist However, as a person who still hides his religious beliefs from most of his family for fear of being ostracized, the very thought turns my stomach into a block of ice. How can a person feel comfortable sharing their beliefs when a simple flyer gets vandalized? As I walked by the gazebo near the Student Union Building, I was approached by a member of Kappa Chi, an organization whose goal is, “…to proclaim Christ to university campuses all over the world.” If all this student did was to educate me about their religion, I would have absolutely had no problem. That was not the case. This student’s agenda was conversion, not education. This became transparent after I made my religious views
clear, quoted a few Bible verses and asked them to respect my beliefs as I did theirs. They refused. Despite having the knowledge of the teachings they were praising, the student kept pushing me to convert for 30 minutes. Is this how discussing religious ideas work now? I am right and you are wrong? We face a substantial amount of trials and tribulations in the world today. This is one of those issues we could eliminate. Instead of treating a conversation about religion as a competition with a clear winner, treat each other with the respect and decency you would give yourself. Use it as an opportunity to learn, and, above all, be tolerant.
Man on the Street This Week’s Question:
Did you enjoy seeing your family during the holidays?
Name: Linda Williams Major: Education “Yes, I enjoyed it a lot. It’s comfortable, I get a lot of stability and I get to rest quite a bit. We all make food together and have a roasting session at each other’s expense, to an extent. It’s just fun being able to make food together. Our family isn’t one to argue, so it was fun the whole time.” Compiled by: Josue Villarreal
Name: Kristian Saldivar Major: Education “Yes I did. Whenever I go home, I just feel comfortable and can rest and not worry about anything. I get to see family that I don’t see very often. We usually all gather at my aunt’s house and we have lunch together. My family isn’t the type to start conflict or arguments. We just enjoy each other’s company.”
Name: Noah Berry Major: Mechanical Engineering “Yeah, it was nice to see family that I don’t normally see very often and just catch up and hang out with them. We usually go to my uncle’s house in Rockport. We gather the whole family and just have a big turkey and ham dinner. The only thing my family argues about is the football game.”
Name: Heidi Saenz Major: Education “Even though I only live 45 minutes away in Corpus, it was nice because my family has a tradition of eating lunch, taking a nap and then eating dinner, so that was really nice. This year my grandmother came up with this cool idea for everyone to write what they’re thankful for on little paper maple leaf flowers. Like all families, we have arguments, but it was nice to forget that. It was also nice that my brothers got off Fortnite for a few hours.”
Page 6 - Sports
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
Hard Work Pays off for Brabham Brabham concludes indoor volleyball career on a high note
ASHLEY GONZALEZ Sports Reporter Madison Brabham, a native of Kingwood, Texas, was encouraged by a former teammate and good friend to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK). Little did Brabham know her overall career would turn into one for the books. Kingsville was unheard of but after her visit to TAMUK, something “just felt right. I think God was pulling me here, and I am so thankful because I’ve met people here that will be in my life forever, and I’ve been very successful,” Brabham said. Originally, Brabham was recruited to fulfill the position as a setter and a right-side hitter. Assistant volleyball coach Joseph Morales traveled to Kingwood High School to watch Brabham perform and see if the Javelina volleyball program would be able to utilize her skills and talent. Morales left Kingwood High School thoroughly impressed. “The first thing that stood out was her athleticism,” Morales said. “When I went to watch her, the other setter went down with an ankle [injury] and thus Madison [Brabham] had to run the 5-1. “I had the opportunity to see her in the front row as a setter and although she was still disciplined enough to still set her hitters, she did add a few amazing [hits] where she scored,” he continued. Brabham became more and more confident on the court and her stats sheets prove it. The athlete exceeded her previous statistic numbers every season. In 2015, Brabham appeared in
Photo courtesy of javelinaathletics.com
Madison Brabham defending the Javelina court. 34 games and concluded that season with 141 kills and 39 digs. In 2016, she appeared in 36 games and closed that season with 251 kills and 116 digs. But, 2017 was an exceptional year for Brabham and there were many factors contributing to her branch-out in becoming the athlete she is. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf of Mexico leaving many without a home because of high winds and flooding. Recently, the senior also went on to claim a First-Team AVCA All-American title because of her success on the court. “I try to always have my athletes grow, and with someone as naturally gifted as Madi, it’s easy. I was hard on her all year because we set a goal for her to be All-American, and I wanted to make sure I pushed her to reach that goal,” Allen said. Brabham and her family were one of the many families that lost their home to the storm. A total of 33 trillion gallons of water fell onto U.S. soil after Harvey hit. Although the massive hurricane devastated the Coastal Bend and Houston areas, Brabham did not let Harvey win. Instead, she used it as motivation, which carried her all the way to the LSC First-Team. “2017 was a big year… my family
Photo courtesy of javelinaathletics.com
Madison Brabham setting for a teammate at a game.
[also] lost our home in Hurricane Harvey during [that] season so I was unable to return home to help them…this was a huge motivation for me as well because if I couldn’t be home, I felt like I needed to be doing something good and worthwhile,” Brabham said. Brabham set herself apart and earned herself 336 kills and 110 digs. Brabham was also placed on the 2017 All-LSC First-Team. “Madison making the 2017 All LSC First-Team was such a joy,” Morales said. “Seeing her in the company of first timers was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be [more happy] for her.” Brabham could not have achieved all she did without the push from head volleyball coach Tanya Allen every season. “I try to always help my athletes grow, and with someone as naturally gifted as [Madison], it’s easy. I was hard on her,” Allen said. Brabham saw new aspects of herself when she surpassed what she thought was her very best because of Allen. “She really pushed me to see the athlete I am. “There were times when I thought I was working my hardest and she was able to show me I had more levels of intensity. “That gave me more and more confidence which led to my ability to handle the pressure on the court,” Brabham said. In 2018 alone, Brabham completely balled out and set a number of records for herself and the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Volleyball program. Her triumph on the court brought her a number of honors like being named the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Player of the Year, LSC Offensive player of the year, LSC All-Tournament selection, LSC First-Team, and being placed on the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association AllSouth Central Region First-Team. This makes Brabham eligible for a D2CCA All-American spot and being placed on the American Volleyball Coached Associated (AVCA) AllSouth Central Region First-Team. So, 2018 was quite the highlight of Brabham’s indoor volleyball career. The journey from 2015 to today has left Morales with great memories to
reflect on. “Watching her grow throughout the years in all her lows to her highs has been without a doubt one of my highlights,” Morales said. “Madison is the only player that I know throughout [TAMUK] volleyball that has played every position. She undeniably accepted the challenge and excelled at leading the way in the Lone Star Conference.”
‘Watching her grow throughout the years in all her lows to her highs has been without a doubt one of my highlights.’ - Coach Morales Nonetheless, Brabham is especially proud of the person she is today because of achievements on the court. “I feel like I learned so much about myself. The team hit some rough patches and I was able to maintain my success throughout everything going on and off the court. “That meant a lot to me because it helped reassure me that I am becoming the person that I try to be,” she said. One special memory Brabham is thankful for was having senior middle blocker Haley Hutchinson literally right by her side on the court. The pair has been playing by each other’s side since 2015 and developed an unbreakable bond. “Spending this last season with Haley on the court and having her right by my side was so special,” Brabham said. “We’ve been through a lot together and I am so proud that she received the recognition that she deserved.”
Thursday, November 29, 2018
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Page 7 - Sports
Javelinas early in Basketball Season
Men’s Head coach Estelle expecting progression for Javelinas this 2018-2019 season ZACKARIAH WILSON Sports Reporter On Tuesday, Nov. 20, the Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) men’s basketball team evened out their record, 2-2 with a win over the Dustdevils of Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) at home. The final score was 57-42. Sophomore and forward for the Javelinas Jemell Bradley led the team with 16 points making five shots out of seven attempts. Bradley hit a few three-pointers building the momentum for the Javelinas. This delayed the comeback attempts of the Dustdevils after a slow first half from both sides offensively. Bradley had something to say about his goals before the game. “I’m just trying to keep my play consistent. I’m trying to do things to help my team win,” he said. He also went on to speak about the team’s next opponent St. Edwards. “I heard they were a good team, but I think our team is good... I think we can come out with a win,” he said. The momentum of the game was all up to the defensive side in the
first half and somewhat in the second half as well until the Javelinas caught fire after a few minutes into the second half. The Javelinas picked up the pace after a little scoring back and forth. It was evident there was no stopping them after a 13-0 run had the Javelinas up. Any hopes of a comeback the Dustdevils had, freshman and guard, Darius Mickens wiped those dreams away with a two-handed dunk. “I got excited, it was my first college dunk...I felt pretty good about it,” Mickens said. “We just need to build on the win...keep improving each week, get better and [keep] hope of making the national tournament.” Head coach Johnny Estelle was fired up as always and even with the lead, he was voicing frustrations left and right. “We’re a young team in terms of experience at this level...we’re trying to gel and find out who we are, we got to get better offensively [but] our defense, I’m really proud of,” he said. The Javelinas shooting combined 43 percent from the field despite the slow start. They were eight-for-23 in the first half barely hitting one three-pointer out of nine attempts. The second half was a different
Photo by Plaserae Johnson
Coach Estelle with the Javelinas during timeout at the game. story, the Javelinas fired off 14-out-of 28 shots and made four three-pointers on seven attempts. They boosted their free throw percentage by 50 percent in the first half to 83 percent in the second. Coach Estelle also addressed the slow offensive start from his team. “Defensively, we’ve been playing pretty good… [but] offensively, we’ll start executing and shooting better
with more [games]....we got to get better, we got to shoot the ball better and that will come with time,” he said. The Lady Javelinas Basketball team also dominated over the Dustdevils earlier that evening with a score of 80-69. Both teams will be heading to Stephenville, Texas, for their games against Tarleton University today.
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Page 8 - Sports
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
Blocks Record Holder, National Champion
Hutchison heads into last Beach Volleyball season as a Javelina PLASERAE JOHNSON Sport Editor She’s thankful she chose joining the volleyball team over band when both opportunities presented themselves in middle school. “I started playing volleyball in the seventh grade. I was going to do band over volleyball. My friends convinced me to do athletics instead, and I fell in love with it, “ said Haley Hutchison, senior and middle blocker for the Javelinas volleyball teams. Because of her choice to become an athlete, she’s created memories she’ll never forget – like becoming the Block Record holder and winning the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II National Championship with the beach volleyball team last year. She gained the block record when she made her 487th block during the semifinals of the conference tournament against Texas A&M University-Commerce. “It was awesome [to get the record]. We were playing great and it was a huge success for me. After having positions changed, I didn’t think I could get it, but I did any-
way,” she said. Head coach Tanya Allen said the accomplishments are well deserved. “It’s been great having her on the team. She’s been a good player for four years and she’s definitely improved a lot over the course of that four years. Obviously, she’d made a huge impact on the program. She’s surpassed my expectations,” Allen said. She’s contributed to Javelina volleyball and beach volleyball for four years. Hutchison has just wrapped up her last indoor season as a Javelina. She is now heading into her last beach volleyball season, and she has high expectations for the outdoor season. “I think last [outdoor] season we learned that we can compete with D1 universities. We can compete and beat D1 schools. This year, I want to make it to nationals and win it again! I also think we can rank national among D1 schools, too,” Hutchison said. Assistant Coach Joseph Morales commented on the way Hutchison stepped up immediately when she first stepped on Javelina courts. “I think it’s been great having her on the team. When we recruited her,
she’s one of the ones that came in and she played middle for the majority of her career here and she was one of those players that had to come in and step up right away,” Morales said. If there is one word to describe Hutchison, it has to be work ethic, Coach Morales said. “She’s done a phenomenal job and one thing is, she always worked hard for what she’s accomplished. Everything has been work ethic for her. She wasn’t the most athletic in the gym or the one that jumped the highest, or the fastest, but she persevered and worked for everything she has,” Morales said. Hutchison described one of the most memorable moments in her career as a Javelina. “Beating Angelo State in the conference tournament this past year and competing really hard with Commerce right after [was a great memory]. [Angelo] was at the top of our conference during that game. We lost a lot of players, but everyone played hard, no animosity, we all came together and played really well,” she said. Hutchison’s biggest motivation is her mom because she always helps her to be better on and off the court.
Photo courtesy of javelinaathletics.com
Haley Hutchison’s bio photo Both coaches wish her luck in her future endeavors and plan on dominating with her in the last beach volleyball season of her career. “I want to wish her the best in whatever she does. I want her to succeed, to continue her work ethic. I know she’s going to have good things to come in her future,” Morales said.
My How the Tables Have Turned
Dallas Cowboys are predicted to Win in the NFC East Division soon AARON MONREAL Sports Reporter The Dallas Cowboys have turned their losing season completely around. My prediction is the Dallas Cowboys will win the division of the NFC East. There are several reasons why I believe the Cowboys will win the division. First is because of the competition that they are competing against. Currently, the standings of the NFC East Division place the Cowboys and
Washington Redskins both at first, Philadelphia Eagles at next (5-6), and New York Giants last (3-8). The Giants are dead last and have shown no signs of any chance of salvaging the season and are out of the playoffs. The Eagles are suffering from what is known as the “Super Bowl hangover,” even though all players have relatively stayed intact with Michael Bennett being added to the defensive roster; they are a roller coaster of a team. My second reason is that the Redskins have lost their wild factor
in Alex Smith. Starting out, the team looked very promising to win the division with ease. However, the team suffered a huge loss in Smith, the starting quarterback had a horrific injury. Smith broke his tibia and fibula in his right leg. ESPN senior writer, Adam Schefter said Smith runs the possibility of not coming back. “Alex Smith’s return is not certain,” he said during an interview on ESPN. Backup quarterback Colt McCoy is no newcomer, but he is not the type of player that can take a team to the playoffs. The final reason the Cowboys look
great, which is the main reason, is the addition of wide receiver Amari Cooper. Since the Cowboys traded a first round pick for Cooper from the Oakland Raiders, he has continued to grow and make a huge impact on the team, especially after the Thanksgiving game against the Redskins in which Cooper had 180 receiving yards. Before the trade, the Cowboys had no star receiver that could draw attention from the secondary. With Cooper improving from weekto-week and opening up the passing game, he can partner with Ezekiel Elliot and they will win the division.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
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Page 9 - Features
Fallout 76: Country roads to failure Highly-anticipated game of the year not worth its price ADAM PENA Reporter With such titles as God of War (2018) and Red Dead Redemption 2 released in the past year, 2018 marks for a significant year in video game releases with new additions to beloved series and Fallout, Bethesda Softworks’s flagship intellectual property is no different in this regard. Nov. 14 marked the launch of Bethesda Game Studios’ highly anticipated and ambitious project - Fallout 76. Promising to be four-times the size of Fallout 4, Fallout 76 is unique among the other titles in the franchise in that it is played entirely via online servers. For the first time in the franchise’s history, players can party together with up to three of their friends and explore the ruins of post-nuclear war West Virginia. Frankly, the novel concept of a multiplayer Fallout title is all Fallout 76 has going for it. To accomplish a more streamlined online experience, Bethesda Game Studios made the creative decision to remove any and all NPCs (non-player character) from the game world, leaving the vast, expanse wilderness of post-atomic West Virginia devoid of life save for mutated animals and the occasional fellow player. In place of traditional storytelling, the story of Fallout 76 is told through notes and recordings left behind by the previous occupants of Appalachia before they all are either killed off or disappear via miscellaneous circumstances. Much of the tension in 76’s story immediately evaporates when one realizes that there is no real impact for a player’s actions in the overworld, and while launching nukes at the ruins of Pre-War settlements (a major advertis-
rockpapershotgun.com ing feature of the game) is thrilling to finally accomplish, it leaves the player desiring more. That is not to say that there is no fun to be found in Fallout 76. While a player who goes into the game expecting a traditional Fallout experience will instead find a vast and empty wasteland, those who play the game with friends can instead tend to ignore the loneliness of Appalachia by traveling with real, fellow humans. Imagining Fallout 76 as a sandbox to make your own fun instead of anticipating an enticing narrative like Fallout: New Vegas will serve to heighten one’s enjoyment that they get out of the game. However, asking a $60 standard price tag for a game that seems mostly unfinished is simply unfair to the consumer, especially after Bethesda’s recent decision to drop the price to $35 for Black Friday sales not even two weeks after the game was released, making it all the more unfair
to players who purchased Fallout 76 upon launch for full price, especially for a game absolutely riddled with bugs upon first launching. Certain quests cannot be completed because of either the quest-giver or an item relating to the quest not appearing or unable to be interacted with, heavy performance loss experienced by PC users in more densely populated regions of the map or becoming trapped in loading screens that force a player to restart the entire game to escape, to name a few. What may contribute to the myriad of issues experienced by players of Fallout 76 is Bethesda Game Studios’ choice to continue using a modified version of the Creation Engine, a game engine that fellow Bethesda titles Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim also utilize. A seven-yearold program with issues that have been reported since Skyrim’s release yet never addressed should have been Bethesda’s first order of busi-
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ness when deciding to release a new game based off of the same software. All in all, I rate Fallout 76 as a 4/10 game, with much room for improvement as Bethesda releases updates for it in the future.
wccftech.com
Page 10 - Entertainment
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
Grindelwald’s fails Harry Potter fans Movie filled with grey, unimaginative scenes, writing JOSUE VILLARREAL Reporter It has never been a more stressful time to be a Harry Potter fan. What was once a whimsical world of magical escapism has since become a bed of uncomfortable arguments. Whether it be J.K. Rowling’s insistence on revising her own lore, incompetent and thoughtless inserts of allegory and representation, or the support of well-known abuser Johnny Depp, being a fan of the wizarding world has had its baggage for quite some time. The movie had an uphill battle to begin with, not just with the casting Johnny Depp as the titular villain despite the many protests from fans, but also the confirmation from director David Yates that iconic headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore would not be portrayed as gay, something the fans have been begging for since Rowling announced it. All of this contributes to the film being an altogether unenjoyable watch. However, even without the horrible press, the writer’s loss of credibility and the fan backlash, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald would still be a terrible film. The screenplay is definitely one of the film’s biggest issues. It’s one of the messiest I’ve ever seen made into a film. Boring characters with littleto-no personality run around chasing a character that in itself is a poorly explained plot hole with little-to-no motivation to do so. In particular, our protagonist Newt Scamander, our “hero” from the beginning, makes a point of wanting to stay out of the conflict and not caring about it at all. He instead embarks on a contrived and cliché love chase until he just stumbles into the main story without any real explanation, suddenly caring and participating. The movie is heavy in exposition, slow pacing, horrible flashbacks, laughably nonsensical twists, and awkwardly-paced scenes that feel like not only do they take forever, but are also absurd when you think about it. One scene especially is terrible during which they sneak into a vault
gamespot.com to achieve important documents but take a ridiculous amount of time discussing an error in a magazine pertaining to their relationship. The movie itself seems to be aware of how boring it is, often inserting out of place and narratively meaningless action scenes to break up the monotony. The effects are cool to look at, but are ultimately meaningless to the movie’s mess of a plot. Not to mention the many plot holes riddled throughout that are given extremely unsatisfying answers. The biggest one in being one character that had his memory wiped in the previous film but gained it back. The editing makes things even worse. It doesn’t help that the movie is filled with uninteresting, mostly grey sets with unimaginative costuming. Scenes don’t flow well and often you’ll find yourself seeing characters you don’t recognize until you have a close up of their face. You lose track of who is where in the space and can never truly know where people are or what they are doing. The positives in the movie are few and far in between. Dan Folger as Jacob Kowalski is still a great comedic relief, and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore is excellent. No other performances stand out, ranging from passable to mediocre. The controversial Johnny Depp comes off more eye rolling than
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creepy or threatening. Even his big heavily Trumpthemed rally falls flat because of the sheer lack of any real emotion being brought to the scene. If you’re a fan of the source material there is some fun references to be seen and enjoyed but for every good reference to the original series, there are at least two inconsistencies that directly contradict it. Even with it topping the box office, it is still the lowest earning open-
ing weekend for any Harry Potter series film to date. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has very little value to anyone. No more whimsy exists, and the plot holes are too great for any Potterhead. The film is far too incompetently made for a serious film lover, and it’s too boring to look at or watch for even the most casual of viewer. Let this movie become what shall not be named and watch something else.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
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Page 11 - News
‘Making A Difference One Can at a Time’ ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Reporter On Tuesday, Nov. 13, the 12th Annual “Can You Build It?” winner was announced at the Student Union Building. First place winner was awarded to the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education for their creativity and usage of cans. Kappa Delta Pi utilized 859 cans to create their display, and shine awareness against food insecurities. This event was hosted by the Health and Wellness Center and Pep-Talk organization, to help collect canned foods and other non-perishable items that will aid the Javelina community. “Not only a proud moment for Kappa Delta Pi, but we are genuinely happy with how much we have been able to gather for this event. It’s truly wonderful to see how many people we are going to be able to help,” said Angel Castillo, an interdisciplinary major. Organizations meticulously stacked and arranged canned foods to create a visual presentation against
food insecurities. Organizations began to set-up at noon and were allotted nine hours to complete their display. “It took us around eight hours to set up our display, we planned this over a month ago and we even had a meeting to wrap all the cans. We wanted to showcase the values of our organization, and that inspired the idea of a school bus with our slogan being ‘Drive Hunger Away,’” said Alejandro Muñiz, an Interdisciplinary major. With an increasing number of college students suffering from hunger at least once during their undergrad years, many universities have established a food pantry on their campus. Friendly competitions such as “Can You Build It?” strengthens the idea of Javelinas helping others. “We have gathered a total of 1,735 cans, which will all be donated to the Javelina Pantry. On average one-inseven people living in Texas will experience food insecurities, so it’s truly amazing to see the Javelina community helping one another through this event,” said Melissa Ramirez, a Business Management major.
Farewell continued from Page 1 Tallant said. Quickly after the announcement an exploration for a new president began. On Nov. 15 the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents confirmed Dr. Mark Hussey as the 20th president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville during its regular meeting. Hussey will take over his new role Jan. 2. A lot of administrators and personnel that frequently work closely with Tallant were saddened to hear the news of his departure. “There’s a part of me that wants to say [that what I will miss the most is] for sure his leadership, his guidance, but truth is his sense of humor. He is very funny; he tells amazing stories. He always has had this outstanding experience in his life that helps you to kind of make meaning of whatever is happening now, but he does it with a sense of humor. “He doesn’t let things bother him, he never gets defensive about anything, so really, it’s just kind a great sense of humor that he tackles problems or concerns with, but he always
Photo by C.R Neal
Dr. Tallant speaking with students after the reception.
does it with respect. And he’s very good to everyone,” said Dr. Terisa Riley, senior vice president for Fiscal and Student Affairs. At the Farewell Reception key speakers from every integral part of the university spoke on behalf of Tallant’s retirement. Speakers included Dr. Paul Hageman, Department Chair of Music, Ruben Martinez, Student Government President, Elisa Guerra, President of Staff Council, Nirmal Goswami, Professor of Political Science, and Dr. Tallant himself. Each thanked the departing president for his accomplishments such as successfully obtaining money for the new music building, making TAMUK a home away from home for staff members, and for being the best university president in the state of Texas in the last decade. Speakers choked up and bidded Tallant fond farewells until Goswami walked up and was determined to cheer up the crowd. “When I was told that I had been asked to write a speech for Dr. Tallant, I had a hard time figuring out what to leave out, so I decided to include everything. So, I wrote this speech and it was 23 pages and Randy then told me I had five minutes so I had to cut it down to 22 pages, so let’s see how that works,” Goswami joked. Eventually Tallant took the stage with a standing ovation from dedicated staff, faulty and students. He thanked his wife, Karen Tallant, for being a great partner all of these years. Tallant then recalled the university’s great accomplishments: Premont’s alliance, the construction of the new music building, the college of business’ accreditation, the hardworking staff members, the productive faculty, and the kind and ambitious students at Javelina Nation. Towards the end emotions and tears arose, but Tallant quickly recomposed himself and bidded farewell. “If you give Mark Hussey and his wife the love and support that you’ve given Karen and I, this university will do just fine,” Tallant said.
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First place winner, Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education create a unique school bus made of cans with the slogan, ‘Drive Away Hunger.’
Page 12 - Jumps
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
Toys for Tots continued from Page 1 and faculty and staff were also given the chance to win prizes as each toy donated will enter their name in a raffle. However, this is not only what the drive is about. As Loreal Robertson, the assistant director of Student Activities, believes the drive gives TAMUK an opportunity to give back to the community. “We have all been given something at one point in our lives and Toys for Tots is a way to pay it forward to the children here in the Kingsville community. So many families and kids benefit from the donations that students, faculty and staff contribute. I’m an advocate of giving back to causes larger than ourselves and this is one way where students can be servant leaders and participate in a philanthropic event. It’s always better to give than to receive,” Robertson said. The toys donated each year are presented at the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. This year’s ceremony was held on Nov. 27 in front of College Hall. At the event, people deliver their donations. Toys for Tots representatives also attend the event. When announcing the Christmas Tree Lighting event, the local Toys for Tots coordinators thanked TAMUK. “We are so thankful to TAMUK for doing this for us every year!! Y’all come out, it’s one of our favorite events,” Toys for Tots - Kleberg/
Kenedy County and City of Bishop said on their Facebook page. Once all the toys from TAMUK’s drive are collected at the end of the Tree Lighting Ceremony, the Toys for Tots representatives take the toys, which will later be given to underprivileged children in Kleberg and Kennedy counties. TAMUK is just one of many places hosting a Toys for Tots drive across the nation. According to Marine Toys for Tots website, the organization is a nonprofit that was started by Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks after his wife made a few homemade dolls and asked Bill to deliver them to an agency that supported underprivileged children. For 71 years, Toys for Tots has been collecting toys. In the Kenedy and Kleberg area, Toys for Tots has been collecting and giving toys to children for more than 30 years. While the Toys for Tots Drive at TAMUK has ended, there are still other ways to give back to the community. From putting change into the Salvation Army collection boxes to donating to your local animal shelter there are still ways to give during the Christmas season. Also, Check out https://toysfortots. org/request_toys/Default.aspx to find other local Toys for Tots drives to donate to.
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UNIV instructor Patricia Hennessey.
AVID continued from Page 1 “Here at TAMUK, our Center for Student Success was built around the five components of AVID. They are: academic advising, professional developments, First-Year Seminar, tutoring and mentoring, and co-curricular activities (this encompasses all disciplines across campus and includes study abroad and undergraduate research opportunities as well as service learning),” Dr. Stephanie De Los Santos, an AVID liaison at TAMUK said. “By using the AVID model and best practices, we at TAMUK can better prepare our students not only in college, but with their future career goals.” One way students will have seen AVID’s presence on campus is in their freshmen seminar class. These courses are set up to help students transition from high school into college. “The University Success Course is designed to assist freshmen with enhancing their academic skills while introducing them to campus life at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. While building professional relationships with faculty and fellow students, new freshmen will critically think, read, discuss and write about creative topics selected for the course,” TAMUK’s website said. Along with these courses, TAMUK participates in AVID’s Student Success Initiative through the resources it provides at the CfSS. CfSS consists of Career Services, the Writing Center and the Pathways Academic Assistance Center. TAMUK also hosts professional development workshops which TAMUK faculty and staff are invited to attend. These workshops also welcome teachers from local Independent School Districts. For education students at TAMUK, they are required to attend these workshops so they can utilize the skills taught to them through AVID in their future careers. “We know that implementing strategies holistically will ensure student success and TAMUK is doing a great job of this. Because of this suc-
cess, we know that TAMUK should share how they are doing this with other colleges and universities. That is why we are very supportive of TAMUK seeking the recognition of AHE National Demonstration College/ University,” Betty Krohn, the Director of AVID for Higher Education, said Currently, TAMUK is one of about 40 colleges and universities nationwide that are an AHE. “With this recognition, we set ourselves apart from other higher education institutions in the areas of professional development, teacher preparedness and student success initiatives,” Dr. De Los Santos said. Directors with AVID visited the TAMUK campus Nov. 14 and were walked through how AVID is implemented across the university. CfSS also hosted a poster symposium featuring the different areas on campus that are tied to AVID. TAMUK is continuing to set itself apart by being in the final stage of becoming the first ever AVID Campus of Distinction. TAMUK has been approved to move on to the final phase of observations, which consists of AVID executives coming for a final site visit scheduled for the spring. “We expect to have a successful visit that will lead to being the first four-year university to be named an AVID Campus of Distinction. I look forward to AVID representatives getting to observe our fantastic tutors at work in the PAAC, “said Dr. Shannon Baker, the Interim Associate Vice President for Student Success. By becoming the first four-year university as a Campus of Distinction, many opportunities for the university will come. “If chosen, TAMUK will be visited by campuses across the nation as well as visited from ISD’s that are AVID K-12 certified. This will also be a marketing tool to recruit students, as well as a chance for TAMUK to build relationships with community colleges, four-year institutions, and K-12 schools for grant and research opportunities,” De Los Santos said.
Career Services participates at the poster symposium.