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ALUMNA

Tech grad, regent overcame obstacles

Denim Day, April events push for sexual assault awareness on campus

By AYNSLEY LARSEN Staff Writer

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, during which Texas Tech hosts events to bring attention and support to survivors of sexual violence.

The month revolves around consent education and informational opportunities for students and survivors alike to learn about preventative measures, as well as support resources available following an act of sexual violence.

Alex Faris, Tech’s Title IX Training and Outreach coordinator, detailed the resources his office provides, as well as its role in a sexual assault case.

“If it is something that occurred on campus with people who are affiliated with the university, it is highly recommended to connect them with our Title IX office for support,” Faris said. “There are many things we can do to help them academically. We can connect them with law enforcement if they choose to do so; we can get them connected with medical or mental health care resources, both on campus and in the community, that are available to them.”

The Title IX office works with survivors to promote healing and communication, and can facilitate schedule

GLOW

& GROW

changes, excused absences, parking and housing accommodations and correspondence with law enforcement.

“If they choose to work with our office, the very first thing that we do is provide them supportive measures. These are resources that the university provides that can help them in their situation, to either process the trauma or get medical care,” Faris said. “We don’t contact law enforcement without the consent of the survivor, but if they want that support we can help them.”

Faris highlighted the significance of consent, and said it can be seen in every aspect of life. It is the basis of all intimate relationships.

“At Texas Tech, consent

is mutually understandable words or actions that clearly communicate permission for sexual activity. It has to be something that’s informed, something that’s mutual and not coerced, and that consent can never be implied or assumed,” Faris said. “The absence of a no is not a yes, and it’s always to the advantage of anyone who initiates any type of sexual activity to get verbal consent.”

Jorgann Holgersen, program manager for peer education and Outreach at Tech Risk Intervention and Safety Education (RISE), noted the impact a month dedicated to awareness and education can have.

“Sexual assault has been something that has histori-

cally been very prevalent on college campuses. Bringing awareness that this is an actual problem that we need to be addressing and to be speaking out about collectively, that’s a huge portion,” Holgersen said. “The month gives us time to do a variety of different outreaches and education about these things in a variety of different ways to hopefully reach as many people as possible.”

Holgersen chairs the RISE Sexual Assault Awareness Month Planning Committee, which has prepared events ranging from Coffee & Consent at local coffee shops to the upcoming Denim Day and Take Back the Night events.

Denim Day takes place on the last Wednesday in April, and originated with an Italian court case in the 1990s. An 18-year-old woman’s driving instructor was convicted of her rape, a conviction that was overturned on the basis that the survivor’s jeans were too tight, and thus she would have had to help the man remove them, denoting consent. The overturning ignited protests that reached the States, resulting in the development of Denim Day.

“Denim Day brings awareness to the myth surrounding sexual violence and brings

awareness that our role is not to blame (survivors). Our role is to connect (survivors) with support,” Faris said.

The events hosted by RISE and the services offered by Title IX serve to connect the campus community in promotion of a united front against sexual violence.

“It’s a really great opportunity to have a collective voice to speak out against sexual assault and violence,” Holgersen said.

McKenzie Johnson, a firstyear nursing student from Dumas, noted the importance of sexual assault awareness on a college campus.

“A lot of sexual assault does go on (around) campus, especially during the night,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of damage that can come from (sexual assault) … so I think people being aware that it’s going on is good.”

The month of April will highlight the impact of awareness and the importance of both preventive and supportive measures for survivors of sexual violence. At Tech, the resources, information and people available hope to offer a safe and welcoming community for survivors in need.

Arbor Day unites, beautifies campus

By ARIANNA FLORES eDitOr-iN-CHief

Spring is in full bloom and the last Friday of April mark’s Texas Tech’s push towards the beautification of campus.

The Student Activities Board along with Grounds and Maintenance work together to plan Arbor Day, an annual tradition, to bring color and life to our home.

Jazlyn Salazar, a firstyear biology student, a member of SAB leads this year’s Arbor Day, an event she’s planned since the beginning of February.

Though this is Salazar’s first planting tradition, she heard nothing but great things.

“I think the one thing I was excited to see everyone out there and just like to see it come to fruition, especially it being my first Arbor Day in general,” Salazar said. “I’m really excited to see (and) working with the department and different people and all this stuff to actually seeing it happen.”

The event begins at 11 a.m. April 28, with check-in for students and organizations. Participating students will receive a free T-shirt with their student ID with food to follow.

This year, Arbor Day festivities will honor Tech’s Centennial with the grounds workers planting white pentas flowers in the shape of a 100.

With about 2,300 students along with 129 organizations signed up, Tech grounds and maintenance confirmed about 3,000 flowers for this year’s Arbor Day.

“I feel like a beautiful campus is what draws people there,” Salazar said.

“I feel like for me whenever the tulips were in bloom, I was on campus a lot more and was spending time outside a lot more just walking around and looking at everything.”

“So I feel like it just gets students outside, it gets students into being feels like we just kind of bring that excitement of spring and summer and the warm weather,” she added. Participating students and organizations can count their hard work in Tech’s Centennial Volunteer project on the Centennial website.

Michael Quartaro, assistant director of grounds maintenance, said plant -

ing flowers around campus symbolizes a sense of joy and allows flowers to bloom throughout the final exam season until the end of summer.

“I think (tulips) bring a smile on campus,” Quartaro said. “I think everybody enjoys them.”

The annual planting event was started in 1935 by former Tech President Bradford Knapp who wanted to ensure those who came to campus saw its beauty.

SAB said there will be ax throwing, face painting and other activities for students to enjoy during the duration of Arbor Day.

By AYNSLEY LARSEN Staff Writer

Ginger Kerrick Davis, through her accomplishments, her intelligence and — most of all — her ability to overcome obstacles, has proven that a person’s limits are theirs to decide, and despair is a choice each of us must choose to reject.

Kerrick Davis earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in physics from Texas Tech, graduating in 1991 and 1993, respectively. She went on to pursue a 30year career at NASA, where in 2005 she became the first female Hispanic flight director in the administration’s history.

In 2016, she was named to the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Following this, in 2019 Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Kerrick Davis to the Texas Tech Board of Regents, of which she was named vice chairwoman in 2022.

In each of these stages of her life, Kerrick Davis excelled. When looking at her accomplishments on paper, it is easy to paint her as a monument of success, a more-than-human representation of triumph and knowledge. But, like the rest of us, Kerrick Davis wrestled her demons and fought her battles to become the person she is, doing so with her humanity, her faith and her inherent joy intact.

“My very first setback set the stage to equip me emotionally and with a level of resilience to be able to handle every other setback I’ve had since then,” Kerrick Davis said. “The first setback I ever had was watching my dad die right in front of me.”

When she was 11 years old, Kerrick Davis’ father suffered a life-ending heart attack. In her emotional recount, Kerrick Davis said her father’s passing was paramount to her personal growth.

“It, to this day, is the worst thing I have ever experienced in my whole life; and I’ve had some pretty crappy things happen,” Kerrick Davis said. “But it enabled me to prove to myself that if I could continue to move forward after that, then I could continue to move forward no matter

Jazlyn Salazar

Student Activites Board members

I think the one thing I was excited to see everyone out there and just see it come to fruition.”

FOOTBALL

Hopeful Red Raiders prepare for draft, next step

By ANDREW FALLON SportS reporter

Almost 60 years ago, former Red Raider Dave Parks was selected No. 1 overall in the 1964 NFL draft, becoming one of only three wide receivers selected first overall in the draft.

As the 2023 NFL Draft nears, Tech athletes will have their chance of being selected to pursue their passion at the professional level.

One of the nation’s top draft prospects and Tech’s most highly-touted prospect going into the draft, edge rusher Tyree Wilson has the chance to be the highest Red Raider draft pick since the NFL - AFL merger in 1970.

Wilson, who did not participate in the pro day as he recovers from a foot injury, said returning to Lubbock for his senior season was the best option for his career.

“Me and coach McGuire both knew that there was another level I can take,” Wilson said March 29 at Texas Tech Pro Day.

“It was the best decision for me to come back and it’s paid off being able to be a player under him

and help develop me and take my game to another level.”

Mock drafts from CBS Sports, SB Nation and NFL staff writers have Wilson projected to go inside the top 10 of the first round with the majority of major

media outlets having him as the sixth or seventh overall pick.

While Wilson’s ticket to the pros is seemingly already punched, the rest of the Red Raider draft hopefuls are fighting for an opportunity to be signed

by an NFL team.

Kicker Trey Wolff, who nailed a 60-yard field goal during Tech’s pro day, is looking ahead at his options other than the draft.

“I’ll be looking for local tryouts,” Wolff said. “I’ve been talking to some teams so hopefully I’ll be picked up.”

McGuire said the Tech football support team helps players prepare for the professional level.

“So we talked about it all the time, you got to be able to take notes in meetings, ask the coaches to check the players’ notes to make sure they’re writing down and understanding. I think these guys have heard it and really are prepared to try to take that next step,” McGuire said.

While the coaching staff plays its role in propelling the athletes to success, the players themselves have found self-motivation to get them into the next phase of their careers.

Tech super-senior defensive back Adrian Frye, a Red Raider since 2017, said easing his family’s financial worries motivate him to go pro.

“(My family) is kind of who I do it for first and foremost, just because it’s been what we’ve talked about long nights and Saturday mornings and things like that,” Frye said.

“Next is the women in my family,” Frye said. “All of my sisters, my mom, my grandmother and my great grandmother, because I’ve seen them struggle since I was a kid and I just want to pretty much get my people out of a worrying state. No more stressing about bills and things like that and just showing them that we don’t have to live the same way we’ve always lived.”

The draft begins on April 27 and will go through April 29. Live coverage can be found on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.

... what happens to me.”

And that she did. Taking this experience, Kerrick Davis felt better equipped to deal with the inevitable adversities she would face.

“Two years later, I get told by a teacher in my high school that I have no business being in his honors physical science class because, ‘Girls shouldn’t be in there,’” Kerrick Davis said. “And so I took him on, and proved to him that I should be there.”

Proving her worth and proving she would not be beaten became a staple of Kerrick Davis’ personality.

Kerrick Davis began her college education at the University of Texas at El Paso, where she played basketball with the hopes of going professional. Then, dislocating her knee at the beginning of her freshman season, both her basketball career and her time at UTEP were finished.

Despite where she first went to college and the other schools she considered, there was one university Kerrick Davis felt drawn to. Kerrick Davis’ father attended Tech from 1955 to 1958, and this part of her family history played a major role in her final academic decision.

However, this change was not easy. Kerrick Davis lacked the money to attend Tech and sought the help of Dr. Walter Borst, the then head of the physics department.

“That man, in the two hours that I was (touring), found me three scholarships and two part-time jobs, sum total of which would cover everything I needed to go to school and live there my junior year,” Kerrick Davis said. “It was because of him that the doors to Texas Tech opened for me.”

With the help of Dr. Borst, Kerrick Davis was able to enroll, only to lose one scholarship as her GPA fell to 2.7 within her first years at Tech. Taking on a

third part-time job to pay her tuition, Kerrick Davis knew she had to work harder to move past the situation she had put herself in.

In the year she planned to graduate, the federal government enacted a hiring freeze.

In response, Kerrick Davis called NASA weekly for four months in pursuit of her dream job until the day they offered her a position. Kerrick Davis was close to finally reaching her goal: becoming an astronaut and having the opportunity to go into space. But, on the heels of her hard work, Kerrick Davis received life-changing news.

“I wanted to be an astronaut and found out I had kidney stones, which was a lifetime disqualification from consideration,” Kerrick Davis said. Devastated and thrown off track, Kerrick Davis was lost, but not broken.

“There’s all these things that happen where you’re like, ‘Really? Really. One more thing?’ Every time it happens, it feels like the worst thing ever. I remind myself that it’s not, that I’ve already survived the worst thing ever,” Kerrick Davis said. “As bad as this makes me feel, I know I’m gonna be okay. I figure out, ‘How do I look at this problem differently,’ to enable the logic part of my brain to overcome the emotional part and continue to move forward.”

It takes a certain kind of strength and faith to overcome all that Ginger Kerrick Davis has. But it is not without effort and trust that she has been able to move forward.

“I have a very strong connection with God, and I believe that whatever thing that I have to go through (is) just part of a larger plan that sometimes I’m allowed to understand, and sometimes I’m not. But I don’t question it,” Kerrick David said. “I just know that whatever hap-

pened was probably supposed to happen, so I just gotta figure out a way to get through.”

Kerrick Davis’ ability to overcome the obstacles thrown at her comes from her faith in God and determination to not be dragged down by the emotions and hardships that could have easily overpowered her.

“A lot of people will fall into what I call a pit of despair … I don’t choose to live that way; it’s a choice to do that, to allow your brain to take that trip, and I just don’t see any value in it. I choose not to take that path and choose positivity,” Kerrick Davis said.

Ginger Kerrick Davis can be seen as a role model for women and anyone struggling to achieve their goals. Her story and sheer perseverance created a personality anyone would be willing to follow.

“I know I’ve made a lot of contributions to human spaceflight, the success of all these NASA missions; But the thing that really drives me, that really makes me happy, is when I know I have made a difference in a young person’s life,” Kerrick Davis said.

Kerrick Davis’ ability to serve as a precedent for others and use the positions she has earned to inspire, will mark her in history as a legend and a role model, for so much more than just her career.

“If a talk that I give, or the service that I provide as a Regent, can help a single student think differently about themselves, or think differently about a problem, or push a little harder because they heard about some of my stories and reach their own definition of success, that’s the difference that I really want to make in the world, and that’s what brings me joy,” Kerrick Davis said. “I don’t remember a whole lot about my thesis, I don’t remember a whole lot about some of these missions, but I do remember the people; and that’s why I do what I do.”

Wide receiver Chadarius Townsend participates in the shuttle drill in an attempt to impress NFL scouts during Texas Tech

Pro Day at the Sports Performance Center March 29, 2023.

JACOB LUJAN/The Daily Toreador

AndrewFallonDT

GINGER KERRICK DAVIS

OPINIONS

420 COLUMNS

Indica ruins motivation

Weed. Ganja. Pot. These terms have loomed for decades as a warning to smoke out young people’s success.

Marijuana has creeped its way back onto a campus full of students pursuing greatness, but a sesh with Mary Jane sets up students to pursue the fridge.

Students at Texas Tech are busy enough with university obligations and blazin’ it will only burn their education.

Marijuana remains illegal in the state of Texas due to of the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a mind-altering compound, but a short road trip to New Mexico allows students to obtain the drug in its many consumable forms.

Although illegal, the drug manages to make its way into the Lone Star State, posing a potential threat to a student’s livelihood.

According to HappyMD, medical card evaluation program, indica cannabis is widely known for its relaxing and sedative effects.

In high amounts, indica strains promote a lack of motivation, several coordination problems and paranoia or anxiety.

Although the drug aids those who suffer chronic pain or sleep issues, cannabidiol (CBD) usually plays a larger role in terms of anti-inflammatory effects.

Fortunately, CBD is legal within the state of Texas.

With indica, users face mountains and valleys to get to the other side of the couch, which has no place to mix into a student’s schedule on an 1,800-acre campus. Mind you with only 10 minutes to move.

Categorizing marijuana as non-addictive is simply

not true.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, one in every 10 adults who consume the drug become addicted.

High THC percentages tend to cause higher rates of dependency and addiction.

Additionally, due to the slow increase in THC potency across cannabis products, it is inevitable these products produce more dependent and addicted users.

Sativa lights up studies

tive Disorders.

Texas, with no hopeful future of becoming legal, students should not use the drug, especially since local dealers are not reputable and have no idea what they are selling.

Students’ next toke to prepare for class might end up being an indica-dominant strain seating them for a feast at The Market.

The reality is Texas does not welcome the use of marijuana.

Regardless of the strain, whether it makes students studious or couch potatoes, the reasons to consume marijuana are easily just as justified with CBD and Delta-8 products.

The consequences of THC consumption are far more extreme than using legal alternatives.

One can chase their high in a legal manner.

In the words of Frank Ocean’s family friend in the interlude “Be Yourself,” weed enables sluggish, lazy, stupid and unconcerned behaviors.

The typical cannabis connoisseur may enjoy the liberties of lounging around and raiding the refrigerator, but not all Mary Jane strains presents these side effects.

Sativa, the energetic counterpart of indica, is a marijuana strain that offers of-age consumers a mind high suitable for daily tasks rather than couch potato behavior.

Moreover, legalizing weed ensures the further study of the plant and its effects on students.

Through the current completed research, sativa strains of weed may offer of-age students a boost of productivity and attentiveness.

Before explaining the benefits of sativa-dominant strains, it is essential to establish appropriate times and places for consumption.

Madison Vidales is a journalism major from El Paso.

students seeking extra productivity during an internship or work environment.

Personal accountability and moderation is essential to sativa use. Drugs are responsible for its effects; however, it’s the individual’s behavior that dictates their relationship and reliance on the drug.

Furthermore, the study reported women benefiting from a reduction in anxiety more frequently than men. As women navigate their place in academia, sativa can work alongside them to take off the edge. An additional factor that works alongside productivity is attentiveness. Garden Remedies Cannabis reported Sour Diesel, a sativa-dominant strain, aiding in removing brain fog.

Vida Editor Madison Vidales features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Chris Williams sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Jules Cervera opinions@dailytoreador.com

Editor Wyatt Adams photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Kierra Eyiuche online@dailytoreador.com

Editor Madison Vidales copy@dailytoreador.com

Notably, marijuana users tend to be 18-25 years old, the ages of a typical college student.

In the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Cannabis Research Report, marijuana negatively effects attention, memory and learning.

Tech students who prioritize their education could agree their academics demand these abilities, so why risk the poor education results?

Although students’ academics do not define their lives, heavy marijuana consumers report the drug negatively affected their cognitive abilities, career achievements, social lives and overall health.

Because marijuana remains illegal in the state of

420, a rally day to unionize and legalize marijuana, leads stoners to annually celebrate consuming cannabis, yet this year the holiday falls on a Thursday, so get to class and get off the couch.

@MalachiMatsDT

An example of an appropriate condition for consumption includes a student completing homework or another creative endeavor at home.

On the flip side, cannabis consumption is unsuitable for

A few terms to familiarize oneself on the properties of a cannabis strain are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the property responsible for the change in consciousness felt during a cannabis high whereas CBD is the property responsible for mellow physical sensations one can expect after consumption, Health

Harvard reports.

Moreover, legalizing weed ensures the further study of the plant ... ”

Returning to the topic of productivity, a study conducted by McLean Hospital reported a few factors contributing to procrastination including fear, anxiety and distraction. Procrastination is arguably a common occurrence during a student’s academic career. Sativa can help alleviate these procrastination-inducing emotions. Properties in sativa, such as high THC levels, helped reduce perceived symptoms of stress and anxiety in participants of a study included in the Journal of Affec-

These head highs result from the percentage of THC and CBD in sativa strains. Pure sativa strains contain miniscule amounts of CBD, resulting in alertness rather than the sluggish and lethargic feelings indica offers.

The use of cannabis is not limited to academic responsibilities. After taking off the edge, users experience relaxing moments of euphoria. What 21-year-old Tech student nearing the end of their college career doesn’t already do so by participating in the Broadway shuffle every weekend?

Destigmatizing the use of cannabis begins by knowing which strains are responsible for symptoms we commonly associate with the drug.

By educating oneself on the properties of a strain, individuals can select which strain suits their needs the most rather than making assumptions based on hearsay.

If one’s intent is to use cannabis as means to glue themselves to the couch, more power to them. However, we should not let this notion dictate cannabis’ other possible uses, including its role in aiding college students with productivity.

@MaddieVidalesDT

Charitable action needs no camera COLUMN

Scrolling on any social media app, thousands of videos pop up, ranging from comedy skits to D-I-Y tutorials. Over the years with the expansion of social media content, another genre of videos have found popularity: videos that promote philanthropy.

Though the message of philanthropy videos may be done in good faith, recording vulnerable groups is simply exploitation. Charitable acts should be done without the need for a camera around.

One of the most wellknown producers of this con -

CARTOON

tent is Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast, one of the most subscribed YouTubers. His video where he seemingly cured 1,000 blind people was a prime example of this work.

While MrBeast’s video is an attempt at altruism, it fell flat on some who saw it as poverty porn.

As stated by Phys.org, a science blog, the term poverty porn is a concept where people or organizations purposefully use visual content that displays persons or groups in need for pity.

The problem with recording

good deeds is not the deed itself. One must not shy away from making the world a better place. However, when a camera is used, it turns the situation into a selfrighteous opportunity for the performer.

According to an article by Medium, a digital publishing platform, ethical theories such as Kantianism and Buddhism denounce these actions, focusing on the impure motivations for the charity. In contrary, utilitarianism argues that despite the monetary gain for performers, a good deed is a good deed.

The article applies these theories to analyze whether recording charitable actions is ethical or not.

The ethical implications of social media philanthropy question the overall validity.

While many ethical theories are applicable to these notions, the existence of a moral debate highlights the issues of philanthropy videos.

Humans are not props or clickbait content; shoving a camera into a vulnerable persons’ face dehumanizes them and subjects them to being just another money grab.

Jules Cervera is a public relations major from Grand Prairie.

In an article by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, poverty porn imagery perpetrates negative stereotypes about marginalized groups. Creating narratives for these groups silences their voices; giving privileged people the platform to expose the formers’ situation takes the opportunity for marginalized groups to speak on their own experience.

Although staging and recording a charitable action is wrong, positive messages online are necessary in upkeeping a positive online environment.

Based on a study by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal, Facebook conducted an experiment with their news feed and found that positive posts influence people to post positive updates. Moreover, negative posts influences negative updates.

This information tells the case that by spreading positive content, social media apps will generate positive online conditions.

Social media is an everchanging interactive technology that gives people the opportunity to connect with others and produce multimedia content. Though one should always do the right thing, it can be done without the need to record it.

@JulesCerveraDT

Zoe Taylor/The Daily Toreador

Malachi Matsuda is an honors science and humanities major from El Paso.

Carlos Gonzalez/The Daily Toreador

Raider Red seeks internet fame with online videos.

Categorizing marijuana as non-addictive is simply not true.”

ENVIRONMENT

Invasive tree species, ecological effects on campus

By NATHAN KENISON FeatuRes wRiteR

Since its introduction to the U.S during the mid 1960s, the ornamental Pyrus calleryana, more commonly known as the Bradford pear tree, has become infamous for its pungent smell and propensity to quickly overtake plant habitats, leading to a widespread national effort to limit its growth and seek superior alternatives. However, due

to the plant’s affordability and aesthetic appearance, Bradford pears are constantly planted across America. This includes on college campuses like Texas Tech.

David Blease, a tree technician for a local tree trimming service, said Bradford pears possess unique properties that account for their overwhelming invasive abilities.

“They have the capacity to be invasive pretty much any-

CONSTRUCTION

where they grow, because of how many seeds they produce and how quickly they can spread,” Blease said. “They can also cross-pollinate with other trees. The hybrids always [take on] the worst features of the Bradfords.

Although it is possible to sterilize live Bradford pear trees to prevent unchecked growth, these methods are inefficient and often ineffective. Vikram Baliga, Tech’s greenhouse and horticulture gardens manager, said careful precision is required to keep the trees under control.

“The problem is we have to treat each tree individually, and you have to get the timing exactly right in the spring,” Baliga said. “It can be kind of challenging just because it changes year to year. Also, the product tends to get a little expensive … and there are problems with the overall effectiveness of the product.”

Not only are Bradfords not cost effective, they also can be dangerous. Lubbock’s high wind speeds make them particularly susceptible to structural col-

lapse, which can lead to property damage and safety risks.

“Their wood is pretty weak. And they grow tons of branches really close together. If you get a big windstorm … they just kind of fall apart,” Baliga said. “So, they pose some structural and human health hazards actually because branches will just fall off.”

Because of these issues, Baliga said Tech plans to slowly phase out Bradford pears across campus.

“We don’t have as many as we used to, and there are a lot that have been replaced with better species of trees. So, they’re kind of just dispersed throughout campus,” Baliga said.

Moreover, Tech’s horticultural garden also will be removing its Bradford pear specimen after it has completed its natural lifespan, and encouraged any Lubbockites who have Bradford pears to adopt a similar strategy.

“We have one still in the horticultural garden and we work on it a lot to minimize the

hazards. We prune it, we clean it up … but as soon as it starts to decline, we’ll definitely take it down and replace it with something else,” Baliga said. “If you can give yourself a reasonable

19th St. construction leads to commuting disruptions

By AUSTIN WOOD News RepoRteR

In June, the Texas Department of Transportation began work on a $25.69 million project aimed at rebuilding and updating U.S. Highway 62 and State

The project involves construction and improvements spanning from Memphis Avenue to Interstate 27, with an expect-

ed completion date of summer 2025, according to the Lubbock District TxDOT’s website.

The project goal is a rebuild of existing sections of 19th Street, with improvements to lighting, drainage, traffic lights and sidewalks also included.

Mackenzie Ciullar, a fourthyear nursing major from San Antonio, said even on the construction-free Tech campus, the construction has made getting around difficult,

“It’s kind of inconvenient. It’s hard to go through campus during the day when classes are running,” Ciullar said.

The project has reduced campus-adjacent portions of 19th Street to one moving lane for the majority of its duration,

exacerbating traffic problems.

According to an announcement from TxDOT Lubbock’s Twitter on March 23, workers have shifted traffic onto newly paved lanes, although traffic would remain constrained to one lane.

Ciullar said she hoped construction would be finished and the influx of students returning only made the problem worse.

“I actually was here in the summer when they started: They started pretty early and I thought it would be done in time for students to come, but it just seemed like the more students that came the worse it got,” Ciullar said.

Joshua Still, a third-year mechanical engineering major from

Atlanta, Georgia said despite not having a car in Lubbock, the construction has made his life difficult.

“Just trying to get over to the Marketstreet over there, I go there a decent amount for groceries and stuff, and it’s just so slow getting over there,” Still said.

Madison Flores, a secondyear microbiology major from Houston, said despite the project’s lengthy disruptions progress has been visible.

“It’s not pleasant driving through there cause I feel like the construction wasn’t finished for a long time, and it’s still not finished, but I do see some progress,” Flores said.

As the project progresses, the

majority of road work will move toward the heart of Lubbock, with the sections of 19th Street adjacent to campus anticipated to be mostly complete by the beginning of next school year.

JACOB LUJAN /The Daily Toreador

A Bradford pear tree entiates its growth cycle toward the end of the winter season on March 31, 2023.

JACOB LUJAN /The Daily Toreador

A row of Bradford pear trees begin their bloom outside the Electrical and Computer Engineering building on a brisk Friday morning, March 31, 2023.

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