03-21-2023

SPEECH

RAs punished after University Star opinion column published

By Blake Leschber Assistant News Editor

On Oct. 7, The University Star published a column about overpopulation on campus and its effects. In the column, the writer interviewed three resident assistants (RAs) to discuss the topic. After the article was published, the RAs were punished for talking to the media with written warnings. On Jan. 13, the warnings were removed from the RAs' accounts.

According to UPPS 06.05.02, Texas State employees are required to contact either their supervisor, the director of the Office of Media Relations or the assistant vice president for University Advancement Communications before talking to the media. Since the RAs did not follow this policy, they were given a

written warning on their accounts.

One of the RAs, who has chosen to remain anonymous, said that they were not notified of this policy in their training and that this warning could have had possible dire effects on their employee accounts.

"During training, there wasn't really any mention of [the policy] from anyone," the RA said. "In the case of this interview, if my name were to be mentioned, that would be probation if there was somebody else that had a write-up, then they could be terminated at that point."

Sandy Pantlik, vice president for marketing and communications, said that the consequences for employees who do not follow the media policy are decided by the employee's supervisor.

"The consequences of not following a university policy are handled in

accordance with the appropriate process, as determined by the status of the employee and policy concerned," Pantlik told The Star in a written interview. "Generally, if a disciplinary action is deemed appropriate, that is made at the discretion of the employee's supervisor."

After attending mandatory meetings and having reports put on their files, the RAs turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). FIRE is an organization that helps people who believe that their First Amendment rights were violated. They primarily but not exclusively work with college students and campuses. The organization worked with the RAs to try to get the warnings removed from their accounts.

SEE SPEECH PAGE 2

Season ends in first round of WNIT

By Kobe Arriaga Sports Reporter

Graduate guard Kennedy Taylor knocked in a season-high seven 3-pointers in an 89-79 loss for Texas State (23-10, 13-5 Sun Belt Conference) in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament against Stephen F. Austin State on Thursday (27-6, 15-3 Sun Belt Conference).

The Bobcats shot 56% from three as a team and knocked in twice as many threes as the Ladyjacks, who totaled seven.

SEE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE 8

Remembering Ernest Kimble: the Burger King legend

By Haley Velasco Assistant Life and Arts Editor

Ernest Kimble woke up around 5 a.m. every morning for over 30 years to walk to his job at Burger King in San Marcos. He was living in a Best Budget Inn and had medical issues such as bad eyesight and knee pain, but he never went to work without determination and a smile.

On Feb. 15, Kimble died at 57 years old.

The cause of Kimble's death is currently unknown. For now and until a vigil can be organized, friends and former co-workers are remembering Kimble and his greatest moments. From cracking jokes to bonding from work gossip, Kimble was always known as the right-hand man at Burger King, even with all of the circumstances that he had encountered with 20-30-minute daily walks to work and 12-14-hour shifts.

"When I first started, Mr. Kimble was quiet and respectful, and he would goof around at times, but he was such a hardworking man," Rae Carroll, Kimble's former Burger King co-worker said. "You know, everyone has a story and I always wanted to know how he ended up in San Marcos, but I never asked because I didn't want to put his head in a space where he didn't want to be. It's like Burger King was his getaway."

In 2018, Kimble was nominated for assistance from Season for Caring, an organization within the Austin-American Statesman that allows readers to give to Central Texans in need. The organization utilizes Central Texas community service organizations to find people to help.

In 2018, Kristina Delgado, San Marcos resident and health specialist

for Community Action Inc. of Central Texas, a non-profit organization that provides resources such as health care, education and job training, found out about Kimble and reached out to his managers to see how to help.

Kimble was awarded a year's worth of rent in a new apartment in 2019. At work, he continued to uplift his coworkers.

"He never made you feel uncomfortable, he never made you feel bad and if you were having a bad day, he would do what he could do to make you feel better," Jennifer Ruiz, Kimble's former Burger King co-worker, said.

Kimble instilled golden friendships through laughter. Juan Yanez, another one of Kimble's former co-workers, believes that Kimble's playful personality made it easier for the friendship to form into something special.

"We got so comfortable with each other like it was like I was talking to one of my best friends," Juan said. "The things he does that makes you laugh and the things he says, especially when I brought my wife around, he'd be like, 'oh, that's my girl,' and when he'd see my kids, he'd be like, 'these are my kids.'"

Juan had been working for Burger King for about eight years when he realized that the business did not care for its employees as much as it did the money. Even after more than 30 years of working at the restaurant, Kimble was still making $8.75 an hour.

SEE COMMUNITY PAGE 4

Ernest Kimble keeps an eye out for customers at his job at Burger King in San Marcos in Dec. 2018.

A resident assistant helps students check in to their dorm during move-in.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNDA M. GONZALEZ

Texas State graduate guard Ja'Kayla Bowie (15) dribbles the ball, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at Strahan Arena.

PHOTO BY ALLISON MENDOZA STAR

Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

Editorial

Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Arthur Fairchild stareditor@txstate.edu

Managing Editor: Sarah Hernandez starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu

Design Editor: Sarah Manning stardesign@txstate.edu

News Editor: Nichaela Shaheen starnews@txstate.edu

Life & Arts Editor: Marisa Nuñez starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

Opinions Editor: Dillon Strine staropinion@txstate.edu

Sports Editor: Carson Weaver starsports@txstate.edu

Multimedia Editor: Jeffrey Halfen starmultimedia@txstate.edu

Engagement Editor: Zaria Jackson starengagement@txstate.edu

Digital Products Developer Sri Naga Sri Govvala starasstweb@txstate.edu

Creative Service Director: Michele Dupont starcreative@txstate.edu

Public & Internal Relations

PIR Director Elle Gangi starpr@txstate.edu

Full-Time Staff

Director: Laura Krantz laurakrantz@txstate.edu

Student Publications Coordinator: Caitlin Mitchell cf1188@txstate.edu

About Us

History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung.

Copyright:

Copyright Tuesday, March 21, 2023. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.

Deadlines:

Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication.

Corrections:

Any errors that are in the pages of The University Star and brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible.

Visit The Star at universitystar.com

Nontenure promotion path addresses faculty inequity

I understand it, is working on market adjustments, which is I think, the first time it has happened broadly across campus in a good number of years. They're looking at CUPA median salaries for people in different ranks and then trying to bring those people who are further from the CUPA median [closer]," Jensen said.

Despite receiving less pay, the majority of instruction at Texas State is done by nontenured faculty. Tenured faculty are offered opportunities outside of teaching, and can take entire semesters off after working at the university for at least six years, whereas nontenure line faculty can only apply for a reduced workload, which decreases the number of classes they have to teach for a semester.

By Ryan Claycamp News Contributor

The Texas State University Faculty Senate and Nontenure Line Faculty Committee are planning to implement the "Faculty Title Series" in fall 2023. The series plans to address inequity in the treatment of certain faculty that impacts many employees.

Under the structures currently in place, some feel that Texas State has two classes of faculty: the smaller, more prestigious and highly paid tenure-line, and the less prestigious, but more widely available nontenured line faculty. The "Faculty Title Series" plans to address this by offering raises and more ways to further the career of nontenured line faculty.

"Lecturers are going to have an option, relatively soon, to get on a promotional track, which we don't have now. You can get a title change to senior lecturer, but that doesn't come with a pay increase," Allison Robinson, a history lecturer, said.

Under current plans, the "Faculty Title Series" will place nontenure faculty on career paths, much akin to the path of tenure-line faculty. Current senior lecturers will be given the option to stay grandfathered into the current system, but no new senior lecturers will be hired or created unless an emergency situation calls for it.

"The idea is that senior lecturer goes away, which is one of the last categories that doesn't have a career path. In its place, you're going to have assistant professor, associate professor and full professor, and I think the latest term is

'of teaching,'" Shannon Duffy, a senior lecturer in the Department of History and member of Faculty Senate said.

Nontenure line faculty, who currently make up the majority of faculty, are on contracts that must be renewed after a set term whereas their counterparts have much higher levels of job security.

"It is much easier to get rid of a nontenure line than a tenure-line person. So [nontenure faculty] will have five-year contracts, which is what I have now. It always has language that says basically unless we [the university] don't need you," Duffy said.

Nontenure-line faculty currently experience a sometimes significant pay gap between themselves and tenure-line faculty. The pay gap varies by department and the demand for the position, but at times can be as much as several tens of thousands of dollars.

"It's my understanding that in general, nontenure line faculty, even people that have been here for 20 or 25 years, still earn significantly less than tenure-line faculty, even newly hired tenure-line faculty," Jennifer Jensen, a professor of geography and environmental studies and vice chair of Faculty Senate, said.

The hope under the changes of the "Faculty Title Series" is to make salaries more equitable between nontenured line and tenure-line faculty by offering raises based on the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA), which is an organization that tracks average salaries for faculty in higher education.

"What the university is doing, as

"I explained my situation, I sent them the recording, screenshots of all of the emails, and then after that, they scheduled a Zoom meeting with me. It was about an hour and it was just like, asking me questions about the situation," the RA said.

FIRE contacted Texas State through a letter sent to the president, describing the situation and how it is a violation of the First Amendment even though the policy was broken.

"At Texas State, which is a public university, it is fully covered by the First Amendment to discuss with student and non-student journalists," James Jordan, litigation fellow for FIRE said.

The defense against this case was that the RAs were speaking on a public concern: the dorm conditions. Since this was a public concern and it passed the Pickering Balancing Test, a test in conjunction with the court case Pickering v. Board of Education, the RAs had the First Amendment right to speak on the issue with no barriers or punishments.

"When it comes to employees talking to the press, the law uses a Pickering Balancing Test to see if what is being spoken about is a public concern and whether an individual's rights to talk about something on a matter of public concern outweighs the employer's interest in keeping them from speaking," Jordan said.

In this case, overcrowding is a matter of public concern, so the RAs are covered under the First Amendment to speak to the press about it. Still, they received punishment.

"Overcrowding is something that definitely affects everyone even if you don't live on campus," the RA said. "I think it would be different if I was like, directly talking about how much I disliked my supervisor. That wouldn't be a public concern, but in this case, it was."

FIRE also brought to light the discussion about Texas State's media policy, stating that, overall, it violates employees' First Amendment rights to speak freely to the press and can possibly restrict free speech.

"We would say that this is a restriction on the First Amendment that to speak on an issue of public concern you have to get someone else's permission before talking about

"The salary that tenure track and tenured professors get, and the reduced course load that they get compared to lecturers means that they have more time and income to take more opportunities to take leave, you know, may do a semester of leave to focus on their book. Lecturers do not get them and so that's one thing that I hope changed with the switchover because I would love to do more publications," Robinson said.

Some faculty members have expressed hope that the equity increase will lead to higher quality education for students on campus and a more prestigious reputation for the university as a whole.

ILLUSTRATION BY EVA BOWLER

"My understanding is that a lot of these conversations, and why President Damphousse is so supportive, is that he has this fantastic ambition of Texas State becoming an R1 university and we really can't do that with this kind of gap between lecturers, nontenure and tenure faculty," Robinson said.

The "Faculty Title Series" has not been finalized, and is still in development. More and future information will be, available on the Faculty Senate's webpage and the NonTenured Committee's webpage.

anything that impacts you," Jordan said. "So even if you're employed it is a restriction to have to get someone else's permission."

FIRE called upon Texas State to change the policies for RAs and employees in general; to allow more freedom to speak to the press without having to get permission.

"So what [the policy change] would look like is just lowering the restrictions on RAs and allowing them to discuss in this case, dorm conditions ... so it would just be opening up and allowing them to discuss this overriding issue of public concern," Jordan said.

According to the RA, they were not informed of the removal of the warnings. They found out on their own accord.

"I'm happy I no longer have to worry about that writeup," the RA said. "But what's concerning to me is I never found out [about the removal]. So I wish that would have been made known to me by someone,"

Currently, Texas State has not connected with FIRE to consider the organization's other request to change employees' media policy.

"At the end of the day, I'm a student, like what they tell us always is I'm a student first and then an employee at the university," the RA said.

FROM FRONT SPEECH

ILLUSTRATION BY EVA BOWLER

Texas State textiles professor Dr. Hustvedt shows her class a Loom model that displays yarns for her basic weaves lecture, Monday March 20, 2023, at the Family Consumer Sciences Building.

PHOTO BY ODALIS IPINA

LIFE & ARTS

Vintage resale businesses are on the rise for college students

By Bella Vogiatzis Life and Arts Contributor

Students have found a way to express their creativity and love for clothes to run businesses and focus on their education at the same time.

Mya Galan, a fashion merchandising sophomore, started her business, Dolly Haute, after finding inspiration from local thrift markets. She said being 19 years old and a student helps her connect and relate to consumers from similar walks of life.

“People like supporting people that are similar to them rather than bigger corporations,” Galan said. "I think being a student helps because it relates to you."

Galan said her low-priced clothing attracts college students who don’t want to spend large amounts of money on high-priced retail businesses.

Starting Dolly Haute as a student has helped Galan apply what she learns in class to her business and vice versa. She said running her resale business helps her understand concepts in class, like sourcing products and pricing them at retail value.

Although Dolly Haute has been a positive and successful experience for Galan, she faces challenges. She loves growing her business, but she considers herself a student first, and time management is an ever-present challenge she must navigate, but it is one she finds manageable.

Another challenge is imposter syndrome, which Galan sometimes struggles with knowing that other students are running similar businesses.

"It kind of makes me feel bad about myself, but everyone's on a different playing field. It's even," Galan said.

Galan’s advice for students who want to start a business of their own is to “just do it.” She urges them to set their minds to it, put themselves out there and accomplish their goals.

Bridgette Holak, an elementary education senior, has a different take on the resale business. While she agrees time management is a difficult challenge, she balances her time by focusing on school alone during the week, and her business over the weekend.

Her busy weeks of student teaching begin at 7 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It doesn’t allow her much time to work on her business, but she makes do, she said.

Holak started her business, Citrus Frog Vintage when she realized the demand for vintage clothes, but the lack of people who actually enjoy looking for them at thrift stores. Her peers thought the process was too stressful and time consuming. Holak took this as an opportunity to do what she loves and make money

experiences. However, the most beneficial takeaway from running her business is the connections she has made along the way.

“I’ve definitely become a more social person,” Holak said. "Being able to be out in the community and make all of those connections, it just makes you feel better because you really feel like you're doing something for the people around you."

Holak has also gained valuable knowledge about money, budgeting and profiting which she plans to utilize in life after college. At the end of the day, Holak wants to help college students afford and enjoy new things without the burden of paying high prices.

Other students agree with Holak that the resale business creates an opportunity to thrive socially. Caleb Philpot, a marketing sophomore, said his business, Thrifted Fuego, has helped him connect with like-minded people and make new friends, something he struggled with earlier in his college career.

“It has helped my social skills a lot,” Philpot said.

He initially started Thrifted Fuego at just 15 years old. Philpot wanted to get a job in high school, but being a member of the marching band made it hard to find the time. The solution to the problem was creating his vintage resale business.

He has also discovered that his business has strengthened his marketing skills, something he considers valuable for the future. Philpot said Thrifted Fuego has allowed him to make various connections with business owners who he feels can help him with his own business endeavors after college.

"Find a niche that people want, but no one picks up in thrift stores," Philpot said. "And my biggest advice would be just post all the time. Just annoy people with how much you post, because that's the only way you're going to develop a following."

while doing it. Her business allows consumers to skip the tedious process of combing through thrift stores and head straight to her curated selection of vintage pieces.

“A lot of college students are broke," Holak said. "So, they do want to create a business where they are making extra money, and a lot of people make businesses with their passions and their hobbies. Instead of doing it for fun, it's giving it more purpose."

Since creating Citrus Frog Vintage last July, Holak has learned to accept failure and adapt to those

Middle Grey Photo Association inspires creativity, expands its influence

"This semester we’re giving opportunities to our members just to get their voices and their names out there to promote and sell their work and add it to their resume,” Leslie Flores, a photography junior, said

The association has only sold its work on campus, but now they are getting offers to sell and display its work at Art Squared and Secret Room. The officers are currently looking to expand outside of San Marcos, venues in Seguin are a promising option for this future expansion.

The first Middle Grey photo exhibition will take place on April 6 in Sabinal Hall. Members all have different styles and creative voices which they will be able to express no matter their skill level. It will be a dressy event where food will be provided, and members can have their work presented and viewed by the community. Artists will photograph all different colors and it is up to the individual what they want to create.

This exhibition is the result of months of hard work, the officers of Middle Grey envisioned a space where artists could display their work. The event will be the first of its kind at Texas State.

“Everyone deserves to be showcased, everyone deserves to feel special and to have their work shown,” Asia Estelle, a photography junior and secretary of Middle Grey said.

By Cara Cervenka Life and Arts Contributor

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a haitus that lasted longer than intended. It wasn't until the beginning of the 2022 school year that Middle Grey Photo Association was reinststated. The need for a photography club drew in many hard working members who are passionate about the arts.

Middle Grey provides a space for artists to grow. Beginners and advanced photographers alike learn from each other. The club is always accepting new members who have an interest in the arts, welcoming not only photographers but also aspiring models and graphic designers. The photo association has recently grown in size, opportunities and attention since its post-COVID reinstation.

Ike Honea, an art education sophomore and member of Middle Grey, believes that experimenting with different mediums of art is important for an artist to find their style. Each member has or is discovering their niche, whether it be skies, landscapes, portraits or pets.

Middle Grey is a diverse community in which everyone has something new to offer.

"When I first got to Texas State I didn't really have a community of people that had the same interests or passions as me and Middle Grey definitely gave me a community that made me feel and hopefully others extremely welcome in the club," Honea said.

Officers of Middle Grey organize print sales that benefit both the individual artist and the organization itself. Funding has decreased for the organization through the years, so the survival of the organization depends on the artwork that is sold. Sixty-five percent of the profits go directly to the artist and the rest ensures that the club can continue to run.

Most members start as beginners, not understanding the mechanics of a camera or the concept of photo composition. Middle Grey helps new members flesh out ideas into real concepts. Support can be shown by showing up to the exhibition, even without buying prints.

“I’ve been a part of communities where everything was chosen for me, and I was expected to show up and do what others told me with little to no creative direction of my own. So, it was really important to me that our members had that creative freedom,” Estelle said.

The Middle Grey Photo Association meets bi-weekly at Sabinal Hall to discuss upcoming events and opportunities as well as allow its members a chance to use the building for photoshoots if needed.

Texas State exploratory professional freshman Jacob Abel takes photos during a Middle Grey Photo Association photo walk, Feb. 10, 2023, in San Marcos.

Texas State fashion merchandising sophomore and owner of Dolly Haute Mya Galan presents her shop, Feb. 26, 2023, at San Marcos Secret Room.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIDDLE GREY PHOTO ASSOCIATION

PHOTO COURTESY OF MYA GALAN

To stay up to date with the club, scan the QR code to visit its Instagram.

ENVIRONMENT

Bobcat Stream Team connects students to certified water training

By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Reporter

Bobcat Stream Team (BST) plans on training its members to be community scientists this spring.

Founded in August 2016, the organization educates on community science and shares the importance of water resource protection. While recreational purposes allow people to appreciate the San Marcos River, conservational practices help keep it flowing and provide people with resources. As they attend Texas State, students can obtain hands-on experience with water quality monitoring.

"[Bobcat Stream Team's] giving students an understanding [of] something that's taking place on campus and also giving them the opportunity to get directly involved with those projects specifically, whereas some classes don't give you that direct field research or networking as well," Aspen Navarro, Watershed Services program coordinator and BST staff advisor, said.

BST is the student chapter of the Texas Stream Team, the statewide community science water quality monitoring program at the Meadows Center. It offers additional training, such as E. coli Bacteria training and monitoring, which involves performing tests for E. coli on water bodies. While it is not required, the training builds people's understanding of their water.

"Regardless of what major you're in, our environmental impact is important in our sustainability of our resources and is important to everyone," Madison Mitchell, BST president and geography resources and environmental studies junior, said. "So, I think having that background and getting the certification shows that you're environmentally aware, which everyone should be."

The Standard Core Water Quality Citizen Scientist Training is recommended for BST members because while they can still observe

water monitoring events, they can only submit their data to the Texas Stream Team with the proper certification. Additionally, the data can be compared to such collected by professional scientists, which has shown a moderate to high accuracy.

By encouraging the training, BST aims to inform about the San Marcos River and environmental volunteerism.

process where you go through being certified to become [a] trainer, just like a community scientist," Navarro, who became a trainer in 2015, said. "And then you can be the one to lead a group, lead people, train them, certify them and maybe even other you know, university students as well too."

When more people are trained, BST can have its members monitor with an active group and establish regular Texas Stream Team environmental monitoring activities. Currently, only one monitoring event is planned for this semester on April 6.

The San Marcos River Rangers (SMRR) lead monthly training and will help BST host the Standard Core training. BST has tried hosting sessions in the past but misinformation prevented some students from receiving the same training as others, and the qualifications were different. This training will be hosted by a certified trainer and assistant.

Adam Berglund, San Marcos River Foundation (SMRF) Coordinator, started advising BST in 2021 and became a trainer through Texas Stream Team. They noticed that BST didn't have the time to dedicate to becoming

trainers and training others as often as hoped.

"We very quickly worked out a deal with Bobcat Stream Team that they would work with SMRF that we would use their student officers and any students who have volunteers to help as trainers or to take those students through the training program," Berglund said. Standard Core training occurs every month in three phases. Participants learn about water parameters and how to calculate them. Once complete, they will earn a lifetime certification recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Then, they can begin monitoring a site monthly for at least a year.

The certifications are also part of a more considerable effort to increase student engagement and awareness of BST. Last semester, the organization focused on education and outreach, including presentations with multiple departments and volunteering at river cleanups. As a result, the number of active members has increased to over 40 from the initial goal of at least 20.

When Mitchell began college, she was excited to discover the opportunities to give back to Texas State and the community and said she enjoys seeing others have a similar experience. For BST, environmental awareness is vital for students in any department, and not just for environment-focused majors.

"I think it's important that since everyone's using these resources, we're educated about it and what we can do on our part to help our waterways and more specifically the San Marcos River," Mitchell said.

FROM FRONT COMMUNITY

Kimble still provided exceptional service and an atmosphere that Juan felt Burger King was lacking.

"First thing in the morning, he would start joking," Juan said. "With him there, that was the culture. Burger King doesn't have any culture at all, it was like if you don't show me numbers, we're firing you. With him, it was like there was culture because everyone wanted to be around him and work with him and laugh with him."

In early February, Kimble was terminated from Burger King for his bad eyesight. Mia Yanez, Kimble's former co-worker at Burger King, knew about Kimble's bad eyesight from the time she spent working with him, but believed it never interfered with his job performance.

SAN MARCOS 1035 N ST HWY 123 PH. 512-738-7283

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FRESH,

Mia believes that Kimble's bad eyesight was not the only reason for his termination.

"He was the only Black guy there," Mia said. "They had actually brought in another Black guy, and he was saying to Kimble like, 'You bring a disgrace on us,' and all kinds of ugly things. I was like, 'how could they do that to Kimble?' He spent his entire life at Burger King and didn't deserve any kind of that that they did to him."

Kimble's cause of death is unknown, but Mia believes that his termination from work took a big toll on him.

"He was still cooking bacon, he was still making breakfast, he was still getting the orders out regardless of what he could see on the screen," Mia said. "I think if they were able to give him a little bit more help as an employee, he would still be able to be there. I don't think his death was from a medical condition, I think it was a broken heart because he was let go from the place that he has worked for his entire life."

Although Kimble's death deeply upset Mia, she was delightfully surprised to see that her Facebook post sharing the news of Kimble's death had received over 50 comments from people telling their memories of Kimble. San Marcos residents expressed their condolences and recalled seeing Kimble walking down I-35 to get to work. Former Burger King employees shared their memories of working with him.

Kimble's former co-workers said his real family was not very present in his life, but the bonds created at Burger King formed a family like no other.

"He's definitely not my family, but I have lost one of my greatest best friends," Mia said. "Sometimes he would tell me 'I don't have nobody,' and I would say 'Kimble, I'm going to be there for you,' so to see that he had people there for him, I'm thankful for. His memory will live on more than his family will be there for him and that's one thing I'm grateful for — his memory will still be alive with us no matter what."

For more information about Bobcat Stream Team, scan the QR code.

To learn more about Standard Core training, visit the Meadows Center scan the QR code.

Ernest Kimble bonds with his co-workers at Burger King in San Marcos in Dec. 2018.

ILLUSTRATION BY EVABOWLER

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNDA M. GONZALEZ

PERFORMING ARTS

Theater organization to bring attention to history

By Marisa Nuñez Life and Arts Editor

During World War II in February of 1945, Kurt Vonnegut, an American war veteran, was made a prisoner in Slaughterhouse Five when British and American airforces firebombed Dresden, Germany, killing 25,000 people. Vonnegut later wrote his semiautobiographical science fiction novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” to unravel the experiences of war and its effects through comedic satire. In a black box theater, just over 20 students will take on the novel's play adaption written by Eric Simonson to raise awareness of the Dresden bombing.

After a month of rehearsing for six days out of the week, the Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre (JTLT), a studentrun theater organization, will display its hard work in room 209 of the Theatre Center from March 24-26.

Student directors Kaitlyn Huston, a performance and production senior, and Abigail Thompson, a performance and production sophomore, discovered the play in 2022. Both having read the book prior and having a deep love for it, they applied to put on "SlaughterhouseFive" through JTLT.

"It's just so relevant to our culture in our society right now," Huston said. "With a lot of discourse made about American history…There's a lot of discourse in politics and in society right now that is deleting that rather than addressing it and facing it and talking about it. So I feel like if our audience leaves with a question of, ‘oh, I didn't know about the Dresden firebombing. I wonder why I wasn't taught about that. Let me go look that up. Let me go think about that.’ Then we've done our job.”

The play is set in two time periods: 1945 and 1976. The story follows the main character Billy Pilgrim who is captured and imprisoned in Schlachthof Fünf, or Slaughterhouse Five, a real slaughterhouse in Dresden, while

also being abducted by aliens called tralfamadorians which allows him to view time in a non-linear way. The show is meant to be a commentary on war and PTSD and how it affects people's

instrument is played. The theremin is played without any human contact and, for the show, they have used a sound setting to make it sound alien-like and eerie.

and crew of "Slaughterhouse-Five" take on many roles. Both Huston and Thompson were essential components to set design. Other crew members like Sophia Jovanovic, a theatre education junior, is taking on the roles of assistant director, prop work and lighting design.

After working together and becoming close, the cast and crew are excited to finally show off all of their hard work to tell the up-and-down story of "Slaughterhouse-Five." They believe learning about history is important so that it's not repeated and hope the audience leaves with questions and a new perspective.

"It's a wonderful piece of literature that's been adapted into a play, and I really encourage anybody who knows the book or doesn't even know the book to come and watch," Huston said. "Looking at our history and history, that's happening right now that we are living through, and just the divide in our opinions and in our society and in our government. There needs to be a reckoning or recognition that war and tragedy affects every single person."

perception of life and time.

"It all culminates in the dressed-infire bombings, which is the real event," Thompson said. "Billy's life kind of centers around that event and his entire worldview...skipping through time all kind of surrounds his reaction to living through something as horrible as that. It's a comment on the nature of war and PTSD."

The different time changes throughout the show are represented by the sound of a theremin. The script called for a sound to differentiate or separate the time zones within the play. From the start, both Huston and Thompson knew they wanted a live instrument and decided on a theremin, an electronic musical instrument consisting of a box and two metal antennas that create an electromagnetic field in which the

The cast and crew were assigned and picked by Huston and Thompson. Part of their mission in casting the show was to include gender non-conforming and female actors in typically male roles to ensure that everyone could relate to the story. Out of 59 people who auditioned, 12 people make up the cast to fill all the roles on the 34-character list. Several actors are playing up to two to five characters each.

"I like the show because it's a really big challenge," Calin Eastes, performance and production freshman said. "I've never played four different people. It's hard to jump from scene to scene without any context and just make it up for yourself. So I thought it was a really good acting challenge. I've definitely learned a lot."

On stage and off stage the cast

JTLT will present "SlaughterhouseFive" at 7:30 p.m. from March 24-25 and at 2:00 p.m. on March 26 in room 209 of the Theatre Center. Tickets are $5 cash or through Venmo.

Texas State student actors Nicholas May (left), Connor B. Duncan and Calin Eastes rehearse for "Slaughterhouse-Five," Sunday, March 19, 2023, at the Theatre Center. The cast starts their last week of rehearsals with a pajama day.

To donate to the "Slaughterhouse-Five" GoFundMe, scan the QR code.

PHOTO BY MARISA NUNEZ

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

There should be less parking adjacent to Texas State

travel to the area. Removing street parking, opening up the significant amount of space that was once used by cars (about 300 square feet), and creating a dedicated bus lane in that space would allow more people to travel to and from downtown. Though the bus system – as well as walking and biking infrastructure – does exist, people prefer to drive simply because it's the option that has the most investment put into it by the city.

As it stands, the city needs to do more to incentivize its citizens to use more sustainable forms of transportation. Incentivizing modes of transportation other than cars has its benefits, and removing the demand for parking is the first step in that process.

removing parking and opening up more space for more businesses to operate generates more revenue for the city. People moving around freely for companies connected directly by sidewalks, bike lanes and buses, instead of worrying about finding parking near or around storefronts, allows for easier access to the businesses that San Marcos offers. Since residents drive to an area of the city that could be connected through other forms of transportation, local businesses, residents and the city government are all losing out on potential profit.

By Dalton Powell Opinions Contributor

The issue of parking on and near campus has created discourse among the student body. While students feel that there should be more parking, there needs to be more foresight into how this could dramatically change what makes San Marcos and Texas State so unique. Downtown, which is accessible on foot to students on campus, would benefit if parking was phased out and replaced by more walkable, bikeable and generally more accessible spaces.

The city is sprawling, with several parts only accessible by car. While removing parking in the entire town is unrealistic and unfeasible, downtown is unique because it has remained walkable. This freedom of movement has connected the community in ways

POLITICS

that cars cannot. Cars have divided communities by removing the freedom of movement and taking up significant space that would be designated for other purposes. The foundations of car-centric cities are built on the designation of large swathes of its land to be used solely for parking. In the commercial centers of U.S. cities, parking can take up 50-60% of a city's land use. Without implementing policies to incentivize other forms of transportation, the demand for parking has yet to be met. Creating more parking as the market steadily increases is unsustainable. It can be avoided by pairing policies to remove parking with policies that reduce the demand for parking altogether.

For example, many cars parked downtown are owned by people living in San Marcos but need a vehicle to

The best way to reduce the demand for parking is by expanding the infrastructure that San Marcos already has in its downtown area. One example is investing in bicycle lanes, which the city has stated it is dedicated to increasing. There is a demand for investment in this form of transportation, and it's up to the town to meet this demand.

There is an environmental benefit to removing car-centric infrastructure. Designing the city's center to increase the supply of other forms of transportation – and the infrastructure required for each – can reduce emissions significantly. According to the EPA, transport in the U.S. accounts for 27% of carbon emissions. Personal vehicles, including cars, trucks and minivans, are the most significant sources of these emissions. Therefore, reducing the need for private vehicles downtown will result in a cleaner San Marcos.

From an economic perspective,

Residents are likely to choose to walk and bike instead of drive when those options are the best choices made available. Cars are currently necessary for long-distance travel, but in the downtown area, infrastructure connects the community – albeit in a way that we can improve upon.

Removing parking in the city's core and pairing this policy choice with other policies that connect the rest of San Marcos to the downtown (improving bus infrastructure, for example) opens space we can use to further build upon the uniquely walkable community.

- Dalton Powell is a public administration senior

The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinions Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

Republican state leaders are as effective as they are unique

By Kien Johnson Opinions Contributor

Since 2016, political polarization has increased drastically nationwide. Spearheaded by Donald Trump's election, Americans became increasingly skewed to the left or the right. While those on the left came to rally behind more class-centered issues, the right leaned into the culture war; nowhere was this more apparent than in Texas.

Conservatives in the Texas government are primarily responsible for introducing and passing legislation. According to the Austin-American Statesman, Democrats in the Texas legislature were responsible for a mere five of the 29 legislative priorities for the 88th session. While this is no surprise, newer conservative entries into the state government have found their success by making superficial talking points a significant fix of their campaigns.

This strategy has proven to rally the political base around whoever is running. Still, it often leaves people examining their stated principles and goals confounded as to what they plan to accomplish or what their responsibilities are. This creates an environment that teaches conservative politicians to stick to an established script to win their elections, making them seem all the more homogeneous.

Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-4) ran a campaign reflective of this very issue. Before stating his platform and values, Fallon's website first greets viewers with a quote condemning "liberal elites" and "socialist agenda[s]" while also stating that whoever holds the congressional seat should "stand with President Trump." Between the virtue signaling to his base and calls for condemning politically irrelevant issues such as "communist race theory," the talking points on Fallon's site are nothing new.

The campaign of Rep. Carrie Issac (TX-73) appears more promising at first, addressing issues such as veteran support and property taxes. However, it takes little time for Issac's website to fall back on the same rhetoric used in Fallon's. Cries of "build Trump's wall" and "no vaccine mandates" are pretty clearly the first points Issac wants newcomers to associate her with.

This creates a dynamic where no policy measures or unique goals exist in their campaigns. However, even a moderately-critical eye can see the tactics used

and compare their rhetoric with their track record.

More concerningly, in creating the bogeymen of the culture war, these politicians are willing to curtail the freedom of their constituents to curb this perceived threat. The most prominent example is Issac's proposed bill that would ban voting on college campuses due to alleged safety concerns. Not only is this a shortsighted decision that needs to address fundamental safety issues, but it is also profoundly unpopular. Politicians like Issac run campaigns riddled with buzzwords about freedom, yet the moment they enter the office, liberty seems to matter little

It isn't just Texas' representatives with this problem. Texas senator Pete Flores (TX-24) falls victim to similar patterns and talking points. Flores' endorsements page, which is listed before his issues page, lists Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. The issues page mentions critical race theory, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other issues that resonate with the Republican base in Texas

These results are not cherry-picked either; most running on a Republican ticket last November showed similar patterns as those of Flores, Issac and Fallon.

Critics of this perspective may say that Democratic politicians do this as well and that politicians are free to run on whatever issues may concern them; nobody should feel boxed into having to care about things less

exciting or essential to themselves.

While this is true to an extent, there are more effective actions politicians can take to achieve results. For example, if somebody has an issue with the public education curriculum, attending a school board or district meeting will have a more immediate impact than running for office. Running for office under these highly external platforms is something that the Democrats have yet to do on such a local level.

Democrats engaging in this rhetoric have far and away been responses to Republicans bringing about fear of a concept that does not affect their constituents. If one's aspirations amount to wanting to change one or two things within their community, the state legislature differs from where they belong.

Newcomers and seasoned politicians suffer from the same funneling into homogeny to the detriment of their constituents. While there's nothing wrong with having positions on more superficial issues and making them part of one's campaign for office, Texas Republicans have a problem with making simple issues the central focus of their campaigns.

These ideas are not original, not crucial to Texans' day-to-day lives and sow polarization every time they are campaigned on. It may be a proven formula for winning an election, but this comes with the cost of being an effective legislator.

-Kien Johnson is a sociology freshman

For more from the Opinions section, including letters to the editor and editorials, scan the QR code to go to the Opinions tab on The University Star's website.

Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.

ILLUSTRATION BY DALTON POWELL

ILLUSTRATION BY MADISON WARE

NEW EXPERIENCES

A Celebration of Identity

By Felicity Guajardo and Odalis Ipina Multimedia Contributors

Exploratory freshman Momono Takaishi transferred to Texas State from Japan looking for an experience of a lifetime. She set out to find a community and kind friends she heard so much about from others in her study abroad program. Takaishi has loved the warm environment and diversity that she has seen in San Marcos and at Texas State. It has been a culture shock from Japan to Texas. She has overcome adversity at the same time by having

barriers that could have restricted her education in Texas. Takaishi has experienced language barriers between her professors and peers. Through available office hours, she was able to work with her professors more and better understand her coursework. Although Takaishi has faced challenges, the accepting Texas State community and the memories she has made like tubing the river with friends, like with education senior Dayton Duffy, at Sewell Park allow her to celebrate her identity and feel comfortable with not being the typical student.

PHOTOS BY FELICITY GUAJARDO AND ODALIS IPINA

Exploratory freshman Momono Takaishi (left) and education senior Dayton Duffy laugh and walk over a bridge, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Sewell Park.

Exploratory freshman Momono Takaishi (left) and education senior Dayton Duffy look out the San Marcos River, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Sewell Park.

Exploratory freshman Momono Takaishi (left) and education senior Dayton Duffy (right) sit on a dock of the San Marcos River, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Sewell Park.

To continue and see more photo stories, scan the QR code.

Carson Weaver Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Taylor shot 7-for-10 from the three and finished the contest with 23 points and seven assists.

Graduate guard Ja’Kayla Bowie also recorded a team-high 24 points in the contest with four shots of her own coming from behind the 3-point line.

Despite the streaky shooting for Texas State, the Ladyjacks dominated on the interior with 52 points coming from inside the paint.

Freshman guard Jordan Harrison finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-for14 shooting and two 3-pointers for SFA.

The Ladyjacks shot nearly 55% from the field as well, but the overall aggression on offense forced the Ladyjacks to the line 19 times with only three misses.

The Bobcats, however, managed to get to the line six times for the entire game with a single miss.

Texas State also shot 50% from the field, but a slow start to open the first period forced the Bobcats to fight from behind through the rest of the contest.

Texas State’s only lead came off the game's first basket until SFA created a 25-6 run to finish the first period with an 18-point lead over the Bobcats.

The Bobcats only managed to convert three shots while shooting 25% from the field through the first 10 minutes.

Texas State trailed by as much as 20 points in the first half, but a successful 3-point shot from Bowie managed to cut the Ladyjack lead to 16 points right before the halftime buzzer.

Another successful long-range shot from graduate forward Da’Nasia Hood to start the second half sparked a run and further trimmed the opposing lead to 13, the closest since the first quarter.

SFA ultimately managed to hold off the Bobcats to take a 10-point victory in the first round of the WNIT.

Texas State women's basketball closed the 2022-23 season with an overall record of 23-10 and 13-5 in conference matchups.

BASEBALL

"It's pretty cool": Mora continues historic start

By Carson Weaver Sports Editor

Three home runs in his first three at-bats, a four home run day, a Dick Howser Hitter of the Week award and the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week are the accolades on the mantle of freshman infielder Chase Mora after only eight games of collegiate baseball.

"It's pretty cool," Mora said. "I'm just going to stay humble about it and go about my day."

His four home runs in a 19-18 victory against North Dakota State on March 11 set the program record for home runs in a game, which led to him joining senior outfielder Jose Gonzalez and junior pitcher Levi Wells in being the only Bobcats to be named as Sun Belt Conference Players of the Week.

Mora said his home runs in the game, none of which were to the direct pull side of the ballpark, were a product of the approach he's developed in practice.

"Just really staying in my approach," Mora said. "Hunting the ball middle of the field, [opposite field], just staying through the ball, and it paid off today."

Mora's nine RBI in the victory also tied the Texas State record for most in a game. Mora was the first player in the NCAA this season to hit four round-trippers in a game and was the first true freshman to accomplish the feat since J.J. Schwarz, now a member of the Oakland Athletics organization, did so for the Florida Gators in 2015.

"It's unbelievable," head coach Steve Trout said. "He continues to barrel up the baseball and adjust his swings a little bit, so hopefully he takes that into the

next game and the next game because the guy is a really talented guy. We knew that recruiting him, and I never thought four [home runs] in a game, but I'll definitely take it."

Mora's big day at the plate was part of an offensive onslaught by Texas State, featuring a walk-off home run by junior designated hitter August Ramirez.

North Dakota State took an 18-17 lead in the top of the ninth, but C.A.T.S., the team's mantra for this season, helped the Bobcats keep their composure and lock in for the victory.

"C.A.T.S. stands for compete, attitude, toughness and selfless," Ramirez said. "We live that out every day in the locker room, on the field, off the field."

Mora said that C.A.T.S. is something that the team lives by and it was fresh in their minds in the dugout for the come-from-behind victory.

"It's bigger than the game," Mora said. "That's going to take you on throughout your life."

Mora has had a storybook start to a hopeful storybook season. Trout said that, although he wasn't expecting record-breaking numbers, he expected his talent to showcase on the field.

"Maybe he'll hit five next time," Trout said.

Texas State baseball (13-6) will face Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Houston Christian in midweek matchups at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before starting a weekend series against Sun Belt foe Coastal Carolina at 5 p.m. on Friday at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina.

Texas State dominates UTSA Invitational

By David Cuevas Assistant Sports Editor

It was a stellar two days for the Texas State track and field team as it earned a total of 10 first-place finishes on March 17 and March 18 at the UTSA Invitational at the Park West Athletics Complex.

Texas State swept the podium for the men’s 200-meter. Senior Dominick Yancy finished in first place running a 21.07. Redshirt senior Ashton Callahan finished in a close second running a 21.23 while senior Taahir Kelly rounded out the top three with a 21.57. Junior Brian West and senior Cameron Conyers each ran a 22.02 to place seventh and eighth, respectively, giving Texas State five of the top eight spots in the event.

The Bobcats also dominated the women’s discus event finishing in the top four spots. Freshman Utitofon Sam came in first place with a throw of 48.54 meters/159-3. Redshirt junior Carly Watts came in second with a throw of 47.23 meters/154-11 and junior Lauryn Small finished in third with 46.74 meters/153-4. Graduate student Deborah Bulai came in fourth place by throwing 46.57 meters/152-9.

Senior Tyler Noles took first in the men’s discus event throwing 44.87 meters/147-2. Saturday was the first time in Noles’ collegiate career that he finished in the first place.

In the men’s hammer throw, graduate student Grady Leonard threw 64.26 meters/210-10 to finish in the first place. Leonard’s throw was the third-best in school history. Leonard had the best throw in school history two weeks ago in Austin at the Longhorn Invitational where he threw 65.22 meters/214-0.

In the women’s hammer throw, Elisabet Runarsdottir came in first place with a throw of 61.99 meters/203-4 becoming only the second person in Texas State history to post 61+ meters/200+ feet in the event.

After, finishing in third in the women’s discus event, Small threw a personal best in the hammer throw at 56.27 meters/184-7 to finish in fifth place.

Freshman Melanie Duron placed first in the women’s shotput event with a throw of 15.60 meters/51-2.25.

Texas State also finished in first place in both the men’s and women’s pole vault. Freshman Breanna Brandes finished with 3.35 meters/10-11.75 to place first in the women’s contest, and junior Cody Bullard registered 4.75 meters/15-7 to finish in first place in the men's.

Freshman Chris Preddie also finished in first place in the men’s long jump event finishing with a leap of 7.16 meters/23-6. Saturday marked the first time in

Preddie’s career that he placed first.

Senior Katherine Stuckey, the reigning Sun Belt outdoor women’s high jump champion, also notched a first-place finish with a leap of 1.77 meters/5-9.75. The Texas State track and field team will host the Charles Austin Classic from March 23-25.

Texas State graduate student guard Taelour Pruitt (2) shoots a floater layup against Troy University, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, at Strahan Arena.

Senior Dominick Yancy competes in the men's 200 meter race in the UTSA Invitational, Saturday, March 18, 2023. Yancy placed first with a time of 21.07 seconds.

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

INFOGRAPHIC BY CARSON WEAVER

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS

TRACK & FIELD