TUESDAY October 31, 2023 VOLUME 113 ISSUE 13 www.UniversityStar.com
Fentanyl overdoses, increased prevention By Lesdy Hernandez News Reporter
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
Texas State College of Education assistant professor Mitchell Ingram and his students in his Bilingual Education course decorate the halls of the Education Building with family memorabilia in honor of Día de los Muertos, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at Texas State University.
TXST celebrates Día de los Muertos in display By Haley Velasco Life and Arts Editor Walking into the third floor of the Education Building, papel picado could be seen lining the walls as marigolds, calaveras and dozens of photos of loved ones are spread across a table with hues of green, red, yellow and orange to honor the
Day of the Dead, mainly known as Día de los Muertos. Día de los Muertos has been celebrated for over 3,000 years, allowing families to remember their deceased loved ones through ofrendas, an altar that has photos, foods, flowers, candles and more. This tradition has lived on, ending up in various locations from Central America to the Education Building at Texas State.
SEE TRADITIONS PAGE 7
Fentanyl overdose cases amongst teens and young people have increased in Hays County as six Hays CISD students died of fentanyl poisoning in the 2022-23 school year; and efforts to stop this crisis continue. Ty Schepis, a psychology professor, said fentanyl, an opioid drug commonly given during surgeries and for the treatment of pain, is 50 to 100 times more potent than drugs such as morphine. “It’s really about the chemical nature of the drug and how strongly it attaches to receptors,” Schepis said. “It attaches strongly and quickly making it harder for other drugs to get in there.” Schepis said the increasing infiltration of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply around communities has caused many people who are receiving the opioid to not be aware of what they are truly taking. “They may think they’re buying prescription opioid medication, cocaine or methamphetamine, but these drugs could be laced with fentanyl or just simply replaced.” Schepis said.
SEE HAYS COUNTY PAGE 3
"Halloweekend" Texas State Master Plan: awareness and Students voice input at open house resources for students By Brad Hunt News Contributor
By Jacquelyn Burrer Life and Arts Contributor From haunted houses to Halloween festivities, Halloween season has come to San Marcos, bringing both exciting celebrations and safety concerns, specifically regarding sexual assault and driving under the influence. Students Against Violence (SAV), a Texas State peer education organization dedicated to distributing resources and educating others about violence against college students, said the societal pressure should not be up to survivors alone to protect themselves and instead starts with educating the college as a whole. “It's good to have a basic safety baseline, [but] it's not really on the people who are being hurt or involved in this to have done everything,” SAV Vice President Makena Burns said. “I know people say they did everything right, but that's not how it works nor their job. If you follow all of those rules, and you are perfect, things can still happen.” Texas State reported an increase of 135% in rapes, which SAV said could be attributed to a combination of an increase in sexual violence or more people might feel comfortable reporting. “My hope is that…maybe we've created a little bit of a safer space or more resources where people are able to come forward,” Burns said. “If you're never talking about [sexual violence], nobody's ever going to learn about what's going on. It's kind of like an unspoken thing that everybody knows that these kinds of things happen.” SAV Officer Levi Gaines said putting the responsibility on survivors and others affected by violence is deeply integrated in society today, especially among communities that have been historically discriminated against such as LGBTQ+ individuals and women of color. “We as college students should be able to conceptualize… autonomy is a thing,” Gaines said. “You can drink, you can wear whatever you want, and your autonomy should still be valued and respected at the end of the day because none of that is an invitation in any way, shape or form."
SEE AWARENESS PAGE 7
Texas State introduced its Master Plan project at an open house by the LBJ Marketplace on Oct. 26. The Master Plan is a document outlining potential improvements and developments to the university's campus within the next ten years. Students at the open house provided feedback on what they liked and disliked about the campus. Texas State has contracted a team from Page Southerland, an architecture and engineering firm, to make the document. In the discovery phase, the team gathers data from students, faculty and staff to determine what the campus does well and what can be improved upon. "We're trying to collect as much feedback as we can to understand what those challenges are [that students face]," Corey Rothermel, Page Southerland project manager, said."[For example, when] it's flooding you intuitively know you need to avoid [certain] spaces because if you walked through there your shoes and socks are gonna get wet." Rothermel said the importance of the smaller improvements contribute to the whole of their project.
SEE UNIVERSITY PAGE 3
PHOTO BY FELIX MENKE
Texas State urban planning freshman Xavier Hernandez voices his opinion about campus walking at the open house, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at the LBJ Marketplace.
Vistas apartments suffer water damage from sudden rainstorm By Lucciana Choueiry and Brady Headley News Reporter and News Contributor Around 12 p.m. on Oct. 26, the Vistas apartment complex, located on Fredericksburg St. and adjacent to San Jacinto Hall, experienced flooding in apartments in the first building. Ifueko Uwaifo, an exercise sports science junior who lives on the first floor of the Vistas, said at first her room was just leaking but soon the drops filled the room. "Then I look around and notice a couple of drops," Uwaifo said. "Then a couple of drops turned into my whole room [flooding]."
SEE WEATHER PAGE 3
PHOTO BY FELIX MENKE
A fire truck is called to handle fire alarms going off at The Vistas during the flooding, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in San Marcos.
The University Star
2 | Tuesday, October 31, 2023
NEWS
Blake Leschber News Editor starnews@txstate.edu
Hays County General Election 2023 voting guide By Staff
State of Texas Proposition 2 (vote for or against):
The general election is on Nov. 7. Early voting began Oct. 23 and will continue until Nov. 3. The University Star has compiled a guide for use before heading to the ballot boxes in Hays County. Voting Locations All polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. *Denotes polling locations open for early voting.
The constitutional amendment authorizing a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation by a county or municipality of all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility. State of Texas Proposition 3 (vote for or against):
San Marcos: • *Broadway (Christus Trinity Clinic), 401 Broadway St. #A • Brookdale San Marcos North, 1720 Old Ranch Road 12 • Calvary Baptist Church, 1906 North Interstate 35 Frontage Road • Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, 211 Lee St. • Dunbar Center, 801 West Martin Luther King Drive • First Baptist Church, 325 West McCarty Lane • *Hays County Elections Office, 120 Stagecoach Trail • *Hays County Government Center, Conference Room, 712 South Stagecoach Trail • La Cima Amenity Center, 301 A Central Park Loop • *LBJ Student Center, Texas State University, 601 University Drive • Promiseland Church, 1650 Lime Kiln Road • San Marcos Fire Department Station #5, 100 Carlson Circle • San Marcos Housing Authority/C.M. Allen Homes, 820 Sturgeon Drive • San Marcos Public Library, 625 East Hopkins St. • Sinai Pentecostal Church, 208 Laredo St. • South Hays Fire Department Station #12, 8301 Ranch Road 12 Kyle: • Austin Community College - Hays Campus, 1200 Kohlers Crossing • *HCISD Administration, Old Print Shop, 21003 Interstate 35 Frontage Road • Kimbro Building, Kyle Elementary School, 500 Blanco St. • *Kyle City Hall, 100 West Center St. • *Main Office, HCISD Transportation, 2385 High Road, Uhland • Precinct 2 Office, Hays County, 5458 FM 2770 • Simon Middle School, 3839 East FM 150 • Tobias Elementary School, 1005 East FM 150 • Wallace Middle School, 1500 West Center St. • *Yarrington - Hays County Transportation Department, 2171 Yarrington Road Buda: • *Buda City Hall - Multipurpose Room, 405 East Loop St., Building 100 • Hays Hills Baptist Church, 1401 North FM 1626 • McCormick Middle School, 5700 Dacy Lane • Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3740 FM 967 • *Sunfield Station, 2610 Main St. • Upper Campus, Buda Elementary School (Kunkel Room, historic school site), 300 North San Marcos St. Wimberley: • Cypress Creek Church, 211 Stillwater Road • *Texan Academy at Scudder - Gym, 400 Green Acres Drive • VFW Post #6441, 401 Jacobs Well Road • *Wimberley Community Center - Blanco Room, 14068 Ranch Road 12 Dripping Springs & Austin: • Driftwood Community Center, 15112 FM 150, Driftwood • Dripping Springs Ranch Park, 1042 Event Center Drive • *Headwaters, the HUB, 708 Headwaters Blvd. • Henly Station #3, North Hays County Fire Rescue, 7520 Creek Road • North Hays County Fire Station #74, 2450 Belterra Drive, Austin • Patriots' Hall of Dripping Springs, 3400 East US 290 (231 Patriots' Hall Blvd.) • *Precinct 4 Office, Hays County, 195 Roger Hanks Parkway What's on the ballot The following local and state elections will be featured on ballots in San Marcos. For a view of the sample master ballot listing all races in Hays County, visit the Hays County Election website.
The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net return tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or families. State of Texas Proposition 4 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem purposes. State of Texas Proposition 5 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy. State of Texas Proposition 6 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state. State of Texas Proposition 7 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities. State of Texas Proposition 8 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects. State of Texas Proposition 9 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. State of Texas Proposition 10 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain. State of Texas Proposition 11 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities. State of Texas Proposition 12 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County. State of Texas Proposition 13 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges. State of Texas Proposition 14 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks.
City of San Marcos, City Council, Place 3: Alyssa Garza (NP) City of San Marcos, City Council, Place 4:
Eligibility:
Shane Scott (NP)
To qualify to vote in Hays County, residents must:
Atom Von Arndt (NP)
• • • • •
State of Texas Proposition 1 (vote for or against): The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture and wildlife management.
Be a U.S. citizen. Be a resident of Hays County. Be at least 18-years-old. Not be a convicted felon. Not be determined by a final judgement of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
For more information on the 2023 election, scan the QR code.
Publication Info
Editorial Staff Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487
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 3,500. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
Visit The Star at universitystar.com
Editor-in-Chief:
Managing Editor:
Design Editor:
Carson Weaver stareditor@txstate.edu
Nichaela Shaheen starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu
Sarah Manning stardesign@txstate.edu
News Editor:
Life & Arts Editor:
Opinions Editor:
Blake Leschber starnews@txstate.edu
Haley Velasco starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
Rhian Davis staropinion@txstate.edu
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Multimedia Editor:
David Cuevas starsports@txstate.edu
Kobe Arriaga starmultimedia@txstate.edu
PIR Director: Abbie Taylor starpr@txstate.edu
Director: Laura Krantz laurakrantz@txstate.edu
Engagement Editor: Zaria Jackson starengagement@txstate.edu
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Sri Naga Sri Govvala starasstweb@txstate.edu
Michele Dupont starcreative@txstate.edu
Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, October 31, 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.
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The University Star
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 | 3
NEW S
Blake Leschber News Editor starnews@txstate.edu
FROM FRONT HAYS COUNTY According to an email sent to parents of Hays CISD students, six students have died from fentanyl related overdoses since the summer of 2022 with a possible seventh fentanyl overdose case occurring in the beginning of October. Although the case is still under investigation, Hays CISD has continued efforts to help combat this growing crisis particularly among teens. These efforts include handing out educational materials at Hays CISD home football games, stocking Narcan, a nose spray that treats narcotic overdoses, at all campuses and hosting assemblies to raise awareness on fentanyl dangers. San Marcos Police Department Narcotics Division Sergeant Tommy Villanueva said the problem is present everywhere and urges the importance of education awareness in schools and homes. “The problem is in our schools, local bars and restaurants and in the parking lots,” Villanueva said. “No one is immune to it and it knows no demographic boundary. It is very addictive.” Villanueva said the first step in combating this crisis comes from the parents and having the conversation on the dangers of fentanyl and the signs to pay attention to with their children. “What we as law enforcement try to implement is that the first step is the parents or their guardians, and if you see something, say something,” Villanueva said.
According to Director of University Health Services Emilio Carranco, the Student Health Center provides free Narcan for those struggling with opioid addiction and is preparing to implement a distribution system around campus. According to Carranco, Narcan will be made available for free at three different distribution points on campus: The Student Health Center, Alkek Library and Student Recreation Center. “We intend to expand our education efforts across campus so that students are more familiar with the danger of fentanyl and to understand where they can get help,” Carranco said. Apart from the free distribution of Narcan, Texas State has a variety of drug treatment resources available for students who are suffering with drug addiction, Carranco said. The Student Recovery Alliance group holds meetings at 5 p.m. every Wednesday, providing a safe space for students battling with drug or alcohol addiction to explore their personal struggles and work together to face their battles. “This is a growing and significant problem in the adolescent population, but we’re concerned about that starting to spread into the college population,” Carranco said. “We want our students to be aware of the dangers and to avoid taking any kind of drug that is not prescribed to them.”
INFOGRAPHIC BY BLAKE LESCHBER
FROM FRONT UNIVERSITY The Page team began work in August, and will continue roughly through December 2024. Texas State students and their experiences on the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses are key in the Master Plan. "At the Round Rock [campus] and then here today we're trying to get as much student input as possible," Ryan Losch, the principal of the project, said. For many students like Jessica Ordonez, an international studies freshman, parking availability is an important issue. "It takes me forever to find parking, I paid a lot for a pass and I can't even park in my dorm area, it's really frusturating," Ordonez said. Ace Kolecki, a management freshman, said he hopes Texas State can change the way the university currently classifies parking spaces. "It feels like the green pass is useless because there isn't enough [green] parking to go around, whereas there's always lot of [vacant] red [pass] parking," Kolecki said. The Master Plan will research issues Texas State students and faculty feel are important, like parking, accessibility and infrastructure.
PHOTO BY FELIX MENKE
Texas State students observe the various topics on the boards at the open house, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at the LBJ Marketplace.
Blanco Hall experiences recycling challenges
FROM FRONT WEATHER Ava Stewart, a theatre performance junior who lives on the fifth floor of the Vistas, said she had a similar experience with her room. "There is water all over the floor and it has soaked in to my rug," Stewart said. "I have my drawers with my clothes under my bed and I pulled those out and there's water all underneath my bed." Both Uwaifo and Stewart said they were able to protect their belongings, but with water staying in the room, they are nervous about the possibility of mold growing. Uwaifo said the water has caused her to feel unsafe due to electrical hazards. "The smoke alarms keep going off," Uwaifo said. "The lights in my room are not working and even though they cleaned the floor, the water is still dripping." According to Uwaifo, the fire department did show up to the Vistas but did not end up coming to her apartment. Stewart said after calling the front desk for an explanation, they returned her call two hours later placing her on a list to fix the problem. "Maybe like an hour after that [call] someone showed up," Stewart said. "They moved all the stuff from under the bed and used the water detector and said [water] was coming through the baseboards and then said that someone would come back with a fan or that I would be called." Uwaifo said maintenance brought a mop and vacuum and cleared the water out of the floor. Maintenance said it would be a few days before her roof is fixed from the leakage. Currently, the residents do not know why their apartments flooded or what the Vistas are planning to do about the issue. "[Management] was very mattera-fact about it," Stewart said. "There wasn't really an explanation or permanent solution. If there's an issue with my baseboards, is the going to happen
By Yelizaveta Kalinina News Contributor
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
A car attempts to travel through flooded waters, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, on Moore St.
next time it rains?" As of Oct. 27, residents have received no updates or information from the Vistas other than a public Instagram story. "We are assessing all of the leaks due to the excessive amount of rain. Elevator 1 is out of order right now. Please be patient with maintenance," the Instagram story said.
Recycling bins disappeared from Blanco Hall in September 2023 because of the repeated contamination of recyclables, according to Grounds and Waste Management. Grounds and Waste Management Director Nathan Lawrence said there has recently been a lot of contamination of recyclable material in residential halls. "Now we're seeing the trend that the residents do not know how to recycle," Lawrence said. "My focus is reeducating, finding out where we maybe had a slip in the process." Lawrence said that contamination happens if trash, like pizza boxes, gets into a recycling bin. There are percentages of "allowable contamination", though. 2% is allowed for plastic soda bottles, meaning one does not have to wash them before recycling. But according to Lawrence, if the "allowable contamination" limit is exceeded, the entire container of recyclables might become trash. Following constant issues with contamination in Blanco Hall, Housing and Residential Life asked Grounds
The Vistas management declined to comment. Lucciana Choueiry, a reporter on this story, is a resident of the Vistas. The University Star received maintenance requests from the residents, and will provide updates on this story as more information becomes available.
ILLUSTRATION BY DJ ROSS
and Waste Management to take out the containers permanently in September 2023, said David Sambrano, recycling services supervisor of Waste Management. Lawrence said he would like to include basic recycling principles in the freshman orientation. Out of eight Blanco Hall residents interviewed, no one knew where the recycling bins for the dorm were. However, there are small recycling bins in each room in Blanco according to Eameena Mezbha, a human development and family sciences freshman. "We have bins for it, but you just end up taking it to the dumpster anyway. It all goes to the same spot," Mezbha said. "So even if you do recycle, there's no place to actually put it." Scan the QR code to read the rest of the story.
4 | Tuesday, October 24, 2023
The University Star
The University Star
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 | 5
OPINIONS
Rhian Davis Opinions Editor staropinions@txstate.edu
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.
San Marcos lacks representation in congress By James Phillips Opinions Columnist Southern states have long been infamous for their heavily gerrymandered congressional maps. States such as Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi only have one democratic district per state. This is largely due to the process of gerrymandering. Texas is no exception to this trend of political gerrymandering, and the community of San Marcos has become a victim. San Marcos currently lacks proper representation in the Texas House of Representatives. San Marcos is divided into two congressional districts. The liberal urban center is in the 35th, and the conservative rural west is in the 21st. Both districts, due to their gerrymandered nature, have been subjects of several legal suits. However, these suits have not succeeded in altering the makeup of both districts. Neither district is considered competitive, or a district where both democrats and republicans have a somewhat equal chance of winning. The 21st has been continuously represented by a Republican since 1979, while the 35th is the second most democratic district in Texas, according to Cook Political Report. This political division heavily disadvantages conservative voters in the 35th as equally as it disadvantages liberal voters in the 21st. The 35th district is essentially one elongated line stretching from East Austin to San Marcos and parts of San Antonio. These areas, while sharing similar political values, are still three separate communities forced together into the same district. These communities, instead of being allowed to elect representatives from their area, are forced to share one representative between them. This district is 61% Hispanic, an important democratic voting minority within Texas. The packing of the central Texas democratic Hispanic vote into one super-democratic district not only dilutes their otherwise larger influence within congressional politics but also dramatically reduces their representation. While it's not as evident at surface level, the 21st has its problems, too. This comes from the fact that it's drawn to divide the conservative voting communities of Austin, San Marcos and San Antonio from their liberal counterparts. This division amplifies the power of the 58% white conservative rural vote by giving them a separate district to vote in. This district gives the white vote greater power despite its smaller size compared to the urban centers of Central Texas. The purpose of gerrymandering is simple–– to
ILLUSTRATION BY HARRISON MOORE
maximize as many GOP districts in Texas while minimizing Democratic districts. There is no other reason to create such irregular congressional borders unless the goal is to pack as many Democratic voters into one district as possible. There have been proposals to fix these congressional districts to be more representative of their communities. A hypothetical map proposed by professional redistricting consultant Russ Tidwell had Austin, San Antonio and the communities between both, including San Marcos, reorganized into three separate districts. This reorganization was based on four principles: "compactness, contiguity, equal population and preservation of communities of interest." Reorganizations such as this not only allows for more local political representation to emerge but also for communities, despite their political divisions, to hold competitive elections for stronger candidates to be elected. Reorganizations would bring sweeping changes. San Marcos and other smaller cities along I-35 would no longer have their votes overpowered by the much larger vote shares in Austin or San Antonio. In addition, the larger metropolitan areas of Austin or San Antonio would not be forced to share representation
with small communities that do not have all the same concerns as large cities. Despite previous failures in legal challenges, there has been a considerable movement within the judicial system to strike down extremely gerrymandered maps within the last few years. States such as Alabama and Louisiana have both been forced to begin efforts to redraw their maps ahead of the 2024 election. San Marcos's options for improving our representation in Congress are still limited at best. Any changes to the current Texas congressional maps will most likely not happen anytime soon. Individuals must stay engaged with the political process, despite the many setbacks constantly found in doing so, to recognize future political opportunities and exploit them. Only then can Texas begin to move to a map of fair representation for all of its citizens. -James Phillips relations junior
is
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international
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.
Electric scooters on campus do more harm than good By Madison Green Opinions Contributor Texas Stairs University, although cheesy, was a nickname lovingly given to Texas State for a reason. Centered right in the middle of hill country, it can be a hike getting to and from class. In order to ease this trek, many students have begun utilizing electric scooters. However, this might not be the best solution. According to Texas State, in 2020, the university entered into an agreement with Spin scooters and introduced 200 electric scooters to campus. Originally, these rental scooters cost 29 cents per minute, with a fee of one dollar to unlock the scooter. These scooters are still on campus today. Although electric scooters might seem convenient, they create dangerous situations throughout campus. According to Nature.com “over 50% of e-scooter riders sustained a trauma to the head or face.” These injuries result from unsafe behaviors while operating the electric scooters. Joa Brown, a political science senior, said she has seen many dangerous habits practiced on campus. “I see a lot of people on scooters who also look at their phone at the same time, and so they aren’t really watching where they are going,” Brown said. “I definitely have had close calls with scooters.” Students should think of riding a scooter similarly to driving a car. Attention should be on the riding path, safety gear should be worn and the rules of the road should be followed. According to the Spin terms and conditions, riders must “wear proper equipment, including a helmet, while using the Spin Scooter.” These safety regulations are especially important because many students ride the scooters on pedestrian walkways, often riding past other students
ILLUSTRATION BY HARRISON MOORE
and zooming through crowds. Many scooter riders become frustrated with the walking speed and try to cut through large groups on campus. However, these pedestrians have the right of way, and scooter drivers need to be more careful. Students on electric scooters must realize that just because they have a scooter does not mean they are entitled to clear and quick driving paths. Problematically, when students are finished riding one of the Spin scooters, many scooters do not get returned to a charging station and are carelessly left throughout Texas State. Jo Oliver, an English sophomore, said they recognize there are advantages to electric scooters,
but they also believe stray scooters are an unfortunate and prominent reality. “I do think littered scooters take away from the aesthetic of our campus,” Oliver said. Texas State is considered to be a beautiful campus with a lot of lush, natural greenery; however, the scooters clutter the ground and outshine from the beauty. In addition to littering campus, the scooters take up space on walkways. If a person is unable to see or move the fallen scooters from their path, they create a barrier that hinders the ability of others to pass. The lack of regulation that Texas
State has over these scooters may lead to more incidents regarding personal scooters. Overall, electric scooters only benefit the select few who can afford to spend the money to ride to class. The issues of cluttering campus, running into pedestrians and possibly exploding far outweigh the slight benefit that electric scooters provide. Our student body should look toward either walking or investing in a more accessible, sustainable and safer form of personal transportation. -Madison Green is a pyschology and advertising senior
The University Star
6 | Tuesday, October 31, 2023
LIFE & ARTS
Haley Velasco Life and Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
The Bobcats who never left:
Ghost stories of Texas State By Brianna Chavez Life and Arts Reporter
ILLUSTRATION BY MADELINE CARPENTER
These are the ghosts of Texas State.
Since 1899, Texas State University has seen Bobcats come and go, get their diplomas and start their careers. However, there are a few Bobcats who have never left and make their presence known through flickering lights, shadows and unexplained noises, according to past and present Bobcats. Students may be lucky to even see them.
Old Main Old Main is the oldest building on campus and was the first building built for Bobcats in the fall of 1903. The Victorian Gothic building sitting on top of a hill has remained a symbol of Texas State for many years. Old Main is not only known for its unique pointed red roof but for a tale of a lady dressed in white who roams the halls, especially the third floor. Rumor has it that in 1908, a young woman jumped to her death from the then open third-story balcony at Old Main after being notified that her boyfriend died while serving in the military. Did she jump or was she pushed? No one knows. What Kerri Qunell, an alumni, does know is that things indeed happened one night in 1991 while she was working at Old Main. "You know how you get just a feeling like there's a presence?" Qunell said. "That was how it felt." When she was a sophomore, Qunell was writing a story for class about the Luby's massacre, a mass shooting that took place at a Luby's restaurant in Killeen, Texas, in 1991. As she was typing out her article, the word Killeen would autocorrect to the word "kill" every time. "I didn't know if it was a bug or if it was something in the building trying to tell me to get out," Qunell said. "It was super creepy." She first saw this as a fluke, but then other strange things began to happen soon after. When she assigned the printer to print one copy of her story, the printer printed 80 copies. The screen on her computer began to flicker. She began to feel an eerie presence while she was in the office. Alone.
Dorms of Texas State
Alkek Library
"Scary Sterry" is something people may hear while walking around campus. Sterry Hall is rumored to be haunted and overall gives students the creeps. Brandon Rule, a Texas State alumnus, recalled his paranormal encounter at the infamous "Scary Sterry" and said it's something he'll never forget. During the summer of 2013, Rule worked as a conference assistant helping visitors into Sterry to check in and out. When campers and visitors would check out for their stay, they would voice their concerns to Rule about things that were out of place in their rooms. "People would come at check out saying someone got into their room, their drawers were open, their closet doors were open," Rule said. "I was the only person who had access to the rooms." Rule assured them it was a one key in, one key out policy. He recalled guests saying their phones would be unplugged and set in the middle of the room. Rule's fiancé Madison Walker, a Texas State alumna, witnessed a full-body apparition at the bathrooms in Laurel Hall. Walker said it was a quiet night on the third floor of Laurel Hall in the fall of 2012 as she was getting ready for bed in the communal bathrooms. After taking a shower, she noticed a woman she didn't recognize walking toward the showers. "The more I thought of it I realized I knew all the girls on that floor. I knew everybody," Walker said. As soon as Walker turned her back to leave, she remembered she had forgotten her shower caddy in the shower. When returning to the showers, all the curtains were opened, including the one Walker had closed. And the girl was nowhere to be found.
Scott Johnson, lab coordinator with the Department of Computer Science and horror writer, knows the stories and theories of the spirits that roam campus. He has talked to former custodians who would never again enter Old Main at night, students who have had hauntings in their own homes and members of Mensa, a high IQ society, shared their paranormal experiences with him. Johnson recalled his visit to the Annex, a place in Alkek Library that is not open to the average library guest. The Southwestern Writers Collection, a collection of memorabilia, journals and other personal items, are held in the Annex when they're not on display at The Wittliff. It was there where Johnson witnessed shadow figures without someone or something to cast them. "I do know that there are some people that have gone into the Annex and that they have felt something," Johnson said. "There is something in the Annex that has something attached to it." Whether these items hold something more than the stories they show and tell is not known, but Johnson recognized that not everyone believes in the idea of ghosts. However, he said seeing and spotting the out of the ordinary from the ordinary life is much more entertaining. "The older we get, the more we learn to ignore things. Or to not see things," Johnson said. "The world is much more interesting when you can still see."
TXST musical theatre alumna takes on the big screen in new television series By Brianna Bordosky Life and Arts Contributor In a testament to the power of dreams and determination, Texas State alumna Ana Yi Puig has soared to stardom in her role in Disney's ‘Goosebumps’ adaptation series. Graduating in 2020, Puig’s journey reinforces all Bobcats, current and former, are poised to be the rising stars of show business. Puig will be taking on the role as Isabella Chen-Lopez in the horror comedy based on the nostalgic R.L. Stine book series. Starring alongside actor Justin Long, she takes on her first live action, serialized television show. Although Puig isn’t able to disclose any information on her journey with the show due to the current SAGAFTRA strike, colleagues of hers from Texas State were ecstatic to discuss how the actress' talent and past performance as a musical theatre student has made her more than deserving of this success. “When Ana first came in she was a little quiet, although she was always extremely talented,” Kaitlin Hopkins, founder of Texas State’s Musical Theatre program, said. “I really saw her growth here [through] her confidence and comedic ability. She is wickedly funny as a person. Watching her understand and figure out how to utilize what is unique and extraordinary about her, and using that in her work, was really wonderful to watch.” Along with Hopkins, co-head of musical theatre Tom Delbello, was thrilled she has translated her experience
ILLUSTRATION BY DEVON CREW
to on-camera work. “[Puig] was such an exciting actor on stage, always bringing so much originality to everything," Delbello said. "You know when you have Ana in a cast that is somebody who is going to come in and hold space for everybody else. Immediately, [she’s] someone who wants to be a part of an ensemble, a team.” Texas State's Musical Theatre Department has been tailored to ensure students are built for a big break. “It's our responsibility as teachers of performing artists to nurture our stu-
dents and their talent both in and outside of the classroom,” Hopkins said. “The profession of show business is inherently difficult and has a lot of challenges. If you can support artists while they’re in school and nurture them, it helps them when they go into the professional industry.” The department credits their “biglittle” program as the one facet that helps fresh talent in getting recognized in the acting industry, as well as preparing them for the reality of it. The mentorship of student-to-student, later
graduate-to-alumni, has skyrocketed already talented artists, to recognition. “It bridges that gap in a way that is so beneficial for a student to have when they leave here," Delbello said. "The idea is you have a network of people who know your work, and you know theirs. It's so helpful to have people who are already going through the experience and have learned along the way.” For Texas State performance and production students, it comes as no surprise Puig has accomplished so much three years post graduation. “The whole department is incredibly talented," Emily Cook, technical production sophomore, said. "I’m always blown away by the shows. Come see us at work and you won’t be surprised at all that a Bobcat got a role like this.” A sense of inspiration has surged among current students that hope to one day follow in Puig's footsteps. “It really does show we are training them in musical theatre, but we [also] give them on-camera classes, experience and workshops," Delbello said. "It's showing the multitude of things that students can do. They know as artists ‘Hey I'm here to train to do musical theatre, but I’m also gonna be able to translate that into other mediums’ and Ana truly is showing us that.” ‘Goosebumps’ debuted on Hulu and Disney+ on Oct. 13, 2023, with its first five episodes, and is now available for streaming with new episodes every Friday.
The University Star
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 | 7
LIFE & ARTS
Haley Velasco Life and Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
FROM FRONT TRADITIONS
FROM FRONT AWARENESS
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
Students in Texas State College of Education assistant professor Mitchell Ingram's Bilingual Education course set up the Día de los Muertos display, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the Education Building.
The start of the Día de los Muertos display in the Education Building began in 2018 with the display filled with photos of deceased bilingual teachers and researchers. Now, the display in the Education Building is used for anyone in the Texas State community to place photos of loved ones, remember them in a healthy manner and delve into a potentially unknown tradition. "It's a sweet time to remember and walk alongside with other people that have lost their loved ones," Mitchell Ingram, assistant professor for the College of Education, said. "Some of my students say 'We have an ofrenda at home', while some say they don't, so it's really easy for things to die out. But I think that this is a neat tradition that needs to be kept alive." Although Ingram didn't start the Día de los Muertos display in 2018, he played as a key contributor this year by directing the setup of the display and bringing his students in his Bilingual Education course with him to help set up. A majority of Ingram's students in this course have a goal to become bilingual educators like Priscilla Cerrato, a bilingual education senior. Cerrato contributed to setting up the Dia de los Muertos display on Oct. 24. She chose to help set up the display this year to prepare herself for her future career. "I want to be a bilingual teacher in a low-income community," Cerrato said. "Those areas are mostly Hispanic,
so I feel like a lot of them will relate to this since it's a cultural tradition. It'll allow me to teach them more about it and it also exposes them since not a lot of students are exposed to it." Yazmine Carrizales, an early childhood education senior, believes that showing the Texas State community a new tradition is beneficial. While students can learn more about a tradition, they can also look past certain holidays that tend to dominate the month of October. "Most people think about Halloween at this time," Carrizales said. "Not everybody does Halloween With the help of [the display] you get to have knowledge of everything and everyone around you, especially in college." Whether the purpose is to expand knowledge or to prepare future bilingual educators, Ingram and his students believe Día de los Muertos has forever held the same meaning: to reflect and remember. "Grandparents are getting older, siblings aren't little babies," Carrizales said. "Life could really be taken away at any moment, so it's just appreciating the days we have. Right now, we're putting up pictures of those we've lost, but we're all here, talking about it and appreciating." The Día de los Muertos display will be up until Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Education Building.
University Police Department Community Engagement Officer Sgt. Rodrigo Manzanares said students should always call emergency services if someone requires medical attention, regardless of if they have been drinking, and to prioritize using rideshare services or arranging a designated driver. “It's [going] to be a lot harder to get a ride home because a lot more people are using those ride share services,” Manzanares said. “It may probably be more expensive than you typically paid for during these [types] of holidays, but I think it's well worth spending that money on those rides [rather] than the cost associated with any kind of tragedy related to DWIs, whether you are a driver or a victim of that type of incident.” In addition to rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, students also can utilize the Student Safety Escort Program to return home, which provides rides for students on and off campus on the weekends. Burns said college party culture as a whole tends to target freshmen as they do not have the social support net that upperclassmen typically gain later in college. “People are going to go to parties, and parties aren't inherently bad — that's not the issue,” Burns said. “If parties didn't exist, people would still find ways to sexually assault others and still do find ways.” Maria Castro, an an-
INFOGRAPHIC BY MEAGAN WALTERS
thropology junior, said party culture, specifically around Halloween, is very dangerous for women due to its sexualized culture and women in particular need to take precautions. “Try to stay in a group, go to parties where there’s more than one person that you’re familiar with [and] be aware of your drinking limits,” Castro said. “Although women should not have to be on guard, the truth is that that’s how you have to be, especially during Halloween. Sadly, I don’t think that college aged men can be trusted to take care of women, so we all have to take care of ourselves.” In addition to tak-
ing preventative measures when celebrating Halloween, Manzanares said that for students who want to take advantage of the opportunity to socialize, remember to prioritize their health and well-being when making the decision to go out. “Always trust your instincts,” Manzanares said. “No matter what you are doing or where you are, if you sense that something doesn’t feel right, don’t dismiss or ignore your feelings. Act on them as best you can.” To find more information about resources regarding violence against students, visit www.healthcenter.txst.edu/after-hours/ sexual-assault-resources.
Texas State soccer celebrates after sophomore midfielder Chloe Jones (13) scores the game-tying goal against Southern Miss, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at Bobcat Soccer Complex.
PHOTO BY MANDALYN LEWALLEN
PHOTO BY MEG BOLES
President Kelly Damphousse and his wife Beth arrive at Thursday Night Lights: Homecoming Spirit Pep Rally, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at the LBJ Amphitheater.
Boko hypes up the crowd at the Thursday Night Lights: Homecoming Spirit Pep Rally, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at the LBJ Amphitheater. PHOTO BY MEG BOLES
Public Hearing Announcing a public hearing for the campus community to comment on proposed tuition and fee changes for the 2024 academic year. As a result of actions taken by the Texas Legislature to address affordability in Higher education, all tuition and fees for undergraduate Texas residents have been frozen effective September 1, 2023 until August 21, 2025.
Thursday, November 2, 2023 4:00 p.m. LBJ Student Center Room 3-5.1
Texas State Cheer performs at Thursday Night Lights: Homecoming Spirit Pep Rally, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at the LBJ Amphitheater.
All members of the university community are invited to participate in this discussion.
PHOTO BY MEG BOLES
The University Star
8 | Tuesday, October 31, 2023
SPORTS
David Cuevas Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu
European golfers discover second home at Texas State Reality star to Division I athlete Chance Main's collegiate career By Jalan Tolliver Sports Contributor When Texas State redshirt senior defensive end Chance Main graduated from Cherryvale High School in 2017, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life. He received a couple of Division III offers, but like many other athletes, lower-level offers brought down his confidence to continue to playing football. However, his family pushed him to continue his football career. “My dad played football at [Independent Community College] and he recommended me to try JUCO,” Main said. “It was right down the road so I jumped into that.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
Texas State redshirt senior defensive end Chance Main (40) particpates in pregame warmups, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, at Bobcat Stadium.
At ICC, Main played under Head Coach Jason Brown who starred in two seasons of the Netflix original series “Last Chance U.” Main was one of the select players featured in the show's fourth season. “With the cameras and everything showing up, at first it was like, 'Okay what’s going on?” Main said. “But you get used to it because they’re there every day all day.” After Mane’s lone JUCO season, he had a few offers to play elsewhere but didn’t fully understand the recruitment process which made deciding where to go next a difficult choice. An official visit with his family at the University of Incarnate Word gave him the opportunity to find his next stepping stone in 2019. “They had a lot of good coaches there,” Main said. “One [was] Steven Foley. That was my coach that I really related to. He taught me everything I knew; pass rush-wise and all around.” Main said he felt a huge difference in transitioning from a JUCO to a FCS school–– not just on the field, but in the classroom too. However, his time at UIW was cut short due to COVID-19 and an injury. “The last game I blew my shoulder
up, tore my labrum and bicep tendon,” Main said. “I immediately got surgery the next day and I kind of already decided that I was ready to leave UIW.” With NCAA restrictions and regulations, Main’s time at UIW did not count as a collegiate year which gave him an option to play for another school without having to sit out a season. According to Main, after entering the transfer portal once again, he had a hard time finding where to go next. “I hit up one of my roommates, Jamar Montgomery, that I was at ICC with. He was at Colorado,” Main said. “I said, ‘Hey, send your coaches this film. I'm not having any luck with getting picked up.’” Colorado's defensive coordinator Chris Wilson saw Main’s film and immediately gave him an offer to play, which prompted him to pack his bags and move to Colorado. This time, Main played an entire, healthy season. Colorado went 1-11; the worst FBS record during the 2022-23 season which led to the hiring of current Head Coach Deion Sanders and inevitable change to the program. However, Main unexpectedly had to fight with the NCAA regarding eligibility rules for the year that he missed in 2021. “I got an email saying that my scholarship expired,” Main said. “For the next three months, I was fighting NCAA trying to get everything sent in.” Ultimately, Main got his eligibility year back while battling for a spot at Colorado. He said the coaches wanted to change his position to nose tackle, but he didn’t want to play nose–– he wanted to play his last collegiate year as an edge rusher. This led to his departure from the Colorado program. “That was one of my low points where you don’t know why, but it’s low. Something [needed] to change,” Main said. Main thought of ending his football career to move home and pursue a career in construction. Fortunately, after Mane told his old ICC roommates he was done with football, redshirt senior offensive lineman Caleb Johnson told him to come to Texas State. Main committed shortly after and was the final member of new head coach G.J. Kinne's 55-man recruiting class. According to Kinne, Main has made tremendous strides despite his late arrival to the program. “He doesn’t let little bumps or bruises bother him,” Kinne said. “He’s really grateful for this opportunity and I think if he would’ve been here in the summer, he probably would’ve been voted captain.”
By Max Martinez Sports Contributor Texas State's community allows its international transfers to acclimate swiftly, but for Texas State’s Scandinavian golf players, the culture shock after their transfer was hard-hitting. Since their arrival, however, these players have gotten comfortable and gained confidence through supportive friendships and persistence in training. Senior Kasper Nyland, a transfer from Denmark, said the cultural differences he encountered in America were plentiful. One of the biggest differences was Americans' willingness to take pride in their successes. “I’ve never really liked the part that Denmark does where we kind of talk ourselves down,“ Nyland said. “So, if people ask me ‘Are you good in school?’ I might say ‘Yeah, I’m okay,’ even though I have a 3.8 GPA.” Nyland said playing in Texas has made him believe in himself more. He achieved this confidence by being outperformed by opponents he felt he was more skilled than. “I think confidence is a thing that there’s not enough of in Denmark and that’s something I see a lot here," Nyland said. “Even people that might not be as good as me at golf might show more confidence and therefore sometimes play better than me.” Nyland said many people doubted his ability to play golf at a high level growing up, which fueled him to begin looking at colleges when he was 18. He said the opportunity to come to America and prove the doubters wrong made him become a better golfer. “Everybody was kind of like ‘Oh, you’re crazy if you want to go to the [U.S.], I mean that’s so far away, you’re not good enough at golf,'” Nyland said. Tom Roed Karlsen, originally from Norway, transferred to Texas State from North Alabama in pursuit of a better opportunity after one of his closest friends graduated. It wasn't long before Karlsen got comfortable, as he said he feels like he can rely on his teammates here no matter what. Karlsen said one of the biggest les-
sons he has learned at Texas State is that dedication and persistence will beat any natural talent. This newfound virtue has since allowed him to work harder to surpass others. “That’s probably one that we hear from coach here very often, that hard work beats talent all the time, so that’s the biggest thing,” Karlsen said. “You kind of have to figure out a way to get better every day.” Karlsen experienced southern hospitality the moment he arrived at Texas State. This came as a pleasant and unexpected surprise to him given how back home in Norway people aren't quite as welcoming, he said. Sophomore Sakke Siltala, originally from Finland, said COVID negatively impacted his recruiting process because coaches could not visit to Europe to scout players. This brought a notion of uncertainty to the conversation of his future. However, Texas State’s offer was one he couldn’t pass up. “I had coaches that had contacted me and at the time I was 16 or 17, and you know, I didn’t really have much knowledge on college golf at all, so I didn’t want to make any commitments,” Siltala said. “I kind of got too result-oriented at the time and I didn’t play good golf, but like I said, luckily Coach Howell sent me an offer, obviously very, very pleased that I got the offer in the end.” Siltala said he felt that Texas State was the best way for him to pursue his dream of playing professional golf. He also said he sees more players now wanting to play college golf rather than stay and train in their home country because they get the opportunity to compete against the best amateur golfers in the world. “I saw it as the best path for me to have a chance to be a professional golfer," Siltala said. "I heard too many stories of players that came from college and went on tour versus players that would just grind in their home country. I think it's becoming more of a trend for good amateurs to want to play college golf because you get to see your level of golf.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
Texas State junior golfer Kasper Nyland watches the ball after hitting it at the Mirabel Maui Jim Intercollegiate in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sept. 8, 2023.
Meza represents El Salvador and Texas State soccer By Brendan Fielding Assistant Sports Editor Freshman midfielder Victoria Meza grew up playing soccer competitively and professionally in El Salvador. Since she arrived at Texas State, her ability has proven to add confidence and increase goal production for Bobcat soccer. Whether it was a basketball, volleyball or soccer ball, Meza said she had a ball in her hands or at her feet since she can remember. After Head Coach Steve Holeman recruited her to Texas State, Meza has used her experiences playing on the El Salvador Women’s National team to add skill and professional experience to the Bobcat roster. “As a family, we’d been talking about my future [and] if I wanted to go pro,” Meza said. “After a lot of conversations we were like ‘What are you going to do after your sport? That’s going to be tops, ten years.’ So [my parents said] ‘You need your studies.’” As a member of the El Salvador national team, Meza is sometimes subject to leaving Sun Belt Conference play to fulfill her national duty. However, when the Bobcats do have her, Meza’s contributions are greatly appreciated. “She’s a talented player,” Holeman said. “I think she’s the type of player who makes the players around her better. We certainly missed her for three games, and now that we have her back, I think our team as a whole has improved.” Meza has played in five games for the national team in 2023 scoring three goals. With each of her professional appearances, her technical abilities grow stronger due to the intensity of the matches at this level. She said this experience has improved her ability to
remain collected in high-stakes situations. “It helps me with controlling the pressure and the nervousness,” Meza said. “I don’t really have much of an idea which schools are big and all that, so I feel the same playing every school.” Since transferring, Meza’s ability has proven its value as in regular season matches, she is tied for second
PHOTO BY MANDALYN LEWALLEN
Texas State freshman midfielder Victoria Meza (4) rushes the ball down the side of the field during the game against TSU, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 at Bobcat Soccer Complex.
in goals and assists with three and four respectively. With each goal counting for two points and each assist counting for one, Meza’s 10-point season saw her out-perform the rest of Texas State soccer’s freshman class, who altogether accumulated seven points. According to freshman goalkeeper Caitlyn Draper, Meza’s abilities offer Bobcat soccer players a consistent and trustworthy passing option. “She’s a big presence for us,” Draper said. “We always find her on punts and goal kicks. If you see her she’s always in the mix trying to get a header. So, I think she just adds that character for us.” Holeman agrees Meza’s ability is of a high tier, and said the field isn’t the only place Bobcats can find Meza working hard. Due to her love for the game, Meza’s dedication is visible in many of her habits. “Off the field, I mean, she’s a player who watches the game, studies the game and learns and understands the game,” Holeman said. “Not everyone does that, you know? I think you could go through a lot of college soccer players in general and not many of them watch enough soccer.” Meza’s keen understanding of soccer along with her valuable international experience have brought success to the Texas State program. Not only is she providing points for the Bobcats, but she is also representing her home, which brings pride to her respective Texas State community, according to Holeman. “As far as being proud of her, when she represents her country, I think it's a proud moment for anyone on our team or staff,” Holeman said. “[The fact] that you have someone playing, that you have the opportunity to coach, that’s representing their entire nation.”