11-28-2023

TUESDAY November 28, 2023 VOLUME 113 ISSUE 16 www.UniversityStar.com

Texas State to host presidential debate

By Nichaela Shaheen Managing Editor Texas State University will host the Sept. 16 presidential debate in the University Events Center at the San Marcos campus.

According to Texas State President Kelly Damphousse, Texas State is the only location in Texas to host one of four presidential debates during the 2024 election cycle. It is also the first presidential debate to take place in Texas.

An email sent by Damphousse to students, staff and faculty, said throughout the month of December university officials will gain an understanding of “roles and requirements as a debate host.”

The “TXST Debate Planning Task Force” will take lead on planning the event.

“This is a chance for TXST and San Marcos to shine on the international stage like never before, with hundreds of media outlets descending on our campus before and during the event,” Damphousse said in the email.

STAR FILE PHOTO

Texas State students walk across campus, Monday, August 23, 2021, by the LBJ Student Center.

After the return from winter break, the university will hold a “university-wide forum” in hopes of keeping the university updated on the findings from December.

“The debate provides our students the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to personally engage with the democratic process. The TXST Debate Planning Task Force will develop an inclusive process to identify ways to incorporate this topic into curriculum and events when appropriate,” Damphousse said in the email.

The debate will be between the last two candidates up for the 2024 presidency. Houston, Texas has been a host for a Republican candidates debate in 2016, Democratic candidates debate in 2019 and a vice presidential debate in Oct. 1976.

Former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson is the only president to have graduated from a Texas university.

The University Star will update this story when more becomes available.

Hays County sees 16% voter turnout in uniform election

By Candace Taggart News Contributor Hays County had 16.17% of registered voters participate in the Nov. 7 Uniform Election. While less than last year’s November General Election turnout of 52.81% registered Hays County voters, this was an above average turnout for constitutional amendment elections.

“This was a good turnout for a constitutional amendment election because we don’t typically see these numbers in these smaller, yearly elections,” Hays County Elections Administrator and Voter Registrar Jennifer Doinoff said. “I think that’s because a lot of people aren’t familiar with the amendments that are on the ballot and unfamiliar to the election process for passing constitutional amendments.”

The 2021 November election for constitutional amendments had a 12.20% voter turnout, which at the time was also considered a high amount. Doinoff said it was obvious a few of the amendments, like Proposition 5 and Proposition 9, had more attention of voters than previous years’ propositions.

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

Electioneer clerk Jack Seaborne checks student form of identification to vote, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2022, at LBJ Student Center.

According to Doinoff, May uniform elections and local elections do not receive many voters as well, despite being the ones that likely affects voters the most due to issues on the ballot mainly focusing on localized content.

“There are a lot of elections and a lot for voter’s to know, so I think it’s a matter of voters doing their homework to figure out what's on upcoming ballots,” Doinoff said. “I encourage everybody to stay tuned as we will have elections in March, May and November of next year, as well as any resulting runoff elections.”

According to Doinoff, it is required for election information like the constitutional amendments to be placed in local media like newspapers. The Elections Office also does social media outreach to inform voters, but with a smaller staff, they’re unable to specifically have engagement reach school campuses.

SEE ELECTION PAGE 3

PHOTO BY CARLENE OTTAH

Hays County Food Bank volunteer Madelyn Parsons describes the different types of lettuce grown in a raised bed, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at the Hays County Food Bank.

Meet Maddie: Criminal justice major turned sustainable gardener

By Jacquelyn Burrer Life and Arts Contributor In a dedicated passion project, Madelyn Parsons, a criminal justice junior, turned a 30-second conversation about revamping the Hays County Food Bank into a fully functioning sustainable garden with a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs for the food bank to distribute to the San Marcos community.

The process began after Parsons visited the food bank with the Stelos Scholars, a Texas State organization dedicated to community involvement and leadership, as a part of the organization's summer initiative focused on sustainable food sources.

After seeing the garden, Parsons discussed with Claudia Roeschmann, the Stelos Scholars faculty leader, about starting a project to redo the garden.

“I think the initial hope, and still the hope, is that the garden can be something that the food bank can utilize whatever's being produced at the garden to be able to hand out to the community,” Parsons said. “It's more about showing that sustainable food sources are possible, and as long as you implement them, then they can help out so many people.”

Roeschmann reached out to Parsons a month later after learning about a youth-led solution

grant through YMCA dedicated to inspiring young adults to lead projects to address climate change in their communities all over the world.

After being awarded the grant, Parsons set up the garden while taking classes at the public library and learning about gardening techniques from the Hays County master gardeners.

Parsons said her inspiration for this project largely grew out of the influence from her family and their focus on sustainable and local food sources growing up.

“We grew up going to farmers markets, and we had a little garden in our backyard,” Parsons said.

“Especially going through the summer intensive program, I realized more so how valuable that is that I was able to grow up with that.”

In addition to coordinating with the food bank, Parsons also continued to coordinate with the YMCA as she moved forward with the garden. “[Parsons] had all the ideas and what she wanted in the plan, so I let her run with it and helped her with what she needed in order to create this sustainable garden,” Liz Kryznefski, senior director of youth and family at the Greater Austin YMCA, said. “It was really exciting to visit the garden throughout the process and see Maddie kind of bring this to life.”

SEE ENVIRONMENT PAGE 2

San Marcos prepares for possible extreme winter storm conditions

By Blake Leschber News Editor As San Marcos heads into the winter season, the city is making preparations for possible extreme conditions.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Texas can expect wetter-than-average conditions due to the El Niño coming to the U.S. for the first time since 2019.

"From December through February, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for northern Alaska, portions of the West, the south-

ern Plains, Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower midAtlantic and drier-than-average conditions across the northern tier of the U.S., especially in the northern Rockies and High Plains and near the Great Lakes," an Oct. 19 press release from the NOAA said.

With Texas expecting above-average precipitation, the wet, icy and snowy conditions now have increased chances to occur.

Rob Fitch, San Marcos emergency management coordinator, said the city is preparing for the possible extreme conditions by first trying to improve communications efforts from both the city and citizens alike.

SEE CLIMATE PAGE 3

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023

LIFE & ARTS

Haley Velasco Life and Arts Editor starnews@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT ENVIRONMENT As the grant comes to a close at the end of November, Parsons has begun figuring out how she will transition from the garden being a solo-run project into a larger volunteer project sustained by the food bank and the community.

“It’s really hard to just let it go,” Parsons said. “As far as the future for it, I hope that other Texas State students would be interested [in] becoming more involved because even though it’s been successful with it just mainly being me, I think [the garden] has the potential to be a lot more successful with other people involved.”

As Parsons begins to wrap up the project, she is also working to implement a water mechanism system to do everything she can to ensure the

garden will continue to thrive even after she begins to take a step back with the project.

“The goal for the garden is to make the garden a tool that can be used as a sustainable support mechanism for the community of San Marcos through the Hays County Food Bank to provide healthy food instead of always just dried goods and just canned goods,” Roeschmann said. “Some of the things that we were also thinking about from the get-go was how can we build this so that it is attainable and sustainable for the Hays County Food bank once Maddie is gone. We want the Hays County Food Bank to continue to do this.”

PHOTO BY CARLENE OTTAH

Hays County Food Bank volunteer Madelyn Parsons demonstrates the life cycle of lettuce using the plants in the raised bed, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at Hays County Food Bank.

Camrie Pipper: Once a First-Gen, always a First-Gen

By Brianna Chavez Life and Arts Reporter Texas State University has Camrie Pipper's heart.

From her freshman year in the fall of 2007 to now working on her doctoral studies, she found community and pride in being a first-generation Bobcat.

Pipper said she never saw herself getting this far into her education. Her English teacher in high school told her that higher education was no place for people like her. She took this as a challenge and went headfirst into her undergraduate degree in English.

"High school faculty and instructors really adopted a deficit-based mindset for first-generation or students of low socioeconomic status, which I was,” Pipper said. “It was almost a challenge.”

When Pipper walked onto the San Marcos campus in the late 2000s, there weren't many r e sources for firstgeneration students like her.

It wasn't until fall of 2018 when a group of first-generation Bobcats

created the First-Gen Proud initiative at Texas State, which brought awareness, recognition and additional support for first-generation students on and off campus.

Back when Pipper was an undergrad, it was the small communities that she sought on her own of students and professors who also had first-generation experiences that made a difference in her life at college.

One of the people who motivated Pipper to keep moving forward before first-generation resources were available was former DOIT Supervisor John Sisemore. After noticing Pipper coming to the lab to finish schoolwork and talk with her friends, Sisemore convinced her to become a part of the lab team.

“Seeing an employee that cares about what they’re doing and is willing to take the time to do it well, you kind of care about what they have going on,” Sisemore said. “And I did.”

Before he left his role as supervisor, Sisemore helped connect her with professional development to become a lab director. That role led her to become a media technician for DOIT. “Looking back, I didn’t know how important that mentorship was,” Pipper said. “But it changed the career trajectory of my life. It was a community of support.”

Four years later and an English degree in hand, Pipper got the itch to be the first in her family to get a master's degree. Her family was proud but didn’t quite understand the need to continue, insisting it was time to get to work.

"I wanted to be the first in my family to get a master's [degree]," Pipper said. "And it was more difficult."

Pipper passed the graduate readiness exam (GRE) well enough to be admitted to continue her education.

However, she was taken back to that high school English class after a trip to a graduate adviser.

“That adviser told me that it was very unlikely that I would be successful in higher education,” Pipper said. “It drew me back to wondering why am I doing this? Am I good enough?”

Pipper battled imposter syndrome during her journey to receive her master's degree. With inner and outer voices telling her she couldn’t, she would take trips back home to her family who reminded her she could.

Pipper focused on first-generation student success by collaborating with First-Gen Proud on marketing, mentoring and establishing the inaugural First-Gen Graduation Celebration, which will impact current and future Bobcats and their families.

University Police Officer Ashley Eicher, Pipper's sister and Texas State alumna, said she gets goosebumps seeing the various resources and activities for first-generation students now compared to when she was a student in 2011. She is amazed to see her sister play a part in making a difference in the first-generation community at Texas State.

“She needs all the credit in that area, and I’m so proud of her,” Eicher said. “It’s amazing to see and hear about all of her accomplishments.”

As Pipper is currently working on her doctorate in developmental education at the same campus she fell in love with in 2007, she can’t help but be proud of how far she has come.

“There were births. There were deaths. There were marriages. But I persisted,” Pipper said. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, find community."

To learn more about Texas State's First-Gen events, resources and more, visit https://firstgen.studentsuccess. txst.edu.

PHOTO BY BRIANNA CHAVEZ

Theatre department showcases girlhood in play

By Bianca Thomas Life and Arts Contributor Texas State Theatre Department puts on its own production of "The Wolves", the story of an all-girls soccer team. Audiences will see the team try to navigate goals in the game and in life, together.

“The Wolves”' is a 90-minute play set in 2010. The play follows a soccer team of nine teenage girls as they navigate day-to-day life, arguments, personal tragedy and adolescent questions.

“You get to see each girl's perspective based on how they grew up and everything,” Nyah Alder, a performance and production sophomore, said. “You get to see a glimpse of each different character and each character is so unique.”

Alder, the actress as #8 on "The Wolves," got into theatre after going to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway at 12-years-old. Adler feels a connection to "The Wolves" as she used to play soccer before giving it up for theater.

"I think getting to kind of mix those two together and play soccer again is awesome," Alder said. "It's making me [want to] play again, because it's so fun."

Working on this play for the past month and a half has meant a lot of dif-

PHOTO BY MEG BOLES

Elena Heine, actress for #25, rehearses a scene for "The Wolves," Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, at the Theatre Center.

ferent things and has provided different experiences for the cast. For Leslie HillKing, a performance and production senior and actress as #13 on "The Wolves," something that has made working on this play an awesome experience is being a part of an all-female cast.

“You don't get to see plays that often that have the female perspective on

life. I think that's really cool,” said HillKing. “It's just a bunch of girls having fun and making theater.”

Hill-King also said something that makes this play unique to others is that it isn't really a character driven play.

"It's very real," said Hill-King.

"Everyone is almost acting as if [they] stepped into the character instead of

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.

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changing themselves to be a character."

Throughout the process of working on the play, the cast have created rituals and steps in order to get into character and connect with the character on a personal level. Alizzah Maravilles, a performance and production senior and actress as #46 on "The Wolves" created a Spotify playlist to help with her process.

"Every character that I play, I make a Spotify playlist,” Maravilles said. “I just fill it with songs that I think 46 would listen to, songs that remind me of the show just to get into that headspace.”

Not only are the characters unique and different, they also make it clear that they are not perfect people either. The characters range from characters like #13 who is the class clown and always making jokes to rile everyone up, to characters like #8, who is very immature and is smarter than she's actually playing.

“I think one thing that we don't get to see enough of is women and queer people being bad people," Hill-King said. "Seeing that people are all people and that kind of thing. A lot of 'The Wolves' characters are not perfect human beings but still worthy of love."

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Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, November 28, 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.

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The University Star

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 3

NEW S

Blake Leschber News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT ELECTION “Most students and really most adults don't get their information from the newspaper anymore,” Doinoff said.

“There's just so many ways that people get their information these days that we haven't found the most effective target.”

Doinoff said the Elections Office hopes that as staff continue experimenting with social media, voting numbers can increase even more in Hays County.

Andrea Rodriguez Castillo, an animal science freshman, said she did not vote in this election because there was not enough awareness of it, but she did notice a few flyers around campus encouraging people to vote for or against certain constitutional amendments.

Castillo said these did not have any details on what the propositions entail.

“I think this makes students guess on how to vote for the propositions just because it’s the only information they've seen on the amendments,” Castillo said. “Election Day was promoted on campus, but what you were voting on wasn’t, which I think discouraged students.”

There are a lot of elections and a lot for voter’s to know, so I think it’s a matter of voters doing their homework to figure out what's on upcoming ballots,” Jennifer Doinoff Hays County Elections Administrator Ashley Chasco, a political science freshman, also didn’t vote in this election because she wasn’t aware of it until late the day of.

“I found out through Instagram actually that elections were happening, and I was not aware of any early voting either, so I couldn’t make it,” Chasco said. “I wish the school could’ve done more promotion of it.”

Castillo said the registration process prevented her from knowing her voter status. She tried to register during her Orientation Week over the summer but said she wishes there were more voting resources available before the election to help students register to vote.

Texas State Student Government

INFOGRAPHIC BY DELANEY COMPEAN

has a webpage that is regularly updated to help students when it comes to voting.

There is information on how to register, how to check one's voting registration and a guide on the voting process.

Doinoff said the Hays County Elections Office is open for voters to

contact with any questions of the voting process and election information. She also encourages people to reach out to their local jurisdictions to see what can be expected on upcoming ballots.

FROM FRONT CLIMATE If you’re in a situation where you have to be evacuated you [have to] let us know. If you need a heater or if you’re out of power you have to let us know,” Rob Fitch San Marcos Emergency Management Coordinator

STAR FILE PHOTO

San Marcos residents brave the snow and cold, Monday, Feb.15, 2021, on Wonder World Drive.

“If you’re in a situation where you have to be evacuated you [have to] let us know,” Fitch said. “If you need a heater or if you’re out of power you have to let us know.”

According to Fitch, San Marcos will try to implement The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) by the end of 2023.

IPAWS is a communication system that works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send out emergency and life-saving information to people through cell phones, radios and televisions. What makes IPAWS different from other communication platforms like Warn Central Texas is it is dependent on where the person is, not where they reside.

“IPAWS hits your phone no matter where you’re at,” Fitch said. “You could be in another town visiting and if there’s a disaster in that town it pings all phones and you’ll get a message.”

According to Fitch, San Marcos currently has to go through Hays County before these messages can be released. With the expected IPAWS implementation date, the city can send out these messages straight away making the process more efficient.

Fitch said once the roads start becoming icy, the Utilities Department and Public Works survey the roads to decide what steps the city takes next.

“Public works checks the roads for us along with the police and fire. All utilities trucks will be out looking, checking roads and giving us back reports,” Fitch said. “[They tell us] what roads should be closed, what roads should be getting salted and we figure out what we can do to make it safe for us.”

When the roads become unsafe for people to drive on, Fitch said the city recommends people stay at home and on a case-by-case basis will either salt or sand the roads or completely shut them down.

“In winter time we work with our public services highly to make sure roads [are] clear,” Fitch said. “For any kind of flooding, icing conditions if we needed to put down sand or anything like that for the roads.”

If a winter storm were to occur, Fitch said utilities employees are put on a 24-hour shift to respond to the conditions.

“They have schedules, so say we have a winter storm, the crews flip over and they’ll start working 24-hour shifts, they know who they are and what equipment they need,” Fitch said.

According to Fitch, when the city expects extreme winter conditions, utilities will fill up emergency generators with gas to ensure they do not run out during the storm.

With generators, Fitch said the city has ordered more for government-owned buildings and has plans to put them in places such as the city Recreation Center to provide power in case it runs out during storms.

“Power-wise we, for back up, had plans if we need to put people on generators,” Fitch said. “We can only take care of buildings that belong to the city we can’t take a generator out to a private place.”

If a storm were to happen, the Southside Community Center located on Guadalupe Street will open as a winter shelter. According to the center, staff open the winter shelter if temperatures are below 35 degrees overnight for at least 3 hours and can hold about 40 cots on a first come, first serve basis.

"People seeking shelter will be asked to fill out a registration form and complete a quick health check," the shelter's website said. "Pets will be allowed leashed and kept with owner as long as there is no aggressive behavior. "

The University Star

4 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023

TOP 10 NEWS STORIES OF 2023 1. SMPD investigating at least two unauthorized entries at off-campus complex

By Nichaela Shaheen & Carson Weaver The University Star used nicknames and first names for multiple sources in this story to protect the residents at The Village on Telluride.

Jen awoke at 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 17 to a man standing in the bedroom of her

San Marcos townhome. Jen soon realized the man was an intruder.

The San Marcos Police Department (SMPD) is investigating at least two cases of unauthorized entry into women’s townhomes at The Village on Telluride. Both women awoke to an unknown man in their bedrooms.

2. Texas State reports 135% increase in rapes, 200% increase in hate crimes in 2023 Annual Security Fire and Safety Report

By Blake Leschber On Sept. 27, Texas State released its 2023 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which includes campus crime statistics for the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses between 2020-22.

The Clery Act requires all higher education institutions to release a report an-

3. University Camp won't be sold

By Carson Weaver Texas State University announced in an email today it won’t move forward with the sale of University Camp due to public feedback.

The sale of the 126-acre property in Wimberley, Texas, which is along the Blanco River and provides exclusive reservation access to Texas State students and faculty, was set to be voted on in the Board of Regents’ Nov. 16 meeting.

An outpour of public feedback against the sale caused the Board of Regents to remove the item from the agenda on Nov. 9.

5. Texas State to host presidential debate

By Nichaela Shaheen

nually that details crime statistics to all students and employees by Oct. 1.

Texas State reported 40 rapes in 2022 – 38 of which happened on campus, including 29 in residential facilities. This is more than double the amount reported in 2021, which consisted of 17 rapes, 13 of which were on campus.

4. Former TXST student arrested in Iconic Village fire investigation

By Nichaela Shaheen 30-year-old Jacobe Ferguson, former Texas State undergraduate student, has been arrested and charged with arson causing bodily injury and death in connection to the Iconic Village apartments fire.

It’s been nearly five years since the fire that killed five; Haley Frizzell, 19, Dru Estes, 20, David Angel Ortiz, 21, Belinda Moats, 21, and James Phillip Miranda, 23, and injured multiple others.

Four of the deceased were Texas State students.

6. Hays County Jail revealed as most violent in Texas

By Ryan Claycamp

Texas State University will host the Sept. 16 presidential debate in the University Events Center at the San Marcos campus.

According to Texas State President Kelly Damphousse, Texas State is the only location in Texas to host one of four presidential debates during the 2024 election cycle. It is also the first presidential debate to take place in Texas.

An email sent by Damphousse to students, staff and faculty, said throughout the month of December university officials will gain an understanding of “roles and requirements as a debate host.”

Hays County has the highest rate of use of force incidents of any jail in the state, a new report published by the Houston Chronicle revealed.

The report comes less than a year after the death of Joshua Wright at the hands of Hays County Corrections Officer Isaiah Garcia. According to the report, a use of force incident is a situation in which an inmate was injured as the result of force being used.

Hays County Jail has an average of 78.3 uses of force incidents per 1000 inmates. Wichita County Jail, which has the second highest use of force rate, only has a rate of 61.1 incidents per 1,000 inmates.

7. University in possession of Indigenous remains, future plans

8. Vistas apartments suffer water damage from sudden rainstorm

By Blake Leschber According to an updated database from ProPublica, Texas State has the remains of 114 Native Americans in its possession as of data from Dec. 2022. Despite the university’s cooperation with Indigenous groups, the repatriation process has resulted in many of the remains remaining unclaimed.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law passed in 1990 that requires federal agencies and institutions to repatriate Native American remains, funerary objects, and other objects of cultural patrimony.

The Texas State Department of Anthropology was given the remains that are currently in its possession in 1986 by the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. Five years after NAGPRA was passed, the inventory of remains was sent under the name Texas State, meaning under the law, the remains belonged to the university. The reason for this classification is unknown.

9. Student debt forgiveness canceled, affecting TXST students, alumni

By Ryan Claycamp In August 2022, the White House administration announced a plan for student loan forgiveness, but lawsuits piled up and eventually struck the plan down.

On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the loan forgiveness plan, Biden v. Nebraska, unconstitutional.

“It was not surprising in that the states that were suing claim that they were going to be damaged,” Dr. William Chittenden, an associate professor of finance, said.

To read these stories and more scan the QR code.

By Lucciana Choueiry & Brady Headley 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].”

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.”

10. RAs punished after University Star opinion column published

By Blake Leschber 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.

The University Star

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 5

TOP 10 LIFE & ARTS STORIES 1. The Sun God: Behind the man, myth, legend

By Brianna Chavez He’s out there at Sewell Park in San Marcos, taking in the sun, the energy and the calm presence of the waters. As he hollers and spins, park dwellers and swimmers look on confused, content or concerned.

This is Dillon Scott, or as most people know him, the Sun God. Most Texas State students are very familiar with the tan man in shorts that makes his trek into town for his daily routine. Janie Shives, communication design senior, and her friend Lauren Young, Texas

State alumna, went on an outing to Sewell during Shives’ freshman year in 2019, where she saw a man dancing and hollering. At first glance, she was concerned. Young filled her in on the story of the Sun God and the rest was history.

“We kind of just sat there and watched him have his fun,” Shives said. “I think everybody has their weird way that they like to connect with the universe, and that’s his.”

2. Remembering William Stapleton

By Ben Middleton

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ENGINEERING

A portrait of Texas State engineering professor William Stapleton who died Jan. 16, 2023.

STAR FILE PHOTO

Dillon “Sun God” Scott connects with the sun as he listens to music, Monday, August 23, 2021, at Sewell Park.

Room 2209 of Bruce and Gloria Ingram Hall is not a conventional office. Miscellaneous electronics are stacked to the ceiling and half-finished projects and books cover any available desk space. For nearly a month this room has laid dormant.

Students no longer fill the space to ask their questions and the smiling face of professor William Stapleton no longer occupies the room.

Stapleton, a professor of the Texas State Ingram School of Engineering, died of an unexpected heart attack on Jan. 16, leaving a void in the classrooms and offices of Bruce and Gloria Ingram Hall and in the hearts of the students and colleagues who knew him.

4. Texas State professor spreads suicide awareness with his new book

By Haley Velasco This article discusses suicide and death. To call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dial 988.

On the morning of May 28, 2017, Eraldo “Dino” Chiecchi, Texas State professor for the School of Mass Communications and Journalism, flipped to the local television news to discover the shut down of I-10 due to a body found on the road in El Paso.

7. Sewell Park: Over 90 years of San Marcos’ beloved park

3. Sharing smiles at Grins: Customers reflect on longtime staple

By Haley Velasco The sizzle of the grill and aroma of fresh cheeseburgers, fajitas and onion rings fill the air as glasses of lime margaritas and sweet teas are poured to the rim. Customers are found laughing, studying, asking for another round of beers and reminiscing about old memories while actively creating new ones at Grins, the longest-running local restaurant in San Marcos.

PHOTO BY MARISA NUÑEZ

The Dill famiy enjoying lunch, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Grins Restaurant.

5. The Bobcats who never left: Ghost stories of Texas State

6. 69-year-old goes for his third degree

By Bella Vogiatzis

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 students, faculty and alumni. Students may be lucky to even see them. These are the ghosts of Texas State.

Steve Ussery spent the last 30 years as a successful Silicon Valley engineer but has recently seized the opportunity to study one of his biggest passions, jazz music.

Steve is a 69-year-old freshman pursuing a degree in jazz music at Texas State. After moving back to Texas with his wife five years ago and retiring two years ago, he decided to put his newfound free time to use.

“I said, ‘What am I going to do next?’ So, I decided to go back to school and pursue a third degree,” Steve said. “This time something that actually interested me not something for a job or work.”

8. Texas State says farewell to Common Experience

9. Students and professor seek to purify dirty water

By Brianna Chavez

By Connor Ek

By Bella Vogiatzis

By Haley Velasco

San Marcos has many natural areas and preserves open to the public, such as The Meadows Center and Purgatory Trail, but one of Central Texas’ biggest crown jewels of nature is Sewell Park and its nearing 95-year legacy.

Opening in 1932, Sewell Park was first established as a recreational area for then Southwest Texas State University students.

Earning its name from former Southwest Texas State University President Dr. Thomas Glover Sewell, the park was part of a passion project for Sewell.

After nearly two decades of impressive accomplishments and unwavering commitment to the Texas State community, Common Experience is coming to an end.

“Sadly, beginning this June, the Common Experience and Common Reading programs will no longer be happening at Texas State,” Erika Nielson, Ph.D., director of the Common Experience, said.

The Common Experience Committee has not yet been told what prompted this decision, but its members hope to get answers soon.

Keisuke Ikehata, a Texas State civil engineering professor, has had a passion for clean water for over a decade. Conducting research and projects to purify water has been a necessity for him both at his original home in California and now in Texas where he has resided for five years.

Ikehata is now working to purify water to make it drinkable with the help of Texas State students who share a common passion for gaining trust in water within the San Marcos community.

10. Shuttle driver leaves impact on students through kindness and conversation

To read these stories and more, scan the QR code.

By Bella Vogiatzis Eloy Collazo, a 61-year-old Texas State shuttle driver, has touched students’ lives by offering an uplifting smile, friendly conversation and consistent support on his route every single day.

Collazo, who is nearing his sixth year with the shuttle service, retired from 31 years of teaching P.E. and health, coaching track and cross country in the San Marcos Independent Consolidated School District and decided to pick up shuttle driving in his free time.

PHOTO BY BELLA VOGIATZIS

Eloy Collazo drives the Holland Shuttle, May 1, 2023, in San Marcos.

The University Star

6 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023

TOP 5 COLUMNS OF 2023

1

Traveling across Central Texas is a nightmare

By James Phillips

The Austin-San Antonio Metroplex is one of the fastest-growing regions in the U.S. However, its only major internal line of transportation is one three-lane highway: Interstate 35 (I-35).

It should be no surprise that I-35 is

3 4

full of problems. The most glaring issue faced by drivers on I-35 is the traffic and congestion that often plagues the highway due to the coexistence of various road vehicles, including commercial trucks and consumer automobiles, on a limited transportation route.

To read these stories and more scan the QR code.

2

Texas must be better prepared for severe winter weather

By Carson Weaver On Feb. 3, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra issued a local disaster declaration due to the winter storm that left thousands of central and east Texans without power. In Hays County, all school districts canceled classes and

Quality education at Texas public universities is in danger

By Rhian Davis Senate Bills 16 and 18 directly attack academic freedom in college

classrooms. Both bills are currently among Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s top legislative priorities.

According to the Texas Tribune,

Texas GOP prefers their culture on college campuses

By Dillon Strine

Texas House Bill 1006, filed in December by Texas House Rep. Carl Tepper, is a bill proposal on a pile of race and culture-related bills that will attempt to reshape public higher education in Texas.

Much of the language in the bill

is vague, value and right-wing virtue signaling, but the actionable part is banning universities from having Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) departments. These departments have bridged the gap in higher education for marginalized groups, and not only should they not be banned, but they should procure more funding.

Senate Bill 16 will work to prohibit any college or professor from compelling a student to adopt specific political beliefs. The bill is heading

5

1

Rethink the sale of University Camp

By The Editorial Board 2023-24

The potential sale of Texas State’s University Camp was set to be discussed at the Nov. 16 Texas State System Board of Regents meeting, but the item was removed from the agenda on Nov. 9.

Once the news hit the public, it cre-

ated an uproar among Texas State students, faculty and alumni. University Camp is a 126-acre property along the Blanco River. It is home to cabins and campsites open to anyone who is or has been a part of the Texas State University system. Guests can swim in the river, tackle the ropes course and participate in other recreational activities.

to the House after being approved by the Senate. Senate Bill 18 will ban offering tenure to any professors starting Sept. 1.

Homecoming: A modern relic of the recent past

By Nikita Arefiev

For the majority of Texans, high school homecoming has always been a big deal; the dance, the mums and the alumni coming home. All of it became so important that it created a week-long event.

Coming from New York City, how-

TOP 5 MAIN POINTS OF 2023

3 4

several local businesses closed including grocery stores and restaurants.

More investment in protecting roadways and power lines should be the focus of the Texas Legislature to keep the lights on during extreme weather events.

ever, I never cared about homecoming – a statement that I feel resonates to a surprising degree with the vast majority of Texas State students. To college students in general, the tailgate associated with every football game seems to be far more important than the game itself, let alone things like homecoming events.

To read these stories and more scan the QR code.

2

The city should uphold the law its citizens voted for

By The Editorial Board 2022-23

In November, Prop A, an ordinance decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana in San Marcos, was passed with nearly 82% of the vote. However, the San Marcos Police Department said it wouldn’t adopt a formal policy.

SMPD is not arresting or issuing citations for small amounts of marijuana, but the ordinance is not clearly outlined in city law.

Without a formal ordinance, it opens the door to the policy potentially fading into obscurity, even after voters expressed support for an official law — not a spoken change of behavior.

Water supply needs to be on Texas State minds

By The Editorial Board 2023-24 San Marcos entered Stage 4 drought restrictions for the first

time since 2014 on Aug. 27. Stage 4 signifies a critical water shortage and record low levels in Edwards Aquifer and Canyon Lake. As of Sept. 10, Canyon Lake was 67.1%

Local elections deserve attention

By The Editorial Board 2023-24

Though they’re tedious and easy for students to ignore, local elections are one of the most important parts of democracy in the U.S. National elections are often common knowledge. They dominate both

mainstream media and social media platforms, allowing people to learn about who and what is on the ballot.

Local elections, however, get less coverage which often leads to low voter turnout. An article from The New York Times stated only 27% of eligible voters show up for local elections. should procure more funding.

full, showing a downward pattern as a year ago, the levels were 86.6% full.

University officials last sent information regarding the drought

5

to students on July 20, over one month ago. At this time, San Marcos was still in Stage 3 restrictions.

Stop suppressing the youth vote

By The Editorial Board 2022-23

Texas House Bill 2390, introduced on Thursday, Feb. 16, would ban the placement of polling locations on college campuses, including Texas State.

Authored by District 73 House Rep. Carrie Isaac who represents parts of Hays and Comal Counties, the bill is

an attack on students and young voters’ constitutional right to vote.

Colleges and universities are designed to house all the needs of students on campus. Housing, dining, classes and recreation are within walking distance. Requiring public transportation or a car to vote is inconvenient and will lower voter turnout.

The University Star

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 7

TOP 10 SPORTS STORIES OF 2023

To read these stories and more scan the QR code.

Former Texas State basketball player reflects on Israel experience

By Deondre Hayes

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

Texas State graduate student forward Da’Nasia Hood (32) dribbles past a Troy defender, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2022, at Strahan Arena.

From high school star to head coach: G.J. Kinne’s path to Texas State

By David Cuevas When the expedited search for a new head football coach began after deciding to part ways with Jake Spavital, Texas State President Kelly Damphousse told Athletic Director Don Coryell there were three specific components he wanted in the university’s next coach.

“I asked them to look for someone who’s got experience being a head football coach, someone who had close ties with Texas football and Texas high school football in particular and also, someone who had an offensive scheme that could score a lot of points,” Damphousse said. “And I think we’ve found someone who can do that.”

Texas State women’s basketball alumna Da’Nasia Hood started her professional basketball career after signing her first contract to play in Puerto Rico last spring.

The former Texas State standout then experienced an eye-opening culture shock after landing in Israel to begin her second professional contract

Faith, leadership, and football for Ben Bell

1

amid the country’s ongoing conflict with Hamas.

“It was only my third day. I had only slept there for two nights and had only finished one practice before they started the attacks,” Hood said. “I was in and out of [a] bomb shelter and taking cover for safety. Also with the league being on hold I wasn’t even playing basketball, so I decided to just come home.”

New, familiar faces to shape baseball roster

By James Horton

By Carson Weaver

Junior defensive end Ben Bell returns to the Bobcats for a second year after an offseason full of change.

Last season, when he played as a linebacker, Bell had an instantly recognizable look about him. His long, red hair stuck out of his helmet far enough to cover the name on the back of his jersey. But, at the start of fall camp in 2023, Bell showed up thirty pounds heavier with a shaved head.

Bell is one of just a handful of players to return to Texas State after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign that led to a complete overhaul of the coaching staff and roster. According to senior defensive end Sam Latham, even the newcomers were sad to see his hair go.

It’s no secret that Bobcat baseball has set a new standard for itself through last season’s deep playoff run to the Stanford Regional. Although the run ended short, the team managed to bring Texas State and its community to the national spotlight for the first time in school history.

The 2022 Texas State baseball team produced the best record in program history, largely in part to the contributions of that year’s seniors.

Longtime lineup roster staples, however, like outfielders John Wuthrich and Isaiah Ortega-Jones, infielders Wesley Faison and Cameron Gibbons and reliever Trevis Sundgren have since graduated.

2 3 4

“Dirty Routes”: The Legend of Joe Dirt

5

By Carter Bordwell

California.

Texas State senior safety Shawn Holton, the teammate who started the nickname, said the reasons behind it are about what Hobert does on the field.

“It started from fall camp. Joey was [always] making dirty plays, going over the top, running dirty routes, so it just fit him,” Holton said.

“That’s just the type of person he is; he is really goofy and has that swagger about him.”

Texas State junior wide receiver Joey Hobert has made quite a name for himself since transferring to Texas State this offseason. His impression has led many of his teammates to give him the nickname ‘Joe Dirt,’ from the movie starring David Spade.

Despite the title, Hobert isn’t anything like Joe Dirt. Hobert doesn’t have a mullet, he doesn’t speak with a Southern accent and he grew up in

“Bigger, better, newer”: Texas State reveals vision for ballpark expansion

PHOTO BY MEG BOLES

Texas State junior wide receiver Joey Hobert (10) celebrates victory over Nevada, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, Bobcat Stadium.

“It doesn’t get any lower”: From Kilgore to Texas State

Trout reaches wins milestone, reflects on coaching career

6 7 8 10 9

By David Cuevas

By James Horton

By Brendan Fielding

Following years of sustained excellence, Texas State baseball is ready to take the next steps in becoming one of the NCAA’s elite programs beginning with its stadium.

On April 10, a $1 million gift was donated to Texas State as part of its proposed $8 million privatelyfunded expansion project of Bobcat Ballpark. The donation was given by Tyler Sibley, a Texas State alumnus and former All-American second baseman.

Junior defensive end Ben Bell returns to the Bobcats for a second year after an offseason full of change.

Last season, when he played as a linebacker, Bell had an instantly recognizable look about him. His long, red hair stuck out of his helmet far enough to cover the name on the back of his jersey. But, at the start of fall camp in 2023, Bell showed up thirty pounds heavier with a shaved head.

On March 31, Texas State baseball head coach Steven Trout reached his 100th career win in less than four full seasons since being hired.

Through his high energy and great love for baseball, Trout has had an immense impact on the Texas State baseball program. The milestone calls for cheers, but Trout humbly credits the community that supports him and the baseball team.

Mullins represents Texas State in 2023 Canada Cup

Two students win fall tuition for making half-court shots

By Kobe Arriaga

PHOTO COURTSEY OF JESSICA MULLINS

Texas State senior pitcher Jessica Mullins (4) poses for a photo, July, 12, 2023, at Softball City Stadium in Surrey, British Columbia.

The 2023 Canada Cup saw eight teams from across the globe compete in the International Softball Championship, with Triple Crown Colorado representing many of the nations’ elite softball athletes.

An opportunity arose for Texas State senior pitcher Jessica Mullins over the summer after receiving an invitation to play for T.C. Colorado in the 2023 Canada Cup in early July, which she accepted.

T.C. Colorado head coach and CEO of Triple Crown Sports, Dave King, said he’s had a close eye on Mullins for nearly two years and was ecstatic about finally being able to recruit her to the team.

“Someone like Jess is from one of the mid-majors,” King said. “I’ll usually have three or four mid-major players a year on the roster that are in the same light, just have never been included in the national team system.”

By Dillon Strine

Texas State Athletics’ half-court challenge for free tuition came to an end after the 79-69 men’s basketball loss to Southern Miss on Feb. 24. David St. Alva, a criminal justice junior, and Matthew Aneke, a computer science sophomore, left Strahan Arena winners.

Past participants got a second chance at halftime, including Texas State’s mascot, Boko, but no one made the shot. After the game, students who stood in a line that wrapped around the court were encouraged to attempt the shot until two of them won.

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

Texas State President Kelly Damphousse (left), criminal justice junior David St.Alva, and computer science sophomore Matthew Aneke take a seflie for Damphousse's Instagram, Friday, Feb. 23, 2023, at Strahan Arena

The University Star

8 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023

TOP STAR SNAPS OF 2023

PHOTO BY MEG BOLES

San Marcos High School color guard participates in the Veterans Day Parade, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, near Downtown San Marcos.

INE

R THE Y KA TO B PHO

Conner Redden, lead singer of the band Flight

By Nothing, serenades the crowd during Fall Fest on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, at LBJ Ballroom.

REA PHOTO BY FELIX MENKE

(Above) Texas State Alpha Phi Alpha members stroll into their dance line at Hump Day, Wednesday, Sep. 27, 2023, at the LBJ Mall.

(Left) Texas State computer science sophomore Isreal Ibinayin jumps down a flight of stairs on a skateboard, Thursday, March 2, 2023, at The Den.

PHOTO BY ABBY RUSSELL

Texas State alumnus Joseph Losoya (left), also known as the “Bubble Believer,” and nursing sophomore Grace Cantwell (right) blow bubbles, Thursday, March 23, 2023, near Alkek Library.

PHOTO BY JOHN GAMEZ

(Below) Dancers perform at the Bachelor of Fine Arts showcase on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at Evans Auditorium.

PHOTO BY ALYSSA BEAULAC

PHOTO BY MANDALYN LEWALLEN

Texas State junior Sofia Fortuno (left) and graduate student Callie Create (right) celebrate a game point during their doubles match, Saturday, Set. 30, 2023, at Texas State Tennis Complex.

PHOTO BY CARLY EARNEST

Texas State junior outfielder Cade Manning (9) dives to catch the ball in the outfield while sliding on the ground, Tuesday, May 3, 2023, at Bobcat Ballpark.

PHOTO BY KATHERINE REA

Bachelors of Fine Arts students showcase their rendition of the choreography “Lost in the Crowd” by Reisa Dinatale, Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at Evans Auditorium.

PHOTO BY MEG BOLES

Boko’s Army celebrates a Bobcat goal during the soccer matchup versus Coastal Carolina, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, at Bobcat Soccer Complex.

The University Star

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 9

S EN IOR 30 S

Shining bright at The Star

By Haley Velasco Life and Arts Editor I began my college adventures in the midst of a pandemic in August 2020. I came to Texas State with the expectation that I would learn some college lessons in an isolating style. I keep some of the most embarrassing, humbling and tragic lessons to myself, but the one I think has made my college journey worthwhile is the beautiful lesson of sucking it up and moving forward.

For the first half of college, I was right about learning and growing in an isolating way. I didn’t make any friends; I ate many dinners alone and my mom was the only person I spoke to on a daily basis. For a while, I enjoyed growing independently and getting to know myself, until I learned how much I hated seeing other people around me, constantly in groups, making memories and having the college experience that I longed for.

I ended up applying to Commons Dining Hall to try making friends. I didn’t have much luck, and it didn’t help that the uniform looked ugly on me.

Nevertheless, I sucked it up for a while and continued swiping students’ Bobcat cards at the front of the dining hall. Eventually, I made one friend at Commons, and things started looking up. That was until I found out my dog was sick.

For a week, I would finish my shift, go to Starbucks with my new friend and go back to my dorm to cry about what may come. Eventually, my mom told me that we may have to put him down during the Thanksgiving break.

The weekend before Thanksgiving break, I decided to drive back home to see my dog before revisiting the next week to potentially say my final goodbye. I got up early to go with my mom to drop him off at the vet for a wellness check. After dropping him off, I decided to take a nap, excited that when I woke up, we would pick him up and spend more time together.

Instead, I was woken up with the news that he died at the vet of a heart attack.

Instead of going back to the vet to pick him up, I was going to say my final goodbye.

The day after my dog died, I had an interview with the University Writing Cen-

ter to be a writing consultant. I wanted nothing to do with that interview, so I revisited my lesson of sucking it up and moving forward. I eventually got the job, and I was above the moon, with no one else to thank but my new guardian angel, Rascal.

I loved my new job, but I knew I could do much more, so I looked no further than the Life and Arts Reporter application for The University Star.

After being hired, I was so nervous to get into it. Interview people every other week? Write content for a large audience?

Turn stories into Sarah “The AP Stylebook” Hernandez?

Before my first interview, I reminded myself to suck it up and move forward.

I continued to do this for the next 20 interviews, until I was finally comfortable speaking to strangers and getting to know them for the sake of a feature story.

By fall 2022, I chose to apply for the Assistant Life and Arts Editor position, and soon enough, the wonderful Marisa Nuñez decided to hire me. I was now partially in charge of a talented team of contributors and reporters, and it was terrifying. Nevertheless, I sucked it up and moved forward.

As the spring semester came to a close, I decided to take on the role of the Life and Arts Editor. If I wasn’t already horrified before, I was definitely horrified now. As exhausting and stressful as being editor was, I wouldn’t have this experience any other way. Because I decided to suck it up and move forward long ago, I was rewarded with achieving more than I expected I would when I first walked into Butler Hall and cried as my parents gave me their goodbye hug. More than I expected after my dog died. And more than I expected after hitting the submit button for my Life and Arts Reporter application.

I have now written more than 40 stories for The University Star, a couple of them winning “Editor’s Pick” and a couple more being published in the Austin American-Statesman. I also won Life and Arts Reporter of the Year for 2023.

Through these achievements, I’d like to thank my mom, the strongest and greatest role model to ever exist, and my dad for showing me the importance of never giving up. I’d like to thank my brother

PHOTO COURTESY OF PREETHI MANGADU

Texas State journalism senior Haley Velasco poses with her stories, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, at the Trinity Building.

Alex, my absolute best friend, for maybe not reading my stories but keeping copies of The Star in his room, specifically the ones where I made the front page. I’d like to thank my roommates Hatlyn and Alizzah for enlightening me on the theater world and making me do script readings of the pilot episode of "New Girl."

Along with my roommate Preethi, my first friend at Texas State, for being a listening ear and a silent, crazy competitor at KTSW. I’d like to thank my Managing Editor Nichaela Shaheen and Editor-inChief Carson Weaver for allowing me to write to my heart’s content and unknow-

ingly giving me a huge burst of confidence and belonging. Lastly, I’d like to thank Marisa for showing me the ropes of Life and Arts and doing so beautifully.

I will miss the section meetings, submitting stories on a weekly basis and Nichaela’s smirk that I could feel across the room on production day. I will miss The Star, but I will forever and always be grateful for the amazing opportunity that I was given. As sad as I am to leave, I’m here to remind myself again to suck it up and move forward. There is much more to come.

Logging out and handing over the passwords

By Zaria Jackson Engagement Editor In my first semester of college, I joined The University Star to gain experience in working with social media. I never thought that working for a newspaper would relate to my career goals but I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined the engagement team as a specialist. In my last few semesters of college, I got the opportunity to become an Engagement Editor. I would have never thought this would be one of the hardest goodbyes.

I have been able to hone my skills in developing engaging digital content for various social media platforms. I am eager to leverage my social media strategy and content creation expertise in the future. Having this bigger role in this organization has allowed me to grow as a person. Not only professionally but also personal growth. I gained a sense of leadership, resilience, perseverance, and better communication skills. I can say that without The Star I wouldn’t have the right experience needed to be able to apply for a full-time job in social media.

In addition to gaining work experience, I have met some amazing people that I've gotten to collaborate with.

Every one of those editors has a great path ahead of them that I am excited to see. I thank all of you guys for the impact you left on my life in the best way possible. Also, thank you to my amazing engagement team for accepting me as their editor. Our growth on social media would not be so high if it wasn’t for every single one of your dedication to The Star.

I am so proud of being able to take on this position and contribute highly to this wonderful organization. I am grateful for the opportunities it has given me and the doors it has opened for me in my journey towards my future career. Goodbye Star, love you forever and always!

Logging out.

Texas State advertising senior Zaria Jackson poses with a copy of The University Star, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, at Old Main.

PHOTO BY ALYCE MICHELLE

The University Star

10 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023

SENIOR 30S My Journey with The University Star

By Afaaf Alnahas Illustrator Hello, I'm Afaaf Alnahas, a designer and illustrator at The University Star.

Since childhood, I have dreamed of seeing my artwork published in a newspaper, and it fills me with immense pride that The University Star is the first newspaper to have embraced my work, turning my

dream into reality. The University Star has been instrumental in building my skills as an illustrator, where I've had the opportunity to create covers for articles based on the authors' requests. Working with an incredibly welcoming design team has further enriched my experience. As I approach graduation, I bid farewell to The University Star, knowing it will always hold a special place in my heart.

ILLUSTRATION BY AFAAF ALNAHAS

Thanks for enjoying my silly little games pages

By Michele DuPont Creative Services Director I started working for The Star in 2020 as a multimedia reporter. I’m really thankful for the friends I met and the experiences it gave me, but after a while I decided that taking pictures of strangers was wayyy too stressful. So, I switched to the role of Creative Services Director, not really knowing what it entailed.

I got to create a lot of things for The Star, but the weekly Procrastination pages were my favorite part. These weren’t advertised much, so at first it kind of just felt like shouting into the void while getting to work on my illustration skills. However, I eventually started to hear from people about how much they enjoyed the themed illustrations and puzzles. My friends would pick up a paper just to check out my work, or my job would

come up in conversation with complete strangers who would tell me they got the paper every week to do the sudoku. It really warmed my heart that my effort was being appreciated, so I poured even more of myself into each page. I spent hours on each illustration, and tried to make every week’s theme fun and full of interesting facts. I wanted each page to be better than the last.

This job has been a constant for me for the majority of my last 4 years, and allowed me to grow as a designer and illustrator in ways I never could have guessed when applying all those years ago. So, thank you to everyone who has taken the time out of their Tuesday over the past few years to check out my silly little drawings or do my silly little crossword games. I hope they brought you as much joy as they brought me. :)

PHOTO BY MICHELE DUPONT

A car attempts to travel through flooded waters, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, on Moore St.

The University Star

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 11

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.

College degrees should not require core credits

By Jonny Wheatcroft Opinions Contributor We attend college for many different reasons, whether it's to pursue a better education, meet new people or experience new things. What we don’t do, however, is attend college so we can learn about how the U.S. was founded for the 15th time. University degrees should not require core classes that only exist to enhance our general education.

The college core curriculum is largely unnecessary and presents many obstacles due to its useless nature. No matter where you go after college, or what career path you wish to pursue, it is highly doubtful that during a job interview, you will be asked about what Franklin D. Roosevelt wore to his inauguration.

During my first two years of college, I completed an associate degree in science.

As part of the requirements for the degree, I had to take an arts appreciation course. Out of the many options available, I chose a film appreciation course.

Now, this class would be tremendous if I were a film major, but I am not. At the time, I was just an ordinary science student, asking myself, “How does watching Nicholas Cage cry over a pig relate to my major, physics?”

The core curriculum instituted within universities is not only useless but incred-

ILLUSTRATION BY DELANEY COMPEAN

ibly time consuming. According to The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, students are required to take 42 semester credit hours just for the core curriculum. These credit hours require countless hours of studying, months of classes and years of one's degree, all to fulfill a bottom line created by an outdated philosophy.

The numerous general education credit hours universities require students to take are also ruinously expensive. For fouryear public colleges attended in-state, the average cost per credit hour is $456. In Texas, this could potentially amount to

a total of $19,152 given that students are required to take 42 semester credit hours for the core curriculum alone.

Imagine how much more successful the education system would be if instead of having to commit four years to pursuing a degree, two of which are spent in basic courses, students could achieve a bachelor’s in two years.

This would reduce the financial burden of a college education, ease the stress of students with an increased workload and save an immense amount of time for every individual looking to further themselves through a college education.

Time is one of the most precious resources known to mankind, henceforth, it should not be wasted learning material that was covered in high school.

There may be an argument to make as to why these core classes are vital to instilling a generation of students with an adequate general education. This perspective, however, possesses a fundamental flaw; it assumes that high school never taught us anything.

The purpose of high school is to provide each student with a general education to help prepare them for what they choose to pursue next. Requiring students to take further general education classes in college assumes that those four years in high school were spent doing nothing more than watching paint dry.

College can provide one with an opportunity to further their education, network with those who share their interests and explore true passions in life. The purpose of college should not be to reinforce redundant information and universities should do away with basic courses.

-Jonny Wheatcroft is a physics junior The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editorin-Chief and Opinions Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

Pregnant and parenting students deserve resources

By Maddie Hanraads Opinions Contributor Raising a child is never a simple task, but navigating parenthood while striving for a college education is something that can be extremely daunting. Texas State must keep students who are raising children in mind and offer them helpful resources.

Texas State should offer things such as scholarship opportunities, reasonable rates at the Texas State Child Development Center and comfortable nursing rooms in Alkek Library. Pregnant and parenting students make up a demographic that is largely overlooked and whose resources are few.

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, over 22% of all undergraduates are parents. Though so many from this number are overcoming the obstacles, no person should feel like they must choose between their child and education.

According to Unplannedpregnancy.com, over two million students aged 18-24 get pregnant each year. A study from the Journal of American College Health done on parenting students within this age range reported that 43% experienced “running out of food and not having enough money to buy more in the last year.”

With statistics this jarring, are helpful resources available and is the student body aware of them? The answer is both yes and no.

The Student Health Center offers accurate pregnancy tests and pamphlets titled “Next Steps," which advise scheduling a doctor's appointment where a patient can have blood work done and receive prescribed prenatal

ILLUSTRATION BY DJ ROSS

vitamins. The Student Health Center is one of the first places that a student may go if they suspect they could be pregnant. Beyond the test and brochures, however, there’s nothing more offered by the health center.

Naturally, finances become the next point of interest for new parents. J.C. Kellam is home to the Financial Aid Office on campus, where anyone at Texas State can meet with an adviser to discuss aid opportunities available to them. This can lighten the load, but as of now, there are no specific aid options for pregnant or parenting students, and that should not be the case.

Research from a National Center for Education Sta-

tistics study shows that 27.8% of female students who were high school sophomores in 2002 dropped out due to pregnancy. There are a multitude of reasons behind this, but lack of support was most prevalent.

Last year, Baylor University introduced a scholarship created by Bears for Life that would aid pregnant and parenting students. The scholarship is $1,000 per semester and is open to anyone in need of assistance and resources. This scholarship should serve as an example for Texas State University.

One resource for Texas State students is the TruChoice Pregnancy Resource Center bus that parks in the lot of Our Lady of Wisdom University Parish. Though not directly affiliated with the university, TruChoice offers assistance to any student in any pregnancy situation.

The resource center offers pregnancy tests, STI screenings, ultrasounds, diapers and clothes, counseling and more. Experienced professionals are available to speak one-on-one with students about each of their options.

By the end, students are better informed and can take the next strides with confidence.

Resources like these empower students to achieve an education against any odds if that’s what they want to do. Each resource should be built upon and thoroughly communicated so that each student knows they don’t have to walk alone.

While there are some resources available to pregnant and parenting students, the student body, faculty and San Marcos community must remember this overlooked demographic so we can all achieve greater things, together.

-Maddie Hanraads is a journalism junior

Netflix's new "household" rules are unreasonable

By Rhian Davis Opinions Editor In February, Netflix announced it was going to begin cracking down on password sharing across households, starting in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. Now, Texas State students have started to lose access to their shared Netflix accounts.

Netflix defines a “household” as people who live in the same location as the original owner of the account. According to a statement from Netflix, over 100 million households are sharing passwords which impacts Netflix’s “ability to invest in great new TV and films.”

Account owners are now required to set up a primary location on their TV. Users can access the account on a phone or laptop while traveling, but streaming on a TV can only be done in the specified household.

While it is fair to say Netflix is addressing a real problem, this answer is not fair to college students who are not able to afford their own Netflix accounts.

There must be a better solution that allows for more than one household on a single account.

Taylor Estes, a psychology freshman,

is an out-of-state student. She was using her aunt’s Netflix account on her TV in her dorm before she was removed from the account.

“I got on my TV and it said that I was out of my household,” Estes said.

“I could either change my address or I could send an email to the account that I [was logged into] to get a code to get back into it. I like to turn on Netflix to do my homework so not being able to

get into that was kind of a disadvantage for me because I feel like I wasn’t getting anything done.”

Students who rely on family or friends for their accounts will now have to get their own or ask those who live in the original household to pay an extra $7.99 per month for each additional person.

Many college students are already on a tight budget and though Netflix now offers a “standard with ads” plan starting at

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$6.99 per month, this pricing still isn't feasible for some students.

It seems like these new rules are just a cash grab on Netflix’s part. The company just recently raised its U.S. prices again.

Premium plans now cost $22.99 per month. Though the company may think these are wise decisions, they’re just going to cause more and more people to cancel their accounts altogether.

“No college kid wants to have to pay for Netflix, especially on top of everything else they have to worry about,” Estes said.

The time has come for Netflix officials to open their eyes and realize that these business moves aren’t helping anyone.

As Netflix once said in a tweet, “Love is sharing a password,” and anyone should be able to do what they wish with their accounts.

“I just think it’s unfair because if someone is willing to share their password, their username, their account with you, there’s obviously a reason,” Estes said.

“It’s not like it’s causing any harm. It’s just annoying that taking [accounts] away is something that they thought would be a good idea.”

-Rhian Davis is a journalism sophomore

The University Star

12 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023

SPORTS

David Cuevas Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

"She plays with some dawg in her": Volleyball freshman adds impact on squad

By Georgia Weeks Sports Contributor Redshirt freshman outside hitter Samantha Wunsch has become a well-known member of the Texas State volleyball team this season.

With no prior experience as a collegiate athlete, Wunsch has become one of the top hitters and a defensive presence for the Bobcats, ranking second in kills and blocks.

In her first-ever collegiate game, an exhibition matchup against UTSA on Aug. 19, Wunsch recorded 21 kills and six digs. Every game since then, Wunsch has been on the top of the stat sheet in kills and blocks. Wunsch finished the 2023 regular season with 298 kills, 99 blocks and 63 digs. She was also named to the All-Sun Belt

PHOTO BY MANDALYN LEWALLEN

Texas State redshirt freshman outside hitter Samantha Wunsch (8) during the game against Coastal Carolina, Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at Strahan Arena.

First Team and the Sun Belt Tournament All-Tournament Team.

However, getting to where she is now came with many sacrifices. Wunsch was given a redshirt for the 2022 season, preventing her from seeing any time on the court.

Despite this being incredibly hard on her, Wunsch said she did not take this time for granted but instead used it as a learning experience.

“I wanted to play so badly… Having to sit out, knowing I will never touch the court all year was really difficult for me, but it was also a learning experience,” Wunsch said. “I've never been in that role before, so learning how to be a teammate in that aspect and watching the seniors last year, learning how they navigated through college ball.”

Texas State Head Coach Sean Huiet said he knew Wunsch would make an exceptional addition to the team after seeing her height and competitiveness as a dual sport athlete at Vandegrift High School in Austin.

However, many players elected to take the COVID year and return for an extra season, creating a deep roster with several experienced players.

“It's not that she wasn’t good enough or that she couldn’t play at that level right away," Huiet said. "We had Janell Fitzgerald, who was ahead of her, offensive player of the year two years in a row. If she [Samantha] wasn't going to play a significant amount, it's not worth it. As hard as it is in the moment, you learn and grow so much through it; now you see her game, and you’ll see her flourish over the next four years.”

Throughout the process of developing mentally and physically, Wunsch has built up her confidence. Senior setter Ryann Torres has seen Wunsch grow immensely from her freshman year to where she is today and said her mentality has become more fierce.

“She found her dawg, and she plays with some dawg in her,” Torres said. “Her confidence just built throughout this year, and I think we feed off each other very well.”

With Wunsch’s size, skillset and confidence, she has a tremendous impact on the court for the Bobcats. Traditionally, middles are responsible for blocks at the net in volleyball, but Wunsch, as a right-side hitter, has become Texas State's best blocker.

“Other teams really pay attention to her on the [scouting] sheet. They try to prepare for her, but she does her job,” Torres said.

Wunsch was everything but shy when talking about her teammates and the success she wants them to achieve. Even while being so young, Wunsch is viewed as a leader by her teammates, something she values highly. When asked what she expects for future seasons, Wunsch said one word: “rings."

Wunsch said Huiet and his coaching staff made the correct decision in redshirting her as it helped her become the player she is today and the player she will be for future seasons.

Huiet said he and many others are placing lofty expectations onto Wunsch's shoulders for the remainder of her time as a Bobcat.

“She wants to lead this team to a championship,” Huiet said. “She has the potential to be one of the best [players] to come through Texas State."

PHOTO BY CARLY EARNEST

Texas State redshirt freshman outside hitter Samantha Wunsch (8) during the game against Louisiana-Lafayette, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, at Strahan Arena.

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Alonzo Edwards Jr.: JUCO walk-on to Bobcat starter

By James Horton Sports Reporter Texas State junior cornerback Alonzo Edwards Jr. took an unconventional route to the Division I level and has earned his stay at Texas State.

Edwards didn’t have college coaches fighting for his commitment after high school. Searching for the best opportunity to continue his football career, Edwards decided to try his luck as a walk-on at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi.

“Mississippi itself is already small,” Edwards Jr. said. “I feel like we get underrecruited. [I] didn’t have any opportunities, so I had to walk on to the JUCO [level] and earn a scholarship. Then, I just blew up in JUCO. [I] got a lot of offers.”

The hard work required of a walk-on player paid off for Edwards. Relationships he built on his path to Texas State helped him both on and off the field.

Former Mississippi Gulf Coast teammate Scooby Carter brought Edwards to the attention of the Texas State coaching staff.

“He [Carter] had gotten an offer from Texas State,” Edwards said. “And Coach Dewhurst was the cornerback coach here. [Carter] told him about me. They watched my film; they came down to Mississippi. They just gave me the offer after that.”

In his first season at Texas State in the

2022-23 season, Edwards played in all 12 games and started in six. That season, he accumulated 23 tackles and three forced fumbles, adding a lot of film for the new coaching staff to be excited about. In December 2022, Matthew Gregg took over as the cornerback coach and knew that Edwards would be an impactful player.

“He played well close to the end of the season last year,” Gregg said. “I knew we could build on that and continue to develop him into a potential All-Conference player. He was one of the guys I noticed early on in film. He had playmaking abilities; he was making tackles and forcing fumbles.”

Texas State redshirt senior cornerback Chris Mills also signed at Texas State prior to the 2022-23 season. Spending the past two years with Edwards, he said he knows how valuable a teammate he is.

“With the change in staff you always have a number of players you encounter,” Mills said. “But [Alonzo] is just automatically one of those [players] that stood out. Just from the stance of being dependable, smart, and [an] overall ballplayer. He always asks if you need help— just one of those teammates that’s always caring.”

The 2023-24 season has seen a renewed sense of excitement around Texas State’s football program. According to Gregg, Edwards, one of the few returners from last season's team, is seen as a leader by the coaches.

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS

Texas State junior cornerback Alonzo Edwards Jr. (4) during the Nevada game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, at Bobcat Stadium.

“I will say he’s not shy at all to have energy and get his teammates motivated,” Gregg said. “But I would say he’s more of a ‘do it by example.’ He’s going to play hard, he’s going to do the extra work, he’s never going to complain, and he has a great attitude every day. Guys look up to him.”

The 2023-24 Texas State team has earned bowl eligibility for just the second time in its history. Edwards said he

knew as soon as he met Head Coach G.J. Kinne that this was in the program's future.

“I’m a big believer in ‘You have what you say," Edwards said. “The first thing coach Kinne said when he got here was, ‘We’re going to win a championship.’ I’m a big believer in that, so I already knew we were going to become a winning program.”