October 25, 2022

San Marcos gets its scare on for Halloween

By Marisa Nunez Life and Arts Editor

Trick or treat! Local businesses in San Marcos are hosting numerous new and annual events that will get the community into the Halloween spirit.

Delta Zeta’s Haunted Trails haunted house event will kick off Halloween weekend from 7 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 27. Haunted Trails has been an annual tradition for six years with new themes each year along with a new fraternity as a partner. This year, the sorority has partnered with Kappa Sigma to organize the haunted house event.

"It's just really easy to work with [Delta Zeta]," Dylan Cahill, the treasurer of Kappa Sigma, said. "There's never any fuss. Everybody's just kind of really molded together well, so I think that's what's made the process a lot more enjoyable for

Community weighs in on federal student loan relief applications

By Christian Martinez News Contributor

The Federal Student Loan Debt Relief application opened on Oct. 17 and many students and alumni have found themselves filling out personal information in hopes of their student loan debts being canceled.

In August, the Biden administration announced its student loan forgiveness plan that could cancel up to $20,000 in debt for eligible current and graduated students. Those who make less than $125,000 per person a year could qualify for up to $10,000 forgiven and if a student received a Pell Grant, they could get up to $20,000 in student loan debt forgiven.

The application is simple to complete, the most important information needed is a person’s social security number, email and phone number.

Current students are happy about the new federal program, and former students have also taken advantage of it. Texas State alumna Breana Wentz said that she is ecstatic to be a part of this long-awaited relief.

“I am very excited,” Wentz said. “My student loans totaled at $54,000, and I was the first person in my family to go to school. I didn't have a lot of education on what accepting some of those loans meant and it's kept me from buying a home. It's kept me in very burdensome situations, so I think that it’s wonderful for my situation in general. I'm very excited and it gives us a lot more opportunity to move forward, financially.”

both of us."

Entry to the event costs $7. The house will include six different themed rooms featuring a purge room, a butcher room, a clown room and more. All earnings will go to each of their philanthropies. Delta Zeta supports the Starkey Hearing Foundation and Kappa Sigma supports the Military Heroes Campaign.

To purchase tickets or donate, visit https://dz.crowdchange.co/27968

San Marcos Parks and Recreation will host its sixth annual Farmer Fred’s Harvest Fall Carnival on Oct. 28 at City Park. The carnival will start with a Haunted Hayride with an admission of $3 per person at 5 p.m.

Elephant Ears member Zac Martin strums his guitar, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, at Sewell Park.

PHOTO BY ALLISON MENDOZA

Elephant Ears band lead Creighton Coyne presents himself to the audience during the music festival, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, at Sewell Park.

PHOTO BY ALLISON MENDOZA

SAN

ILLUSTRATION BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

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

Editorial Staff

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

Managing Editor: Sarah Hernandez starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu

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

Opinions Editor: Dillon Strine staropinion@txstate.edu

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Public & Internal Relations

PIR Director: Elle Gangi starpr@txstate.edu

Full-Time Staff

Director: Laura Krantz laurakrantz@txstate.edu

Student Publications Coordinator: Caitlin Mitchell cf1188@txstate.edu

About Us

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

Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, October 25, 2022. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.

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

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

Visit The Star at universitystar.com

Brad Engleking, the rising star of sound mixing

By Cara Cervenka Life and Arts Contributor

Brad Engleking, a Texas State School of Music alumnus celebrates his first Emmy Award for sound mixing on the documentary "Fathom."

The film, directed by Drew Xanthopoulos, worked directly with marine scientists to capture whale communication. Engleking is responsible for recording the sounds and creating something that helps tell the story.

"'Fathom' is about sound. Sound plays a very important role in a documentary, and that's pretty uncommon. So that kind of presented the opportunity to make something cool that rewarded us,” Engleking said.

"Fathom" is different from any film that Engleking had previously worked on. The sound for "Predators" and "Alita Battle Angle" that he previously worked on had support from the thrill of the movie. Engleking's role in "Fathom" was critical because the film centered around sound, specifically the underwater communication of whales.

“I think we were trying to make kind of an experimental film where, you know, you’re immersed in that world,” Engleking said.

Engleking gained popularity quickly with the sound mixings he did on projects like "Alita Battle Angel," "Hidden Life" and now "Fathom." According to Engleking, mixing was not a career field he originally sought. As an underclassman, he originally wanted to be a record producer. It wasn't until he crossed paths with Robert Rodriguez, a filmmaker and the founder of Troublemaker Studios, that sound mixing became an option.

Engleking praises Texas State for its sound technology program. The university gave Engleking opportunities to work on student films and absorb knowledge while applying it in the studio. For students hoping to become a success, he said the Texas State sound technology program immerses its students in the recording world and refines their skills.

“I think that's one of the most important things, you know, and just seeing how they created an artistic atmosphere for people to create art,” Engleking said.

Director of Texas State Recording Arts Program Mark Erikson remembers Engleking's drive for what he did when he was a student at Texas State.

“He was passionate about the sound stuff,” Erikson said. “He was always around the facility, always trying to learn from whatever was going on at the time, always willing to jump in and do any work that was required.”

Erikson raves about the exceptional sound mixing Engleking did that is uncommon for a documentary. He feels that the

FROM FRONT EVENTS

film stands out for its music alone. The sound design, mix and dialogue clarity all come together. In a film like "Fathom," even the sound of a drop of water in a can is important.

As a professor, Erikson respected Engleking's passion for sound.

“That kind of passion that drives that work ethic is worth as much as the knowledge you get in the degree,” Erickson said.

“That's what made him stand out.”

The Texas State film scene has a bright future according to Erikson. Students now have more opportunities than they did in the past because of the opening of Live Oak Hall, a campus facility featuring a film sound stage, TV studio, recording mix classroom, editing lab, and Foley room, at the beginning of the semester.

Engleking encourages anyone that wants to break into the film industry to just do it. For those wanting to pursue a career in sound mixing, he advises them to take advantage of all of the opportunities for young filmmakers in San Marcos.

"If you want to be a composer, go find a young film director,” Engleking said. “I mean, there're student films being made at Texas State, there are student films being made at [The University of Texas], so there are hundreds of opportunities there to go, you know, actually try out some of the things that you are learning."

The carnival will also include food concessions with sweet treats, popcorn and sodas as well as a children’s costume contest that will award the cutest, spookiest, best group or duo, best movie or TV character and best DIY costumes. The costume contest is free, but preregistration is required and those that are interested.

For more information on Farmer Fred's Harvest Fall Carnival, visit https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/3255/ Farmer-Freds-Carnivals.

Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park is putting on several events to celebrate the Halloween season. Its Halloween celebrations begin with the third annual Haunted Cave Tours on Oct. 28 and 29. This year's tours will have an underground freak show theme.

People who come out to the event will experience five different rooms within the unique cave formation, with scares around every corner. It is recommended that tickets be purchased online. There is an age 13+ age limit to participate.

"I think the added element of you being in a legit cave, where it's dark and you can't really see, there's a bunch of weird noises and things going on, I've seen some pretty freaked out people," Shane Rowe, the general manager at Wonder World, said.

Wonder World will also host a Halloween Festival for the first time ever from 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 30. The new family-friendly event will have fall games, live music and vendors free to the public. For an additional cost, event-goers can experience a hayride through the wildlife park for $5 or have an underground trick-ortreating experience in the cave for $10. A costume party contest will have a surprise prize for the winner.

"I think it's just a unique way that Wonder World can offer its services," Rowe said. "You know at its core it's just an adventure park. People can come explore the cave, the wildlife park. But it just shows like I guess the versatility of these recreational businesses that the San Marcos has."

For more information and to book a spot for a Haunted Cave Tour, visit https://www.wonderworldpark.com/.

The San Marcos Art League is hosting its third annual Art Scared on Oct. 29 at The Square. San Marcos Art Squared is inviting children pre-K through 12th grade to paint a section out of 70 designated windows on The Square with a fall or Halloween-themed painting. Nancy Brown, a committee chair member for Art Scared, is ecstatic to be a part of this annual event, and can’t

“The kids are thrilled to be doing it and they just show so much enthusiasm,” Brown said. “Just to see what they produce, whether it's good or bad or indifferent, they just put so much energy and I have so much fun.”

The paintings will be displayed for the San Marcos community to enjoy through early November. Awards will be given for first, second and third place within each school-age level. At the event, every child will be provided art supplies to participate in the window painting. Every participant will also be rewarded with a gift bag along with extra paint supplies and brushes to take home.

To end the Halloween season, Stellar Coffee will host a Halloween movie night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 with vendor pop-ups. If customers attend in costume, they can get a 10% discount on their preferred beverage to enjoy during the movie.

For more information, visit Stellar Coffee Co.'s website at https://www. stellarcoffeecotx.com/ or its Instagram @ stellarcoffeetx.

ILLUSTRATION BY AFAAF ALNAHAS

wait to see the artwork that the children create.

ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH HERNANDEZ

STUDENT MEDIA

Health students create podcasts to share information about health

By Elijah Cardenas Life and Arts Contributor

In a small dimly lit recording room in the first floor of Alkek Library, two freshman pre-med students record their discussion about medical science topics. Zach Caviness and Shay Trans started a podcast called Hot Health! with the idea of sharing information that students should know about health and health care.

Hot Health! started on Sept. 19 and is produced by Caviness, a public health pre-med freshman, and Trans, a nursing freshman, using the recording equipment available in the Alkek Library creation lab. The podcast is published on a weekly basis on Spotify and Apple Music.

The idea for the podcast started with the hope to get information out about health topics Caviness and Trans regularly discuss, hear in the news and learn in their medical science classes, as well as questions asked by classmates or sent to the podcast email.

“Our first start [in our audience] is college students because first off, we are college students,” Caviness said. “So we know how college students think and we know how they act … we really do want to see a change in health care within college students, not even just their health care, just kind of [how they think about] their health in general.”

The duo plans and posts their episodes on a weekly basis around Central Texas health concerns. They cover a range of topics, from a casual conversation about the factors that affect college student health, to a more analytical discussion about hypertension, to the opioid crisis in Texas and the U.S.

Caviness and Trans hope to expand to a larger audience and have already attracted listeners from outside of Texas in cities such as Detroit, Washington and Miami. They also have listeners in other countries such as the Dominican

Republic, Germany and England. The vast majority of listeners are concentrated in the Austin and Central Texas area.

“I think the information we present is applicable to everyone because it is just health,” Trans said. “But I guess since we are at Texas State, and we are college students, it's easier to have our audience be closer to us.”

Caviness and Trans have shared their interest in health topics and information surrounding medical anomalies and complexities since high school. They have only grown more enamored with the topic since enrolling into their prospective majors at Texas State.

Their enthusiasm and experience have only grown as Caviness recently acquired an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license and Trans a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The two were inspired by their high school health science teachers, Milly Doughty

and Bill Parsons, to pursue health care.

“We've kind of always kind of loved health care and just kind of helping other people providing information to other people that kind of, you know, change their lives, really,” Caviness said. “Just a couple of people changing small things you can do, and in healthcare everyone wants to change other people's health and lives.”

The two met in seventh grade and since their time in public school they have become enamored with both the academic aspects and ethics of medical science.

Neveah McLemore, a childhood friend and psychology freshman, said that as long as she has known the duo, they have been dedicated to helping others which combined with their enthusiasm for medical science.

“I know as people these forms of kindness have not stopped and have only grown in fashion,” McLemore said.

“Zack is a highly driven individual with a passion for health science … Shay has always had a gift specifically with helping people … I believe that through their combined knowledge and desire to help and educate others they will definitely achieve more than the world could ever ask for.”

Caviness has previous recording experience from being a part of his church audio video department team. The recording equipment available to all students in the Youstar Studio on the first floor of Alkek makes recording an episode or two weekly a breeze.

Planning before recording is also an easy process for the duo. Their topic selection is easily settled between times Caviness and Trans study together for their classes or in short brainstorming sessions shared in a Google Doc. They often discuss potential topics on Thursday before recording on Friday.

“We choose things that interest us as well and interest others,” Trans said. “If it’s interesting to us, I feel like we would have a better, bigger passion for what we're talking about it. It's just genuinely interesting if we're interested in what we're talking about.”

The team plans to continue Hot Health! well past graduating from Texas State while working in the medical field. For now, they encourage students to send them emails and requests for topics Bobcats would like to hear about.

“We're always available in our email,” Caviness said. “We're checking it multiple times a day trying to get feedback from students on what they liked with the podcast, things they want, ideas they have. If they have a personal experience themselves that they would like to kind of share with the world. Please, reach out to us. We would love to kind of contribute with you and kind of bring your idea to the podcast.”

For more information visit https:// linktr.ee/hothealth or email Caviness and Trans at hothealthtx@gmail.com

A student's dream turned into reality by theater organization

By Christopher Martinez Life and Arts Contributor

A powerful student-directed production opens on Nov. 4 and will shed light on LGBTQ rights, abortion and the value of human life.

Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre will present “The Twilight of the Golds” which tells the story of a married couple considering abortion after genetic testing reveals the baby will be born gay. The play is being directed by Andrew Michael Carter, a performance production junior, and Sophia Jovanovic, a theatre education sophomore.

“The message that I get from this show is true acceptance can never happen without gaining understanding,” Carter said. “Especially in this part of Texas, still, it’s such a black or white issue. There are just so many dangers.”

Jovanovic joined as co-director after Carter felt a woman’s perspective needed to be included for the production to be a success. She said the story is interesting and thought-provoking and hopes students leave feeling empowered to affect change in their lives and the world.

“The ending of this play is a very very hard reality that a lot of queer youth experience,” Jovanovic said. She also admits “I’ve never ever really had to ask myself these tough questions about these tough circumstances with abortion.”

Written by Jonathan Tolins the story takes place during the 1980s at the height of the AIDS epidemic in New York. Carter grew up in a conservative part of Texas and had little hope the play would be produced by his former high school theater.

He pitched the story anyway but the school rejected the idea due to the story’s sensitive topics. JTLT, an organization that accepts play submissions from all students and selects a few to produce each semester, approved Carter's pitch to direct the play.

“I’m living my high school dream,” Carter said.

JTLT allows undergraduate students to choose and direct their plays, teaches about how the theater business operates and provides skills that can be used in a professional career. Created three years ago for undergraduates by undergraduate students, JTLT’s mission is to provide a space for students to freely

create.

“We provide a platform for undergraduate writers, directors and actors,” Insha Iqbal, a performance production senior and co-manager of JTLT, said. “The biggest thing for me that I love about this organization is it has now spawned this place for undergrad artists to do what they love and to create really cool work and to collaborate."

Excitement within JTLT is at an all-time high this year now that shows will be in front of a live audience for the first time. The organization was created right before the pandemic and all performances had to be broadcast through a video streaming service.

Since joining the organization, Iqbal has gained employment at an Austin theater company, was promoted to co-manager for JTLT and completely revamped the organization to create a streamlined

process for future productions. Even though this is her final year at Texas State, Iqbal is happy with the organization's progress and achievements so far.

JTLT is currently producing other projects including a playwright festival, fundraising and more studentdirected plays. Any students interested in theater production, regardless of their major, are encouraged to pitch a story or apply for a behind-the-scenes job.

Showtimes for “The Twilight of the Golds” are 7:30 p.m. from Nov. 4-5 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 6 at the Texas State Theatre Center in room 209. Show tickets are free or “pay-what-you-can.”

For more information on this production and other projects visit the Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre on Instagram @jeremytorreslabtheatre.

Texas State public health pre-med freshman Zack Caviness (left) and nursing freshman Shay Trans record their podcast, Hot Health!, Thrusday, Oct. 13, 2022 in the Alkek One Youstar Studio recording room.

PHOTO BY ELIJAH CARDENAS

Texas State acting major Seth Lewis (left) and theater performance junior Montserrat Luna (right) discuss their performance on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at the Theatre Center.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MARTINEZ

'Cats Walk: Muhammad Tasnim Alam talks family, catastrophe prevention

By Monica Vargas Life and Arts Contributor

'Cats Walk is a weekly segment that will highlight Texas State students. Each week, Web Editor Monica Vargas will talk to a different Bobcat about school, self-love and Texas State.

This week Monica interviewed Muhammad Tasnim Alam who is currently getting his master's in engineering with a focus in geotechnical engineering. Muhammad received his undergrad, bachelor’s in civil engineering at The University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in the capital city of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Vargas: What exactly is the study focus in geotechnical engineering?

Muhammad Tasnim Alam: There are two things related to this study: hydraulic engineering and water resource engineering, simply said. Geotechnical engineering focuses on the soil. Building on water such as bridges you must know the soil to sustain the infrastructure.

Vargas: What made you so passionate about engineering, specifically geotechnical engineering?

Muhammad Tasnim Alam: Well back home in Chattogram, Bangladesh, I worked on projects in infrastructure for the city. I would focus on elevated highways specifically.

Being a non-traditional student previously, I would project manage and oversee civil engineering projects for the infrastructures of my home city. I started to notice some issues arising in water bridges within my region. Where I’m from we battle many flood occurrences that have led to many deaths due to the infrastructures of water bridges not sustaining within the time duration planned. I saw the need for geotechnical studies to be further evaluated and find solutions to help prevent water bridges from collapsing. I personally wanted to help solve the concerns within the infrastructures within the city due to flood occurrences. It stirred a passion to really help prevent these situations from happening again.

I’m currently working on my thesis for my master’s

program. My research has come to find that 56% of water bridge erosion collapse throughout the world.

We need more data to help calculate solutions to prevent this issue. Geotechnical engineering is in need throughout the world.

Vargas: Tell me about yourself, your family and where you are from.

Muhammad Tasnim Alam: I grew up with a great father who was a book publisher. A very brilliant man. A wonderful mother who took great care of us, with three brothers and two sisters. They all are highly educated. My brothers are doctors and one is a banker. My sister has her masters in political science and my other sister masters in English. My beautiful wife is a physician in the public health department focusing on disease control. Currently, she is working for an international organization for public health in Bangladesh.

Fun fact, when we were little kids, my dad would buy us fine chocolates and toys as payment and have us help him proofread the books he was going to publish. We learned how to read English and Bengali, the native language in Bangladesh, at a young age.

An interesting fact about my hometown of Chattogram, Bangladesh is it has a 75- miles-long sea beach, which is the largest sea beach in the world.

Vargas: What is something interesting and unique about yourself you want people to know about you?

Muhammad Tasnim Alam: When I was in my undergrad, I learned how to play the violin. My roommates could not stand the sounds as I was just learning how to play. Eventually, I came to my dorm and found my violin damaged, never knew who did that to this day.

Also, when I was in college I wrote film and theatre scripts. I wrote and directed my own film called, "The Narcissist". The screenplay, "Surya Sen" I also wrote; it went into full production in theatre. Both screen writings were performed in full production and were displayed to the public.

Muhammad Tasnim Alam smiles for a photo after doing research studies for his master's program in geotechnical engineering, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, at Alkek Library.

PHOTO BY MONICA VARGAS

SCAN TO CODE TO KEEP READING 'CATS WALK

Construction yields obstacles for students and bus drivers

By Ireland Sargent News Contributor

Construction in San Marcos and on Texas State grounds are in full effect as the city continues to grow in size and the demand for space increases. Students and bus drivers are experiencing various complications throughout the Sessom-Academy Street project, which began in May of 2022.

Street and drainage improvements near the Texas State Student Recreation Center have caused alternative routes for bus drivers, extensive walking times and delays for students reaching their scheduled classes.

Aubrey Lauper, a psychology senior, said she has to leave much earlier than she used to as the construction causes traffic delays due to alternative routes that are in effect.

"I have never been late but it has affected my timing and has also impacted my boyfriend as he has to drive me to class," Lauper said. "My classes are pretty far from where I live so walking is not an option."

According to San Marcos Capital Improvements, the Sessom-Academy Street project will renovate the current storm drain, wastewater line and sidewalk and provide a multi-model improvement for cyclists and pedestrians at the intersection of Sessom and LBJ Drive.

Bobcat Shuttle drivers have adapted to the construction as their routes have been altered, causing temporary closures. Rod Gonzales, manager of transit operations at Texas State, revealed the challenges that have come from the construction.

"We have had to close routes 14, 24 and 25 which are Campus Loop, the Recreation Center and Speck Garage," Gonzales said. "There is no way to get a bus into those closed routes ... the closest stop is near the Supple Science Building."

Rohit Vij, project manager for the Sessom-Academy Street project, said there is a great amount of planning before starting a project of this size. He said the cones are placed in an effective manner befitting all who pass by.

"We have the cones placed in such a way that there is no obstruction for the buses to turn, stop or pick up passengers," Vij said. "We follow the detour plan and we are trying our best to accommodate students and buses on this project."

FROM FRONT MONEY

Wentz said loan forgiveness will also impact her in a positive way by reducing stress on her future financial situation. One of the ways it will help her future finances is for house buying. With the possible cancellation of some of her debt she can now look at approval for houses in different price ranges.

"Going through that is going to be [critical] to me being able to move forward. It also helps keep me out of credit card debt in general because now with that money I can put it towards other debts like my savings or just in general," Wentz said. "The change is going to be astronomical for me personally with what I can do with that $600 every month.”

As thrilled as Wentz is about the program, not everyone shares the same sentiment. Sami Haiker, a psychology sophomore, believes that the new forgiveness is unfair to those who have not taken out student loans.

“I feel like it is unfair to the people that do not have loans because of hard work and determination to not be in that situation,” Haiker said. “I think that by giving the people that did have loans a chance to get pretty much free college is a bit unfair to the people that have not decided to have loans.”

Haiker wants everyone to have equal opportunities, including if people decided to use their money toward school versus those who took out financial aid instead.

“I don't think they should only have people that had loans get aid. A lot of people have the same

Safety for students walking alongside the construction or riding the shuttles has not been a noticeable issue according to Gonzales, despite the width of the shuttles.

"The construction crew has been good at keeping the lanes open wide enough for the shuttles to drive through," Gonzales said. "As far as safety inside the shuttle, construction has not impacted students."

The most prevalent issue with the construction has been students' ability to get to and from campus efficiently. Lauper said the timing of the city project is not beneficial to students.

"I definitely think the timing could have been better, maybe if it was over the summer or during breaks where students were not on campus," Lauper said. "I find the construction to be a negative aspect of the city right now."

The project started five months ago when students were not present on campus.

"It's a two-year project so it's going to run into the school year and we started this in May when school was off," Vij said. "We are doing our best to work with transportation services taking into consideration students getting to the bus stop or vice versa."

Lauper and Gonzales believe that Texas State staff is doing what they can as the city construction is not within their jurisdiction. However, Lauper believes the university should make minor changes to compensate for the new challenges.

"Maybe allowing carpool transportation of smaller vehicles to help students that need to get classes that are further away," Lauper said. "Or just not doing construction in areas that need a bus route, especially the ones that are far from campus."

Gonzales recognizes the complications that come with not offering shuttle services to students who live in the west campus area. Although he cannot change the situation at hand, he recommends using campus transportation resources such as DoubleMap, the Bobcat Shuttle tracking system.

"It's out of our hands," Gonzales said. "We're working at the mercy of the construction people."

The Sessom-Academy Street project is expected to be finished in the Spring of 2024. For more information, visit the San Marcos Capital Improvement Projects website.

also emotional about the news. Maggie Brown, parent of a freshman and alumnus at Texas State, said she is excited about the debt relief.

“I'm grateful if they apply for loan forgiveness and do hopefully receive it,” Brown said. “That would be a huge owe off us. I'm paying for everything myself right now and I'm working seven days a week to make sure to get [everything] paid and that there's extra money for any other fees that are incurred. So, I’m grateful because somebody's doing something.”

As much as Brown appreciates this new program for her children, there are still some thoughts of unfairness as well since she was once a college student in federal student loan debt.

“There is a huge part of me that does not agree. I'm 48 years old, I went to college, I have several subsequent degrees. I did them all on my own and there was no help back then," Brown said. "When I was there, we did it all ourselves. So, I'm not upset, but there has to be a quid pro quo.”

BY KADENCE COBB

opportunity when it comes to working but chose to spend their money differently or not save as much," Haiker said. "I think that the people that have worked hard on saving have a distinct disadvantage when it comes to getting free access.”

The aid does not affect just students. Parents are

The student forgiveness program application is available for eligible borrowers through Dec. 31, 2023. Applicants can expect the program to start taking effect four to six weeks after submission, according to the Biden administration.

For more information and to view the Federal Student Loan Debt Relief application, visit https://studentaid.gov/ debt-relief/application.

Construction workers conduct traffic while continuing the Sessom-Academy Street project, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, next to the Bobcat Soccer Complex.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Professors should consider giving open-note exams

By Rhian Davis Opinions Contributor

At the beginning of the pandemic, professors implemented open-note, online exams into their courses.

However, as universities return to face-to-face learning environments, professors have returned to in-person closed notes testing.

Open-note exams can benefit students in more ways than most people think. Therefore, professors should continue implementing open-note exams because they can improve one's mentality and academic habits and prepare students for their futures.

Testing anxiety is a psychological condition in which one feels extreme distress in testing situations. According to Dove Medical Press, approximately 20-45% of students experience testing anxiety, hindering their ability to put forth their best effort on exams.

This type of anxiety is a common concern among college students as there is often more pressure to do well on exams. Emily Gomez, an English sophomore, has dealt with testing anxiety for as long as she can remember.

"[With testing anxiety], I don't perform well basically," Gomez said. "I know [the material] but because I'm taking an exam and I'm on the spot, I will do pretty bad."

Professors can lessen the effects of testing anxiety by letting students have the option to use notes on their exams. This will improve the overall experience for students as they are more likely to feel better prepared and less nervous.

Closed-note exams require students to recall information quickly and accurately. Even if one spends hours upon hours studying, there is still a chance for error because of the information overload. A student's performance on a test for which they had to memorize everything does not accurately represent their ability to understand the course material.

With the implementation of open-

ELECTIONS

note exams, students will feel inclined to take more in-depth notes to prepare. For example, in a study from The American Society for Cell Biology, students taking open-note exams were shown to compile their notes and analyze material from multiple sources.

When preparing for open-note exams, Gomez is sure to be extremely thorough in her study sessions. As a result, her notes become more detailed, and she is sure to include certain pieces of information that she believes she will forget once the test is in front of her.

Being able to take practical notes will benefit students in the long run. It can improve one's focus and attention to detail. It also teaches students how to prioritize information. Open-note exams do not require pages upon pages of notes. Instead, students need to highlight the pieces of information that will help them the most.

Though some students and professors believe that open-note exams will wrongfully improve test scores, The American Society for Cell Biology study showed no difference in scores between students who used notes and those who did not.

Because of improved note-taking among students, professors will have the opportunity to make the tests more challenging. According to The Washington Post, open-note exams are incredibly beneficial when geared toward critical thinking and problemsolving skills rather than memorization.

To make the most out of an opennote exam, professors should implement short-answer and multiple-choice questions that require students to apply their knowledge allowing students to use the materials they have on hand while testing their understanding of the course content. Short answer questions prompt students to apply reason. Because of this, notes will be helpful, but they won't provide the complete answer.

Open-note exams can also have financial benefits for students.

According to statistics from Education Data Initiative, the average in-state undergraduate student spends roughly $1,226 on textbooks and other materials in one school year. However, according to an article from The Washington Post, some students realize over time that it is unnecessary to buy textbooks. Opennote exams allow students to utilize the resources they purchased.

The open-note approach can also potentially prepare students for their future in the workforce. In a typical working environment, people typically have access to the resources they need to succeed. Open notes should eliminate the stress of cramming for exams from the equation because resources are available in the real world.

There are plenty of benefits to opennote exams but also some flaws. First, looking at notes takes up time. Students may need to rely solely on their notes, causing them to write down every little detail, backfiring in the long run, as looking through an abundance of notes consumes valuable test-taking time.

Additionally, some students would be better off with closed-note exams as they go further in their collegiate experience. For example, students studying medicine would benefit from

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the act of memorizing vital information as they will be dealing with people's livelihoods.

Texas State has a strict honor code that all students follow. The regulation states that plagiarism and falsifying data are not tolerated. While the honor code doesn't explicitly mention open-note exams, it is essential to follow the proper procedures to avoid crossing a line. Some examples would be plagiarizing information from other sources or using unapproved forms of notes. According to the Texas State website, breaking the honor code can result in actions that range from exoneration to expulsion.

Open-note exams are an excellent tool for college classrooms as they allow students to shine and prove how well they can apply their knowledge.

Professors should consider alleviating some pressure by allowing open-note exams.

- Rhian Davis is a journalism freshman

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.

Politicians should visit colleges

By Tiara Allen Assistant Opinions Editor

On Oct. 5, Beto O'Rourke visited Texas State on his tour of college campuses across Texas. His visit attracted the attention of thousands of Texas State students, many of whom were unable to enter the rally at the Evans Liberal Arts auditorium due to space concerns.

O'Rourke has previously visited Texas State. He made a similar college tour during his run for Senate and visited Texas State in September of 2018, much to the excitement of the student body.

While politicians with limited budgets and less notoriety than O'Rourke may hesitate to take the time for college visits, they should prioritize visiting college campuses. At the same time, political tours can benefit politicians and students.

Politicians should visit college campuses because college students are a massive yet underserved voting bloc. According to University Stat, there were 1,628,057 people enrolled in Texas universities in the 2021-2022 academic year. Though there are many movements in Texas to change voting laws that would impede the ability of college students to vote, including banning 24-hour voting and distributing mail-in ballot applications, college students still have more power than they realize at the polls.

During the 2016 presidential election, the percentage point difference between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in Hays County was 1%. While college students have been turning out to the polls in increasing numbers over recent years, there are still steps that politicians and college students can take to help encourage more students to vote.

William Eugene-Onyejiaka, a civil engineering sophomore, believes in a politician's rallying power. As the vice president of College Democrats at Texas State, he witnessed firsthand the impact of O'Rourke's visit on students. As a result, he believes other students should be able to do the same, even if they disagree with the candidate.

"It's important for us to understand who's in office and what effect they're going to have five, 10, 20 years down the road," Eugene-Onyejiaka said.

Political rallies have long-ranging effects on attendees

and policymakers observing said politicians. For example, according to a study of the Tea Party protests in 2009 hosted by the American Enterprise Institute, rallies with good weather and large attendances showed significant ripple effects on local politics. These effects included increased support for Tea Party positions and more Republican votes in the 2010 midterms.

Politicians visiting campuses provide opportunities for college students who are less politically inclined to begin to find their voice politically.

Live demonstrations of political movements often only talked about in theory in classrooms, such as rallies, can allow students to connect their classroom learning with real-world experience. A study on Cambrige.org shows that college students are more likely to register to vote and go to the polls when their classes provide in-class demonstrations of how to vote.

Like in-class voting demonstrations, college campus rallies are an excellent location for curious college students with little or no political experience to become involved with on-campus political organizations for their party of choice. At the O'Rourke event, voter

registration deputies were in attendance, helping students become registered to vote in Hays County. Students also obtained Beto yard signs and spoke with other students about their political beliefs. They are also an excellent place for college students to make friends with similar passions and to ask questions of community leaders, peers and even politicians in attendance.

Eugene-Onyejiaka believes politicians should visit campuses even if the student body is not known for being politically active. It can allow students to ask questions and engage in discussions with said candidate.

"You are reaching the next generation. You have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with students that may not have formed opinions yet, that are just getting into understanding the world of politics," EugeneOnyejiaka said. "You have the opportunity to get with these students and share your vision for the future and how you're going to better their lives, not only in this moment ... but in the future."

Detractors could make arguments that hosting politicians on campuses can cause security issues. When more divisive politicians come to visit, not only does it pose a risk to the politician, it may pose a threat to other college students, particularly in crowds or when debates between students become heated. However, with proper planning and coordination with the politician's security team, the university police department and the city's police department, a politician's visit can be safe for everyone in attendance.

Politicians should take the time to visit college students because it has exponential benefits for politicians and students.

Early voting began on Oct. 24. To learn more about voter registration status or polling locations, visit VoteTexas.gov. If you are registered in San Marcos, you can vote at the LBJ Student Center room 3-21.3 during early voting and on Election Day.

-Tiara Allen is a marketing senior

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

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

ILLUSTRATION BY KADENCE COBB

Texas State biology senior Amiya Ward (left), President Kelly Damphousse (middle), and business management senior Adam Holden (right) pose for photo after winning homecoming king and queen, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

Texas State trumpet section preforms during homecoming halftime performance, Saturday Oct. 22, 2022, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

Texas State fans cheer on the Bobcats during the homecoming game, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY SARAH MANNING

Texas State fashion merchandising senior Victoria Speers (left) stuffs a Boko with anthropology freshman Addison Woods, Thursday, Oct. 20 2022, at George's.

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Texas State health sciences freshman Mia Moran stands with the cheerleading team for the national anthem before the kick off of the homecoming game, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 at Bobcat Stadium.

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Texas State music studies senior Aaron Dworaczyk (left) performs alongside Slick lead singer Jose Cafaro during the San Marcos Festival, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Kissing Alley.

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Texas State sound recording technology senior Jack Callaghan plays keyboard with the band, Slick, during the San Marcos Festival, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Kissing Alley.

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Texas State (left to right) sound recording technology junior Hayes Howard, mass communication senior Carson Weaver, and music studies senior Aaron Dworaczyk perform with their band, Slick, during the San Marcos Festival, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Kissing Alley.

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Elephant Ears drummer Mango Carson plays in front of the audience, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, at Sewell Park.

PHOTO BY ALLISON MENDOZA

"They dominated our offense": Bobcats drop homecoming game

By David Cuevas Sports Contributor

Texas State (3-5, 1-3 Sun Belt Conference) was defeated for the first time at Bobcat Stadium this season by conference newcomer Southern Miss (4-3, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) 20-14 on Saturday at its homecoming game.

The Bobcats entered the game looking to improve to 4-0 at home for the first time since 2005.

One of the biggest concerns head coach Jake Spavital had going into Saturday’s matchup with Southern Miss was its suffocating defense, as it has been the Golden Eagle's biggest strength so far this season.

That didn't change on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles' defense manhandled the Texas State offense for the vast majority of the game, holding the Bobcats to 243 yards of total offense, -6 yards rushing and 2-16 on critical downs. They also forced one takeaway and three sacks.

“We knew we had a tough opponent,” Spavital said. “We thought this was one of the more athletic defenses that we were going to face all year and we didn’t do a really good job at controlling the line of scrimmage. That’s what it came down to. Defensively, they dominated our offense in all phases.”

Texas State junior quarterback Layne Hatcher finished the game 25-42 for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Hatcher's lone interception clinched the win for the Golden Eagles, as senior cornerback Natrone Brooks picked off Hatcher with six seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Even though the Bobcats gave up the late touchdown, their defense did all it could to give the team an opportunity to come out with a win. Texas State held Southern Miss to 318 yards of total offense, 7-19 on third down and forced three takeaways, none of which were converted into points by the offense.

Spavital said he and his team will use the upcoming bye week to regroup and get healthy for the final

Women's Golf:

Women's golf placed 12th out of 15 teams at the Jim West Challenge from Oct. 23-Oct. 24, a tournament hosted by Texas State at Kissing Tree Golf Course in San Marcos, Texas.

In total, Texas State shot 885 as a team, finishing 21 over par throughout the tournament.

Junior Marine Griffaut tied for 21st overall, shooting one over par with a total score of 217. Griffaut shot a 69 on the final day of the tournament. Also tied for 21st overall was sophomore Mattingly Palmer, who shot a 217 total and a 69 on the first day of the tournament.

Soccer:

Soccer dropped both of its games last week, falling to South Alabama 3-0 on Oct. 20 and Marshall 4-1 on Oct. 23. Texas State's overall record now sits at 11-3-2 with a conference record of 5-2-1.

With a goal against Marshall, sophomore midfielder Madi Goss leads the Bobcats and is tied for third in the conference with nine goals.

As the team prepares for the Sun Belt Conference tournament on Oct. 31, back-to-back losses put the Bobcats at third in the Sun Belt Conference West Division, five points behind first-place South Alabama.

Next up for Texas State is the regular season finale and senior night on Oct. 27. The Bobcats will host Appalachian State with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m at Bobcat Soccer Complex.

Volleyball:

Volleyball split a weekend series versus South Alabama, taking a 3-1 win on Oct. 21 and a 2-3 loss on Oct. 22. Volleyball's record now sits at 16-6, with a conference record of 8-2.

With the four-set win on Oct. 21, Texas State snapped South Alabama's 20-match home winning streak.

Head coach Sean Huiet said that the one loss on the weekend was frustrating, but the team will take positives out of the series.

"A split this weekend is still good for us because we still control a lot of our destiny," Huiet said in a press release.

Despite the loss on Oct. 22, Texas State still has the most overall wins (16) by any team in the Sun Belt Conference.

Volleyball will face Arkansas State at 6 p.m. on Oct. 28, and at 1 p.m. on Oct. 29 at Strahan Arena in San Marcos, Texas.

month of the regular season, starting with LouisianaMonroe in two weeks.

“I felt so bad for the defense because they played phenomenal and they got down to a fourth and five and that happens on a scramble,” Spavital said. “This one hurts probably worse than anyone I’ve ever been a part of. You see it in the locker room because those kids fight and they left everything they got out there.”

The first points of the game came on the Golden Eagle's second offensive possession. Despite starting off at the Texas State 35-yard line due to a 23-yard punt from junior punter Seamus O’Kelly, Texas State’s defense managed to hold Southern Miss to a 33-yard field goal putting the score at 3-0 with 5:36 remaining in the first quarter.

The game’s next points came early in the second quarter on the fifth Southern Miss offensive possession. After Texas State was forced to punt out of its own endzone, the Golden Eagles began the drive at the Bobcat 37 yard-line.

The Golden Eagles took advantage of the great field position by going on a quick six-play drive that was

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capped off with a two-yard touchdown run up the middle by redshirt sophomore running back Janari Dean, increasing the Southern Miss lead to 10-0 with 6:32 left in the first half.

Texas State responded to the touchdown drive by going on one of its own on its next possession. The drive was ignited by a deep 45 pass down the right sideline from Hatcher to senior wide receiver Marcell Barbee on the second play of the drive.

Five plays later, Hatcher connected with senior wide receiver Javen Banks on a quick four-yard slant route in the endzone to give the Bobcats its nextpoints of the game to put the score at 10-7 with 3:52 left in the first half.

Southern Miss closed out the first half by going on a long 14-play drive that concluded with redshirt senior kicker Briggs Bourgeois kicking his second field goal of the game from 40 yards. This gave the Golden Eagles a 13-7 lead at halftime.

The game’s next points didn’t come until late in the fourth quarter on Texas State’s 13th offensive possession. Facing third down and ten at their own 26 yard-line, Hatcher found sophomore wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins deep over the middle for an 74-yard touchdown reception that gave the Bobcats its first lead of the game at 14-13 with only 1:21 left on the clock.

The Texas State lead wouldn’t last long. Southern Miss went on a quick six-play game-winning touchdown drive that ended with freshman quarterback Zack Wilcke on fourth down, scrambling out of the pocket to avoid the Texas State pressure and hitting sophomore wide receiver Chandler Pittman. The 53yard touchdown gave the Golden Eagles the 6-point lead with just 32 seconds left.

Texas State's next game against Louisiana-Monroe is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Malone Stadium in Monroe, Louisiana.

New faces in men's basketball find community on the team

By Xavier Zamarron Sports Reporter

With the 2022-2023 college basketball season approaching, the Texas State men's basketball team has added a few new faces as it looks to earn its third Sun Belt Conference title in as many years.

Freshmen Brandon Davis and Davion Sykes, along with junior transfer Jordan Mason, are three of those new faces. Each of them has begun a new chapter in their life at Texas State and as with anything new, it's taken some getting used to.

Head coach Terrence Johnson knows that transition can be hard for his players. Not only is this a new experience for them, but it is also their first time living away from home. Johnson said that he makes it a point to ensure that each of his new guys knows that someone has their back.

“The first thing that we do is we let them know that we’re here for them," Johnson said. "We’re their basketball family and we know that they’re away from home so we encourage them to lean on us for anything they need.”

Sykes and Mason are just beginning their college basketball career as freshmen. That means they're not only adjusting to a higher level of sport but a higher level of education as well.

“It’s been a little tough adapting to taking classes and going to practice and practice being longer than it’s ever been for me,” Mason said. “Time management has been something that I’ve never really had to do like that.”

Both Sykes and Mason received offers from different schools during their recruitment process but ultimately chose to come to Texas State because of its track record of success.

“For me, it was extremely close because all the schools had everything I kind of wanted and it was just about who I trust and where I fit in,” Sykes said. “I want to win and this school really topped all the other schools [because] of their success.”

Sykes, born in Duncanville, Texas, is the son of Texas State alumnus David Sykes, who holds the men's basketball team record for career steals with 192.

Sykes said he appreciates his father's legacy but wants to make his own mark on the program. The 6-foot-6inch forward knows that may take time, so for now, he's stepping up when he can.

"To really be a leader you have to understand what’s going on at all times and I mean, just being new, I don’t understand all the drills and concepts like that," Sykes said. "But when it comes to encouraging my teammates, I’m pretty vocal."

Davis, a junior guard hailing from LaPlace, Lousiana, is the oldest addition to the team. Davis is coming off a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship he helped win for Loyola University in New Orleans. The transfer said his time

at Loyola taught him what matters most and that he is looking to continue doing that at Texas State.

“Winning,” Davis said. “Focusing on winning games and not individual stats and performances. Just winning in general because when you win, everybody wins. It’s important to stay confident and have fun throughout the process.”

That selfless mentality is something Johnson looks for in every player he recruits and he's been happy to see those qualities exemplified in Davis, Sykes and Mason.

“I love their approach to being willing," Johnson said. "These guys are willing to contribute in any kind of way there is be it defense, rebounding or knocking down shots. It's important to be willing to do whatever the team needs at that time, come in with a great attitude every day, and work hard. These three guys do that.”

Being able to put the group before themselves is something that is important to Johnson, and he knows that comes naturally when everyone is close. Johnson said he wants his guys to think of themselves as something more than just a team.

“I try to teach these guys that these relationships are ones that can last not just four years, but 40 years," Johnson said. "Often times this is regarded as the hardest thing you've had to do as an 18 to 23-year-old and when you do hard things with people, it creates a bond through shared adversity. I encourage them to lean on each other and have that ‘we’re all we got' mentality.”

Davis appreciates the family environment his coach has created. Even though Johnson can be hard on him at times, Davis knows that his coach only wants the best.

“On the court, he pushes me and criticizes me because he wants me to succeed," Davis said. "I think that’s how it’s supposed to be, the coach is supposed to get on you when they have high standards of you."

Texas State junior guard Brandon Davis receives instruction from assistant coach Donte Mathis, during the first public men's basketball practice, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Strahan Arena.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Texas State head football coach Jake Spavital goes over the playbook during a game against the University of Southern Mississippi, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Bobcat Stadium. The Bobcats lost 20-14.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO