October 29 2015

THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2015 VOLUME 105 ISSUE 25

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POLITICS

Chalkboard Campus Tour starts at Texas State

By Madison Morriss NEWS REPORTER @themorrisscode

Students scrawled phrases like “equal pay for equal work” and “legalize all drugs” on a board on Tuesday, using a piece of chalk to voice what they want to see from the next United States president.

Party Politics partnered with Texas State’s Organization of Student Social Workers from Oct. 26-30 to conduct The Chalkboard Campus Tour.

OSSW members set up a chalkboard in the mall between Alkek and the LBJ Student Center to give students the opportunity to write what they want the next president to do for the country.

“Our goal is to get people re-interested in politics,” said Michael Hart, president of OSSW. “The whole reason that it is called Party Politics is to have ‘party’ in front of politics and make it fun and get people excited about politics.”

Hart said Party Politics is taking The Chalkboard Campus Tour project to campuses across the country and Texas State was the first stop on the tour.

The project is intended to educate future and current voters in a unique and interactive way so students can express what they want to see in the nation’s next president.

Chalkboards, historically, are associated with education and that is what the group is trying to do— get people interested and educated again, Hart said.

According to the Party Politics website, the nonpartisan organization is determined to unite political and sociocultural communities by providing entertaining platforms, formats and projects.

“There is a lot of pessimism and cynicism that is surrounding politics right now and it is keeping people from being involved,” Hart said. “(People) don’t think that they have a voice, so the overarching goal isn’t to put what you’re interested in, but to get people more interested and re-interested in politics.”

On the first day of the project, 600 to 1,000 students stopped to write on the chalkboard, he said, mentioning he overheard a lot of excitement from students.

“Everything I’ve heard has been, ‘This is a super cool idea,’” Hart said. “You can see people walking by and they will kind of glance over, then stop when they realize what it is and they will come over to the chalkboard and write something down or stop to read it.”

With the 2016 presidential candidacy race in full swing, students are analyzing contenders to see which ones share the same views as they do. Some students simply drew a check mark on the chalkboard next to alreadywritten issues they agreed with.

Lexi Shorey, criminal justice law enforcement junior, said her attention is on Ber-

See CHALKBOARD, Page 2

The plaque to commemorate the Higher Education Act of 1965 signed by Lyndon B. Johnson, found in the Music Building. | Image courtesy of University Archives Pedagog online exhibits.

ANTONIO REYES STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Fifty years of the Higher Education Act

By Kasandra Garza NEWS REPORTER @KasGarza

President Lyndon Baines Johnson returned to his alma mater Nov. 8, 1965 for one very important job— to sign the Higher Education Act. Now, 50 years later, the Higher Education Act continues to give Americans the chance to receive federal financial aid in order to go to college which is something Texas State officials are celebrating this upcoming week. Margarita Arellano, chair of the planning committee and dean of students at Texas State, said the 50-year anniversary celebration will be Nov. 3-4.

Before the signing, Johnson spoke about how the legislation would open the door to education.

He said the Higher Education Act would allow high school seniors anywhere in the country to apply to any college or university, regardless of financial status.

“The answer for all of our national problems, the answer for all the problems of the world, comes down, when you really analyze it, to one single word—education,” Johnson said.

Kelly Frels, student body president from 1965 to 1966, said he had the honor of sitting on the platform with Johnson as the act was signed.

The act was signed in Strahan Gymnasium, then housed in what is now the Music Building on campus.

“He came back to his university where he graduated from to do it out of respect for what he received from the university and because

of his rapport and relationship with the institution,” Frels said.

Frels said during the signing process, he was able to get one of the pens Johnson used to sign the bill with. For Frels, the experience was a surreal moment.

“It was absolutely amazing how he filled the room,” Frels said. “He commanded absolute attention and it was another one of those unique moments.”

According to the university archives, Johnson began school at Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1927 and gained a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in August 1930.

During his college career, Johnson taught children at the Welhausen School in Cotulla, Texas.

Jaime Chahin, member of the planning committee and

CRIME

DWIs take spotlight as Halloween approaches

By Erik Kiluk NEWS REPORTER @ErikKiluk

As Halloween weekend approaches, so does the typical spike in DWIs and other alcohol related crimes.

Local police have begun preparing for the holiday.

Otto Glenewinkel, University Police Department crime prevention specialist, said the department expects the holiday weekend to bring an above-average amount of DWI arrests.

“We are always looking

for DWIs,” Glenewinkel said. “It’s the nature of a college town, and they are easy to spot.”

Glenewinkel conducted research in 2012 for UPD to find ways to combat DWIs. His studies revealed San Marcos as having the highest number of alcoholrelated fatalities per capita than any other Texas city with fewer than 50,000 residents.

Bob Klett, assistant chief of police-operations at the San Marcos Police Department, said Halloween week-

end increases the demand for police presence. The local law enforcement agency will increase the amount of patrols on roads and in the downtown area.

SMPD officers will be “vigilant” in their search for drunk drivers, and Klett suggests students do not take a chance by getting behind the wheel after drinking.

Although police will be on the look out for drunk drivers, Klett said many of the alcohol-related arrests

See HALLOWEEN, Page 2

KAYLIN KING STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Staff reporter Erik Kiluk, mass communication sophomore, talks with Otto Glenewinkel, University Police Department crime prevention specialist, on Oct. 21 to find out what UPD will be doing the weekend of Halloween to prevent people from driving while intoxicated.

dean of applied arts at Texas State, said while Johnson was teaching in Cotulla, the school consisted primarily of Mexican-American students.

“That’s where he began to understand poverty and discrimination and the implications poverty and discrimination had on the opportunities and choices that you had to better prepare yourself,” Chahin said.

According to the archives, the former president said he would never forget the faces of the children at Welhausen School.

“I remember even yet the pain of realizing and knowing then that college was closed to practically every one of those children because they were too poor,” Johnson said. “And I think it was then that I made up my mind that this nation could

never rest while the door to knowledge remained closed to any American.”

Chahin said the act provided financial resources for students to gain higher education, such as access to the Pell Grant “That is a very significant transformation because before that, the only way you could go to college is if you had money or if you would borrow,” Chahin said.

As a result of the act, Title IX, financial aid and work studies became available to students across the nation, Chahin said.

Mary Brennan, member of the planning committee and chair of the history department, said the act helped institutions of higher education build infrastructures.

See EDUCATION, Page 2

COUNTY

1115 Waiver helps fund hospitals in Hays County

By Autumn Wright NEWS REPORTER @autumnwright697

The 1115 Waiver program has federally funded public hospitals in Hays County for the past five years and will most likely continue to after this year to pay for uninsured and Medicaid patients.

HHSC has received federal approval of a waiver, allowing the state of Texas to expand Medicaid-managed care while preserving hospital funding, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission website.

The program uses money from federal taxes so hospitals can manage to compensate for the millions of dollars they’re losing due to treating patients who don’t have medical insurance or Medicaid.

“It’s the doctors’ and health professionals’ obligation to help these people in the community so they’re not going to turn them away if they don’t have insurance or the money,” Shell said.

In order to pay these funds, each hospital gives a small percentage, which is matched by giving $1 for every $1.40 that is given by the federal government, Shell said. They are required to give quarterly payments during the year to continue having these funds. It has and never will affect the

citizens’ taxes or patients’ medical bill.

“It is all from federal taxes that everyone in the United States pays for, but it will not raise the citizens of San Marcos’ taxes,” Shell said.

Laureen Chernow, communications manager of Hays County, said the program is important because it allows local hospitals to use the funds as compensation for money that was lost.

“Now we have doctors that specialize for illnesses like TB and other illnesses to provide that need for the community,” Chernow said.

Chernow said this is the final year of the five-year project, but Hays County will not stop the funding and instead will most likely rearrange some small issues to make it better.

“They’ve been having meetings with state and federal government officials to see what will change,” Chernow said.

According to an article in County Magazine, the project had two main goals: provide supplemental federal funding to Texas hospitals for Medicaid patients and improve the health care delivery system for everyone.

Texas submitted its extension request to the Center for Medicaid Services and the state requested to continue at the $3.1 billion in annual funding, according to the magazine.

2 | Thursday, October 29, 2015

NEWS

The University Star Anna Herod, News Editor @annaleemurphy starnews@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

EDUCATION, from front However, Brennan said the most important part of the act enabled students who would have not been able to afford college tuition make higher education a reality by providing them with the Pell Grant.

Brennan said the Higher Education Act didn’t make education possible for only poor kids, but also for middle

and working class students by providing student loans.

Johnson’s impact will be celebrated when more than 280 students from different junior high schools in central Texas, including Cotulla, will visit Texas State to commemorate the act on Nov. 3, Arellano said.

Brennan said there will be a campus scavenger hunt and

cardboard cutouts of the president and Lady Bird Johnson, his wife, to take photos with.

“The whole idea is to tie them and make them think about higher education in a different way,” Brennan said.

When choosing schools to attend the event, the committee intended to invite schools that Johnson would have wanted or schools that nor-

CHALKBOARD, from front nie Sanders because human rights is an issue she is focused on.

“It’s really nice that people can just walk up and put a check on everything and they don’t even have to write anything down,” Shorey said.

mally can’t afford to send students on a tour, Brennan said.

Arellano said on Nov. 4 an academic panel of experts will come to campus focus on the history, implications and impact of the Higher Education Act. Arellano said following the academic panel, a remembrance ceremony will be held

that will include the guest speakers who were present for the signing of the act, as well as individuals who benefited from its implementation.

Arellano said there would have been hundreds and thousands, if not millions, of people who would not have been able to attend college if not for the Higher Educa-

tion Act. “It has been significant for all people in the U.S. that come from low socioeconomic backgrounds,” Arellano said. “Students who in the past had never even dreamed about coming to college can apply for financial aid and a good number of them will receive financial aid.”

STATE “I think it gets people more interested in voting.”

Sean Ortega, economics freshman, wrote on the chalkboard that he hopes the next president will deal with the underlying social unrest present among the American

people.

“I think that now is the best time to be alive and be around,” Ortega said. “I feel like it’s not a time for us to be disagreeing with each other and having all of the riots that have been occurring.”

National Science Foundation awards Austin Community College $2.9 million

By Madison Morriss NEWS REPORTER @themorrisscode

Students at Austin Community College can look forward to the creation of a regional center for biotechnology technicians after the National Science Foundation awarded the institution with a $2.9 million grant.

The regional center will establish direct pipelines into the biotechnology industry with entry-level certificates for high school and college students.

Linnea Fletcher, ACC biotechnology department chair, said biotechnology is a rapidly growing industry in Central Texas and across the nation. The money awarded to ACC will be available to students in college and high school.

The program offers three certificates and associate of applied science degrees for students who want to pursue careers into the bioscience and biotechnology workplace, Fletcher said.

The level one and level two biotechnology certificate prepares students to function as entry-level biotechnicians in the lab and in biotechnology manufacturing, she said.

“What’s nice is that peo-

ple don’t realize that the industry isn’t just degreeoriented,” Fletcher said.

“It’s also looking for technicians.”

The advanced technical certificate is for students who hold a baccalaureate or associates degree with one-and-a-half years of biology classes and one year of chemistry, as well as department approval into the program.

“I really enjoy getting people jobs because when I was in school, we just had to get a degree,” Fletcher said. “We didn’t have other options and now you do.”

She said the associate of applied science degree provides experience with general education course in the arts and sciences and is designed to prepare students to work in medical, research and industrial laboratory areas.

Fletcher said she expects the number of students to increase because of the expanded opportunities that will come with the $2.9 million grant.

“Students in the entrylevel certification program will spread the idea that community colleges are doing contract research work and that students are doing projects for companies,”

MADISON MORRISS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Kaylin Rubin, social work senior, checks off what her concerns are for the next United States president on Oct. 27, for the #ChalkboardCampus project

It’s a winner!

HALLOWEEN, from front happen when intoxicated pedestrians are being careless downtown. Intoxicated pedestrians are to blame for the frequency of alcohol-related deaths.

“Use a cab,” Glenewinkel said. “Get a designated driver (or) walk—just stay out of your car (if you have been drinking).”

Juan Rodriguez, lieutenant commander of Sigma Nu fraternity and criminal justice senior, said safety measures are already common practice

for Greek organizations. The organizations are required to hire security for all events they host where alcohol is served.

“We check IDs when people come in,” Rodriguez said. “If you’re under 21, we ‘X’ your hand.”

He said at Sigma Nu events where alcohol is served, guests are only allowed a certain number of drinks.

Halloween events hosted by his organization have run safely in the past with the

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precautionary measures in place.

“Luckily, over the past several years the taxi companies have been fantastic,” Klett said. “In years past, we didn't really have available taxis after hours to help get people home.”

Klett said students and residents should remember there are ways to enjoy the holiday weekend while avoiding drunk driving.

Fletcher said.

Jeremy Garza, science lab technician at ACC, said the biotech industry is about to boom like the computer industry did 50 years ago.

“The NSF grant will allow ACC students and faculty to work closely with the industry, guaranteeing their education is relevant and modern,” said Tyler Drake, director of Emerging Technology Fund Grant at ACC. “One feature of the grant is an increased network of institutional partners.”

Garza said the grant will allow ACC to not only refine the school’s current curriculum, but also expand upon it.

“Because biotechnology is a highly interdisciplinary field, this could possibly mean the opportunity to offer additional or more focused tracks of study as the industry requires it,” Garza said.

The creation of the center will allow students to get more real-world experience, Drake said.

“Practical training is critical when entering the workforce,” Drake said. “At ACC, students get hands-on training with state-of-the-art equipment, giving them the real skills they need to excel in the workforce.”

The University Star

Thursday, October 29, 2015 | 3

LIFESTYLE

Mariah Simank, Lifestyle Editor @MariahSimank starlifestyle@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

UNIVERSITY

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

A brief history on ‘haunted’ spots on campus

By Lauren Friesenhahn LIFESTYLE REPORTER @laurenf1122

Texas State is home to many historic buildings, each containing their own unique—and sometimes spooky—history.

While many have heard ghostly tales at orientation, some students have also experienced supernatural sightings first hand.

Here is a list of five buildings on campus believed to have a haunted past.

Old Main Old Main is one of the oldest buildings on campus, and has sparked numerous reports of supernatural activity.

While few stories circulate among students about this location, some faculty members with offices in the building say they have been put in some inexplicable situations.

Emmeline Aguirre, School of Journalism and Mass Communication professor, said she spends the majority of her time in Old Main.

Aguirre said she had a scary experience a few years ago in her office that has stuck with her ever since.

She was in the middle of a conference call with a few of her students when she was interrupted by a strange noise.

“All of the sudden all this white noise started coming across on the phone,” Aguirre said.

After the white noise sound subsided, Aguirre said

it began to sound like someone was talking gibberish.

She said the scariest part of the call occurred when she heard a voice whispering, “Help me,” on the other end of the line.

“I’m still scared to take any conference calls now,” Aguirre said.

Sterry Hall Sterry Hall is the first place that comes to many students’ minds when haunted buildings at Texas State are discussed.

Channing Wan, communications studies junior and former Texas State Orientation Leader, said students have even nicknamed the dorm “Scary Sterry” based on experiences freshman residents have had.

Wan said he learned of many haunted stories during his time as an OL. He said the leaders told a story about the ghost of a girl in a white dress who would roam the halls of Sterry at night “One time, a girl with asthma that would sometimes have trouble breathing at night felt like she couldn’t breathe,” Wan said. “When she woke up, the girl in the dress was on top of her.”

Laurel Hall According to The Austin American-Statesman, a resident assistant at Laurel Hall died in 2011 after jumping

LARA DIETRICH STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Butler Hall is one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

from a window while under the influence of alcohol.

Lizzie Brown, finance senior , said she was a resident in the hall during her freshman year, only a year after the incident happened.

“The ghost of Laurel led her to the edge,” Brown said.

“That’s why she jumped. It wasn’t just because she was drunk.”

Tower Hall

LARA DIETRICH STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Tower Hall is one of the supposedly haunted buildings on campus.

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When students discuss haunted buildings on campus, the windows on the top floors of Tower Hall always seem to come to mind as well.

John Zavala, criminal justice junior, said he was a resident at Tower Hall his freshman year.

Zavala said many students have heard the story about the daughter of the architect who built Tower Hall.

Zavala said the architect’s daughter allegedly jumped off of another building while he was working on the plans for the residence hall. It inspired him to gradually make

the windows smaller as the floors progressed.

“It is said that on the ninth floor, which was the floor that I lived on, the elevators would open by themselves, and that was supposed to be her presence,” Zavala said. “ I have actually seen it happen.”

Butler Hall According to USNews, Butler Hall was recently declared one of nine haunted dorms in the United States.

Charlie Rodriguez, theater sophomore, said he was a resident at Butler Hall last

year.

Rodriguez said a few friends who lived down the hall from him experienced paranormal activity multiple times.

Rodriguez said the supernatural being was most active when the group tried to interact with it.

“I had two friends that lived in Room 222 that had some very interesting experiences, like things being thrown off of their shelves and things being moved on their desks,” Rodriguez said.

“When they would talk to the being, it would reply by knocking and shifting stuff.”

4 | Thursday, October 29, 2015

The University Star

OPINIONS

Brandon Sams, Opinions Editor @TheBrandonSams staropinion@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

THE MAIN POINT

SXSW should not fold under threats

T

he gaming community has a sordid history with women and mistreatment. Instead of continuing to sweep accusations under the rug through silencing measures, South by Southwest should support the conversation, not curtail it.

Confirmed SXSW panels “SavePoint: A Discussion on the Gaming Community” and “Level Up: Overcoming Harassment in Games” were both axed Monday after numerous threats of on-site violence and terror.

The decision by SXSW officials to cancel panels on gaming and online harassment has prompted public outcry and online protesting. In response, big name media companies including BuzzFeed and Vox Media have intimated their withdrawal from the tech festival.

What better way to break the stereotype of sexism and harassment in gaming and geek culture than to cause the shutdown of panels discussing ways to combat them, through threats of violence? Effectively, this entire fiasco is nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Organizers have five months to figure out security precautions and ways to better safeguard their guests. Canceling two panels due to random threats is a precarious precedent to set. It shows detractors who wish to silence a conversation that all they have to do is send in anonymous

threats.

In 2014, SXSW brought in over $315 million into the Austin economy—the festival can afford to spend a little extra money on beefing up security. If the first thing that comes to festival officials’ minds is canceling an event due to controversy and trolls, then priorities are a bit misplaced.

The prevalence of sexism and harassment in gaming is a conversation that needs to be had. For far too long, women in the community and other minorities have been forced to endure verbal harassment. The organizers of SXSW should be able to stick it out for more than a day before folding under pressure.

For many lady gamers, deciding to check out of conversations is not a privilege afforded to them. A discussion on community ethics and harassment is long overdue.

The gaming community has been in the midst of a civil war colloquially dubbed “Gamergate” over the last year, and women often found themselves in the crosshairs.

In short, Gamergate began when female and minority gamers and their supporters began critiquing and voicing objection to the lack of diversity in videogames, but were swiftly met with harassment so severe the FBI had to get involved. This sparked a rift in the community that has yet to heal.

Female critics of gaming culture found themselves on the receiving end of doxxing (the public release of private information like home address and phone numbers), harassment and rape and death threats.

The mere desire to start a conversation on how a community disproportionately created and structured by men can lead to the disenfranchisement of women, as has statistically and historically been the case, spiraled into a discord of terroristic and sexual threats of violence.

The SXSW fiasco is no different. Detractors took to the silencing technique of violence in retaliation to one of the world’s leading tech festivals’ decision to house conversations on how to combat sexism and harassment in the maledominated field of gaming.

Sending threats is a common tactic of certain gaming enthusiasts. Instead of opting out of conversations centered on harassment and sexism pervading the community, they send in anonymous threats to curb the speech of those who wish to counteract it.

Last fall, feminist cultural and gaming critic Anita Sarkeesian was forced to cancel a speech at Utah State University after the university received a myriad of threats against both her and feminist students.

That was not the first time they resorted to such tactics. Earlier that same year, bomb threats were sent to the Game Develop-

KARINA HERRERA STAR ILLUSTRATOR

ers Choice Awards after they announced Sarkeesian would be receiving their Ambassador Award.

The gaming community not only has a problem with critics, but also a problematic habit of harassing those who dare speak out.

While some unnamed sources have said that the festival is brokering a deal for an all-day forum on online harassment, the facts remain inconclusive. On Oct. 27 the festival organizers released a statement

ensuring the frustrations of the community have been heard as SXSW officials continue to assess the threats with law enforcement and personnel.

Safety should be a top priority—however, canceling the panels is just what the anonymous perpetrators want. These individuals want to silence the conversation so their opposition cannot be heard, but in the process they are birthing a counteractive force backed by media conglomerates and

advocates alike.

Time will only tell how this all ends, but hopefully it concludes with a muchneeded conversation on sexism and harassment in a community that needs it most.

SXSW officials need to do what the female critics of gaming culture do on a daily basis—stand firm in their convictions in spite of the harassment that is sure to follow. That is how industries and cultures are changed after all.

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.

Race is an obsolete, divisive idea

By Evelin Garcia OPINIONS COLUMNIST @Eveling285

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ension among races has always existed, but categorizing humans based on the color of their skin and other physical characteristics does not help.

Race has a way of dividing the citizenry and leaving some to feel inferior to others. It lists people under specific groups that isolate all types of crowds from identifying with one another. By definition, “race” means a group of people set apart from others due to shared physical traits.

The concept of race was created to categorize distinct groups, in hopes to understand and better communicate with those of other geographical and cultural backgrounds.

Ideally, race would only play the part of organization, but the truth is far more sinister.

Race is a divider in society, condemning particular groups to be treated in an undeserved way. The division of races represents a problem because it creates and exacerbates inequality.

The inequality caused by race is formed from generalizations linked to racial groups. There are certain perceptions that follow racial groups and allow room for inequality to invade.

Inequality begins with the view and reputation each race is

known for and the way these perceptions influence the manner in which such groups are treated.

Race influences choices that can affect lives for the worse. Ongoing instances like the Michael Brown and the Trayvon Martin cases are illustrations of how race can turn select groups into targets.

Police officers have singled out African Americans because of negative generalizations about the group. The reputation that follows a race has proven to be a threat to those belonging to it.

It has been estimated more than 80 percent of the episodes associated with police and civilian deaths were sparked because the officer felt threatened. A perceived threat is kindled by misperceptions about race groups, and it has commonly ended in death.

Not only does race represent a threat to the lives of the innocent, but it has also formed a division in society.

Distinction based upon skin color and other superficial traits has generated a social wall that hinders people from understanding one another.

Race was supposed to help people see the similarities they shared with those who appeared different. Instead it has done the complete opposite. The separation of races has created inequality by condemning certain groups to be haunted by reputations they did not construct. This leaves everyone isolated from one another based on so-called facts. It is an unfortunate fate, so it’s time to break the cycle.

By Rivers Wright OPINIONS COLUMNIST @MonsieurRivers

T

TALK IT

OUT RACIAL IDENTIFICATION

—Evelin Garcia journalism junior

The University Star Editor-in-Chief...........................................Kelsey Bradshaw, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor.......................Imani McGarrell, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters................................................................................universitystar@txstate.edu News Editor........................................................Anna Herod, starnews@txstate.edu Sports Editor..............................................Paul Livengood, starsports@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor.........................................Mariah Simank, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Brandon Sams, staropinion@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor..............................Daryl Ontiveros, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief....................................Abby Marshall, starcopychief@txstate.edu

Racial identification promotes awareness

o understand one’s race or ethnicity is to understand life.

Race is needed to elicit understanding and help categorize people in society.

Through racial identification, people can understand that even though someone has a different background, the individual should still be respected.

It sounds archaic to separate people into specific groups based off certain features such as skin color, but it is not done with offense. Racially categorizing has its roots in ensuring someone’s race is identified and celebrated.

Recently, it seems that separating people into their races has only widened the gap and made certain individuals seem superior while condemning others as inherently inferior. In a twisted turn of events, it has been forgotten that there is an actual living person under that dark skin—one with a beating heart.

To combat this misuse of power, America needs to stop and ask questions. Is the cop stopping an African American because the individual did something wrong or solely because he is black? This is exactly why we need race identifiers more than ever. Race needs to exist so people can understand when a line has been crossed into offensive territory.

Take cultural appropriation, for example. Being educated about race will stop Native American

headdresses from being bought and used for Halloween. These identifiers are needed to ensure that human decency remains intact. It also ensures that no one is hurt because of intentional or unintentional ignorance.

Issues in society are not about race—they are about a lack of human decency with race as the scapegoat. It is the ignorance of thinking someone is not a person because they do not look and think like you.

Race has and always will be a touchy subject. That does not mean it should be put in the back of the closet and left alone. It should be brought to light and talked about.

America is supposed to be about equality and ensuring freedom for all—not some.

The original intent of racial identifiers was to organize people from different backgrounds.

Human attitude then turned it into a weapon to make others around them feel less human. People took the idea of race to a dark place and used it as emotional warfare to tear down others because their skin color did not match.

The idea of race itself did not do this, the cold-blooded human heart did. The time has to come to redefine the word and make it one of understanding and acceptance.

Ethnicity needs to be celebrated.

The public needs to be educated where education is severely lacking.

Race can be discussed without negative judgment or violence.

America is a society built on change and moving forward into the future. Changing the way race is looked at—making it about acceptance, rather than intolerance—is a way for a difference to be made as well as a forward motion into the future.

—Rivers Wright is a communication studies and mass communications senior

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Thursday, October 29, 2015 | 5

The University Star

SPORTS

Paul Livengood, Sports Editor @IamLivengood starsports@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

FOOTBALL

BOBCATS RIDING HIGH HORSE INTO FAMILIAR MATCHUP

By Paul Livengood SPORTS EDITOR @iamlivengood

The dynamics for the Bobcats and the Eagles are completely different as they head into their second matchup in a row to air on an ESPN channel in the past two years.

Georgia Southern lost to Appalachian State 31-13 last Thursday. This was the

Eagles’ first-ever Sun Belt loss since they joined the conference last season.

Texas State defeated South Alabama 36-18 last Saturday, their second victory of this season.

Coach Dennis Franchione said the moral of the team has been great.

“Wins solve a lot of problems,” Franchione said. “Injuries feel better. Pain feels

STAR FILE PHOTO better. And it makes practice have a little bit of a lively step.”

The Georgia Southern Eagles are up next for the Bobcats.

If history is to repeat itself, the spectators of this game should be in for a treat. In their last matchup, Texas State lost to Georgia Southern 28-25. The Bobcats expect a challenge again this

season and are excited to take it head on.

“They know how Georgia Southern has done, and how close we were to them last year,” Franchione said.

“They have heard me talk about this being a difficult place to go play. They understand that, but they’re looking forward to it.”

Junior quarterback Tyler Jones fell short on his fourthquarter comeback attempt after throwing a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown as time expired in the third quarter. The touchdown extended the Eagles’ lead to 28-10.

Georgia Southern remains one of the best rushing offenses in the country, ranked first in FBS with 368.9 rushing yards per game. In rushing defense, Texas State ranks 123rd in the nation with 258.5 rushing yards per game.

Texas State has a track record of playing well against the Eagles’ top-ranked rushing offense.

Last season, the Bobcats held the Eagles to their lowest rushing performance of the season of 227 yards. The

Eagles’ rushing yardage average per game for the 2014 season was 381.1.

Texas State’s defense is peaking at the right time, too.

Last week, the Bobcats held their opponent to the least amount of points all season (18). Texas State held South Alabama to fewer points than they did Prairie View A&M, an FCS school.

Franchione said his team will not allow the Georgia Southern to dictate the Bobcats’ offensive tempo. However, when Franchione’s guys go three-and-out, it puts the defense back on the field in a hurry. That is where the uptempo works against them.

But Franchione and the Bobcats refuse to change their identity.

“That’s who we are, and that’s what we are,” Franchione said. “We’ve got to keep playing to our strengths.”

Like the Eagles, a staple of the Bobcats’ offense is the ability to run the football effectively. In both wins this season, Texas State has eclipsed the 300-plus yards rushing.

In both games, Robert

Lowe, senior running back, was the featured runner.

Against Prairie View A&M, Lowe rushed for 104 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. Lowe rushed for a career-high of 248 yards on 30 carries and three touchdowns against South Alabama.

Lowe is expected to continue to carry the workload with small appearances from Tyler Siudzinski, Stedman Mayberry and Nick Bingham.

“Prior to that, it was him and Chris (Nutall) sharing about 30 carries,” Franchione said. “Now with Chris and the broken leg and everything, (Rob will) probably take up the slack.”

Lowe said he’s getting his body ready and taking ice baths to prepare himself for a workload of carries against Georgia Southern.

With an improving Texas State defense and a resurged Lowe, the Bobcats are prepared to travel to Statesboro and play another close-fought game. Now is as good a time as any for Texas State to turn over that leaf and get their first-ever win against Georgia Southern.

FOOTBALL

Five pregame questions: Texas State vs Georgia Southern

By Matt Gurevitz SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER @Matt_Gurevitz

Prior to the Texas State football teams’ matchup with Georgia Southern, the sports staff asked five pregame questions relevant to the Bobcats.

Here are the answers.

Can Texas State hold Georgia Southern’s run game to less than 400 yards?

Yes— 400 is a big number, but Georgia Southern runs the ball a lot. They are good at it, too. This team is first in the country in rushing yards and touchdowns. The Eagles av-

erage 369 yards per game on the ground and haven’t lost a game this season when they have broken the 380-yard mark. Watch for the Eagles to depend on their strength Thursday night. Texas State is not a team known for stuffing run-heavy offense, either. The Bobcats’ run defense ranks 10th in the conference, averaging 259 yards allowed per game. The stats are not in the Bobcats’ favor in this one.

How many carries does Robert Lowe see?

Lowe said he has been spending a lot more time in ice baths and staying as healthy as possible. With the injury

to Chris Nutall, the team anticipates Lowe turning into a workhorse tailback and seeing a lot of touches. Lowe rushed 30 times in the team’s first game without Nutall, and he turned that into 248 yards, so he is capable of producing. But can he survive it?

Georgia Southern plays well against the run. The Eagles rank second in the Sun Belt, averaging 149 yards allowed, so it will be a tough test for Lowe. If he struggles, what will the team do?

What will the time of possession look like?

When you run the ball like Georgia Southern does, that

clock is not going to stop.

This has resulted in Georgia Southern averaging 32:24 in a 60-minute game. That is 54 percent of the game and can tire a defense quickly.

If the opposing team has a fast-paced passing offense, like Texas State, the time of possession can heavily favor the running team. How tired will the Bobcats’ defense be in the game? Probably exhausted.

How does Texas State play as a big underdog?

Las Vegas picks Texas State losing this game, and by a large margin: Georgia South-

VOLLEYBALL

BOBCATS TO “PINK-OUT” FRIDAY

By Jose Campos SPORTS REPORTER @josewithaj After facing disappointment on the road in Alabama, Texas State volleyball is looking ahead to a rematch Friday.

After defeating Troy 3-1 (2325, 25-13, 25-14, 25-12) and losing to South Alabama in a close 3-2 (25-16, 25-20, 25-19, 25-13, 15-13) set, the Bobcats return to Strahan Coliseum from their five-game road trip. Their return will come complete with a “pink-out” theme and an auction during the game to raise breast cancer. All of the money from the auction will be donated to Pink Heals, an organization supporting breast cancer.

Looking back at this past weekend, Coach Karen Chisum spoke about how she was disappointed after the South Alabama game.

Chisum felt the Bobcats did not play at the high level they are capable of and it was the most sluggish they have looked all year.

"I didn't have the kids ready to play, and I take full responsibility, but we didn't come out with energy,” Chisum said.

“We didn't come out with a lot of competiveness. I don't know if we thought we could just beat them by showing up, and that doesn't happen in this league."

Chisum and the Bobcats, however, want to leave the South Alabama game in the past as they prepare for Louisiana-Monroe and a rematch against Troy.

This will be the first time the Bobcats face the Warhawks this season. Chisum said Louisiana-Monroe is a much improved from last year and is a very defensive and scrappy team.

Last season Louisiana-Monroe was 3-17 in conference play and even though their current conference record is 2-9, Chisum is not looking at this matchup as a trap game.

The Bobcats are still in the midst of a position battle as Jaliyah Bolden, redshirt sopho-

more middle blocker, and Lauren Kirch, sophomore middle blocker, compete for one spot.

Sierra Smith, senior libero, and Emily Shelton, junior setter, compete in their respective spots for the starting position.

"You're going to see them in the lineup more, there is no doubt about it," Chisum

said. "Whoever plays the best is going to be on the court."

When the Bobcats play the Warhawks Friday, Chisum hopes to see a refreshed and hungry team.

The Bobcats will play Troy at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

ern is favored by 21 points.

The Bobcats have been up and down as underdogs.

They won last week against South Alabama but were blown out against Houston and Florida State. Texas State has a chance to shock the conference if it comes up big against the former Sun Belt champs. Can they do it, or make it close?

Is this the week when Texas State picks off a quarterback?

I am starting to think this is never going to happen.

Last week, Texas State became the only team in the Football Bowl Subdivi-

sion to not yet record an interception. Virginia was the only other team, but it came through with one against North Carolina.

The Bobcats are due to find one on Thursday night, but it will be tough against a team that doesn’t like to air it out. David Mims II, senior cornerback, was voted as the preseason conference defensive player of the year, and he needs to come up big with just one interception.

Will this be the night?

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