November 1, 2016

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2016 VOLUME 106 ISSUE 11 www.UniversityStar.com

Politics on-campus: the numbers

By Rae Glassford Assistant News Editor @rae_maybe The results of a survey intended to determine political alignment has returned, shedding light on how the school’s community currently feels about the state of our nation.

Out of 1,591 participants, over 70 percent were students, and nearly 30 percent were faculty and members of staff. Of the students who took the survey, the majority of responders were in their final two years of their undergraduate degree and most of them were Caucasian women aged 23 years or older.

Of the total number of participants, 60 percent approved of Barak Obama’s performance as President in varying degrees; 30 percent disapproved in varying degrees, and roughly 10 percent were unsure.

Out of everyone who

took the survey, 46.3 percent responded negatively to the question of whether the country is headed on the right or wrong track. Of those responders, only 83.7 percent said they are registered to vote, and only 83 percent of those people said they feel that they are extremely likely to vote.

The majority of responders identified with the Democratic party, with Republicans coming in second and Independents making up the third-largest classification.

The majority of surveytakers disapproved of the campus carry law that went into effect on Aug. 1 in varying degrees.

Only 156 out of 1,591 people said that they have a concealed handgun license, and 79 of those people said that they regularly bring their firearm to campus.

Total number of people surveyed

1,591 Of 1,591 students surveyed, 156 have a concealed handgun license Of 156 students surveyed, 79 carry on campus

70% of survey takers were students.

60% approved

156 79 30% of were faculty.

Roughly 10% were unsure 30% disapproved in varying degrees

INVESTIGATION

Texas State student found dead under bus

By Bri Watkins News Editor @briwatkins17 On Saturday, Oct. 29, at approximately 1:09 p.m., the Guadalupe Sheriff County’s Office re-

sponded to an incident in the 600 Block of Dupuy Ranch, and arrived at the scene to find a Texas State University female deceased under a bus after she was drug 500 feet by the vehicle.

The victim was identified as 20-year-old, Jordin Taylor, respiratory care freshman and a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

According to Sheriff Arnold S. Zwicke, the

investigation revealed that there was a fraternity party the night before at the Cool River Ranch.

At about 11:15 p.m. that night, one of the busses lost its air breaking system, and the bus driver

was transferred to another bus. A mechanic discovered the female’s body by the rear axel when he came to repair the bus that next day.

Police are still investigating the incident and

are asking those who attended the event with the victim to share any information by calling 830379-1224.

NO SHAVE NOVEMBER

UPD Officers Grow Beards in the Name of Cancer Research

By Rae Glassford Assistant News Editor @rae_maybe

Througout November, Texas State University Police Department officers will be donating to cancer research funds— one beard at a time.

UPD will be coordinating a No Shave November campaign, where each participant pays a minimum of $25 in exchange for permission to grow a beard. At the end of the month, the money is to be tallied up and donated to a variety of charities focusing on cancer research, including the American Cancer Society and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“All of us, at one time or another have been affected by cancer,” said Sergeant Rolando Belmares. “We have had either a family member, or a friend or know someone who has been affected by cancer. So this was a great way for us to get involved.”

Belmares was the supervisor of the officer that initially had the idea of organizing a No Shave November drive. The officer had friends at other

police departments participating in similar initiatives. The officer pitched the idea to Belmares, who put together a proposal and submitted it to Chief of Police, Jose Bañales, who approved it immediately.

“Not only does this allow us to raise some money for a great cause, it’s a great way to do something different for our officers on patrol, since we have a policy that prohibits beards,” Belmares said. “We’re in a line of work where we aren’t allowed to have any beards or facial hair other than a small mustache, so this is a way to allow the officers to bypass that rule for a month.”

The division’s first No Shave November campaign took place in 2015, raising over $600. This year, the department is hoping to top that amount.

“I think it’s a very important program,” said Rodrigo Manzanares, police inspector. “Cancer is something that has had an effect on my life; I have had friends who have suffered from cancer. My first experience was when a schoolmate

in my class was diagnosed. I remember very vividly, she would always come to class with a scarf on her head or a wig. The stigma that comes from being stared at or mocked must be very difficult for young people. So I was very aware of the kinds of sacrifices people have to make when they suffer from that kind of illness, especially at such a young age.”

Manzanares also had a family member pass away from cancer, leaving behind two small children and a husband.

“If I can do something to contribute money for that research, then I think that’s important,” Manzanares said. “It’s just a little drop in the ocean, but at least you’re doing something, having some impact.”

This is the first year Manzanares has participated in No Shave November, but he says it won’t be the last. Participation in the initiative

by UPD personnel has increased by close to 50 percent since last year.

“I’m thankful the officers have committed and made it a reality here at the police department,”

Sergeant Belmares of the University Police Department poses for a picture Oct. 27. He will be participating in No Shave November. PHOTO BY LARISA RODRIGUEZ | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Manzanares said. “I just hope that more people decide to follow this example in the future, in their own departments.”

Belmares said the initiative has value, not only to the cancer patients who will benefit, but to the campus community here at Texas State.

“We know a lot of our public; we know students, faculty and staff who have been diagnosed with cancer,” Belmares said.

“In our line of work, sometimes we see people at their worst times, and we understand what’s going on, and this is just a little bit of moral support we can give those people.”

In addition to raising money for the cause, No Shave November also serves as a way to spread awareness of cancer and cancer-related research.

“Last year we discovered that when people saw officers with beards, it would initiate a conversation,” Belmares said.

“People would ask about it, and then we had the opportunity to talk about the initiative and spread awareness.

Suddenly, people were sharing their stories of people in their lives who were affected.”

Belmares believes that these shared experiences serve as a way for officers to connect with the community on a personal

level. Students seemingly share this perspective, in some form or another.

“I don’t feel that UPD does a whole lot to connect with students, so UPD participating in No Shave November is a good step toward being more than just a police department, but a symbol of justice and good heart,” said Brent Hearne, theater sophomore.

Come mid-November, students and faculty can expect to see men in uniform sporting beards of all shapes and sizes.

“Even though we wear a badge, we can relate on many different levels,” Belmares said.

UNIVERSITY

Cabinet discusses the possibility of an incident communication’s team

By Bri Watkins News Editor @briwatkins17 As social media becomes a driving force behind portraying social issues, the President’s Cabinet at Texas State is discussing whether it should form a team to determine if and when to speak out on worldwide incidents.

A recent article in the

Chronicle of Higher Education stated the impact of social media can quickly result to controversies and protests and “campus leaders are scrambling to adapt their policies, practices and teams to get ahead of it all.”

Nationwide, universities are now considering communication plans and policies that will ef-

fectively guide the university in determining a strategy to thoroughly plan and react to events that occur, or are alleged to have occurred said Vicki Brittain, special assistant to the president at Texas State.

Brittain said the Cabinet believes there is a need for a consistent strategy to use in the future to determine if,

when and how the university will respond to incidents that occur in the world.

“The goal of creating an incident communication team approach would be to create and implement a consistent communication response strategy to use at the university,” said Brittain.

The immediacy of news has campus lead-

ers questioning when it would be an appropriate time to respond, and how to effectively develop a communicative process to the public. However, sometimes social media reports can skew what actually happened.

“In those types of situations, we are discussing whether it is even appropriate for the university to engage in any social

media dialogue about the alleged incident,” said Brittain.

With campus-related incidents, especially those involving hate speech, campus leaders want to quickly step in and shed light on the university’s core values.

See,

UNIVERSITY, pg. 3.

2 | Tuesday, November 1, 2016

NEWS

The University Star Bri Watkins News Editor @briwatkins17

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

ELECTION

Mayoral candidates address city matters

By Bri Watkins News Editor @briwatkins17

Five candidates vying for the position of San Marcos mayor expressed their stances on a variety of topics in the final mayoral debate, hosted

by Texas State University on Oct. 26.

The five candidates who are running are John Thomaides, Sam Brannon, Cherif Gacis, Jacob Montoya and Ruben Becerra.

Each candidate had an opportunity to discuss their views on education, managing growth, planning and zoning, city budgeting and maintaining the environment.

What follows is a summary of each candidate’s stances, and how they will improve and maintain the quality and identity of San Marcos.

John Thomaides Thomaides has served on City Council for 13 years, and five of those years as pro tem. He said with his experiences and knowledge, he will be the candidate to best serve the community, beginning on “day one.”

Thomaides said he will make sure to work, with

and behind, the SMCISD to provide the best quality of education in the school system.

He believes managing growth is the number one challenge the the community faces. A few solutions he suggested were working with the university, providing extra on-campus housing and initiating an effective downtown parking management system. Within the city budget, Thomaides said he is going to look toward funding city services that will best suit the community’s need.

Serving as mayor, Thomaides said he wants to preserve the biggest attraction of the city: the river.

“My job is preserving the river for future generations,” Thomaides said.

Sam Brannon Brannon said he is running for mayor because he wants to see accountability and transparency within council.

With a rapid population growth between the city and the school, Brannon said he will make sure student housing doesn’t affect neighborhoods, culture and the environment. He identifies himself as a political

activist, and wants to promote civil engagement among students.

As a supporter of fiscal conservatism, he will strive to keep the property taxes and revenues flat, so that growth can pay for itself.

“Let’s get out of unnecessary projects like back in parking, and we start planning for the services and infrastructure and the necessary services that people are investing for. We can do that without raising the cost of living for anybody,” Brannon said.

To protect our cities historical features, Brannon said we need to quit harming the environment by building near the river and other landmarks.

Cherif Gacis Gacis is a banker, and says he understands how budgeting works. He believes student housing should not be built downtown, and suggests that east of I-35 is the best place for future student developments.

He will put the flood recovery funds to use on helping with housing and infrastructure, and believes the city should initiate a “Rainy Day Fund.”

He believes historical

STAR FILE PHOTO

preservation is important, especially in San Marcos because it is one of the longest inhabited places in Texas, and will aim to protect the history.

Jacob Montoya Montoya has served on City Council, and was mayor pro tem for a year.

To improve the quality of education, he wants to expand on the programs Texas State and the school district have already started.

Montoya believes that student developments should be separate from single-family neighborhoods.

“We have to do a better job of making sure that student housing is zoned and planned correctly, and that we are protecting the environment and neighborhoods,” Montoya said.

Montoya’s leadership

as mayor would lean toward a fiscally conservative budget, and with previous experience, he believes understanding the budget is essential.

He supports the university and community working together to fund necessary community needs such as EMS, fire stations and police.

He wants to maintain the environment by protecting and preserving the history in San Marcos.

“The river is an attraction that needs protection,” Montoya said.

Ruben Becerra Becerra said he is a supporter of the entire community and he wants to represent everyone.

He believes bringing a new perspective to council will be good for the community.

He believes it is important that a mayor support

and encourage the school board, and believes faculty in the school system should be bilingual.

To help manage growth, he said a big network of bus maps with more stops would result in fewer cars on the road, and relieve the traffic congestion. He thinks adding more parking downtown would be good.

“If we unite and plan and strategize, we can make our community better.”

Becerra identifies himself as fiscally conservative, and believes that is what is missing in the council.

When addressing environmental issues, Becerra wants to focus on what the people in the community wants, and focus on working together as a whole.

STAT

Campus Club Spotlight: Students Together Against Trafficking

By Daryan Jones News Reporter @DaryanJoness Students Together Against Trafficking, a Texas State organization, works to raise funds and awareness for victims of human trafficking.

STAT members participate in protests and fundraising events in San Marcos and Austin with nonprofit organizations.

Current president Echaka Monjok and former president Deborah Mletzko started the organization

in the fall of 2015.

Monjok said many people aren’t aware human trafficking happens all over the United States.

“Human trafficking happens not only in third world countries, but also in the United States,” Monjok said. “Some of the biggest places that it happens is Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.”

One of the main events STAT participates in is the Walk for Freedom in Austin.

“Recently we have done

the Walk for Freedom, which is when we walked in Austin in silence in a line and got people to look at us and they would ask questions,” said Gabriela Cepeda, STAT vice president. “We would explain we were doing it for human trafficking.”

The organization hosts protests on the campus to raise awareness.

“Last year, and then again this year, we did the End It movement, so we stood on the Quad with signs that had facts about people who were traf-

ficked,” Cepeda said. “We put x’s on people’s hands if they agreed with what we were standing for, and it got people asking a lot of questions.”

Cepeda said STAT is a great organization for those interested in changing people’s lives.

“When a bust happens, a lot of human trafficking victims have absolutely no one to go back to, especially if they’ve been gone for multiple years,

and a lot of homes can’t necessarily finance every single person and one of the things we do is raise funds for the homes,” Cepeda said. “You can really change people’s lives.”

Mletzko said one of her favorite parts of STAT was the passionate people involved.

“Echaka is just so passionate, and I’ve been so passionate since I first heard about the issue five

or six years ago,” Mletzko said. “It’s amazing to be part of a group that wants to make change and help with injustice for people who can’t speak for themselves.”

STAT meetings are held every other Monday at 5 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center. For more information, contact Echaka Monjok at emm108@ txstate.edu.

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LIFESTYLE

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UniversityStar.com @universitystar

UNIVERSITY, from front.

“If an incident occurs on our campus or in our surrounding community, we know that we want to have an immediate response because the incident may have a direct impact on our students,” said Brittain. “However, if an incident occurs somewhere in the world and not on our campus or in our surrounding community, we are discussing what, if any, response strategy would be appropriate.”

According to the article

in the Chronicle of Higher Education, students can sometimes feel as if their campus leaders are “insensitive or oblivious to the situation” when said leaders don’t speak out, and believe face-toface communication is important.

Russell Boyd, public administration junior, believes that the university officials should make a statement regarding social issues, especially when it effects the student body.

“I understand that university officials are in a position where they must serve as a non-biased party regarding social issues, however, when there are multiple outcries from students for a response, I believe it is necessary,” Boyd said. “It shows that we are supported by our university, and that there is a care for our needs and things relative to us.”

Boyd feels that students of color are excluded from Texas State, and believes leadership needs

to step up to bridge the gap.

“We must fight to have our voices heard only to receive backlash about our feelings toward injustices that happen to us, followed by an expectation for us to justify how we feel about injustice that happens to us.

It simply isn’t fair, and should not be tolerated, especially at a university that boasts diversity and inclusion,” Boyd said.

During racial issues and protests, Boyd is pushing

for university leaders to encourage and support the fight for justice.

“Even if faculty and staff leadership cannot respond due their position at their university, I believe it is important that student government leadership assumes that role,” Boyd said. “All we want is to feel supported and be assured that our leadership authentically cares about our needs.”

To address issues and concerns related to the university life, President

Denise Trauth has scheduled four Open Door sessions with students for the fall.

The need to take action on urgent issues has developed into planning effectively and reacting efficiently, but universities are debating nationwide on an appropriate time to speak out on incidents, said Brittain.

The Cabinet is only discussing plans pertaining to this topic, and is seeking to create a resolution within a few months.

BOXERCISE

Tiger Lady focuses on finding peace and clarity

By Miranda Ferris Lifestyle Reporter @mirandajferris The Tiger Lady of San Marcos offers tai chi and boxercise classes to clear the minds of those who experience stress and pressure in today’s fastpaced society.

As a former championship boxer, Brenda Bell left her busy life in Los Angles to retire and enjoy the simple life in Texas.

Bell began her boxing career at the age of nine. She received her black belt in martial arts after graduating from San Marcos High School in 1982.

After graduation, she attended college at St. Edwards University and El Camino College for a short period of time before dropping out to completely focus on her boxing career.

“It was a challenging time for me,” Bell said.

“As a young woman, I was exploring what to do in my life and how to do

it, so I ended up in the fight game.”

Bell said her time in Los Angles was a fast and busy blur that exhausted her as the years went on.

She moved back to San Marcos to find a new boxing coach.

However, she enjoyed the small town life again and began teaching soon after she retired from her boxing career in 2009.

Bell now teaches at Tigerlily Mental Training Easy Tai Chi, which takes place at the Cephas House.

College students are at a high risk for stress due to coursework, internships, tests and work.

Classes like tai chi and boxercise are designed to allow students to relax and refocus attention on their energy and health.

“I got into tai chi to mellow myself out,” Bell said. “I went through a lot as a boxer, so it was time for me to slow down and get into something soft.”

In terms of coaching style, Bell focuses on re-

maining calm and collected when teaching and training others.

“We need to stay positive and patient,” Bell said. “We need to be flexible and visible (and) open-minded.”

Jessica James, journalism and mass communication lecturer, has attended some of Bell’s tai chi classes at the Cephas House.

“It’s a routine where you’re focused and clear,” James said. “Not only do you feel at peace with yourself, but with those around you. Classes like tai chi help you to revitalize and focus your attention.”

Aside from the emotional value of the class itself, James finds value in Bell as a coach and teacher.

“She is a beautiful spirit,” James said.

Anh Bui, accounting sophomore, said she experiences stress from school and work. In terms of tai chi, Bui believes it is important for

Brenda Bell hits a punching bag Oct. 29 as she prepares for her weekly boxing class. Bell is commonly known as “The Tiger Lady” and teaches both tai chi and boxing.

PHOTO BY LARA DIETRICH | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

students to have access to various resources to keep the body and mind healthy and at ease.

“This gives students more variety,” Bui said.

“Not everything works for each person, but it allows students to have various outlets for destressing.”

In the future, Bell will expand her teaching practices after furthering her tai chi certification.

“I’m bringing back new knowledge, such as meditation,” Bell said. “I want to start getting people to clear their mind and understand relaxation.”

Bell credits her hap-

piness to boxing, which opened many doors for her, including her teaching path in San Marcos.

“I am more patient and more relaxed,” Bell said. “I don’t want to have anger. I am at a level of mental and physical growth.”

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OPINIONS

The University Star Mikala Everett Opinions Editor @mikala_maquella

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

MAIN POINT

Use college to prepare for a better tomorrow Students continue on to secondary education because they believe the adage that the more educated they are, the better job they can obtain. In a sense, that belief is true, especially if you take advantage of the career opportunities and political prospects placed in front of you.

To ensure you will have a successful future, you must take matters into your own hands.

Attend career fairs, visit museums and workshops, immerse yourself in knowledge about the world around you and

make sure you go vote.

Texas State offers a variety of resources to network and meet future employers. Last week, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication hosted its annual Mass Communication week to bring mass communication professionals to campus and into classrooms.

Professionals from a variety of companies such as Austin advertising agencies and Google employees allowed students the opportunity to learn about what it takes to work in that field—

but only if they showed up.

As college students, it seems as though we can have a difficult time showing up to events that do not involve alcohol or free food. Turnout is important for the continuation of job fairs and various career-driven opportunities on campus.

It is also highly crucial that we show up to vote in elections—federal, state and local.

When we do not show up to networking events or local debates, we miss out on opportunities to take our futures into our

own hands.

Sure you can complain if the city decides to make a drastic change where you live, but if you did not vote on the proposition should you really be that upset?

No, you should not.

You, just as many other students have, missed the opportunity to make a difference in your own life and ensure your wellbeing. Well-being is what is at stake along with peace of mind, when we do not vote.

College students make up 21 percent of the eligible voting popula-

tion, but only 17 percent showed up to vote in the 2014 elections, according to campusvoteproject. org. The current presidential election will most likely turn out more voters, but it should not take political extremes to inspire voting.

As much as people like to joke about it, you cannot just pick up and move to another country if the election does not end in your favor. Immigration policies are in place in other countries, just as they are here. Do not let American entitlement cloud your judg-

ment and fool you.

Just as some Americans do not want more immigrants flocking to our shores, many other countries feel the same.

The only way to guarantee that your voice is heard is to vote. When you vote on issues that are important to you, you are not only safeguarding your future but the future of your families and the Americans who will follow.

Take a study break this Nov. 8 and go vote. Your future depends on it.

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.

EDUCATION

The United States cannot afford free education

By Katie Burrell Opinions Columnist @KatieNicole96 President Barack Obama drafted America’s College Promise, the plan to ensure free community college to American students in participating states. Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and current democratic nomine, Hillary Clinton have similar proposals to ensure free higher education to American students. The idea of free tuition, while noble, is simply too good to be true.

President Obama said in 2015 that he would like to see “the first two years of community college free, for everybody who is willing to work for it.” According to his draft, a student would need a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average, and be enrolled “at least half-time.”

America’s College Promise would only take

place in states willing to accept it. The federal government would pay for the majority of the costs, leaving the rest of the student’s tuition to the state. Tuition would not be free after all; just free to the student.

Under Clinton and Sanders’ plan, all community colleges would be free to attend, any student of a family making less than $125,000 annually would receive free tuition to public universities within their state and a “$25 billion fund will support historically black colleges and universities, Hispanicserving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions” according to Clinton’s campaign site.

Should Clinton or Obama’s initiatives ever come to fruition, the consequences could severely outweigh the benefits. According to CNN, the Clinton option would cost the United States $350 billion over

10 years at least. Obama’s plan for just free community college could cost approximately $60 billion over 10 years—cheaper option, however still not affordable.

Free college education does exist. It exists in a handful of countries across the globe such as Germany, France and Sweden. In addition to providing free college, these countries also charge high federal tax rates in comparison to the U.S. Tax rates are near 50 percent in those countries whereas the U.S. has a 31.5 percent rate for the average citizen. These countries also have far fewer students attending school.

The U.S. would have to increase taxes to cover the cost. The money has to come from somewhere, additionally participation states could raise their taxes to cover their part of the bill.

Benefits to these plans include more accessible

ILLUSTRATION BY MARIA TAHIR

education, the virtual elimination on FAFSA and less student debt.

Colleges would also have to refrain from raising tuition frequently, as the state would pick up the bill.

Many people support Obama’s more conservative option over free college entirely. However, the country cannot afford either. Supporters of either bill should consider what would happen to the quality of higher education should it become free.

Many professors teach at community colleges part

time to make additional cash—what would happen to their paychecks should college suddenly become cheap?

Cheap professors can mean cheap education; this might not be the case, but it is a struggle many lower level public schools have. Supply and demand is also a contributing factor. If most people go to college, like most people go to high school, what would be the point? Where is a graduate’s competitive edge going to come from? Sure, more people would become educated,

however that education might not be as effective.

If America wants a more educated citizen population, it should consider allowing high school students more control over what they have access to, according to Business Insider.

Maybe the next president should consider quality over quantity when it comes to education.

-Katie Burrell is a mass communications sophomore

SATIRE

Make America Swole again

important, so one must meet and surpass the heaviest weights already being lifted in the gym.

This sort of mentality needs to be adopted by the American public in an effort to “Make America Swole—and consequently, great again.”.

The typical gym douchebag can also be classified as a pseudo trainer giving advice on form and workout structure, only based on an article he or she halfway skimmed. A borderline creep, the gym douchebag forgoes all pre-existing societal mannerisms in the gym, such as personal space and limited eye contact. Gym douchebags can often be found yelling or grunting between reps to gain the attention their outfits or presence didn’t.

Conventional science or theory goes out the window when addressing gym douchebags. The cacophonous symphony conducted by musclebound, gel-headed, Beats

by Dre wearing gym rats, showcases existing anthropological, physical and social enhancements present in any gym across the nation.

“Making America Swole” will not only result in fighting American obesity, but will release new ways of thinking,

currently exclusive to gyms.

To be “swole,” America must be extremely buff and muscular; meaning that everyday citizens must hit the gym and work on becoming the next “American Swoledier.”

In a gym setting, there is a blatant directness and entitlement, where guys hit on girls trying to workout or people ask to cut in between sets. This “shoot your shot while you have it” mentality is the new scientific method.

Everything in the gym is related to trying: try to max out, try to get better, try to do one more rep.

Whether it works or not, people end up in a better place than when they started. This directness, if applied to American politics, could alleviate stalemates in Congress.

Gone are the days where it was socially acceptable to carry on as an ignorant bro, because the world is constantly changing. Society is

plagued by issues like, gender neutrality, immigration and climate change. In the gym, only three things matter. How much can you lift? What do you eat? What’s your Instagram?

The gym, much like a watering hole in the Savannah, has a natural order. Casuals make up the lower rung, next are the regulars and then the beasts—practically living in the gym—occupy the top of the system. Although there is an order similar to a caste system in place, the gym is not exclusive to any race, religion or culture. Everyone is free to cheat kettle bell swings, skip leg day and buy overpriced protein.

From General Patton to Michelle Obama, American heroes lift weights. It goes without saying physicality parallels leadership, which is one of the many reasons the U.S. military has pushed physical standards to all new highs. Like it or not, if a douchebag is successful

he or she most likely has a great body to match the swagger and confidence of a cool leader.

Who needs a Nobel Peace prize when anyone can get his or her face on a box of Wheaties?

Without consulting Google, I couldn’t tell you who has been or is a current Nobel Prize Laureate. However, I can name Michael Phelps, Steph Curry and Simone Biles, ahletes who have graced the coveted Wheaties box cover. The emphasis on sports in America is at an all-time high as math, science and politics all fall—as it should be.

Applied correctly, certain douchebag tendencies are actually quite beneficial. As the saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them, bro.”

“How many sets you got, Bro?”

why the San Antonio Zoo is submitting an article to The University Star. Well, the reasons are important and species survival is at stake. To allow misinformation to go unchecked is not only dangerous, but would be irresponsible to

our planet and to the mission of the San Antonio Zoo and all other accredited zoos and aquariums.

Recently a student article titled “Zoo Animals Do Not Belong in Captivity” was published in this paper. The author

stated, “when we take an organism and restrict its entire world to an unsuitably small space we essentially strip the creature of its right to a true chance at life.” This statement not only misrepresents modern zoos, but also,

ironically, underscores the importance of zoos in today’s world in giving animals a true chance at life. While once zoos were a place to display a menagerie of animals for entertainment, times have changed and so,

too, has the mission and focus of zoos like ours.

Today’s zoos, in many cases, are the last best hope for many species’ survival and serve as important centers of education, conservation and research.*

ILLUSTRATION BY ASHEE BRUNSON

By Jakob Rodriguez Opinions Columnist @JakobRyRod Gym douchebaggery has been prevalent since modern weightlifting became popular, and was made famous by shows like Jersey Shore. In the gym, bragging rights are

- Jakob R. Rodriguez is journalism freshman

OP-ED Tim Morrow CEO/ Executive Director San Antonio Zoo My name is Tim Morrow, and I’m the CEO of the San Antonio Zoo. You may be asking yourself

*Look for the rest of the article online at https://star.txstate.edu/

The University Star

Tuesday, November 1, 2016 | 5

SPORTS

Autumn Anderson, Sports Editor @aaautumn_

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

SOCCER

Soccer ends season with 6-9-3 record

By Lisette Lopez Assistant Sports Editor Lisette_1023 The Texas State women’s soccer team’s 2016 season came to an end early this year.

The Bobcats tied eighth in the Sun Belt Conference and had an overall record of 6-9-3, and a 3-5-2 mark in the conference.

Texas State played its last game on Sunday against UL-Monroe and went into overtime and tied 1-1.

There were 34 shots taken by the Bobcats, 17 were on goal. For the Warhawks, they had two shots and one on goal.

The first goal came in the first half with the Warhawks on top. They shot a long ball from 40-yards out, and got a goal in. Going into halftime, UL-Monroe was in the lead 1-0.

In the second half, the Warhawks scored an own goal giving the tie to Texas State.

Kira Zapalac, junior midfielder, crossed the ball into the box early to Kassi Hormuth, junior forward. Hormuth got a flick on it, and the goalkeeper was able to push it back in play. However, the keeper pushed the ball toward her defender, and it bounced off for a goal.

In the 72nd minute, the game was now tied 1-1.

Going into overtime, the Bobcats had three corner kick opportunities, but were not successful. The game ended 1-1, marking the Bobcats’ second tie of the Sun Belt Conference season.

Texas State was able to beat Little Rock, Georgia State and Louisiana-Lafayette this season.

In the Sun Belt Conference home opener game against Little Rock, the Bobcats took a 1-0 win in overtime.

Lauren Prater, senior forward, was able to get the win for her team with an assist from Hormuth.

In the second game of

the season, the Bobcats were up against Georgia State.

The last time these two teams played against each other, the Panthers gave the Bobcats an upset in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in the 2015 season.

The tables turned this time around with the Bobcats beating the Panthers 3-1 at home.

The Panthers were able to get a goal in first, but the Bobcats struck back going into halftime with a tie of 1-1.

In the second half, Jordan Kondikoff, freshman midfielder, was able to get a goal in, as well as Hormuth.

The game ended 3-1 in the Bobcats’ favor going into the conference 2-0.

The last game of the season the Bobcats were able to get a win was against Louisiana-Lafayette on the road.

The game went into one overtime period, with the game ending 2-1.

The Ragin’ Cajun’s got

STAR FILE PHOTO

an early goal in the first half, leading in halftime 1-0.

With only two minutes left in the second half, Rachel Grout, junior midfielder, was able to get a goal off of a corner kick.

With Grout’s goal, the Bobcats were able to finish the game out with a tie of 1-1. The game

went into overtime, and worked out in Texas State’s favor.

Brooke Ramsey, junior midfielder, was able to get her first collegiate career goal in overtime.

She placed the ball in the upper right corner of the goal giving the win to the Bobcats with a score of 2-1.

The Bobcats placed

eighth in the Sun Belt Conference tying with Troy, who held the tiebreaker and earned the last spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

Texas State set a new single-season record going into overtime in a total of seven games.

GOLF

Texas State golfers mark another year of playing together

By Autumn Anderson Sports Editor @aaautumn_ For over nine years, Millie Saroha and Raksha Phadke have shared a friendship that is still going strong.

Saroha and Phadke are senior golfers at Texas State. The two have been friends on and off the green since they were 12 years old. The two met at such a young age because they played the same circuit.

At the age of seven, Saroha was introduced to golf by her father. She and her father would go to the golf course to run around and play—until she picked up a club for the first time.

Saroha never looked back after picking up that club. It led her to start taking lessons from a top-level coach and play competitively starting at the age of nine.

Saroha has played at Texas State for three years. During her first season as a Bobcat, she tied for 24th at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. In addition to competing in several international events, Saroha won the USHA West Bengal Ladies Amateur Championship in high school.

When Phadke was younger, she strictly played competitive tennis.

Her mother is a national champion in the sport.

Because of an ankle injury, Phadke’s grandfather introduced her to golf at the age of 11.

Phadke has been at Texas State since 2015.

Before that, she played golf at Kent State from 2013-15. Before attending Kent State, Phadke was a member of the Indian National Team. In addition, she tied for 24th in the 2012 Callaway Junior World Golf Championships—the highest finish by an Indian golfer.

Saroha and Phadke have countless things in common, including the fact that they were both born and raised in India.

Saroha’s hometown is New Delhi, the capitol of India.

Phadke is from Pune, a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Playing at Texas State means the two are more than 8,000 miles away

from home. However, the team and coaches strive to make Texas State feel like home for Phadke and Saroha.

“Everyone behind the scenes does so much for us and makes us feel comfortable so far away from home,” Saroha said.

“That has made them our family in America.”

The pair has played to-

gether for more than nine years, all while motivating and supporting each other.

“We take care of each other and help push each other to become better players,” Saroha said. “We will talk about our college days for years to come, and that’s what makes this time so special.”

As two of the three

seniors on the women’s golf team, Saroha and Phadke serve as leaders on the green. Guiding the freshmen in any positive way they can is important because they were helped and guided when they first came to the university. Although the two have similarities, they also have

their differences.

“Both of us are leaders in different ways,” Phadke said. “We have different temperaments, which both come in handy at different times, so that’s a good thing.”

Of the four tournaments the Bobcats have played in this season,

Phadke has finished first among the Texas State team in half of them, and second in the other two.

Saroha has finished in first, second, fifth and fourth among the Bobcats and averages a 76.58.

Phadke averages a 73.58 over 12 rounds.

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