DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 @universitystar | universitystar.com
LIFE & ARTS Texas State department of Theatre and Dance presents "The Crucible" |PAGE 3|
Texas State athlete pushes toward Paralympics
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2018
Volume 108, Issue 08
Voting guide: San Marcos Candidate Profiles
Community rallies to save historic Old First Baptist Church
|PAGE 4|
OPINIONS
Texas State administrators may be learning to respond to white supremacy |PAGE 5|
Coming out should not be trivialized |PAGE 6|
SPORTS Weekend Recap |PAGE 7|
Softball coach to try out for U.S. Olympic team |PAGE 7|
Volleyball dives into 13th straight win By Claire Partain Sports Reporter Bobcat volleyball notched two wins this weekend against the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers and the Appalachian State University Mountaineers, bringing the undefeated team's win streak to 13. The team’s 13-match win streak is the highest in nearly a decade, and head coach Karen Chisum is set on keeping the streak going, according to senior middle Madison Daigle. “We started off well, but we have to keep going,” Daigle said. “Chisum always says we can’t be 10-0 if we’re not 9-0, so we’ve been taking every match one at a time.” Chisum is looking to reach her eighth regular season conference championship and ninth tournament championship In her 39th season, the Texas State alumna is the longest-standing Texas State head coach. The win over the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers marked Chisum’s 886th career win, notching her up to tie for ninth in NCAA history. Chisum’s focus on competition in practice contributes to the team’s success, according to junior Mattie Adams.
SEE VOLLEYBALL PAGE 7
The Old First Baptist Church sits empty Oct. 9 on the corner of Mitchell Street and Martin Luther King Drive. PHOTO BY SAWYER CLICK
By Sawyer Click | Managing Editor & By May Olvera | News Reporter With boarded windows and chipping paint, a 110-year-old historically African-American church off Main Street has ignited a community-led movement to restore its structure – and its history. In 1873, members of the Ku Klux Klan marched through downtown San Marcos and set the original First Baptist Church on fire, leaving an integral part of the then-flourishing African-American community in ashes. Thirty-five years later, in 1908, members of the congregation rebuilt what is now known as the Old First Baptist Church on 219 Martin Luther King Dr. as its replacement. The church has stood empty since 1986 because of its deteriorating condition, though several iterations of advocacy groups have called for its restoration. Most recently, a core group of leaders from the Calaboose African American History Museum, San Marcos Cinema Club, Splash Coworking and San Marcos Main Street Program have worked alongside the building’s new owners and city officials to nominate the building for a $150,000 grant from National Geographic. The top 10 of the 20 projects nominated will receive a grant to kickstart the restoration process, funded by American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America. Ramika Adams, Calaboose treasurer and board member, has been one of the most vocal leaders in the recent call for the church's restoration. Adams said she loves the building most for its perseverance. “When the church was rebuilt (in 1908), it was even more grand and on a bigger scale than the one that was
As a freedmen's town, San Marcos' population was 37 percent AfricanAmerican in the 1860s. Today, African American's only represent 4.8 percent of the population. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAN MARCOS PUBLIC LIBRARY
burned down,” she said. “To me, it was the community of that time who was rebuilding saying, ‘No, you tried to tear us down but we’re coming back bigger and badder than ever.’” Interim Main Street Manager Josie Falletta said the church has remained in the top 10 throughout the contest, all without money to go toward promotional efforts. The he church hit fourth place out of the gate but has since sunk to eighth. "We have been in the top 10 consistently, the entire time," she said. "No money has been allocated for this project so far. It really speaks to the community input and the community buy-in, and how many people are invested in this project. City officials deemed the building unsafe in May 2009. Since then, it has narrowly escaped destruction several times. Throughout the years, a variety of people have tried to buy the church, demolish it and commercialize the property. Kurt Waldhauser, the owner, originally had a contract to buy the property in fall 2016 with similar plans to demolish the
Meet the San Marcos Mayor candidates
building, but he backed out after learning the history of the church. After months of deliberation with his wife Kate, Waldhauser bought the property in April 2017. “I didn’t know what it meant to buy this building,” Waldhauser said. “It took a little while to learn what it meant. My belief is that God saw us coming. And so, for me, this is emblematic of something larger. This is one of the most heart and mind-opening experiences I've ever had in any regard.” During its heyday in the early to mid1900s, the church was a haven for San Marcos’ flourishing African-American community, which primarily lived in what is known today as the Dunbar Historic District. The district features several landmarks not only important to San Marcos’ history but also Texas’ history. The Dunbar School, the first desegregated school in Texas, is just down the street from the Old First Baptist Church. SEE CHURCH PAGE 4
By Christopher Green Senior News Reporter
Jane Hughson City Council Place 4 member Jane Hughson has a platform centered on bringing businesses to San Marcos to help ease the poverty level and working on Code SMTX to protect San Marcos' environment. Hughson has 10 years of experience on City Council and seven years on the Planning and Zoning Commission. “I want to ensure we don’t forget the residents that are in the low-to-moderate income level,” Hughson said. “We need to continue our economic incentive program to get more
businesses to locate here with good jobs with more than just the bare minimum living wage.” Hughson said Code SMTX, the city code for development and regulations on land use, is a vital component when it comes to conserving San Marcos' environment. “We need to continue to protect the river and our environment,” Hughson said. “Our new Code SMTX, which is our land development code, provides for a lot of protection for our river, creek, tributaries and our environment.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF JANE HUGHSON
John Thomaides Following his two-year term, Mayor John Thomaides is running for re-election with a platform centered around more affordable housing, increased wages, environmental conservation, supporting small businesses and weaving students into the community. He has served on City Council for five terms. “I'm gonna work tirelessly on providing betterpaying jobs, which connects to the housing situation," Thomaides said. "About half of the citizens in San Marcos would not qualify for a mortgage of $150,000, so we need to raise wages
and provide more housing choices." Thomaides said he wants to end the antistudent bias on the City Council and better unite students and residents. “I really feel like there is an anti-student situation going on in our council,” Thomaides said. “I want to weave students more into the fabric of the community and let the community see the value of each other and what we can get if they participate and stay in the city after they graduate.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN THOMAIDES
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2 | Tuesday, October 16, 2018
NEWS
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Meet the City Council Place 4 candidates
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ROCKEYMOORE
SCOTT
SPELL
Mark Rockeymoore Mark Rockeymoore, 50, has served as an ethics review commissioner and as president of the Board of Trustees of the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Rockeymoore’s platform is based on the environment, ethics and neighborhoods. Primarily, Rockeymoore wants to protect the San Marcos River and the springs feeding it from being compromised by developments, which he said could cause San Marcos to lose its charm. “Making sure that San Marcos doesn’t lose its culture and become a miniature Austin is one of my prevailing concerns,” Rockeymoore said. “This city has been in recent years one of the fastest growing cities in the entire United States.” Rockeymoore said he also wants to create more jobs in San Marcos for Texas State graduates choosing to stay in the area so alumni don't have to move or commute to larger cities, like Austin or San Antonio.
Shane Scott
Griffin Spell
Shane Scott, 51, served on City Council from 2010-15 and decided to run again this year to focus on San Marcos' growth. Scott graduated from Texas State and hopes to bring balance back to City Council with his previous experience. Scott said he plans to work on tax evaluations for student and resident housing, transportation in San Marcos, and decluttering regulations local businesses and citizens face. Scott said he feels the council is currently anti-student and has over-regulated student housing. “The current group on council are anti-student everything,” Scott said. “They want to pass can bans and you can’t get into the river. I went through college and I never destroyed a thing. They want to keep people out. There is conservation and then there is control.”
Griffin Spell, 29, currently serves as the chairman of the San Marcos Historic Preservation Commission. If elected, Spell said he plans to work on environmental conservation, housing for residents and students, and transportation. Spell, a Texas State alumnus, said affordable housing is one of his primary concerns and he hopes to help graduates transition from student housing to owning or renting homes in San Marcos. As for the environment, Spell said he wants to focus his attention on flood areas and Cape’s Dam. He said he wants to make the dam a local landmark for San Marcos rather than demolish it. “If you take away Cape’s Dam, if you demolish the area and fill in Mill Race, understand you’re also taking away recreational options from a lower income part of San Marcos,” Spell said.
Meet the City Council Place 5 candidates
By Abby Gutierrez News Reporter
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Mark Gleason Mark Gleason, retail manager for the city of San Marcos, has a platform for environmental preservation, improved student transportation and increased resident consideration as developers grow San Marcos. Gleason is the vice president of the Planning and Zoning Commission and has served on the Neighborhood Commission. As San Marcos grows, Gleason wants to ensure the river is protected from commercialization. “We have to be able to grow the city but not damage the river," Gleason said. "There’s a balancing act to utilizing (the river) as a resource and promoting it as a resource. We have to have growth, but it needs to be done appropriately and done with care. The developers kind of ram things through and don’t really care about the neighborhoods.”
Jocabed Marquez
Rick Henderson, Texas State political science senior lecturer, has a platform for reliable student and residential housing, improved public transportation, environmental preservation and increased police and fire protection. Henderson has served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the last four years. He supports the Lyndsey Hill Project, designed to create more residential apartments available for San Marcos residents, and wants to reduce rent for offcampus student housing. “Whether it’s money from (financial aid), parents, or their own, if (students) are spending so much money on housing, they’re not contributing to the sales tax base,” Henderson said. “That’s not good for the city and not good for students, because students want to spend money. You want to buy clothes, you want to be able to eat out.”
Jocabed Marquez, Texas State university seminar lecturer and doctoral student, has a platform for promoting river and environmental stewardship, and resisting developers complexes built near the river, displacing residents. With only two women of color elected to City Council in the past, Marquez wants to diversify the council's representation. Marquez also plans to create more affordable residential housing, revitalize legacy neighborhoods, support local businesses and make the animal shelter a nokill pet shelter. She also plans to implement a more sustainable transportation system for citizens, especially in regards to the CARTS system's limited hours of operation. “My platform is to prioritize what the people’s needs are over the developers who don’t live in this town (and) make millions of dollars off of the developments here in town, which include apartment complexes,” Marquez said.
Meet the City Council Place 6 candidates
By Brittlin Richardson Senior News Reporter
Juan Miguel Arredondo
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Deadlines: Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication.
Texas State alumnus Juan Miguel Arredondo is running with a platform for increasing affordable housing, managing San Marcos' growth and creating a business-friendly climate. Arredondo was elected in 2015 as a District 1 trustee to the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees and is also a program coordinator for Texas State's Center for P-16 Initiatives. Arredondo said it is important to keep San Marcos affordable for residents and students. He
believes a private market is the best way to address affordable housing as opposed to government intervention. "First thing in office, I plan on asking that City Council have a workshop and a discussion about what we can do to address housing affordability as soon as possible," Arredondo said. "I think everyone across the board can say rent in San Marcos is outrageous, housing costs are outrageous as well. That is really my number one priority on day one."
Melissa Derrick Place 6 incumbent Melissa Derrick is an alumna of Southwest Texas State and the owner of San Marcos Computers. She was elected to her first term in City Council in 2015. Her platform includes supporting small businesses, flood recovery efforts, and affordable housing and transportation. Derrick has served on the Workforce Housing Committee since December 2015, which is
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Rick Henderson
PHOTO BY BRITTLIN RICHARDSON
rolling out an initiative with community partners to purchase tax-foreclosed properties and develop affordable housing. "We haven't been able to provide the careerbased jobs our community needs," Derrick said. "We really need to support our local businesses to help with our local economy so people who want to stay in San Marcos can make a living."
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Tuesday, October 16, 2018 | 3
LIFE & ARTS
Diana Furman Life & Arts Editor @Dianna9696
THEATRE
Texas State department of Theatre and Dance presents "The Crucible" By Madison Williams Life & Arts Contributor Girls are dancing in the woods and accusations of witchcraft are coming from every direction. The town is plucking the accused out one-by-one and sentencing them to hang. No one is safe, in Texas State's production of "The Crucible." From Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, the Texas State University Department of Theatre and Dance will give new life to the timeless American classic "The Crucible," by Arthur Miller. The production will take place in the Theatre Center, Mainstage. Written in 1953, the play is loosely based around the 1692 Salem witch trials. But it was written in response to the McCarthy hearings, a series of trials led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. The hearings were intended to investigate McCarthy's accusations regarding 205 communists possibly infiltrating the State department. The production is directed by Michael Costello, bachelors of fine arts acting professor. Costello said the story has three layers: the retelling of the Salem Witch Trials, the comparison to the McCarthy Hearings and the relevance to society’s current circumstances. The story takes place within the Puritan society of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. Several girls are accused of witchcraft. A prominent citizen is accused of an affair with a younger girl. Mass hysteria and riots ensue, and almost everyone hangs. Costello said he and the cast are fully aware of the striking relevance the
Texas State acting students Malik James and Emily Absher practice lines Oct. 16 at a rehearsal for the upcoming production of The Crucible. PHOTO BY MADISON WILLIAMS
story has to the nation’s current state. Costello said the story's timeliness was a major factor when he selected the play for production. Costello said he hopes the production inspires the audience to think about things from a different perspective. He said he wants the audience to realize how much the past can relate to the present. “The audience will recognize our times in this," Costello said. "(They will realize) how precious the truth and integrity (are)." Emily Absher, theatre junior, is
BUBBLE BELIEVERS
Bubble Believers begin filming documentary By Brianna Benitez Life & Arts Contributor Students better get ready to "bubble believe" it. The Bubble Believers are coming out with a documentary, set to release by the end of 2018. Joesph Losoya, also known as the Bubble Believer, has been blowing bubbles at Texas State for the past three years. The inspiration for creating Bubble Believers stemmed from when Losoya served in the Air Force from 2008 to 2012. Losoya said when he was bored on base, he would blow bubbles to kill time. Before transferring to Texas State, Losoya attended Palo Alto Community College in San Antonio, where he first began spreading bubble love and enthusiasm. After serving in the Air Force, Losoya and a few friends created a group called Table of Friendship at Palo Alto. Losoya said the creation of the group was completely accidental. Initially, he and his friends invited students to sit with them and talk about campus events. Members of Table of Friendship created such a positive impact on students at Palo Alto Community
College that Losoya was encouraged to create a similar organization at Texas State when he transferred in 2015. “I thought, what would happen if I bring the bubbles to campus?" Losoya said. "It really took off and Texas State students kept tweeting about me and (messaging me on Snapchat.) They made the bubble guy into this big movement." Losoya said Bubble Believers have helped many students get through their day. After many requests from neighboring institutions, Losoya has expanded Bubble Believers to several other campuses like Palo Alto Community College, UTSA and St. Mary’s University. Losoya brings bubbles to Palo Alto on Tuesdays, UTSA on Wednesdays and St. Mary's on Fridays. Any student who wants to join him can take a bubble wand and help spread joy across their campus. Every Monday, Losoya and the Bubble Believers are on campus, blowing bubbles and spreading positivity. Bubble Believers is a group anyone can join . SEE BUBBLE BELIEVERS PAGE 4
Joseph Losoya blows bubbles Oct. 11 near Alkek Library to spread joy to students. PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ
portraying Elizabeth Proctor in "The Crucible." She said the story is current and heartbreaking because it showcases society’s resistance to believe accusations against seemingly good people. “There have been moments where it’s been really hard," Absher said. "I’ve come home and had to shake it off." Malik James, bachelor of fine arts acting junior, is portraying John Proctor in the production. James said he, too, experiences difficulty acting in the performance. “It’s a lot of baggage, emotionally," James said. "It’s emotionally taxing.
James said the message he hopes will resonate with the audience is the concept of staying truthful, even in risky times. The show will debut at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in The Theatre Center Mainstage. Performances will continue the same time each night until the final one, which will be at 2 p.m., Nov. 4. For adults, tickets range from $17-$20. For children and seniors, tickets are $12$15. For Texas State students, tickets are $10.
4 | Tuesday, October 16, 2018
The University Star
LIFE & ARTS
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
Diana Furman Life & Arts Editor @Dianna9696
FROM FRONT CHURCH The Rev. Wayne Thompson of the Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ grew up attending the First Baptist Church and remembers it not for its spiritual significance but for the sense of community it helped cultivate. “The black community in San Marcos has always been close-knit because we are such a small minority,” Thompson said. “That First Baptist Church was a gathering place for every single one of us, and within those walls are stories older than me.” In the 1850s, San Marcos' population was one-third enslaved African-Americans, according to San Marcos' 2001 sesquicentennial. Following the abolition of slavery in 1865, San Marcos garnered a reputation as a freedmen's town, with the African-American population jumping to 37 percent by 1860. The community steadily grew until the mid-1900s, when gentrification began to push African-Americans out of the community. Today, only 4.8 percent of San Marcos' population consists of American-Americans. “When you hear the stories, it was a thriving community of
African-American entrepreneurs all down MLK and the Dunbar area in particular,” Adams said. “They had barber shops, restaurants and insurance agencies. It was a community of its own thriving force until gentrification hit, and (AfricanAmerican residents) started being pushed out of the community through tax laws and all that stuff. But the community back then, when I hear the stories it makes me wish I was there.”
"Within those walls are stories older than me.” -The Rev. Wayne
Thompson
Carina Boston Pinales, founder and co-owner of Splash CoWorking and a key leader in the restoration efforts, said the amount of interest coming from the community is inspiring and enlightening. "The community involvement has been very humbling to witness," she said. "It’s been amazing to see everyone come together and hear the stories that have been shared across generations and through pockets of community throughout San Marcos." The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended Oct. 9 that the church be named a historic local landmark, which could help the church receive more funding. City Council will vote May 15 on whether or not to give it the designation. Those interested in helping the church gain funding can vote for the project on Vote Your Main Street’s website. To receive the $150,000 grant, the Old First Baptist Church must be among the 10 projects with the most votes.
PARALYMPICS
Texas State athlete pushes toward Paralympics By Lilith Osburn-Cole Life & Arts Contributor A Texas State senior is going into his third year of training for the 2020 Paralympics, all with no mobility of his feet. Matthew Pevoto, recreation therapy senior, was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at birth. This condition is a congenital defect of the spine which can result in paralysis. Pevoto has had no mobility or feeling in his feet his entire life. However, he still has the ability to walk and run with the assistance of crutches. Pevoto said his day-to-day life is fairly normal and not too different from any other student's life. "Yes, I walk with crutches, but I don't see it as another obstacle in my day," Pevoto said. The fact he uses crutches might suggest he has a harder time, but that is not the case. Pevoto has become a successful athlete, regardless of the condition of his body. Pevoto said he has always been influenced by sports. He grew up in a small town in Louisiana where sports were the center of the community. While Pevoto did not participate on sports teams in high school, he still exercised and kept in shape. Pevoto said when he began college, he wanted to continue to stay in shape and work out as normal. He began participating in Spartan Races, which are obstacle course races that range mileage with military-style barriers
his three-wheeled bicycle for miles at a time. His bicycle allows him to keep his legs strapped up and utilize his arms to push the bicycle forward. Pevoto utilizes Blue Hole Regional Park's trails to train for racing. Maggie Martin, supervisor at Blue Hole and recreation therapy senior, met Pevoto at Blue Hole when he started training there regularly. "He really does light up when he tells you about his racing," Martin said. "I think Blue Hole is really honored to have him train there". Pevoto said he has worked for years to be able to compete at the level he Mathew Pevoto cycling Sept. 20 at the Blue Hole trails in Wimberley. does. He said learning from other PHOTO COURTESY OF RICHARD SHAVER adaptive athletes has been a crucial part of his success and motivation. embedded throughout the race. working toward a Paralympic career. "Inspiration is all around us," Pevoto "When I first started, there were only Pevoto started making the said. "We just have to look for it." one or two athletes with my disability Paralympics his goal three years Saryn Nelson, recreation therapy that were racing independently," ago. Since then, he has competed in graduate student, met Pevoto through Pevoto said. international track competitions to school. She said they interacted from Pevoto has competed in three types build himself up. time to time through various athletic of Spartan Races: Sprint, Super and Pevoto said competing in a world programs for adaptive athletes. She Beast. Each type of race has different competition for track and field in June said she does not find it surprising levels of difficulty and obstacles. 2018 was an inspiring experience. Pevoto is training for the Paralympics. Pevoto said after his first race he He said the opportunity to compete "I consider him an elite athlete, and started to receive positive feedback. alongside world-record holders helped I know he can compete at that level," "My (local and disabled him see his goal clearer. Nelson said. communities) have been supportive In order to qualify for the From the very beginning of his from the very beginning," Pevoto said. Paralympics, athletes must compete in racing career, Pevoto has evolved "After my second race, I had someone the national track and field competition inside a community of inspiration and tell me I inspired them." and each person must exhibit a series motivation that now is preparing him Participating in Spartan Races was of recorded race times. for his greatest challenge yet. just the beginning of Pevoto's racing Currently, Pevoto trains by working career. He has been retired from out through road racing, an endurance Spartan Races for two years and is now and speed exercise in which he rides
FROM PAGE 3 BUBBLE BELIEVERS
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Briana Rodriguez, exploratory freshman, said she notices Losoya and the Bubble Believers when she walks to class on Mondays. “(Bubble Believers) just bring so much joy to my heart," Rodriguez said. Losoya and the Bubble Believers primary goal is spreading positivity with their presence on campus. Losoya held a fundraiser from Sept. 16 to Oct. 9 for victims of the Iconic Village Apartment fire. He sold 14 Bubble Believer T-shirts and raised a total of $105. Losoya is currently searching for two victims of the fire to donate this money to. Losoya said he wants to help the community in any way he can. “I want people to know that no matter what stage in your life, whatever you’re going through, try your best to look at the positive side of every situation,” Losoya said. Losoya is currently working alongside Sachin Dheeraj, graduate student at the University of Texas, in filming a documentary about the Bubble Believers. The documentary will cover what the Bubble Believers have done
Joseph Losoya recording Oct. 11 for the Bubble Believer documentary.
PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ
and all they are trying to accomplish. Losoya said he wants this documentary to deliver a message of positivity. “My goal is to help people realize they can do it, whatever they’re trying to accomplish,” Losoya said. Dheeraj is currently enrolled in a documentary class at UT. Dheeraj said when he was searching for a subject for his documentary, he stumbled upon an article about Losoya. “I was really moved," Dheeraj said. "I
was like, this guy really has a different perspective toward life." Losoya and Dheeraj are working hard to get the documentary filmed and edited by December 2018. Losoya said the documentary will be uploaded to YouTube. Dheeraj wants to enter the documentary in a film festival. To stay connected with Losoya and the Bubble Believers, check out their social media @bubbleguytxst on Twitter and @bubblebelievers on Instagram.
The University Star UniversityStar.com @universitystar
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 | 5
OPINIONS
Zach Ienatsch Opinions Editor @zachnatch
Texas State administrators may be learning to respond to white supremacy Last Thursday, any false sense of security on the campus quad was rescinded when racist business cards from a white supremacist group appeared scattered along the walkways. Events like these are anything but new. Texas State has been targeted by white supremacist groups for roughly two years in the form of fliers, a banner dropped from the Alkek library and now, business card. The common denominator every time is anoymous cowardice. Those responsible never take advantage of the free speech area by the Stallions, nor the public forums provided by Student Government meetings and The University Star's letter to the editor policy. White supremacists in this community always advocate for their agenda under the cover of night and from the shadows. These business
cards are no different. The difference this time is the university's response. In the past, reactions to racist fliers and the banner were lackluster, delayed and ineffective at reassuring students they were safe at school. Last Thursday, President Trauth released a statement on her announcement channel that was not only timely but more pointed than previous statements. Effectively stamping out this problem from Texas State requires an absolute, no-punches-pulled policy from the administration and student body. Bobcats have already rallied together to denounce these instances since the very beginning but the administration's response was slower. Last week's announcement is a reassuring instance that admins may be learning. Students, staff and faculty have
made their feelings known. The tone of the announcement suggests the administration has made progress in listening and lending legitimacy to these complaints. Outside of racist literature, it's always important for the people to have a clear channel of communication with the university. Maintaining one will make solutions easier when problems like this arise. UPD investigations into this activity are necessary and although they leave a lot to be desired, prompt responses from the campus police are also reassuring that student safety is prioritized when racist literature appears in our community. Previous UPD investigations have found success but have kept results private from the student body on the grounds of legal discretion. Admitting certain individuals have taken advantage of the school environment
to spread hate is certainly a PR blunder, but remaining silent on what the university is doing in response is arguably worse for the school's reputation. If ongoing investigations bear fruit, the university should remain transparent so students can hold them to their word. The occurrence of racist fliers, cards and banners should not be normalized. This is not something a healthy society should have to endure. This is not an acceptable price to pay for an education. Bobcats deserve better. San Martians deserve better. If you see something, report incidents to UPD at 512.245.2805. Concerns about campus climate and hate speech can be expressed to Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator Ameerah McBride at equityaccess@txstate.edu.
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.
CONSTRUCTION
Student Center construction should pause during class time
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFFREY FOLLENDER
By Otto Bieker Opinions columnist The LBJ Student Center use to be a place of classrooms, ballrooms, and eating Chick-fil-A—a peaceful coexistence between each section. Texas State broke this peace by throwing a construction site in the middle of it. Now, Bobcats who are unfortunate enough to be enrolled in a class in the LBJ Student Center have to endure the loud, disruptive noise happening next door during their class time. To understand how disruptive this noise can be, imagine for a moment that you are sitting down and listening intently to someone speak and right around the time the person is about to say something important, a third unseen person beats down on a metal sheet with a hammer for a good 30 seconds. Now, as expected, both parties are a bit rattled and lose their train of thought and as soon as they are about begin their conversation again, the third person begins to drill holes into that metal sheet. This experience is not too far off
from the reality that students face taking a class in the LBJ Student Center. This noise affects the learning environment of the classroom adding on to the already stressful task of completing a course. Foot traffic to the Lair has also dropped dramatically because of the limited entrances due to construction. If students are not learning, eating, or working in the LBJ Student Center, then the building is an underused resource for the time being. Besides being annoying, the construction is also a nightmare for students, staff and faculty with disabilities. The maze of makeshift walkways, stairs and closed entrances make navigation difficult for ablebodied people and nearly impossible for people with disabilities. Even if a student with disabilities can make it to class in LBJ, they would not be able to listen to the lecture because of the noise. This issue of noise not only affects students but professors as well. English department lecturer Benjamin Reed, who teaches world literature in the LBJ Teaching Theater, is one of such
professors. "Because we are a large and growing community it’s not surprising when some of our many priorities come into conflict with one another," Reed said. "However, the core objective of any university is the facilitation of teaching and research. After student safety, the ability to listen and cogitate should be the paramount concern. It’s frustrating that this is not always the case, and I’m happy to keep doing what I can to reduce the construction noise in the LBJ teaching theater because I feel strongly that I am protecting the integrity of Texas State University as a student-centered institution." Reed also added "On the upside, this experience has been like pedagogical strength training. I feel like I can teach this class anywhere now, like on the shoulder of I-35, or the flight deck of an aircraft carrier." Texas State should prioritize the needs of students first. After all, each student has paid a $105 student center fee and for students taking a class in the LBJ Student Center, they are paying an additional pretty penny in tuition fees
to take the class. Students have already provided their end of the deal by paying the fee and showing up to class every day ready to learn. Now it's time for the university to hold up their end of the bargain and provide a quiet, stable learning environment. The university could possibly fix this by pausing construction during class time. By starting construction at an earlier time such as 6 to 10 a.m. and stopping during the time when class is heaviest and then continuing from 4 to 8 p.m.. This break could also serve as an extended lunch break for the workers. The university should act quick to restore the once peaceful co-existence that was once the LBJ Student Center. The day the construction is completed will be glorious, but until then, further measures must be taken to ensure a quality learning environment and common area for student life. - Otto Bieker is a political science sophomore
6 | Tuesday, October 16, 2018 UniversityStar.com @universitystar
The University Star
OPINIONS
Zach Ienatsch Opinions Editor @zachnatch
COMING OUT
Coming out should not be trivialized By Max Foster Opinions Columnist Thursday, Oct. 11 was National Coming Out Day, a holiday marking the 30th Anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington of Lesbian and Gay Rights. Texas State students commemorated the day's significance by raising awareness on campus. Members of the various LGBTQIA+ pride clubs at Texas State spent the week on the Quad raising awareness for National Coming Out Day and the queer community in general. Queer, in this context, is used as a positive way to refer to people whose sexuality is located anywhere on the spectrum apart from straight. The purpose of this day was not to make a statement against any person or organization but rather spread positivity and awareness through nonviolent public demonstration. It has been the norm for people in the queer community, as seen during Pride Month, to seek equality and recognition by making their voices heard in public spaces. These students were not alone, how-
ever. Standing right next to the National Coming Out Day demonstration was a group of conservative students. Fit with signs and a symbolic door through which their own demonstrators walked through, these students declared Oct. 11 as their day to come out as conservative. The implication here is that it is just as unsafe to be conservative as it is to be a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. This is completely absurd. It is in incredibly poor taste to equate political opinions with sexuality or gender identity. Political stance changes with age, education and current events, but sexuality and gender identity do not. Being publicly conservative does not result in the same prejudice as being publicly LGBTQIA+ does. In modern history, it has never been legal to discriminate against conservatives simply due to their political opinion but for decades it has been prevalent to do the same against queer employees on the basis of sexuality. Discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation is explicitly illegal in only 22 states, District of Columbia and
Puerto Rico. It has never been considered a mental illness to be conservative, yet the American Psychiatric Association stated that homosexuality was a mental illness until 1973. It did not take decades of lawsuits and eventually a Supreme Court ruling to allow conservatives to engage in consensual sex and marry, as was the case for same-sex couples leading up to Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell v. Hodges, respectively. Likewise, queer and trans people have been victims of violence simply for existing in a way that conservatives have not. Queer youth feel an immense pressure to find their place in society and when influences such as family and religion are added to the mix, the result is often major depression and anxiety that follows into higher education and onward. This is why organizations such as The Trevor Project exist. Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are nearly five times as likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. According to polling from the National Center for Transgender Equality, 40 percent of transgen-
der adults have attempted suicide, 92 percent of whom did so before the age of 25. In 2017, 40 percent of homeless youth in America identified as LGBT. This goes to show how insidious the hetero-normative status quo is in this country, especially among young people like the students here at Texas State. Equating the experience of being conservative with the experience of being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community is blatantly ignorant, especially at a time when all three branches of the federal government are led by Republicans and all state-level executive positions in Texas are held by Republicans. Feeling isolated in one’s own beliefs is a valid concern, but appropriating a term famously associated with the struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community and tacking it onto a much smaller problem is not a proper form of expression. It is a cheap tactic that trivializes the decades of hard work queer and trans people have done to earn respect in society. - Max Foster is a political science freshman
SOCIAL MEDIA
Students should be careful of their actions in college By Jordan Drake Assistant Opinions Editor Brett Kavanaugh is a drunk. All of the political cartoons and articles were made to portray him this way. 31 years after he had graduated Yale University, his high school and college reputation as a partier, along with his yearbook were now being used against him to bolster the credibility of the accusations made by multiple women of sexual misconduct. No one knows the full truth but these women and Kavanaugh. To be safe from similar situations, college students should be very careful of what they do so their behavior is not used against them. In the era of social media, this will only get worse. For prospective students, it starts early. Nearly one third of universities are monitoring social media of the incoming class for admissions purposes. They scan for red flags such as disparaging language, anything related to alcohol and contradictory biographical information. For those applying to schools or looking to apply, one stupid post will ruin any chances regardless of GPA and test scores. Students should check privacy settings, Google themselves and clean up any posts that are even borderline problematic. One story out of Bowdoin College best illustrates this. A high school senior attended an informational presentation and apparently decided to make fun of other attendees, which the university promptly discovered. This
student was denied admission in part because of these remarks. Just this past spring, former Student Government President Connor Clegg was ousted from office after his racially insensitive Instagram posts were made public. No individual should believe they are above getting caught because it is becoming increasingly more common and claiming you were a dumb high schooler is not a good enough argument. It's not just high schoolers who are having this problem. Employers are more often looking into prospective employees’ backgrounds, including checking their social media. They too will put red flags over any pictures they find provocative, drinking/drug use, any inflammatory comments about race or previous employees and even if you post too much, in their opinion. The sad part is that employers also do not like it if there is no social media presence. Students have to walk the line of engaging on these platforms but with the right behavior. This is not as hard as it sounds. Students create their online reputation. There will not be one hundred percent control of situations, but it is not too hard to check yourself and make sure that social media posts stay appropriate. Be wary of any recording device at any event where the behavior might make you look bad. All it takes is one fun night partying and drinking with friends to hit social media and lose control of the whole situation. Do not let one night get spread around and ruin
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFFREY FOLLENDER
any chance for any career. It is not just social media that one has to be worried about. Much like Kavanaugh’s situation, the people who surround someone will remember events. A drunken night that involved a fight will likely be remembered for quite some time. A reputation can be permanently harmed by the actions taken in a college environment. Even joining a fraternity with a history of bad actions could do long term damage. Your reputation is created by your actions and associations.
Sometimes, it is hard in college to think for the long plan but one must make choices carefully. There is no harm in weighing something out. College can still be fun and prepare students for success. Everything done during this time is weighed against someone. Grades, extracurricular events and even social events will all be considered in today's age. Anything you do in college can and will be used against you. - Jordan Drake is a communications senior
VOTING
The City Council vote is a vote for a better San Marcos By Jaden Edison Opinions Columnist Seemingly lost in the midst of the immensely competitive Texas congressional races is the importance of the San Marcos City Council vote. Throughout early voting on Oct. 22 through Nov. 2 and regular voting on Nov. 6, Texas State students will have the opportunity to place their vote toward a more inclusive, healthier and safer San Marcos. City Council's agenda directly affects San Marcos’ conditions and community. Poor execution regarding housing plans and management equates to families not being able to find adequate, affordable housing. Substandard oversight regarding emergency management does not ensure that San Marcos citizens are prepared for unexpected danger. San Marcos’ city government is responsible for creating the current Workforce Housing Task Force, which will aid the City Council’s committee in finding solutions to the current housing challenges that working
families in San Marcos face. The full City Council will, at some point, have a say in what policies will be put in place to aid the public. Whether or not the implementation is effective is the difference between current housing conditions — which consist of rising, unaffordable costs for traditional families — and better conditions consisting of those same families being able to find reasonably priced homes. A family of four should have the option to settle in a home that is reasonably priced and affordable in correlation to their income. However, housing developers along with a steady, yearly population increase in San Marcos are reasons why that is not happening. Housing developer greed for materialistic gain can be regulated by City Council. Without the right representation, however, it will be difficult for proper policy and regulation to be implemented. In order to combat that, students must find and vote for candidates who they feel have the best interests of all San Marcos citizens, not individuals who can be bought or bribed.
The City Council has a stake in decisions regarding emergency management. No resident of San Marcos can personally control the whereabouts of natural disasters and dangers, but the city’s representatives have a say or vote toward whether or not their constituents are well-prepared when circumstances beyond one’s control do occur. Furthermore, representatives have a say in how the city responds to tragedy. Proper oversight ensures that everyone in city government is held accountable, whether it be fixing a city-wide power outage or taking proper precautions after incidents like the horrific Iconic Village apartment fire. Every citizen in San Marcos should feel as if they are prepared in the event that the unexpected does happen. Effective representation is the difference between whether or not preparedness is a reality. It equates to direct oversight of emergency management execution. City representatives must place the safety of their constituents above all else, and take the actions necessary that result in the well-being of all individuals.
Self-serving and unethical politicians will place that responsibility on everywhere else but themselves. To combat that, students must get out and vote for individuals who they feel will take the city’s natural dangers personal. Students must vote for individuals who they feel will ensure that San Marcos citizens are protected, safe and prepared for the unforeseen. Students must get out and vote for the improvement of San Marcos. Moreover, students must get out and vote for those who will execute proper oversight, management and citizen well-being. The future of San Marcos is in the hands of the young innovators, creators and difference makers that occupy it. To learn more about the current San Marcos City Council and candidates, see the voting guide on pages one and two. - Jaden Edison is an electronic media sophomore
The University Star
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 | 7
SPORTS
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
Jakob Rodriguez Sports Editor @jakobryrod
FROM FRONT VOLLEYBALL
Texas State defeats Troy 3-0 By Lauren Liguez Sports Reporter The Lady Bobcats traveled to Alabama this weekend to go up against Troy Trojans for their final away match in the season. Goal by Freshman Kayla Geren with the long pass assist by Sophomore Mackenzie Smith with the ball cutting through the defense going one on one with Troy’s goalie Haleigh Mercer and scoring down the middle at the 14:33 minute making the score 1-0 in the 1st half. With 38 minutes into the 2nd half Junior Kaylee Davis with an assist from Junior Genesis Turman scores going neck and neck with Troy’s defender to then kick right past the goalie making the score 2-0. Not even two minutes later Davis scores again with the assist from Turman and Sophomore Holly Streber with the goal going right through the goalkeeper's hands making the Bobcats win the game with 3-0 being the final score. After this weekends match the two goals made my Kaylee Davis has moved her into being tied with goals in a season with Britney Curry with having 14 goals..
Softball concludes opening weekend at a record of 2-0 By Daisy Colón Sports Reporter Bobcat softball triumphed Oct. 13 over the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders with a 7-0 score and over the Sam Houston State Bearkats with a 7-2 score at a tournament at Scrapyard Stadium in The Woodlands. The Bobcats are now 2-0 overall as they dive into regular season play. Pitcher and infielder Meagan King and pitcher Krista Jacobs were the leading players for the Bobcats during game one against TAMUCC. King struck out nine Islander batters and allowed two hits through five innings. Jacobs finished the game with just two hits in two innings. Junior outfielder Mari Cranek, freshman infielder ArieAnn Bell and sophomore catcher Haleigh Davis were the key offensive players in game one. A handful of walks and hits from the Bobcat offense allowed them to shutout TAMUCC 7-0. Pitcher Dalilah Barrera led the Bobcats in the second game of the day. The transfer pitcher struck out four Bearkat hitters in four innings. Jacobs sealed the game and threw three scoreless innings while recording three strikeouts. Next, the Bobcats will face St. Edwards University at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Bobcat Softball Stadium to continue their regular season play.
"It starts in practice, and she always talks about how we need to compete and be competitive within each other even off the court,” Adams said. “In practice, it’s competing within your position, and then when it comes (to) game time, we compete across the net.” The weekend's victories started Friday with a 3-0 sweep against the Mountaineers, dominating in kills (4441), attack percentage (.344-.191), blocks (7-3), digs (47-34), and assists (43-36). Sophomore libero Micah Dinwiddie and freshman setter Brooke Johnson both picked up double-digit digs, and junior setter and outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey led the match with 18 attacks. Dinwiddie credited the team’s steady defense and standout front row players for the win. “Our offense was slow at the beginning, but our passing was there the entire time to get our offense going and to tell them we had their back,” Dinwiddie said. With a 3-1 win Saturday, the Bobcats redeemed their nail-biting 3-1 upset to the Chanticleers in the Sun Belt Championship last fall. The Bobcats are the only undefeated team in conference play with a 9-0 record and a season record of 18-5. Sophomore Brooke Johnson said the Chanticleers slowed the team’s momentum during the second set of Saturday's game, but the Bobcats were able to edge out wins in sets three and four. “In the second set we struggled a little bit," Johnson said. “We need(ed) to come in with better intensity and play better, pass better and serve better and just work on everything.” The Bobcats barreled through the first set and racked up an early 13-point lead, ultimately defeating the Chanticleers 25-17. After losing the second set 25-
Freshman outside hitter Sarabi Worsley-Gilbert, 15, strikes the ball Oct. 12 in a game against the Appalachian State University Mountaineers. PHOTO BY RAYLENE NORIEGA
22, the Bobcats were able to find their footing in the third set with a 25-20 win and in the fourth set with a 25-21 win. The team recorded a season-high 15 blocks, with senior middle Madison Daigle leading the game with seven. Daigle said the team’s cohesiveness and practice blocking in practice led to their improved performance. “They’ve got big hitters, so we had to shut them down to be successful,” Daigle said. “Block timing was crucial for us, so we worked hard on getting off the net and transitioning, and broke it down step by step.”
True freshman Emily DeWalt snagged her 15th double-double of the season and led both teams with 42 assists, 19 digs, four kills and four blocks. DeWalt continues to lead the conference in double-doubles. With 76 digs, 58 kills, 58 assists and an attack percentage of .231, the Bobcats outpaced CCU's stats: 55 digs, 49 kills, 46 assists and a .145 attack percentage. The Bobcats hit the road for their Friday game against South Alabama. Keep up with the team at the Texas State Volleyball website: txstatebobcats.com/ index.aspx?path=wvball
COACH
Softball coach to try out for U.S. Olympic team By Anthony Flores Sports Reporter
Softball associate head coach and former olympian pitcher Cat Osterman will be trying out for the U.S. National team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Osterman, 35, was originally recruited by Team USA to be a member of the national team’s coaching staff in 2020 but began to have doubts about the position shortly after landing the role. “They asked me to be in the coaching pool and I did,” said Osterman. “I applied and I got accepted in the coaching pool and the more I thought about it, my heart wasn’t in it to coach that team. there was no part of me that wanted to be named a coach (to) the national team.” Osterman's decision to play for the team wasn’t immediately in her mind, but a push from Texas State softball head coach Ricci Woodard helped prompt her decision. “We were in a car ride home and I said, ‘You know if you want to do this Olympic thing again, we can probably make that work,'” Woodard said. “I kind
of threw it out there because I thought she was probably thinking about it.” Woodard’s support eased Osterman’s worry that training and competing for the national team would get in the way of her job as Texas State’s pitching coach. “I love my job and I didn’t want to have to give that up and I kind of convinced myself it was one or the other,” Osterman said. “So as soon as (Woodard) said we would make it work, I was kind of open to it.” Osterman, a four-time Softball World Cup champion (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010), a two-time Pan American gold medalist, an Olympic gold (2004) and silver (2008) medalist and the only three-time winner of the USA Softball collegiate player of the year (2003, 2005, 2006), is a well-decorated veteran of the game For an athlete as experienced and accomplished as Osterman, jumping back into pitching felt right. “It means the world to me," Osterman said. "Once I started throwing again, the competitive juices and love of it came right back. For me, it’s something that really does fires me up.”
Osterman began perparing for her return to the field since last October and has been working out to get herself into playing shape. “I started out last October working out in the weight room,” Osterman said. “I’ve been in the weight room two or three times a week depending on what phase of lifting we’re doing. I run and bike almost six days a week, so I got myself physically back in shape and then started throwing more after the season ended. I waited till the summer and started getting in some pitching shape.” Osterman began her career with USA Softball immediately after high school and spent 10 years with the team before joining a professional league. The pitcher is looking for redemption for failing to get the gold medal in 2008. “Losing the gold or winning the silver, however you want to put it, doesn’t sit well," Osterman said. "The opportunity to possibly help a group of girls be able to experience the Olympics and win a gold medal, that’s something that really excites me.”
UniversityStar.com @universitystar
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 | 8
1. What is the name of the official student spirit organization for Texas State University Athletics? a. Loud Crowd b. Texas State Bobcat Student Fans c. Texas State Athletics Fans d. None of the above.
ANSWERS FROM OCT. 9
2. What are the official names of the two hand signs for Texas State? a. “The State of Texas” and “Eat ‘Em Up, Cats.” b. “The Heart of San Marcos” and “Eat ‘Em Up, Cats.” c. “The Heart of San Marvelous” and “Eat ‘Em Up, Cats” d. “The Heart of Texas State” and “Eat ‘Em Up, Cats.” 3. Which house/building on campus features a display of President Johnson’s memorabilia and furnishings from his student days at Texas State? a. Center for Student Retention b. Old Main c. Hill House d. None of the above. 4. Which Texas State President did President Johnson work for as an errand boy? a. J. Garland Flowers b. James H. McCrocklin c. Cecil Eugene Evans d. Thomas G. Harris
BOBCAT TRIVIA
1. What was the name of the hill that Old Main sits on? a. Bobcat Hill b. Chautauqua Hill c. LBJ Hill d. None of the above.
2. What three Texas State items make up the exhibition for Treasures of the Archives at University Archives? a. President C.E. Evans’ Keys b. A 1918 class ring c. Oscar Strahan’s letter sweater d. All of the above.
3. What year did the university bury a time capsule that is scheduled to be opened in 2036? a. 1985 b. 1903 c. 1963 d. 2014
4. What year was Old Main declared as a registered historical landmark? a. 1963 b. 1903 c. 1985 d. 2014
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