March 12, 2019

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 @universitystar | universitystar.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019

Volume 108, Issue 22

The Hays County jail has seen an 82 percent increase in population since 2014.

PHOTO BY CAMERON HUBBARD

2016 2017 2018

350,300

2014 2015 61,700

Hays County taxpayers foot $10k-a-day bill for inmate transfers

- Capt. Julissa Villalpando Public data about the costs and number of inmates outsourced has only recently been made available at weekly Hays County Commissioners Court meetings after an initiative led by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra Sr. Hays County Jail had a peak of 478 inmates between Feb. 25 and March 3. The jail has 362 beds, but only 311 beds can be used at any time because the jail must be 10 percent under capacity for safety reasons, according to Texas Commission of Jail Standards. Villalobos said the 10 percent rule is looked at from a financial perspective.

“We look at the cents and dollars, which allows us to look at the different initiatives to save and better use tax dollars,” Villalobos said.

San Marcos-based defense attorney Brian Baker argues outsourcing inmates may seem cost-effective, but it burdens an inmate’s ability to find legal counsel. Several Hays County inmates are outsourced over 100 miles away in McLennan County or

$4,315,679

"It is out of our control There are other factors in the system..."

180 miles away in Limestone County.

Driving from San Marcos to those counties can take over two hours.

Baker said if an inmate is indigent and needs a court-appointed lawyer, it is difficult to find someone willing to spend hours traveling to get information about a case.

“What lawyer wants to take an entire day to drive from San Marcos up I-35 traffic to Limestone County to meet one inmate? To me, at some point, it can be unconstitutional," Baker said. "They are denied effective meeting with counsel.”

Jail operations Capt. Julissa Villalpando said she would prefer to keep inmates closer, but nearby counties have limited staff or limited space to take in more inmates.

Villalpando is hopeful new court members and an increase in pretrial services will alleviate the overcrowding. Currently, one person handles pretrial services.

“It is out of our control," Villalpando said. "There are other factors in the system, but my job in corrections is to make sure inmates are safe and secure."

One attempt to keep the inmate population and ultimately outsourcing low is by offering recognizance bonds, nocost bail for misdemeanors. Recognizance bonds allow someone to sign official documents stating they will show in court and in turn be released on bond without having to pay. Monitoring bracelets or drug tests are occasionally part of the agreement.

The county has a 10-to-1 ratio of felonyto-misdemeanor inmates, meaning most inmates are felony defendants. County court judges give recognizance bonds to misdemeanor only inmates.

The jail will be expanded after receiving a $78 million bond in 2017. Villalpando said the first phase is expected to provide 192 new inmate beds for a total of 472 beds by 2020.

However, Hays county is likely to continue to outsource inmates based on last year’s average inmate population and the continued growth of inmates.

The expanded jail will need 91 new employees, but the county is worried about training and hiring that many people. New employees must go through three months of state standardized training with an undesirable job as a corrections officer.

2,556,144

Hays County Jail is overcrowded to the point that inmates are being transferred to other county jails, and taxpayers are footing the $10,000-a-day bill.

The jail's inmate population has increased 82 percent since 2014, way out of proportion with the 16 percent growth of the county's population, according to the Hays County sheriff’s office. The dramatic and quick rise in inmates has led the jail to reach capacity, meaning inmates are being outsourced to other county jails so much that the direct inmate cost has increased 310 percent since 2014.

The outsourcing is costing taxpayers $10,000-15,000 a day, with transportation costs varying depending on the counties' contract, according to Hays County judge chief of staff Alexander Villalobos.

The transportation cost includes food, employees, vehicles and pharmaceutical care, Villalobos said.

1,899,650

By Camelia Juarez | News Reporter

With plans to expand, the Hays County jail will need 91 new employees.

PHOTO BY CAMERON HUBBARD

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

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Carrington Tatum, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Sawyer Click, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Associate Managing Editor: Bayley Bogus, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Sonia Garcia, starnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Diana Furman, starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Carissa Liz Castillo, staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Jakob Rodriguez, starsports@txstate.edu Design Editor: Gloria Rivera, stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Cameron Hubbard, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Holly Hearn, starengagement@txstate.edu

Advertising Staff Account Executive: Katy Goerss starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive: Carmel Lujan starad4@txstate.edu

2 | Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

The University Star

APARTMENTS

The Junction residents face unwarranted charges by management

By Laura Victoria Montelongo News Reporter Residents of The Junction apartments received a two-days notice Feb. 27 that they would be back charged six months of water and sewage expenses despite a lease stating otherwise.

Just a few days earlier, Feb. 20, an email was sent out stating the complex was under new management but the current lease would remain in "full force." With confusion and fury rising through the roofs, residents spoke out about the unfairness.

Eunice Arcos, political science senior, shared her frustration with The Junction on Twitter by posting photos of The Junction's emails alongside her lease.

“IF YOU LIVE IN [San Marcos] DO NOT SIGN WITH THEM AND IF YOU ARE A CURRENT RESIDENT, DO NOT PAY THIS. We will not be taken advantage of!"

“They emailed us stating we were going to get charged six months worth of water and utilities when, in the lease, it states these two things are furnished by the complex,” Arcos said.

Under utilities and services in Arcos' lease agreement, it stated: “Landlord agrees to furnish water, sewer, pest control, trash removal, and a cable TV/ Internet package, for the Unit.”

Arcos said she and her roommates are being charged $358 for their water and sewage from the last six months, but the rate varies from unit to unit depending on usage.

Residents of The Junction waiting Mar. 11 as the shuttle bus arrives.

PHOTOS BY CAMERON HUBBARD

Mark Evans, The Junction's San Marcos manager declined to comment on the situation specifically, but spokesperson Mark Evans said the email was sent out by the previous management.

“We just assumed management of this property on March 4, and we have a much different approach than the previous management company," Evans said. "In fact, we pride ourselves, and have been recognized for, the service we provide to our residents.”

Payment plans are being offered to residents, and Evans said they are seeking fair outlooks for all residents. Residents are unsure of what consequences they will face if the fee is unpaid.

Evans said most leases signed will take place online without the involvement of management unless management is reached out to.

Texas State University's Office of the Attorney for Students reviews leases for students and can help students understand their rights and responsibilities under any given lease or contract.

“I don’t foresee eviction being an issue," Evans said "Eviction is a very extreme measure and always the last resort for any property."

The University Star will continue to update this story as information becomes available.

Full-Time Staff

IN MEMORIAM

Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu

Brihana Landrum, a tragic loss for all

Student Publications Coordinator: Mayra Mejia, mm1894@txstate.edu

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About Us History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters.

It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 5,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung.

Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, March 12, 2019. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.

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

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

Visit The Star at universitystar.com

By Sonia Garcia News Editor Her big round eyes looked ahead to the future, and she smiled at the thought of working with children. She never failed to smile when making her family proud. Her thoughts were filled with compassion, love and integrity, and no one imagined she would be gone so young.

Brihana Landrum, Texas State alumna died Feb. 17 after her ex-boyfriend allegedly shot her. In the 24 years she lived, she touched many in her community.

Over 700 people attended the funeral service and her family has been touched by the amount of support the community has offered.

Her parents, Bret and Mary Landrum, said they are extremely proud of their daughter's accomplishments and can only envision the fulfilled life she was going to live.

Brihana was a woman of Christ. She didn’t stray from talking about God and would invite people to join the church.

At the age of 12, she began volunteering at her church’s children’s ministry and became a Sunday school teacher, which sparked her love for children.

“We’re certain she’s in heaven,” Mary said. “She did a lot of good in her short life and I know that she was very grounded in her faith.”

Working with children became her life. Once Brihana got a taste of accomplishment, she craved it over and over. She always wanted to outdo her two older brothers, Ryan Bret and Corey Shea.

On her maternal side, she took pride in being the first grandchild to earn her degree. She took on every challenge with unmatched elegance and set an example for her many cousins.

She never complained of how many commitments she had, only smiled, happy to be alive.

Brihana’s long term goal was to open a daycare for families who did not have the means for paying a daycare. Ever since she became involved with her church and a local daycare, her heart told her she had a purpose. And she needed to help the families who felt like no one else would.

She led a project at her church for single parents. Twice a month, parents would drop off their young children and she would watch them for four hours on

a Saturday, free of cost. The Landrums plan on continuing this project in their daughters honor.

Brihana was last working with Jewell, an Oldcastle company. She started as a sales representative and learned her way around the company efficiently. After talking with senior management, her parents discovered she was going to get a management position only three days after her passing.

Her father and she had a talk about her managing Jewell for a chapter of her life and this would lead to her starting her daycare.

Lupe Rocha, Mary’s sister, said Brihana’s parents pushed her to be who she was.

She didn’t do anything without involving family first.

“She wanted to make her mom and her dad proud in everything she did,” Rocha said. “It was always what is my mom going to think and what is my dad going to think.”

Brihana was only days away from taking her test to receive her masters degree in family and child studies. She completed all the course course work last spring. She had also previously received her bachelor of science in family and consumer sciences at Texas State.

As a graduate student, Brihana contributed to the alcance project. Her research encouraged Latino students to excel in school.

The School of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Landrums have been in contact about a private ceremony for Brihana to officially receive her masters degree.

Her next step in furthering her education was a decision she had not yet made. She was enticed by the idea of getting her MBA, but was also considering continuing her family and child studies in a doctorate program.

She told her family she would be “Dr. Flaka,” her childhood nickname. Dr. Flaka was going to go far.

Brihana, like all, fell in love. A first love that was untelling of a fatal future.

“There was no indication this was going to happen,” Bret said. “We want to make her goals a reality,” Mary said.

Before she went to work on Wednesday, her father told her “Have a great day at work,” and she then parted ways. The Sunday of the incident her mother gave

Brihana Landrum graduated in Fall 2018.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARY LANDRUM

her a hug, kiss and a “I love you,” as they went about their days. No party knew those would be the last words they shared.

Mary and Bret said they had a beautiful relationship with their daughter.

1,400 viewed the live stream of Brihana’s memorial and Bret said that is a testament of the her and the way she touched everyone she knew. When people met her, they absolutely adored her according to Bret.

Like many, Paul Diaz, senior pastor at Southwest Christian Church wrote a Facebook post about Briana after her death.

"The Kingdom is larger for her service and we all are better for having known her," Diaz said. "She made a difference; not just for a day or even a year, but for eternity."

She acted justly, love tenderly and walked humbly.

Briahana was cremated on Feb. 28.

After the Landrum family received her ashes a memorial mass was held on March 8. Southwest Christian Church set up a memorial fund for the Landrums.

Brihana lived and continues to live on through Proverbs 31:25.

"She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

When she speaks, her words are wise and she gives instructions with kindness."

The University Star

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | 3

AWARDS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARLOS CORONA

Texas State students win awards in Dubai competition

By Sierra Martin News Reporter Two Texas State teams traveled to Dubai in early February to present business models and compete in The New Venture Challenge. They ended up walking away with two awards totaling $12,000.

The NVC, sponsored by the American University of Sharjah, is attributed to be the largest business competition in the Middle East. 255 teams from around the world applied between Sept. 10 and Dec. 1. for a chance to win $50,000.

Of those teams, only 17 were selected, with eight from the U.S. Texas State was the only university to have two teams present because of their impressive business models.

Carlos Corona, chemistry senior and Michael Opoku, PhD student, represented the NABACO team. They developed a product called Natuwrap that triples the shelf life of fruits, reducing food waste. Natuwrap is a self-assembling nano-composite with two components, trees and minerals mined from the ground. NABACO won the Khatib and Alami award for Best Exhibit, bringing home an $8,000 prize.

Natuwrap has gained the interest of major name grocers such as H-E-B and Whole Foods, which have sent letters of intent.

“We already have partners that are interested in buying the product,” Corona said.“This product almost seems too good to be true. It’s cheap, it’s

approved and it’s effective.”

The Kosmic Energy team, represented

by Ricardo Ramirez III, CEO and inventor the Kosmic Energy model, and Alex McGraw, finance senior, also competed at the NVC. Kosmic Energy developed a solar collector that tracks the sun and concentrates the light energy by optic fibers. Kosmic Energy won the Khatib and Alami Best Exhibit award of $4,000.

The Kosmic energy team developed a product revolutionary to produce. Their business model is a sustainable energy lighting alternative for using LED grow lights in the vertical and container farming industries.

It does this by utilizing sun-tracking software, lenses and optical fiber cables to transfer direct sunlight into these indoor facilities and then disperse this direct sunlight among its designated area of plants.

The technology created by Kosmic Energy would not only significantly reduce energy use and costs but also create a natural solar environment for plants, increasing their rate of production.

"It is able to reduce the energy usage in these farms by at least 50 percent, which is significant because energy usage makes up 25 percent of all operating expenses for these types of farms," McGraw said.

"Sunlight also enables plants to reach their full yield potential and crop quality, while artificial lights (LEDs) stunt the yield and quality potential."

Accompanying the two teams was

Gary Beall, a regents professor who works with students in the material science, engineering and commercialization Ph.D. program.

Beall said Texas State has strong competitors because his teams were made up of students with very strong communication skills and knowledge in many different backgrounds.

“Quite frankly, I think our teams were just as impressive as all of the big schools," Beall said. "I think if people saw our teams perform, they would be really shocked at how good they are. And it’s more of a statement on our students, they step up to the plate and knock the home runs."

“The advantage we have is that our teams are multidisciplinary. We have the inventors who are usually scientists or engineers, but then we bring in an MBA from the business school and an MFA student from fine arts to do our branding and logos and make our presentations look really nice,” Beall said.

The talent and skill set of the students representing Texas State didn’t go unnoticed, and many judges and competitors took note that Texas State was the only school at the competition with two teams. One of the organizers said the Texas State teams were amazing according to Beall.

Despite the positive comments both teams received throughout the competition, only the NABACO team made it to the final round. Being the only university with two teams proved to be a disadvantage near the end of the

NVC. During the end stages of the NVC, there was a debate over if they could have two teams from the same school in the finals. Because of this, only the NABACO team made it to the final stage of the competition to compete for the $50,000 prize.

The success of the two teams at the NVC competition and the future growth of the company can not only be attributed to the hard-working students, but also to the Texas State faculty aiding in their development.

Coronas said it’s mentors like Holland and Beall that shape the future for students. Without their guidance and background knowledge in competing in competitions, the student's wouldn't have been as successful.

"Having expansive and experienced faculty has been vital in advising us on advancing our company and product, leading us closer to the market," McGraw said.

NABACO is going to compete in the Rice Business Plan competition link, which according to Beall is one of the biggest business school competitions in the world. The event will take place in April with a grand prize of $600,000.

Dartmouth University won the $50,000 grand prize with the business model of Neuroelectric, which developed a high-temperature shield to improve safety and reduce costs of the nuclear industry.

LIFE & ARTS

4 | Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Diana Furman | Life & Arts Editor

The University Star

ALUMNI

(TOP) Standard on the frontline for his first time.

(BOTTOM LEFT) An airstrike Jan.6 in Ash Shafa.

(BOTTOM RIGHT) A killhole on a roof top south of Hajin.

PHOTO COURTESTY OF WARREN STODDARD

The Syrian Civil War Texas State alumnus fights alongside volunteer Kurdish army

By Diana Furman Life & Arts Editor Six men, strangers only months before, sat cramped in a Toyota Hilux as it rolled under the Syrian sun. Gravel crunched under the tires and Taylor Swift songs echoed off the dashboard. A motorcyclist from Texas passed around a bag of nuts and bananas. Laughter and small talk ensued. Rifles sat on the floorboards.

Warren Stoddard, Texas State alumnus, graduated in 2018 with a creative writing degree. Now, he sits in front of me outside of Mochas and Javas. His eyes gleam as he recalls one of his most memorable experiences from Syria; not a moment of war, a moment of peace.

He leans against the window we sit beside, clad in a simple T-shirt and jeans. His left arm is adorned with a Hemingway tattoo: the cover design of "The Sun Also Rises."

Stoddard returned to Texas only days ago. For the past seven months, he has been a volunteer in the Kurdish militia fighting against ISIS. Stoddard grew up in a military family.

On his fingers, he lists all the uncles and cousins that have served. His father, a marine veteran, was killed when Stoddard was 3 years old.

Stoddard knew his calling was to

serve, just as his family had. He enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 18 years old, but had to leave due to knee problems. Then, ear issues kept him from Texas State's ROTC. In 2016, Stoddard began following the war in Syria. He completed college with the goal in mind to join the Kurdish militia upon graduation, which is a mix of Western volunteers and Kurds fighting to reclaim Syria from militant control. The U.S. military provides support and protection for these militias.

Stoddard discovered the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, the U.S.’ most trusted ally, on Facebook. He sent them a message but received no reply.

He emailed the group again January 2018. They emailed back with instructions and a reading list that encompassed their ideology: books on ecology, feminism and democratic federalism.

In March 2018, Stoddard bought a one-way ticket to Sulaimaniyah, Iraq.

Stoddard said his friends were impressed by his willingness to leave everything behind and take up arms.

His family, on the other hand, had a difficult time accepting his decision.

Stoddard said he was visiting his mother and stepfather for dinner when he happened upon a surprise. On the kitchen island was an elaborate display

"Everybody’s life is the most important life in the world, and everyone lives like their life is the most important in the world. Humanity is humanity.

Recognizing that brings the world closer together.”

-Warren Stoddard

of Stoddard’s childhood photos.

The pictures ranged from when Stoddard was 3 to 23 years old.

His mother walked around the island, pulled out a kitchen knife and held it out to him.

“If you go, you might as well plunge this into my heart,” she said.

Regardless of her protest, Stoddard pursued the voice in his head telling him to fight.

“I was super calm about leaving; when I left here, I was fine,” Stoddard said. “I was more worried about coming back home than I was about leaving.”

He arrived at the Sulaimaniyah airport and a contact took him to a safe house. He stayed there overnight sipping tea, smoking cigarettes and watching movies.

He then crossed the border to Syria to join the academy where they underwent military training and language classes.

His class originally consisted of three men but grew over time.

Stoddard said it was often quiet and still at the academy. They spent most of their time gardening and planting trees.

Once it was time to deploy, a list of names that divided the volunteers into squads was pulled out. If your name was read, you were shipped to the frontline.

SEE ALUMNI PAGE 2

5 | Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Diana Furman | Life & Arts Editor

The University Star

FROM PAGE 4 “When he read off my name, I started convulsing almost,” Stoddard said. “It was a mixture of fear and adrenaline.

Just excitement.”

His squad consisted of six men. Any social shyness was quickly overcome.

Each person knew they were there for the same reason. They all knew their lives were on the line. There was no time or room for façades.

Stoddard’s humor and passion take me by surprise. He recalls memories with exact detail, a true storyteller at heart. He is most animated when recounting what he describes as his squad’s “crescendo” training operation before battle.

On Christmas Eve, Stoddard’s squad faced their crucible moment before they were sent to the frontline.

At 4:30 a.m., the men left the base and traveled to the woods along a river.

They snacked on cold spam under pouring rain in thirty-degree weather.

After six hours, the man in charge instructed the squad to scout nearby hills, figure out the coordinates and call in an airstrike. However, in order to get to the hills, they had to cross a raging river.

A squad member from Kansas decided he would demonstrate to the others how to tactfully cross the river.

The squad member stepped into the cold water, instructing them as he trudged through. After walking a few feet, he fell into silt and dropped down, chest-deep. He kept walking, protecting his gun from the water.

“It’s always important to keep your rifle above your he-“ He dropped under the water before he could finish his sentence.

The squad burst out laughing. When the squad member popped back up and Stoddard saw his shocked face,

Stoddard dropped his machine gun and backpack and dove into the freezing water.

Stoddard fished him out and hauled the man back to the bank.

Back on land, the squad realized they needed to go back for the rifle they had left in the river. They searched for 20 minutes to no avail.

They arose from the freezing water with blue chests. They stripped down and wrapped up in space blankets, beginning the three-mile walk back to the base.

Stoddard’s friend from New York, Rasheed, pulled out Mars Bars as they hiked back in the rain.

Once they were back at base, they took all the heaters from the storage rooms and placed them in the common room.

There, wrapped in blankets in a circle of space heaters, they watched Christmas movies.

Once on the frontline, Stoddard’s squad began to advance behind coalition airstrikes. They held tight during the day and moved forward at night.

It was during a dust storm that Stoddard saw his first and last moment of active combat. Dust and debris kicked up around lunchtime. Mortars began going off, but Stoddard was too exhausted to fight. He took cover and fell asleep.

He was awoken by a mortar hitting the wall beside him. He received word that sniper fire, as well as machine gun and small arm fire had began and was instructed to keep his head down. The Arab men he was with decided they should head for the roof.

Stoddard, eager to fight, grabbed his rifle and ran to the rooftop. Looking down, he fired at a couple of men

Stoddard and squad members cleaning weapons on Christmas Day. PHOTO COURTESTY OF WARREN STODDARD

running through rubble. Suddenly, the wall exploded. The mortar had missed his face by only a couple of inches.

He got up in a panic. He ran limp to the stairwell. He patted himself down, realizing his leg was numb. He assumed it was solely rocks that hit him and continued down the stairs. He paused again. He knew something was wrong.

When he looked down at his shoe, he realized it was drenched in blood.

An Arab fighter threw Stoddard over his shoulder and hauled him to safety.

It turns out the bullet had hit the wall and shattered into different pieces.

He was wounded in the armpit, leg and foot. The fragments even took out his rifle.

He returned to the U.S. after two weeks due to his injuries. He received medical attention in Alabama for a month before coming back to Texas.

He arrived home with more than a piece of metal lodged into his leg. He said his outlook on his country changed drastically.

Stoddard said the notion of capitalism has never sat well with him.

After returning from Syria, he found himself resenting capitalism even more.

He said it is nearly impossible to live in the U.S. without a constant income, but in Syria, one can exist without any money at all.

“Everything they say is the 'American dream' and what makes capitalism great is happening in this quasi-socialistcapitalist enclave of Syria,” Stoddard said.

Stoddard said his whole life he was taught socialism and communism were evil. However, he found more peace in Syria than he has his entire life in the U.S. “(In the U.S.) it is such a materialistic

existence, and you kind of block out everything else around you,” Stoddard said. “People live their lives on their smartphones and post all this shit that looks like they’re living this huge life, but they’re just missing everything that’s really happening. Americans in general just miss everything that’s happening.”

Stoddard said he wants the U.S. to recognize what is occurring in Syria.

He hopes sharing his story will help others learn more about the war.

“What happens over there is important for more reasons than our gas prices,” Stoddard said. “The rest of the world matters as much as we do.”

Stoddard said it’s our individuality that unites humanity. He brings up a moment from Tolstoy’s novel "War and Peace," where men are about to be lined up and shot. He said each one of them held their lives at the utmost importance above all else.

“Everybody’s life is the most important life in the world, and everyone lives like their life is the most important in the world,” Stoddard said.

“Humanity is humanity. Recognizing that brings the world closer together.”

Stoddard said the Syrian Revolution is no different from the American, French or Russian Revolutions.

“They’re all just people fighting for freedom,” Stoddard said.

When I asked Stoddard about his plans for the future, he glanced at his motorcycle in the parking lot.

“My Harley’s clutch is acting a little weird so I’m planning to fix that,” Stoddard said.

Next month, he will be attending a motorcycle show in North Carolina.

“Between now and then, I guess I have to figure out what to do with my life,” Stoddard said. “I mean, I have a creative writing degree.”

OPINIONS

The University Star

Carissa Liz Castillo | Opinions Editor

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | 6

CAMPUS

Texas State would benefit from an on-campus grocery store

By Laura Nunez Opinions Columnist Texas State offers cafeterias, dining halls, coffee shops, convenience stores and fast food options for its student body. However, an on-campus grocery store full of healthier options and affordable produce would be a beneficial addition to campus life.

College students have earned a reputation for unhealthy eating habits. Considering they struggle with time management and money, busy schedules often become a priority in their lives and they forget to allow enough time to eat. This results in students choosing to eat fast and easy food. By offering a grocery store to its students, Texas State would be promoting a healthier lifestyle at students' convenience.

The majority of food options offered

by Texas State are catered to students on a time crunch. The opportunity to make a trip to a grocery store in town can be difficult for some students who don’t have time or a car. Having an easily accessible store on campus would eliminate the barriers to a healthier diet that some students face.

Meal swipes take pressure off of oncampus residents and encourage the mentality of unhealthy eating habits.

Students who live on-campus can quickly head down to Jones Dining Center and grab a meal at Panda Express or Cheeburger Cheeburger instead of cooking a healthier meal.

For ultimate convenience, a meal plan method could be implemented alongside the grocery store system and it could accept both dining dollars and credit cards. Adding this feature to the store would motivate students to consider cooking and preparing healthy meals for themselves.

Students who live off-campus could benefit from this addition as well. Most off-campus students don’t purchase meal swipes for the semester despite Texas State having a commuter meal plan, so they are solely depending on their out-of-pocket money to get them through the week. Unlike on-campus residents, students who live off-campus have access to a more private kitchen environment and could be a prime

ILLUSTRATION BY VALKYRIE MATA

customer for a low-cost grocery store.

San Marcos is littered with a variety of grocery store locations. In fact, a small H-E-B branch is only a walking distance away from campus. Texas State could collaborate with local markets or grocery stores in the area, such as the H-E-B near campus, to reach low-cost agreements in aiding the student body with fresh and affordable products.

Some organizations on campus have taken steps to confront the issue of providing students with grocery items. For example, Bobcat Bounty is a student-run food pantry at Texas State that began in 2018. They run a grocery store-style pantry every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in room 187 of the Family and Consumer Sciences Building.

Faculty from the Food Security Learning Community noticed an opportunity to reach an ignored market. Texas State should expand the project and make it an actual store that the entire student body could easily access any day of the week.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) opened Tech Mart, an affordable grocery store connected to their dining program. MIT students were finding it difficult to make trips to local grocery stores for a variety of reasons. The university has since reported a weekly turnout of around 400 students. MIT is a prime example of the benefits a grocery store could bring to our campus.

Texas State provides plenty of food options around campus and

accommodates a variety of different palates. The cafeterias also consistently offer a plethora of flavors for the students. Although Texas State's student body has great resources for food on campus, it would be beneficial to have a campus grocery store catered to offering fresh produce, and not just convenient food.

An on-campus grocery store would bring opportunities for better student health and would be an overall upgrade to Texas State's campus image. Students need to have opportunities to indulge in healthier habits, and Texas State should help facilitate that.

- Laura Nunez is an advertising sophomore

PARKING

Texas State needs to address the parking problem

By Laura Nunez Opinions Columnist Last week, The University Star ran an article over the possible implementation of parking meters on The Square.

Local business owners are complaining that college students use their customer parking and want a solution for this inconvenience.

Because The Square provides free and available parking next to campus, students often park there and rush to class in hopes of returning before the two-hour limit expires.

On-campus parking passes are not affordable for every student and there aren’t enough spots offered, anyway.

Although the student body has complained about the parking on campus for years, they continue to receive silence from the administration about this matter.

Understandably, local business owners are upset that students are crowding their shops and hindering the limited parking these businesses have. Some owners have even gotten to the point of making special accommodations to avoid using their own parking spots.

However, the problem doesn’t lie with the business owners, and it also doesn’t lie with desperate Texas State students.

The cause of this problem actually lies much deeper.

Texas State has a shameful past of selling more parking passes than there are parking spots. In 2018, Texas State sold more than double the amount of parking passes than there are parking spots for restricted area parking, according to the yearly statistics on the

parking services website.

To make matters worse, parking passes are expensive, and most students will understandably do what they can to avoid those extra expenses. In fact, parking pass sales have significantly dropped in the last year since students are avoiding the struggle of campus parking at all costs.

Students are more inclined to take the campus shuttles or park downtown as a result of the shortage of parking spots on campus. Parking garages are popular places to park, but they require a pass or payment. There are only two pay-to-park garages on campus. One located by the LBJ Student Center and the other on Edward Gary Street.

The inconvenience of parking is evident, so the students have taken their needs to The Square.

According to Tatum Story and her article, the city is the primary source of involvement in this parking meter case.

The city wants to take these precautions to prevent the limited parking at The Square from being taken over by students. San Marcos is one of the fastest growing cities in our area, and parking will become more and more difficult as the population continues to grow. However, it’s irresponsible to target college students as the main cause of this problem.

Local business owners need to confront Texas State as a whole and find a solution to this problem. The inability for students to find proper parking is now being handled as a city matter; for Texas State to stay oblivious to this obvious campus problem is plain ignorance.

ILLUSTATION BY VALKYRIE MATA

Texas State seems to understand that the school is growing fast. LBJ Student Center is currently under complete renovation and there are plans to build new dorm buildings in the next year or two. The only aspect Texas State seems to ignore is parking. Texas State needs to limit their parking pass availability or create more reliable transportation opportunities. Action needs to be taken.

Texas State students are abusing downtown parking and deterring possible customers from local businesses.

The owners have a right to be frustrated; they want to find a solution to

this chaos. However, they should direct their frustrations at the university, not the students.

The implementation of parking meters downtown will be a direct punishment to the students of Texas State.

Students are essentially keeping these businesses running, so it’s unfair to add another expense to their lives over something they have no control over.

- Laura Nunez is an advertising sophomore

7 | Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Carissa Liz Castillo | Opinions Editor

The University Star

COUPLES

Same-sex female couples do not exist for the pleasure of men

By Bayley Bogus Associate Managing Editor Same-sex female couples are often fetishized and harassed, which is an issue that is not given much significance. have lost count of the numerous times I have gone out with my girlfriend in public and we have experienced harassment. As a couple, it has been completely normalized to hold hands in public or exhibit some form of PDA. However, by “normalized,” I mean conveying affection to a significant other is okay only between heterosexual couples.

We have grown up and live in a heteronormative world, so the second two girls kiss or show affection towards one another it is instantly fetishized and everyone wants to either stare or join.

As a bisexual woman, I have been with both male and female. Since the start of dating my girlfriend, I immediately picked up on how people treated us different from when I was with a man. I used to feel so excited to go out to The Square, but it has become such an uncomfortable place for me now that I am in a same-sex female relationship.

Men often gawk at us walking by, whistle at us or yell out that we should “make out for them;" all of this similar to how animals are treated as entertainment in a zoo.

This is an incredibly uneasy situation, especially with how prevalent the problem is in San Marcos and the fact it feels inescapable. However, after months of experiencing constant harassment from men, I realized relationships similar to my own encounter the same ordeals; the fact of

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA IMAGBE

the matter is more often than not, men believe women exist for them and their pleasure, particularly same-sex female relationships. Now, I am speaking very generally, as I know this is not all men.

This is just my experience.

Living in a millennial world where acceptance has become a focal point, I never thought what my girlfriend and I currently go through on a daily basis is something that actually happens—until I lived it.

With Texas State hosting such a high number of LGBTQIA+ students, I can only imagine how many other lesbian or bisexual couples experience similar harassment brought on mainly by straight men.

I find it so disappointing that statistics regarding sexual harassment and abuse are skewed on campus in

ORGANIZATIONS

Black students need to participate more in black orgs

By K indalynn Ortega Opinions Columnist Texas State prides itself on diversity, but the demographics of the student body say otherwise. The institution is categorized as a “PWI,” which means it is a predominantly white institution.

With African-American students accounting for only 11.18 percent of Texas State’s demographic, it is important for them to participate in black organizations as often as possible.

There are a handful of black organizations on campus such as The Black Student Alliance, African Student Organization, Black Women United, Black Men United and Women of Gold, to name a few. These organizations welcome all races and ethnicities but are aimed towards Texas State's black student body.

The main goal for any organization tailored to a specific group of people is to be a safe space for them to express and vent shared experiences without fear of judgment. These organizations can even be therapeutic for students at times.

Being apart of a black organization gives African-American students a greater sense of belonging. For many students, it's a culture shock to attend a university that does not have demographics that reflect their racial background, especially if they previously went to minority-based schools. Being around people with similar interests and experiences makes adapting to college lifestyle much easier.

Forming connections within one's own culture opens doors that may not be opened otherwise. For example, if a student is interested in AfricanAmerican studies or wants to go into a career revolved around black issues, being present in black organizations would put that student on the path to meeting people with common goals.

In fact, African-American faculty members often attend meetings black organizations put on. This heightens

the possibility of getting connected with people who could potentially be a future employer and gives black students a strong support system to rely on.

Many African-American students don’t feel the need to be involved in organizations for several reasons. They may feel occupied with their academic and personal lives, have misconceptions of what exactly happens at the meetings or simply don’t see what good could come out of connecting with people from similar backgrounds.

Although college life is hectic and demanding, meetings are only once a week and typically run no longer than an hour for most organizations.

It is important to understand that black organizations are not a place where African-American students go to complain about oppression. Meetings cover a wide range of topics including family, friends, relationships and other issues.

Participating in organizations has a lasting impact on students' futures.

If attendance at events drops too low, the organizations lose the funding needed to continue their programs.

For prospective students, this means the safe spaces that may attract them are in danger of being taken away. It is essential that these students feel they are welcomed at Texas State, especially because it doesn’t have many black students to begin with.

Being active in black organizations— whether students have a low or high commitment to the organizations— means something. Getting to know peers in black organizations have the power to open doors and change lives. The benefits are endless and vary from person to person, but something positive will always come to students who take time to engage in organizations that are made as safe spaces for them.

- Kindalynn Ortega is a mass communication freshman

order to present the school as safer.

What is more disheartening is how female couples are consistently harassed and the issue is not talked about nearly as often as it should be.

On numerous occasions, I have been told to “maybe not kiss in public” or go dancing at clubs that have proven to be safe spaces. First, there are limited gay clubs in the area. So unless I wanted to drive to Austin anytime I choose to go out—which I don’t—there are not many options in San Marcos.

Additionally, I should never feel so uncomfortable at a spot that I avoid the place if I’m out with my girlfriend.

My outings should not be limited because I’m gay. Second, I have yet to understand the continual victimblaming; there is no reason I should have to watch my actions with my

partner any more than a straight couple would.

I truly believe the root of the problem is how people, i.e. men, are raised to think women and everything we do is for their desires and pleasures.

Lesbians are often seen as a challenge for men to “convert.” My girlfriend has told me how many men actually think they can change her sexual orientation because she has not had sex with them yet, so she must be missing out on something. These men truly believe women identify as lesbians or bisexuals because they have not “had good D” yet.

This may come as a surprise to the men who grew up being told the world belonged to them, but women are allowed to form relationships with each other without male involvement.

It is time for men to acknowledge the inherent privileges they were gifted and hold one another accountable for these forms of harassment against women.

Stop sexualizing and objectifying same-sex female relationships. I am not dating a woman because I’ve yet to have great sex with a man, nor am I dating her for men to ogle us on the street and call our relationship hot.

In fact, walking to class past the construction in LBJ, my girlfriend and I have this unspoken rule to keep to ourselves because the harassment from male workers has become so prevalent; we feel the need to disconnect out of fear of being approached.

Female relationships are not for the benefit of male consumption. We are over it and tired of it. All I ask is for the same treatment any straight couple receives, as it should be a right rather than a privilege.

- Bayley Bogus is a journalism senior

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SPORTS

11 | Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Jakob Rodriguez | Sports Editor

The University Star

BASKETBALL

Senior guard Toshua Leavitt applies pressure March 9 to the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks defensive front.

PHOTOS BY JAKOB RODRIGUEZ

Texas State loses heartbreaker to UTA

By Colton McWilliams Sports Reporter Heading into the season finale, the stakes were high for the Texas State Bobcats as they faced off with instate rival the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks.

Not only was this senior day and a rivalry game, but the Bobcats were battling for a first-round bye in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

Unfortunately, this was game fans and players would rather forget.

Despite leading the Mavericks 2817 at halftime, the Bobcats struggled offensively in the second half as UTA’s late-game heroics survived the Texas State upset in a 44-41 victory.

UTA clinched a share of the Sun Belt regular season title with the victory while Texas State finished the regular season at a 14-16 with a 9-9 conference record.

Head coach Zenarae Antoine said this turned out to be a heartbreaking loss for many of the fans, players, and coaches who wanted to send off the seniors with a win in their last game at Strahan Coliseum.

“These games are really hard,” Antoine said. “Especially when you have an opportunity…the buzzer went off and that was it. At the end of the day I’m hurt for our seniors, this was hard to stomach. I also know that our season isn’t over.”

The first quarter was a defensive battle as both teams never gave each other clean shots at the basket. Despite allowing six points off turnovers, the Bobcats out-rebounded the Mavericks 11-7 to keep them in the game. After the end of the first quarter, Texas State led UT Arlington 11-9.

Entering the second quarter, both defenses refused to let up. Both teams traded points as no one would gain a large lead. But, with less than six minutes left in the period, the Bobcats found their groove.

The offense scored 12 points in the remaining quarter while the Texas State defense would shut down the UTA offense by allowing no points.

The Bobcats took their largest lead of the game so far leading the Mavericks

28-17 at halftime which junior guard Brooke Holle said helped keep the Bobcats in the game.

“It was just our defense and we got some good stops,” Holle said.

“It created our energy on offense… our defense was leading to different scores.”

Just like the rest of the first half, both defenses shut down the team's other’s offense. In fact, both defenses allowed a combined two points till halfway through the third period.

Though the Bobcats failed to score during that time period, their defense forced 6 turnovers to keep Texas State ahead. The Bobcats finally scored their first points of the third after a 3-pointer by senior guard Toshua Levitt.

Despite only scoring three points in the third, the good defense kept the Texas State lead at 31-27.

However, the Mavericks began to chop into the Bobcat lead and eventually took a 39-36 advantage following a 12-2 run. Heading into the final minute of the game all tied at 40, UTA hit a late 3 pointer to give them the advantage.

Texas State cut into the lead by hitting one free throw to trail by two.

With the final possession, Texas State turned the ball over. UTA hit their final free throw to seal the victory 4441.

Levitt led the team in scoring with 16 points as junior forward Jazza Johns and freshman forward Da’Nasia Hood would contribute with eight and seven points respectively. Hood also had a team-high nine rebounds as well as Bailey Holley with eight.

Despite the home loss to UTA, not everything was bad for Texas State.

Following the South Alabama loss to Appalachian State, the Bobcats clinched a first-round bye in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and will play the winner of the LouisianaSouth Alabama game.

“It is win or go home,” Levitt said, commenting on the Sun Belt Conference tournament. “Everyone has to give everything they have whether they are tired or not because it could possibly be our last game.”

Senior guard Toshua Leavitt sinks a frethrow March 9 following a foul by a UTA Maverick.

PHOTOS BY JAKOB RODRIGUEZ

12 | Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Men’s golf finishes second at Jack Rabbit Invitational The Texas State men's golf team placed second at the Jackrabbit Invitational in Boulder City, Nevada on Friday with a final score of 889, 25 over par.

First on the leaderboard was James Madison, shooting a total score of 865 with just 1-over-par. Coming in at a close third was Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 890.

James Madison’s Nacho Montero took the individual title with a carded score of 203, 13-under-par.

Texas State junior Logan Lockwood tied for 5th after three rounds with a score of 219 (75-72-72), 3-over-par. The top-five finish marks Lockwood’s first of the season.

Two Bobcats tied for 10th, Calvin Ross, 222 (77-73-72) and Dalton Hankamer, 222 (80-68-74). Redshirt senior Logan Davis finished tied for 41st with a carded score of 229, followed by freshman Evan White, who tied for 51st with a score of 232.

Next the Bobcats travel to Lake Charles, LA, for the Lake Charles Invitational hosted by McNeese State on March 18-19..

Bobcat softball swept

by Ragin' Cajuns in first conference series Texas State softball went 0-3 at home in a series against the 11th-ranked University of Lousiana at Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns this weekend, marking their fifth straight loss of the season.

The Bobcats lost 1-6 in the first game of the series Friday night to the Cajuns, who churned out six hits and five runs in their first three appearances at the plate.

Junior outfielder Christiana McDowell was the only Bobcat to round the bases with a solo home run in the bottom of the third.

Two Bobcats managed to connect with the ball, including McDowell (3-3) and sophomore infielder ArieAnn Bell (1-3).

"We have to execute better," said head coach Ricci Woodard. "We need to be able to execute our pitches and hit our locations."

In game two of the series, Texas State lost 3-5 despite scoring three runs on five hits.

Louisiana started the top of the second inning with two hits and one earned run.

The Bobcats answered back by earning three runs on two hits at the bottom of the inning.

The Cajuns tied the game back up in the top of the fourth before toppling the Bobcats with two deciding runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Texas State finished the series Sunday with a 4-7 loss against the Ragin' Cajuns.

After an early lead from the Cajuns, the team came back with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it proved too little too late for the Bobcats.

Texas State will travel to Mobile, Alabama, next weekend to face the South Alabama Jaguars.

Women's Tennis upsets Missouri State The Texas State Bobcats faced off Sunday against the Missouri State Bears.

The Bobcats started off the match strong by the doubles duo of seniors Ana Perez and Julia Navajo Melendez The duo, along with doubles partners sophomore Rishona Israel-Lewis and senior Joy Chia-Ming Ming, swept their opponents to get the crucial doubles to point to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.

The Bobcats improved to 4-5 in the season while the Bears drop to 7-6. The Bobcats will be looking to improve to 5-5 when they play conference opponent Troy University next week on March 16 at Troy.

Jakob Rodriguez | Sports Editor

The University Star

FOOTBALL

Coach Bob Stitt brings innovation to Bobcat offense this fall

By Zachary Lopez Sports Reporter A giant dry erase board hugged the walls of coach Bob Stitt's office.

Covered in X's, O's, Z's and Y's, the board looked like a scene from "A Beautiful Mind," but for football plays.

Stitt, the new offensive coordinator at Texas State, was the architect of the "fly sweep" play that is used by some of the highest scoring offenses in college football and the National Football League. Stitt brings his innovative offense to Texas State as a member of head coach Jake Spavital's coaching staff. Spavital has lent Stitt the reins of the offense.

“Coach Spavital understands all the things that we have been doing,” Stitt said. “It's great to be part of his program because he is kind of letting me do our stuff.”

Stitt learned many of his groundbreaking styles from the time spent under coach Kay Dalton at Northern Colorado, who learned under Mike Shanahan during his time in the NFL. “I was lucky enough to work for Kay Dalton, who had been in the NFL for about a dozen years,” Stitt said. “Mike Shanahan was coming from the 49ers, and the West Coast offense was the hot thing with Bill Walsh. He came back and taught coach Dalton the ins-and-outs of the West Coast offense and that's where I started. It was the core, base and knowledge of the West Coast offense.”

As a young coach, Stitt constantly tried to create innovative plays and tactics, but few head coaches were willing to try them out.

Eventually, Stitt would gain creative freedom as a head coach at Colorado School of Mines. His famous "fly sweep" play was created one day at practice when the man in motion kept botching the handoff.

The idea of tossing the ball instead of handing it off came to mind.

“It just popped it into my head, 'why can't we just put it in the air?

Then, the timing doesn't matter as much, and you can be a little early or be a little late," Stitt said. "I just stopped practice and said 'wait for a second, this is what we are going to do.' We tried it and it was pretty easy.”

The following year, Stitt’s team went undefeated in the regular season and never scored under 27 points. Colorado School of Mines ran this offense for almost 10 years before it hit the mainstream.

“We just kind of stayed and flew under the radar,” Stitt said. "I was at the Colorado School of Mines and nobody is watching the School of Mines on TV.” During a coaching clinic in Las Vegas, Stitt taught some of the air raid coaches from around the

Offensive Coordinator Bob Stitt addresses members of the media Feb. 6 on national signing day .

PHOTOS BY KATE CONNORS

country his “fly sweep” schemes, including college football legends like Hal Mumme, Dana Holgorsen and eventually Mike Leach. Leach said the idea was ingenious.

“It’s really ingenious,” Leach said. “(Stitt has) got the caveman version of the fly sweep like we do, but he’ll do play-action passes off of it, hard Iso off of it, misdirection counters off of it. What he did is he took that action and attached it to many formations. Even if the fly sweep was a fraction of the plays, he’d use fly sweep action on most of (them).”

"I was lucky enough to work for Kay Dalton, who had been in the NFL for about a dozen years.”

-Bob Stitt In 2012, Holgorsen and the West Virginia Mountaineers demolished the Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl 70-33. A record-breaking game that included 10 touchdowns (including six passing touchdowns for quarterback Geno Smith), the matchup changed college football for good.

After the game, when sideline

reporter Lisa Salters asked Holgorsen about this type of offense, he responded: “I got that from my good friend Bob Stitt at the Colorado School of Mines.”

Just like that, Stitt was trending on Twitter.

Schools in the Big 12 and Big 10, as well as high school football programs throughout Texas soon, began implementing the offense, using its simplistic style to let players react instead of thinking Stitt said.

“If you could find a way to simplify things, why would you want to have your quarterback to have to focus on understanding what the call is,” Stitt said. “Everyone knows what is going on and so to me, I want them to concentrate on how to defeat the defense instead of just remembering what the play is.”

Simplifying offenses has translated to the NFL and is a big factor on why many younger quarterbacks and coaches have had early success.

Young coaches like Sean McVay for the Los Angeles Rams tend to run a version of the “fly sweep” with a lot of motion and deception.

“It's pretty neat to think about, coming up with something that has really become a mainstream thing,” Stitt said.

In Spavital’s first year as head coach, the addition of Stitt should inject excitement into Texas State this fall. The Bobcats will give a taste for what's to come at their annual spring game on April 13 at 6 p.m.