October 8, 2019 by The University Star

MAIN PO NT SEE PAGE 4

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF TEXAS STATE SOCCER, EXPLAINED

SEE PAGE 7 SEE PAGE 3 TEXAS STATE STUDENT ENTERTAINS AND INFORMS COMMUNITY THROUGH PODCAST

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TUESDAY OCTOBER 8, 2019 VOLUME 109 ISSUE 09

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

STUDENTS CREATE HORROR WEB-SERIES audience will be able to see the layers underneath each episode rather than seeing it as a surface-level horror film. “I think horror, as a genre, has the ability to say some of the most profound things as compared to any other genre,” Smith said. Smith said the ultimate takeaway he wants is for the show to inspire other students to tell their stories and create work all their own. “There are thousands of people with stories to tell,” Smith said. “I would like to think a student might see ('Tales of Phantasmagoria') and be inspired to tell their story in some capacity.” After the conception of the series, Smith and Matt Schlandt, theatre junior and co-showrunner, assembled a team and began the production process April 2019. The final edits are set to be complete as each episode is released, making the production a year-long endeavor. Schlandt said although horror was never his preferred genre, the work that goes into creating a film is worth the long and arduous process. "It's a lot of fun to make these kinds of movies," Schlandt said. “It really does take a village.” Films are produced by a three-level process: pre-production, production and post-production. Pre-production involves gathering resources necessary prior to filming, including all props, crew members, film locations and funding. The production stage refers to the actual filming process and post-production consists of the editing needed to perfect the film. A consistent team of 12 individuals contributed to every episode, with each team member providing input to create a collaborative environment. Additional

By Kyle Chitwood Life & Arts Reporter A group of film students is releasing "Tales of Phantasmagoria" to draw Halloween season to a close. The horror anthology was created with hopes to produce an exciting show and further students' cinema experience. In total, four 10-to-15-minute episodes will be released weekly, beginning Oct. 10. The final episode will air on Halloween. Each live-action episode in the series has its own storyline and gives a unique spin on popular horror monsters seen throughout cinema. The show will be released by Moon St., a production company the students started summer 2019 to release films. "Tales of Phantasmagoria" will be the first project released by the company and will be available on YouTube under the Moon St. page. Students plan to screen all four episodes at the Theater Center, located at 430 Moon St., after the finale is released. The production company is aptly named after the location of the center. Theatre senior and showrunner Duncan Smith said the original goal was to make each film have a different feel. Various student directors worked on each episode to create their own unique vision. He said the tone and genre of each episode tie the series together. “The actual feeling of each episode is unique to the individual heading it up,” Smith said. “We like to give the director as much freedom as possible to see their vision.” Smith conceived the idea October 2018 after working on a Halloween fan film set. Smith’s appreciation of social commentary in horror films inspired him to create the series. He hopes the

student actors and makeup artists assisted in the production. The entire series was written, directed, filmed and funded by students. Theatre senior and executive producer Sophie Misercola said having various people direct and produce each episode helps students discover their voice and find new perspectives in the art. “It’s great as students so we can get together and learn from each other in a professional way,” Misercola said. Smith said being a film student offers various opportunities to create work, but school projects often have limiting factors regarding creativity and timeliness. The students wanted to create something less restrictive. “A big part of ('Tales of Phantasmagoria') was how we wanted to make something that had less restraint around it,” Smith said. Fall 2019 is the first semester Texas State theatre majors have had the option to pursue a film concentration. Smith said having a smaller film program has its advantages in contrast to a larger entity like the University of Texas at Austin. “The cool thing about our film program (at Texas State) is it’s so small, so everyone is on the same team,” Smith said. Theatre and dance lecturer Susan Busa said the faculty aims to provide opportunities for students to discover their voice in the art. She is thrilled students are putting their own time and effort into the series; she is proud to see them applying classroom knowledge to real-world work. “This is exactly what you hope students will do: they’ll be self-starters,” Busa said. “It’s very validating for us as teachers to see students go out and do this.” Misercola said faculty in the theatre

and dance department are supportive and she is grateful for the encouragement. “They’re all really good at supporting us and

helping with

whatever we need,” Misercola said. The majority of the equipment used in the series was loaned courtesy of the Texas State theatre and dance department. Schlandt said he is appreciative of the opportunities provided by the faculty and staff. “We could not have done ('Tales of Phantasmagoria') without them,” Schlandt said. A trailer is available on YouTube for the first episode titled “The Last of the Coven.” For updates on the release of each episode and the screening date, follow the series on Instagram @ talesofphantasmagoria.

LEGISLATION

SAFETY

Menstruation frustration leaves Texas State

Texas Legislator addresses Clery report

Free menstrual products hit restrooms on campus By Sarah Martinez News Reporter

PHOTO BY ANGELINA CAZAR

The frustration of paying for menstrual products is being alleviated on campus as years of legislation enact free menstrual hygiene for students. Legislation for the Menstrual Availability Act was first introduced in Student Government April 2018 by former Student Senator Elijah Miller. The act allows students the opportunity to have access to free sanitary pads and tampons on campus. The act was passed during the Clegg administration. However, the pilot program is now being implemented. “There was a lot of obvious dysfunction going forward with Student Government so (legislation) on menstrual products kind of got lost,” Thompson said. Former Student Government Vice President Keely Freund asked Thompson for the advancement of the program during his term. “She asked me if we could work together to get it started so by the time (we were in session), this could be something we'd already made progress on," Thompson said. During the summer, Student Government spoke with custodial facilities, since its staff members would be stocking dispensers throughout the

school year. Additionally, custodial facilities canvassed buildings part of the pilot program to get approval for application of menstrual products at the beginning of the school year. Student Government sought out funding for two weeks. According t o Thompson, t h e program will cost $5,200 and is being funded by t h e

Division of Student Affairs. Student Government approached Student Affairs with the issue, where Vice President Joanne Smith was supportive. Aunt Flow, a company aiming to provide tampons and pads for businesses and schools, will be the menstrual product vendor for the program. Funding did not allow for the program to be accessible in each building on campus. Places offering tampons and pads include Lampases, Harris and Commons Dining Hall, Supple Science Building, McCoy SEE LEGISLATION PAGE 2

By Jakob Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief At least one Texas legislator has called for changes in reporting practices across Texas institutions. Texas State detailed numerous instances of underreported crime statistics on campus between 20162018 in its Annual Security Report. Now, the state—as well as the campus community—is taking notice. Texas State Rep. Chris Turner addressed a letter to the Texas Commissioner for Higher Education Harrison Keller, citing Texas State's failure to report rapes, liquor law violations and stalking among other issues that occurred in 2016 and 2017. The letter between the two comes after Texas State tallied 57 rapes from 2016-2018. An additional 29 rapes were left off of Texas State’s previous years’ Annual Security Report, formerly known as “Campus Watch.” Turner stated in the letter that addressing sexual assault on college campuses is a “priority” of the Texas legislature. “Two measures that passed in the 86th Legislature, HB1735 and SB 212, include a focus on reporting improvements,” Turner’s letter to Keller stated. “Currently, your agency is considering rulemaking for these new laws and I would urge you to keep instances of deficient reporting

practices in mind as you draft rules to improve the system and better protect Texas students.” The report, now known as the Annual Security Report, was made available to all current students, faculty and staff at 5:35 p.m. Sept. 30. Reported liquor law violations for Texas State—both on and off campus—on the revised statistics for the Clery reportable years of 2016 and 2017 rose from seven total in 2016 and 2017 to 312 for the same time period. Additionally, instances of stalking— previously reported three times both on and off campus in 2016 and 2017— rose to nine instances of reported stalking and was reported eight times in 2018 alone. Texas State staff members revisited police reports from the two years in question to ensure reports were classified correctly as a part of a reported “university-wide process.” According to a university press release, this process will seek to ensure accurate crime statistics in the future. Turner noted in his letter to Keller that during the legislative interim, the House Committee on Higher Education would be closely monitoring rulemaking for all higher education legislation passed in the last session. “As we do, it will be important to review prior reporting practices at institutions to ensure there are no SEE SAFETY PAGE 2

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, October 8, 2019

NEWS

Sonia Garcia News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

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

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Jakob Rodriguez stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Bayley Bogus starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Sonia Garcia, starnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Laura Figi starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Jordan Drake staropinion@txstate.edu

College of Business and Administration and Jowers Center. “We would have loved for it to be as many buildings as possible, but with the pilot program, we had to be very exact with selecting buildings because we wanted to make sure it's stretched across,” Thompson said. Chief of Staff Aliza Sotelo said implementation of sanitary products was a need on campus, as students can have emergencies which may lead them to be late for class. “We wanted to make (the products) accessible to students wherever they may be on campus," Sotelo said. "We tried to make it general instead of one large area.” For the pilot program to continue funding sustainability, Student Government is exploring options and considering the creation of a fundraising

club or organization. “What’s important is making sure VSPA has enough money to keep the program going," Thompson said. "Our biggest concern is we don't want to leave it up to a new Student Government administration to keep the process going. We want it to be an independent group specifically focused on this." Student Government obtained the idea of creating a fundraising organization by looking at other universities like Texas A&M at Corpus Christi and The University of Texas. Kristin Rios, exercise and sports science freshman, said she believes free and easy access to menstrual products will save students time and money. Additionally, Rios thinks the act should be implemented everywhere a restroom is available. “I think (the program) should be

everywhere (on campus) and acted on now," Rios said. "Women deserve free products on things we can’t control. Humans have to naturally use the bathroom and because of that, toilet paper is easily accessible. Why not menstrual products? It’s not fair." In time, Rios hopes free pads and tampons will be readily available in bathrooms everywhere. “If all genders had the same monthly problem, I really think something would have been done a lot earlier,” Rios said. “Since it’s just women who have to deal with this, we’re treated differently, which shows a lot about our society.” Menstrual products are now available in Lampases. Products in other locations will be available in the upcoming weeks.

FROM FRONT SAFETY FEBRUARY 4 FOLLOWING A NATIONAL SEARCH UPD CHIEF CLOUSE WAS HIRED

AUGUST 12-15 THE IACLEA PEER-REVIEW TEAM WAS ON CAMPUS

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MAY 14 DOE OFFERS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

2019

NOVEMBER 18 THE UNIVERSITY RECIEVED THE DRAFT OF THE REPORT FROM IACLEA other instances of misreporting and to identify any remaining gaps,” Turner’s letter stated. Faculty Senate Chairwoman at Texas State Janet Bezner said she and the rest of the Faculty Senate found the discrepancies in the report to be a serious and alarming revelation. “It’s been a communication, collaboration and resource issue,” Bezner said. “The right entities did not have an effective way to communicate with one another and there wasn’t collaboration between

FEBRUARY 7 FINAL DRAFT OF IACLEA REPORT ISSUED TO DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATORS

the right entities to get the right data. I think either the people who were responsible for the data didn’t have enough training or there weren’t enough people working on the issue.” Bezner said she along with and members of Faculty Senate encouraged university administration to be transparent about the issue, but said the matter of consistency in reporting aligns with trends at the institution itself in adequate resource management. “If indeed this responsibility was

OCTOBER 2 REP. CHRIS TURNER SENDS A LETTER TO TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD COMMISIONER HARRISON KELLER

under resourced, that’s something I think is a trend at Texas State,” Bezner said. “We’ve experienced tremendous growth over the last decade and made it clear that we want to be a R1 institution. Continually have (asked) the administration, are we adequately resourced to make this jump?” The University Star will continue its coverage of the Annual Security Report and deficiencies associated with previously reported years. Got a tip? Reach out to StarEditor@txstate.edu.

SEPTEMBER 10 TEXAS STATE INTERNAL NEWSROOM PUBLISHES A STATEMENT ON THE ISSUE ON THEIR WEBSITE

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SEPTEMBER 30 ANNUAL SECURITY REPORT WAS MADE AVAILIABLE TO ALL CURRENT STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF AT 5:35 P.M.

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 4,500. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, Oct. 8, 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

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AUGUST 21 DOE INDICATED CONCERN FOR 2016 AND 2017 NUMBERS

ATTORNEY

Immigration lawyer leaves after less than a year By Ziek Sanchez News Reporter Attorney Mark Kinzler has left his position as a part-time on-campus immigration lawyer, returning to his private practice of immigration law. The Austin-based immigration lawyer joined Texas State’s Attorney for Students Office early October 2018. While with AFS, Kinzler and other staff attorneys offered students free legal advice. Kinzler specialized in immigration issues. Prior to taking the position, the job was unavailable at Texas State. Beginning in 2017, the lack of an oncampus immigration lawyer sparked campus activists protests and a yearlong process of establishing an attorney position for students. After Kinzler accepted the position, the student body expressed desires to make the position full-time. According to Texas State Human Resources, Kinzler only held the position for 11 months and never achieved full time status. He left his position Sept. 20. Kinzler said he needed to better aid clients at his practice who are dealing with increasing immigration-related issues. Working at Texas State and his private practice made the weight of

both jobs feel full time. “I enjoyed working for the school and feel I helped a lot of students, but things came to a point where the situation for asylum seekers was becoming worse and worse; I couldn’t turn my back on my private practice,” Kinzler said. “I was sad about it, but I felt like I needed to use my skill set to help people the current administration is trying to tear down.” Issues Kinzler tackled while at Texas State involved naturalization, asylum, criminal-related immigration matters and marital issues. Kinzler returning to his private practice full-time changed the status of the AFS office. Angelica Coronado joined Texas State Sept. 23 and took the position of director and attorney for students. Coronado will be absorbing Kinzler’s duties as an immigration lawyer for students. Coronado is a graduate from St. Mary’s University School of Law and holds a jurisprudence law doctorate. Prior to her joining Texas State, Coronado gained experience in immigration law through working with the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. “After graduating from law school, I spent most of my primary work years

working for RAICES; the legal issues there are similar to ones this position will entail,” Coronado said. Additionally, Coronado is qualified to provide advice on minor divorce issues and misdemeanor criminal offenses. The year-long process to acquire Kinzler on campus was one issue Student Government played a large role in. With the position's duties now allocated under a separate title, members of Student Government continue to show concern for a better solution. Corey Benbow, student body president, said immigration laws are very unique and affect sizable portions of the student population. He said it is vital to have someone specifically equipped to help students. “I don’t think having Angelica Coronado taking over Kinzler’s duties is efficient enough for the short term or long term,” Benbow said. “From what I can see, Student Government’s sentiment on the issue is about the same in saying we need to have a full-time immigration attorney and we needed that last year.” More information on immigration law at AFS can be found at attorney.dos. txstate.edu.

The University Star

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | 3

LIFE & ARTS

Laura Figi Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

MEDIA

Jacob Cleveland (left) and special guest Paul Peralta (right) record episode 15 of The San Mo Show Oct. 3 in Alkek Library. PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ

Texas State student entertains and informs community through podcast By Brianna Benitez Life & Arts Reporter Jacob Cleveland, psychology junior, hosts "The San Mo Show," a podcast aiming to educate and entertain its audience through local news and pop culture. Listeners can expect to engage in a variety of topics each week. Cleveland said subjects depend on the special guest of the week. However, he makes an effort to focus on local and national events. Cleveland launched The San Mo Show February 2019 during his first year at Texas State. Garrett Watkins, psychology sophomore, was Cleveland’s roommate at the time and got featured on the first episode of the podcast. Throughout the episode, Cleveland and Watkins discussed the results of Texas State student elections, national politics and crime in San Marcos. Episodes are typically an hour to an hour and a half long. Currently, there are 15 episodes available. When he first heard of Cleveland's idea to start a podcast, Watkins said he was not convinced Cleveland would be as committed as he is now. “I figured this is just one of those things he’ll talk about, but never actually go through with,” Watkins said. Watkins said he has been impressed with how well the podcast has improved in terms of structure and organization. “(Cleveland) has definitely grown a lot

more comfortable and the show overall has gotten a lot better,” Watkins said. When Cleveland first started the podcast, most of the guests on the show were his friends. However, once The San Mo Show gained popularity, he received messages on Twitter and emails from listeners who were interested in being featured. Cleveland credits his friends for the growth of the podcast. He said they have shown him a great amount of support and helped promote the show on social media. "I have a lot of great friends who have been really supportive and have helped me grow my audience," Cleveland said. Madison Jones, human development and family science freshman, has been listening to The San Mo Show since the beginning. Jones knows Cleveland from

high school, but she found out about the podcast through her roommate, who is friends with Cleveland. Jones said she listens to the podcast on a regular basis and finds it humorous and engaging. "It's about things I can understand and laugh at," Jones said. "I think it's cool a lot of the people that come on the show are relatable." Cleveland said he wanted to create a listening experience centered around the individuals of San Marcos to showcase the charm of the city. "In a lot of ways, San Marcos is that weird, middle child between San Antonio and Austin," Cleveland said. "It has its own unique flavor, which I think needs to be shared." The San Mo Show has featured several community members, including Texas State student body president and vice president Corey Benbow and Tucker Thompson. Joseph Losoya, also known as Bubble Believer,

"I HAVE A LOT OF GREAT FRIENDS WHO HAVE BEEN REALLY SUPPORTIVE AND HAVE HELPED ME GROW MY AUDIENCE"

-JACOB CLEVELAND, HOST OF THE SAN MO SHOW

could be heard as well. Within the next few years, Cleveland said he hopes the show continues to improve and reach a larger audience. "I hope we have bigger guests and maybe once elections start, have local politicians come on," Cleveland said. Cleveland said the show has allowed him to entertain his audience while simultaneously serving as a platform for guests to sit down and talk about their views and experiences. He hopes the podcast will motivate listeners to stay in the loop and be aware of various perspectives and stories in the community. Cleveland encourages those interested in creating their own podcasts to stick with a topic of genuine interest. "The main ingredient to being dedicated is making sure (the project) is something you like," Cleveland said. "It's going to become more like a chore if you don't like doing it but if you find topics you like, it'll be a lot easier to keep going." New episodes of The San Mo Show are released every Friday. The podcast is available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Play and YouTube. To stay up-to-date on the latest announcements and episodes of The San Mo Show, follow it on Twitter @SanMoShow.

The University Star

4 | Tuesday, October 8, 2019

OPINIONS

Jordan Drake Opinions Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

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

MAIN POINT

Enough is enough By The Editorial Board

nearly $800 or more per bed and common area space shared among three other people. Often, students targeted are new to living on their own and have perhaps never signed a lease, in addition to having little real-world experience. It is no wonder big-company complexes are abusing such a vulnerable population. The Iconic Village Apartment fire should have served as the wake-up call to see how these complexes have gained too much power with no accountability. Older apartments do not have to spend additional money to upgrade their fire safety to modern standards. Those who lost their lives might have survived and had a better chance if apartment complexes were up to standard. People have suffered and died in the name of abusive practices student housing implements. Students should not be the only demographic outraged. Administration, professors, parents, community activists and any decent human should attempt to combat malpractice. Texas State administration needs to use its apartment endorsements to leverage complexes to do the right thing in the name of its student residents. The administration holds some power in terms of apartment jurisdiction and leasing. Label a complex as avoidable,

officially, and see if that reigns in corrupt practices. Do something. Do not bury your heads in the sand and pretend these problems do not exist. Students should not get screwed over every year. Complexes abuse naive students. College students are beginning to enter the world as independent persons. The majority of student leasers have either never signed a lease or approved very few. Younger students are unaware of what to look for, and the easy option is to go for whichever looks the nicest at face value. Apartment models appear nice but should not be taken as gospel. Because the majority of students are still dependent on their parents, complexes can price-gouge repairs. Student complexes leave residents liable for damages and cleaning fees after move-out. Compounds are often cheaply made, therefore inexpensively repaired; the higher-ups can pocket the profit. Enough is enough; no one else needs to suffer or get booted from their home. No one should lose their life for profit. The San Marcos government and Texas State administration need to find ways to protect students. No longer can apartment complexes be allowed to manipulate and hurt students. It needs to end.

MAIN PO NT

It is time for someone, anyone, to stand up for the students in San Marcos. Too often, student apartment complexes take advantage of students. How many more people have to suffer from apartment-based negligence? People have died, lost their homes and been price-gouged with barely any utterance from the government or local officials. Whether grandfathered in old complexes, ironclad contracts or the constant rise of high-end, overly expensive apartments, students are suffering in their home away from home. Like it or not, students are the lifeblood of this community and we should be outraged at their blatant maltreatment. Recently, residents living at Vie Apartments evacuated due to structural concerns of stairwells. Due to lack of accountability and oversight, over 160 people were forced out of their homes and into other living spaces midsemester. Haven on Thorpe Lane has yet to release a move-in date, stranding its possible residents in various buildings city-wide. This goes without mentioning the ridiculous rates a vast majority of student housing complexes charge—

"PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED AND DIED IN THE NAME OF ABUSIVE PRACTICES STUDENT HOUSING IMPLEMENTS. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY DEMOGRAPHIC OUTRAGED."

TOPHAT

Professors should not require TopHat subscription By Thomas Dunlap Opinion Columnist TopHat is a subscription-based student engagement app popular among college professors. The paid service provides a platform for students and professors to easily interact in realtime via mobile phones or laptops, enabling simple student participation in larger lecture halls. While TopHat is free to use for professors, but for students there are multiple payment options like a monthly $7.50 fee or a $30 dollar one time fee. TopHat is commonly used by professors as a way to administer daily quizzes and take attendance. Professors may post a question on the screen and have students answer through the TopHat app on their phones or computers. The question is usually not displayed on the app, therefore requiring students to be physically present to answer correctly. Due to this feature, TopHat has become a convenient tool for taking attendance. Professors utilizing TopHat require students to use the service as well, providing no other alternatives. If a student were to complete all of their assignments—minus those submitted through TopHat—there would be grade penalty, and, the possibility of being dropped from the class. Professors may post multiple quizzes on TopHat each class day, resulting in students taking dozens of assessments through the service by semester's end. If a student were to have connectivity issues or lack access to a smartphone or laptop, they would take a detrimental

hit as long as the problems persisted. It would be unfair for a present and attentive student to suffer a penalty for being unable to access an unnecessary third-party platform. Additionally, the use of TopHat for taking attendance is arbitrary. A student could attend every class throughout the semester but be marked absent due to issues with the service. To demand students pay to be marked in attendance is borderline extortion; the ultimatum is either paying for TopHat or risk being dropped from the class. Disregarding tuition, attending a class is costly. The materials for one class can be expensive, let alone four or five. For a full-time student, such additional expenditures can become quite exorbitant. Texas State administration should aim to prevent any unnecessary fees. As convenient as it may be, TopHat is exactly that—an unnecessary fee. The service—while not outrageously expensive—accomplishes no more than a scantron does, which is provided free to students. TopHat is just another attempt at “modernizing” the learning experience that turns out to be more of a gimmick than useful classroom tool. Professors should not require TopHat, as it is just an additional and unnecessary cost forced on students. The platform's usefulness—or lack thereof—does not outweigh the cost of the service. With TopHat being free for professors, there is a clear conflict of interest in requiring its use. The practice of finding ways to gouge students of every penny needs to end. ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON

The University Star

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | 5

OPINIONS

Jordan Drake Opinions Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

Letters to the editor

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Race does not define me By Gene Brown I grew up feeling different and I always told people were going to accept me, but it was always because of my sexuality, never my race. Last week, I attended a work event, which meant I had a media pass for priority seating of different panels. I sat waiting in the media reserved section for the third panel to start. I was highly interested in this panel in particular because it was titled “A Hate Supreme” and would focus on how racism is still an issue in society. The group of speakers began and twenty minutes in, a woman walked in with two police officers and it made me feel uneasy. I had all these thoughts running through my head. Where is the nearest exit? Do I run? Do I hide on the floor? What am I going to tell my mom? One of the police officers came up to me and whispered, as the panel was still going on, “Excuse me, sir, can we please see you outside in the lobby? You can come back to your seat after.” I stand up and the two officers escorted me out of the panel from where I was sitting, which was near the front. Everyone in the room saw the way I exited. Once in the lobby, I was told a volunteer thought they saw something suspicious in my pockets and reported it. The officers asked me if they could search my pockets; I complied and with the doors wide open, the policemen proceeded to take out the three things in my pockets: my phone, wallet and charger. I was mortified. Finding nothing but those three items, the officers said I was “all good” and apologized. I was face-to-face with three event coordinators—all white women—

telling me how sorry they were this had happened; it was just protocol. I was so angry and upset, I couldn’t believe this happened to me. However, I stayed calm and told the three of them how unacceptable and rude such behavior was. Regardless, the women would keep interrupting me with apologies and sad looks as if I was an upset child. I looked at them and said, “If I looked any different, this would not be happening right now.” I was not shouting or raising my voice, but I was visibly upset. The coordinators told me I had it all wrong and what occurred was just protocol, again. They take concerns seriously, given, “all that has been happening.” I informed them how I am from El Paso, where a mass shooting happened— in case they were unaware. I know what it is like to have extra security around, but this was ridiculous. One of the coordinators began to grow irritated with me; she asked how they could have handled the situation differently and what needs to be done for next time. I was so taken aback, this whole scenario should not have happened to begin with. Let’s face it, I was not the only man in that room with a phone, charger and wallet in their pockets. Due to my height, size, tattoos and skin color, I felt singled out. The people repeatedly telling me "sorry" did not look like me. Those three women and police officers will never have to feel how I felt in that moment. There was no one representing me or standing up for me. The whole situation made me feel horrible. I constantly thought the fact I am gay and wear makeup would be the reasons

for discrimination against me, because at the end of the day, I could assimilate. I could stop wearing makeup and appear like a straight man. However, I can never change my skin color or heritage. I didn’t feel accepted being me, in a way I cannot control. That sucked. I don’t want to blame the event, or even the people involved. The CEO of the company hosting the panels personally called me and told me he was sorry for what I experienced. He came off so genuine, I believed him. In the end, the event and coordinators were not at fault. This is the way people still think in 2019. Now, I do not want to sound like a victim and I don’t want this to be a “woe is me” thing, because it's not. This happens all the time to people in far worse situations. The El Paso shooting has been called the deadliest hate crime against Hispanic and Latinx people. A white man killed 22 people from my hometown—people like me—because his goal was, “to kill as many Mexicans as possible.” Yet, people of color are the ones singled out for looking “suspicious.” This is truly heartbreaking. I understand the individual who reported me at the panel thought they were doing the right thing. See something, say something. But why did no one else have their pockets searched? Why was I the only one escorted out of the event while it was going on? This whole thing shouldn’t have happened the way it went down. The officers could have searched me before the panel started, not during. They could have waited until after, even. They definitely did not have to make me feel the way they did. I believe everything happens for a reason. I’m fortunate enough to have a

director who took this situation seriously, believed me, saw it was a problem and let me get my story out there. I am so appreciative to the people who are letting me have a voice for everyone who does not and for those who feel wrongly profiled everyday. Your sexuality does not define you; your tattoos do not define you; your skin color does not define you. You define you. Gene Brown is the assistant news director for KTSW-FM 89.9

"YOUR SEXUALITY DOES NOT DEFINE YOU; YOUR TATTOOS DO NOT DEFINE YOU; YOUR SKIN COLOR DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. YOU DEFINE YOU" -GENE BROWN, ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR FOR KTSW-FM 89.9

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Response to 'Alkek noise level should be strictly monitored and enforced' By Joan Heath Recently, The University Star published a very well-constructed editorial by columnist Thomas Dunlap about excessive noise levels in the Albert B. Alkek Library. We appreciate his effort to bring these concerns to everyone’s attention and call for resolution. By and large, library patrons in Alkek are respectful and behave in a manner that maintains an environment supportive of independent and collaborative study and project work. There are occasions when it becomes more attractive to socialize than to work, especially when large groups gather. Purely social gatherings are generally not appropriate for open study areas, especially on quiet floors.

We, at University Libraries, take these concerns to heart. Among the measures we are taking will be additional signage and table tents discouraging distracting behavior and encouraging noise complaints be made to the number on the printed materials. In addition, we have a security/noise complaint link near the top of our website patrons can use to submit immediate concerns online. The Alkek Library has spaces to accommodate a variety of study and learning styles. For those who need a quiet space, the fifth and sixth floors are designated quiet floors. People who need to collaborate or work better in a busy area may find spaces on the second through fourth floors that meet these needs.

Need to work with your team in an isolated area? The study rooms on the fifth and sixth floors can be reserved for up to two-hour sessions. These are not soundproof, however, so respectful noise levels should be maintained. The seventh floor is the perfect spot for those who are inspired by the beauty of our campus and the greater San Marcos views. Alkek Library staff is eager to help with any concerns you have while working in the library. Our blue-vested staff can be found at the second-floor "Ask Alkek" desk and third floor Checkout Desk. Staffers want to help ensure library patrons are welcomed, comfortable and productive. We are interested in hearing feedback from our patrons. Under the About section of our website, a link

called “How are we doing?” links to a form where you can tell us whether your needs are met or not. We appreciate these concerns being brought forward. Please help us maintain an atmosphere that is courteous and productive for all by using the library spaces as designed, reporting concerns and showing respect to those around you. Thanks Bobcats! Joan Heath Associate Vice President and University Librarian

The University Star

6 | Tuesday, October 8, 2019

10/1 ANSWERS

Presents

October 17, 2019 Performing Arts Center Recital Hall

Storytellers

Frannie Sheinberg Glynis Christine Daniel Guerrero John Scully

Amani Seay Derek Dillard Jessica Soukup Jonnie Wilson

Tickets Available at UniversityStar.com/StarStories

"Make up a story. For our sake and yours forget your name in the street; tell us what the world has been to you in the dark places and in the light. Don’t tell us what to believe, what to fear. Show us belief’s wide skirt and the stitch that unravels fear’s caul.” ― Toni Morrison, The Nobel Lecture In Literature, 1993 Supported by a grant from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, as well as a sponsorship from Common Experience. Trigger warning - Some stories include descriptions of abuse, mental illness, sexual assault and other issues.

The University Star

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | 7

SPORTS

Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

SOCCER

Shutout weekend turns around Bobcat soccer season By Cade Andrews Sports Reporter The Texas State soccer team captured their first Sun Belt wins to turn around their seven-match losing streak in a dominating weekend at ULM and Appalachian State over the weekend. The Bobcats defeated ULM with a whopping five goals on Friday to win 5-0 and returned to San Marcos to beat Appalachian State 2-0 on Sunday. The Bobcats improved to 6-5-2 on the season and 2-2-1 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Texas State soccer team finished out their impressive weekend with a 2-0 victory against Appalachian State on Sunday afternoon at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. Midway through the fifth minute, the ball got passed by an App defender and went into the net to give the Bobcats an easy 1-0 lead. Following the goal, senior Kaylee Davis had a good look from 10 yards out but was knocked out for a corner kick. In the 53rd minute, sophomore forward Hannah Solano won a loose ball and passed to Davis, who quickly found junior midfielder Renny Moore at the top of the penalty box. Moore sent the

shot to the left corner of the goal for a two-goal lead and the defense pulled off their second shutout of the weekend to finish the game 2-0. Moore said the goal was a result of teamwork between herself and Davis. "The ball got in, Kaylee (Davis) got it and she held it up well," Moore said. "Then she got it back and it was just on me to not mess it up." The game was the second shutout of the weekend, something senior midfielder Jordan Kondikoff credits to a strong defense. "I think we have a strong back line, and we have a strong will to play strong defense. I mean, it's a pride thing not to get scored on," Kondikoff said. "We can score five goals, but if we get scored on were not going to be happy about that, so just going into every game we expect a shutout." The win came off of the team's 5-0 victory over ULM on Friday, a feat which not only marked their first conference win but was also their highest-scoring game since 2008. Davis snapped the team's five games of scorelessness early in the game. In the 5th minute, junior midfielder Mackenzie Smith sent a pass to Kaylee Davis, who sent the ball into the upper left corner

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball sweeps weekend in Arkansas By Claire Partain Sports Editor Bobcat volleyball split their two matches in Arkansas this weekend, taking their first conference loss with a failed 2-3 comeback attempt against Arkansas State Friday before pulling off their fifth sweep of the season against Little Rock on Saturday. The ‘Cats are now 11-7 for the season and 3-1 in conference. The Bobcats avenged their Friday loss to finish the weekend with a decisive 3-0 sweep over Little Rock (25-8, 2512, 25-18). Texas State rendered the Trojans useless in the first set, keeping Little Rock in the single digits for a 25-8 win. Redshirt freshman Lauren Teske said that Little Rock’s low-scoring game was a sweet reward after hard work paid off. “When you do beat a team like that, yeah it’s the other team’s errors but it’s also all the things you’ve been working on,” Teske said. “It’s a good payoff when that happens.” The win set the tone for the second and third sets, with the ‘Cats sailing along a 25-12 and 25-18 second and third set to finish the weekend with a sweep. The ‘Cats never trailed throughout the game, leading the stat board in kills (37-26), aces (7-4), hitting percentage (.337-.075) and assists (35-22). The underclassmen outside hitters led their dominating offensive performance, with sophomore Janell Fitzgerald and Teske pacing the team with eight kills. Teske said her teammates led her and Fitzgerald to have a high-performing match. “My teammates had my back,” Teske said. “Emily (DeWalt) put trust in me and gave me the ball, and then with the flow of the overall game, we were really confident with what we were doing and so my teammates helped me out a lot with me having the numbers that I did.” Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt, the key playmaker for the Bobcats, put in work for her fourth straight double with 29 assists and 11 digs alongside two aces. The team reached double-digit aces under senior outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey’s four aces. DeWalt and junior defensive specialist Brooke Johnson kept the floor clear from aces on the Bobcat side with 11 and eight digs respectively, while the team put down 10 aces on the Trojan side. The dominating win came after a much tighter 3-2 loss at Arkansas State on Friday (23-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21,

6-15). The ‘Cats battled through the first set, switching leads seven times and tying 11 times before the Red Wolves took it away with a 4-1 run to go 25-23. Another loss came in the second set after Arkansas State led 17-11 before the Bobcats attempted a comeback but ultimately lost their second chance 2522. Texas State proved they weren’t finished in the third set, taking the pressure well and taking off with a 4-1 lead before taking the set with a 25-16 victory. Teske said that the team put it all together in the third set because they knew they could perform better. "I think in the third set what motivated us was our determination of knowing that the first two sets wasn’t Texas State volleyball,” Teske said. “We knew we were better than that and we wanted to prove to our fans, to ourselves, to Arkansas (State) that we weren’t going to go without a fight.” The pressure never left for the ‘Cats, whose backs were to the wall as they rallied once again in the fourth set to bring on a fifth chance with their 25-21 win. The ‘Cats were unable to keep the momentum into the fifth set, however, and the Red Wolves took it away with a 15-6 finish. In the end, Arkansas State just came out with a higher intensity, Teske said. "Arkansas State just came out with more grit and more focus and determination than us and that’s why we lost," Teske said. “We knew we were going to have to come out strong because we knew Arkansas State was a good team but they just came out stronger and we were on the downswings.” Both Texas State and Arkansas State saw a low hitting percentage, with the Red Wolves seeing a narrow lead (.139.157). Huskey led offensively with 15 kills, two aces and put in defensive work with a team-pacing five blocks. Junior middle blocker Tyranee Scott joined the defensive fight with five blocks of her own. The back line attempted to keep the ball up, with Johnson making a team high of 18 digs alongside two aces, while sophomore DS Kayla Granado hit a career-high of 16 digs. The team faces a quick turnaround as they travel to the University of TexasArlington for a weekday matchup on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

of the goal to give the Bobcats the early advantage. Kondikoff quickly followed Davis with a goal in the 17th minute, putting the Bobcats up 2-0. Kondikoff went back-to-back after a foul from ULM in the 30th minute, scoring her second goal of the match to make the score 3-0. Freshman forward Madison Humphrey kept the 'Cats going with her first career goal, scoring the fourth goal in the 38th minute after beating a Warhawk player and sending it to the bottom right corner of the goal. The final goal of the match was scored in the 56th minute after a cross was sent in from Hannah Solano for Davis' second goal of the game to put the Bobcats up 5-0. The 'Cats are now 2-2-1 in conference, meaning each game matters as they wrap up conference play. Kondikoff said the wins pushed them in the right direction as they continue their journey through the Sun Belt. "We were able to come in today and kind of turn the season around for us and realize that we've still got it in us and I think it just really built up our confidence," Kondikoff said." We're ready for next weekend."

Texas State defender Addison Gaetano, (22), attempts to throw a soccer ball to her teammate, Jessica Pikoff, (15), during the first half against Appalachian State Oct. 6 at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

Next up for Texas State is a home match against Louisiana on Friday at 7 p.m. For the latest information on the Texas State soccer team, follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

PICK 'EM Editor's note: The University Star sports and editorial staff, as well as a guest picker each week, predict the outcomes for the coming week of the college football schedule. This week goes as follows. ULM @ Texas State 8:15 P.M. Oct. 10 at Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX. Oklahoma VS Texas 11:00 A.M. Oct. 12 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX. Texas Tech @ Baylor 3:00 P.M. Oct. 12 at McLane Stadium, Waco, TX.

JAKOB R. RODRIGUEZ (12-6)

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Texas State Oklahoma Baylor

CLAIRE PARTAIN (12-6)

SPORTS EDITOR Texas State Oklahoma Baylor

COLTON MCWILLIAMS (11-7)

SPORTS REPORTER Texas State Oklahoma Baylor

ANDREW ZIMMEL (11-7)

SPORTS REPORTER Texas State Oklahoma Baylor

GUEST PICKER: COREY BENBOW, Student Government President Guest picker record: last set by Molly Gonzales design editor The University Star (11-7) Texas State Texas Baylor Last Week's scores: 42-33 Tulane | 45-35 Texas Tech | 42-31 Texas

The University Star

8 | Tuesday, October 8, 2019

SPORTS

Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

SOCCER

The ups and downs of Texas State soccer, explained By Jackson Short Sports Reporter & Claire Partain Sports Editor After a devastating five-game scoreless drought and seven-game losing streak, Texas State soccer came back into their own to score a whopping five goals against ULM on Friday and seven goals over the weekend. The two wins were the ‘Cats' first conference victories, moving them up to 6-5-2 overall and 2-2-1 in the Sun Belt. This year’s season has been a complete rollercoaster, with the Bobcats coming into the season with a nation-setting 17-match undefeated streak, a record they kept as they went 4-0 and kept up their preseason projections. The season turned a quick 180, however, as the team suffered their first loss on their weekend out West against the University of Texas-El Paso. The loss proved devastating for the Bobcats, who were unable to recover for a win and only scored two goals in the next seven matches. Texas State fans were left with many questions as their emotional strength was tested throughout the season: why so many highs and lows? What went so wrong? And most importantly, what did they do to come back with such ferocity? The team started off with projections to win it all, racking up five All-Sun Belt preseason awards and sweeping the specialty awards. The Bobcats were projected to redeem their lateseason upset last year and come back as defending regular season champions as well as be NCAA tournament contenders. After the tumultuous seven-match losing streak, to say the season hasn’t gone as planned would be considered an understatement. When the Bobcats were deepest in their rut, the team was on the longest winless streak since they started conference play back in 2011. With only two goals in the last seven

games, it became evident that most of the issues came down to offense. Head Coach Kat Conner believes that there was more to it than just not being able to finish. “We aren’t getting the breaks,” Conner said. “Some goalkeepers have caught balls between their legs, (and) I see other film when that isn’t happening. We’ve gotten less and less about making things happen.” Despite their losses, Conner believed that the team was still playing with skill, just lacking a certain intensity. “We’ve played some very great soccer,” Conner said. “We’ve played some very finesse soccer. We look good moving the ball around. We’re gonna have to get a little bit grittier in front of the net and just get a little ugly sometimes.” The stats back up her claim. The defense stayed strong throughout the slump, and the team never lost by more than a single goal. Three of the games were hard-fought through double overtime, and the Bobcats have usually won the stat board, something that senior midfielder Jordan Kondikoff said gave them hope. “It’s no secret we’ve had a rough start to the conference,” Kondikoff said. “But the good news is, when you come out and watch the game, we’re pretty much dominating every single team. We’re just missing that last part of finishing. We’re obviously not happy with how things have gone, but we’re ready to pick up our heads.” The team knows that they’re the same girls projected to win, they just needed to find a little more grit to get them there. But bouncing back from not being able to win a game in over a month isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Senior Kaylee Davis, the key scorer for the team, recognizes the pressure to finish has been put on her, proving she was up for the challenge as she broke through the scoreless streak with two of the team’s five goals against ULM. She cites lack of self-confidence as a key factor in her and

Texas State goalkeeper, (2), Heather Martin holds a soccer ball before kicking it into play Oct. 6 against Appalachian State at the =Bobcat Soccer Complex. PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

the team’s bout of scorelessness. “I’ve got to play quicker (and) I’ve got to shoot quicker,” Davis said. “Just be more confident.” This season has been everything but easy for the team. From starting the season with a four-game winning streak going into September, and coming out of the month with 5 losses and 2 ties, most teams would feel like they were ready to hang up their cleats and start getting the team prepared for future seasons. Now off of a two-game win streak, the ‘Cats are back on track due to their mental toughness, Conner said. “They’re doing things with a ‘whatever it takes’ mentality,” Conner said. “I want everyone to know that the Bobcats never quit. You can count on us to go out there and fight every day. When I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, I thought ‘oh gosh, it’s over,’ but you know what? You learn. You learn to pull your socks up and get grittier. You get tougher. This group, I’ve told them when the going gets tough you can either quit or you can get tougher. It’s definitely gritty, it’s definitely hard, but we’re going

to get tougher.” The team’s refusal to give up paid off in the whooping 5-0 victory against ULM as well as the 2-0 win at home against Appalachian State. “I started to tell them ‘I think you’re trying to wait for that perfect situation to come up, instead, let’s just create situations to come up,” Conner said. “(They have) a little bit more focus, a little bit more ideas to go out and just create something. (They) quit trying to be perfect and instead (went) with the flow to see how it goes and I think that’s what they’re doing well." With only four games left to keep things turned around, the ‘Cats need to keep this new energy in order to have a chance at the Sun Belt Championship Tournament. “Our backs are against the wall,” Davis said. “We’ve got to come out and win the rest of our games. We’re fighting for a tournament spot at this point.” The ‘Cats will keep their fight alive as they continue conference play at home against Louisiana on Friday at 7 p.m.

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