TEXAS STATE SPLITS THE WEEKEND IN LOUISIANA
THE ASIA PROJECT BRINGS RESILIENCE AND VULNERABILITY TO TEXAS STATE
SEE PAGE 8 SEE PAGE 2
SEE PAGE 4
TUITION INCREASES TO COME FOR 2021 AND 2022 SCHOOL YEARS
www.UniversityStar.com
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2019 VOLUME 109 ISSUE 13
DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911
HOMECOMING EDITION
H O2 C0 O1 9 NOV. 5 – TACO THROWDOWN
Bobcat Trail (near Commons Dining Hall) at Noon. It's a race against the clock! We're looking for individuals who can eat 10 tacos the fastest! Individuals will compete for best in their category and best overall.
NOV. 6 – TXST’S GOT TALENT
Come see your very talented Texas State community sing, dance and more at the Evans Auditorium, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. this is a ticketed event!
NOV. 7 – TXST SPIRIT RALLY Spirit Rally March begins at 11:50 a.m. at Old Main followed by the Spirit Rally which will be held at the March's end in the LBJ Mall from Noon-3 p.m.
NOV. 8 – SOAP BOX DERBY
Read Street (next to Campus Rec), 3 p.m. This is the longest standing tradition at Texas State. Soap Box Derby is sure to be a nail-biting race! Teams will compete for best in their category and best overall.
NOV. 9 – TXST V. SOUTH ALABAMA
Bobcat Football v. New Mexico State, 2 p.m. Halftime Royalty Reveal, Approximately 3:30 p.m. Ticketed event.
GAMEDAY
Bobcats picked as favorites for Homecoming game By Claire Partain Sports Editor The stakes have never been higher this season for Bobcat football as they head into Homecoming Week. Despite three straight losses and a nosedive in their offensive performance, the ‘Cats are back at home and favored to win this Saturday as they face off against South Alabama for a last-ditch effort at bowl eligibility. Things aren’t all bad for the Bobcats, however. Although they currently sit at fourth in the West Division and near the bottom of current Sun Belt rankings, the Homecoming matchup will see them play a Jaguar team that was most recently placed at 124th out of all 130 FBS teams according to Bill Connelly’s SP+ Rankings. Texas State currently sits at 114th and has a defense ranked much higher at 76th in the nation. The Bobcats are 4-3 in the past seven Homecoming matchups and last faced South Alabama for Homecoming in 2013 with a 33-31 win. Texas State is 2-0 at home and 2-2 all time against the Jaguars. With the odds in their favor, the ‘Cats will have to leave their losing streak behind and back up their defense with a more impressive offense. The past two away games have been a routine of decent first halves, a second-half slump with plummeting offensive yards and a defense that can’t quite hold up a sinking ship. Texas State most recently shouldered a 31-3 loss to the Ragin' Cajuns on Saturday, holding their own against a top Sun Belt Conference team with a 10-3 first half before ultimately falling hard. The game looked salvageable into the second quarter, with senior kicker Justin Rowland bringing in the ‘Cats sole points on the board with a 33-yard field goal. Rowland has been vital to the team in make-or-break moments throughout the season, including kicking the game-winning field goal in a triple-overtime 3734 upset over Georgia State. Despite Rowland’s consistency, the Bobcat offense has had opposite results. Sophomore Tyler Vitt stepped in as quarterback after a sack sent starter Gresch Jensen on the bench due to concussion protocol and has not turned much around. The offense combined for 491 yards and put up 17
Head Coach Jake Spavital celebrates after the Bobcats score off a fumble recovery Sept. 21 against Georgia State at Bobcat Stadium. PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS
total points in the past two losses against LouisianaLafayette and Arkansas State. This is Jake Spavital’s first season as head coach for Texas State, and the poor offensive performances hit particularly close to home for the former West Virginia offensive coordinator whose offenses have been ranked in the top ten for several years. Spavital said that he is disheartened by the offensive side of the ball and that they know they will have to pick it up if they can compete this season. “I am disappointed that the offense can’t score any points right now,” Spavital said. “We are pretty realistic with them, and we see the mistakes that they are making. They understand that we have to play better as a team.” The Bobcats' weak offense is a double-edged sword because it affects the team defensively, according to Spavital. Texas State has two linebackers ranked in the top ten in the Sun Belt, and four players sit in the top 25 of the conference. Senior Bryan London II has been a brick wall for the defense, putting in 80 total tackles this season to cap out at second in the Sun Belt Conference, while senior Nikolas Daniels locks in at ninth with 60 tackles and a fifth-place four sacks SEE GAMEDAY PAGE 7
The University Star
2 | Tuesday, November 5, 2019
NEWS
Sonia Garcia News Editor starnews@txstate.edu
TUITION Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487
Tuition increase decision to come
Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Jakob Rodriguez stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Bayley Bogus starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Sonia Garcia, starnews@txstate.edu
Students sit during a tuition hearing put on by Vice President of Finance and Support Services Eric Algoe Oct. 29 in the LBJ Student Center. PHOTO BY SIERRA MARTIN
Life & Arts Editor: Laura Figi starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Jordan Drake staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Claire Partain starsports@txstate.edu Design Editor: Molly Gonzales stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Jaden Edison starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Isabella Lopes starsengagement@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 4,500. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, Nov. 5, 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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By Sierra Martin News Reporter Students packed LBJ 3-13.1, huddling outside to hear plans Texas State administration has to increase tuition for upcoming school years. Texas State is proposing an overall 3.95% increase of tuition and fees for the 2021 and 2022 school years. Students would see a $222.45 increase to tuition in 2021 and a $231.30 increase in 2022. By implementing this change, the university would gain $13.6 million in 2021 and $12.4 million in 2022 for new academic programs, financial aid and scholarships, employee benefits and student services. University administration plans to fund a dozen new academic programs over the next two years, which they claim to be catered to degrees benefiting students in finding jobs following graduation. Additionally, nearly $3 million will be designated for financial aid and scholarships. Student services will be given an additional $344,000 a year to help add positions to the Student Health Center and Counseling departments. According to Vice President of Financial Support and Services Eric Algoe, Texas State faculty and staff resources are lagging behind other emerging research universities. Employees have only seen a 1% raise over the past two years. In 2018, Texas State professors made $62,367 less a year than professors at the University of Texas at Dallas, which had 11,024 less students than Texas State. An additional $5.9 million will be attributed to providing faculty raises and paying for their health benefits. Currently, Texas State has the highest utilization of classrooms and labs among Texas public universities. In addition, Texas State has the highest studentto-faculty ratio of any of the emerging research institutions. “We are the third lowest out of the 37 Texas public universities in terms of how much money the state gives us per student credit hour we teach,” Algoe said. “In other words, 34 of the 37 institutions get more money per
semester credit hour then we do. So, we are doing all these amazing things and getting relatively very little support from the state because of the way the state funding formula works.” The Hazlewood Act is a Texas law mandating 150 hours of tuition fees be waived for veterans and their dependents; Texas State waived $20 million of tuition in 2018. The state of Texas provides funding for 10% of the tuition waived and provided the university with $2 million last year. A remaining $18.6 million was left for the university to pay to instruct those students tuition free. Texas State Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Gene Bourgeois, said the government mandating the Hazlewood Act impacts the university and cuts into the tuition paid by other students. "Approximately $500-$550 of your annual tuition and fees was going to cover those unfunded Hazelwood exceptions,” Bourgeois said. “That has not changed, there is no cap to it, so it is a legislatively unfunded mandate for universities to bear. Again, we have done very well with our veterans and veteran’s dependent students, and we want more veterans and dependent students. It would just be nice if the state actually provided more direct subsidies to cover that cost.” According to Algoe, Texas State is impacted by this law more than other institutions in the state. Texas State holds the number two ranking based on how much money is allocated to the Hazlelwood Act. Texas A&M University holds the top ranking, with a student body over 30,000 larger than Texas State in 2019. Although university administration upholds their commitment to educating veterans, the money used to pay for their education is being taken out of other students' tuition. Texas State spends about $14,900 per full-time student, which is 20% less than the average for emerging research universities in Texas. The university receives $111.90 per semester credit hour from the state, while other public universities receive as much as three
Table displaying where the money Texas State gains through the proposed increase will be allocated. Data attributed by the Texas State Budget office. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC ALGOE
to four times more per semester credit hour. Catherine Wicker, director of student services for Student Government, is concerned with how the growing financial needs of student services will be met with such a small increase to funding. “As I have been meeting with the different entities of (student services), the common concern they have is not having enough money to meet students' needs,” Wicker said. “We talk about the Counseling Center having a twoto-three-week wait for our students to get in. The health center cannot keep physicians, so they are going through a traveling physician kind of program right now and they do not have all the resources students need.” During the public tuition hearing, students demonstrated concern with the tuition increase due to it aiding the college debt deficit, causing a rise of financial stress and food insecurity at Texas State. The PowerPoint presented at the tuition hearing can be accessed on the Texas State Budget office website: https://www.fss.txstate.edu/budget/. Students will be notified through email regarding the final decision to increase tuition by Texas State President Denise Trauth following the Board of Regents meeting Nov. 15.
HEALTH
Texas State faces increased demand for mental health services By Daniel Weeks News Reporter The Student Health Center and Counseling Center staffers are experiencing an influx of students with mental health complications in recent semesters. Emilio Carranco, director of the health center, participated in the National College Health Assessment survey February 2019. Carranco observed a large increase in appointments related to mental health complications for both the Student Health and Counseling centers. According to Carranco, in 2013-2014, the last time Texas State participated in the survey, the counselors at the center saw about 4.6% of the students enrolled. In 2018-2019, 7% of enrolled students were seen. The health center
staff witnessed similar trends: in 20132014, 14% of appointments were made for mental health reasons, while during 2018-2019, up to 33% of appointments were mental health-related. According to the NCHA survey, the second most common reason for visiting the health center is mental health-related, the first being for a cold, sore throat or the flu. Carranco said he wants to discover the reasons behind the various factors directly affecting students' academic performance. "When we ask (students) which factors are most affecting their academic performance, they tell us work, depression, anxiety, sleep problems and stress," Carranco said. "We would like to know more about some underlying factors so we can come up with the right solutions. What kind of stress are you dealing with? How are your sleep
Pamphlets with service information sit on display Oct. 24 outside the Texas State Counseling Center. PHOTO BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ
problems playing in the picture? What is it exactly about work that is affecting your academic performance?" Additionally, the University Police Department is dealing with mental health-related cases. Ten mental health cases were entered in the UPD daily SEE HEALTH PAGE 3
The University Star
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 | 3
NEWS
Sonia Garcia News Editor starnews@txstate.edu
DEVELOPMENT
Bobcat Bounty could move to LBJ permanently By Faith Smith News Reporter Bobcat Bounty staff is currently looking to gain permanent space on campus for its food distributions, and Student Government is pushing for the spot to be in LBJ Student Center. Bobcat Bounty is a student-run, oncampus food pantry for students at Texas State. Student Government officials and the Vice President of Student Affairs met with the LBJ Student Center Director Jack Rahmann to bring Bobcat Bounty to one of the new spaces in LBJ. In 2017, the Hays County Food Bank partnered with Bobcat Bounty to provide students with nutritious, nonperishable items. Weekly distributions from Bobcat Bounty are on campus 5-7 p.m. every Thursday in the Family and Consumer Sciences building, room 180. “Student Government is in the works with Bobcat Bounty to get it a bigger platform so they can maximize their efforts with students they are serving,” Student Government Vice President Tucker Thompson said. Texas State nutrition and foods program dietetic interns analyzed food insecurity on the Texas State campus. The research indicated about 41% of students were food insecure or have been before. Bobcat Bounty, which works to battle food insecurity on campus, was founded spring 2018. The organization started with only 25 clients but over the past year and a half, has gained up to 170 clients a week. Bobcat Bounty graduate assistant Kelsey Walling said she is grateful Student Government is such a huge advocate. A permanent space would increase the reach of Bobcat Bounty to the whole campus. "Student Government is a strong advocate of Bobcat Bounty, and we are more than thankful for their hard work to help our food pantry thrive," Walling
Texas State pre-nursing sophomores Andrea Poblete (left) and Sofia Yanez hang an informational poster about an upcoming event, Cultural Cooking Celebration, at the Bobcat Bounty food pantry Oct. 24 in the Family and Consumer Sciences building. PHOTO BY SIERRA MARTIN
said. "An initiative like this would greatly increase the reach of Bobcat Bounty to individuals all across campus and further provide more resources to those in need." Students must adhere to one of three guidelines to take advantage of food distributions at Texas State and the Hays County Food Bank: have a household income below the federal poverty level, participate in federal assistance programs or have a temporary food emergency from a natural disaster. The Hays County Food Bank staff takes into account financial aid as income but Bobcat Bounty does not, making most students qualified for the program. Walling said the goal of Bobcat Bounty is to serve students in need so they are able to succeed in all aspects of their lives.
FROM PAGE 2 HEALTH crime log in the past 60 days. UPD currently offers its officers an optional 40-hour course through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to be certified in mental health. Carranco said resources for health services on campus can struggle to meet demands. The percentage of students on campus diagnosed or treated by a professional for anxiety increased from about 12% in 2014 to 28% in 2019. For depression, 10% of students in 2014 doubled to 23% in 2019. “Both the Counseling Center and the Student Health Center are seeing a huge increase in demand for services, and our resources are being taxed,” Carranco said. “For the first time, the health center is starting to see its capacity challenged as well. We have prided ourselves in being able to provide same-day access, but that is becoming a challenge here.” The Counseling Center is facing issues with students not showing up to scheduled appointments. Due to the center’s limited staff, no-show appointments have an effect on the resources the team is able to provide. While the counseling team does not fine students for missing appointments, counselors have the capability to prevent students who miss multiple scheduled sessions from receiving services. Associate Director of the Counseling Center Heather Aidala said staff priorities for walk-in appointments are with students expressing a present danger to themselves or others. “I think one of the things we recognize is when something is a priority to students, they want help in the here-and-now,” Aidala said. “Unfortunately, that is not always what the office is able to do. Our priority will always be students who are expressing any concerns about keeping themselves safe, like expressing suicidal or homicidal ideations. We work to assure we can get them in on the same day to assess the level of support they need. Safety is our priority.” Aidala recommends an online simulation called “At Risk,” a tool helping to educate users on how to see signs of distress in their peers. The program teaches basic skills about how to engage in conversations with people regarding potential concerns and how
to provide assistance if necessary. The simulation entails a virtual conversation to practice for real-life encounters. Complications with resources have spurred students who have utilized the health services to voice criticisms of the current system. Rhiannon Cortez, computer science freshman, said the current services on campus for mental health issues are slow and complicated. “The process seems very tedious to me,” Cortez said. “You have to go through so much red tape to get so little in return. I think placing a maximum on the number of visits someone can make to the Counseling Center is counterproductive. A maximum of 15 visits is not sufficient for four years.” Carranco suggested the formation of a presidential task force on health and wellness to help tackle students' struggles with mental health. Whether or not similar actions are being enacted on campus is unknown as of now. "Because we are dealing with multifactorial causes here, we need a very comprehensive response," Carranco said. "My suggestion is we create a presidential task force on health and wellness. We could use that to dive into the data we collected this spring to try and determine if we could learn about why students are so stressed and overwhelmed." To learn more about how to approach a friend or family member with concerns of mental health complications, visit the Counseling Center At Risk website, the Counseling Center's digital tool for engaging in conversations about mental health.
THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ON CAMPUS DIAGNOSED OR TREATED BY A PROFESSIONAL FOR ANXIETY ALONE INCREASED FROM 11.9% IN 2014 TO 28.4% IN 2019.
“Our overall goal is to provide students in need with an adequate amount of food so they are able to succeed physically, mentally and academically," Walling said. "Many students are not able to work and financial aid does not cover basic expenses. We just want to be able to provide resources for their success." Student Government members met with Dorsey and are making a task force specifically for finding Bobcat Bounty a permanent space. The task force will consist of 10-12 members, making decisions about Bobcat Bounty in the student center. Thompson said after a few meetings, Student Government will have a better vision of what the Bobcat Bounty space will look like. Executive Director of Hays County Food Bank Eleanor Owen said there
are various opportunities for students to acquire food if they are unable to go to Bobcat Bounty. “If going to Bobcat Bounty once a week is not enough, (Hays County Food Bank) has four other distributions (a week) students can come to in San Marcos,” Owen said. “At our distributions, we have resource assistants to help students with rent assistance, counseling or whatever it may be.” Decisions for if—or when—Bobcat Bounty will be permanently moved to a space in LBJ will depend on the construction process of the student center and decisions made by the task force. More information on Bobcat Bounty can be found on its website at https:// bobcatbounty.txstate.edu/.
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The University Star
4 | Tuesday, November 5, 2019
LIFE & ARTS
Laura Figi Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
POETRY
The Asia Project brings resilience and vulnerability to Texas State By Brianna Benitez Assistant Life & Arts Editor Tears, laughter and snaps filled George’s in LBJ as the Floridian poetry group, The Asia Project, delivered an emotional and personal performance. The performance took place from 7-8 p.m., Oct. 29, as an official event of Texas State Diversity Week. Student Government hosted the week-long event from Friday, Oct. 25, to Saturday, Nov. 2. Throughout the week, several activities around campus were held to bring awareness and appreciation to the diverse differences of the university community. Corey Benbow, Student Government President, said this was the first year Texas State hosted a diversity week celebration. He hopes the week unifies the university community and sparks conversation about social justice. "We are such a huge campus with a great ray of diversity, but we do not do inclusion very well," Benbow said. "I hope diversity week will allow us to celebrate each other and start meaningful conversations." The Asia Project is a duo act combining spoken poetry with an acoustic musical ambiance. The group is led by writer and poet Asia Samson. Featured on the guitar is Samson's brother-in-law, Jollan Aurelio. Since the duo formed in 2009, they have performed at over 600 institutions and have been awarded the 2012 APCA Spoken Word Artist of the Year award. The Asia Project moved the audience Tuesday night through humorous anecdotes and tear-jerking personal stories. All poems performed were influenced by events in Samson's life. Samson performed his poem "Awakening," which was written in memory of his sister—Kate Samson— who passed away from a blood vessel hemorrhage in 2012. Through words, Samson vividly illustrated the day his sister took her final breath. The heartbreak of his sister's fiancé as he removed the ring from her finger and the sorrow that engulfed the hospital room when the nurse disconnected his sister from life support, was painfully painted for the audience. Through his poem, Samson explained how his sister's death was an awakening for him to realize life itself is a coma in which he can choose to wake up from. At the
end of the poem, Samson encouraged the audience to make time for people they love by reminding them to be present in the time spent with one another. Samson said he places no expectations on what the audience takes away from his performance. He wants his audience to live in the moment and experience their lives to the fullest. "The great thing about poetry is what everyone gets out of it is all personal," Samson said. "Everyone gets something different; I never try to have an expectation on what they should get." The Asia Project performed other poems, including "Bathtub" and "Walking Constellation" which are influenced by his wife's miscarriages. "Alive" is dedicated to the birth of Samson's son, Aris Samson. Samson said he was excited to be a part of Texas State Diversity Week because he thinks it is necessary for schools to celebrate the cultural differences making America special. "In a time of racial divide and division, diversity is something schools need to bring awareness to," Samson Asia Samson performs his poem "Awakening" Oct. 29 at said. George's in the LBJ Student Center. Ismael Cruz, interior design freshman, said he PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ attended the event because of an interest in learning more about diversity. He appreciates the university for hosting events focusing on awareness regarding the different identities represented across campus. "I think it is important for the university to emphasize diversity to unite people and show it is better to be together and equal," Cruz said. Margarita Arellano, dean of students, said The Asia Project's humanistic performance served as a reminder that even the biggest obstacles in life can be overcome. "Not everything is perfect in life, but what matters is how we look at it," Arellano said. "(Samson) has overcome challenges and through his performance, he showed us why life is so important." For students to fully appreciate diversity on campus, Arellano said it is important for students to make an Jollan Aurelio plays the guitar during The Asia Project's effort. performance Oct. 29 at George's in the LBJ Student Center. "I think all of us have to choose to want to learn," PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ Arellano said. "The work is ours to do, each of us." To listen to their poems and other work, check out For more information on The Asia Project visit The Asia Project albums "Bleed" and "Touch" on theasiaproject.com or follow @theasiaproject on Instagram. Spotify or iTunes. For live performances and behindthe-scenes content, visit The Asia Project on YouTube.
DANCE
Step Afrika! stomps on campus By Abby Gutierrez Life & Arts Reporter While using their bodies to create percussive sounds, humor and storytelling, Step Afrika! brings historical African American culture to life through stepping. Step Afrika! was founded in 1994. The group is the world’s first professional company dedicated to blending traditional African American dance styles and stepping, a percussive dance practiced by historically African American sororities and fraternities. The team performed from 2-3:30 p.m., Nov. 1, at Evans Auditorium as a part of Diversity Week, hosted by Student Government. According to Student Government President Corey Benbow, the purpose of Step Afrika! is to preserve, expand and promote an appreciation for stepping through professional performance. “Their mission is to educate, motivate and inspire young people in and out of school through the arts and educational programs, emphasizing the stepping core values of teamwork, commitment and discipline,” Benbow said. Step Afrika! artist Deatrice Clark said the performance tells traditional African American stories through their percussive dancing and stepping. “Percussive means to strike,” Clark said. “If I hit my leg or anything else, I am hitting it to make a sound to make music. Stepping is percussive because we are using our bodies as actual instruments.” The group educated its audience on an old type of percussive movement called the Gumboot dance. The dance uses “Gumboots,” which are a type of boot worn by African mine workers. Clark said the Gumboot dance is an example of percussive communication for African people.
Step Afrika! company members Pelham Warner and Robert Warnsley perform Nov. 1 at Evans Auditorium. PHOTO BY ABBY GUTIERREZ The Step Afrika! crew perform the traditional African "Gumboot Dance" Nov.1 at Evans Auditorium. PHOTO BY ABBY GUTIERREZ
“When the ‘Gumbooters’ were in the mines, they came from all different parts of Africa and did not all know the same language,” Clark said. “They created a language percussively with their boots so they could communicate with each other. If somebody is hungry or needs a break, they would make up a certain rhythm to (communicate that).” During the performance, the group
encouraged participation as they included the audience in clapping to the beat and brought students onstage to teach them basic stepping moves. Keuna Webster, political science junior, is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority at Texas State. She said the sorority utilizes stepping to express themselves and she wanted to attend the performance to support Step Afrika!.
“(Sigma Gamma Rho) has our own different calls and hand signs unique to our organization,” Webster said. Including the educational aspect from the performance and the cultural significance of stepping showcased, Benbow said he thinks bringing in Step Afrika! to perform benefits the student body when discussing diversity, inclusion and cultural appreciation. “I hope people will gain an entirely new appreciation for the stepping that goes on historically within African American fraternities and sororities,” Benbow said. Each year, Step Afrika! puts on a 50city tour where the company travels to colleges and theaters to perform. “We are always excited to come to a new school and share our art form (of stepping) with people who have may have never seen it before,” Clark said. “(Step Afrika!) is an amazing place to be, to share and to be a part of.” Kaitlynn Martin is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, an organization that also takes part in the stepping tradition. Martin said she thinks Step Afrika!’s performance shows Texas State is advancing in cultural awareness. “It is just another step in the right way,” Martin said. “We can claim we are a diverse student body, but we have a good way to go to include and make sure everybody feels as if they are comfortable with their diversity.” Benbow said by the end of the performance and Diversity Week, he hopes people will take away the significance of celebrating diversity and each other’s uniqueness. “I’m hoping people will be very involved in living in their truth, being their true self, celebrating themselves and celebrating others,” Benbow said.
The University Star
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 | 5
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.
Letters to the editor
The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 500 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Please include your full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation, phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is not used for any commercial purpose. Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. You will be contacted if your letter is a candidate for publication. We will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. To make a submission, email stareditor@txstate.edu.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR By Byron Augustin, D.A., Gary Beall, Ph.D., Steven A. Beebe, Ph.D., William Brittain, Ph.D., David R. Butler, Ph.D., Nancy Chavkin, Ph.D., Ian Davidson, D.M.A., Frank de la Teja, Ph.D., Dennis J. Dunn, Ph.D., Michael Forstner, Ph.D., Dittmar Hahn, Ph.D., Robert Mclean, Ph.D., Donald Olson, Ph.D., Max Warshauer, Ph.D. Texas State University has a large number of students who are firstgeneration college students. According to our university’s website (https://
www.ucollege.txstate.edu/first-genproud/ ), a “ first-generation student is someone whose parents/guardians did not complete a four-year college degree or a student raised by a single parent/ guardian who did not complete a fouryear college degree.” In fact, 46% of incoming Bobcat students identify as “First-Gen." It may surprise you to learn many professors, including several Texas State Regents’ Professors, were either first-generation students or are firstgeneration professors. The System's highest faculty honor, the Regents’ Professor Award, is conferred upon professors who demonstrate excellence and exemplary achievement in the areas of teaching, research,
publication and service. The Texas State Regents’ Professors strongly support first-generation students, and heartily endorse the activities of the forthcoming National First Generation Day on Nov. 8, 2019, as well as the week-long activities leading up to that day sponsored by the campus advisory group “F1rst Gen Proud." Several Texas State Regents’ Professors will participate at the Arch on Friday, Nov. 8, at 11:15 a.m. with remarks in support of first-generation students and F1rst Gen Proud. We encourage the entire university community to support the week-long activities of F1rst Gen Proud leading up to National First Generation Day. We hope you will go to the webpage https://
www.ucollege.txstate.edu/first-genproud/First-Gen-Week.html to learn about all the great activities going on during the week. The Regents’ Professors hope to see you at The Arch Nov. 8th! To learn more about Regents’ Professors, please visit https://www.tsus. edu/foundation/regents-awards/regentsprofessor.html. Each year, the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System honors professors whose performance and contributions to the educational community have been exemplary. Many of the professors who signed on to this letter to the editor are first-generation students themselves.
MURALS
Additional murals could enhance campus atmosphere By Elisabeth Harper Opinion Columnist Scattered across San Marcos are subtle, yet charming artistic creations everywhere. Murals appear outside car windows along busy streets; mosaics line the San Marcos River; large eclectically painted mermaids swim through the air at local parks. An extra observant eye may catch a glimpse of the masterpieces residing on the small, inconspicuous street corners. The abundance of creative minds within the city are hardly underrepresented in the quirky town. With a robust population comprised of its own visual artists, Texas State should strive to serve any disconnect between the academic and personal world by incorporating local art initiatives into its educational experience. In other words, Texas State officials should start implementing student-led murals. The City of San Marcos pays special attention to ensure its artistic population feels represented. A number of local San Marcos virtuosos are able to bleed their craft into the public sphere through murals that can be seen across town. The “Dive into the Divine” mural outside of Root Cellar on The Square was completed in 2016 through a coop between designer Morgan Haberle Egan and local muralist Jana Swec. “The Locals” mural next to Rio Vista— created by local artist Buddy Pejak—was completed in 2017. “The Dude,” by artist Ramon Alvarez, sits comfortably in San Marcos’ Graffiti Alley downtown. The aesthetically alluring town beautifies
the city and unites the population through common cultural themes like community and environmental conservation. Texas State, with a massive student population of over 38,000, is one sector of the city lagging behind when it comes to representing its artist population. Right outside of the Texas State Paws N’ Go—an on-campus convenience store—has emerged an explosion of color and asymmetry through the form of an abstract art mural. While this campus mural has succeeded in drawing the delighted gaze of students and faculty, the piece still seems to lack the character of its local counterparts; the artist is obscured. Rene Perez, whose anthropomorphic paintings can be found along city streets and local businesses, is one of the more well-known community artists. His pieces receive recognition solely because his name is behind them; he is a local. Perez walks along the same streets and can occasionally be spotted at the Art Squared Arts Market every second Saturday of the month that occurs in the center of town. With figures like Perez hovering outside campus premises, it seems silly the university is not doing more to involve its younger demographic in the community art outlets while mimicking similar endeavors on its own grounds. Freshman art students Maddison Laurento and Blake Wadley declined having much of a relationship with local San Marcos artists, despite their similar ambitions. A way Texas State could aid amateur artists in the ultimate task of exposure is through a joint operation
ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON
with artists around the area. “It would be really cool for students to have a chance to get their art out there and recognized,” Wadley said. “I think any student would be eager to have that experience.” While supporting the nascent artists of Texas State, a project like campus murals could be another form of unification between San Marcos student and nonstudent residents. With diversity and
inclusivity acting as core values, there is no good reason to neglect the student population because the community has an abundance of like-minded people. If anything, such minds should be exploited in the promotion of the very things that are widely admired in the atmosphere of the beloved San Marcos. Elisabeth Harper is a wildlife biology sophomore
4 | Tuesday, November 5, 2019
The University Star
The University Star
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 | 7
SPORTS
Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu
FROM FRONT GAMEDAY
CROSS COUNTRY
Cross country closes season with fourth and fifth place finishes By Zachary Lopez Sports Reporter The Texas State women’s cross country team placed fourth and the men’s finished fifth at the 2019 Sun Belt Cross County Championships on Saturday in Hampton, Georgia. The women tallied 112 points and the men totaled 92 points. True freshman Riley McGrath was named the Sun Belt Freshman and Newcomer of the year, and both teams combined for four runners on the All-Sun Belt Team. The women’s team averaged an 18:30.06 time and had two All-Sun Belt selections. Junior Sydney Cole placed 10th and ran a time of 18:00.3, earning her a spot on the All-Sun Belt Second Team. Cole was placed on the Third Team last year, making her a two-time All-Sun Belt honoree in her third year at Texas State. McGrath was honored to the All-Sun Belt
Third Team with a 12th place finish and a time of 18:04.7. Finishing out the ‘Cats’ scorers were senior Abby Steinhauser in 21st place with a time of 18:22.5, junior Tina Sierra, who crossed the finish line 32nd with a time of 18:57.8, and senior Leslie Romero, who finished in 37th place with a time of 19:05.0. Two Bobcats earned All-Sun Belt honors on the men’s side, three athletes finished in the top 20 and the team’s average time was 25:25.42. Junior Justin Botello received AllSun Belt Second Team honors with an eighth-place finish and a time of 24:45.3 and junior Cade Michael earned an AllSun Belt Third Team nod after crossing the finish line in 13th place with a time of 25:02.9. Senior Johen Deleon placed 18th with a final time of 25:29.3, while sophomore Dereck Elkins (26th, 25:53.4) and junior Owen McGlothlin (27th, 25:56.2) rounded out
Junior Tina Sierra finished 73rd with an 18:18.4 time at the Chile Pepper Festival PHOTO COURTESY TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
the Bobcat scorers. The season ended for many Bobcat runners, but fans can catch athletes such as Cole, Romero and Elkins in distance races as Indoor Track begins on January 5.
PICK 'EM
on the season. Despite the strong defensive line, a weak offense forces them to stay on the field for far too long and eventually give up touchdowns, Spavital said after the Louisiana loss. “The defense is playing well, but they would like to have the third quarter back,” Spavital said. “The flood gates opened on them…and we didn’t finish the way we should have. I am pleased with how those kids are playing until there are zeroes on the clock.” The upcoming South Alabama team is fortunately plagued with the same issues as Texas State to an even greater degree. The ‘Cats’ higher-ranked defense will have to hold up against a Jaguar offense that ranks near the bottom of Connelly’s SP+ standings. South Alabama is coming into the game off of a sixgame losing streak and sits at 1-7 for the season at the bottom of the West Division with their lone win against FCS school Jackson State. The Jags average 290.9 yards and 14.6 points per game under redshirt sophomore quarterback Cephus Johnson, who was pulled in Alabama’s last game and replaced by redshirt freshman Desmond Trotter. Either quarterback may start, but the results are projected to largely be the same under Texas State’s solid defense. The true test for the ‘Cats will be putting points on the board. South Alabama’s defense is significantly better than their offense, coming in at 96th nationally. This could hurt the ‘Cats’ 122nd-ranked offense, especially as the starting quarterback position remains up in the air and the team’s top running back, junior Caleb Twyford, only put up 11 yards in last week’s game. Texas State’s passing-to-running ratio has long been imbalanced, with the ‘Cats making 206 passing yards and 58 rushing yards against Lafayette. Amid all of the traditions, celebrations and excitement of Homecoming Week, the ‘Cats are favored by 75.8% to win their second conference game on the road to bowl qualification. Each game counts if they are to defeat each upcoming conference matchup and move on to bowl eligibility. Texas State football will be tested by the South Alabama Jaguars on home turf at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Wack.
FOOTBALL
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: Baylor @ TCU 11:00 A.M. Nov. 9 at AMG Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Tx. South Alabama @ Texas State 2:00 P.M. Nov. 9 at Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, Tx. LSU @ Alabama 2:30 P.M. Nov. 9 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL.
JAKOB R. RODRIGUEZ (22-8)
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Baylor Texas State LSU
CLAIRE PARTAIN (21-9)
SPORTS EDITOR Baylor Texas State Alabama COLTON MCWILLIAMS (19-11)
SPORTS REPORTER Baylor Texas State Alabama
ANDREW ZIMMEL (21-9)
SPORTS REPORTER TBaylor Texas State Alabama
GUEST PICKER: GENE BOURGEOIS, Provost Guest picker record: last set by Lachelle Smith, Sports Editor, The Vermillion, University of Louisiana at Lafayette (16-11) Baylor Texas State LSU Last Week's scores: 31-3 Louisiana Lafayette | 54-48 SMU | 24-17 Georgia
Chaotic third quarter dooms Bobcats in loss By Colton Mcwilliams Sports Reporter In a turn of events that has become routine for many Bobcat fans, the Texas State offense failed to show up and battle in a 31-3 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette on Saturday. Despite trailing 10-3 at halftime, the Cajuns scored 21 unanswered points in the second half while the Texas State offense managed just 157 yards of offense and two interceptions en route to the 31-3 blowout loss. The game drops the Bobcats' record to 2-6 and 1-3 in conference play. Head coach Jake Spavital said that he is most frustrated with the offense's lack of recovery and failure to learn from their repeat mistakes. “(The offense) see the mistakes that they are making," Spavital said. "I’m going to talk to these kids right now and it’s really nothing new that they haven’t heard, but (in) the third quarter you can’t give up 21 points like that and be able to stop momentum swings.” He said that swings in momentum for the opposing team are the most important thing to tackle right now if they are to fight for bowl eligibility and another conference win. The first quarter was a defensive slugfest between the two teams. Both defenses refused to give an inch to the opposing team and both offenses didn’t gain more than 36 yards on each of their drives. The Cajuns finally broke through late in the second quarter as Lafayette running back Elijah Mitchell ran 39 yards for the first touchdown of the game to put the Cajuns up 7-0. The Bobcat offense responded to the Cajun touchdown with a drive of their own as Texas State drove deep into Lafayette territory to the 15-yard line. However, the Cajun defense held firm and forced the Bobcats to kick a 33-yard field goal by Justin Rowland and leave the score at 7-3. Freshman running back Clavin Hill, (22), sprints past a Warhawk defender to get in the endzone Oct. 10 against LouisianaMonroe at Bobcat Stadium PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS
Just before halftime, the Cajuns were able to put together a successful drive into Bobcat territory. Before the clock expired, Louisiana kicked a 46-yard field goal by Stevie Artigue to extend the lead to 10-3. After receiving the kickoff to start the second half, the Cajuns scored after Levi Lewis found Nick Ralston for the 24yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 17-3. The Bobcats responded to the Cajun touchdown with a successful drive that saw Texas State near a second half touchdown. However, an interception off of a pass from sophomore quarterback Tyler Vitt ended any hope of any Bobcat touchdown. The turnover proved costly as the Cajuns turned the interception into 7 points with a 24-yard touchdown from Lafayette running back Chris Smith to put Lafayette up 24-3. After the Bobcats were forced to punt on the very next drive, Lewis hit Raymond Calasis for a 34-yard touchdown to put the score at 31-3 and solidify the win for Louisiana-Lafayette Texas State finished the game with 264 yards of offense. Vitt threw for 206 yards on 36 attempts with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The running game failed to reach over 100 yards rushing as the Bobcats ran for just 58 yards of offense with Vitt running for 38 yards. Despite giving up 21 points in the third quarter, the defense played another exceptional game, holding the Cajuns to just 10 points through three quarters. “I still think the defense is playing well,” Spavital said. “That’s a good team that we just played, one of the better rushing teams in the country. I'm still pleased on how the defense played. Those kids play till there are zeroes on the clock.” Texas State returns home for a final chance at bowl eligibility in a matchup against South Alabama for Homecoming on Saturday.
The University Star
8 | Tuesday, November 5, 2019
SPORTS
Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu
VOLLEYBALL
Texas State splits the weekend in Louisiana By Cade Andrews Sports Reporter After completing their final away games of the season, the Texas State volleyball team split the weekend in Louisiana. The team completed the sweep against Monroe on Friday but fell short to Lafayette in five sets the following Sunday. The Bobcats improved to 19-8 and 11-2 in the conference and maintain their spot at the top of the Sun Belt Conference with the best record. Despite winning the first set, Texas State eventually fell to Lafayette 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 25-20,17-25,1015) on Sunday. Lafayette and Texas State were almost evenly matched in every statistical category. The Bobcats slightly led the Cajuns in blocks (10-7), assists (59-56), and digs (79-73), but the Cajuns had the advantage in aces (82). Senior outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey led the way for the Bobcats with 21 kills to go with her three blocks and an ace. Sophomore Janell Fitzgerald was right behind her with 16 kills. Freshman Caitlan Buettner also finished in double-digit kills with 11. Freshman middle blocker Tessa Marshall had eight kills and led the team with six blocks. Sophomore Emily DeWalt finished the match with 48 assists and 23 digs. The team proved they had great players on and off the bench this weekend, head coach Karen Chisum said. "We're playing on the outside," Chisum said. "(Teske) and (Buettner) came in and did a good job, and another kid that stepped in this weekend was (Marshall). So those kids got some experience and I think it's going to be crucial down the line." The loss came down to a lack of desire to win and an uncharacteristically poor passing game, Chisum said. "They wanted it more than we did," Chisum said. "We did not pass very well and that really created some problems in that we were out of system a lot of times. We don't do that very often. We made some errors at critical times and you just can't do that when it gets down to playing for first place or going for the win." Earlier in the weekend, Texas State defeated ULM in three straight sets (25-22, 25-15, 26-24) for its 11th sweep of the season at the Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Bobcats led the Warhawks in every statistical
category. Both teams hit under .200, but the Bobcats still held the advantage .174-.112. The Bobcats won in kills (40-31), assists (36-26), and digs (63-46). They also just edged out the Warhawks in aces (5-4) and blocks (7-6). With the win, the Cats improved to 46-2 all-time against the Warhawks and have won their last 15 matches. Adding on to her dominant season, Huskey once again finished with a double-double with 16 kills (.353) and 10 digs. Fitzgerald closely followed with 10 kills on a .412 hitting percentage. DeWalt nearly had a double-double after turning in 35 assists and nine digs. Junior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott led the team with four blocks and senior defensive specialist Rylie Fuentes led the back row with 13 digs. Despite the victory, Chisum was disappointed that the team did not rack up the best hitting percentage or play at their usual "It went pretty well, (but) we weren't very sharp and ULM played decent," Chisum said. I was very pleased to get through all three sets and take it away. It's tough being on the road as much as we have." The split wasn't too bad of an outcome for the team, according to Chisum, and she didn't let the loss bring the team down. "Sometimes a loss, whether we like it or not, is a good learning experience," Chisum said. "We've just got to learn from it and move forward. We've got to work hard, we've got to sharpen things up, (and) we've got three matches left here in the regular season so we have to take care of them and then we'll be in good shape." Next up for the 'Cats is a tough two-match series at home this weekend. Texas State will face Arkansas State, the first team to beat the Bobcats in conference, on Saturday. Chisum said the game is one of redemption and that the team has evolved since they last played them. "The kids have really been looking to that as a revenge match," Chisum said. "Our depth is pretty good. We've been just getting some experience with our bench." The 'Cats will focus on fundamentals and continuing to support each other and prepare for the weekend, Chisum said. "We just stubbed our toe Sunday afternoon," Chisum said. "We've just got to get back to feeling good. We're
Senior Cheyenne Huskey, (4), and junior Tyeranee Scott, (3), jump together to block a South Alabama player's hit Oct. 19 at Strahan Arena PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS
a family, we're a team, we've got to support each other and be the best teammate we can be." Texas State returns to Strahan Coliseum next weekend to take on Arkansas-Little Rock on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Arkansas State on Saturday at 7 p.m. Stay updated on everything Texas State volleyball by following the team on Facebook, Twitter,and Instagram.