August 24, 2021

www.UniversityStar.com

TUESDAY AUGUST 24, 2021 VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

Hope, concern and nostalgia: Bobcats return to campus for first day of class SEE PAGE 3

Alumnus-founded production company sparks creativity and collaboration SEE PAGE 4

The Main Point: Students forced to protect against COVID-19 as people in power fail

Spiking toward the Sun Belt: Volleyball sets for season in hopes of fourth title

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 14

Back To School

Top Photo: Texas State Bottom Photo: A Texas students walk around State student poses for a campus, Monday, August first day of semester photo, PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO 23, 2021, on Bobcat Trail.

August 23, 2021, on PHOTO BY NATALIE Bobcat Trail..

Texas State geography senior Madi Perry reads her book in between the first of day of classes, Monday, August 23, 2021, on The Quad.

RYAN

ODS COVID-19

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

FOOTBALL

Football hopes bigger players smash last season's faults

By Sumit Nagar Sports Editor

Anthropology junior Abigayle Friehauf and her service dog, Monday, August 16, 2021, in San Marcos.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Students with disabilities reveal the impact of COVID-19 and remote learning

By Timia Cobb News Editor Over the past year, students with disabilities were forced to readjust their methods of learning as the majority of university curriculum was facilitated through a virtual or hybrid course delivery. Students who live with ADHD, epilepsy, hard of hearing, blindness, anxiety, diabetes and other disabilities now prepare to readjust their learning habits again with the return of in-person classes.

When classes were remote, Abigayle Friehauf, an anthropology junior, found it more comfortable to learn from her own home. Attending class online with her service dog at her side, who helps with seizures and post-traumatic stress disorder, makes learning easier.

Vegan and Vegetarian Options

For Texas State Football, the 2020 season was reminiscent of the previous five years: Underwhelming.

The Bobcats finished the year 2-10 overall and 2-6 in the Sun Belt.

Even with a historic losing streak looming over their heads, the team has regained their optimism for the upcoming 2021 season. By focusing their offseason on roster depth and injury prevention, Head Coach Jake Spavital says the Bobcats are geared toward success.

“I think we’ve gotten a lot bigger, a lot longer, and I think we’ve got more depth than we ever had since I’ve been here,” Spavital says. “[It is] a very promising deal for our program.”

One of the team’s offseason priorities was to get bigger players, specifically at the offensive and defensive lines. Spavital discovered most Group of Five teams lack size in the trenches and believes he has made progress on that front.

“The profile of our offensive line is completely different,” Spavital says.

“We now have eight guys over 280

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pounds. When I got here in 2019, I thought we were one of the smallest teams in America … ‘Big people beat up little people.’ It’s important to have size, especially in this game upfront.”

One of the additions to the trenches is graduate offensive lineman Liam Dobson, a native of Ottawa, Canada. Dobson played three seasons at the University of Maine and was selected third overall in the 2021 Canadian Football League Draft.

With aspirations of playing in the NFL, Dobson thought it would be best to use his fourth year of eligibility at a Division I FBS school, prompting him to sign with Texas State.

During the offseason, a big topic of discussion within the team was a three-person quarterback competition between sophomore Brady McBride, junior Tyler Vitt and freshman transfer Ty Evans.

The trio took a similar number of practice reps throughout fall camp, but all three quarterbacks found the competition to be healthy; they bonded off the field over rounds of golf and the video game Rocket

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The University Star

2 | Tuesday, August 24, 2021

NEWS

Timia Cobb News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT ODS COVID-19 Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Brianna Benitez stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Payton Russell starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Timia Cobb starnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Sarah Hernandez starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinion Editor: Hannah Thompson staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Sumit Nagar starsports@txstate.edu Design Editor: Viviana Faz stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Natalie Ryan starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Erkya Thompson starsengagement@txstate.edu Podcast Editor: Kim Davis Jr. starpodcast@txstate.edu

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“Before COVID hit, it was a little difficult being in class, just because I did have a lot of people and teachers react to my service dog because she was very cute and very fluffy,” Friehauf says.

“It was kind of hard because, a lot of the time, I even had one teacher disrespect me in front of the class because I wouldn't let her pet the dog while class was in session. So, it was definitely kind of hard, but after a while, I kind of got used to it and was able to handle it better and stuff.”

With online learning, Friehauf says she didn't have to worry or prepare for an awkward situation where her dog would be discussed in class.

Abigail Gage, a journalism junior, who experiences chronic migraines and has type one diabetes, got her service animal in August 2019. Gage intended to have the dog help her while on campus, however, because of the pandemic and switch to remote learning, the service animal training she paid for wasn’t regularly put to use.

“Remote learning kind of got rid of all the training that we paid for right before I came to college, just because she wasn't going to classes, and we weren't really going out, so that was difficult for her,” Gage says. “So, I guess, I'm not even sure if I'm gonna bring her back next year, or if I need to find some alternative to helping my low blood sugar, but that was probably the hardest obstacle was, like, her training went pretty downhill.”

From the virtual classes, Gage also faced difficulties with sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time.

“Because of the migraines, the blue light from the computer screen was pretty hard for me," Gage says. "I would struggle to finish assignments, and I've never really had that issue before. I would kind of have to take a break or ask for an extension, occasionally, and also felt like I wasn't learning as well."

Gage says she looks forward to

returning to campus because it allows her to receive a better education and decreases her migraines. However, she is worried about the potential spread of COVID-19 on campus, since she is at a higher risk because of her condition.

Throughout the past year, Texas State's Office of Disability Services has attempted to provide educational assistance to students, like Gage, who are at a higher risk of catching COVID-19.

Office of Disability Services Assistant Director Bruce Coonce says this focus has allowed the office to help students while seeing the reoccurring problems students with disabilities have with remote learning.

“I would say that there were certain students that said the online was easier, but they tended to be students with chronic medical conditions that were episodic, you know, had flares that might have affect attendance or students who ... because of visual impairment or some other reason, you're not able to drive, some of those students found it easier," Coonce says. "I would say the preponderance of students that I talked with, however, found it more difficult sometimes because there was little to less structure in an online class."

ODS usually focuses on helping students adapt to their classes, but, due to COVID-19, the office has had to make modifications. Office of Disability Services Director Gavin Steiger explains the office received over a thousand schedule modification requests from students who sought to participate in classes virtually between the summer of 2020 to the summer of 2021.

“One thing that our office was tasked to do this past year was to provide modifications, which are different from accommodations,” Steiger says. “Our office, which will typically provide accommodations for students with disabilities, and the accommodations are meant to provide equal access and equal opportunity. The modifications, they’re

a little bit different because these would be available to any student that was in the high-risk population. So, it didn't matter if the student had an underlying medical condition, if they were 65 years of age or older or if they were pregnant, any of those students could be eligible to request a modification.”

Due to the situations, students with disabilities confront while on campus, Friehauf believes more remote options can make classes be less of a hassle to get to and feel more inclusive.

“I haven't really been back on campus yet ... due to the fact that I also have a hard time with driving because, I know a lot of people don't really know this, but after somebody has a seizure they have to wait three to six months before they can drive again," Friehauf says. "It's definitely harder for me to get to campus because the bus routes don't come to my house, and I'd have to rely on a friend or Uber, which costs money and things like that. So, it is a little more difficult to have to come to campus.”

As students return to campus and compare accessibility differences between in-person and online courses, Steiger says ODS is focusing on creating more classes this fall suited to the needs of students with disabilities.

However, even with this goal, he says classes that require a heavy amount of face-to-face interaction, such as labs, are not always an option, virtually.

“Our role here with the ODS Office is really to ensure that whatever the faculty decide to do, is also accessible to individuals with disabilities,” Steiger says. “I would hope that we will have been able to learn a few things and health technology can be able to help us moving forward.”

To register with a disability or have questions about disability accommodations visit the Office of Disability Services https://www.ods.txstate.edu/.

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021 | 3

NEWS

Timia Cobb News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Hays County helps tenents, landlords through rental assistance program

By Destany Fuller News Reporter Editor's note: To protect the privacy of Hays County caseworker employees, the first names of the employees featured in this article have been omitted.

Hays County launched its Emergency Rental Assistance program to provide support for residents financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources from the program cover rent and utility expenses for residents in need.

In order to receive assistance from the program, county residents who faced complications with paying rent or utility bills must apply. Program expenses are covered through funds provided by a $6.9 million federal grant. According to Program Director Wesley Matthews, the program has been allocated $275,000 from the grant. $245,000 of the funds are used for program operations and the rest toward assisting applicants.

The program has offered aid since July 12 and has since had 150 applicants apply. Support will continue to be provided until September 2022 or until all funds are used if more are not provided by the federal government.

Matthews says community interaction is the most vital part of the program. Besides hiring community members to work for the program, Matthews encourages interested individuals to look to their community for help in applying.

"We don't want people to have to come to us to get help," Matthews says. "We want them to go to their neighbors and then they know that we're here to support them, and we'll help them. We just want to be a hub that helps people get this done."

Households eligible for assistance can receive up to 12 months of rent or utility assistance.

Applicants can reapply for additional assistance after an initial one to three months of provided support. Additional assistance is only available in three-month increments, not to exceed a total of 12 months.

If approved after registration, residents who are facing eviction or already in eviction proceedings can show their registration receipt to the Hays County court as proof of registration. The grant will issue payments directly to the landlord of applicants approved for the program.

Applicants can learn more about the program, complete a pre-qualification questionnaire and access the program's application online. To be accepted for the program, applicants must first submit a response to the pre-qualification questionnaire.

Additionally, applicants must apply for assistance for a renter household located in Hays County, have an income less than 80% of the area median income ($98,900) and live in a household where one or more members have

either qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction of income, incurred significant costs or experienced other financial hardship due to or during the pandemic.

A guided checklist listing documents needed for the application submission can be found on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program website. The checklist includes a W9 provided by a landlord, information on the rent amount owed, a previous year W2 tax report and more. As of now, it takes between 14-30 days for applicants to be notified if they have been granted rental assistance funds.

To improve the program's accessibility, Matthews says the program is searching for volunteers who speak multiple languages to assist applicants of all cultures and dialects.

"I'm looking for volunteers that speak ASL to Zulu," Matthews says. "If you [speak] a different language and there's people around you that understand that same language, come in. Get a hold of us and help us create information that will reach your community."

The program is also considering additional advertising methods to encourage residents to sign up for rental assistance. Matthews says the program is considering hosting an event at the San Marcos Public Library.

"We're asking them to, you know, deal with their community, to see if they want to have an event at their library, where people could come there and we would actually send the caseworker there to do that," Matthews says.

"In the meantime, we've been working with apartments to try and do the same thing.

So, say that if the apartments have multiple people, then they can set up an event and we would come to their actual apartment and meet with other tenants that need assistance."

The county created four new positions to assist with program outreach and management.

Caseworker Williams, a new hire for the program, says she's excited to work for the community, even though she's new to the job and the area.

"This is an awesome, awesome opportunity," Williams says. "I'm pretty new to San Marcos, and I'm super excited to just help out people in my community, now."

Caseworker Bonillas says that while she is also a new hire, she's learning a lot about the program as well as working with her coworkers.

"We're kind of learning what everybody's strengths are to play to those and make sure that everybody's utilized for what they're good at," Bonillas says. "It's fun, I like it ... it's fun starting [and] being part of starting a program.”

In-person assistance is available at the Hays County Courthouse in room 303. For more information about the Emergency Rental Assistance program, visit https://hayscountytx. com/emergency-rental-assistance-program/.

FIRST DAY

Hope, concern and nostalgia: Bobcats return to campus for first day of class

By Timia Cobb News Editor Returning to campus on the first day of school was a rush of nostalgia for Brittney McKinney.

After spending the last 17 months settling for a virtual learning experience in a world of social distancing, McKinney, a music senior, was overjoyed to experience the back-to-school bustle on her last first day at Texas State.

“It's been really interesting actually, it’s really nice to be back on campus again after basically two years of being stuck behind a computer. I’ve only had one class so far, but, for the most part, everything felt pretty good, everyone was spaced out really nice and almost everybody had a mask on, and the teacher was really good on making sure everyone felt comfortable,” McKinney says.

With the fall semester in session, Texas State students express excitement and worry for the return of in-person classes and activities this school year. As part of Texas State’s COVID-19 return plan, the university strongly recommends faculty, staff and students to get vaccinated, wear masks indoors, get tested regularly and report positive tests to Bobcat Trace.

87% of classes this semester are scheduled to be in person. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Gene Bourgeois says faculty have been awarded the choice to decide when they want to teach in person or virtually.

"Roughly 87% of the classes will have a face-to-face component, and about 13% will be online. That includes the ability by faculty to go online or to have a Zoom session, or two, or three during the semester, at their discretion," Bourgeois says.

Out of the 45 contact hours in class each semester, at least 39 hours must be done in person, Bourgeois adds.

Because of Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order prohibiting the enforcement of masks in governmentfunded public offices, buildings and facilities, public universities cannot require face masks. While McKinney is relieved to experience a sense of normalcy with the return to campus, she is concerned about the university's inability to mandate masking.

“I wish there was a mask mandate at the very least. I'm from California and all of the schools there, everyone [is] required on campus anyways to have a vaccination and a mask," McKinney says.

"Being here it’s kind of weird that we’re

open but there is no mask mandate.”

This school year, vaccinations will not be required at large university social events. However, booster vaccinations will soon be available on campus for moderately to severely immunocompromised persons. The Student Health Center will provide Pfizer booster vaccinations starting Aug. 27 and estimate to have Moderna booster vaccinations around the first week of September.

Jeremy Marmolejo, an international studies junior, missed life on campus and says that these are early days and hopefully more people will be open to getting vaccinated in the future.

“There’s definitely a lot more work to be done in terms of, you know, getting people vaccinated and just getting as educated as possible and being as careful as possible," Marmolejo says.

Before incoming freshman and returning students could move into university residence halls, students were required to submit a negative COVID-19 test. Texas State Student Health Center Director Dr. Emilio Carranco says only a small number of students tested positive.

"We did set up a testing site on campus, and we were able to test almost 1,500 students ... we found 16 positives,

and those students were instructed to return home to isolate and then to get a PCR test to confirm the rapid antigen test," Carranco says.

Texas State's COVID-19 testing site is located between Flowers Hall and the Evans Liberal Arts building. Testing is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Faculty, staff and students must register online to schedule a testing appointment.

Despite masks or vaccinations not being required on campus, Jennifer Soliz, a music education junior, says her first day back on campus went well and professors made their students feel comfortable.

“Some of my classes are a little bit better than others but some of them are still a little bit squished, I guess because I’m in the music program. So, everybody is usually wearing masks in the music building, which is really nice because I feel safe," Soliz says. "Certain professors are a little bit stricter on the masks, not like requiring it but like saying 'strongly encourage' and to socially distance."

For more information on Texas State's COVID-19 updates and statements, visit https://www.txstate.edu/coronavirus.

The University Star

4 | Tuesday, August 24, 2021 Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

FILM

LIFE & ARTS

Alumnus-founded production company sparks creativity and collaboration

Ape Heart Productions Chief Operations Officer Eliana Gonzales reads a script.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAYEMOND PETTIGREW

By Brooklyn Solis Life and Arts Reporter Rayemond Pettigrew was living couch to couch without hope of entering the pandemic's brutal job market.

As he waited for luck to strike and a job opportunity to come his way, the film production alumnus decided to take matters into his own hands.

With a passion set on creating and empowering artists, Pettigrew launched Ape Heart Productions in February. The local production studio seeks to bring to life the scripted stories of its writers and producers in addition to working on outside projects ranging from music videos to commercials.

“To be honest, none of this was planned,” Pettigrew says. “I was jumping couches in the middle of the pandemic. There was no work. Being lost like that creates a void, especially when all you know is art. I knew a lot of people felt that way so I wanted to do something about it. I never thought I would be leading anything. But I refused to let the people I had grown to love and cherish as artists to lose their ability to produce what means the most to them. All I did was create a platform.”

Pettigrew reached out to two of his colleagues and close friends, Eliana Gonzales, a theater alumna, and Brian Frizzell, a film production alumnus, who helped get the ball rolling as the organization's chief operating officers.

As Ape Heart Production's COOs, Gonzales and Frizzell are responsible for reading incoming scripts and overseeing their producers. With their shared experience in the film industry from working on Netflix

original films and TV shows like The CW’s "Walker," and AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead," both Frizzell and Gonzales rely on their love for filmmaking and creative eye to craft films for the newly founded company.

Before joining the team, Frizzell recalls bonding over the art and construction of film with his sister. In college, Frizzell sought a path to become a playwright, never thinking he would turn his love for movies into a career. While taking a screenwriting course, however, he recognized his passion for telling stories on the screen.

“I’ve always been into movies,” Frizzell says.

“Personally, it was a big thing with my sister and I, and I went to school because I thought I wanted to be a playwright. I read 'Hamlet' in high school and I was like, ‘That’s the ticket.’ But then I took a screenwriting class, and it was all downhill from there.”

Just months into the company's origin, Frizzell’s name can be found in the end credentials of Ape Heart Production’s first and upcoming film, "Justice for Our Kids", a documentary that shares the stories of the families impacted by the 2018 Iconic Village Apartments fire, one of the deadliest fires in San Marcos history that was ruled arson.

“The documentary was [Frizzell’s] brainchild,” Pettigrew says. “He lost his sister Haley and his best friend David to the fire, so it was something very near and dear to us.”

By making the onerous decision to bring that haunting night’s events back to life, Frizzell hopes to commemorate the lives of those lost in the fire and gain justice for his late sister along with his best friend Zachary Sutterfield, a survivor of the fire.

“It killed five people in the apartment, The Iconic Villages, that’s where I lived,” Frizzell says. “It killed my sister, my roommate and it disfigured my best friend, and it was arson, and no one knows who did it, yet. So, it’s about the families, the people that were lost — my sister, my roommate and best friend, and, you know, the grief and process in healing.”

The documentary is partially funded by contributions from Texas State and supported by the university with the rights for a premiere. With its team made up of Texas State alumni, Ape Heart Productions trusts its location near the university will prove to be beneficial to their business and team.

“It’s a school full of creative people, it’s a town full of artists, so there’s a lot of room to collaborate with different people,” Frizzell says. “There’s an ever-growing music scene in San Marcos, with lots of new bands.

There are new music videos, and we’re there to fill that

role. The huge Greek life presence on campus, those guys are always going to need videos, pictures, that sort of thing, and there’s not really a whole lot of people in San Marcos to fill that role.”

At Ape Heart Productions, there is a constant focus on team effort. Gonzales says work is very collaborative.

The more hands-on-deck, the merrier.

“We’re a company where we don’t care what kind of story you write or what kind of scripts or what kind of work you do,” Gonzales says. “If you can do it, bring it to us. We just want great creators who have stories to tell, who have great stories to tell. Stories that we've never heard before and who want to help those creations come to life from screenwriters. We just want to give people an outlet to come to us to just make, and that's just exactly what we're doing right now.”

Ape Heart Productions is still in the early stages of its business, but, for Pettigrew, the business serves as a reminder of why he started the company in the first place: to create.

“I know for me, and that probably goes for a lot of the people that work here, I just want to be able to make art full time,” Pettigrew says. “I mean, that’s the dream. I don’t really care how much I make, as long as I get to do this and make some kind of a living.”

For more information on Ape Heart Productions or to request video production, visit its Instagram and and Twitter @apeheartprod.

Ape Heart Productions Chief Executive Officer Rayemond Pettigrew works on set with his crew.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAYEMOND PETTIGREW

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LIFE & ARTS

Sarah Hernandez Life and Art Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

YOUTUBE

Cowboy Jack, the alumnus YouTuber who lassos viewers with educational content

By Sarah Hernandez Life and Arts Editor Dressing up as a cowboy for his own kid-friendly YouTube channel wasn't necessarily the post-grad career plan John Havard had in mind.

"It's crazy strange because like anybody who knew me when I was back at Texas State, this would probably have been the last thing that they would have imagined I would end up doing," says John Havard, who graduated in 2008 with a degree in marketing. "But, all I can say is, having kids changes you a lot."

Geared up in his signature blue plaid flannel and brown leather vest, the Texas State alumnus now finds joy in leading learning adventures as his character, Cowboy Jack.

The idea behind starting a channel launched in March after he and his wife Andrea struggled to find a suitable YouTube creator for their 3-year-old son. Their first video was a visit to a pond near their house.

"My husband — he's goofy by nature, so it's perfect for him because he can be goofy on film, and he does great, and he's just a natural. He comes up with stuff right off the bat ... we never write a script or anything like that," Andrea Havard says. "We got a camera and we figured out exactly that we wanted to do something Texas-themed. So, we picked out the whole boots and hat and all that, and we went down to our pond, and we just kind of winged it, and it came out pretty good, we thought, and our son liked it."

The channel originated as a way to keep the videos they made for their son all in one place. After showing the videos to their friends who also had young kids, word of mouth led to new subscribers and increased views. Since its start, the channel has accumulated over 3,000 subscribers and 72,500 views.

The goal of the channel is to educate and entertain kids with learning activities and weekly field trips to new locations. In some of his most popular videos, Cowboy Jack meets with police officers to learn about their job and leads a science adventure at Little Beakers, a children's science lab in The Woodlands, Texas.

Unlike big production children's shows that are filmed in cities like Los Angeles, John Havard hopes producing videos filmed in Texas is a feature parents can appreciate.

"Most of the big production kids' shows that are out there are either produced in a studio in Los Angeles, or, you know, the big names are shooting on locations, but it's throughout the Pacific Northwest and Las Vegas. And that's not really relatable for our kids here in Texas. They can't have that same experience here," John Havard says. "So, we're trying to make sure that everything that we do is something that a kid in a small town or big city in Texas can recreate."

Mikayla Meloy, a parent whose three-year-old son loves watching Cowboy Jack, appreciates the simplicity of the channel's content. "[Other kids' content creators] almost give like a false sense of reality for a lot of kids. They want to show off all these nice things they have," Meloy says. "They're not really teaching them anything. It's more of a 'Look at what I have, watch me play with these toys.' And some of them, you know, parents think, 'Oh, they're just watching this child play with their toys,' but in reality, like, you don't know what they're watching, unless you're sitting there watching it with them."

Meloy discovered Cowboy Jack through Facebook, back when the channel was first starting out. Her son has been a regular viewer since. She says the videos help him understand and comprehend information.

"He's engaged, learning, he sees it, it's visualized for him, and again it's somebody he looks up to, so it's helping him memorize and obtain the information," Meloy says.

Throughout their time creating educational content for their channel, John and

Cowboy Jack smiles and pets a Kunekune pig at The Learning Zoo in Conroe, Texas.

In this episode, Cowboy Jack met with a zookeeper to learn and teach viewers about the different animals at the zoo.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN HAVARD

Andrea Havard say they too have learned new things, whether it was about a place they visited or the work that goes into creating and posting videos to YouTube.

"We both have a lot of fun going into all these places," Andrea Havard says. "So, it's cool to like, get to see all the things that a fire truck has on it and stuff. And then, we've done different ones. Like, with animals, and we've gotten to, you know, touch snakes and stuff. You don't ever really get to do anything like that. And so, it's fun.

It's like we're, you know, little kids all over again too."

For John Havard, the most rewarding thing about creating content as Cowboy Jack is the feedback he has received from parents and teachers who play his videos in class.

"I get a couple of pictures a day from different parents showing, you know, 'Hey, my son's doing the science experiments that you did' or 'My son just wanted to say 'Hi,'' or 'We're having such a great time watching your videos.' That makes me feel good," John Havard says. "But the other thing that really blew me away, that I'm in absolute love with is how many teachers I'm having reach out to me and saying, 'We're going to use your content in the classroom.' Teachers have the hardest job ... the fact that maybe Cowboy Jack is making their day a little bit easier or bringing a new dimension into the classroom is just the coolest thing to me."

Looking ahead, John Havard says Cowboy Jack has San Marcos-themed content on the way. He looks forward to visiting new places and continuing to entertain kids with his lively spirit.

"We've actually heard from viewers in like New Zealand and Canada. It's really big," John Havard says. "So, you know, it's kind of, it's all over the place. And now we're getting to the point in our own local community where we go out and a kid will be like, 'Hey, there's Cowboy Jack,' and it's hilarious to me. It's still beyond me that children are watching this and enjoying it. It's something goofy that I did for my own son and now, there's kids all over the place, making them smile. So, it's good stuff."

To keep up with Cowboy Jack, visit his Facebook @cowboyjackshow.

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021 | 7

OPINIONS

Hannah Thompson Opinion Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our publication, Texas State University's administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communications or Student Publications Board.

EDITORIAL

The Main Point: Students forced to protect against COVID-19 as people in power fail

By Editorial Board It’s the first week of classes.

For months, our campus community has attended virtual lectures, socially distanced throughout campus and connected with classmates through online discussions.

But now, 87% of classes are in person, the university is prohibited from enforcing a mask mandate and local cases and hospitalizations of COVID-19 are on the rise.

In its Aug. 10 COVID-19 update, Texas State revealed its plans to return to a “vibrant university experience.” Its plan includes requesting students and faculty to wear a mask, test regularly for COVID-19 and report positive COVID-19 tests to Bobcat Trace.

However, these requests are just that: requests.

With Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order barring public universities from enforcing the necessary precautions to protect students, faculty and staff from COVID-19, Texas State has yet to set any official mandates to protect our campus community.

Nearby schools, however, have voted on resolutions that fight back against Abbott’s ruling.

San Marcos CISD Board of Trustees issued a resolution that requires all individuals to wear masks both in district buildings and on campuses.

Down the interstate, the University of Texas at San Antonio moved its first three weeks of lecture classes online. While labs, studios and other “hands-on” instruction courses remain in person, lecture classes have been modified to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among large indoor gatherings.

The University of Texas at Austin has issued comprehensive masking guidelines for its campus community. Additionally, UT is requiring all of its students to submit a negative COVID-19 test before Aug. 27.

With these nearby schools in mind, one has to wonder if Texas State could do more to further prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant posing a new worldwide threat. The Delta variant is at least two times more contagious than the original COVID-19 strain, making vaccinations and wearing masks more important than ever.

By choosing to conduct the majority of classes in person, Texas State has put the health of its students, faculty and staff at risk. If the university really wanted to pursue a healthy semester, the entire campus community, not just incoming freshmen, could have been required to submit a negative COVID-19 test before classes began.

Across Texas State’s campus, departments and services are stepping up to set their own rules on masking protocols and safety precautions. The Bobcat

Shuttle, for example, is using its status as “public transportation” to enforce masking while in service. In the Department of Theatre and Dance, masking was strongly recommended for in-person callbacks, and a remote option was offered for those not wishing to wear a mask.

Texas State's Panhellenic Committee has opted to hold recruitment in a hybrid format this fall along with mandating masks during in-person recruitment events.

Texas State Athletics will also follow separate guidelines from the university as the Sun Belt, the conference Texas State is a part of, has its own set of COVID-19 protocols. Although vaccinations and masks will not be required, non-vaccinated personnel (athletes, coaches, staff) must undergo regular COVID-19 testing, while vaccinated personnel will not.

At The University Star, we strive to keep our staff safe. It is now our organization's policy to wear a mask at all times during in-person interviews and when working in our office.

Despite these few departments and student organizations taking a more proactive approach, this is not enough.

Other Texas State organizations, as well as the university itself, need to reconsider their back-toschool plans in order for our campus community to have a safe and productive school year.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor: Dear President Trauth An open letter to President Denise Trauth: to protect the public health.

My only granddaughter has begun college at Texas State this fall. She has a right to be safe from the "IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE FOR A preventable and unsafe behaviors of others. Apparently, UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TO SIT you and I don’t share this concern because you haven't stood against an illegal order by the Governor of IDLY BY KNOWING THAT SOME Texas that prohibits mask and vaccine mandates STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, in publicly-supported institutions. Yet, dozens of public school districts have done so, as well as other AND MEMBERS OF THE SAN levels of government. The Governor bases his action on The Texas Disaster Act of 1975, which gives the MARCOS COMMUNITY WILL Governor authority to ameliorate the damage done by BECOME INFECTED – SOME an epidemic. But it does not give him the authority to prohibit other government entities from also taking WILL DIE – BECAUSE OF YOUR steps to protect the public health.

UNWILLINGNESS TO PROTECT The three most effective actions that we can take as a state, community, or university community is to THE PUBLIC HEALTH. require vaccinations of all who are eligible, require that face masks be worn indoors, and require physical distancing. Students and faculty unwilling to take - LAMAR W. HAN-KINS, these steps can avail themselves of remote learning opportunities.

TEXAS STATE GRANDPARENT It is unconscionable for a university president to sit idly by knowing that some students, faculty, staff, and members of the San Marcos community will become infected – some will die – because of your unwillingness At an institution of higher education, one would

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expect that science and rational thought and action should take precedence over nonsense, false logic, and thoughtless conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 vaccines.

To borrow a quote from the conservative writer and commentator David Frum, you, President Trauth, have "decided to inflict a preventable and unjustifiable harm upon family, friends, neighbors, community, country, and planet” by your inaction and mindless following of an extremist governor who cares not one whit about the public's health and well-being.

Relying on personal responsibility has not proven an effective strategy to control this epidemic, any more than leaving it up to each individual to decide how fast to drive on our streets would work to protect public safety. Before you retire from your position of public trust, I encourage you to do something important with your position and your life by protecting the university and San Marcos communities from this devastating epidemic.

Respectfully, Lamar W. Hankins San Marcos, Texas

8 | Tuesday, August 24, 2021

CAMPUS MAP SPONSORED BY:

The University Star

The University Star

Tuesday, August 24, 2021| 9

The University Star

10 | Tuesday, August 24, 2021

MULTIMEDIA

Natalie Ryan Multimedia Editor starmultimedia@txstate.edu

Texas State students walk across campus, Monday, August 23, 2021, by the LBJ Student Center.

First day of class

PHOTO By LILIANA PEREZ

A group of friends gather to have their picture taken in front of a welcome board, Monday, August 23, 2021, by the LBJ Student Center.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

Texas State applied sociology senior April Nance checks Canvas on the first day of classes, Monday, August 23, 2021, on Bobcat Trail.

PHOTO By NATALIE RYAN

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Texas State students look through posters during a poster sale, Monday, August 23, 2021, at Bobcat Trail.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Texas State student organizations hand out water and information, Monday, August 23, 2021, at the Quad.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Texas State students walk around campus, Monday, August 23, 2021, on Bobcat Trail.

Students head up and down the bottom stairs of Alkek Library, Monday, August 23, 2021, at Texas State.

PHOTO BY LILIANNA PEREZ

The University Star

Tuesday, August 24, 2021| 11

Star Snaps

A couple sits and looks out at the river, Sunday, August 23, 2021, at Rio Vista Park.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

A rivergoer attempts to stand in the river, Sunday, August 23, 2021, at Rio Vista Park.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

A group of friends plays volleyball by the river, Sunday, August 23, 2021, at Rio Vista Park.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

A photographer takes a photo, Sunday, August 23, 2021, at Rio Vista Park.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

A rivergoer jumps into the river, Sunday, August 23, 2021, at Rio Vista Park.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

12 | Tuesday, August 24, 2021

The University Star

The University Star

Tuesday, August 24, 2021 | 13

SPORTS

Sumit Nagar Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

FOOTBALL League.

McBride will start the season opener.

This will be his second-straight opening day start, making him the first Bobcat quarterback to do so since 2015-16.

McBride took the majority of the snaps last year with eight starts, throwing for 1,925 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 1-7 record in starts.

The lone victory was a 47-45 thriller against the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Nov. 21. In the contest, McBride went 32-45 for 443 yards and tied the Bobcats' single-game record for passing touchdowns (five).

He says he got more comfortable as last season went on, giving him an opportunity to settle into his role and perform to the best of his ability.

"At the end of last year, I was just trying to control what I can control and kind of just got out of my head,"

McBride says. "Really settling in college football and playing there; that helped a lot."

The Bobcats will kick off the season on Sept. 4 as they host the Baylor Bears, being Texas State’s lone Power Five matchup this season. Spavital finds the game to be an exciting opportunity for both his team and the greater San Marcos community.

“Just having another Power Five team to come to Texas State, to come to San Marcos, it’s gonna be great for our community, especially a quality program like Baylor,” Spavital says. “It’s gonna be a great challenge for our program.”

"JUST HAVING ANOTHER POWER FIVE TEAM TO COME TO

TEXAS STATE, TO COME TO SAN MARCOS, IT’S GONNA BE GREAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY A QUALITY PROGRAM LIKE BAYLOR,” SPAVITAL SAYS. “IT’S GONNA BE A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR OUR PROGRAM.” `

With two years of head coaching experience under his belt, Spavital is sporting a 5-19 record. In 2020, the Bobcats lost four games by only one score.

Despite the lack of wins, especially in close games, he believes the team has improved behind the curtain.

“I think we changed the profile of our team,” Spavital says. “The record may not speak for itself, but we’ve done a lot of great things that we see as a program. You look at last year, you look at COVID, you see all the issues that occurred and all the ups and downs, but we got a lot of quality experience last year. A lot of opportunity for our kids to get better. We had a lot of gut- JAKE SPAVITAL, wrenching losses last year that I do think HEAD FOOTBALL COACH are going to play huge dividends for our program moving forward.”

Texas State freshman wide receiver Kannnon Webb (27) runs upfield after catching a pass during a fall camp drill, Wednesday, August 17, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

Texas State sophomore tight end Seth Caillouet (84) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown during a fall camp scrimmage, Wednesday, August 17, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

Texas State freshman linebacker Aaron Allert (54) lifts practice equipment during a drill, Friday, August 20, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

Texas State sophomore quarterback Brady McBride (2) passes the ball to a receiver during a fall camp drill, Wednesday, August 17, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

Texas State sophomore safety DeJordan Mask (13) attempts to intercept the football in the endzone during a fall camp scrimmage, Wednesday, August 17, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

Texas State junior tight end Tyler Huff (41) lines up before the next play begins during a fall camp scrimmage, Friday, August 20, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

The University Star

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SPORTS

Sumit Nagar Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

VOLLEYBALL

Spiking toward the Sun Belt: Volleyball sets for season in hopes of fourth title

By Carter Bordwell Sports Contributor After hoisting a third straight conference championship trophy and a third straight appearance at the NCAA Tournament, Texas State Volleyball comes into the 2021-22 season looking to build on previous success.

On their quest to win a fourth straight Sun Belt title, the Bobcats are bringing back their entire roster from last season, including six seniors. Two of those seniors, setter Brooke Johnson and middle blocker Tyeranee Scott, have opted to stay for the extra year of eligibility afforded to them because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With four years of experience under her belt, Scott feels no pressure to lead the team this season.

“With all the experience I have from being here, I know the role of being a leader and what I can do to contribute to this team,” Scott says. "The girls make it so easy to be a leader because everyone just wants to work hard. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal.”

Texas State is the preseason favorite to win the West Division of the Sun Belt. Additionally, Scott, senior outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald and senior setter Emily DeWalt were all named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.

Despite the return of the full team and optimistic preseason predictions, Head Coach Sean Huiet has continued preaching focus and consistency to his team throughout the offseason.

“It doesn't matter what jersey is on the other side,” Huiet says. "It doesn't matter if we're playing Texas; it doesn't matter if we're playing Baylor. It doesn't matter if it's South Alabama or Troy; we wanna be the same team all the time, and that will help us reach our goals” During the 2020-21 season,

only a limited number of fans were allowed inside Strahan Arena due to health measures in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These precautions could change for the upcoming season, as other programs in Texas have already announced their return to full capacity sporting events.

The University Star reached out to Texas State Athletics on arena guidelines but have yet to receive a response.

Senior defensive specialist Kayla Granado says the possibility of fans returning at 100% capacity would be exciting. She believes the team would benefit from the crowd's energy.

“I think it's going to be really exciting to be able to have a full crowd this year,” Granado says. "It really makes a difference in those tight games when you can feel the energy from the crowd rooting for you ... I think we're really excited to get to have a crowd again and have a full house environment."

Huiet understands the goals and expectations that he and his team have for the upcoming season but is confident the team will continue to build on an already decorated volleyball program.

"We have a championship culture here, so our kids know what we expect and what it takes to win a championship," Huiet says. "We know we want to win the Sun Belt every year. This group wants to do something that we've never done at Texas State: they wanna be in the top 25 regularly, they want to go to the Sweet 16. It makes it easier on us as a coaching staff because that keeps them motivated ... Our goals are bigger than just winning the Sun Belt."

The season will officially kick off from Aug. 27-28 at the Dayton Invitational where the Bobcats will face the University of Kentucky and the University of Cincinnati on Aug. 27 and the University of Dayton on Aug. 28.

The Bobcats hold up "The Heart of Texas State" hand sign as a break ends, Thursday, March 25, 2021, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 3-0.

PHOTO BY DOUGLAS SMITH

Texas State volleyball team celebrates on the sidelines after scoring a point during a match against the University of Texas at Arlington, Saturday, November 14, 2020, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats lost 3-0.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

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