TUESDAY
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 VOLUME 111 ISSUE 24
www.UniversityStar.com
DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911
Texas State heroes reflect on COVID-19 prevention measures
Student-led campaign establishes open menstrual health and hygiene dialogue
Opinion: Low voter turnout shows the importance of the college student vote
Alumna tackles maledominated industry
SEE PAGE 2
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SEE PAGE 7
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VOLLEYBALL
'A positive, energetic winner'
Coach Chisum's legacy lives on post-retirement By Xavier Zamarron Sports Contributor
Karen Chisum served asTexas State's head volleyball coach for 40 years. Even after her retirement, she continues to play an active role in the program. PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
For 40 years, Karen Chisum guided Texas State volleyball to a 919-559-3 all-time record, including nine conference and 11 tournament championships. Chisum was hired as the head coach of the Texas State volleyball team back in 1980 and has trail-blazed a path that athletes and aspiring coaches everywhere can admire. She's one of the most legendary Bobcats in school history and was recognized as the first woman inducted into the "T" Association's Hall of Honor in 1994. In 2011, Chisum was acknowledged as a Texas State Distinguished Alumni, an award given to the likes of former president Lyndon B. Johnson and other legendary leaders. Chisum's love for the university was a huge part of her success and that's not lost on anyone. “She helps you fall in love with Texas State," said current Volleyball Head Coach Sean Huiet. "She’s spent so many years here; she went to school here … it makes you take pride in the university, and I think that’s something I’ve tried to carry on in my career.” Growing up, Chisum loved sports and described herself as a "little tomboy." While at Texas State, she studied physical education and played on the softball and tennis teams. After graduating, she became a volleyball coach at Goodnight Middle School in San Marcos where her co-colleague helped her get into the game.
Before all the accolades and awards, the championships and trophies, the game of competition inspired Chisum to take up the coaching mantle. She's come a long way from those humble beginnings, and it's been quite a journey. Spending 40 years doing anything can seem daunting, it can wear someone down or things can just get stale. But Chisum is different. She brought a contagious spark every single day, every single second. “She has so much energy," Huiet said. "We always joked that she’s the Energizer Bunny because you’d think someone near the end of their career would slow down a little, but she never really did.” It was the relationships with the athletes throughout Chisum's career that kept her going for so long. She said she believes coaches play an important role in developing young athletes not only as competitors but as people too. "The kids, it's always about the kids," Chisum said. "Being able to see the growth in individuals and not just in volleyball but in life, I loved being a mentor ... they come in as scared, goofy kids and by the time they leave, they're ready to conquer the world." Chisum said that having a passion for what you do makes it so much easier to keep going. Her love for teaching her players about the game and about life is something they certainly appreciated and will never forget.
SEE VOLLEYBALL PAGE 8
LITERATURE
FILM
Alumnus pulls from personal experiences to bring fantasy series to life By Marisa Nunez
Life and Arts Contributor
ILLUSTRATION BY MADISON WARE
Students to explore consent, culture at International Film Festival & Symposium By Sarah Hernandez
Life and Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
Spanning two weeks and multiple venues across San Marcos and the Texas State campus, the Department of World Languages and Literature will host the first International Film Festival & Symposium on Consent from April 4-15. The conceptualization of the festival began in a French Cinema II honors class last summer in which the course objective was to discuss the topic of consent as it has been articulated throughout the U.S. and France and to prepare a related film festival given the approval of the instructor's grant proposal on behalf of the class. Carole Martin, professor of French and the festival’s main organizer, was the instructor for the summer class
and wrote several grant proposals, some of which were addressed to Texas State offices and departments such as the University Lecturers Committee and the College of Liberal Arts. "The students were both discussing the films but also thinking about writing a grant to finance, to fund the festival," Martin said. "And then I picked up the project in the fall and I wrote several grants. The work that the students had done for the honors seminar was very helpful because they had already researched a lot of the things." The main grant, Martin said, comes from the Albertine Cinémathèque Selection Committee, a grant program of Villa Albertine and the French-American Cultural Exchange (FACE) Foundation that seeks to
SEE FILM PAGE 4
For over 10 years, Mark Alvarez II, a Texas State alumnus, has been writing the world of his book series, "The Light Wings Epic.” The idea started back when he was in middle school where his initial goal was to create a fantasy world inside a video game. Inspired by classic literature and writers like Shakespeare and Homer, Alvarez started writing "Dutybound," the first book of the series, in 2009 when he was a freshman in high school. “It's just a combination of all the stuff I like from elements from video games like 'Final Fantasy' to elements from 'Harry Potter,'" Alvarez said. "I remember right after I read 'Deathly Hallows' was when I was like, 'oh, maybe then 'Light Wings' could make a better book than a video game. That was at the end of my eighth-grade year and then after reading 'Romeo and Juliet,' I was like, ‘okay, that's it, I'm writing it out tonight,’ and I actually started putting pen to paper."
SEE LITERATURE PAGE 6
2 | Tuesday, March 29, 2022 Arthur Fairchild News Editor starnews@txstate.edu
The University Star
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Texas State heroes reflect on COVID-19 prevention measures By Hugo Juarez Guest Writer
As the pandemic enters its third year, Texas State Bobcats and university officials have since adjusted to new roles and a new normal. Dr. Emilio Carranco, assistant vice president and director of the Student Health Center, saw his job shift to more of a public health role these past two years. He began paying attention to any emerging public health threats, and by January 2020, it was clear that the virus outbreak in China posed a potential problem. In response, Dr. Carranco met with the university’s administration to discuss the development of a COVID-19 response plan which was first implemented in February 2020. The response plan included strategies to prevent greater infection within the university by using Bobcat Trace, contact tracing and math as tools to reduce the spread. “I was part of that initial committee here at the university that was looking at all the information that was available from the medical groups, from the CDC, from our own review of the scientific information that was starting to come out about Coronavirus,” Dr. Carranco said. By using scientific information, and doing its own review, the university further enhanced its response to COVID-19. As director of the Student Health Center, Dr. Carranco was responsible for leading the effort to create a university contact tracing team. “We were tasked with putting together a contact tracing team and developing the Bobcat Trace reporting tool to allow us to track positive cases on our campus, and to allow us to be able to get information out to people who had been infected and those who had been exposed,” Dr. Carranco said. Dr. Carranco faced new challenges as the pandemic took a toll on the Student Health Center. These difficulties caused a higher rate of retirement and need for more absences. This resulted in staff working long hours on weekends and giving up spring break. “It was a combination of retirement, really loss of funding, because so many students were online and off campus,” Dr. Carranco said. “And it was the effect of the pandemic on our staff. We were on the front lines. We were taking care of sick people.” Dr. Carranco explained that eventually, virtual services became available throughout various departments at Texas State including the Counseling Center, Career Services and the Student Health Center. The Student Health Center heard positive feedback from patients that liked virtual health care and appreciated telehealth services. “We learned that we could actually provide healthcare through telemedicine,” Dr. Carranco said. “And in some cases, that was a really significant benefit to some of our students who couldn't drive to the health center or were not on campus.” While the virus is stretching into its third year, pandemic fatigue has set in and it has become difficult to sustain prevention measures for such a long time. Dr. Carranco explained that despite feelings of exhaustion, now is not time to stop using prevention tools such as masks, testing and vaccination. “COVID-19 is not going away," Dr. Carranco said. "Yes, it’s better right now,
The Bobcat statue at Texas State wears a mask, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, near the Quad. STAR FILE PHOTO
but we experienced the same thing last year. The safest way to protect yourself now and in the future is to vaccinate." The pandemic also took a toll on the social atmosphere of campus as social distancing became enforced in classrooms, residence halls and university events. Rae Macha, program director for the Alumni and Future Student Welcome Center, worked to adapt to new regulations as the pandemic progressed. Macha explained that her staff never closed during the state lockdown and created a safe environment to help guide visitors on campus. “We had to really strategize on how to keep people safe here,” Macha said. “We created a driving tour option so that people could drive around our campus and see videos that would pop up a tour guide.” Macha’s staff at the Student Welcome Center made sure to follow mandates and emphasized cleaning to prevent the spread of the virus. This included limiting interactions and doing her best to keep a positive environment for their mental health. “At one point, we all had to be six feet apart all the time,” Macha said. “They couldn’t hug, they couldn’t high five, they had to be spread out through the lobby and it definitely took a toll on everyone.” When the quarantine began affecting their social lives, Macha started doing mental health checks on everyone. She chose to devote herself to her staff and support the mental health of those around her. “Checking in, seeing how everyone’s doing,” Macha said. “Are they struggling? Are they really missing loved ones and friends? What can we do to make them feel supported?” Macha tackled some of these challenges by having dress-up meetings on Zoom where everyone would follow a theme such as beachwear, hats and or superhero-inspired outfits to make meetings light-hearted. To bring joy to her staff, Macha spoke to the director of admissions and created care packages for all student tour guides. They delivered them to each student worker, which she described, felt like a moment of hope. Macha’s office also helped a family that tested positive for the virus and had planned to explore the campus. They were not able to do an in-person campus tour, but she emailed them a driving tour and arranged a Zoom meeting online. “Being able to provide that was really rewarding. I know the family really appreciated it,” Macha said.
Adjustments also had to be made within the classroom. When social distancing called for online classes, students and teachers worked together to understand the situation. This was difficult for those used to learning in person. Anthony You, a physics junior with a minor in applied mathematics, took on the role of teaching assistant while pursuing his degree. Being in vital roles such as a secretary for the Society of Physics Students, the pandemic changed the way he communicated with peers. It also called him to be more flexible with his teaching style toward his students. “With the ground tables, you're able to communicate better with your classmates, work together on problems and ask questions,” You said. “Other people can pitch in and help you out if need be.” He found it hard to grab the attention of his students while doing online instruction. Students seemed to lack motivation and it quickly became challenging. “I say that most of them were disconnected, or just lost motivation,” You said. “I would ask a question and they would be like, ‘I don't know,’ or just not respond at all.” Online labs were done through simulations or videos. It was difficult for him as a student to participate in an online lab instead of one on campus. He felt it was better to interact with labs in person. In-person classes were better for the teaching assistant and benefitted his learning experience as they gave him the opportunity to socialize. He believed online classes were fine but advised on finding a balance. “I think it's better for us to interact with people. I mean, there's going to be times where you want to be alone,” You said. “Yeah, that's understandable, but for you to be alone for too long, that's going to drastically reduce your focus.” After the teaching assistant returned to campus, there was time to catch up with other students, work together on problems and ask questions. “We found it a lot awkward at first but as time passed, we found it easier to communicate again,” You said. To sign up for an appointment to receive any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for free, call the Student Health Center at (512)245-2161.
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 3
The University Star
MULTIMEDIA
Natalie Ryan Multimedia Editor starmultimedia@txstate.edu
Texas State studio art metals concentration junior Mariela Lopez works on a bike, Thursday, Texas State fifth-year Hana Kvapilova hits the ball to opponent South Alabama during a tennis
March 24, 2022, at the Bike Cave. Mariela is adding housing to cables and new brakes to this
match, Sunday, March 27, 2022, at Bobcat Tennis Complex. The Bobcats lost 0-4. PHOTO BY LAUREN LIGUEZ
bike. The Bike Cave is an on-campus bike shop providing affordable bikes to students, as well as
Texas State marketing freshman Ashlee Harcar journals in between classes, Thursday, March
Texas State business management senior Nathan Denny climbs a tree out over the river,
24, 2022, at LBJ. PHOTO BY CASSIE BUTTERFIELD
Thursday, March 24, 2022, at Rio Vista Park. PHOTO BY STEVEN PHIPPS
repairs. PHOTO BY JEFFREY HALFEN
4 | Tuesday, March 29, 2022 Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
The University Star
LIFE AND ARTS
FROM FRONT FILM show independent French films on U.S. campuses. Texas State was one of 35 U.S. universities and one of three Texas universities selected for a French film festival this spring. Organizers of the Texas State event have broadened the discussions on the meaning of consent to include international films. The event will explore the definitions of consent from four different perspectives: the age of consent and abuse; consent and family affairs; tales of consent and dissent; and consent in post-modern/post-colonial societies. "The great pleasure of showing movies made from all around the world [is] you get to see what consent is in different cultures and what other cultures view important and maybe not necessarily important," said Jonmarcus Burnette, a student organizer for the event. "And then we also get to see a lot of films that were made earlier. So, like, how the idea of consent has changed throughout film history if that also makes sense which is really cool to see." Although Burnette, a Spanish senior, was not in the original French cinema class that received the grant, he is currently enrolled in the course for spring 2022 where he met Martin. He applied to help with the festival for his independent study at the beginning of the semester and has been Martin's right-hand man ever since, assisting with things like contacting speakers and running the event's Instagram page. Burnette said he looks forward to showing event guests the different lenses through which the concept of consent
“ OBVIOUSLY, IT’S A VERY TOUCHY TOPIC TO TALK ABOUT SO OPENLY. SO, MY FIRST REACTION WAS LIKE, ‘OH, THAT’S KIND OF RISKY ... HOPE WE DON’T OFFEND ANYBODY.’ BUT THEN AFTER, LIKE, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS I REALIZED THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND JUST IN GENERAL IN SOCIETY.” -JONMARCUS BURNETTE, SPANISH SENIOR can be seen. "Obviously, it's a very touchy topic to talk about so openly. So, my first reaction was like, 'oh, that's kind of risky ... hope we don't offend anybody,'" Burnette said. "But then after, like, going through the process I realized this is a really important topic that we should be talking about on college campuses and just in general in society." Throughout the course of watching the films and having discussions about consent in the French cinema class, Burnette discovered the different definitions of consent that will be explored during the festival such as the political, familial, historical, sexual and societal meanings of the word. Kenny Anabogu, a management senior with a French minor, has been heavily involved in planning the festival and was a student in the original summer class. She said contextualizing
consent through the films selected is especially important in light of recent events such as the #MeToo movement and the border crisis. "A lot of people think consent can only be physical, you know, in terms of someone assaulting you or things like that which is a very important part of consent as well but there's a lot more to it," Anabogu said. "The festival also hits on political consent as well. Things like colonialism and taking advantage of not just people but entities. And I think bringing that toward the college campus is very important, especially because this is a greater learning facility." As for the international aspect of the festival, Anabogu thinks it will be beneficial to Texas State's diverse population of students. "Colonialism affected, you know, say, Africa in a different way than it would have affected America, different sides of
it, you know, and seeing your culture and your language represented is very important because consent isn't just a French topic," Anabogu said. "Texas [State] is a diverse campus. Everybody can come here. I think seeing your culture and consent explored to your specific background and in your language is something that is important." The festival will showcase over 20 international films with concurrent screenings at the San Marcos Public Library, Stellar Coffee Co., various locations on campus and online. Each screening will follow or prelude a short introduction, pre-symposium and/or survey led by a professor or student. The festival will conclude with an all-day symposium on April 15. All events are free and open to the public. Martin said it has been a valuable experience getting to work with her students to put on this event. She hopes everyone who attends can leave the screenings with an open mind and an understanding of the importance of free will. "The most important thing is that, you know, students having the space to discuss this issue, and to, of course, to learn from others' opinions and other views but also to articulate their own perspective on the issue," Martin said. For more information on the International Film Festival and Symposium on Consent and a full schedule of film screenings, visit https:// www.worldlang.txstate.edu/features/ international-film-festival-consent-2022. html or @txstfilmfest22 on Instagram.
FORYOU CAMPAIGN
Student-led campaign establishes open menstrual health and hygiene dialogue By ForYou
Guest Writer
ForYou, a student-led campaign created by five Texas State seniors, seeks to educate, advocate and bring awareness about menstrual health and hygiene to the Texas State campus and its students. To do this, it’s been a goal to not only understand menstrual health but to help normalize the idea that not everyone will have the same period. Pushing for inclusivity also means creating and advocating for different options to help with the uncomfortableness that comes with menstruation. That’s why Marisleyzie Martinez, campaign team member and logistics coordinator, recently interviewed Sam Kuykendall, a Texas State alumna, about her personal experience of menstrual health. “Being able to bring a topic like menstrual health to the table is so important because it allows us to break the stigma that has surrounded it for generations,” Martinez said. “ForYou is creating a safe space for individuals to ask questions about the foundations of periods and allow others to be educated and aware of something they’ve known about all their lives. It’s incredible to think about the future of our campaign and where it may lead us.” Kuykendall was introduced to ForYou prior to the interview through a team member and discovered the campaign through social media. She is a cisgender woman who has regular cycles and is all for discussing personal experiences and opinions to help establish a comfortable and open environment when talking about menstruation. ForYou asked Kuykendall a series of questions that could be considered taboo to other groups in an effort to let others in on someone else’s experience with menstruation. This not only opens the dialogue on all things periods but also allows others a chance to not feel alone during their own cycles.
At what age did you begin your cycle? Personally, my cycle began at age 12.
How did you learn about menstruation? At first, I was extremely confused. I am the oldest of four girls in my family so the talk of these things hadn’t been necessary until it was and after the initial confusion. Being from a family of only girls it was explained in great detail to leave little room for further confusion.
How often do you have cycles within a month? In a month, luckily I only have one cycle lasting three to five days.
What do you consider menstruation? Menstruation from what I understand is bleeding as a result of shedding the lining of our uterine walls, how incredible.
Before this interview, what did you think ForYou stood for? ForYou is a great campaign title for many reasons, it gives a sense of personality and importance. Although I had no idea it would be about menstruation I think it’s genius to bring more attention to an important topic that isn't more widely spoken of.
How do cycles affect your mood? Mood is an unpredictable measure of someone’s personality, life experiences
combined with chemical imbalances and continuous hormonal changes that reset so quickly it’s hard to dictate where the mood change is coming from but long story short, yes I do experience mood changes because yes, I do experience hormone fluctuation when menstruating.
What does a period feel from your experiences? As of now my periods are pretty regulated and muted due to my birth control but naturally and before making the decision to get on birth control, periods were unbearable for me. Cramps is such a small word for something that feels so excruciating, and the never-ending burdens women have to simply deal with is a struggle I don’t think our society gives enough credit for. I remember in high school having to miss school for at least a day or two every month because I physically could not move to get out of bed, and it was so incredibly out of control I had no idea how to make it easier. Luckily now the cycles I have are much lighter, manageable and shorter.
On a scale of 1-10, how painful are periods, 10 being the most painful? I would say approximately 100 at times. Many women have to find a “fix” for these very common experiences in order to function in this work and school-driven society.
How do you keep track of your cycles? I’m on birth control so the package keeps track for me, I just know when my periods are coming when the pill changes to pink. Otherwise, I would probably be very lost.
How much “pre-warning” do you get until beginning your cycle? “Pre-warning,” I say regularly changes for me. I could be completely normal until the moment I start bleeding and be shocked or I can feel it changing up to a week before. Although Kuykendall experiences a regular cycle, everyone with a uterus has different pain levels, blood flow and overall unique menstrual cycles. Every time a person with a uterus menstruates there is information located all over the web and with specialists such as OB-GYNs who discuss possible effects and scenarios. Some may think there is a one-for-all guide when that’s never the case. However, there are ways to prepare for periods. This is not only beneficial for the person with a cycle but for those around them so they could potentially help during painful, uncomfortable moments. ForYou selected these 10 questions because sometimes the most basic questions are the ones left most out of the conversation due to the assumption that everyone should already know about them, or experiences are the same across the board. “I’m so glad to be a part of this,” Kuykendall said. “I love talking about how women or those who have periods are so resilient and amazing. All the things we deal with as people and adding the label of a student with some even being workers on top of everything is just incredible because periods are no joke to experience. I’m so thankful to be a part of a project like this.” ForYou will host various Quad days throughout the semester where students can meet the team and find out more information about menstrual cycles. To follow along with ForYou's latest initiatives, visit @foryoutxst on Twitter and Instagram.
The University Star
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 5
6 | Tuesday, March 29, 2022 Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
FROM FRONT LITERATURE From middle school to high school, to his time studying public relations at Texas State, Alvarez continued to write “Dutybound," carrying out his dream of becoming a writer. Written in third person omniscient, the story follows the main character, a high maiden named Lucia, and other heirs of nobility who must bring light back into a world overcome by darkness. Each character faces their own challenges and discovers the meaning of light in their individual lives along the way. Alvarez implemented his own life experiences, personal interests and real-world problems into the storyline to keep it true to himself and relatable to others. Like Lucia, Alvarez grew up with an absent father. To further develop the character, he pulled from his own struggles of not knowing his real father. Additionally, he built the book’s theme of searching for light in the darkness by incorporating elements of his own personal trauma that he endured after surviving a gunshot wound when he was four years old. Besides drawing on his life experience for “Dutybound,” Alvarez also added worldly references to things like religion and xenophobia. Within the world of Terestria, there are different places where characters experience xenophobia from characters who feel as if they don’t belong there. Religion is integrated through hymns of poetry dispersed throughout the novel. "[People] go through a lot of bad things only to survive in order to bring about a better world," Alvarez said. "There's a lot of stuff beneath the surface but if you could be deeper, and a lot of the allusions and the symbolism that I put to the book, a lot of it could be drawn back to like real-world things like the xenophobia that we face politically here in America." The praise for "Dutybound" after its release last summer was accompanied by a widespread desire to listen to the story. Alvarez and his team hit the ground running to find voice actors to begin recording an audiobook for fans. Caesar Manzanera, Alvarez's roommate and longtime friend from Texas State, was the first person to listen to the "Dutybound" audiobook. Manzanera lived a floor below Alvarez when they lived on campus and was there to witness the beginning of the book's writing process. He had previously read some of "Dutybound" in its print form but finished the story by listening to the audiobook. “He's been working on this since he was a kid. So especially when the audiobook came out, he went through a lot of trial and error trying to get [people to audition] and man, he's just obsessed and passionate about his books, and the audiobook itself," Manzanera said. "I was blown out of my mind because you don't expect you know, especially his first book ... he's really setting the standards for young authors coming out of Texas State." Although Manzanera is not an avid reader, he loved getting to listen to Alvarez's book because of the imagery and detail in his writing. He describes Alvarez as a compassionate, emotional person who expresses himself through literature. “He'll go through a whole one-on-
The University Star
LIFE AND ARTS
Artwork and text from "Dutybound" posted to Mark Alvarez II's Instagram, March 24, 2021. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK ALVAREZ II
one with his emotions, but within those moments, you know — because we live together — he goes into his room and starts writing all this," Manzanera said. "That is how he can express things, and the way this book really expresses his own belief and his own morality and his principles ... this book is kind of like his life in a parallel way all most." Jennifer Vance, Alvarez’s publicist, has been working with Alvarez to get more readers to enjoy "Dutybound." They worked together during the book's initial campaign and are working together now to promote the audiobook. Vance works under Books Forward and has worked with other fantasy and sci-fi authors in the past. She said "Dutybound" has characteristics that differentiate it from other fantasy books. “I love it. It's so different. And I think readers [who] open it up will see it's different from other fantasy books," Vance said. "There's a lot of kind of spiritual, religious undertones. It's something that Mark really wanted to dive into with the book ... I appreciate that he wanted to tackle the theme for a [young adult] to a new adult audience." "The Light Wings Epic" is set to be a trilogy, and the next book of the series, "Bloodbound," is tentatively set to release in summer 2023. Alvarez plans to continue to expand the series into a multitude of books within one universe. “I want to sort of like create this universe within this world where different things happen within different time periods within Terestria history, but it will exist in the same
world with the same laws, the same laws of nature in which the rules that create Terestria,” Alvarez said. "I want to keep the world but create different stories within that world." Since being published, “Dutybound” has become a finalist in the shortlist for the 2021 Ozma Book Awards, a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards, that recognizes emerging fantasy writers. The winner of the award will be announced in June. Outside of writing, Alvarez works as
Graduating next year?
an enterprise account-based marketing specialist for SolarWinds in Austin. In his free time, he writes poetry that he shares on Instagram and is currently experimenting with a short story series. To keep up with Alvarez and get updates on "The Light Wings Epic," visit https://maalvarezii.com/ or @maalvarezii on Instagram. "Dutybound: The Light Wings Epic" audiobook is available at https://www.audible.com/pd/DutyboundAudiobook/B09RKQLMD8.
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COMIC BY NOAH NOLET
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 7
The University Star
OPINIONS
Dillon Strine Opinion Editor staropinion@txstate.edu
Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.
SOCIAL ISSUES
Video games aren't to blame for violent behavior By Mckenna Bailey Opinion Contributor
Content warning: This column includes discussion of gun violence. Whether it be a Wii performance of "Just Dance," a nostalgic play on the Game Boy or even the first video game, "Pong," we have all probably picked up a controller and played a video game at some point in our lives. Despite there being millions of gamers across the world, recent mass shootings in America and the push from politicians to regulate video games have posed the possibility that video games could lead to violent behaviors. In reality, studies reveal that there is no concrete link between video games and violent behavior. Research that does show an increase in aggression from playing video games is so minuscule it can’t even be called an increase and is rather insufficient. Situations where there was a slight increase in violent tendencies came from young children and individuals who already expressed aggressive behaviors to begin with. Researchers found that individuals who had prior tendencies of violence before playing video games often had a history of abuse, neglect or criminal behavior. Katie Mackey, a German and electronic media senior, has played video games since she was a child. She continues to play as an adult and spends hours playing various games, including ones that can be viewed as violent. She records her gameplay, often with friends, and posts edited videos to YouTube. "I don't know any gamers who are violent, except for seven-year-olds. All my adult gamer friends are pretty silly and goofy," Mackey said. "As for me, I'm probably less violent after playing a game because if I want to express anything violently, I express it through the game. Some games, especially calming and uplifting games like 'Stardew Valley,' help relieve whatever emotions I have
ILLUSTRATION BY AFAAF ALNAHAS
that I build up throughout the day." It would be irresponsible to deem that video games lead to violent behaviors if studies have only revealed that to be the case in young children and in people with a history of violent tendencies. Young children do not have the skill sets to manage their feelings which is why emotional outbursts are common among them. When kids get angry, they may express that anger physically as they haven’t learned how to properly channel that anger. The history of mass shootings in America has also led to beliefs that video games cause violence. Gunmen, like Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, have played violent video games and claim their actions were influenced by the games. Because of this, people believe games lead to evil behaviors and paint innocent gamers as guilty. Politicians are especially pushing for greater control over violent games such as higher age restrictions and ratings, removing games off of store shelves and delaying esports tournaments, all while ignoring the real solution, gun control. Nick Young, a general studies senior, spends up to 15 hours a week playing
video games. He's been playing games since he was three years old and his favorite type of games are massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), and games such as "Overwatch" and "Apex." "I feel like video games are not anywhere near the reason of gun violence. It's always got something to do with the shooter's mental health," Young said. "There's something wrong with them other than the fact that they play games. If video games were a cause for violence, this whole world of gamers would be out there right now doing massive violence. And are we? No, we're not." Gamers like myself and others play games for fun and are not violent people. The aberrations, or the few people who are violent and play games, give us a bad reputation and wrongly label us as violent people. "If I had a really draining day or a bad day, or if I'm super sad or angry, I'll go on a game and it's like stress relief. It's calming and also an outlet. I can take my emotions out in the game because there's no consequences in the video game. Gaming is also where I get my creative inspiration for my YouTube channel," Mackey said.
The gaming community is friendly and accepting; it brings gamers together who find support within each other. I met two of my best friends in an online public "Fortnite" lobby. We later discovered that we lived in the same city and started to hang out in real life. This is not unlike all the friendship and creative social skills kids use, as video games are key elements in establishing friendships among adolescents. It may be true that gamers are known to “rage quit” when they lose but it’s generally out of love and passion for the game. Gaming can also be tiring for people who play for longer periods of time. Tiredness can lead to emotion instability and toxic behaviors like trash talk, trolling and hateful actions toward other gamers including women or people of color. "There are so few people who do nosedive a little too much into video games where they get to a point where they bring the fiction into the real world. For example, by wanting to be characters from the game," Young said. "These people are so deep into fictional worlds that bringing it into the realworld changes who they are as people. Most gamers realize, however, that there's a time and a place to be fictional and to be realistic." People may feel angry after playing video games, but that’s due to the competitive nature of most games, including physical sports. If playing video games is not a fun, distressing outlet for you, then don’t play them, but don’t unnecessarily shame or label those who do love playing. - McKenna Bailey is a digital media innovation senior The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.
ELECTIONS
Low voter turnout shows the importance of the college student vote By Tiara Allen
Opinion Contributor
College students should become regular, active participants at the polls; by not doing so, they miss an opportunity to make effective change in their area. Texas recently had a primary election, but voter turnout was low, even for a state that is notorious for low primary voter turnout. This trend did not escape the San Marcos area; KVUE noted that in mid-February, only 4.08% of Hays County registered voters (or 6,451) had cast a ballot. According to the San Marcos Daily Record, the number of registered voters in San Marcos that participated in the 2022 primaries was under 20%. Considering that in 2021 Texas State boasted a record-breaking student body of 38,077, the numbers suggest that college students may be one of many groups in San Marcos who are not coming to the polls. However, college students should consider participating in the local electoral processes as they have a lot to potentially offer to the community as voters. The main reason college students should consider voting is that if we began voting, we would hold a lot of power at the polls. Generation Z, which was born from 1997 to 2012, comprises the majority of college students today. The eldest Gen Zers completed college in 2020, and the majority are still in college and high school. Gen Z is also the largest generation in American history and makes up 27% of the population. As a result, we as a generation hold more voting power than we realize. Roughly 19.4 million people were enrolled in college in fall 2020, and if we are able to maintain or even increase the record-breaking 66% of college student voter turnout in fall 2020, politicians will have no choice but to take note. College students should consider voting because the policies being voted upon will impact us for years to come. Some policies, such as the student loan policy, have a direct impact on college students, while other policies, such as environmental, foreign and economic ones will affect us as citizens of America, even if we don't immediately recognize these changes. If college students become more active participants in their communities by voting, they will begin to shape policy
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in the years and decades to come. It is important to vote as a college student because students are, ideally, being well equipped to understand the American government and develop opinions about what is best for the nation and those who live in it. With core courses such as U.S. and Texas government and history, as well as major-specific courses that provide additional perspective, American college students spend every day learning about the country around them, as well as what works and what doesn't. We are also learning important skills such as critical thinking, information analysis and fact-checking. Every college student should begin researching the ballot for their next local election and register to vote today. College students are in an excellent position to become highly educated voters by researching candidates, engaging in political discussions with peers and professors and even speaking to campaigners on campus before casting their votes. Students may argue that they will begin voting when they are older when the issues are more pertinent. Aside from the false idea that these issues are irrelevant to college students, studies show that voting is habitforming. A 2003 study demonstrated that people who voted in previous elections are more likely to attend
and vote in other elections. It is best to start voting when we are young, especially when college students have significantly more malleable schedules. Some may also argue that voting doesn't matter. I understand the cynicism as both main political parties are known to serve corporate interests over the interests of the people comprising them, as well as the marginalized groups who need it the most. However, if the right to vote didn't matter, there would not have been such a large effort to prevent Black people, women and other marginalized groups from gaining the right to vote. There would also not be as much of an effort to gerrymander votes, implement strict voter ID laws or prevent convicted felons from voting. Voter rights are essential, and I believe people worked too hard to gain the right to vote for others to throw it away out of cynicism. -Tiara Allen is a marketing senior The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.
8 | Tuesday, March 29, 2022
The University Star
SPORTS
FROM FRONT VOLLEYBALL “She gave me the opportunity to come out and live my dream," said senior setter Emily DeWalt. "Once I got here just knowing she loved coming to practice every day and seeing us, that’s one thing I’ll carry with me forever, knowing whatever you’re doing just make sure that you show up and love it every day.” Chisum loves coaching so much, she continues to play an active role in Texas State's program. Despite being retired, Chisum has an open invite to any of the team's practices courtesy of Huiet, her former assistant. “I called her one day and we were talking about practice, and I was like, ‘you know you can come to practice anytime you want,’ and she was there the next day," Huiet said. "Now she’ll stop in pretty frequently. We had her come in and talk to the team for Women’s History Month, talking about some of the hurdles she’s had to overcome. We want to make sure her legacy lives on.” Her legacy will surely be hard to forget. She's recognized as a trailblazer and that all goes back to 1980 when she was hired as head coach. Chisum said that back then there weren't too many women in coaching and not much attention had been paid to women's sports in general. However, she has enjoyed the progress and growth she's seen in women's athletics throughout her 40 years as a coach and hopes to continue to see more of that.
"THE KIDS, IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE KIDS," CHISUM SAID. "BEING ABLE TO SEE THE GROWTH IN INDIVIDUALS AND NOT JUST IN VOLLEYBALL BUT IN LIFE, I LOVED BEING A MENTOR ... THEY COME IN AS SCARED, GOOFY KIDS AND BY THE TIME THEY LEAVE, THEY'RE READY TO CONQUER THE WORLD." -KAREN CHISUM,
FORMER TEXAS STATE VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH "Back then there was [no environment for women in coaching]," Chisum said. "We were not participating in NCAA sports. Our first matches, we played our games in the upstairs court in the Jowers Center. One year we had to play in San Marcos High School. But to see where we started in 1980 to where I finished in 2019, wow. It's not only the growth of volleyball, but the university has grown too, and with that comes the growth of women's sports." Chisum's legacy as a leader and a strong female figure is something that Huiet wants to carry on. He recognizes the fact that he is a man coaching a woman's sport and does everything he can to show the women on his team that they can achieve greatness no matter what. “We need more women in our sports,
and even being a male head coach, I want to empower my team. I want them to be able to do anything they want," Huiet said. "I think balancing being a mom and still having your dream job is something that I’m trying to show the team you can do. Chisum was very good at that. I was a single dad and she made sure I could live out my dream of being a father and a coach. I hope I can give that example to my team too.” It's clear that Chisum was an inspiration to many. Being around for 40 years made her meet a lot of people and leave a lot of impressions. But ultimately, she wants to be membered as someone who loved what she did. "I want to be remembered as a positive, energetic winner," Chisum said. "One who did things the right way and with compassion."
Karen Chisum keeps her eyes on her target as she prepares to serve during her time as a tennis player for Texas State. COURTESY PHOTO BY TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
WOMEN IN SPORTS
Alumna tackles maledominated industry By Sophia Somoza Sports Contributor
Texas State alumna Haleigh Blocker is the director of football operations at the university and is known for juggling various roles to keep the program running. Being only the second woman ever to hold the position, Blocker said it's been a memorable experience, especially since she graduated from Texas State and has always wanted to work in sports. “It feels really good you know especially being at a school that I graduated from," Blocker said. "I kind of sit back and I look at it when I graduated high school and went into college, and I knew I wanted to work in sports and then to be where I am now it's just kind of surreal to me. It just shows that women can do it." As director of football operations, Blocker wears various hats as she works to take the ease off the team and coaching staff by coordinating travel, food accommodations and media interviews. Working in college sports has been a long-term goal for Blocker ever since she first entered the world of college athletics her freshman year as an intern for Texas State's program. “I started helping with operations and kind of learned what that role was like and then that's when I realized like ‘oh my gosh this is what I want to do,'" Blocker said. "So, it kind of took just trying everything until I kind of realized what there is to offer in college football." Blocker knew once she got to Texas State, college football was where her main interest was. As an intern, she assisted in various aspects from
recruiting, operations, administration and anything else that could help her get her foot in the door. Before taking over in her current position, she held the role as the head coach's assistant where she learned the ins and outs of college football. Blocker said it's been rewarding serving as a guiding hand for first-year athletes and new members of the coaching staff as she seeks to help them experience San Marcos to the fullest. She graduated from Texas State in May 2019 with a degree in exercise and sports science and comes from a family of Bobcats as her mother and sister both graduated from the university as well. She grew up heavily involved in sports and played basketball since she was five years old. Working in a male-dominated industry has presented its challenges, but Blocker said she has not let that stop her from pursuing her career. She remains committed to staying optimistic and preventing society norms from deterring her from where she is now. To other women looking to pursue a career in sports, Blocker encourages them to stick to it and show what they have to offer. She said it's important to not hold beliefs that women are not qualified to work in a male-dominated field as women are more than capable. “If you show what you offer nobody's going to question that,” Blocker said. “I've always had the work ethic of 'nobody's going to stop me,' you know so I think if you just show your value, and you bring this to the table every day nobody's going to question what you're doing.”
Texas State Director of Football Operations Haleigh Blocker stands on the sidelines at Bobcat Stadium. Blocker graduated from Texas State in 2019 and is the second woman to hold the role of football operations director. PHOTO COURTESY OF HALEIGH BLOCKER