TUESDAY
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
VOLUME 111 ISSUE 26 www.UniversityStar.com
DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911
Lack of winter storm preparation frustrates disabled graduate student SEE PAGE 3
Opinion: Filing taxes is too complicated SEE PAGE 5
Opinion: Texas State should allow emotional support animals in classes
'Get that respect': Men's basketball looks to build off Sun Belt title SEE PAGE 8
SEE PAGE 6
UPCOMING EVENT
Kite festival soars into San Marcos By Sarah Hernandez Life and Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
Lovers of live music, the outdoors and craft beer will find their paradise this weekend at the Wild and Free: Kite Festival and Cave Beer Release in San Marcos. The festival is organized by Roughhouse Brewing and will celebrate its release of a new line of beers called the Underground Series, a line of cave-
aged wild ales fermented from the property's on-site cave. "We've been trying to host larger events out here that kind of entice different parts of our community," Victoria Van de Ryt, Roughhouse's event coordinator, said. "We love being family-friendly, kites seemed fun and then kind of the whole wild and free theme goes really nicely with cave ales and how those are made." Located on a 50-acre family ranch on the outskirts of San Marcos,
Roughhouse Brewing opened in January 2019 and focuses on creating three types of beers: farmhouse ales, traditional lagers and spontaneous caveaged beers. Saturday will see the release of Two and One, the third cave-aged beer from Roughhouse with a wild, sour and funky blend. According to Nazish Pasternak, one of the owners of Roughhouse Brewing, a kite festival is a perfect accompaniment to the debut of the drink.
"We spontaneously ferment this beer down in the cave. So, we'll brew a batch of beer, we'll set it out outside overnight to cool down and let whatever's in the air ... naturally inoculate the beer and then we put it in these barrels and let it ferment in the cave for a year or two," Pasternak said. "I think with the wild fermentation, we were going with a wild and free concept, and it just seems like underground and overhead kind of
SEE UPCOMING EVENT PAGE 2
FOOTBALL
NAVY VET TO BOBCAT TIGHT END VANESSA BUENTELLO, VIVIANA FAZ AND BRIANNA BENITEZ
Tyler Huff’s journey to Texas State Carson Weaver Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu
Tyler Huff thought his football career was over after his last season at Saddleback College in 2019. It was a season that wasn’t lost on him though; he’d just played what could’ve been his last season as a college athlete alongside his younger brother on the offensive line. While that season lived up to Huff’s expectations and more, Huff was fully ready to move on from football after he received no legitimate interest from D1 football programs. After two and a half months, Huff got a call from Texas State Offensive Line Coach Brian Hamilton. “I thought I was done playing football,” Huff said. “Early signing period was already done, and I didn’t have any offers … then coach called me at the end of February [2020] … I was all over the offer.” Huff entered 2020 fall camp in the best shape of his life — competing in triathlons and training for ironman contests made Huff’s physicality and work
ethic stand out among other players. However, on the third day of fall camp, Huff tore his ACL on a non-contact injury. “It was rough,” Huff said. “I didn’t think it was possible … I felt kind of unlucky.” With the injury, Huff began to question his role on the football field. However, the discipline and positivity instilled in him by his family and his time served in the Navy not only helped carry him through the trials of his injury but throughout his life thus far. Huff was no stranger to the military growing up. His dad served in the Marines after he graduated high school and was a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for 30 years. When Huff was in middle school, his dad put the LAPD on hold and joined the Army National Guard after 9/11. His dad left his family to serve a yearlong tour in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, something Huff said was nerve-wracking. “It was pretty inspiring,” Huff said. “Having a dad be such a good provider and doing the most to
serve his country in a time of crisis … that’s where I get the inspiration from.” Although Huff has a support system from his military family, his decision to join the Navy out of high school can be attributed to a gamer he met playing Xbox Live. The gamer was in the Army and told Huff about his experiences in the military, which inspired Huff to ask his dad about his future career path. “I had questions about joining. He was the one I went through to get all my questions answered,” Huff said. “He kind of laid it out to me … he was definitely the biggest inspiration.” Growing up around the beaches of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the Navy seemed to be the clear choice for Huff. Enlisting right out of high school, Huff didn’t get to experience the freedoms of college. Instead, he learned the order-following and disciplines of boot camp. “When you get into the military and go straight to
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 7
ENVIRONMENT
Texas State continues efforts for sustainable campus environment By Elijah Cardenas Guest Contributor With concerns of climate change and pollution on the rise, Texas State students and faculty are striving to implement eco-friendly habits on campus through involvement with environmental organizations and initiatives like composting, river cleanups and recycling. Since 2009, Bobcat Blend has been leading environmental initiatives on campus with student leadership opportunities and community involvement. The organization seeks to teach students the importance of food
waste management and composting. Through these initiatives, students gain hands-on experience by helping collect and operate Bobcat Blend’s compost facility. “Sometimes students think that they can't make an impact because they're just a student,” Bobcat Blend Faculty Advisor Tina Cade said. “But you’re at a special window of time in your life where you get to explore all of these possibilities and gain all of these experiences.” Like other sustainable efforts at Texas State, Bobcat Blend is funded through the Environmental Service Committee, a student and faculty-led committee
that seeks to provide funding for environmentally centered projects on campus. Cade was inspired to apply for a grant within the committee to help make use of local invasive species. Food waste, in particular, was the issue that sparked Cade to propose a system that would take pre-consumer food scraps that were thrown away in the process of preparing meals from dining halls and use invasive river plant species, such as the water hyacinth, as a moisture agent that would assist insects and bacteria in the composting process. When mixed with soil, the compost provides plants with necessary nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food waste is the largest single component in municipal landfills, amounting to 133 billion pounds a year. While this is harmful to the environment, it can also be costly, creating gas in the sewer system due to biological decomposition that must be dealt with. Through its composting initiative, Bobcat Blend has nearly cut in half the amount of garbage the university sends
SEE ENVIRONMENT PAGE 3
2 | Tuesday, April 19, 2022
The University Star
LIFE AND ARTS
Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
FROM FRONT UPCOMING EVENT Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487
Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Brianna Benitez stareditor@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Carson Weaver starsports@txstate.edu News Editor: Arthur Fairchild starnews@txstate.edu Assistant News Editor: Madelyn Weirich starasstnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Sarah Hernandez starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinion Editor: Dillon Strine staropinion@txstate.edu Design Editor: Viviana Faz stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Natalie Ryan starmultimedia@txstate.edu Assistant Multimedia Editor: Vanessa Buentello starasstmmedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Meadow Chase starengagement@txstate.edu Podcast Editor: Carly Koon starpodcast@txstate.edu
Public & Internal Relations PIR Director Nadia Gonzales starpr@txstate.edu Assistant PIR Director Elle Gangi
Full-Time Staff Director Laura Krantz laurakrantz@txstate.edu
About Us History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung. Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, April 19, 2022. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief. Deadlines: Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication. Corrections: Any errors that are in the pages of The University Star and brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible. Visit The Star at universitystar.com
went hand-in-hand." Roughhouse's guiding values are to be family-friendly and to spend time outdoors with one another. The combination of the kite festival with the other activities the brewery has to offer gives the event something for everyone to enjoy. On any given weekend, there is plenty to do in San Marcos but Wild and Free will help people feel the uniqueness of the community. Roughhouse also hopes it will give them an appreciation for the work that goes into the brewing process. "We put a lot of time and effort into [the beer] and we think it's really good. So, we hope that other people will think so too," Pasternak said. "So, to be able to kind of highlight the beer, but also this activity that brings a lot of people together in a lot of different ways." To put on the kite festival, Roughhouse partnered with Synergy in Sound, a local production company. In the spirit of keeping the event local, all of the artists performing on Saturday, Aura Zora, Elephant Ears and Zach Blue, are based in San Marcos. Justin Sappington, founder and lead engineer of Synergy in Sound, is the one who booked the artists. As a former musician himself, Sappington said he looks forward to seeing the artists get attention and hopes the event can serve as a space for creativity and artistry. "The more I looked around, the more I realized there's a lot of talent just in San Marcos that needs to get noticed. I'm a big local guy, I guess, and local supporter, so I don't need to go out to Austin or New Braunfels or Wimberly to get artists. I just got to do a little bit of digging here," Sappington said. Sappington opened Synergy in Sound in 2013. Since then, it has specialized in premium audio solutions. Its engineers have set up sound system installations for live events such as concerts and Texas State commencement ceremonies.
Roughhouse Brewing's new cave beer, Monday, April 18, 2022, at Roughhouse Brewing. PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN
One of the ventures that the Synergy in Sound team has taken on is called SYN Sessions in which they help local artists set up at their house or a local venue to then film, mix and edit songs to send back to them free of charge. Sappington said it is their way of giving back to the local music scene. Sappington is the one who first brought the idea of a kite festival to Van de Ryt after hearing from San Marcos locals who said the city used to host a kite festival several years ago. By starting small with Wild and Free, he hopes to eventually grow the event into a bigger festival with a bigger crowd that is special to San Marcos. "I've done festivals and stuff like that before, but I've never really got to the point where I've been able to start my own, and I know I can't do it by myself," Sappington said. "So essentially doing these smaller events like this that'll just grow and grow and grow and technically it's a growing pain is what I call it — but over the course of a couple of years if we're consistent with it, let's put it that way, we're always going to get a bigger
FASHION
'Cats Walk: Abril Galarza speaks on self-love, passion By Monica Vargas Assistant Web Editor
'Cats Walk is a weekly segment that will highlight Texas State's most fashion-forward students. Each week, Assistant Web Editor Monica Nicole Vargas will talk to a different Bobcat fashionista about style, self-love and Texas State. For our first segment, we interviewed Abril Galarza, a psychology sophomore. Galarza is springing into fashion with a neutral statin scarf top paired with a sleek maxi skirt and slip-on sandals. Vargas: So, Abril, love your outfit and ringlets. I would like to know, being fashion savvy as you are, tell me 1-3 things you love about yourself.
Abril Galarza: I love my smile, my personality, and my fashion sense. Vargas: What is your passion? What are you in pursuit of here at Texas State University? Abril Galarza: I'm majoring in psychology. I'm extremely passionate about children's mental health, becoming whole starting in their early development. I believe if you help the youth in their early stages from trauma, there's much more success in healing and having a better life outcome for their futures. Vargas: What made you choose Texas State University? Abril Galarza: To be honest, I loved how it was close to home, and love the diversity that Texas State has as a whole. Vargas: Where do you see yourself in five years after graduating from Texas State University? Abril Galarza: I’ve always dreamed of traveling after college, so I hope that in five years I’ll be able to experience that opportunity. I plan to attend graduate school after a small break and get my master’s in psychology. Vargas: So, Abril, you mentioned being bilingual in Spanish. That is beautiful. Did you learn both languages in your youth?
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crowd." Wild and Free: Kite Festival and Cave Beer Release will take place from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday at 680 Oakwood Loop in San Marcos. Admission is free and attendees are invited to bring their own kites or purchase a Roughhouse Brewing branded kite at the event. As the Roughhouse Brewing owners and festival planners prepare to entertain the community this weekend, they hope that their event can give attendees a taste of all that San Marcos has to offer. "I hope that people feel more confident in what the San Marcos community has to offer because this really is just like a highlight of local," Van de Ryt said. "I hope they can come out and have a full day at what, for the most part in town, is a larger event and feel confident that their community has what they're looking for, and they don't have to go much farther for it at all." To learn more about Roughhouse Brewing and Wild and Free: Kite Festival and Cave Beer Release, visit https://www. roughhousebrewing.com/.
Abril Galarza: I did learn both languages. My mother is from the Dominican Republic and my dad is from Moca, Puerto Rico so they spent the majority of my childhood enriching me with the culture. I have learned so much from both of my beautiful countries and have such a deep appreciation for my people there. With that said, being bilingual is such a blessing and I am very fortunate that I have been able to represent a small part of Hispanic culture. Vargas: Where do you get your clothes and shop
Texas State psychology sophomore Abril Galarza smiles in front of a sculpture on the Texas State campus. PHOTO BY MONICA VARGAS
typically? Abril Galarza: I’ve always found fashion to be so interesting as it is an outlet for many to express themselves in whatever form they please. I love incorporating different styles and textures of clothes into my closet. The majority of my clothes come from online stores and thrift stores which are great for the environment. To keep up with students featured in 'Cats Walk, visit The University Star's Instagram @universitystar. Abril Galarza's Instagram: @abrill.galarza.
Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | 3
The University Star
NEWS
Arthur Fairchild News Editor starnews@txstate.edu
WINTER STORM
Lack of winter storm preparation frustrates disabled graduate student By Arthur Fairchild News Editor
starnews@txstate.edu
With widespread power outages during the winter storms of February 2021 and February 2022, students living on campus were forced to travel through ice and snow if they wanted to use a meal swipe. After waiting through long lines in frigid weather, students crowded into the dining hall for a hot meal. While getting food was no easy task for students living on campus, for students with disabilities, it was nearly impossible. Sidney Naseralla lives with muscular dystrophy, a condition that affects the growth of muscle within his body. Gene mutations interfere with the production of proteins in his body, causing progressive weakness and difficulty moving. The 23-year-old graduate student uses a walker or scooter to move, and without them, his motions are limited. Sidney has been living with this condition his whole life and is aided by his younger brother and roommate, Adam Naseralla. During Winter Storm Uri in 2021, the ice on the roads and sidewalks made it too dangerous for Sidney to leave his dorm room at San Jacinto Hall. While he attempted to exit his dorm room once during the freeze to walk to Commons Dining hall the ice made his walker slick and difficult to safely move. Fearful of a fall or accident, Sidney was unable to get food. Luckily, his brother, Adam, was able to get the two of them food when the weather became more bearable. Still, the two worry about what would have happened had Adam not been there. Sidney's inability to get his own food during the first winter storm led him to reach out to the Department of Housing and Residential Life (DHRL) and the Office of Disability Services (ODS). He asked for a plan to be set in place in the event that another natural disaster prevented disabled students from obtaining the resources they need. When the winter storm of February 2022 hit San Marcos, Sidney was quick to reach out for help from the university, but received a disappointing response after the storm subsided. He was told his email would be forwarded to the director of ODS. Months later,
Texas State business graduate student Sidney Naseralla (left) and English junior Adam Naseralla inside of their dorm room, Sunday, March 20, 2022, at San Jacinto Hall. PHOTO BY ARTHUR FAIRCHILD
“I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING OF A PLAN, LIKE IF WE COULD CONTACT THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BRING FOOD TO DORMS SO [DISABLED STUDENTS] CAN HAVE HOT FOOD LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. I FEEL THAT’S FAIR,” -SIDNEY NASERALLA, TEXAS STATE BUSINESS GRADUATE STUDENT however, the only response Sidney received was that the office would get back to him later. When both Winter Storm Uri and this past February's freeze hit, Sidney's brother, Adam, didn't feel comfortable leaving Sidney alone. Unable to eat any microwaveable food because the power was out, the two ate their last bags of chips and power bars and waited for the freeze to pass. When the weather became safer, Adam was able to walk to Commons to get the two of them food. Sidney questions what he would do if his
brother had not been there to make the trip to the dining hall, and what other students would do if they had no one to go for them. His request was that DHRL and ODS create a system to ensure disabled students have access to food during emergency situations like winter storms. “I would like something of a plan, like if we could contact them so that they can bring food to dorms so [disabled students] can have hot food like everyone else. I feel that's fair,” Sidney said. "We messaged [Texas State]. I still haven't really gotten a response for like
two months." Adam said he is frustrated with the university's lack of a cohesive plan to get food from the dining halls to the rooms of disabled students during a freeze. The 20-year-old English junior is concerned about what would happen if he wasn’t there to help his brother. “What if I decided to stay home that weekend? What if he was here on his own? The only food being offered was across campus in the freezing cold,” Adam said. According to Bill Mattera, executive director of DHRL, if it is too dangerous to have students going to class during a freeze, then it is too dangerous for staff to be delivering food to them. “The issue is always going to be the height of a storm. We're not going to ask staff to go out into the weather, the same way we would want a student to go out,” Mattera said. “We let students know [about a freeze] at least 18 hours in advance to go over to the convenience store and grab stuff in your room.” Director of ODS Gavin Steiger expressed his sympathy for any student that faced difficulties during the two winter storms but thinks the situation is more about the state-wide lack of preparation. "I lived in Indiana. Indiana had a much better response to bad weather because we used to deal with it on a more routine basis. They had trucks that would go out and salt the road, or the big snowplows, things like that. In Texas, not so much," Steiger said. "During the [Texas freeze], we had to recognize that there were some challenges for people in general." According to Steiger, the requests from Naseralla are considered a personal service, so they are outside of the university's required accommodations. "There is a difference between accommodation and personal service," Steiger said. "Accommodations are things that the university would be required to provide by law to assist a student to have equal access to the university. Getting food to the individual might be more of a personal service because it's not something that the university exists to do." Still, the Naseralla brothers worry about what they will do should another similar storm hit and cause difficulties obtaining food.
FROM FRONT ENVIRONMENT into mainstream landfills. This led to the organization receiving the Texas Environmental Excellence Award in 2013. The organization also studies invasive plant species around the San Marcos River, successfully removing harmful species such as the water hyacinth and water lettuce. A current initiative the organization has is learning to compost elephant ears, an invasive species that are plentiful in Aquarena Spring Lake. Another organization with a similar goal of creating a sustainable campus is the Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO). Sponsored by the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, ECO members work with local farmers and gardeners and conduct special projects like invasive species removals and river cleanups. As an environmentally friendly organization, members promote sustainable lifestyles and education by giving away seed bombs on the Quad, hosting documentary nights and sharing information about local businesses students can support. ECO President May Green, a geography resource and environmental studies senior, said the best thing students can do to live sustainably is to keep in mind that they're voting with their dollars. “If there's anything that you could do to support a local business over something like Amazon,” Green said. “Also just refusing plastic when you're at the store. Try to buy things that have less plastic packaging on them." Bobcats can also take individual action by buying local from farmers and other vendors at farmers' markets and thrift stores. ECO Secretary Griffin Moore, a geographic information science sophomore, said buying second-hand helps reduce students’ contributions to plastic and general waste. “Thrifting, not just for clothes, but also secondhand stores for anything can make a huge difference,” Moore said. “Whenever you're buying stuff, think about how much plastic does the packaging have, or how much does it waste. Buying locally is the biggest thing you can do though.” Even those not involved in environmental-based
organizations are still making a difference through sponsoring environmental projects and education on campus. In 2003, Texas State became one of the first universities to create an environmental service fee. The fee is only a single dollar, but with about 37,000 students, Texas State's Environmental Service Committee (ESC) Chair Mitchel Sabourin said the dollar fee goes a long way. "We were the first people to have [an environmental service fee], and now we have the lowest funds," Sabourin said. "So, we are trying to push to have that fee increased… from one dollar to two." That small fee has secured funds for a variety of projects such as bird boxes, signage at the Meadows Center and disposable face mask recycling at the Round Rock campus. These projects are supported by award grants that students, faculty, staff, alumni and members can apply for. In order for ESC grants to be approved, they must be for the purpose of environmental improvements and can include areas such as environmental education, transportation, employment, product purchasing, beautification and irrigation. The ESC consists of students, professors from the departments of agriculture, biology and geography and representatives from facilities and the Department of Housing and Residential Life. The Office of the Vice President for Finance and Support Services serves as the account manager. While only six of the 10 students may vote, the other four partake in the discussion of funding projects and apply to request funds for sustainable projects. Sabourin encourages Bobcats to get involved and sit in during meetings to share their opinions, just as he did before he stepped into his official voting position. “I have been in this committee since 2019,” Sabourin said. “This is my first year as chair, but I have been a voting member for those years. In my years, I have casted votes in funding $150,000 into sustainable projects on the Texas State campus.” Texas State has a bounty of resources, organizations and opportunities for Bobcats to make change in San Marcos and gain experiences that can help build their
Certified Wildlife Habitat sign outside the Agriculture building. PHOTO BY ELIJAH CARDENAS
resumes, networks and connections. “If they feel passionate about something, they can make a difference right here and now in our little miniature city," Cade said. For more information on involvement opportunities or Texas State’s environmental initiatives, visit https://www. txstate.edu/sustainabilitystudies/Area-Sustainability. html.
4 | Tuesday, April 19, 2022
The University Star
Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | 5
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.
FINANCE
ILLUSTRATUON BY MADISON WARE
Filing taxes is too complicated By Tiara Allen Opinion Contributor
Taxes are unavoidable no matter where you live. As Benjamin Franklin said, "nothing is certain except death and taxes." But if we all have to do taxes, why is the American tax filing system so horribly inefficient? Millions of Americans every year struggle to do their taxes on time. Citizens with lower incomes will need to find a free filing service or work their way through the forms themselves. Citizens with higher incomes must ensure that everything is accounted for, which may involve hiring an accountant or purchasing a filing service. College students often face their own unique set of issues as inexperienced taxpayers; they must learn how to file properly, as well as coordinate with their families about how they will be accounted for on their taxes. Though there have been a few services available to both Texas State students and the San Marcos community, such as the VITA Tax Clinic held in the LBJ Student Center for those who made less than $57,000 last year, and tax preparation software provided to international students through International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), there is still a sense of confusion about taxes among students. According to the Tax Foundation, students do not always file for many deductions that they are eligible for; 27% of eligible tax filers did not claim available tax credits or tuition deductions, resulting in a missed reduction tax liability of $169 on average. No matter what walk of life they are from, each American has to face a set of hurdles to ensure that their taxes are filed correctly, and if they make a
COMIC BY MADISON WARE
mistake, they can possibly face an audit, or in extreme cases fines and criminal charges. While the average age of people convicted and sentenced for tax evasion was 50 years old, people of any age, including college students, can raise concerns of interest to the IRS, and those found guilty of evading or defrauding the IRS can face up to $100,000 in fines, up to five years in prison and the cost of prosecution. Considering how high the stakes are for all participants, we should just have a system that is simpler for people of all income levels. Other countries have simpler systems, so it is not impossible. In Sweden, taxes allegedly can be completed in under 10 minutes via text message, a system that has, according to economist Andreas Hatzigeorgiou, made the tax authority one of the most popular government entities in Sweden. This is a far cry from the American system, where Americans loathe the IRS, and not without reason. The IRS is notoriously difficult to get ahold of in the event of a mistake. While it may not be possible to immediately switch over to a text message tax filing system, having a more uniform method of filing taxes will help taxpayers spot and correct mistakes, as well as avoid hours of locating and typing in tax forms. In addition to the frustration Americans have with the IRS, the American tax season causes great distress to the accountants between the citizens and the government, which not only puts an undue burden on an entire profession but also increases the opportunity for mistakes. It is well known that accountants feel the squeeze every tax season as the turnover rate for accountants for small firms was 15 to 20% and that was before the pandemic, and the Great Resignation.
When one googles "accountant tax season burnout," they are greeted with 1,630,000 results, many of which are articles reminding accountants to take time for themselves and practice selfcare. The long hours, extreme stress and general frustration around the topic from both clients and colleagues can lead to burnout, the symptoms of which include insomnia, disinterest in work, a decrease in efficiency and quality of performance and difficulty concentrating. Not only can this be extremely taxing mentally, but it can also lead to an increased number of mistakes in their work, which can only exacerbate the already fraught workplace and relationship with clients and the government. Tax reform would help reduce the high levels of tension in the accounting industry, as well as reduce the turnover rates at a time when it is already difficult for employers to find workers. Finally, tax season's complications provide no benefit to the consumer, the government or accountants. In fact, no one really benefits from the chaos except for large tax filing companies. Intuit, the financial software company that runs TurboTax, spent more than $2 million in lobbying the U.S. government in 2016, much of which was against prefilled tax returns. H&R Block spent around $3 million, some of which went to the same legislature. These companies are invested in maintaining the status quo of the tax system due to the profits they make from their software and tax services, but the status quo does little to benefit the average American, who will not be seeing any of these profits and often find themselves spending money they would not have under a more efficient system. Working toward a simpler system may
hurt the bottom lines of these companies but will improve the lives of Americans. However, despite the major inconvenience to all parties, not everyone is in favor of major tax reform. Some politicians believe that taxes should be an inconvenient process because then you will be reminded that the government is taking your money. Former president Ronald Reagan famously opposed legislation that proposed state tax withholding in 1971 during his tenure as governor. He claimed that it would make it easier for the state to increase taxes with fewer opportunities for protests from citizens, and even claimed that "taxes should hurt." While he later signed the bill he originally opposed, many of his cohorts maintain that the unwieldiness of the current tax system allows Americans a greater awareness of any changes to taxation. While the amount of taxes that are considered ethical can be debated, it seems silly to make taxation complicated as a permanent reminder of the ills of the system. It would be akin to taking out air conditioners in cars to remind drivers about the negative effects that commuting has on the planet. The bottom line, the income tax system needs serious reform and if it is implemented, almost every American will see an increase in their tax filing experience. -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.
6 | Tuesday, April 19, 2022
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.
MENTAL HEALTH
Texas State should allow emotional support animals in classes By McKenna Bailey Opinion Contributor For students experiencing anxiety, depression, homesickness or loneliness, one of the ways they can cope is through emotional support animals (ESAs). As a way to provide companionship and help ease the stresses and triggers of being in college, students should have access to bring their ESAs to class. However, unlike several college campuses across the country, Texas State does not allow students to bring their ESAs to class. In order to foster a healthy and safe learning environment, Texas State needs to change its current policy and offer emotional support animalfriendly classes as an option for those who need it. Due to the Fair Housing Act, students who have registered ESAs and adequate documentation can bring their ESAs to campus housing. However, not all campuses allow students to bring ESAs to class or other places on campus including residence hall common spaces, academic or administrative buildings, recreational facilities or dining halls. In an emailed statement to The University Star, Texas State's Office of Disability Services (ODS) stated service animals are the only animals permitted in classrooms since they are trained to perform specific tasks for students living with a disability and provide more than just companionship, comfort or emotional support. Abby Gage, a journalism senior, owns a goldendoodle named Nova, who serves as a service dog and an ESA. Besides helping Gage with her Type 1 diabetes, Nova also gives her the stress and anxiety relief during class that school can often cause. After having Nova with her throughout all her years at Texas State, Gage knows the troubles that having a service animal/ESA can bring. “It did take quite a while to be able to get Nova to be at the dorms,” Gage said. “I did have quite a few problems with the Office of Disability Services just with the process. It took an entire semester before I heard back from them so that was a big ordeal I had to deal with. ODS didn’t cooperate as well as I had hoped or expected. I thought they would be a lot more open to helping me out.” The overall cost of owning a dog as a college student
ILLUSTRATUON BY AFAAF ALNAHAS
is stress compiling, as it can cost between $360-2,520 annually to take care of one. Gage has personally never had to pay any fees for Nova but said other students sometimes pay a hefty amount for animal cleaning and registration fees. While service animals are allowed at Texas State, proper paperwork must be filed with ODS and it can take up to 30 business days for staff to review it. Through the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals are allowed to be on campus since their owners can experience physical health and safety risks without them. ESAs don't have the same legal rights as other service animals in this regard as they only help with psychological health and safety. Paulina Rivera, a nursing freshman, is the co-owner of a cat named Mac. Mac is a registered ESA and is only allowed in Rivera's dorm. After a stressful and anxiety-filled day at class, Rivera is happy to come home to the comforting purrs of Mac. “Mac definitely helps me a lot. In particular, I have anxiety and depression, and starting school here was not the easiest thing,” Rivera said. “Mac helps me a lot with feeling more at home here. There have been a lot of benefits to having an ESA cat and Mac is really supportive.” Rivera wishes she could bring Mac to class with her and is frustrated that ESAs do not have the same rights as other service animals, despite aiding her anxiety and depression when he is present.
“To this day, a lot of people still don’t see mental illness as a disability. Since mental illness is not something as visible as physical disabilities, people don’t see it the same way,” Rivera said. “Personally, it would be really helpful to me to bring Mac to class because I’ve had things in the past happen to me like panic attacks in the middle of class that wouldn’t have happened if Mac was there.” Despite one in five Americans (52.9 million people) living with a mental illness, mental health continues to not be treated as seriously as a physical disability. As the world evolves from the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative that institutions rethink social norms and their traditional operations. Some businesses like Airbnb and Amazon have already shifted their workplace environment by allowing ESAs in the workplace. As a way to improve the mental wellbeing of students, colleges and universities should also permit students to bring an ESA to school. In fact, a study from Washington State University revealed having animals in classes helps improve students' memory and attention levels. If colleges and universities make the switch to allow ESAs in classrooms, it's also important to take into consideration the effects having animals in a learning environment could cause. Some students could be allergic to certain dogs or cats and some pets might cause distractions. A solution to these potential concerns would be to designate certain classes as ESA-friendly, meaning students without an ESA would have the option to choose between an ESA-friendly class or a regular class without animals. ESA-friendly classes would not only provide more class options but attract prospective students. If Texas State were to allow ESAs in class, it would find the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages. Students will generally be happier and overall morale will improve. - 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.
Texas State electronic media junior David Delgado (left) and sophomore Luke Rhines anchor
Texas State senior infielder Justin Thompson (10) stands for the national anthem with junior
for the Bobcat Bulletin as a part of their video production class, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at
league players before the game against Baylor, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at Bobcat Ballpark.
Alkek One. PHOTO BY STEVEN PHIPPS
Texas State senior infielder Wesley Faison (24) and senior outfielder John Wuthrich (7) celebrate their runs at home plate during a game against Baylor, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats won 11-4. Faison hit a home run bringing in Wuthrich and himself to score. PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO
The Bobcats won 11-4. PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO
San Marcos local Keno Finchum walks on a slackline, Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at Sewell Park. Finchum learned through watching others at Sewell when he was in high school, and now he finds himself teaching other kids. PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ
Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | 7
The University Star
Carson Weaver Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu
SPORTS FROM FRONT FOOTBALL
boot camp, the discipline starts now,” Huff said. “It’s kind of a lot different than high school." Huff was stationed four miles south of Tokyo on the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS George Washington from 2013 to 2017. Working on an aircraft carrier, Huff said that the diversity of strengths and weaknesses of his fellow crew members makes him feel like he can work with anyone. “The teamwork aspect of it … that all transfers to football,” Huff said. “I feel like I can work with anyone, just because I’ve had that experience of being on deployment.” Even throughout his service, Huff never quit thinking about football. He watched his former high school football teammates turn into college football athletes starting as freshmen on their respective teams while on deployment. Huff then realized that his former teammates weren’t much better than he was at football, sparking his decision to play at Saddleback College in 2019 with his brother once he got out of the Navy. Huff and his brother held down the offensive line at Saddleback College with his brother Zachary being an all-conference center and him playing right tackle. For Tyler, getting a chance to play alongside his kin made for a one-of-a-kind experience on the football field. Huff’s season at Saddleback caught the eye of Hamilton, who said he’d never seen so many bodies hit the floor on film from an offensive lineman in his life. Additionally, it was Huff’s mental and physical toughness that initially interested Hamilton in recruiting him. “That’s a guy who woke up disciplined,” Hamilton said. “Here’s a story of Tyler Huff that I will tell for the rest of my life … he tore his ACL in practice and came back out to practice and handed out water for the rest of practice. I’ve never seen anything like it.” After his season at Saddleback College, Texas State extended Huff a scholarship offer in 2020. He missed the entire 2020 season due to his ACL
Texas State senior tight end Tyler Huff (41) answers interview questions from Texas State Athletics TV announcer Brant Freeman during the spring football game, Saturday, April 9, 2022, at Bobcat Stadium. PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO
tear but made his Texas State football debut in 2021 in the season opener against the Baylor Bears. On September 11, 2021, Texas State honored the lives lost on 9/11 with commemorative helmets in a game against Florida International University. The helmets were blue and white to honor the 9/11 memorial and featured the names of all the Texans who lost their lives on that day. Huff was chosen to run the flag out onto the field that game, and in an emotional competition for Huff and the Bobcats, Texas State came away with a 23-17 win in overtime. “It was an honor to be able to wear that [helmet],” Huff said. “It was my first road game [with Texas State] … it was definitely a memorable night.” Huff’s leadership in the locker room is a culmination of his prior military experience and his age difference from
other Bobcat football players. At 27 years old, Huff is the oldest Texas State player on the field. Although Huff is pestered by his teammates that call him “old man” or “old guy,” Huff feeds off the energy the younger players give him and aims to have fun playing football. Huff doesn’t feel as if he’s solidified in a leadership role, but Head Coach Jake Spavital said that he’s a natural leader. “He’s bought into everything he does, and we do,” Spavital said in a post-practice press conference. “He brings a maturity and a leadership and a side to this game that is much needed.” Entering the season as a senior, the 2022 season could be Huff’s last as a football player. Huff hasn’t ruled out playing more at the next level, but if no pro football opportunities are presented, Huff will look to reenlist
in the military as a Navy officer and pilot. “I’ve experienced good leaders and bad leaders,” Huff said. “I want to come in as an officer and be that good leader to the enlisted folks … it’s a competitive process to get in and go pilot in the Navy, but I think my package will be competitive enough to get as far to get an offer as a Navy pilot.” One lesson Huff has learned from his unique background and story is to treat others how he would want to be treated. Huff acknowledged his luck with opportunities but firmly believes that being a good teammate, a good player to coach and a good person will be met with prosperity and success.
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The University Star
SPORTS
Carson Weaver Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Texas State senior guard Shelby Adams (4) goes up to shoot a basket during a game against Arkansas State, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 63-54. PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO
'Get that respect': Men's basketball looks to build off Sun Belt title By Orlando Smart Sports Contributor After winning the Sun Belt regular-season championship last year for the first time in over 20 years, it would have been easy for the Texas State men's basketball team to become complacent. The Bobcats used this season to do the exact opposite and became back-to-back conference champions for the first time in school history. With an ending overall record of 21-8 and a Sun Belt Conference record of 12-3, second year head coach and back-to-back Sun Belt Coach of the Year Terrence Johnson and the Bobcats worked hard to stay at the top of the conference rankings for the majority of the season. The regular season ended with a bang for the Bobcats as they won their last nine games in a row and didn't lose a single game during the month of February, which is a record that spans back to last season. Johnson credits the hard work, dedication and focuses on mental and physical health that the team displayed as the foundation for their success. "The success of it is really on the kids," Johnson said. "A byproduct of them buying in, a byproduct of them connecting and gelling, and a byproduct of their hard work and dedication ... the most important thing is the mental, physical and emotional health of these young student athletes." With the spike in COVID-19 cases that hit the U.S. at the beginning of the calendar year, Texas State was forced to cancel games against South Alabama, Georgia Southern and Georgia State. However, despite having to celebrate the first conference championship in his car last year, Johnson was able to celebrate this year with his team. The pandemic also gave players like senior guard Mason Harrell, who earned second team all-conference, an extra year of NCAA eligibility. In an announcement via social media on April 7, Harrell gave appreciation to the Texas State basketball program and announced that he would be returning for another season. "I just feel like we're still not respected in the Sun Belt. So, I want to come back and get that respect," Harrell said. Harrell and Johnson were not the only Bobcats to be awarded for their performances this past season. As the team's leading scorer, senior guard Caleb Asberry, was selected for the All-Sun Belt Conference first team. Asberry averaged 13.4 points and led the Bobcats in three-pointers made. Johnson's second Sun Belt Coach of the Year award makes him the first coach in the history of the program to win the title in back-to-back years. The team is proud of the individual success but has bigger aspirations as a collective. "It's why you do it, you want to give yourself an opportunity to compete and be the best," Johnson said. "It's a balance, and I'm super proud of the fact that we figured out one part and I'm excited about taking the steps to figure out the next." As exciting as the 2021-22 season was on the court, a specific Bobcat had an even more monumental experience off the court. Senior guard Shelby Adams became Texas State's all-time leader in games played this year while also planning a wedding and getting married during the middle of the season.
Texas State senior guard Mason Harrell (12) looks for an opening to get past Arkansas State sophomore guard Caleb Fields (0), Thursday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 63-54. PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO
I JUST FEEL LIKE WE’RE STILL NOT RESPECTED IN THE SUN BELT. SO, I WANT TO COME BACK AND GET THAT RESPECT…WITH ALL THE NEW GUYS COMING IN, GET READY TO TRY AND GO GET A THREE-PEAT,” -MASON HARRELL , SENIOR GUARD "A lot of times we might try to take the game for granted," Adams said. "Anything could happen on any given night ... you could get hurt, or get sick, or anything drastic like that could happen, so just to be able to have that accomplishment is huge for me and I'm very blessed to have done that." After graduating, Adams plans to relocate with his family and play basketball overseas. "I'm moving to Japan with my wife and my son.
We move there around May," Adams said. "Playing basketball over there, just continuing to pursue my dream of playing basketball. I've loved the sport ever since I was little, it was my first love." Although the Bobcats had a very impressive regular season, it ended sooner than they had hoped. After winning last year's regular season championship, that became the starting point for their goals. For the second time in two years, Texas State entered the Sun Belt Conference Tournament as the first seed but fell short in the first round, this year against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. The coaching staff plans to use this off-season to figure out how to get over that first round hump and make a deep run in the tournament. "We want to make some adjustments, mainly in our mindset and our approach," Johnson said. "The definition of insanity, we don't want to do the same thing and expect different results." A third consecutive Sun Belt regular-season championship would put the program in elite company, as that has only been done twice in the history of the conference; once in 1983-1985 by Virginia Commonwealth and again in 2001-2003 by Western Kentucky. Texas State looks to maintain its regular-season success while figuring out how to capitalize on it into the postseason. The Bobcats enter the offseason with the goal of getting their new players adjusted to the system and winning their third consecutive Sun Belt Championship. "Really trying to build on and get ready for the summertime," Harrell said. "With all the new guys coming in, get ready to try and go get a three-peat."