Mock Opinion Story: Texas State should remain a smoke-free campus

Cigarette butts found outside Derrick Hall at Texas State University

Story & Photo by: Alyson Svec

The choice to make the campus smoke-free was a smart idea.

According to an August 1 university policy and procedure statement (UPPS), Texas State is committed to a healthy and safe campus, so all tobacco products were banned on campus.

When students are walking to class or cramming in time to eat before their next class, they can do so in a cleaner environment.

The smoking ban provides the campus with less polluted air for students and the staff to breathe better. Non-smokers typically prefer to not smell cigarette smoke when walking to class.

Kara Stewart, management major, thinks the smoking ban on campus is a good idea.

“A majority of students don’t smoke and shouldn’t be subjected to second hand smoke," Stewart said. "Also, the ban might encourage those students who do smoke to quit, which would be beneficial to their health.”

According to the studies by the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke has been linked to cancer and is more harmful for non-smokers. In the study, tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, 250 of those which are known to be harmful and 69 to cause cancer.

Students who do not smoke should not have to be more at risk for just trying to get around campus in peace. The ban allows student smokers to find another way to deal with stress if they choose to abide with the rules.

There are steps to take if a student is caught smoking on campus or violating the tobacco policy. According to UPPS on the tobacco ban, there are repercussions for not following the policy including informing the person the university prohibits tobacco products and if they refuse to stop, the student should report this violation to an authority on campus, such as University Police.

Enforcement needs to be stepped up though. Students are not taking the smoking ban seriously because few have been written up for being caught on campus, so they will continue to find hidden areas to smoke. It is easier not to abide by the rules when they are not enforced strongly.

With the ash trays removed on campus, cigarette butts have just been thrown on the ground anywhere, which is not helping the ideal standing of the university. They should leave them because now we have a littering problem!

While some smokers believe their rights have been taken away from them, they should realize they are still free to smoke whenever and wherever they please off campus.

Students should drop their lighters and ash their cigarettes when they arrive on campus. If more students embraced the tobacco-free policy, we would have a much healthier campus.

Veteran’s Adjust from the Battlefield to the Classroom

Troops return home to reunite with family. Photo by: Hungeree.com

Story by: Alyson Svec

One of the choices veterans face after returning home from the battlefield is to attend school and get a higher education.

Veteran’s lives change after serving in the military. While trying to return to their daily routines and reunite with friends and family, they still face many difficulties, especially when it is adjusting to school.

Tess Banko, former Marine, felt scared when she began college. She learned quickly what the military expected of her and developed routines, but school was different.

“By comparison, college life was unpredictable and unnerving. Each professor had different expectations that sometimes changed over the course of a semester” (9).

Parker Ormsby decided to join the Army after high school. He is now attending his first semester at Texas State. In the beginning, Ormsby had difficult experiences because of the mental state he was in.

“Adjusting is easy, it’s just a motivation thing to me,” said Ormsby. “For me, I did not fit in well at all with people at school.”

It is difficult for him to find common topics to discuss with other students because of their age differences. He noticed people grow and mature quicker in the military. Nothing bothers him anymore because he has been in the worst situations from serving in the Army. When he hears students complain in class over small issues, he knows they will never understand what he went through.

Robert B. Ellen retired from the Air Force in 2011 after 20 years of service. Currently studying Computer Science at Texas State, he feels like going to college was the right choice.

“I would have been an idiot if I wouldn’t have gone to college,” said Ellen. “I think what kept me in line was the military structure, because I listed straight out of college.”

Ellen noticed different teaching styles from what he learned in the military and at school. In the military he was taught information in order, but in school, teachers jump to different areas of study. This change has been stressful to him.

“I have to try to knock out a paper around one to two in the morning and I’m not used to that,” said Ellen.

He sets time aside from homework so he can sleep. He drinks coffee to stay awake. Since he lives an hour away from campus, he does not have extra time for school activities. Instead, he goes to church and spends time with his family.

“In the military, you learn to adapt, overcome and improve whatever needs to be done.”

Michael Flinn, former member of the Marine Corps, works, attends school full-time and is a father.

“For me going back to school is both a blessing and a curse,” said Flinn.

After serving in 2005, Flinn discovered he had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He gets paranoid in large classrooms with more than 300 students. In smaller classes, he can relax.

Murel Miller, veterans certifying assistant, deals with students with PTSD daily.

“I recognize symptoms and I’ve got some students that I’ll do some things for those I don’t do for others. We make sure we don’t push the limits. You try to make their lives the best you can.”

Flinn missed the structure of school because it is laid out black and white. After serving, he knew exactly what he wanted to study in college.

“For us, we were in the military so it’s a completely different situation,” said Flinn. “We know now what we want to do unlike other college students. It’s a huge disconnection.”

Although he likes to stay invisible during class, he plays paintball with two veterans in his class in his free time.

Veterans believe dealing with difficulties in school is worth it because they obtain a higher education in the end.

Showplace Reels in the Entertainment

Story & Photo by: Alyson Svec

Students at Texas State can go to Showplace and watch cheap movies near the Square if they missed a new release or are looking for something fun to do.

Showplace has been in business since the seventies and is the oldest theater still running in San Marcos.

Movie tickets are normally $1.50 during the week. Friday and Saturday prices are $2, and Tuesday is the cheapest day at 50 cents.

Hope Shimek, 21-year-old geography major, believes Showplace is a great place to watch movies at a discounted price.

“The theater room is just as dark, if not darker than a regularly priced theater and you still have the big screen, Surround Sound and most everything else the regular theater provides,” Shimek said.

Showplace is one of the only movie theaters that has not gone digital, unlike what most movie theaters are turning to.

Victoria Joy, general manager at Showplace for three years, said she likes how unique the theater is.

“I definitely like that we are still showing movies with actual reels instead of digital films,” Joy said. “Showplace has been around for a while, so tradition is a good thing.”

Movies are split into six or seven miniature reels that weigh between 30 to 40 pounds and build up into one full-length movie. The theater also uses flat screen projectors, rather than flat or scope screens.

Tuesday is the busiest day for Showplace, which is when many college students go. Up to 200 hundred people attend daily, including a few regulars.

“I had absolutely no money after I graduated from college, so I went there to do something cheap and fun,” Joy said.

Slowest days are on Monday’s and during the holidays when fewer than fifty people attend. It is also less busy during the fourth week when a movie will be shown for the last time.

Showplace gets at least one new movie a week, depending how popular it is in regular priced theaters. The “Twilight” series, for example, took three months to show. After a month or two, the theater changes what is showing and receives new movies.

Three separate theaters that show three to four movies at a time during the year. The front theaters are old, smaller and have fewer seats. The sound quality is decent, but not like a regular priced movie theater like Starplex.

“I would rather see a movie here then rent one though,” said Joy.

Shimek rarely goes to the movies, so she always looks what is playing at Showplace first.

“I enjoy that it is never really crowded, and I feel comfortable talking in a normal voice rather than softly when I am waiting for the movie to start,” Shimek said. “Cost is definitely a plus being a college student and the food tastes just like any other regularly priced theater.”

Concession prices are cheaper. A small drink at Starplex is $4, and at Showplace it’s $1.50 to $2 cheaper.

Aaron Davenport has been working at Showplace for a year and says it is a nice work environment.

“It’s a real relaxing job most of the time and a great place for a college student to get school work done since there’s hardly anyone here,” Davenport said.

There are also advantages to working at Showplace.

“We get to watch movies for free and are able to get our friends in free also,” Davenport said. “We got limited passes to see movies at Starplex and we can eat as much free popcorn we want.”

A future change for Showplace may include renovation into an Alamo Draft House where adults can eat and drink while watching movies.

“I don’t think they will do anything with it soon, but in five to ten years I believe they will,” Joy said. “They will need a big investment to pull through.”

For now, Showplace remains a popular and convenient spot for students to watch low-priced movies during their free time.

KTSW Blows Out Bookstore

Story by: Alyson Svec

Students can participate in a blowout before classes begin for the long semester.

Bookstore Blowout includes live music from local, acoustic bands along with free giveaways including CDs, shirts, posters, artist memorabilia and tickets for upcoming shows from KTSW, Texas State’s campus radio station.

Daniel Hughes, 27-year-old promotions director at KTSW, is in charge of managing this event.
“It gives you something to do and it provides entertainment for free,” Hughes said.

Bookstore Blowout is held all day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the first week during the long semesters and reaches between 2,000 to 5,000 people.

Lauren Mahoney, 19-year-old assistant music director at KTSW has been working the event for a couple years. She helped distribute giveaways and promote upcoming events to students.

“I loved the expression on students’ faces that seemed to scream, ‘Free stuff? Really? Wow, what a change of pace,’” Mahoney said. “Everybody seemed so appreciative of getting free CDs, posters, and other giveaways. I also enjoyed being able to recommend various CDs to people and expose them to new music.”

Previous musicians that performed at the University Bookstore during this event include: Joe Rice, David Booth, Victor Holk, Betsy Phillips and Colin Coby.

Each semester, different musicians come to entertain students as they do some last-minute shopping on books and supplies.

“I get so much joy discovering new music and all of the giveaways at the Bookstore Blowout are absolutely free,” Mahoney said. “It also helps the time go by faster when waiting in the huge long lines while buying books. Not to mention, listening to various artists performing in-store is always a great and somewhat positively unusual experience.”

Jessica Montez, 22-year-old advertising student, attended the Bookstore Blowout for the first time and said it was better than she expected.

“I got a few free CDs and other stuff. From what I recall it seemed like a lot of people waited to get their books then and people were buying a lot more things,” said Montez. “There were also a lot of people advertising things and giving away free samples. Overall, it was a good experience.”

Waterloo Records provided KTSW with hundreds of giveaways this spring.

The Bookstore Blowout is supported by the Texas Music Theater in San Marcos, a venue for Texas bands of all kinds, local and regional artists, to provide shows for the public.

“Because we are a non-profit organization, such contributions hold such significance to us,” Mahoney said.

Dan Schumacher, KTSW general manager, advises the Bookstore Blowout and other events the radio station hosts.

“A lot of my work has to deal with contracts and payments. The students are the ones who take care of everything, and they bounce ideas off me. They put a lot of effort into this program,” Schumacher said.

KTSW’s promotional efforts and funds from the Bookstore Blowout go to the station’s annual spring music festival, MR. Fest.

Multimedia Project Package: Texas State Dorms

Story, Video, Photos & Google Map By: Alyson Svec

College is a time for new beginnings and experiences. For students, living on campus is a way to begin their new journey.

Annie Schultz, English junior, believes there are certain experiences you can only have while living on campus.

“Living on campus brings about a sense of community and pride students living off campus can get separated from,” said Schultz.

Living on campus provides interacting socially within the community, being in close proximity to campus, such as the library, academic buildings and dining halls, and performing better academically. Classes are within walking distance, so there is no need to wake up earlier to catch a bus.

Although the thought of having privacy with your own room and bathroom sounds ideal, some transfer students and upperclassmen prefer living on campus rather than leasing an apartment.

Rena Iglehart, electronic media student, believes living on campus is about adapting and getting to know people.

“You don’t always have what you want. The air conditioner may not always work and you may have no hot water for a while. Everything is not going to be ideal like you see on TV. The real joys of living in the dorm are getting to meet new people. I think everyone should experience dorm life,” said Iglehart.

There are numerous housing options for students at Texas State University. Included is information for upcoming students about rates, the housing policy, deadlines and more.

The following interactive map lists the traditional style dorms and suites at Texas State University. Click on the link below to learn about dorm statistics, history about each and watch videos of students talking about why they like living in a dorm.



View Texas State Dorms larger map

Cashing In for College

Story & Photo by: Alyson Svec

Students at Texas State University are concerned about the rising costs of college tuition.

Public four-year colleges charge an average of $7,605 per year in tuition for in-state students, according to CollegeBoard. This total does not include housing, food, books or supplies.

Stacy Krupala, 22-year-old student is concerned about the rising costs of college and how this will affect her in the future.

“If it increases, I may not have the means or funds to afford college to further my education,” said Krupala.

Krupala started at a community college because it was more affordable and was in her hometown, so she did not have to drive far. She works and saves money by placing it in a special account for college spending.

Cody Lindemann has already been affected by tuition costs and does not want to see them rise.

“It will take longer for me and it will be harder to get my life settled and started,” said Lindemann.

Lindemann took a year off from school because he could not afford it. He worked full-time instead and attended the following year. Yet, he also feels that college is not meant for everyone, and there are other ways to make a living other than having an education.

21-year-old student, Jessica Montez, believes the cost of college will eventually affect her, but knows how important attending college is regardless of the cost.

“On a scale of one to five of importance, I would say a five. Everyone needs a higher education,” said Montez.

Montez deposits money in her savings and also applies for Financial Aid, which is the main contributor for her to pay for college.

Steven Levinson, 18-year-old student, does not apply for Financial Aid, but also believes in the importance of education and saved money by starting off at a community college.

“I was only going for basics and I was paying for it myself so it was the smartest thing to do,” said Levinson.

Although Levinson does not know how the college costs will affect him in the future, he continues to work and puts money in his savings.

Use the College Cost Calculator to get an estimate of future college tuition costs. Students differ on the ways to save and make money, but are all concerned about how their future education may be affected.

Eco-friendly Students Impact on Sustainability

Story & Photo by: Alyson Svec

Elizabeth Thai, 18-year-old student, understands the importance to contribute to society by being environmentally friendly.

"I recycle items such as aluminum cans, paper, and plastic bags. I don't do enough, but I do recycle some," said Thai.

As a society, Thai feels we are not contributing enough and the idea of 'going green' is a trend that will eventually become a fad.

Another student who also participates in taking part to help out the environment is Katy Hunter.

"I don't use water bottles. I take my own reusable bottle every day," said Hunter.

She helps by recycling and reusing, because she feels is it simple to do.

Low-income student, Sergio De Anda, believes in the importance of sustainability, yet does not participate fully to be environmentally friendly because of cost and time efficiency.

"I know I should help the environment but buying eco-friendly products costs more and recycling takes a lot of time," said De Anda.

Everybody is concerned about the environment, but not enough people are taking action. Although he does not recycle, taking the bus is the way he contributes to the environment by saving fuel.

Marilyn Elder, 23-year-old student from San Marcos, Texas, is also concerned about the environment and finds alternate ways to help.

"I commute on the bus and walk on campus as much as I can," said Elder.

She also recycles using the Bobcat bins and believes in 'going green.'

Danny Jenkins, 21-year-old student, understands the society's concern about the environment, but believes more can be done to help.

"I'm concerned for future generations. I know my generation won't be forced to directly deal with our current environmental problems like pollution and global warming, but some day one generation will," said Jenkins.

Although he is not a member of an environmental group, he does his best to help by recycling, picking up cigarettes others have thrown on the ground, and not littering. Jenkins feels some people are more careless about the environment though.

Student and educator, Esperanza Young, is also concerned about the future of the environment.

"Although I am not sure if I believe in global warming, it affects a lot and I don't want to see nature destroyed," said Young.

Profile Story - Ectrodactyly

Story & Photo By: Alyson Svec

Born with lobster claw hands and feet, Jessica Montez, a 21-year-old advertising major at Texas State University does not let this condition put a hold on her life.

Ectrodactyly is a rare birth defect that causes malformation to the hands and feet. Montez has middle digits missing, while the rest fuse together. All related to genetics, this condition occurs about once in 90,000 births.

Her father, Jesse Montez, 55, started the first generation in his family during the late fifties. His mother, at 45, took the pill Thalidomide to cure morning sickness, which caused these birth defects.

“We discussed with the family that we felt that this was the Ectrodactyly, Ectodermal Dysplasia, and Clefting Syndrome (EEC). It is autosomal dominant with variable expression with perhaps lack of penetrance in some families.” said M.D. Lillian H. Lockhart.

The most common type is linked to the mutation of the seventh chromosome.

There are no preventions, although several treatments can make the hands appear normal, while still functioning differently than others.

Although Montez has this condition, she appreciates being this way.

“I believe everything happens for a reason, so I’m happy I have this because I am unique,” said Montez.

During school, she feels different from other students in her classes.

“Everyone else seems so fast paced. I am used to doing everything slower,” said Montez.

Montez is a perfectionist at heart. She focuses more on her studies, since she knows it will take her longer to complete. Her mental development is slower, but she feels she has matured well.

Typing and writing is no challenge to her. She learned where all the keys are and can type at a decent pace. She also receives notes from her professors instead of writing them.

Cody Lindemann, a 20-year-old student, believes Jessica fit in well with others during school.

“She was in my class for a whole semester and I didn’t even notice she had three fingers on each hand,” said Lindemann.

He believes she is a normal human being just like everyone else.

In a similar situation, it took six months before her father’s coworker noticed his hand condition.

Whether televising sewer lines in Austin, delivering newspapers in La Grange or doing manual labor as a crew leader, he still handled each task offered to him.

“I felt normal. A lot of employees treated me like a real person,” said Jesse Montez.

Although teased throughout the years, Montez does not care what others think of her.

“Take a picture, since it will last longer. I’m sure you’ve seen worse than me,” said Montez.

Some of the challenges she faces are walking on campus, running, buttoning her clothes, and opening items.

Seeing it as a blessing, her father believes being born without all his fingers is not a challenge, because he never misses something he never had.

“I have a thumb, so at least you can still hitchhike,” said Montez.

He still challenges himself though. Snapping his fingers took five years to learn.

Numerous side effects are linked to Ectraodactyly including abnormalities of skin, hair, teeth, nails, and sweat glands as well as cleft lip, limb defects and hearing loss.

Montez has one enlarged kidney, so she makes trips to the restroom every hour, and always goes before and after class. She was also born with no wisdom teeth, uneven hips, and no tear ducts.

“She had it rough sometimes. People stared at her, and I was overprotective at times, but I just want the best for her,” said her mother, Wanda Montez.

Since she has no arch in her feet, she has trouble keeping balance. Her doctor broke her toes and put pins in them when she was younger to straighten them out since they did not bend. Montez wears different sized shoes because of her toes.

Those who have Ectraodactyly or have children with the condition are at increased risk for passing it onto future children.

“In each of their pregnancies they would have a 50 percent chance to have a child that would receive the gene,” said Lockhart.

Montez is concerned about the future when she is ready to start a family.

“When I have kids, I wonder how their genetics may turn out,” said Montez.

Besides her struggles, she can still play sports and get involved with numerous activities.
Because of the way her hand is shaped, she is good at catching a ball, hitting volleyball over the net and playing pool. She also enjoys bowling, watching television, and making collages.

Some benefits of having this disability allow her to register sooner for classes, park closer to campus, and have extra time on her tests.

When Jessica and her father play pool, the bump between their hands helps them hold a pool stick better.

“You have the perfect hands for pool,” said a friend of the father.

People in the bar used to call her father an alien, three fingers, and a frog, but he joked with them, and realized they will not hurt him.

He believes there are fewer fingers to worry about when doing certain tasks like painting nails.

“If you have less fingers you should get a discount on a pedicure,” said Montez.

Montez has an interest in learning more about her condition. As she gets older, she realizes new information arrives over time, so she learns more every day.

She said, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Mass Communication Week (Practice)

Campus Slideshow

Video & Photos by: Alyson Svec