THE LIBERATOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LIBERAL ARTS COUNCIL THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | OCTOBER 8, 2012 | ISSUE 5 2012 ELECTION INSIDE THIS ISSUE 04 OCTOBER 2012 FEATURES OPINION 04 Student Org Spotlight: Essay Winner 15 University Democrats + America the Perrenial 07 College Republicans 05 The Slacker : Professor Spotlight: 09 05 Real Talk, Both Parties Blow Dr. Eric McDaniel Finance Facts: How Much do you Really Know 13 Academic Affairs 16 About Political Spending? On the Cover Hosts Presidential Panel 10 Texas Capitol photographed 5, 8, 9 Photos by Madhu Singh by Madhu Singh ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Keep Austin Engaged 09 Political Events in ATX THE ELECTION ISSUE 03 The Good, Bad, and Ugly: The College of Liberal Arts embraces university has a stake in the future of Biased News Consumption Presidential Punchline: varied perspectives and respects the this nation. We knew the best way to 14 different ideologies and traditions that serve the student body was demystify Where to Get Your Laughs inform our culture. With departments issues, educate the reader, and entertain Money Matters: to Keep from Crying in government, economics, history, them with facets of politics oftentimes 08 philosophy, and cultural studies, unnoticed. How the Future POTUS will our college seeks to provide a well- Our staff was committed to fair affect the cost of Education First Ladies of Fashion 15 rounded education that addresses the reporting and coverage that ran the foundations of social development. gamut of all things presidential. It is As THE LIBERATOR, we seek to our hope that, in reading this issue, How to throw the Ultimate 17 Liberal Arts Week 18 promote the same ideals in our you learn something new about a You Know You’re in LA When... Election Watching Party publication. Our mission has always candidate, an issue, or even a fashion been to keep students connected, so designer. We hope this issue inspires it was an easy decision to focus our reflection and discussion for you, first issue of the year on 2012 Election. so that you can make an informed Many of the students in our college are decision come November. ON THE COVER 10-12 |2012 Election : Where We Stand studying issues directly related to both platforms, and every student at the CASSIE MANEEN + CHEYENNE SMITH WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Love it? Hate it? Let us know! Letters to the editor reviewing articles from this issue will be printed in the next edition of THE LIBERATOR . THE LIBERATOR Cassie Maneen Cheyenne Smith THE LIBERATOR is the official publication of The Liberal Arts Co-Editor Co-Editor | Design Editor Council. As a liberal arts-focused news magazine, we aim to to keep students connected to the university through updates Aisha Ali Rachel Marino on legislation, campus affairs and student life. All questions, Kelly DeMoya Farah Mithani comments and concerns can be directed to THE LIBERATOR at: Harrison Dromgoole Natalia Naranjo [email protected] Ariel Flores Patty Sanger Dana Henning Madhu Singh Elie Wu THE LIBERATOR | OCTOBER 8, 2012 | ISSUE 5 2 , THE GOOD BADBIAS IN& NEWS UGLY SOURCES Media sources dissect and display information to agree with what Fox News says. They’re interested in said, “but that is not to say that they have no effects on around the clock, spicing it up with their own politics and interested in that way of viewing things, and audiences. These programs can help people to learn a few interpretations. Raw information is a rare dish in modern they’re not going to be motivated in a particular way facts about politics. Further, some research suggests that media, but the spice added to it – the bias - might have more anymore than they would if they had not been watching watching these programs increases people’s attention to of an impact on voters than the actual content produced. Fox News.” news, yet their primary mission is not to provide credible Some people prefer the coverage of CNN, while others news and information to the public.” dislike its infatuation with gadgets. Some prefer the conservative clamor of Fox News, while others call it hot “Because the media is constrained SOCIAL MEDIA air. Everyone has a bias they project onto the media. But even if a media source attempted to eliminate any potential by time, they have to be biased – they Social media, something relatively new on the campaign bias, it may be unavoidable. have to pick and choose what to cover, playing field, has thrown a fast ball to politicians who so...there’s going to be bias in a sense now realize having an online presence is critical to any BIASED SOURCES campaign. When a person likes or follows a politician, that someone has to make a decision they become a part of their online environment, and that “Because the media is constrained by time,” Government on what’s important, and that decision presence can influence their day to day train of thought, Professor Tasha Philpot said, “they have to be biased – they creating a cognitive shift that just may influence the have to pick and choose what to cover, so even without alone introduces bias in what the election in November. an ideological bent, there’s going to be bias in a sense that media covers.” “The point of social media in politics is just to be in your someone has to make a decision on what’s important, and face constantly, to just bug you about it,” said Cheyenne that decision alone introduces bias in what the media SATIRICAL NEWS Matthews-Hoffman, a Journalism major and digital covers.” development intern with Obama For America (OFA), “to But why are some news sources entirely biased, taking have a permanent presence so you’re constantly getting the While most news sources seem to be informative and information and molding it to fit whatever slant they same information. To put it in your brain, so this is what molded to fit ideologies, others have arisen that present like? Some sources are so polarized, their differing you should do. It might make a small shift in voter turnout, the same information in a different, comedic format. John interpretations of election coverage are like a political especially among younger people. But in elections to come, Stewart and Stephen Colbert, known for their satirical seesaw. That bias is also there for a particular reason – especially since the Internet is kind of new to elections, it’ll critique of the American political scene, act as a filter for because that’s what the audience expects and agrees with. probably improve. Candidates will find different ways and political knowledge that many people regularly go to for a “People can choose which sources best fit their frame of strategies to get people to vote. This election is more of a laugh. But their credibility may not necessarily be intact. mind, their ideological spin,” Professor Philpot said, “So it’s stepping stone to that.” “These are primarily comedy programs, not credible not as if people who watch Fox News are not predisposed news sources,” Communications Professor Talia Stroud BY HARRISON DROMGOOLE SOCIAL NETWORK AS A NEWS SOURCES BY PARTY AFFILIATION NEWS SOURCE THE LIBERATOR | OCTOBER 8, 2012 | ISSUE 5 3 UNIVERSITY DEMOCRATS & COLLEGE REPUBLICANS A conversation between student leaders Despite the construction in West relevant at a public university like the working-class, middle-class families.” •American Constitution Society Campus, or the stale beer left on the interest rate on student loans, rising Zeng went on to offer some concrete •Campaign to End the Death Penalty sidewalks of Sixth Street , Election cost of tuition, and expansion of federal solutions to the education crisis, stating 2012 is most noticeably in the air finance aid. Treiber noted, “Obama just “Not everyone needs to go to UT… •Feminist Action Project Conference at the University of Texas. The west doubled Pell Grants. That seems like there are alternative routes for them •International Socialist Organization mall is laden with deputized students a pretty simply, black and white thing to do things for themselves and for •Policy Organization for Women urging their peers to get registered, and to throw out there. He made financing their families, and we need to look at nearly all tabling has turned to events for college much easier in general,” he all our options.” He discussed ideas •StandOut somehow linked to the presidential went on to explain that the President’s incorporating online blended learning •Students for a Sensible Drug Policy election. Two of the most active student initiative cut out the middle-man by and the potential of part-time colleges •Texas Freedom Network organizations in this push towards allowing money to flow directly from for working class families, while November are the College Republicans the government to students, bypassing stressing the importance of innovation •Texas Journal on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights and University Democrats. We met up in approaching the changing demands •Texas Law Democrats with the communication directors from of our world and economy—a sentiment •UT Votes each group for a fireside chat, true to the Treiber shared. Zeng advocated, “I think Roosevelt tradition. Sub the fireplace for “I THINK VOTING IS THE Governor Romney, having worked in •Young Americans for Liberty a seating area in the Student Services MOST FUNDAMENTALLY a Fortune 500 company, realizes those •Young Conservatives of Texas Building, and you’ve essentially got the AMERICAN THING YOU challenges. He’s worked with those issues point. CAN DO. I THINK YOU on China, he’s worked with those issues •Youth for Ron Paul Andre Treiber, University Democrats in terms of meeting labor demand, and representative summarized President SOMEWHAT HAVE A we believe he will do the right thing with Obama’s platform saying, “To simplify RESPONSIBILITY, BUT higher education.” it, I would say we want to continue EVEN IF YOU DIDN’T, Strapped with different political rebuilding the economy, and expanding ideologies, both the University equality; meaning, marriage YOU SHOULD ENJOY Democrats and College Republicans equality and equality for EXERCISING YOUR RIGHTS.