Although some students find parking on the campus inconvenient, the University Police Department says there is enough room. PAGE 8 A St. Mary’s Student Publicationratt since 1925 • Vol. 98 Issue 8 • March l2, 2011 •er STMURATTLERNEWS.COM GO GREEN WITH STMU Mills Sarah by Photo Students Didya Magaña, Miriam Cruz and Stefanie Ramirez — all of who participate on the university’s Recylcing Committee — are asking students to make efforts to live an environmentally aware lifestyle. Read about the efforts the university is currently making to be environmentally freindly and learn about how you can get involved. Cont. on PG. 8, SEE “CENTERSPREAD” 4 NEWS 10 FEATURES 12 ENTERTAINMENT 14 SPORTS Guest speaker shows students how to weave. Fraternity promotes club night for a cause. Explore downtown’s music scene. Find out if power bracelets make a difference. 2 The Rattler March 2, 2011 www.stmurattlernews.comNews INDEX news 1-5 commentary 6-7 features 8-11 entertainment 12-13 sports 14-16 STAFF Editor-in-Chief Entertainment Editor Sarah Mills Dania Pulido Managing Editor Sports Editor Denice Hernandez Diana Garcia Copy Editor Photo Editor Azhmir Acosta Felix Arroyo Layout/Design Editor Assistant Photo Editor Jasmine Garcia Jennifer Sims Web Editor Advertising Manager Sara Cornejo Leo Reyes Police Sergeant Ken Schmidtling wears a padded suit to teach female students how to defend themselves through scenarios in the News Editor Staff Cartoonist Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) program. The program, which started February 19 finished on February 26. Photo by Jennifer Sims Katherine Benavides Eric Vijil Commentary Editor Faculty Adviser Alex Salinas Brother Dennis, S.M., Ph.D. NEWS IN BRIEF Features Editor Amanda Cano >> STAFF WRITERS >> Military Hall Assocation hosts event to raise funds for local organization Robin Johnson Carla Rodriguez >> Members of the Military Hall Association invite the university community to participate in the 5k walk and 10k run on Alex Meyer Lynzee Villafranca Saturday, March 5. The event, which begins at 9 a.m., is organized to raise money for the Fisher House organization in San Cesar Montalvo Darlene Diaz Antonio. For more information, contact Mark Poling at [email protected] or at (210) 338-1195. Selena Rangel Stephanie Flores Ari Rivera Anthony De Jesus Matthew Rodriguez Chris Montemayor Lena Scalercio Carlos Rodriguez A Mardi Gras celebration for all Jessica Valles Marissa Rodriguez >> Julie Losoya Members of University Ministry and Marianist Brothers of Casa Maria will host a Mardi Gras celebration on Tuesday, Mariah Villarreal March 8 at the Casa Maria Marianist Residence. The Bourbon Street-style celebration, beginning at 5:15 p.m., is for all STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS members of the university community. It includes a festive prayer service, activities with prizes and a meal. Mariam Cruz Michelle Kafie Alejandra Diaz Analicia Perez Buy a ticket “Into the Woods” Robin Johnson Emily Scruggs >> Jenny Wendover Fernando Armendariz Members of the drama and music department joined together to create “Into the Woods”, a musical theatre production beginning on Thursday Mar. 24 at 7:30 p.m. to April 2 in Reinbolt Theatre. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for STANDARDS faculty/staff, senior citizens and military, and $10 for students with ID. The Rattler upholds the Mission Statements of St. Mary’s University. The Publication follows the Canons of Responsible Journalism, the Associated Press Stylebook and the Student Publication Policy. The Rattler is a member of the Associate Collegiate Press, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY POLICE BLOTTER The Rattler welcomes letters that do not exceed 500 words and include the writer’s name, classification, major and telephone number. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar, spelling and content. >> Thursday, February 10 Dagger and bullets found in Chaminade Hall during fire drill. Items were confiscated and student referred to Judicial Affairs. CONTACT US >> Friday, February 11 Unknown suspect etched crude messages on student’s dorm in Lourdes Hall. Director on duty was contacted. Physical OFFICE: 210.436.3401 Plant was notified for cleanup and repair. FAX: 210.431.3407 EMAIL: [email protected] >> Monday, February 14 WEBSITE: www.stmurattlernews.com Student driving into Lot O struck student vehicle backing out of parking space. Insurance was exchanged. The Rattler St. Mary’s University >> Tuesday, February 15 One Camino Santa Maria Box 83 Laptop, GPS, stereo, computer hard drive, backpack, Fossil watch and jewelry stolen from truck in Lot O. Lock was San Antonio, TX 78228 punched out. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! for the latest news and updates. >> Wednesday, February 16 @StMURattlerNews Unknown suspect broke into storage closet in Marian Hall and tampered with IT equipment. IT contacted for report and March 2, 2011 The Rattler 3 www.stmurattlernews.comNews Chief of police confirms adequate parking on campus By Katherine Benavides News Editor campus is relatively small, there is not much permits in the University Center during Another concern among students is the of an inconvenience to get from one place to registration, and police staff comes in two inconvenience of finding parking spots close another. weeks before the start of school to answer to their residence hall when the campus Students may be unhappy with parking The 135-acre institution, compared to any questions or concerns anyone might hosts an event for visitors. availability on campus, but there is adequate the 725 acres of the University of Texas at have regarding parking. Students are also “We have a calendar of events that are parking space for everyone on campus, San Antonio’s main campus, allows faculty, shown and informed of the lot hours and happening on campus, so we share that according to University Police. staff, students and visitors to reach all areas of where to park on a color-coded map, with our officers. It is the events that are Chief of Police David Ott said that at by walking. said June Cortez-Sanchez, the parking not on the calendar…where we may find the beginning of every semester, a parking “The campus is small so it is not really coordinator of University Police. problems,” Cortez-Sanchez said. “If it is lot audit is done three times a day for a 10- a long distance to get anywhere from any Staff also meets with the Resident on our calendar, if it’s coordinated with the day period. According to Ott, the audit is parking lot,” said Owens. Assistants to teach them how to inform managers, we disseminate the information performed to ensure that there is enough Although the parking lots have signs residents about parking; plus, staff speaks to and we tend to that problem.” parking for faculty, staff and students at the with hours and group designations on freshmen during ND101 classes. Security and safety of the students are of university. Data from the audit shows there them, faculty, staff, students and visitors still Still, should a student or faculty member high importance and the main priority for is currently no need to expand parking lots, receive tickets for parking in the wrong lot receive a citation, it can be appealed by the UPD. Informing the students of parking but dynamics will change if a new residence or having no parking permit. filling out a parking appeals form at the information and monitoring the lots helps hall is built, said Ott. Sometimes, though, students receive UPD office. keep unwanted individuals from roaming “I know they [Residence Life] are all tickets because of confusion about parking. The appeal goes to the parking coordinator the campus. looking at another residence hall possibly in After his car was in the shop longer than and then goes to the Chief’s sergeants, where “Parking is not just putting your vehicle the future, so we are obviously going to have expected, freshman biology major Stephen more than half get approved, Ott says. The on our property,” Cortez-Sanchez said. to look at more parking,” Ott said. “You Piñeda had to borrow his dad’s truck to get denied appeals go in a separate stack and “Parking is making sure that you are safe would have to in order to create enough to school. get reviewed by another committee which and to do that, we need to know who’s on parking for the students.” Piñeda said that an officer had previously consists of representatives from the different our property.” With about 80 percent of the student told him that Lot T and Lot V were visitor departments at the university. population issued a parking permit this parking lots. Piñeda was issued a ticket for year, according to UPD, many students not having a parking permit. feel limited in where they are able to park, “I got a parking ticket for parking my especially near their designated residence dad’s truck in Lot T from Sunday night hall. But based on the parking lot audit, there through Monday afternoon,” said Piñeda. is enough parking availability according to Other students, like Piñeda, have Ott, but it is just “not convenient to where faced this problem, but these situations students want to park.” can be avoided by calling the university Sophomore international business major Police Department even after office hours, Tim Paiz said that his freshman year he according to the UPD. The call is transferred found parking difficult by Founders when to the patrol officers, informing them of the he would return from golf practice in the student’s situation. The patrol officers let the evenings. office staff know of the situation and office Paiz said he wants the university to staff prepares and provides a temporary invest in more parking space.