THE LIBERATOR Issue 13

Photo by Madhu Singh

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LIBERAL ARTS COUNCILUNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | NOVEMBER 10, 2014 | ISSUE 13

THE LIBERATOR

Comparing Notes:The Freshman v. Senior

Experience

ENGLISH AS A WORLD LANGUAGE

[ ON THE COVER ]

a Foreign ConceptStudying vs Living Aroad

New York Times Essay Contest

Winner

THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13 2

THE LIBERATOR is the official publication of The Liberal Arts Council. As a liberal arts-focused news magazine, we aim to to keep students connected to the university through updates on legislation, campus affairs and student life. All questions, comments and concerns can be directed to THE LIBERATOR at:

[email protected]

Madeleine Kenney Co-Editor | Content

Editor

Kelly de Moya Co-Editor | Design

Editor

Kellie StoneCommunications

Co-Chair

Cullen BoundsJulianna ClarkOmar GamboaAmanda Garcia

Karan MahendrooMaggie Morris

Julian Munoz VillarrealAndrea OnuigboMegan Palombo

Madhu SinghCaleb Wong

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NOVEMBER 2014

THE LIBERATORWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOULove 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 .

12

13

14

Combatting Cyber Crime:Outdated Consequences for Modern Misconduct

ENTERTAINMENT

07

08

09

FEATURES03

04

05

06

The End of A Powerful Era:Bill Powers’s Legacy

NEWS

15 16

17

18

19

Introverts at Work

OPINION

ON THE COVER 10 |ENGLISH AS A WORLD LANGUAGE

A Hollistic Mindset

Professor Spotlight: Patrick Carroll

Comparing Notes: The Freshman vs Senior Experience

Campus Updates

Balancing Your Budget

A Foreign Concept:Studying v. Living Abroad

15

09

08

Photos by Madhu Singh, Cullen Bounds & Kelly de Moya

14

LAASO Spotlight: Students in Partnership for Development in Ghana

NetFLEXING

KEEP AN EYE OUT IN THE SPRING FOR INFORMATION ON APPLYING TO BE A PART OF LIBERAL ARTS COUNCIL!

THE LIBERATOR IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND DESIGNERS INTERESTED IN

BEING A PART OF OUR PUBLICATION

The Scholar

When We Became Millennials

A Textbook History Lesson

Liberal Arts Week Essay Contest Winner

THE END OF A POWERFUL ERATHE COMPROMISE

When President Bill Powers submitted his resignation letter on July 9, 2014, it was actually a victory for Powers. According to the Texas Tribune, outgoing University of Texas System Chancellor Franciso Cigarroa asked Powers to resign by October 1 or face termination by the Board of Regents. Cigarroa issued a public statement, clarifying his rationale for asking for Powers’ resignation.

In the statement, Cigarroa points to “a breakdown of communication, collegiality, trust, and a willingness to work together for the good of the university” as the reason for his request for Powers’ resignation. This was the second time such a request had been made; the first request was later withdrawn.

Fortunately, Powers and Cigarroa were able to settle on Powers’ proposed exit date, June 2, 2015. Here is what Powers had to say about his formal resignation:

“This is a plan for me that makes sense for me personally, makes sense for my wife, Kim, and I think makes sense for the university,” Powers said. “We came to this decision because everyone involved has the highest love and admiration for this university.”

According to The New York Times, the controversy over Powers’ fate has created divisions within the Texas Republican Party with important figures even taking sides against the regents and Governor Perry.

THE CONTROVERSY This controversy reflects conflicts that have brought down

other state university presidents nationwide in midst of a difficulty reality, in which state universities face declining state subsides, program cuts, and tuition increases. In light of this reality, university trustees increasingly have taken a skeptical view of academic scholarship. In fact, Governor Perry has pressed for less emphasis on academic research in favor for more focus on cost-efficiency, and pre-professional training for students. To counter, Powers, with the support of faculty and students, has pushed back against this view of higher education by defending the merits of traditional scholastic pursuits, which includes world-class research. In short, it’s this fight over the purpose of higher education that has culminated into the tension between Powers and the Board of Regents.

PUBLIC OPINIONAfter the news of Powers’ resignation over the July 4

weekend, people have been choosing sides. Overwhelming, Powers enjoys strong support from UT students and faculty. Over the summer, the UT Faculty Council signed a letter of support for Powers.

Additionally, an online petition entitled “I Support Bill Powers,” has garnered over 14,500 signatures. Brian A. Bremen, an Associate Professor in the English department, says this about Powers: “As a 24 year member of the faculty, I have nothing but admiration for President Powers. He has been a strong leader who has greatly enhanced the reputation of our University during his tenure.” While it seems only a minority of students on campus truly understand the political environment leading to Powers’ exit, those that do are critical of the Board of Regents. For English senior and URHA president, Rachel Cohen, “the way the board handled the entire situation was unprofessional, but Bill Powers handled it gracefully.”

However, Powers still has his critics even from students on campus. Ultimately, many students still find tuition too high. In addition, Powers has also garnered criticism for the supposed favoritism in admission that has occurred on his watch. In essence, his critics claim that students with connections such as letters of recommendation to state legislators are favored in admission decisions. Although one internal review has found no evidence of wrongdoing, the review still raised questions about the influence of letters of recommendation from legislators.

As of now, Powers’ replacement has not yet been determined. While many are undoubtedly sad to see Powers leave his position as president at the end of this year, some see his exit as the end of wonderful era and the beginning of a new chapter for UT. Chelsea O’Hara, a Plan II Honors and Government Honors senior, says this about Powers’ legacy during her time here at UT: “… I do feel very lucky to be graduating the final year that President Powers will be president, I think it is always a good thing to get a new president in charge of a top tier university to bring a fresh face and fresh ideas to the institution.”

BILL POWERS’S LEGACY

ANDREA ONUIGBO

MAY | 2008 Governor Perry Lays out “Seven Breakthrough Solutions”

> Designed to bring market-oriented changes to Texas colleges and universities> These proposed reforms included: • Separating teaching and research • Rating professors on student assessments • Using revenue as a measure of whether to continue with a class or program

MARCH | 2011 Association of American Universities (AAU) Reveal Concerns About the “Seven Breakthrough Solutions”

> AAU warns that the “breakthrough solutions” are “ill-conceived” reforms contrary to the association’s philosophy > Powers, like the AAU, resists the “breakthrough reforms”

MAY | 2012 Paul Burka States that Powers’ Job “May Be in Jeopardy”

> Paul Burka is an executive editor of Texas Monthly> Burka warns that Powers might get fired for publicly expressing his discontent over the regents vote to freeze UT Austin’s tuition > University of Texas System Chancellor Franciso Cigarroa denies this account

OCTOBER | 2013 UT System Regent Wallace Hall

> Evidence found that Regent Hall had “clear intent” to “get rid of UT Austin President Bill Powers”

APRIL | 2014 UT Regent Hall’s Case is Referred to Travis County

> Regent Hall is accused of potential criminal wrongdoing in handling of private student information > The case is referred to the public integrity unit in the Travis County district attorney’s office

JULY | 2014 Powers Issues His Resignation


TIMELINETENSION

OF

between UT Austin & Board of Regents

CAMPUS UPDATES

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

NOVE

MBER

THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 134

DECEMBER 5LAST DAY OF CLASS

DECEMBER 8-9, 14

FALL SEMESTER FINAL EXAMINATIONS

DEAD DAYS

DECEMBER 8-13, 15-16

DECEMBER 17UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS

CLOSE AT 9:00 A.M.

JANUARY 8TUITION PAYMENT DEADLINE IS

5:00 P.M. FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FOR THE SPRING

JANUARY 12ADD/DROP FOR SPRING SEMESTER

2014 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

2 89

6 753 415

1613 141210 11

2223

20 211917 1829

3027 28262524

31

5THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13

J

CAMPUS LIFE, POP CULTURE, MINUTIAE. MUNDANE OR INSPIRING, THE LIBERATOR SHARES ITS

THOUGHTS ON... WELL... EVERYTHING.

THE OUTLET

LAASO SPOTLIGHT

IF YOU COULD STUDY ABROAD ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD

YOU WANT TO GO?

Argentina! For the Spanish and the slopes.-Kelly Demoya

I’d spend a year in Thailand so that I could explore all of South East Asia and its wonders.

-Madhu Singh

South Korea. I would eat my way through that country and visit famous K-drama places.

-Madeleine Kenney

Rio. Amazing culture and a breathtaking city.-Julian Villareal

India because of the food, clothes, and festivals.

-Julianna Clark

I really want to go and see Shanghai because I’ve always wanted to learn Mandarin and I’m

really interestd in the culture and the food!-Megan Palombo

Iceland! It looks like a different planet.-Cullen Bounds

Cuba, it hosted the beginnings of many things Latin American.-Omar Gamboa

I would love to go to Prague just to say that I’ve been to Prague because I feel it is super chic and fashionable and going there would make me not want to wear jeans everyday of my life

-Kellie Stone

Greece. Greek food. Enough said.-Maggie Morris

Advised by Dr. Dorie J. Gilbert, SPDG was founded as a complement to the Maymester course that she teaches called, Ghana: Community and Social Development. As part of the class, students travel to Ghana and spend the first two weeks learning about the culture and the language. In the third week of the Maymester, the students are assigned to a variety of service projects, working with community partners to help local groups and organizations within the community.

This third week of the Maymester is where SPDG really comes into play. The organization was formed to help continue the services that the Maymester provides for its community partners, even between trips to Ghana; since every year a new group of students signs up for the Maymester, that aspect of sustainability is important to keep.

“We don’t want to go over there and help, and then just stop our contribution, because that’s what a lot of people do,” said Ignacio Cruz, President of SPDG. “We go abroad, we give our piece, we help them however we can, and then we continue to provide that assistance after we leave.”

While abroad, the students take part in a wide range of social projects. One of them, called Helping Hands Entrepreneurship, involves assisting small businesses in Ghana to create an online presence, enabling them to sell their products –things like handmade crafts- in a bigger market than the local one in which they are involved.

Another project, called the Almond Tree, works with a group of displaced women who had been diagnosed with HIV. Some of these women were or had previously been married; a lot of them lost their jobs as a result of being HIV positive. The women make bags, clothes, shoes, and bracelets to sell. Almond Tree helps them create a business proposal, understand social media and how to use it as a

platform, and helps them learn how to run a business. “It’s an uplifting sort of vision,” said Cruz. “It’s about

getting that Ghanaian brand, those Ghanaian goods that hold so much culture, and bringing it out into the world and sharing it with others on a larger scale.”

Not all projects were about business models and marketing. One group of students worked with orphans in Ghana who either could not rely on family or did not have one at all. The students went and played soccer with them and shared cultural experiences.

A different project focused on a Ghanaian school called Ashaiman High School. SPDG students fundraised in Austin to raise money for scholarships, which were then given to students at the high school in order to help pay for their school fees and to send them to college.

For this year, SPDG is at somewhat of a standstill; thanks to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the Study Abroad office is not allowing students to go on the Ghana Maymester, though Ghana itself has not been affected.

Though unable to travel to Africa, SPDG is still working to find and facilitate ways to help their community partners from this side of the Atlantic. There is already an official list of people that want to be part of the organization for next semester, and the organization is using this down time to plan for the future.

Interested students can visit SPDG’s website, studentsforghana.org, or find contact information through HornsLink. Projects that SPDG currently has in the works include an event about Ebola awareness and fundraising, and the organization hopes to be able to return to Ghana by 2016.

STUDENTS IN PARTNERSHIP

FOR DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA

In a web of connections that spread from Austin to across the Atlantic, Students in Partnership for Development in Ghana (SPDG) works to better far-away communities, and to better themselves along the way.SPDG is classified as a Liberal Arts Associated Student Organization, or a LAASO. Under this banner, SPDG and other groups like it work to strengthen and develop the environment of the College of Liberal Arts in cultural, professional, and academic aspects. LAASOs, in addition to being able to network through various sources throughout the college, also gain access to more financial support and resources. Being a LAASO opens the door for more advertising and publicity opportunities; they can work with Liberal Arts Council’s Communications Director to advertise for events and use billboards and monitors throughout the building. LAASOs are also given an annual tabling spot at Gone to Liberal Arts at the beginning of each year.

“We go abroad, we give our piece, we help them

however we can, and then we continue to

provide that assistance after we leave.”-Ignacio Cruz,

President of SPDG

AMANDA GARCIA


OUTDATED CONSEQUENCES FOR MODERN MIDCONDUCTTo almost every student at UT, the internet—much like

food, water, and air—is considered an essential resource. According to a Pew Research Internet Project, over 97% of college-aged adults from 18 to 29 years old use the internet in some form, whether on a mobile device or through email.

Despite the birth of the internet in the 1970s, however, the laws surrounding the internet have not kept up with the pace of internet expansion. Today, students, whether they attend UT Austin or elsewhere, find themselves in a legal quandary when their understanding of the internet conflicts with the legal ramifications of issues such as internet piracy, identity theft, and revenge porn.

At UT Austin, students with legal issues often visit Legal Services for Students, a branch of the Office of the Dean of Students that provides free legal advice. Students commonly come to the the office with questions about issues ranging from online harassment to disputes with an off-campus rental. From time to time, she consults students with problems concerning piracy, illegal downloading of music, identity theft, and more recently, revenge porn. “We see a variety of topics that range over all these things,” said Holmes.

NOT-SO-FREE DOWNLOADSUnsurprisingly, many students casually pirate materials

from their own dorm rooms. According to a study from NetNames, the British brand protection firm, copyright infringement accounts for 24% of total Internet bandwidth. The consequences can entail strict, heavy fines if caught. According to a webpage from Legal Services for Students, “violators can be held liable for a minimum of $750 per violation... it costs the students thousands of dollars to settle the lawsuits out of court.” “If it’s not clear that it’s free to download, it’s probably illegal.”

Despite the astronomical costs for settling a violation, the actual possibility of receiving a settlement letter are astonishingly low. According to a 2009 article from online

website Digital Tech, one in 1,629 were caught illegally downloading files. Since then, the chances have only decreased because both RIAA and the MPAA--two of the biggest trade organizations representing the music and motion pictures industries, respectively--have resorted to sending warnings to heavy downloaders of pirated

materials. They now concentrate on websites such as The Pirate Bay that host illegally sourced content.

ATTEMPTED LEGISLATIONRecent legislation has not gone over

so well with vocal members of the internet community, demonstrating that an understanding must be developed between legislators,

corporations, and the internet community. The Stop Online Piracy Act, a recent attempt to heavily punish websites that host pirated content, is the most well-known example of this, leading to an unprecedented 24-hour shutdown of Wikipedia and a flood of sarcastic, angry internet memes. Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia, stated in an interview with CNN that Jenna Wortham, a technology writer for The New York Times, described the blackout as “an extraordinary moment — a political coming of age for a relatively young and disorganized industry that has largely steered clear of lobbying and other political games in Washington.”

“Intellectual property is property and needs to be protected…the main problem the legal system…the problem is a matter of enforcement because it takes place in a format that is impossible to police,” said Bryson Kisner, a sophomore History and Plan II major. “Many attempts to combat piracy…don’t do that much to combat piracy. Corporations try to exert pressure on websites like these to protect their monopolies… whether the dispersal of that property is a threat to making money or not,” he said.

RELATIONSHIP REVENGERevenge porn, the newest form of online harassment,

is a huge issue as well. A survey conducted by Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, 61% of respondents to a survey said they had taken nude pictures of themselves. Sixty percent of the victims who were threatened by their ex-partners said that the students followed through on threats to publish sensitive, embarrassing pictures online.

The current laws in Texas against victims seem slanted against them. Holmes stated that “It may not be a legal situation. When a student shares photos with friends or others, they have no control over what happens to those photos. If someone improperly shares those photos it is probably not illegal. It was unfortunate for the victim, but there was no crime committed.” Only if a photo was taken without the person’s consent—for example, if it was stolen from the victim’s hard drive—then it would constitute theft, according to Holmes. Moreover, the perpetuator of these crimes, according to Holmes, is a close family member, adding a personal element to an already tumultuous legal situation.

Some laws allow victims to sue for emotional distress damages and for an invasion of privacy. A number of state legislatures, such as California, have enacted laws

specifically addressing revenge porn. Texas, on the other hand, has yet to enact any legislation specifically addressing revenge porn. The most recent attempt in March 2013 did not pass in committee.

The issues surrounding online piracy, and revenge porn are complex and, by many accounts, not adequately addressed. The onus, it seems, lies on everyone—students,

faculty, staff, and members of the wider community—to protect themselves from threats as lawmakers struggle to update our legal system to comprehensively address these concerns.

“Despite the birth of the internet in the 1970s, the laws

surrounding the internet have not kept up with the pace of internet

expansion”

“60% of the victims who were threatened by their ex-partners said that the students followed through

on threats to publish sensitive, embarrassing pictures online”

CALEB WONG

COMBATING CYBER CRIME

a brief history of deviants online

November 2013The website Silk Road,

a market place for illicit drugs, child

pornography, and stolen information is shut down and its owner is arrested.

January 2012Kim Dotcom arrested in New Zealand and was

subsequently charged with copyright infringement

relating to his site Megaupload which was shut

down at the same time.

2004The “hacktivist” group Anonymous is formed

with ties to Wikileaks and Occupy that has been

linked to the hacking of various sites including Visa

and the website of the Westboro Baptist Church

July 2001 Napster is

shutdown and subsequently

relaunched with a paid service to comply with lawsuit against

the site.

January 2014 Hunter Moore, the creator

of revenge porn site is arrested on numerous charges of hacking and

identity theft. The website has been taken down.

July 2011 The British tabloid paper,

News of the World, ends publication after a phone hacking scandal involving the phones and emails of various

people including a murdered girl and the Royal Family. Several

editor and writers were subsequently charged.

September 17th, 2013The largest internet breach

saw 38 million user’s encrypted and sensitive

information hacked from Adobe customers, the

number has risen to 152 million.

“That will be $2.64.” I hand the cashier at Jesta’ Pizza

my university ID card and in one swipe she subtracts $2.64 from my supply of dine in dollars. It is my third semester at the University of Texas at Austin and I still have about a hundred dining dollars left over from the past school year. How is that even possible when back in April many of my friends were already running out?

From struggling to not run out of dining dollars to managing loan debt, college students must learn healthy habits to maintain their finances.

To start, the first step to managing finances in college is creating a budget. Analyzing financial resources and the expected income from each resource for the year is crucial to outlining a budget. These resources can include parents, scholarships, jobs, or any other sources of money. Then, it is essential to calculate expected expenses for the year and subtract these expenses from the expected income. Now, an educated decision can be made on how much money to save for future expenses, the amount to allocate as free spending money, and whether to work more hours at a job.

To simplify this entire process, second year, business major, Fabiola Flores, uses Mint.com, an app that organizes and categorizes all of your spending for you. Personal finance apps such as this are fantastic for busy college students who need an efficient way to stay within their budget.

Once a financial overview is constructed, the amount of spending money left over is not enough. So, how can you save? Don’t fret; there are copious ways

to save money in everyday life. For example, to save money last year, I stocked up on breakfast foods, such as cereal and my favorite snacks from a grocery store to avoid spending my dining dollars on higher cost alternatives. While the cost of one breakfast at a dining hall is $3.90, a box of mini wheats and seven bananas is about four dollars which, when divided up over seven days, the total comes to fifty seven cents per breakfast. Thus, grocery shopping is an inexpensive alternative to eating out every day and can also be considerably healthier.

For coffee addicts, second year English major, Sam Holdeman, suggests a coffee maker. It’s not only cheaper but also exciting to pick out unique coffee grounds.

Furthermore, for lunch and dinner, avoid eating at Jester City Limits and instead opt for J2 or Kinsolving as more food can be purchased at a cheaper price from these locations. When the dining halls get too boring, a nice dinner is just a bus ride away and, with all of that responsible budgeting, financially possible!

Another way to save money is to budget the weekends. If you go out on Friday, avoid going out on Saturday. Stay in to study instead. This will not only save money but will also improve grades, which means making the most of those tuition payments.

Additionally, senior Management Information Systems major, Joshua Rosales, recommends not carrying cash when going out to limit spending.

Avoid buying excessive amounts of new costly clothes and hit up the eclectic thrift stores around Austin. Check out stores

like Buffalo Exchange and Lovely Austin Boutique to find some exciting, gently-used digs for your late-night excursions into the city. While that white bodycon dress from American Apparel may be perfect for Friday night parties, an outfit searched for, located, and purchased from a thrift store gives a unique exciting spin to your style at a cheaper price.

Regarding academic expense, there aren’t many financial shortcuts. However, the few that exist are noteworthy. For instance, textbooks are the main money drain after paying tuition so shopping around when buying books for class is essential to finding the best deal. While searching for textbooks, third year economics major, Rashard Moosajee, finds it advantageous to compare the prices of multiple stores such as Amazon, Chegg, and the Co-op while considering renting or buying an electronic copy to find the most inexpensive deal. Selling old books to buy-back places, such as BookHolders in Dobie Mall, is a great way to receive money paid on textbooks in the past semester. Remember, to find the optimal deal it is important to start the textbook search early.

Altogether, navigating finances while in college is a learning experience that should be embraced and adapted to suite your own personal needs and desires. While a financial plan will work for one person, it may not work for you so picking and choosing which habits you prefer is key in creating the optimal financial situation. Go out and spend responsibly!

BALANCINGYOUR

staying on top of your finances as a college student

BUDGETTOP 5BUDGETING

BESTAPPS

THE

FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

MINT

CHECK

TOSHL

LEARNVEST

SLICE

Synching to your bank account, Mint keeps track of all your purchases automatically. You can view different budgets (as specific as coffee, movies, alcohol, etc.). If you’re using a credit card, it makes sure you’ll never charge what you can’t pay back too!

More of a payment and bill tracker than a budgeting app, Check keeps track of bill payments, gives you helpful reminders, etc. You can pay bills directly from the app, so you’ll never pay a late fee, and even track investments, if you’re particularly ambitious!

Toshl is unique because its budgeting feature allows you to set a limit (ex. $250/ month for groceries) that will give you a nice view of how close you are to going over budget. Its simple, good-looking system is also easy to pick up on and allows you to see where your money is going.

Also synching to your bank account, LearnVest files your purchases into pre-named folders like Entertainment, Groceries, Restaurants ATM/Cash, etc. You can set a budget for each folder, as well as for essentials like rent, student loans and car payments.

Slice keeps all your online purchases in one place, from receipts to shipping information. It even sends a notification when your package ships (to watch out for the delivery truck if you live off-campus). It also keeps your entire purchase history so you can upload it to a budgeting app at once.

Photo from Creative Commons THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13 7JULIANNA CLARK

“Psychology,” Professor Carroll says, “is trying to find some principled, sensible ways to understand how this thing works.” He gestures excitedly at his head as he answers, meaning to signal the importance not of his skull, but of the impressive 3 pound thinking organ that it houses.

Professor Carroll loves to talk about the brain and his enthusiasm is contagious when he lectures to his group of 90 students. He often makes self-depreciating jokes in class about his wagging hands and jumping about, but these characteristics are just natural symptoms of someone who, at the center of it all, believes that what he is talking about it is really, really cool.

INNOVATING THE CLASSROOMCarroll came to the University of Texas at

Austin after finishing up his doctorate degree in psychology at the University of Massachusetts. He joined the Center for Cognitive Science where he conducted research regarding language processing and helped to set up an eye-tracking lab to study how people observe and make sense of pictures. He then taught at Williams College in Massachusetts for a few years before returning to UT in 1987.

Although he is no longer actively conducting his own research, Professor Carroll has been involved with the development of an online Psychology 301 course that is offered here at UT and taught by Sam Gosling and James Pennebaker. As a part of Gosling Pennebaker’s course, there is a mentorship program between graduate and undergraduate students which Carroll helped implement to get students more involved in the material.

He also teamed up with faculty members from Carnegie Mellon to develop new tactics to engage students who are enrolled in online classes. “If we make online classes that allow students to feel more connected to what they are learning than they would if they were in the back rows of a giant lecture class, then we are moving in the right direction,” said Carroll.

DRAWING THE LINEWith all this talk about the brain, it is easy

to lose track of the division between cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Professor Carroll believes that this distinction can be found in how you approach the inner workings of the human mind.

“With psychology, it’s the fact that we are

studying something mental, something that’s not just a bunch of physical properties,” says Carroll. He believes that the perspective of the humanities, rather than just the natural sciences, is necessary when defining the language we use to discuss mental processes.

“There is something that I believe is real as real can be, our mental life, and yet it’s not something that I can touch with my finger,” Carroll explains, “and that’s where I think we need the approach of the liberal arts.”

MAXIMIZING THE EXPERIENCEAlthough he teaches Cognitive Psychology

as well as Statistics and Research Design, Professor Carroll’s favorite course to teach is Experimental Psychology. This advanced course builds upon PSY418 and prepares a small group of interested students for graduate school.

Carroll loves this course because it allows students to explore a single idea in a more independent way, which shifts his task from lecturer to mentor. “I get to help stimulate ideas and help them problem solve. When students are motivated like that it lets them show their true depth of intelligence.”

Professor Carroll makes a special point in mentioning that he does not enjoy this course the most just because it is geared towards students who are planning to pursue graduate school.

“I think it is important for me to say that I don’t think that your study here as an undergraduate should be preparation for graduate school. I think instead, that it should be preparation for life.”

Carroll’s final pieces of wisdom came when he expressed worry for our generation that we would allow professional growth to stunt personal growth as technology blurs the lines between work life and home life. “What you do out in the world when you aren’t at work or at school is what breeds life. It is what ultimately makes you more creative and successful in your professional life,” says Carroll.

As for me, I cannot promise that I will stop checking my phone for emails at 2 in the morning, but I am taking that last quote as specific instruction not to do any studying, except for maybe some elective people watching for Cognitive Psychology this weekend.

MAGGIE MORRIS

Photo by Madhu Singh


You are more likely to accurately recall information if you are tested on the material in the same location that you learned it. Next time you take a test try imagining the room you studied in

before begin to improve performance.

People over the age of 40 report having a better memory of their adolescence/young adulthood than

of any other point in their lives.

It is possible and relatively common for people to plagiarize someone else’s ideas without even realizing

that they are doing it.

It turns out that how deeply you process information is much more important in remembering it than

having an intention to learn. Studies show people who are asked to interact with the deeper meaning of

words on a list learn the words despite no indication that their memory for the words will be tested later.

MIND GAMES|

DR. PATRICK CARROLL& the science of learning

TIPS & TRICKS FROM DR. CARROLL’S CLASS


>> There are 50,000 students on UT’s campus and each has a story. I sat down with freshman Liz Schasel (Plan II Honors and Business) and senior Ben Johnson (Plan II Honors and

Economics) to talk about the College of Liberal Arts, the university, and life as a Longhorn.

Ben, you’re about to graduate in May. What is your favorite part of being a student at UT?Ben: That’s a hard question. There are so many good things about this school that it’s hard to choose just one. I’d say the people I’ve met here have been my favorite.

What are you leaning towards post-graduation?Ben: I’d love to work at a tech company; more-so the business side rather than the computer science side.

Liz, as a freshman, what are you most worried about in these coming 4 years?Liz: I’m just going to have to make sure my major is something I find worth doing. I love being plan II; I mean, it is the reason I came to UT. I think it will encourage me to really find out what I want to do, and maybe business is just that. I want to take the time to figure out who I am and not just what people expect me to be, and the college really fosters that idea.

Ben, what is one thing Liz should do in Austin before she graduates?Ben: Don’t take living in such an awesome and global city like Austin for granted. There are so many festivals and I highly recommend you take the time to find your favorite parts of the city. Say yes to doing things.

Liz, do you have any questions for Ben?Liz: What class should I take before I graduate?Ben: One of my favorite classes was Architecture and Society with Dr. Speck. It’s one of those classes that is really fun to go to every day and isn’t boring at all. People don’t typically think of Architecture

as a class they should take while in college, but you end up looking at everything around you differently and I’ve found what I learned in thatclass to be really applicable in everyday life.Liz, what has been your favoritae memory at UT so far?Liz: Probably joining Texas Spirits. It’s a fantastic group of ambitious young women. They are so involved in the community and it is inspiring to see the things they do on campus.

Ben, what is something that the College of Liberal Arts offers that not many people know about?Ben: I really like the free New York Times. In the Dies Center?Ben: Yeah! You’re never going to get another free newspaper subscription so you might as well take advantage of it. Nobody ever takes them. Also the Undergraduate Writing Center.

Liz, what are you excited about here at UT?Liz: Finding my passion.

Ben, what are you looking forward to in post-grad life?Ben: New adventures, finding out what path in life I’m going to take, and the ability to really do anything I want with a liberal arts degree.

Did you study abroad while at UT?Ben: I did! I studied abroad in Barcelona, and it was probably one of the best experiences I had in college and I highly recommend it. It’s awesome to spend time and learn outside of the classroom. When you come back, you look at everything in a new light.

Did you take any Spanish classes before you left?Ben: In high school but none at UT. I completed my language credit abroad, actually. I came back conversational in the language.

Liz, do you want to study abroad?Liz: I am! I want to go anywhere in Italy and am starting Italian next year. Study abroad will be a great experience and I know that the College of Liberal Arts offers a lot of specific programs in my areas of interest.

Ben, what is your favorite book?Ben: I’ve been reading a lot of Hemingway lately. I’m writing my senior thesis on his work so it’s really all I’ve been able to read. It’s cool to immerse myself in one author and truly focus.

Liz, you’re in the Live Music Capital of the World now. Who is your favorite band?Liz: Definitely the Avett Brothers. I saw them at Austin City Limits and I cried. I have seen them so many times, the crying is just involuntary now.

After the interview, Ben and Liz began to have a friendly conversation as I set up my camera to take their portrait. Ben gave some solid advice, and the two laughed about common experiences on campus that reminded me that no matter how far apart two students are, the Longhorn experience is universal.

PHOTO BY CULLEN BOUNDS

COMPARING

THE FRESHMAN VS SENIOR EXPERIENCE

CULLEN BOUNDS


The closest languages to English are Dutch and West Flemish

Approximately 1 new word is added to the English language every 2 hours

“I”, “we”, “two” and “three” are the most ancient words in the English language

ENGLISHas a world language

According to the CIA’s The World Factbook, there are an estimated 7,100 languages spoken throughout the world. Approximately 80% of these languages are spoken by less than 100,000 people.

English, after Mandarin and Spanish, is currently the third largest language by number of native speakers. A native speaker is defined as someone who speaks a language as his or her first language or native tongue. English is the most widely spoken as a second language and is known as a lingua franca or a bridge language. Bridge languages are used to make communication possible between two people who do not share a native language.

Some people may not know this, but English is not the official language of the United States. In fact, the United States does not have an officially recognized national language. According to the CIA’s The World Factbook, 82% of the US speaks English, less than 11% speak Spanish, and the rest speak another language. What has caused English to become such a global language?

ENGLISH, AS WE KNOW ITLiving in the United States can make it easy to overlook just how important communication and language

is in everyday life. Most Americans don’t have to worry about communication because most people around the world know at least Basic English. Travel to any large international city and it is a fact that all of the airport and train signs will have English included in the various translations for ‘Taxi’ or ‘Exit.’

Additionally, the foreign language requirement to graduate high school in Texas is only two semesters. This is where the problem begins, considering most children in Asia and Europe begin learning English at the same time they do math or science. According to The Last Lingua Franca by Nicholas Ostler, “English “has a preeminent global role in science, commerce, politics, finance, tourism, sport, and even screen entertainment and popular music. With no challenger comparable to it, it seems almost untouchable. Even in China, the only country with a language that has more native speakers, every school child now studies English.”

This is important because English is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, which is composed of almost 200 member states. In fact, English is starting to become more favored as the UN’s chosen language for documentation instead of French, which was the traditional choice for many years.1ST LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD

English is the official language of the skies so all pilots (regardless of country of origin) identify themselves in English on every flight

SOME ENGLISH TRIVIA

A BRIEF HISTORY OF A LANGUAGEWhat happened in history to encourage so much of the world to learn

English over any other language? It seems to be a combination of many factors that, once cultivated, had a snowball effect on the English language and usage. Was it Facebook, the invention of computer programing languages, or World War II that propelled English to become so global?

In the 1920’s some of the first newspapers and reporting companies were opened, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1922 and The New Yorker Magazine in 1925. Then, in 1939, World War II began. In 1945, the Allie’s victory at the end of WWII helped spread the popularity of the English language.

The increasing economic and political success of the US created an image of the US as a world power and as a force to be reckoned with. This wave of influence caused an increase of English language speakers in countries such as Japan and China. Another important factor would be the amount of countries that were under British rule, including New Zealand, Canada, the U.S., Australia, South Africa and more. Many of these countries speak English today because it was the natural choice after being occupied by the British for so long or because English provides a neutral option.

For example, English is used as a lingua franca in Africa because thousands of tribes have their own language and using only one for political negotiations is a sign that that language is favored above all others. Thus, because of the many different dialects, religions, and cultural differences, African tribes use English as a mediator to communicate.

By the 1950s, the number of speakers using English as a second language exceeded the number of native speakers.

THE TECHNOLOGICAL AGEThe emergence of the Internet has been one of the most important

factors since World War II to influence the spread of the English language. According to The English Language Guide, over 80% of the information stored in the world’s computers is stored in the English language.

English speakers have had a sizable impact on discoveries and ideas throughout history, especially in the late 1980’s when the Internet was opened to commercial use and interests. In the late 1990’s, the first web browsers were created including Yahoo! and Google. Then, the first social media networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook were launched in the early 2000’s. In 2008, Facebook had 100 million users and now there are currently over 1.15 billion users. Over 10% of the world is on Facebook. Additionally, over one million web pages are accessed using the “login with Facebook” feature which spreads the popularity of English even more.

Thus, Facebook has crept into almost every facet of society from culture to communication to information technology; there is no escaping its far-reaching influence. Think about it, when someone says they don’t have a Facebook it is seen as shocking and crazy. People want to be on Facebook because that is what is popular right now. Facebook has also allowed people to connect and communicate around the world. Many students that are currently in high school and college have grown up with the Internet and Facebook, thus many of these students are much more globally aware

and informed of events occurring around the world. However, because of the extensive amount of information in English on the Internet, many people have learned English by necessity because they have access to more information and resources.

WHERE WE’RE HEADEDAre there other languages that could possibly take over as the world

lingua franca? Languages that are spoken in countries that have a thriving center for culture often exert a larger influence than languages or countries that are struggling. In my introductory class to international business we learned about BRICS, an acronym for the best emerging economies. Thus, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa all have major emerging

national economies as well as a significant influence on regional and global affairs. These five countries represent three billion people, making up 40% of the population and have a combined total of 20% of the world GDP.

Of the Global Fortune 500 companies, 128 are from the U.S. with China closely following in second place. Although Chinese has a vast number of speakers, there are many variations and dialects thus causing a disconnect between speakers and regions. This large variation in dialects as well as the vast amount of characters has been a deterrent to people interested in learning a second language. For these reasons and more, it is unlikely that Chinese will surpass English as a second language.

Will English possibly become the world standard? A choice would need to be made whether or not to adopt a current standard of

English or use a more neutral one. A universal standard would suppress all of the dialects of English within the U.S. such as the widely used ‘Spanglish’ or the Chinese version of English where there are no articles. A more neutral English would allow these dialects to be picked up in other countries, but would steer away from traditional English diction.

Should a variety of dialects and differences in English be widely accepted? The Cambridge Guide to English Usage supports the new dialect approach and supports attempts to avoid any language bias. At the same time, there is movement towards an international standard for the English language. However, at the moment there is no consensus.

When thinking about the English language many questions come to mind, including: What has caused English to become such a global language? What happened in history to encourage so much of the world to learn English over any other language? Are there other languages that could possibly take over as the world lingua franca? Will English possibly become the world standard? There aren’t concrete answers to all these questions, but it is clear that the increase in English speakers around the world has been beneficial to businesses as well as individuals who learned English as a second language.

But what’s next? The Internet will continue to increase the spread of the English language while smaller less prominent languages will begin to phase out as more people use dominant languages. It is unclear what is next or whether or not English will become the world standard, but it is clear that English will continue to thrive and serve as the focal point for international businesses, the Internet, and ultimately better connectivity throughout the world.

“Because of the extensive amount of information in English on the Internet,

many people have learned English to have access to more information and

resources”

MEGAN PALOMBOTHE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13 11

NETFLEXINGthe tech giant that is slowly taking over hollywood

THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 1312 PHOTO BY KARAN MAHENDROO

Netflix is quickly becoming the number one source of television and cinematic entertainment with well over 50 million subscribers around the world. In a few short years, Netflix has taken down major companies and taken over our computers (or lives), letting everyone know that they are not only here to stay, but here to change everything we know about the “typical” television and cinematic experience.

In a desperate attempt to keep the red-enveloped titan from stealing all of their viewers, many companies are charging Netflix more per show than ever before. Reuters reported that Netflix paid a whopping $1.4 billion in only the first quarter of 2013 for content rights – a number that is rising faster than ever.

So what did Netflix do? They created their own shows. Whether you’re missing Frank Underwood with all your heart or you just want to make out with Alex Vause, it’s safe to say the tech genius has everyone hooked on at least one of their two new brilliant original series.

“When a big company does a little bit of music, or a little bit of video, and it’s not essential to their future, it’s almost assured that they won’t do it well,” said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in an interview with New Republic. “It’s a dabble.”

Netflix spent well over $100 million on the first season of “House of Cards” and nearly as much on their second endeavor, “Orange Is the New Black.” They also agreed to multiple seasons for both shows before the first was even available – almost unheard of in the television industry. It’s pretty clear Netflix doesn’t “dabble.”

Taking such an expensive gamble is not something many can afford to do, but Netflix did their research. They did so much research, in fact, that they now possess such large accumulations of data that they’re breaking Hollywood records.

The Atlantic recently reported, “Netflix doesn’t possess several hundred genres, or even several thousand, but 76,897 unique ways to describe movies... no one has ever assembled this data before.”

Not only does Netflix know Hollywood, though, Netflix knows us. Netflix knows when you press pause during a show,

exactly where you paused it, for how long you paused it, and if you continued the show after you paused it. Netflix watches all of us as we watch TV shows and movies. Netflix knows exactly what we like and what we don’t like, and now, they have the best advantage possible when creating their own TV shows. Netflix isn’t guessing what viewers like; they know what viewers like. Success for them is inevitable.

Netflix is changing the way we watch TV. The company not only prides itself on its lack of advertisements, but on the way it produces its shows too. Studies show that the viewer likes to be in control of his or her TV shows. Waiting every week for an episode makes people lose interest or get frustrated with a show. Netflix took a new approach and uploads its shows as a series – making every episode of the season available at once.

Instead of mindlessly streaming content like theatres and TV networks, Netflix tailors their content specifically to the viewer with recommendations and customized queues. Netflix is making more of an effort to understand and relate to their customers and, because of that, are taking over swiftly. Whether dads across America are getting too excited “Cheers” is on Netflix or our generation is actually shedding tears of joy that “Friends” will soon be streaming (starting January 1, 2015!), everyone can find a little happiness on Netflix.

Furthermore, Netflix doesn’t want to depend on anyone to produce entertainment; they are taking ownership of all parts of the process from creative development to production to distribution. And, for a monthly price that’s a mere fraction of what cable companies are charging, you can have DVR on steroids and access to a plethora of TV shows and movies traditional TV and movie watching outlets can’t possibly provide, especially at such a rapid rate. Netflix makes spending $15 on an evening at the theatre seem ridiculous since you could spend $15 and have unlimited movies and TV shows for a month.

Plus, Netflix is available on every medium. You can watch it on a phone, a

computer, a home theatre system – there is such a vast amount of content available on so many devices.

As Netflix changes how we view our entertainment, we’re heading into a new era. Netflix’s already enormous network is increasing exponentially every day as many abandon cable and the theatre in favor of the big, red giant. If Netflix keeps up this actually alarming rate of growth, the future of TV and cinema is going to be very, very different.

After the overwhelming success of Netflix’s two original TV shows, and a seemingly endless string of Emmy nominations, it’s time to take an even bigger step.

Netflix recently announced that it would partner with Adam Sandler and his production company Happy Madison Productions to produce four movies exclusively for Netflix Inc.

International Business Times reported that there’s no mention of how much money is involved in the deal except to say that Sandler’s movies “have grossed more than $3 billion globally” and that Sandler movies are not big budget productions (thus, easy for Netflix to produce!).

The sequel “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend,” will be a part of the four movies and The Weinstein Company (a major international film studio) will help produce the movies, which will be released simultaneously to Netflix subscribers and select IMAX theaters.

“People love Adam’s films on Netflix and often watch them again and again.

His appeal spans across viewers of all ages. Everybody has a favorite movie, everyone has a favorite line - not just in the U.S. but all over the world,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos in a recent press release. “Sandler is among the few actors in the world whose films consistently rank among the most viewed by Netflix members across the globe.”

Netflix is already receiving backlash for trying to redesign the movie-watching experience, especially from the major theatre companies. AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas, owners of most IMAX screens across the country, both publicly announced that they will “refuse to participate” by not showing Netflix’s new movies, desperate to hold on to their

traditional cinema.However, the public supports Netflix

in this venture, already prepared to move away from the “typical” movie setting. Wall Street Journal reported that stock shares for both AMC and Regal Entertainment have started to drop as people sense the end of the traditional cinema “windowing” system.

Netflix continues to expand to more countries every year and is taking the world by storm more rapidly than anyone expected. Ferocious for new content, the company is not only an innovator, but also a brilliant executor of its unique creations. The future is limitless and unpredictable as we all wait in awe to see how Netflix redefines the entertainment industry yet again.

KARAN MAHENDROO

LIVING A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLEWhile taking medicine in the midst of

a cold may not seem like ‘giving up’ to the average person, taking Advil, or some other general pain reliever, is the absolute last case scenario for people who practice natural medicine. However, holistic medicine and its practices encompass so much more than just hesitance to chemically created medicine; as the word ‘holistic’ suggests, this way of living uses the whole body, including the mind and spirit, in order to live a healthy life.

Holistic practices are not a set of rules or guidelines that participants follow to a tee. Rather, they are maintained by the individual listening to his or her body and understanding what it needs. This is akin to study practices: some people swear by studying with classical music while others need complete silence. By now, we have all found our own ways to study that help us succeed the most with some overarching techniques. Holistic practices are a general understanding of one’s body that each person treats in his or her own way.

For many, treating one’s body right begins with food. The holistic lifestyle encourages eating locally grown, unprocessed food. Those who are also vegan or vegetarian discourage GMO use, eat organically, and mainly grocery shop at farmers markets. In general, however, these individuals focus the majority of their diet on eating vegetables and fruits, something we students lack.

University Health Center’s Nutritionist, Dr. Annie Mahon, acknowledges this, “We know from our own survey of data that students just don’t meet the recommended number of servings of vegetables.” Poor

eating habits don’t just affect mental clarity and energy levels; they also increase the number of sick days we take. Though some people turn to chemical substances to keep healthy, such as vitamins or Airborne, “the only way the body will get the many nutrients needed to stay healthy and function is by eating a wide variety of healthy foods,” says Diana Rodriguez of EveryDay Health. This focus on allowing the body to keep itself from getting sick

by proper nourishment is where holistic living gets its reputation for being ‘anti-medicine.’ As Guy Livingston Howe coined it in his novel, How to Prevent Sickness: A H a n d b o o k of Health, “Strength comes from the kitchen and not from the drug-store.”

However, eating properly is just one part of the holistic lifestyle. The main goal of living a holistic lifestyle is connecting the mind, body, spirit, and emotions. This connection, though, does not come all at once and continues to change over time. Constant mindfulness creates this state of connection through the employment of specified practices, such as yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises. From

the basic believer in holistic living, to the yogi living in the middle of the forest in Costa Rica, these three types of exercises are fundamental parts of living the holistic lifestyle. “Connecting your mind and body helps you ground yourself again instead of getting so carried away in your life that you feel like you can’t handle all of these things”, Darcy Smith of the University Yoga Club explains. “It is very

empowering.”Both

m e d i t a t i o n and breathing t e c h n i q u e s have shown to have extremely b e n e f i c i a l results in regards to one’s physical and mental health. H o w e v e r , these exercises can seem to be uncharted territory to the average college

student. “These things, managing your own mind and managing your emotions, you don’t learn in school or at home,” comments Shreya Kulkarni, representative of the Art of Living club on campus.

We live in a great technological age where there are plenty of great YouTube videos and sites that lead all sorts of meditation paths, from the traditional “om” to the guided imagery. At its simplest form, Professor Bump, English professor and strong believer in connectivity, explains

that meditation is creating “space between the chatter in our minds” in order to connect our whole being.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin and Harvard University conducted an experiment, published in Psychosomatic Medicine which tested the practical use of meditation with health benefits and found that the people who participated in an eight-week long meditation routine produced significantly more flu-fighting antibodies than those who did not meditate. “Our breath is our vital energy,” explains Darcy, “but it goes unnoticed throughout the day.” If in class you pause for a moment to check that your breath is even and consistent, your energy and focus can remain consistent on taking notes or studying. The practices of meditation and breathing techniques are beneficial for both the mind and the body.

Although holistic living begins with proper nutrition, using techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises connects the whole being. Holistic living, by connecting the mind, body, spirit, and emotions, aids in the prevention of sickness, something all students want. The decision to incorporate these practices and become a mindful person challenges the individual to move inward. In our competitive, job-seeking, résumé-padding college atmosphere, we are always pushed to move outwards, so this move inwards seems counterproductive. However, Professor Bump encourages this mindfulness: “The concept of knowing thyself produces leaders.”

“holistic medicine and its practices encompass so much more than just hesitance to chemically created medicine; as the word ‘holistic’ suggests, this way of living uses

the whole body, including the mind and spirit, in order to live a healthy

life.”

a holistic mindset

Photo from Creative Commons THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13 13

KELLIE STONE

A dog may be a man’s best friend, and a diamond might be a girl’s. A cat, however, is a scholar’s best friend.

Earlier this semester, I decided to adopt a cat, a rather educated decision. Certainly, the pellets of rat feces sprinkled throughout my apartment compounded that decision, but the truth is I have always wanted a pet during my college years.

THE FIRST ATTEMPTSThe desire began as soon as pets

became formally taboo. Signing up to live in a dorm, I read on the list of permitted items: “PETS: ONLY FISH.”

“Well, are fish even pets?” I pondered as I stroked my beard.

No, fish are not pets, because one could not perform the act of petting a fish. I determined the verb “pet” is what makes a pet a “pet” because if the verb were to rely on the noun, then the former would be obsolete when one “petted” something or someone that wasn’t a pet. Petting a pet relieves stress, and I would need as much relief as possible in college.

These were the conversations I had with myself in my dingy Jester West dormitory.

Utilizing freshman logic, I decided to get something allowed in the dorm and slightly more able to be petted than a fish — I purchased a beautiful fairy castle cactus.

While the cactus was useful for

poetic inspiration, neither were he nor the poems stress relieving. I kept little Virgilio by my alarm clock. When rising from my slumber one morning, I blindly craned my hand over to silence the DJ’s choice of Pitbull. I missed. My cupped hand was stabbed by three of Virgilio’s pikes, stabbing so deeply that he hung from my hand as I retreated.

This was the end of my gardening career and the birth of my disdain for Armando Christian Pérez, also known as Pitbull.

After this bloody ordeal, I realized I needed a real pet, something to unleash my affection and loneliness on. A bunny might work for the dorm as no one could hear it scream (from joy, of course). But I realized that if someone caught me with the rabbit, I would have to sell it. The mere thought already broke my heart.

I was desperate enough at one point to wander into the local PetSmart. I looked at the yellow baby chicks for about 10 minutes before an employee had to ask me if anything was wrong. Oh, how I still wish I had the courage to buy one or eighty-seven of them.

I decided that perhaps it was best if

I waited to live in an apartment. Five semesters later, that finally happened.

A PERFECT MATCHSo, what made me choose a cat

amongst all the possible options?Firstly, moving into my new

apartment, I was enlightened to find that rats were being sheltered behind the walls. After pest control failed

at its only duty to mankind, I knew a pet would overcome its ten-thousand-year bloodline of domestication and solve what the pest control man could not.

In terms of the rats, a dog would not work, as they are known to play with rats sometimes. Cats might play as well, but

rats are at least instinctively terrified of the scent of a cat. I was akin to rats in this regard until I fell in love with my little kitty-demon of adorable.

Considering this, a miniature pony would be useless.

Secondly, I needed a quiet pet. Cats are known to be quiet and classy, resting on their owner’s shoulder as they collectively plot to dominate the world. Cats also communicate telepathically with their owners, especially if that

owner is a vulnerable old lady or a hip college student in north campus trying to be a cat lady. Basically, cats are super heroes, silent protectors and toe-lickers of the night. My cat would be like Batman.

In terms of noise, a dog would not hold up. With the limited attention I could offer, I would not be the proper mother that the little pup demanded. Cats are independent. Cats are like Batman. Cats are like me.

Also considering this, a miniature pony would again be useless.

Most importantly, as the new Scholar for The Liberator, I had to make the wisest decision. A cat was the wisest decision. I had recently read that while dogs were domesticated far before cats, cats were domesticated when humans settled down and began to build civilizations in Mesopotamia and the Andes. Dogs were domesticated when humans were hunters and gatherers. Hunting and gathering is awesome, but what is more scholarly than civilization itself?

I realized miniature ponies are completely useless. Perhaps I’d find a reason to have my own Rocinante another day…

On August 4, I brought a forgotten black kitten to my home. Since that day and several hundred scratches, ear-licks, and criminals captured, I have become an old cat lady.

THE SCHOLARHOW I BECAME A HIP NORTH CAMPUS STUDENT POSING AS A CAT LADY

14 THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13

OMAR GAMBOA

“Basically, cats are super heroes,

silent protectors and toe-lickers of the

night. My cat would be like

Batman”

PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS

There’s a certain mystique attached to living in a foreign country. In England, it is common for students to take a year off before university in order to spend extensive time traveling or working elsewhere.

However, Americans don’t have an idea of a “gap year.” This is where studying abroad enters the picture. When students embark on summer or semester-long study abroad programs, they have everything planned for them. They have help on food, public transportation, currency and even an inherited group of American friends.

Essentially, these programs are akin to the all-inclusive resorts in Cozumel. The surrounding people are American, similar in socio-economic status, familiar, and within one’s comfort zone. However, the game changes when students become so enamored with the idea of a place that they uproot themselves from their safe American bubble.

COMING TO TERMSAlthough she’s an international student

from Hong Kong, Dahlia Mukerji is more a citizen of the world. She has lived in Jakarta, Manila, Amsterdam and Singapore. If anyone were familiar with culture shock, it would be someone who has moved to different continents.

“It depends on how much exposure you’ve had to the rest of the world,” said Mukerji. “If you’ve never left your hometown then you become over-eager to travel. Some people might confuse motivation to leave with wanting to live in another place. Probably, you just want to visit places you’re intrigued by. People downplay the

cultural shift.”This shift goes both ways and boils down

to the degree of isolation the US has from the rest of the world; a world that is exposed to American culture and news through television, advertising, and pop culture.

“Even though nobody in my international high school had lived in America, we all identified with American culture,” said Mukerji.

However, there are also liberties allowed in America that aren’t present elsewhere that young people don’t become aware of when simply visiting.

“The US is culturally outspoken, but not in a negative way. It’s okay for people to be individualistic and go against the norm because it fosters conversation. In Asia, the government is definitely more strict.”

Expatriate hopefuls should be wary of any anti-foreigner sentiment in their country of interest. “The people won’t fully accept you in places like India and Singapore, no matter how much you assimilate to the culture, because they are full of nationalistic pride. Though I am ethnically Indian, I will still be considered a foreigner who has to pay the non-resident price to see the Taj Mahal.”

Above all, Mukerji doesn’t see herself settling down in the US for the long term. “In the end, it’s about the people. I will settle where I have the most personal connections, so you should be comfortable with the fact that you will be lonely at first.”

EMBRACING THE NEWRachel Larson, a senior Plan II student,

lived in Lima, Peru for her formative years and encourages people to not let their

fears to stop them because living abroad is ultimately rewarding.

“The difference between studying and living abroad is that when you live overseas for an extended amount of time, you become part of the culture,” said Larson. “You learn the daily habits, the traditions for holidays, and all the cool places to see that aren’t in the tourist handbook. You get the chance to develop long-term connections with local people.”

Specifically, Peru holds a sort of magic for Larson due to its technological isolation. “Living in Peru opens your eyes to the culture through food, pace of life, fashion and music. If you’re looking to move to Peru, stay open-minded. Coming to a foreign culture can be terrifying, but if we allow this fear to control us, we lose the opportunity to experience all that the country has to offer. One must be wise, but also willing to try new foods, get lost, and brave the jam-packed buses.”

Overall, the experience of residing in a foreign country is specific to which place you choose, but it also decreases the amount of stability in life. If one decides to uproot their life, they might not ever achieve the American dream of a nuclear family with a white picket fence and life-long neighbors.

However, they could achieve a sense of worldliness that many people in the US find elusive and intriguing. If one is willing to step outside of their comfort zone and forego the capitalist conveniences of the US to move to a place full of strangers, then living abroad could be a transformative adventure.

THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13 15MADHU SINGH

LIVING VS. TRAVELING ABROADA FOREIGN CONCEPT


TOP 5 COUNTRIES FOR AMERICANS TO MOVE TO

Based on: openness, friendliness, language barrier,

number of existing expats, practicality of finding a job

ARGENTINA

ITALY

THAILAND

CZECH REPUBLIC

AUSTRALIA

1

2

3

4

5


As we march in step closer to graduation day, we also march in step towards the intimidating task of finding employment in the job market. Fortunately, the current economy has moved past the recession and is moving in a positive direction. Admittedly, however, these facts doesn’t lessen the amount of jittering knees during interviews or nail biting while anxiously waiting for call backs.

Because job hunting is so stressful, students try their hardest to find that perfect formula that will ensure employment. One factor that is often assessed is how extroverted versus introverted personality types fare in being chosen for those coveted positions. Which personality type will win out in getting selected for jobs, introverted or extroverted?

There is a point when the carefully articulated sentences with meticulously placed ‘action words’ that make up your glossy resume or cover letter cannot speak for you anymore. Eventually, paper will be put aside and real interactions will take place. Whether extroverted or introverted, does personality really affect the chances of being hired?

STEREOTYPING SUCCESSThere is an assumed belief within our society

that extroverts are more likely to be hired than introverts. Because extroverts are stereotyped as more outgoing, natural leaders, and personable, many consider extroverted individuals to have an advantage on the rest of the job-seeking population.

Introverts, on the other hand, are considered to end up with the short stick in the draw of preferred personalities. Viewed as shy, reserved, and quiet many speculate that introverted people won’t be able to contribute fully or hold their own in the work place.

Now, there is a scale for everything, personality included, but since when do stereotypes take this into consideration? Additionally, as is often the case with introverts, there is more to their personality strengths than meets the eyes.

EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCEAccording to Forbes magazine, the terms

‘extrovert’ and ‘introvert’ were first coined in the 1920’s by a psychologist named Carl Jung and then made popular by the Myers-Briggs personality test. The psychological definition of introvert is

INTROVERTS AT WORKINTROVERTS AT WORK

someone who re-charges his batteries, if you will, by seeking a solidary environment for peace and quiet. Extroverts, being the opposite, re-charge their batteries through lively interaction in social groups.

Because a social workplace mimics the preferred setting of the extroverted personality type, many form the conclusion that introverts are unable to

thrive and succeed in this type of environment. However, there is ample evidence to suggest that introverts can reach the same levels of success as extroverts in the workplace. Introverts may work in a quieter manner, listen more attentively, take less risk but achieve better results, and work better in a team environment.

ADVICE FOR THE QUIETSusan Cain, author of the novel Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking stated, “A widely held, but rarely articulated, belief in our society is that the ideal self is bold, alpha, [and] gregarious. Introversion is viewed somewhere between disappointment and pathology.”

It can be pointed out that some of the most influential people in history were introverts. For example, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Chopin, Al Gore, and J.K. Rowling are only a few of the famously introverted that were mentioned by Forbes Magazine.

In all fairness, extroverts and introverts each have pros and cons when it comes to delivering high quality performance on a job. Each personality type can be impressive in an interview as well as be vital to the success of a well rounded team of employees working together.

Career Coach and mentor, Caitlin Von Liski who works for the Liberal Arts Career Services said that “introverts tend to need to appear to be more confident whereas extroverts sometimes need to work on holding back in order to listen more”.

She continued to stress that introverts “shouldn’t be getting a bad rap” because “extroverts need to practice [interview skills] just as much as the introverts do.”

When asked to define what employers are looking for in an interviewee, Von Liski responded that employers “definitely like to see enthusiasm”. She clarified that statement by saying that ‘it’s exciting [for employers] to see someone who is genuinely interested’.

So, for all of the introverts and extroverts on campus getting ready to enter the interview arena, ‘put on your game face’ as Von Liski recommends and impress those potential employers.

HOW PERSONALITY PLAYS INTO JOB SUCCESS

MADELEINE KENNEY

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF INTROVERTS:

• Energized by “inner world” (memories, reactions, ideas, etc)

• Seenas“reflective”or“reserved”• Comfortable being alone• Prefer to know just a few people

well

#THEMOREYOUKNOWAccording to a study, coffee decreases

introvert’sresponsivenesstotheirenvironment,makingmeetings,tasks,

projectsmorechallengingtotheintrovert

-psychologistBrianLittlefromCambridge&researchbyWilliam

RevelleofNorthwesternUniversity

KELLY DEMOYA

why everyone is up in arms over social studies textbooks

Because the majority of today’s headlines tend to lean towards fear-inducing one-liners, less dramatic issues that need to be addressed often fall to the wayside. However, education broke this pattern and pushed itself to the front page of news in Texas earlier this semester.

THE PAST: SUB-PAR STANDARDSWhen it comes to what is taught in history

classes, Texas is generally considered to not have exemplary standards. In 2010, the Texas State Board of Education established new standards, known as the TEKS, for textbooks in schools. Then, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy nonprofit known for conservative ideologies, took it upon itself to review the state requirements across the country for U.S. history.

Some of the most troubling parts of the TEKS standard were pointed out specifically in the report. Some examples were: arbitrary inclusion of ‘politically correct group categories regardless of their relative historical significance’, exaggerated emphasis on the influence of religion in the founding of America coupled with its failure to emphasize the history of separation of church and state, slavery being placed after sectionalism, and state rights as causes for the civil war, and gross misrepresentation of the reality of segregation in the post-civil war South

The institute assigned a grade to each of the states based on two categories: “clarity and specificity”, and “content and rigor”. Only 8 out of 50 states received an A or A-. Texas was given a “D” for “combining a

rigidly thematic and theory-based structure with a politicized distortion of history…avoiding clear historical explanation while offering misrepresentations at every turn.” Also, the study of Texan history was criticized for having been reduced to nothing more than brute memorization.

THE PRESENT: SETTLING FOR LESS Four years later, the Board of Education

is in the news again because they are reviewing textbooks that were produced to meet these TEKS standards. This is why education in the news again.

The less than satisfactory curriculum requirements are problematic for more than just their distortion of historical events. Texas, being the second most-populous state in the country, has an enormous impact on the national textbook market. Because Texas is a lucrative market, publishers are incentivized to produce books that meet the Texas state standards.

The Texas Freedom Network Education Fund, led by Edward Countryman, a professor at SMU, in association with a number of doctoral candidates at the University of Texas, produced a report this September composed of history textbook evaluations. The report specifically evaluated the merits of proposed Texas, U.S., and world history textbooks on specific points. Because the TEKS

standards were too “unwieldy,” the books were evaluated instead on both content and themes deemed important by these academics.

In Countryman’s introduction, he denounces the Texas standards as requiring students to be taught a “fairy-tale version

of the past that is reduced to not much more than heroes and villains” that fails to prepare them “to realize that they are living in history themselves” and draw the connection between their own struggles and those of the characters they read about. Without a balancing national standard, like AP U.S. History, students graduate without any kind of reasonable understanding of history.

Despite glaring errors, the reviewers considered many of the books “acceptable”. The overwhelming sentiment, however, was that the flat reproduction of historical events would lead to “disastrous consequences” for education as a whole. The forceful repetition of dogma and memorized facts has been denounced by the team as an inhibitor of critical thinking altogether.

THE FUTURE: IMPACT OF IGNORANCEThe impact of disengaging lessons goes

beyond the formation of a historically ignorant society. Here’s a quick neurobiology lesson that illustrates this point: Around middle school, kids have a synapse growth spurt in the prefrontal cortex—which is a jargon-filled way of saying that their potential for new types of thinking in the realms of reasoning and judgment (among other things) expands rapidly for a short time.

Then, shortly thereafter, a stage of brain development that can be compared to a “use it or lose it” principal occurs. Basically, the synapses flourish or are pruned based off of what the pre-teens to teens fill their time with. Music, academics, sports, television, videogames—however these kids choose to

fill their time affects which synapses make it and in turn has implications for their brain functioning for the rest of their lives. In short, this is an extremely important developmental moment in the brain in regard to how the individual is going to be able to think.

Now, consider that during this pruning and flourishing process, students are sitting through mind-numbing history lessons that fail to engage their interest. Neither are they enticed to think critically about the past, nor are they prompted to consider the effects of historical events on the present and future.

This lack of engaged critical thinking presents massive potential problems as these children become young adults. It has implications for society’s understanding of and policy implementation regarding partisanship, international relations, the economy—pretty much any political trigger that one can think of.

While there are plenty of students that can and will rise above this institutional set back, the reality is that they will do so in spite of the system that is put in place, not because of it. Textbooks are not everything—teachers are far more instrumental to learning than lifeless words on pages. However, the impact of the books is still vitally important. As such, it seems obvious—though largely ignored in practice—that the decision for what should make it into textbooks should be academically rather than politically motivated.


A HISTORY LESSON

“Texas standards require that students are taught

a fairy-tale version of the past that is reduced to not much more than heroes and villains...which fails

to prepare them to realize that they are living in history themselves.”

“Despite glaring errors, the reviewers considered many of the books acceptable. The

overwhelming sentiment, however, was that the flat reproduction of historical

events would lead to disastrous consequences for

education as a whole. ”

WHEN WE BECAME

THE FIVE EVENTS THAT MOST IMACTED GENERATION X

MILLENNIALS

PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS

We each have our set of individual moments in our lives that have made us who we are. Every birthday, first day of school, fall, heartbreak, loss, and gain molds us into something that we can call ourselves. They become the nodes by which we define who we are.

There are also moments that not only change us, but that change everyone around us. Sometimes these moments change an entire generation.

In the same way the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Moon landing, the March on Washington, or Woodstock, there are distinct events in our lives that have made us Millennials.

Some events we remember vividly and profoundly, while others transpired when we were too young to comprehend or react. How ever, they all influenced us to become the complex a generation.

COLUMBINE“I was so little when [Columbine] happened so I don’t know a time without that possibility lurking. I never had a real worry about it until the shooting here in 2010.That’s when it felt really close and personal.”-Dakota Mathers, Classics and Religous Studies

April 20th, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into their suburban high school and killed twelve of their classmates and teachers before turning the gun on themselves.

The aftermath left more questions than answers. Some desperately turned to some kind of explanation that would make sense of the senseless. Some pointed to the lax gun laws, violence in video games, bullying, mental illness, and Goth culture or counterculture.

After Columbine, schools became dangerous and adolescence was feared and anxiously controlled.

THE IPHONE“I think they’re great, how you can learn anything anywhere anytime is a beautiful part of the human experience.” -Megha Arora, Math and Sociology

We are a generation that speaks with our thumbs, we text, tweet, share, like, and message each other all the time. That all started with the launch of iPhone on January 9th, 2007, drastically changed the way our generation interacts with the world and the technology that connects it. Even before the iPhone, we were connected to the wider world through the internet with sites such as

Myspace and Facebook, but we could always disconnect, log off, and leave the computer.

The iPhone, and subsequent smartphones that followed, brought with it unparalleled and constant connectivity. The world was now literally at our fingertips. iPhones and smartphones have given us unfettered access to email, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter that allowed us to share our hundreds of selfies, our small achievements, our breakfast, and sometimes spark a movement or revolution.

HARRY POTTER“Harry Potter was an influential character growing up. His journey started when I was starting school. And ended when he defeated Voldemort, when I graduated high school.” -Mia Collins, International Relations and Geography

With 450 million copies sold and translations in 73 languages, it is easily one of the most widely read series in history. Many Millennials have fond and intimate memories of the the Harry Potter series and their movie counterparts that span from the November 2001 release to its final installment in the summer of 2011.

We read every book as soon as it appeared on the shelves, attended midnight premiers with wands in hand, chose our houses with gleaming pride, and created lifelong friends with Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

Magic was in those books. It rested between the spells, potions, and flying brooms. Magic came in the forms of friendship, courage, social justice, and adventure housed in paper and ink. Even Millennials who did not watch the books or see the film, they could not escape the influence it left on an entire generation that saw owls carrying letters, the bustle of Diagon Alley, a train platform between 9 and 10, and a school filled with wizards.

LEHMAN BROS.“[The Financial Crisis] really made me change the way I should use my degree and also changed what industries I should look into when it comes to gathering career prospects”-Ethan Boer, Sociology

On September 18th, 2008 Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The same day Dow Jones closed down over 500 points and dropped even more dramatically in the coming weeks. It would soon become apparent then that a full blown financial

crisis was developing, which then became a global recession. Our generation has had to grapple with increasing home foreclosures, auto-industry bailouts, unemployment, and income inequality.

The collapse of Lehman Brothers signaled the start of a very long and insecure economic future. Some of us felt the effects of the Recession harder than others, some of us found it harder to pay for college, have disposable income, and find work outside of college. So while onset of the Recession affected everyone differently, but we all felt the anxiety of what our further had in store for us.

SEPTEMBER 11TH “9/11 did bring out some of the worst elements of American society for Muslims.. it provided an occasion for unadulterated expression.”-Jauzey Imam, Plan II and Computer Engineering

Some events split time; they are so profound that some refer to the time surrounding it as before and after. September 11th, 2001 was one of those profound moments that changed time into before and after. That day became the single most defining moment of Millennials. It was a day when everything changed.

Before our world was small and unaffected by places that seemed too far away to have anything to do with our naive small haven. It was a place where warfare hid in history books and in images from a world outside of our borders.

In a single horrifying moment, our once small world stood still before the force of the catastrophe moved through the fabric of America.

After that morning, words like the World Trade Center, terrorism, al-Qaeda, bin Laden, Islam rushed into our vocabulary. Our new communal vocabulary was now everywhere as the US declared war on a thing called “Terror”. By the end of the decade we were in two wars, numerous military operations, heightened security measures, Guantanamo, and a commitment to a never ending war. The world became much bigger and fraught with potential dangers.

We also had grapple with what we as a country became. We had face the ugly reflection that fear had brought us to. In the subsequent years after that morning we had to confront the hate, bigotry, Islamophobia, and loathing that fear coerced us into being. In many ways, we are still struggling with it, thirteen years later.

18 THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 13JULIAN MUNOZ VILLARREAL

A good photo captures the climax of a moment and shows the world what happened. A good photo communicates in a succinct and meaningful way, imparting a news update.

The photos I chose are not good photos. They are great photos. They are photos that call upon us to reflect on what is portrayed, and why it is important. A great photo transcends the “us” and “them” between the viewer and the subject. It captures the human condition in raw form. It tugs at the heartstrings because it makes us understand that this is real, and it is happening in our world. It compels a sense of responsibility and relatedness.

These photos captivate me. They make me uncomfortable and on edge. The most impactful photos at once repel us and draw us in – not because the content is so sad and horrible, but because we understand on a deep level what is going on, and how little really separates us from the subjects. We understand these moments because we have witnessed in our own lives the human emotions that are

captured- though the scale of relativity may not be the same, the underlying dynamics are.

In the photo from Central African Republic, a man lies beaten in the dust while other men in suits walk by. This photo implores us to evaluate how these same dynamics show up in our own society – the fear and ignorance that perpetuate our inaction to aid others. We uncomfortably pass by homeless and/or suffering people on the street. We don’t let our hearts acknowledge the shared humanity between us all, because we feel we are too small and too different.

In another photo, a father weeps over his 10-year-old son who was killed when a Palestinian drone dropped a missile into the area where he was playing. As humans we have all experienced heartbreak, at least on some minor scale. We cannot fully imagine the heartbreak of losing your 10-year-old son to war, but we can begin to, and that is enough to make our hearts turn cold.

In the third photo, Afghani children play on the skeleton of a car in an area that was heavily bombed. They are happy. It is important that we understand this, too. It is not at all bad. It is not “they are happy children playing in spite of everything terrible”. It is simply: they are happy. The world does not need our pity, our separateness, or our ideas of what is right and wrong. The world needs love, respect, understanding, and compassion. These photos show us why.

These photos are impactful because they capture a global, pulsating humanity that we are all a part of. They change the dramatic, impersonal headlines we see on the news into situations that encapsulate emotions we all experience. They are not to be seen and forgotten. They stay with us.


MIKAILA SMITH

Congratulations to Mikaila Smith, writer of the

winning essay of the Liberal Arts Week Essay Contest, sponsored

by the New York Times

PULSATING LIFE

THE PROMPT:What were the three most impactful images of the summer from the New York Times?

THE WINNING ESSAY:

Photos courtesy of the New York Times



HELPING YOU GO FROM MAJOR TO CAREER

COLLEGE TO CAREER COURSES: Register for a course to help you connect what you’re learning now with potential jobs, and to explore career options. http://bit.ly/lacscourses

Liberal Arts Career Services | FAC 18 | 512.471.7900 | [email protected] | www.utexas.edu/cola/orgs/lacs/

FALL

HIG

HLI

GH

TS

AND ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN

CAREER EXPO: Mark your calendar for the fall career fair on October 19. Start working on your resume and researching available opportunities and attending employers. http://bit.ly/lacsexpo11

@LACS: Are you using social media in your job or internship search? You should be. Learn how to do it, and how we can help.http://bit.ly/lacssm

Resumes • Cover Letters • Internships • Interviewing • Pre-Law • Grad School • Career Courses • Social Media • Career Research • Career Fairs

BEYOND THE TOWER BOOT CAMP: RSVP for the August 19th boot camp from 12-3p, a 3-hour job search crash course. http://bitly.com/lacsbc811

THE LIBERATOR | MARCH 4, 2013 | ISSUE 7 20 THE LIBERATOR | APRIL 29, 2013| ISSUE 820 THE LIBERATOR | NOVEMBER 10, 2014| ISSUE 1320

THE LIBERATOR Issue 13

Documents

Transcript of THE LIBERATOR Issue 13