Serving the University of Texas at San Antonio Community
Don't cry for her •page 4
Texas' ONLY Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 15, Number 9
September 22,1992
We call it MAZE
UTSA-m<SfR
Ecology Society sets its sights on UTSA
SEP 2; 1992 iCEIVED
By Tracay L. Schuiz Contributing WrHar
When ARA took over the food ser¬ vices at UTSA, it was targeted by tiie Ecdogy Society (ES) for its vast amounts of trash. Although die company is cur¬ rendy tossing garbage rather Uuui recy¬ cling it, ARA is now offering programs that may improve die situation.
The Ecology Society began its com¬ plaints about garbage at UTSA last se¬ mester, when the ES tried to influence the bidding process for a new food ser¬ vice company. Concerned that student views toward ttie environment would be ignored, the ES held a recycling drive and circulated a petition to reduce waste at UTSA.
The petition effort netted 10 percent of die student body, and Uie recycling drive gathered enough recyclable mate¬ rials to fill an 18 wheel truck. The ES hoped that such a strong response would influence at least die student representa¬ tives on Uie bidding committee. TheES hoped to maintain the use of washable silverware and plates, raUier dum Uie throw-away plastic utensils.
The ES took dieir petition to die di¬ rector ai purchasing for UTSA, Powell IVotti, whoalso hea«d die bidding com¬
mittee, and Dan Williams, vice presi¬ dent for business affairs. The ES fnesi- dent Mike Wisser, said, "We would contact him (lYotti) and his office con- stantiy. The only answer we got was, 'I'll lo(4c into it' It's fall now, and ARA is already in place."
While Trotti stated ttiat ttie club "was not ignored" when it came to die bidding process, he said that one proposal fora washable system had a "considerable cost difference" and that it involved great "tiade-off costs" in ttie form of higher prices for Uie students or reduced services. The ES took issue witti Trotti's statement since it had met witti a repre¬ sentative of ARA during the bidding process and were told that a washable system would not be a problem, and would result in littie or no cost differ¬ ence.
Dana Bigham, ARA food service di¬ rector, said, "At St. Mary's University, (which uses only silverware and china in its cafeterias) we would start in the fall widi 12(X)place settings, and be left with less ttuin 2(X) at ttie end of Uie flrst month." This echoed claims from litMti's office, who had to confinually purchase supplies for UTSA Uiat would get stolen, lost or ttirown away when the food service was operated by UTSA.
Studanta throw away vaat amounta of potentially racyclabia traah In UTSA cafatarlas.
Bigham explained ttiat ttie easiest way to start an ecology drive is by using mugsinsteadofp^jercups. ARA bought all of UTSA's cafeteria inventory when it began operations. This means ttiat not only does ARA have ttieir own "Earth Sense" 20 oz. mugs, but they also have
litUe advertising, said Bigham, Uiese mugs could be in place within a week. Refills on the mugs would be about 20 cents. More extensive recycling projects Uut ARA can implement, and ttiat al¬ ready are in place at oUier universities, include, "Eco Days," where students
all ttie leftover "Roost" mugs. With a   could join ARA and load all recyclable
bash on trucks once a week and ship them out.
The cost increase of switching UTSA's cafeterias to a fully recyclable cafeteria is estimated at six percent of the current operating costs, but Uiere are outsiderequirements. Additional facili¬ ties would be required to store the recy¬
clable waste before shipping, however, and considerable student involvement would be needed. St. Mary's Univer¬ sity, whichimplementedarecycUngpro- gram and had three cargo trucks donated by the San Antonio Missions, saw the program end after two months due to the lack of volunteers to supervise and load the cargo trucks.
Campus is covered with counseling centers Debate and speech
team returns to UTSA after four year hiatus
By Javier Barrara Staff Writer
The Tomas Rivera Office for Student Information and Retention (TROSIR) provides a beneficial service for UTSA students who need information and guid¬ ance.
New and reluming students having questions about university policies or procedures can join the mentorship pro¬ gram, a component of TROSIR. The mentorship program provides a central location where students may get help or ask questions, and it provides a human touch to UTSA.
John Wallace, student development specialist, said, "It's a fiioidly face on campus, someone you feel comfortable going to talk to who understands Uie university functions. It could be career advice, or what you shouM be doing in terms of picking out a career."
The inbgram pairs a student witti a mentor, who is eittier faculty or profes¬ sional staff. Mary CuUian, graduate assistant coordinator of ttie mentorship program explained, "It's a unique rela¬ tionship; it's one-on-one. It's someone to see on a regular basis; ttiings (dis¬ cussed) there are going to have a lot more personality, (like die) big brother, big sister (organization)."
Another goal of ttie program is geared towards helfnug new and transfer stu¬ dents adjust to ttie culture shock of en¬ tering the university lifestyle and stay¬ ing in schod until graduation. While participation in the program is voluntary for students and mentors, the response has been enthusiastic. Since the fvogram's inception in 1988, it has now grown to include students and faculty from every college in the university.
Funding f^ the mentorship is kqit to a minimum since all participation is voluntary. The only expenses are those involved witti seeking recruiUnent of faculty and staff. Once a student and mentOT are introduced, diey are left to devek^ a relationship. The student then can leam from the experiences and knowledge of the mentor, and the men¬ tor can enjoy the professional satisfac¬ tion of watching stiidents devekip ttieir acadenuc careers.
Studenis w faculty interested in par- ticqwting in the mentorship program shoukl contact die TROSIR at 691-4694.
By Annie Smith Contributing Writer
For die first time in four years, a debateteamhasbeenorganizedatUTSA. The debate team is funded by student activities fees and provides students an opportunity to compete in debate tour¬ naments around ttie countiy. Skip Eno, forensics director and coach, says, "The
debate team is a quality addition ttiat rqnesents the university academically." From 1982 to 1987, UTSA's debate team was ranked in ttie top five percent ol .he Cross Exam Debate Association
searched. First, a debater must research all relevant material; second, Uie debater must analyze the topic from the affirma¬ tive and negative points of view, be¬ cause both sides must be debated; third, the material must be organized into briefs for quick rebuttals; fourth, debaters practice extensively.
Eno picks tournaments where major competition is expected., so that team ,
members will gain experience. "You leam to debate by debating (wiUi) the best" said Eno. The first scheduled debate is at North Oklahoma College on Oct 2. Later tournaments will be hekl as
Special support groups seek to solve student problems
By Mike Mzyk Staff WrHar
Students who find themselves wres¬ tling with problems ranging from what major to choose to coping with the death of aloved one can find friendly guidance at ttie UTS A Student Counseling Center (SCC).
The center, located in the MuJtidisciplinary Building (MS), room 4.03.62 provides confidential profes- sioiud psychological services at no cost to currendy enrolled students. Dr. Beverly Alexander, director for the SCC explains, "Our focus is wi helping people cope witti everyday stresses, such as performing multiple roles: juggling school and work, parenting, creating and maintaining relationships, etc." Alexander said, "We also deal with more intense issues, such as early chikl- hood abuse, surviving a dysfunctional family, ceding with rape, eating disor¬ ders and substiuice idnise, just to name a few."
While the center is not involved with academic counseling, it does offer the service of assessing a student's career interest and personality style to help the student choose a fulfilling career. "We (Rovide the first phase of career plan¬ ning which is self assessment for career expl<Mation," Alexander said.
An assortment of psychological tests and computerized vocational guidance aid three full-time and one part-time staff in helping undecided students dis¬ cover a career direction.
But the center is also available for counseling on morc involved issues, among which are assessing and coping with learning disabilities, dealing with stress, anxiety and defH^ession, and it offers marital and non-marital counsel¬ ing for heterosexual and homosexual couples.
"The counseling center recogiuzes students as individuals as well as mem¬ bers of their own cultures," Alexander said. "Our phik)sophy is one to help you duough self-expl(»ation and acceptiuice.
We want students to know we are allies, to know that this is a safe place where hopefully, Uiey can feel free to talk about what ttiey have to talk abouL We're trained professionals who care about the students at UTSA."
This semester, the center will offer several short-term and ongoing support groups which will woric with topics such as test anxiety, assertion training, vic¬ tims and families affected by HIV, learn¬ ing disabilities and career assessment.
There is no limit on attending any of the suppori group sessions, provided the student is currently enrolled and ac¬ tively attending classes. Personal therapy sessions are limited to 12 per academic year. Any student interested in counseUng services is asked to make an appointment by calling 691-4140.
For a listing of currrent group coun¬ seling services avaUabte on campus, see the listings and brief descriptions on page 2.
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(CEDA). CEi>A is a non-profit organi¬ zation which coordinates all debate tour¬ naments that UTSA participates in. Due to insufficient funding and personal cir¬ cumstances, Eno resigned as coach and Uie debate team was diss<dved Witti Uie recreation of a debate team, bno feels that UTSA could rank even higher by ttie end of the academk year.
Debate tqiics are selected by ttie CEDA, which assigns two topics a year. The current debate Ic^ic is. Resolved: the welfne system exacerbates the ptob- lon of Uie urban poor in ttie U.S. Mem¬ bers of ttw UTS A debate team will form two person debate teams for competi¬ tion.
Several slqw are invcdved in ptepst- ing for a debate. Eno explains ttutt ttie topic must be persuasive and weU-re-
far away as Colorado Springs, Colo¬ rado.
As a member of the debate team, a student learns to speak, research well, strengthen persuasive writing skills and think qukUy. In addition to the fun of competition, team members test them¬ selves {icademically and intellectually against oUier college students.
Although debate is emphasized, the team also competes in speech. Indi¬ vidual speech events include: extempo¬ raneous speaking, after-dinner speak¬ ing, prose, poetry and dramatk: interpre¬ tation. Eno said, "I k)ve forensics. Hove to see Uk team excited about ttie pro¬ cess. It's a full involvement activity."
Students interested in joining the qieech and debate team should contact Skip Eno at 691-5343.
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