spec COL.
P3'/7
TUESDAY
January 19, 1993
Volume 16, Number 1
Serving the  University of Texas at San Antonio Community
Texas' ONLY Independent Student Newspaper
Construction underway for UOA Phase   II
By James Sanchez
Acting News Editor
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in early December for University Oaks Apartments (UOA) niasell. The $7 million dollar apartment complex is Ihe second on-campus housing unit by Century Development Corp. of Hous¬ ton.
More than 450 UTSA students, fac¬ ulty, and staff will reside in 200 four, two-story, 13 building complex is set for August 1993, in time for residents tt) move in for the Fall semester.
University Oaks Phase II comes on the heels of the completion of the origi¬ nal University Oaks last August Gen¬ eral Manager/Director of Housing Deborah Delgado says diere is a "defi¬ nite demand" for Phase II as die original University Oaks is Operating at full ca¬ pacity. Like University Oaks, Phase II will contain a clubhouse, coin-operated
laundrymat, outdoor swimming pool, as well as a new fitness center not included in the original.
According to Delgado, a leasing ap¬ plication and price guide will be avail¬ able in die coming months. Delgado then suggests quick action as there have already been more than 4000 inquiries aboul the new apartments.
The University Oaks and other hous¬ ing projects at UT-Arlington, UT-Dal- las, and the University of Houston were into a joint "ground-lease partnership" with Sandalwood Properiies, a private entity. In the agreement Sandalwood fmanced, built, and continues to manage dw resultant Chisolm Hall.
The success of die partnership be¬ tween die school and die business led die Texas Legislature to pass a bill "autho- rizingpublic institutions of higher learn¬ ing to team up with private developers to build auxiliary enterprise facilities on dw campuses."
Construction is underway for University Oaks Apartments Phase ll which Is expected to house more than 400 resldems upon completion In the fall of '93. The $7 million structure is part of a ground-lease agreement between Century Development and the Unh^erslty.
Environmental task force aims to clean up community
Tta Texas Air Control Board and the Texas Water Commission have be¬ come die first state environmental agen¬ cies in the United States to study the impact of the environment on low in¬ come and minority communities.
The Task Force on Environmental Equity and Justice will be chaired by Antonio Diaz of the Texas Center for Policy Studies in Austin.
environmental hazards are dispropor¬ tionately coiKentrated in low income communities and in particular in minor¬ ity communities."
Among the areas to be studied by the task force and recommendations to then be drawn are:
- a review of factors that have uridi- tionally tended to cause risk to be con-
specifically aware of situations in which neighborhoods are at particularly high risk and the incorporation of environ¬ mental equity considerations into the risk assessment process;
- a review of enforcement practices to determine if alternative methods of allocating resources would be more eq¬ uitably serve minority or other high risk
"Various studies, including recent evaluation by the United States Environmen¬ tal Protection Agency, have provided empirical evidence supporting the conclu¬ sion which has long been obvious to many, that environmental hazards are disproportionately concentrated in low income communities. . ."
—Kirk P. Watson Texas Air Control Board Chairman
Texas Air Control Board Chairman Kirk P. Watson says, "diere has been an increased and overdue concern about iiwquities in the distribution of environ¬ mental hazards. Various studies, in¬ cluding recent evaluation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, have provided empirical evi¬ dence supporting the conclusion, which has long been obvious to many, that
centrated in lower iacome and minority communities in Texas;
- a review of statues, policies and procedures used by the Texas Water Commission and Texas Air Control Board diat relate to the location of facili¬ ties posing environmental risk;
- a review of data and mediodologies by which die state might become more
communities and a review of outcomes to identify any tendencies towards more lenient outcomes in communities of color,
- a review of the role played by local governments in influencing sitting and location decisions that often pose sig¬ nificant elements of risk;
- areview of effals ofthe agencies in ensuring equitable representation of people of color in their workforce and in helping minority youth to leam about career opportunities in the environmen¬ tal field;
- a review of methods by which the state environmental agency communi¬ cates with comm unities of color and can become more "user friendly" to persons of color; and
- a review of approaches to institu¬ tionalizing a focus on lower income and minority communities when formulat¬ ing and implementing policies, proce¬ dures and legislation.
Tentative completion date of die task force study is set for June 1,1993 so their recommendations can be reviewed and implementation of their i^oposals can be a part of the consolidation of the two environmental agencies on September 1,1993.
Members of the task force are: Texas Senator Rodney Ellis, Professor-Lodis Rhodes, Austin City Councilperson Gus Garcia, State Conference N AACP Presi¬ dent Gary Bledsoe, Environmental Rac¬
ism Committee N AACP Co-Chair Leslie Fields, Attomey-at-Law Henry Gihnore, Ms. AliceFlores, TexasCongressperson Nancy McDonald, Texas
Congressperson Irma Rangel,    Attor¬
ney Michael Curry, Advanced Environ¬ mental / Safety Engineer Jenny Yang. Carmen Rocco.MD, Assistant Director of Headi & Human services Depart¬ ment, Houston, Enrique Quevedo.
Ite FQLLOWINO IS A COMFULAllON OF
adminal activity rqxnted to dw IfTSAPD. Ifyou have any information on dwae crimes, please cidl the pcXHse dqpariment al 691-4242.
Offmse: Burglary of Auto Locatkm: Univorsity Oaks Time    : 01/07 6:00 Qmiplaintatnt reported Invglarizing oi ^vechicle. Total value of stolen jnop- SMy toestonated at $<^X)0.
OlBerat: Qiminal Mischief Locatkm: University Oaks lime    : 01/93 1:32 p.m. iMcnown pason(s) bnAe a wimtow at ifiaitm»)t #615.   I^maged was uti- i^tod at $100.00.
Offense: Criminal K%chief Locatwn: Universit/Odu Tine    : 01/11
Damaged to qmitnienl #613 was re- p(»rted and accessed a $10.00.
Offmse :Th[^
Location: John Peace library
Time    : 01/11 10:30
State ptapaty was takoi ftom a 2nd
Ikxv refiamce room. Total value was
$27.00.
United Way
seeks Helpline volunteers
(Xfense: Theft LociHkii): John Peace Lihray ¦Ume    : 12/10/92 10:15 Complaintant rqxirted die theft of her wallet on the Ubnay's 3rd floor. Total value of dwft is estimated at $10.00.
UNrrED Way of San Antonio and Bexar County is recruiting volunteers to answer calls for its Help Line, and infor¬ mation, referral, and counseling tele¬ phone service for pec^\e looking for solutions to their problems.
The next training sessions are Febru¬ ary 6, 13,and20(volunteersmustattend all diree), but volunteer applications must be submitted by January 29.
Help Line volunteers answered 33,000 calls last year fit}m people in die community wilh a variety of inoblems
including homelessness, family violence, unemployment, and AIDS.
Help Line volunteers will complete a 40-hour intensive training course to pre¬ pare them to take crisis calls. A spe¬ cially trained staff will superv ise volun¬ teers and give them on-Uie-job tiaining. ensuring diat each volunteer is well- equipped widi die skills to handle the variety of calls coming jn to die Help Line.
A Help Line orientation meeting is
scheduled for January 21 from 6:30 tc 7:30 p.m. at tfte United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County at 700 Soudi Alamo. The meeting is not required for volunteers, but is available to anyone interested in finding out more about the Help Line.
All calls to the Help Line are confi¬ dential (unless they are life-du^atening) and free of charge. For morc informa¬ tion on becoming a Help Line volunteer call 224-5000.
UTSA student exchange program
Announcement of a UTSA/UNAM student exchange program for UTSA business students to Mexico City was recently announced.
The one week Spring Break trip (March 14-20. 1993) is for junior, se- niOT.and graduate students in good stand¬ ing at UTSA.
Applications for die trip may be picked up at the Economics and Finance office (HB 4.01.52) or from Ht. Rudy Sandoval (HB 4.01.42) or Dr. Zack Mason (HB 4.02.0IB). Application deadline is January 29,1993.
The cost of the program is die price of a round trip ticket (approximately $288.00) and some meals. The host university will pay for housing and die week-long program.
The purpose of the trip is for die academic, social, and cultural enrich¬ ment and experience for UTSA students.