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Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

All content by Jillian Bliss
30COLUMN_JILL_FANNYTRANG

Editor concludes semester with parting words

Jillian Bliss May 4, 2012

Editor's note: A 30 column is a chance for departing permanent staff to say farewell and reflect on their time spent in The Daily Texan’s basement office. The term comes from the old typesetting...

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American Indian conference aims to raise awareness of UT’s indigenous culture

Jillian Bliss April 27, 2012

Native American students make up a small percentage of the campus community, but seven students speaking out this afternoon hope to show administrators the true significance of their heritage. While UT...

Collision on campus urges pedestrians to watch out for bikers and drivers

Jillian Bliss April 10, 2012

A van associated with the UT carpenter’s shop collided with a pedestrian Monday afternoon on Inner Campus Drive. EMS arrived on the scene at approximately 12:45 p.m. and transported the male pedestrian...

Kony campaign receives ambivalent responses

Jillian Bliss March 9, 2012

A controversy has arisen among a mass amount of Facebook statuses and Twitter messages containing the phrase “Kony 2012.” At approximately midnight on Wednesday morning, the phrase went viral...

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Program utilizes equine movement to help handicaps

Jillian Bliss February 13, 2012

Adjacent to a paintball range and on the same lot as a brewery rests a type of therapy less destructive than blasting bullets and healthier than booze. Nestled in the hills of West Austin, two horses,...

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UTC loses power, causes some classes to be canceled

Jillian Bliss and Bobby Blanchard January 26, 2012

After a Wednesday thunderstorm left the University Teaching Center  University Teaching Center without power for two days, University Facilities Services has restored power to the building. Electrical...

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Tornado touches down in northeast Austin

Jillian Bliss January 26, 2012

While thunderstorms pounded through the neighborhoods surrounding UT, a tornado touched down in northeast Austin early Wednesday morning. Members of the National Weather Service investigated the strength...

School of Law begins search for dean

Jillian Bliss January 17, 2012

The search for a replacement dean for the School of Law is underway, according to search committee chair David Rabban. Rabban said he and other committee members are in the process of generating a list...

Law dean resigns upon president’s request

Jillian Bliss December 9, 2011

UT President William Powers Jr. requested immediate resignation Wednesday of School of Law dean Larry Sager due to concerns over Sager’s management of the school. Sager signed a letter of resignation...

Incoming students required to get meningitis vaccine

Jillian Bliss December 7, 2011

 A state law will require students new to the 40 Acres this spring to have received meningitis vaccines before the start of the semester. The law, passed in May, requires all students entering an...

Top 10 alternative study venues

Jillian Bliss December 1, 2011

Final exams are on their way, and sometimes the Perry-Castañeda Library can seem overcrowded. Daily Texan Staffers have compiled a list of alternative study spots both on and off campus. 1. Flightpath...

UT alumnus remembered for Pulitzer Prize

Jillian Bliss November 29, 2011

UT alumnus and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Oscar Griffin, Jr. died from pancreatic cancer earlier this month in New Waverly, Texas. Griffin was 78 years old. Griffin won the 1963 Pulitzer Prize...

Longhorns prepare for final goodbye to A&M

Jillian Bliss November 23, 2011

Longhorn fans across the nation will prepare to say a final goodbye to A&M this Thanksgiving, but some say the influence of the rivalry will not end along with the tradition. The annual football game...

Thanksgiving break length varies between schools

Jillian Bliss November 22, 2011

Students hoping to go home for the holidays will have to wait until Thursday for classes to officially be dismissed, according to the UT-Austin academic calendar. The federal calendar designates the last...

Phishing scams alarm faculty, UT IT crowd responds

Jillian Bliss November 18, 2011

The number of phishing scams within UT computer systems has risen since previous months, but campus security officers are doing what they can to make sure members of the UT community don’t get hooked. “Phishing”...

Top Ten Bathrooms on Campus

Jillian Bliss and Nick Hadjigeorge November 18, 2011

Sometimes the “urge to go” comes when one may be in an unknown area of campus, standing outside a building never before entered but which hopefully has decent facilities. Sometimes, perhaps...

Texan Top 10: After-hours eateries

Jillian Bliss November 10, 2011

Sometimes on-campus dining doesn’t cut it at 2 a.m., and UT students are forced to find food beyond Jester City Limits or the Texas Union. This week’s Texan Top 10 lists a variety of restaurants...

City officials plan further reduction of trash accumulation

Jillian Bliss November 9, 2011

Austin city officials planned to send 20 percent less waste to landfills by 2012 but have already surpassed this goal ahead of schedule. The master plan calls for an overall reduction of waste sent to...

Ten Texas getaways get students off campus

Jillian Bliss November 3, 2011

[Updated at 11:07 a.m., minor copy edit] Editor’s Note: To suggest a topic for next week’s list, leave a comment on our Facebook page. Daily Texan staffers compiled several locations offering...

Occupy Austin protestors rise again after arrests

Jillian Bliss November 1, 2011

Members of the Occupy Austin movement have not been deterred by recent arrests, as they have made accommodations to continue their protest, despite local law enforcement policies. The 38 organization...

Top 10 Halloween Happenings and Fall Festivities

Jillian Bliss October 27, 2011

Editor’s Note: Introducing the Texan Top 10, a new weekly series. To suggest a topic for next week’s list, leave a comment on our Facebook page. Daily Texan staffers rounded up 10 of Central...

Plastic bag ban up for debate in Austin

Jillian Bliss October 25, 2011

Months of meetings with Austin residents, business owners and city officials led to an open forum Monday night seeking the public’s final input on plastic bag prohibition. City officials began discussing...

Rare earthquake surprises San Antonio

Liz Farmer, Jillian Bliss, and Nick Hadjigeorge October 21, 2011

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck 103 miles south of Austin in Karnes County yesterday morning at 7:24, sending tremors throughout downtown San Antonio and as distant as Round Rock. Earthquakes of this...

Austin City Council looks to ban smoking in public parks

Jillian Bliss October 21, 2011

Sparked by Texas wildfires and crowding at area festivals, Austin City Council passed a proposal Thursday to ban smoking in all public parks. Council members passed the proposal by consent during the...

Addition of TCU to Big 12 could restore old traditions

Jillian Bliss October 11, 2011

 TCU athletic officials announced Monday night the Horned Frogs will fill an open slot in the Big 12 Conference. The TCU Board of Trustees unanimously approved the invitation to join the conference,...

OU weekend brings $34 million to Dallas economy

Jillian Bliss October 10, 2011

One weekend a year, Longhorn football becomes just as important to the city of Dallas as it is to Austin. The Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated about 92,000 UT and Oklahoma fans flock to...

Consolidating unproductive majors was based on faulty numbers

Jillian Bliss October 7, 2011

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently decided to eliminate and consolidate degree programs based on low graduation rates, but not all statistics correctly reflected the amount of students...

Gas prices lower in Dallas than in Austin

Jillian Bliss October 7, 2011

Students traveling to the Red River Rivalry can expect to find lower gas prices upon arriving in Dallas. Chemistry senior Rachel Baray refueled her silver sedan Thursday at the 7-Eleven station on the...

City meets 100-percent green energy goal

Jillian Bliss September 30, 2011

Austin has some of the most eco-friendly municipal buildings in the state, thanks in part to a plan created by former city officials. That planning will be validated on Oct. 1, when Austin will reach...

Latin major given chance for redemption

Jillian Bliss September 27, 2011

Members of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board directed UT officials to remove a major in a present-day language last week, but allowed the University to retain a major in the defunct language...

Texas Tribune Festival features speakers on various national issues

Jillian Bliss September 26, 2011

The Texas Tribune Festival brought influential speakers from around the world to the UT campus for discussion of critical national issues - including Longhorn football. Hosted by the Texas Tribune, an...

Low producing majors in danger of being cut

Jillian Bliss September 22, 2011

Clarification: Although the major in Greek will be eliminated, certain degree plans will still require students to enroll in Greek courses, and UT will still offer Greek language classes. UT is the only...

Barton Springs Pool to be renovated

Jillian Bliss September 20, 2011

The Barton Springs Pool and recreation site will soon undergo a face lift with the help of city officials and UT community members. Spurred by public comments and conversation among city council members...

Lack of upkeep on cemeteries has Austin citizens worried

Jillian Bliss September 14, 2011

While several Austin residents worry about cemetery maintenance because of safety hazards for visitors, others are worried about how substandard upkeep could affect those honored in the parks. The five...

APD officials question city council’s potential budget cuts

Jillian Bliss September 13, 2011

City council members debated potential cuts to the Austin Police Department on Monday during the first reading and review of the 2012 city budget. Council members discussed and proposed amendments to...

Man attempts assault, flees Texas State campus

Jillian Bliss September 9, 2011

Campus construction workers involved in a scuffle at Texas State University caused alarm on the San Marcos campus Thursday morning. Texas State University Police said 29-year-old Aleczandar Yorick Lovern...

Smoke from Bastrop wildfires drifts into Austin

Jillian Bliss September 8, 2011

Although the city of Austin has managed to stay clear of wildfires, the air above it has not escaped unscathed. Clouds of smoke rolled into the city Tuesday and Wednesday morning, causing some to become...

Cemetery upkeep causes controversy

Jillian Bliss September 8, 2011

Despite dissent from some citizens, city officials are finding cemetery conditions up to par. Sharon Blythe, director of Rescue Austin Memorial Parks, is leading a group of residents in challenging city...

Wildfires continue to displace Bastrop County residents

Jillian Bliss September 7, 2011

[Updated at 9:08 a.m.,name of Bastrop center] Fires continued to burn across Texas on Tuesday, creating chaos some believe will justify declaring a natural disaster. Bastrop County officials said at...

Fires burn across Central Texas, destroy hundreds of homes

Jillian Bliss September 6, 2011

Fires raged across Central Texas this weekend, affecting the Pflugerville, Bastrop County, Travis County and Hays County areas. Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell said despite success in controlling fires in...

West Campus shows history of fall-related deaths

Jillian Bliss September 1, 2011

The UT business student who fell from his apartment balcony Monday night is one of at least four students who have died from fall-related injuries since 2006. Richard Holland of Plano was pronounced dead...

Homeless seek cool refuge in campus areas open to public

Jillian Bliss August 31, 2011

Extreme heat conditions have forced Austin’s homeless population to seek refuge in air-conditioned settings across the city, including areas on and around campus. While UT students and faculty can...

Friends honor UT sophomore at prayer service

Jillian Bliss August 31, 2011

University Catholic Center director Edward Nowak read prayers and scriptures in an otherwise silent chapel where loved ones of business sophomore Richard Holland gathered to remember him. Holland,...

Austin reaches closer to goal of more renewable energy

Jillian Bliss August 26, 2011

City council members voted unanimously Wednesday to support a contract that will bring more renewable energy to Austin. Austin Energy currently purchases energy from five West Texas wind farms, enough...

Entertainment industry continues to bring artistic dollars to Austin

Jillian Bliss August 26, 2011

Most UT students studying fine arts and film aren’t millionaires, but their field of interest brings millions of dollars to Austin. According to economic studies from 2001 to 2006 released by the...

New housing complex to hit West Campus by 2013

Jillian Bliss August 24, 2011

A privately owned student-housing firm is working on a plan to bring another high-rise dormitory to West Campus. The housing firm, American Campus Communities, has scheduled completion of the Callaway...

Downtown parking meters will get tougher on weekends

Jillian Bliss August 24, 2011

Extended parking meter hours for the downtown area will go into effect next month. Based on last week’s city council vote, the city will enforce metered street parking from 1st to 10th streets between...

Appeal denied after allegations of evidence tampering

Jillian Bliss August 24, 2011

On Wednesday, a court denied the appeal of an accessory to a West Campus murder case who was previously convicted of tampering with murder evidence. Laura Ashley Hall claimed the conviction was not valid...

Group seeks more input on affordable housing in West Campus

Jillian Bliss August 10, 2011

The Community Development Commission voted against a proposal from West Campus developers, property owners and student residents to create more affordable student housing. The University Neighborhood...

New York artist to spend time, display modern art on campus

Jillian Bliss August 10, 2011

The UT Visual Arts Center announced Monday that New York artist Mika Tajima will spend three weeks on campus in the Artist-in-Residence program this semester. Tajima, who currently lives in New...

City Council votes to continue research into plastic bag ban

Jillian Bliss August 5, 2011

After demonstrations by both supporters and opponents of a proposed ban on plastic single-use shopping bags, Austin City Council members voted to continue research on the ban 12 hours after their meeting...

State releases progress report on improving higher education

Jillian Bliss July 29, 2011

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board released an annual report Thursday indicating progress toward improving the state’s reputation for higher education. Members of the board launched...

Murderer serves death sentence despite victim’s plea

Jillian Bliss July 21, 2011

A man convicted of killing two people in Dallas in 2001 died by lethal injection Wednesday evening, despite pleas to stay the execution from a man who survived an attack by the murderer. U.S. District...

Victim of 2001 attempted murder begs clemency for his shooter

Jillian Bliss July 15, 2011

In the wake of 9/11, practicing Muslim Rais Bhuiyan was attacked because of his religion. Remaining true to his faith, he believes he survived to save the man who shot him from execution scheduled for...

South Congress now sports new parking spaces

Jillian Bliss July 8, 2011

The city of Austin unveiled road improvements Thursday morning along South Congress Avenue between Oltorf Street and Riverside Drive. The city added approximately 60 back-in and parallel parking...

Plans being drawn for more representative city council

Jillian Bliss July 6, 2011

Ideas for retooling the Austin city government are under consideration as the mayor and staff review proposals for regional representation. Austin currently elects six council members and its mayor...

No-refusal weekend results in 73 DWI arrests

Jillian Bliss July 6, 2011

The Austin Police Department made 73 drunken-driving arrests over the Fourth of July weekend as part of a no-refusal policy that began July 1 and ended on the holiday. The department extended the...

Information desk inside UT Tower closes

Jillian Bliss July 1, 2011

The information desk on the entry level of the Tower shut its lights off for the last time Thursday, as the kiosk will no longer guide campus visitors. Charles Roeckle, deputy to the president,...

Preservation fund donates vinyl records to UT library

Jillian Bliss June 29, 2011

The UT Historical Music Recordings Collection added more than 1,000 vinyl records to its collection Tuesday with a donation from the Audio Preservation Fund. William Vanden Dries, board of directors...

Aid groups seek to ease burden of gentrification

Jillian Bliss June 15, 2011

A study conducted by UT undergraduates is helping longtime East Austin residents receive the funds they need to remain in their homes. Members of the East Austin Conservancy and People Organized...

UT begins process of reviewing sexual assault policies

Jillian Bliss June 10, 2011

University of Texas officials and colleges across the country are responding to the U.S. Department of Education’s call for a retooling of sexual assault policies. The “Dear Colleague”...

Texas schools offering inadequate financial aid, list says

Jillian Bliss June 8, 2011

The University of Texas did not make a recent list of five schools offering adequate financial aid to low-income students, and neither did any other university in Texas. According to a study conducted...

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