The UT Tower, the Penny- backer Bridge and Lady Bird Lake each have been photo- graphed thousands of times and from nearly every angle. So when a group of photographers wanted to shoot Austin icons from a different perspective, they went the only direction they had left — up. With recent improvements in drone technology and af- fordability, Austin photogra- phers and drone enthusiasts are now capturing the essence of the city through innovative, aerial photographs. Christopher Sherman, founder of the fine art aerial photography studio Over Aus- tin, said he has always been in- terested in photographing un- conventional images. Sherman initially wanted to be a pilot, but after earning his Federal Avia- tion Administration license in high school, delved into graphic design instead. Years later, Sher- man discovered photography and was specifically drawn to aerial imagery, using his flight experience to conceptualize shots taken from the air. Over the past one and a half years, Sherman has clocked nearly 350 hours of flying, cap- turing the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the bats exiting the Congress Avenue Bridge and the Milky Way as seen from above Austin. His work has been featured by the Austin American-Statesman, the Dell Medical School and the Austin Convention Center. “The more I started shoot- ing Austin, the more I realized I could tell a story or provide a perspective of this town in a way that nobody’s seen before,” Sherman said. “They’re see- ing it for the first time through my eyes.” Sherman uses a DJI Phan- tom 3 Pro, a drone that weighs four pounds and is complete with internal propellers, a compass and a GPS, which he controls externally with a joy- stick and an iPad. Although Sherman used his background in photography and aviation to learn the craft, others hop- ing to fly drones didn’t have such strong foundations. In order to create a community for other fliers, Sherman founded Austin Drone Pilots in 2015 to share experiences, tips and safety information. Carlos Austin, a photog- rapher who teaches informal Austin will find out in the coming weeks if it was accepted into a group of 20 cities in the MetroLab network, in which cities and local universities are partner- ing to research opportu- nities for improvement in infrastructure, City services, democratic governance, public poli- cy and management. MetroLab Network started as part of an initiative by the Obama administration to pro- vide $160 million in federal research funds and grants to cities and local governments, in order to help them tackle major policy ar- eas and lead them on the right path to becoming “smart cities.” “It’s a network of cit- ies and universities that are focused on creating partnerships in which the city government can create a sort of laborato- ry-type setting in which university folks can test technology as policy approaches,” said Ben Levine, MetroLab Net- work interim director. The City Council ap- proved an ordinance di- recting the City to apply for the network partner- ship, with an acceptance decision expected in the coming weeks, Metro- Lab officials said. “We have a lot of smart transportation ef- forts going on with the City of Austin, and so the application was very heavy on those efforts,” Jen Duthie, a research engineer with the Cen- ter for Transportation Research at UT, said. Music blasted while stu- dents ate pizza, played games and earned prizes on the Gregory Gymna- sium Plaza to kick off the annual Gay Pride Week on Monday. Pride Week’s purpose is not just to celebrate but also to raise awareness for oppor- tunities, faculties and sup- port that the LGBT commu- nity has on campus. Alexia Puente, representative of the Queer Students Alliance, which helped organized the week’s events, said the orga- nization values equality and gay pride. “My organization hosts this event every year to pro- mote equality and pride on campus,” Puente, an English freshman, said. “The LGBTQ community on and off cam- Students parking their cars on campus may be upset to find their hoods sullied by the unfortunate evidence of birds perched in the trees above, but there was a time when UT faced the same problem on a much greater scale. In the 1980s, nearly every corner of campus was affected by a flood of grackles, shiny black birds that flock to urban areas. John Burns, landscape services manager for facili- ties services, said waste from the birds was becoming a serious problem. “The stench was terrible, the mess on the sidewalks, … the salt levels from the droppings were so high it was actually building up in the soils from us washing it off the sidewalks,” Burns said. “It was causing a lot of health issues for the plants and trees.” After several unsuccess- ful attempts to fend off the grackles, Burns devised a so- lution: His team began using shell crackers, a special type of nonlethal ammunition for shotguns, which scared People who do not have the convenience of going to a dermatologist can now analyze any suspicious moles by using two apps created by UT students. Biology and psychol- ogy junior Rachel Grau- bard and computer sci- ence junior Vatsal Shah created two separate apps that would help detect any signs of skin cancer on an individual’s body, such as a change in mole size or color. Graubard’s app allows us- ers to take a quiz that helps distinguish any potentially cancerous moles from nor- mal ones. App users can then upload a photo of their moles to the app to help them monitor any changes that may occur over time. Users can access the app at rgraubard.github.io/skincancer. Graubard said her in- spiration to create the app came from her experi- ence shadowing a derma- tologist when she was in high school. “I had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Keith Schulze at the Fort Bend Skin Can- cer Center,” Graubard said. “According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will de- velop skin cancer in their lifetime, and people my age were there being treated for cancers. I would love to see that statistic go down in the future.” Shah’s app is similar to Graubard’s, except that it reminds app users to check 1Tuesday, April 5, 2016@thedailytexanfacebook.com/dailytexanServing the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900dailytexanonline.com bit.ly/dtvidSPORTS PAGE 6COMICS PAGE 7NEWS PAGE 3Research suggests grade inflation among students. PAGE 3Professor discusses Japa- nese culture in America. PAGE 3NEWSICE raids harm immigrants. PAGE 4Austin is ready for a Major League franchise. PAGE 4OPINIONYoung softball squad pre- pares for tough April. PAGE 6Late inning calamities lead to bullpen shake-up. PAGE 6SPORTSAustin photographer uses drones for art. PAGE 8Two Stevens’ albums define folk rock. ONLINELIFE&ARTSOur “Ask A Nutrition Ma- jor” writer talks labeling organic and natural foods. Read more atdailytexanonline.comONLINEREASON TO PARTYPAGE 7HEALTHStudents develop skin cancer appsBy Anusha Lalani@anusha_lalaniMariana Gonzalez | Daily Texan StaffBiology and psychology junior Rachel Graubard and comput- er science junior Vatsal Shah have developed two apps that can help detect signs of skin cancer. CITYAerial photography reaches new heightsBy Elizabeth Hlavinka@hlavinka_eMarshall Tidrick | Daily Texan StaffChristopher Sherman, founder of the fine art aerial photography studio Over Austin, is drawn to drones because of the unique perspective they give to the photos they produce. CAMPUSUT employees no longer shoot the birds to control populationCAMPUSStudents celebrate diversity in Gay Pride Week festivitiesBy Zach Lyons@iamzachlyonsBy Anam Fazli@anamfazliJoshua Guerra | Daily Texan StaffThe annual Gay Pride Week began Monday evening on the Gregory Gymnasium Plaza. CITYCity hopes to work in MetroLab NetworkBy Forrest Milburn@forrestmilburnDRONES page 5SKIN CANCER page 2PARTNERS page 2PRIDE page 2GRACKLES page 2The stench was terrible, the mess on the sidewalks…the salt levels from the droppings were so high it was actually building up in the soils from us washing it off the sidewalks” —John Burns, Landscape services manager for facilities services 22NEWSTuesday, April 5, 2016Main Telephone(512) 471-4591Editor-in-ChiefClaire Smith(512) 232-2212editor@dailytexanonline.comManaging EditorAmy Zhang(512) 232-2217managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.comNews Office(512) 232-2207news@dailytexanonline.comSports Office(512) 232-2210sports@dailytexanonline.comLife & Arts Office(512) 232-2209lifeandarts@dailytexanon- line.comMultimedia Office(512) 471-7835multimedia@ dailytexanonline.comRetail Advertising(512) 471-1865advertise@texasstudentme- dia.comClassified Advertising(512) 471-5244classifieds@ dailytexanonline.comCONTACT USVolume 116, Issue 131TOMORROW’S WEATHERHighLow8251“The homeless man thought you needed water more.” COPYRIGHTCopyright 2016 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission. The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com. Permanent StaffEditor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Claire SmithAssociate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexander Chase, Davis Clark, Mary Dolan, Mohammad SyedManaging Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy ZhangAssociate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nick Castillo, Jackie WangNews Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wynne DavisAssociate News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Natalie SullivanNews Desk Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellie Breed, Estefania Espinosa, Rund Khayyat, Catherine MarfinSenior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mikaela Cannizzo, Cassandra Jaramillo, Rachel Lew, Forrest Milburn, Caleb WongLife&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cat CardenasLife&Arts Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Megan Hix, Katie WalshSenior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Duncan, Elizabeth Hlavinka, Charles LiuSports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob MartellaAssociate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Akshay MirchandaniSenior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Daniel Clay, Tyler Horka, Michael Shapiro, Mark SkolSpecial Ventures Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eleanor DearmanSpecial Ventures Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nashwa Bawab, Marisa Charpentier, Aaron TorresSpecial Ventures Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jesús NazarioScience&Technology Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ellen AirhartAssociate Science&Technology Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eva Frederick Forum Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Walker FountainSenior Opinion Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benroy Chan, Mubarrat Choudhury, Laura Hallas, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noah Horwitz, Leah Kashar, Khadija SaifullahCopy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kailey Thompson-RuddAssociate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vera Bespalova, Nicole Farrell, Michelle ZhangDesign Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Iliana StorchAssociate Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kelly SmithSenior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sammy Jarrar, Elizabeth Jones, Lillian MichelVideo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah EvansSenior Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlotte Carpenter, Heather Finnegan, Monica SilverioPhoto Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rachel ZeinAssociate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daulton VenglarSenior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zoe Fu, Joshua Guerra, Gabriel Lopez, Mike McGraw, Stephanie TacyComics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melanie WestfallAssociate Comics Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsay Rojas, Victoria SmithSenior Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Cheon, Albert Lee, Connor Murphy, Isabella PalaciosSocial Media Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Akshay MirchandaniTechnical Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom LiSenior Tech Team Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Adam Humphrey, Sam Limerick, Junyuan TanPodcast Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony GreenAssociate Podcast Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lillian MichelPodcast Technical Producers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zeke Fritts, Sam GrovesEditorial Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter ChenTexan AdDeadlinesThe Daily Texan Mail Subscription RatesOne Semester (Fall or Spring) $60.00Two Semesters (Fall and Spring) $120.00Summer Session $40.00One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer) $150.00To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.4/5/16This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (HSM 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2016 Texas Student Media. Monday .............Wednesday, 12 p.m. Tuesday.................Thursday, 12 p.m. Wednesday................Friday, 12 p.m. Thursday.................Monday, 12 p.m. Friday......................Tuesday, 12 p.m. Classified Word Ads 11 a.m. (Last Business Day Prior to Publication) Issue StaffCopy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Hanks, Natalia Ruiz, Ryan SteppePage Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Megan Hix, Kasturi KulkarniColumnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chelsea Boushka, Adam Humphrey, Giselle SuazoLife&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hunter Gierhart, Anna McCrearySports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Claire Cruz, Steve HelwickReporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anam Fazli, Zach Lyons, Janelle Polcyn, Jasleen ShokarComics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lexi Acevedo, Geo Casillas, Bixie Mathieu, Audrey McNay, Rachel WestIllustrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gaby BreiterPhotographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Emmanuel Briseño, Fabiana Peña Feeney, Jesse Hanna, Marshall TidrickVideographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marissa JainBusiness and Advertising(512) 471-1865 | advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald Johnson Business/Operations Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Serpas III Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Cohen Account Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brady Beal, Allysun Gutierrez, Celeste Schurman, Shukree Shabazz Student Account Executives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camilo Sanchez, Andrew Serice Student Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jannice Truong Special Editions/Production Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen SalisburyJoshua Guerra | Daily Texan StaffA UT employee paints the flag poles near the Tower on Monday afternoon. FRAMES featured photo thedailytexanOn top of transportation needs, areas of policy, en- ergy and possibly housing affordability — major is- sues the City Council has been concerned with — will be addressed through the MetroLab partnership, Duthie said. If selected, Austin and UT would become the third Texas partnership, after partnerships in Dal- las and Houston, to be among the 20 founding network partnerships. “Austin is clearly a leader in the state,” Levine said. “We are excited that they applied because we think there’s a lot other cities can learn from Austin, and I’m sure there’s projects Aus- tin will be interested in learning about that are in our network.” Some ways the found- ing 20 cities and uni- versities have tackled transportation since last year include the implementation of a smart traffic-signaliza- tion project in the city of Pitts- burgh and the use of electric cars to reduce congestion, Levine said. On March 12, the U.S. Department of Transpor- tation announced it had selected Austin among its seven finalists in the Smart City Challenge, a separate part of the Obama initia- tive, in which the winning city will receive $40 mil- lion in grant funds to help it become one of the first cities in the country to “fully integrate“ technol- ogy in solving transporta- tion network problems. The winning city will be announced in June, according to the department website. Austin’s MetroLabs net- work application is not affiliated with the city’s status as a finalist for the Smart City Challenge challenge, Duthie said. “It’s not directly relat- ed, but everything’s con- nected,” Duthie, who was the primary University contact during the Metro- Labs application process, said. “It’s just something else that’s strengthening that University-City collaboration.” When applying for the Smart Cities Challenge, Mayor Steve Adler wrote in the cover letter that the city is in need of the abil- ity to use technology and innovation in solving its transportation issues — is- sues that both the Smart Challenge and the City’s potential MetroLabs mem- bership could help address. “Austin is a magnet for venture investment in re- search, tech, advanced manufacturing and the creative class,” Adler said in the letter. “Yet a huge swath of our community is struggling to pay for hous- ing and transportation — and that’s unacceptable.” PARTNERScontinues from page 1their recorded moles for any changes every month. All of the recorded data is stored in the app for future reference. The app is avail- able to anyone through a web link: ta.gd/skin. Shah said his app is convenient and effective because most people are utilizing smartphones on a daily basis. “[These] days, a major- ity of people have access to a smartphone and in- ternet,” Shah said. “Thus, my goal was to utilize my knowledge of com- puter science and come up with a handy tool for the community.” Clinical assistant pro- fessor Timothy Riedel, who helped Graubard and Shah with their apps through the DIY Diag- nostics Stream, a program that teaches students sci- ence through independent research experiences, said the apps are essential due to the increased number of skin cancer patients and the possible lack of medical assistance in certain areas. “Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, and its rates are increas- ing steadily,” Riedel said. “Both apps may be very helpful in communities where access to medi- cal professionals is lim- ited. They may also be helpful to increase sur- veillance frequency be- tween regular visits with a dermatologist.” SKIN CANCERcontinues from page 1pus not only get to express their pride but also share their happiness with others around them, and we like to make that happen.” The kick off event fea- tured the Queer Students Alliance, Queer People of Color & Allies and other organizations from the Uni- versity and greater Austin community that are primar- ily queer, feminist, and ally. Other organizations, such as University Democrats and Texas Exes, were also pres- ent to support LGBT views. John Cano, Texas Exes Networking Member, said Texas Exes has many oppor- tunities and events reserved for the LGBT community, such as the Lavender gradu- ation, a graduation ceremo- ny explicitly for LGBT stu- dents, that would enhance its networking opportu- nities with LGBT alumni in Austin. “Texas Exes has a Lav- ender graduation for each graduating class,” Cano said. “It is cohosted by the Gender and Sexual- ity Center and UT Queer Students Alliance. This allows the LGBTQ com- munity to celebrate their success in their way, and it gives them an opportu- nity to meet alumni from their community as well as other communities.” Every year, Pride Week has a theme that the orga- nizations center around. This year’s theme is “The Art of Being Queer.” This theme will allow the mem- bers of these organizations to express, inspire and advocate the meaning of LGBT through all forms of art. Timothy Meyer, presi- dent of University Demo- crats, said supporting the LGBT community is a value that most Demo- crats share because they value the equal treatment of all people. “Our organization an- nually participates in Pride Week because Democrats, like I, share the value to support the LGBT commu- nity and believe in advocat- ing for their right to openly express their pride,” Meyer, a history senior, said. This week-long event is open to anyone that wants to celebrate and support gay pride. PRIDEcontinues from page 1away birds by launching the equivalent of a firecracker into the sky. Burns said the team took extra precau- tions to make sure they didn’t accidentally alarm the campus community. “We wanted to be as vis- ible as possible. … We wore vests, eye protection, ear protection,” Burns said. “It was hopefully obvi- ous to folks there on cam- pus we weren’t there to hurt anybody.” The team of about 15 would station themselves across campus at dusk, right as thousands of grack- les flooded in, and fire into the sky. Eventually, this began to work — the birds became conditioned to avoid cam- pus. Burns said they stopped using shell crackers as the problem abated, and with safety concerns following 9/11, the method is shelved for good. Communication studies senior Madeline Metzger said she would “honestly be terrified” if she saw staff walking around with shot- guns these days. Advertising junior Clara Patt said she’d be caught off guard by the shell cracker method if it were used today, but ad- equate notice might ease people’s concerns. “I’d be pretty uncomfort- able with it. … I guess if they got enough word out — [UT] sends out emails and notices when they’re about to do siren tests — I guess they could do that,” Patt said. While grackles have yet to return to campus in the quantities seen in the 80s, Burns said his team is em- ploying new repellent meth- ods to fend off any returning groups, such as clapping boards together and spray- ing the affected areas with water. GRACKLEScontinues from page 1Historian Although students of- ten toss around the phrase “Cs get degrees,” a recent study indicates that more college students nowadays are getting As and Bs, with the same or less effort as students in the 1960s. According to a study in Teachers College Record journal updated March 29, full-time college stu- dents in 2008 were three times more likely to re- ceive an A and put in 10 hours less work. Indepen- dent researchers Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Healy surveyed 135 schools and 1.5 million students for the study. Math lecturer Jesse Miller said part of the reason students are re- ceiving higher grades is because universities view students as consumers, and education is treated as a business. “Grades should reflect students’ abilities and should not rise or fall ar- tificially,” Miller said in an email. “Grades are feedback about how well students are doing in the class. That feedback is almost certainly useless and inaccurate if everyone gets an A. An instructor … is not doing that student a favor by misreporting that student’s ability.” Economics lecturer Wayne Hickenbottom said grade inflation is not a new topic, but part of the prob- lem comes from today’s mindset that everyone gets a trophy. “People are more and more unwilling to say you’re better than some- body else,” Hickenbottom said. “I would like to see us get back to a standard where a C is an OK grade — that you were doing as well as anybody else. If everybody gets an A, … you’re not getting any dif- ferentiation at the top.” Psychology sophomore Jared Lindenberg said grades are not a direct representation of abilities, so the fact that grades are increasing helps students pursue more options. “It might help you get into grad schools or get you your first entry level job or internship, but after that, it’s not really affect- ing anything,” Linden- berg said. “If anything, [grade inflation is] more beneficial to students be- cause it’s allowing them to have more opportunities.” UT introduced the plus- minus grading system in 2009 to address grade in- flation, but seven years lat- er, studies still show class averages rising. “Grade inflation has not happened because of conscious choices that people have made to make it happen,” Miller said. “The problem, rather, is that the system as a whole has evolved into one that re- wards giving high grades regardless of what stu- dents have earned, and it will take a massive ef- fort by everyone involved to change the course of that evolution.” Nancy Stalker, associ- ate professor of Asian stud- ies, gave a lecture on Japa- nese culture from the 20th century American mindset on Monday. Stalker, who is primar- ily a cultural historian on modern Japan, said western knowledge of Japan is based in stereotypes of mystical spirituality, martial arts and ceremonies. In reality, Stalk- er said, such traditions have deep, complex meanings, and there is much more to Japanese culture. “When [older American generations] think about Ja- pan, they think about tea ceremonies and flower ar- ranging,” Stalker said. “Art historians mystify these things. [They’re] not really looking at these things as in- stitutions or dynamic. It’s all about beauty and spirituality. That really bugged me about studies in Japan.” Edgar Olalo, international relations and global studies se- nior, said Stalker’s talk about cultural influences is applica- ble to multiple backgrounds. Olalo said generalizations are the reason Japanese culture, including its fashion, is cultur- ally appropriated in America. “The meaning behind cul- tural influences and things that brought people together, that was super interesting to me, especially things that I can ap- ply to my background,” Olalo, an Asian-American, said. “Things like fashion, that’s one thing I’m really passion- ate about. And I like to look at things beyond just the surface level of fashion. That’s some- thing that definitely came up to my mind when [she was] speaking about the deep cul- tural implications of things.” Sona Shah, assistant direc- tor of the Center for Asian American Studies, said the lecture is one of many in an ongoing series to build bridges between students and faculty members. “We’ve been holding this series of faculty research talks for students to get to know our faculty, know a little bit more about Asian-American studies,” Shah said. “It’s a chance for students to get to know faculty outside of lectures and official academic stuff.” Stalker said American citi- zens misinterpreted Japanese culture during their postwar occupation of Japan by en- forcing Western twists on Japanese traditions. “If you think about all the modern, powerful nations in the world, I don’t think there is one in which aesthetics and traditional culture place such a huge role in its national iden- tity and in its international identity,” Stalker said. “It’s important to have Japan spe- cialists, or people who know Japan deeply, writing about these things, or there could be all of these misunderstand- ings. When journalists look at [Japan] and don’t understand the larger historical context or social values, it just comes off as crazy stuff.” The UT chapter of United Students Against Sweatshops hosted a event yesterday fea- turing former Nike worker and workers’ rights advocate Noi Supalai. Supalai worked in a Nike facility in Thailand and dis- cussed her experience via a translator. She spoke in light of the 2015 multi-million dol- lar contract between Nike and the University. Supalai said in 2009, after the recession, brands were pulling orders from the fac- tory she worked at. Nike of- fered a deal to the factory, stipulating that it must pro- duce products faster and at lower costs. If the factory did not comply, Nike would revoke its order. “The workers were forced to produce nonstop,” Supalai said. “We took turns going home to shower and eat, and we didn’t get to go back to our families.” When wages weren’t dis- tributed for two months, the workers formed a union, and with Supalai as president, tried to negotiate terms with the fac- tory and Nike. Supalai stopped after several attempts be- cause Nike “did not show up” to meetings. It’s time for Nike to be mon- itored from outsider organiza- tions, Supalai said. “I am not telling you to boycott Nike,” Supalai said. “You have to be respon- sible customers and hold Nike accountable.” USAS member Kate San- chez said transparency in Nike facilities is vital. “Nike has a very long histo- ry of human rights violations within their factories that pro- duce their apparel,” Sanchez, a public relations freshman, said. “UT just made the big- gest deal in the nation with Nike for Longhorn apparel.” Nike refused watchdog groups such as the Workers Rights Consortium access into factories, and Sanchez said the University should write a letter to Nike and “put them on notice.” “We think it is in our Uni- versity code of conduct that the WRC should be admitted to these factories,” Sanchez said. “We’ve had four meetings with the administration now, and there has been very little to no progress.” Nike is benefiting from the sweatshop labor — but so is the University, USAS member Andrea Flores said. “We should have a say in how our University operates, and as students, we have le- verage over our Universities and they way they use their power,” Flores, a psychology junior, said. An ethical business must take care of production lines and all workers, Supalai said. “We workers are very up- set with Nike because if they wanted to do something, they could,” Supalai said. Behind every product we buy, there is a face and a story, Flores said. W&N 3NEWSTuesday, April 5, 20163CAMPUSHistorian lectures on Japanese culture in U.S. By Nancy Huang@bana_nancyJesse HannaDaily Texan StaffNancy Stalker, associate profes- sor of Asian stud- ies, discusses Japanese history at the SAC on Monday. Stalker spoke with students about Japanese culture from the 20th century Ameri- can mindset as part of the University lecture series. NATIONALGrade inflation at universities continues to riseBy Janelle Polcyn@JanellePolcynI would like to see us get back to a standard where a C is an okay grade; that you were do- ing as well as anybody else. —Wayne Hickenbottom, Economics professorCAMPUSStudents Against Sweatshops hosts former Nike employeeBy Jasleen Shokar@jasleenshokarFabiana Pena Feeney | Daily Texan StaffNoi Supalai recounts the hardships and human rights violations she faced during her time working in a factory that produced Nike apparel. “It’s time for a president who won’t walk away from comprehensive [immigration] reform just because it becomes politically unpopular,” said Obama in 2008 as he spoke to the National Council of La Raza at their annual conference in San Diego. This message resonated across our nation of immigrants and gave people hope that a president would finally begin the long battle to fix our immigration system. However, despite Obama’s many reforms of immigration policy, his administration still has a reckless policy that allows officials to abuse the rights of undocu- mented immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security be- gan a series of Immigration Customs Enforce- ment raids in January that intended to remove immigrants who skipped their court appearanc- es or had a criminal background. While I agree that the sanctions on those with criminal back- grounds is legitimate, the crackdown on those who miss their court dates is more opaque. The courts hold ultimate control over immigrants’ status and are not set up to give these immi- grants much control of their own fate. The raids targeted areas that reported the highest number of immigrants with warrants for their removal or arrest, including places of work or homes. Texas is among the states where ICE agents detained the most people. Although the raids intended to do justice, their overly zealous approach violated the dignity of those that were subject to their unjust intrusion. Reports shed light on how the ICE agents con- ducted their raids. These agents acted on tips that led them to detain many immigrants who did not have a criminal background or did not skip out on a court appearance. What is worse, the agents took advantage of the fact that most immigrants do not speak English as their first language and often entered homes without a warrant. The raids are the result of the Obama admin- istration over-reacting to a spike in the influx of immigrants to the United States. But to send agents into local communities to arrest vulner- able families, including women and children, is something you would expect from Donald Trump, not Obama. To deport immigrants back to places where their lives will be threatened by unimaginable violence, like El Salvador and Honduras, is morally repugnant. These raids need to be scrapped immediately, as they ultimately result in the destruction of families that are being sent back to places where their lives are threatened every day. In the face of this injustice, Obama and our next president must demonstrate stronger leadership. We must insist that our government resorts to more com- prehensive and humane means than ICE raids to fix our immigration problem. For now, im- migrants need to be provided with a safe place, not threatened by sweeps and roundups that tear apart their families. Suazo is an international relations and global studies junior from Hondu- ras. It’s apparent that Austin has an appetite for sports. Between the city’s minor league teams, major events and participation in niche leagues such as ultimate frisbee and rugby, it is apparent Austinites have a mi- nor league fix for just about every sport craving. It’s time for Austin to move up to the majors. The city has grown tremendously over the past decade and will continue to boom for years to come, according to a study conducted by Urban Institute. Austin could see its population rise anywhere from 30 to 80 percent by 2030, more than just about any other metro area in the na- tion. This influx of population could bring in quite a number of new fans to a pro- spective franchise. Major companies such as Google and General Motors are also rolling into town en masse. These companies, as well as many homegrown startups such as Indeed and HomeAway, could make a mark on the city with a key stadium sponsorship. Austin’s growth as a bus- tling hub for the tech industry creates the opportunity for a management strategy similar to the Golden State Warriors, where Silicon Valley venture capitalists apply their business mind- sets to the team they manage. Austin already has a minor league team in just about every popular sport in America: The Austin Aztex for soccer, Austin Spurs for basketball, Texas Stars for hockey and Round Rock Express for baseball. With community buy in and the right backers, one of these teams could make the jump. The Longhorns may not play on Sundays, but they consistently bring out thousands upon thousands of fans week after week. Austinites want to root for their home team — they just need one to start with. If one of these teams were to step up to the big leagues, it would face a lot of competition close to home. Dallas and Houston already have professional fran- chises in each of the above sports (save a hockey team in Houston). The nearby San Antonio Spurs could make breaking into the basketball scene difficult, if not almost impossible. These stiff competi- tors may make it difficult for a team to thrive in Austin. However, should a team be able to gain a foothold in the city and its league, the inter-city rivalries would burn hotter than before. San Antonio and Austin recently exchanged jabs over breakfast tacos, a sta- ple food near and dear to Texans’ hearts. If we can get that worked up over tacos, the sports smack talk would flow naturally and the games would be intense. In recent years the city has had a pen- chant for major sports events. The Cir- cuit of the Americas F1 track opened in 2012, giving the sport a return to the U.S. after a five-year hiatus. The X Games has also come to town for the past two years but will be leaving after the sum- mer 2016 games. The future of Austin’s spot on the Formula 1 circuit is also in question. The race has a slot on the 2016 circuit but is “subject to agreement” with the promoter. These fleeting events are nice, but they only come around once a year. Austin is growing rapidly each day, and professional sports teams should take note and give the city its major league debut. Humphrey is a journalism senior from Round Rock. The American Dream tells us that if we work hard, we will succeed, but this is a false hope for many students. Eighty percent of low-income fourth grade students in the U.S. fail to meet their grade level’s reading standards, and the gap between the average math and reading levels of students at the 90th and 10th percentiles has in- creased from 40 percent to 50 percent in 25 years, according to a 2011 study by Stanford Universi- ty’s Center for Education Policy Analysis. Many cultural and socio-economic factors intersect with the income achievement gap, so there are many opportunities for reform. But housing patterns cannot be overlooked because they are so closely related to school systems and other lifestyle factors that allow families to focus on their children’s education and success. In a 2012 study published in Community In- vestments, Stanford sociology professor Sean Reardon found that the growth of the gap isn’t only about the rich having more dollars than they did before; it’s also that a dollar buys more achievement than it used to. “Rising income inequality has led to the in- creasing segregation of high-income families from middle- and low-income families,” Rear- don said. “Because residential patterns are closely linked to school attendance patterns, the rise of residential income segregation has likely led to a concurrent rise in school segregation by income.” Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that the average state and local funding gap between the richest 25 percent of school districts and the poorest 25 percent is $1,500 per student. This means the schools of wealthier children can afford to hire and keep better teachers, run better programs and offer many other resources. Mixed-income communities, in which people of all-income levels live in the same housing area, solve the problem of residential income segrega- tion. Our schools are failing our poor students, but mixed-income communities would keep school district tax bases from creating separate poor and rich schools. The money would be spread out to provide adequate funding through- out the districts. The Urban Institute found that low- income adults who moved into mixed-in- come communities reported improvements within employment, mental health, safety and educational opportunities. Changes in other areas such as employment and health matter because they contribute to parents having more time, resources and men- tal energy to invest in their children’s education. Overall, the children reported being happier and working harder in school. Austin developers just began construction on an apartment complex, Aldrich 51, in the upscale Mueller neighborhood. 85 percent of the com- plex is earmarked by the city as affordable hous- ing, and the goal of the City’s $4 million invest- ment is to create mixed-income housing. The Mueller affordable housing complex is a step in the right direction, and we need to radically accelerate the number of these projects and others like them that combat the problems of income inequality. To re- alize all of the educational benefits, future developments need to focus on catering to families, which the Mueller apartments do not, and they need to be accessible to the poorest segment of the population. The extreme inequality in this coun- try is the greatest threat to the American Dream we want to believe in, and improv- ing education is the way to fight it. Boushka is a psychology sophomore from El Paso. 4 OPINION4CLAIRE SMITH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | @TexanEditorialTuesday, April 5, 2016LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees. SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | E-mail your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability. RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanEditorial) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns. COLUMNICE raids abuse our immigrantsBy Giselle SuazoDaily Texan Columnist @giselle_suazoIn November 2014, Obama announced an executive decision intended to shield 5 million immigrants from deportation. The number of family units deported rose 173 percent in October and November 2015, compared to the same two months in 2014. Source: The Washington PostIMMIGRATION IN THE U.S. Infographic by Iliana Storch| Daily Texan StaffCOLUMNAustin’s growth should result in Major League franchiseBy Adam HumphreyDaily Texan Columnist @HumphrinatorInfographic by Adam Humphrey | Daily Texan StaffCOLUMNTo fix education inequality, focus on housing inequalityBy Chelsea BoushkaDaily Texan Columnist @thedailytexanInter-city rivalries would burn hot. San Antonio and Austin recently exchanged jabs over breakfast tacos, a staple food near and dear to Texans’ hearts. If we can get that worked up over tacos, the sports smack talk would flow naturally and the games would be intense. These raids are a result of the Obama administration over-react- ing to a spike in the influx of immi- grants in the United States. But to send agents into local communities to arrest vulnerable families...is something you would expect from Donald Trump. Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that the aver- age state and local funding gap between the richest 25 percent of school districts and the poorest 25 percent is $1,500 per student. This means the schools of wealthier chil- dren can afford better programs. Name: CLASSIFIDES; Width: 60p0; Depth: 10 in; Color: Black, CLASSIFIDES; Ad Number: - CLASS 5CLASSIFIEDSADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its offi cers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, print- ing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval. Self-serve, 24/7 on the Web at www.DailyTexanOnline.comCLASSIFIEDSTHE DAILY TEXANAD RUNS ONLINE FOR FREE! word ads only870 MedicalDonors average $150 per specimen. 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Call today for more information. 512-462-0492 • ppdi.comtext “ppd” to 48121 to receive study information875 Medical Studyburntx.comtwitter: @burnt_xfb: /burntx snapchat: burnt_xName: 4545/The Escape Game Austin; Width: 19p4; Depth: 6 in; Color: Black, 4545/The Escape Game Austin; Ad Num- ber: 4545Name: 4478/Arbor Car Wash; Width: 19p4; Depth: 6 in; Color: Black, 4478/Arbor Car Wash; Ad Number: 4478Name: 4478/COUPONS; Width: 19p4; Depth: 5 in; Color: Black, 4478/COU- PONS; Ad Number: 4478CAMPUS CAMPUS CouponsCouponsadd yours at texanmedia.org LIFE&ARTSTuesday, April 5, 20165NESTcontinues from page 8DRONEScontinues from page 1@thedailytexanFollow us for news, updates and more. classes at UT, joined Austin Drone Pilots in February. Aus- tin’s previous work included portraits, weddings and steel wool photography, but once he saw members of the group flying their drones, he said he was able to rediscover aspects of the art. Austin said Austin Drone Pilots helped ease him into the intricate world of aer- ial photography. “You can learn from people that already have experi- ence,” Austin said. “I’m really anxious to start doing some really good work, but I can’t do it unless I know how to fly birds.” Austin Drone Pilots has over 400 members, and its scene continues to expand. At UT, mechanical engineer- ing junior Majd Alabandi founded Texas Drones in spring 2015. While some members are more interested in constructing drones, oth- ers delve into programming software for the drones, hop- ing to improve the device’s controls and working to implement features such as facial recognition. Still oth- ers enjoy the various applica- tions of drones, such as pho- tography, 3-D mapping and drone racing. “[Drones have been] controversial because of the media and some incidents that have happened,” Alaban- di said. “Part of our objective is to spread awareness and to teach our members to use the drones responsibly. Drones can be effective [and] helpful to society. That’s what excites me — the potential of where they could go.” Jared Tennant, a member of Austin Drone Pilots, is capitalizing on some of these opportunities. Last month, he returned from a 45-day trip across nine countries, capturing footage of Thai- land’s oceans and a pregnant whale giving birth in an ar- chipelago. At one point, he sent his drone into the center of a flock of pelicans, as if the camera were one of the birds. Tennant also shoots regu- larly in Austin and developed a three-minute video of some of the city’s most iconic lo- cations. He said the shots evoke feelings of nostalgia in his viewers and that he finds satisfaction in showing locals photos of their city. “These aren’t scary mon- sters out spying in your win- dow,” Tennant said. “I hope that the fear doesn’t stifle the innovation — even if people don’t know what it is yet, I hope people keep it positive and know it’s going to be amazing, life-changing stuff.” Christopher Sherman | Daily Texan StaffPhotographer Christopher Sherman took to the skies to capture this image of the UT Tower by using his drone camera. Sherman founded the art aerial photography studio Over Austin and has spent hundreds of hours flying and taking photos with his drone. the novel, each sibling comes to see Leo as their greatest weak- ness. Neither Leo’s absence nor presence is a source of reassur- ance for them, and Leo strug- gles to decide between being honorable and paying back his family, or being cowardly and fleeing. Both potential outcomes are ones his siblings have considered and have dif- ficulty accepting. All of the Plumbs are imper- fect, but the narrative’s hyper- conscious acknowledgment of this fact saves the narrative from burning out after its ini- tial momentum. Bea, Melody, Jack and even Leo are distinctly likable characters. The depth to which Sweeney writes each character fleshes them out so well that the reader is over- joyed and heartbroken for each of them in the end. Sweeney weaves their per- spectives together seamlessly, painting a heartbreaking, multi-faceted portrait of a fam- ily that feels very real. Although the perspectives are initially a little jarring and names and de- tails are presented too quickly, the slow build-up reaches a cli- max with an ending that both satisfies and hurts. “The Nest” makes a power- ful statement re-imagining the role of family and the respon- sibility we have to the ones we love. 6 SPTSLonghorns bracing for tough weekApril is arguably the tough- est month on Texas’ sched- ule, but the Longhorns aren’t worried. In fact, they’re up for the challenge. Texas got the 18-game month started with a series vic- tory over BYU with the efforts of the whole pitching staff and a consistent offense. The Long- horns (22–9) will look to keep that momentum rolling in a doubleheader at home on Tues- day against UTEP (17–21) and on the road for a single game at UTSA (13–22) Wednesday. “We’re going to attack it hard,” senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens said. “No more losses. We’re going to go after every team as hard as we can.” Texas and UTEP haven’t faced each other since 2010 and the Longhorns hold a 7–0 series record over the Miners. UTEP comes to Austin with an impressive offense that boasts 34 home runs and a col- lective .318 batting average. The Longhorn pitchers have per- formed well recently and will need to continue attacking the strike zone to keep the Miner offense quiet. Junior Tiarra Davis has been in the circle for Texas signifi- cantly more than sophomores Kristen Clark and Paige von Sprecken, but the younger pitchers are coming into their own. Kristen Clark pitched a complete game against BYU af- ter being on a tight pitch count, and even though she didn’t get a win, head coach Con- nie Clark said she did a lot of good things. “We know we’re a little thin in experience,” Connie Clark said of her pitching staff. “But I think that Kristen getting healthy and Paige building confidence has been tremen- dous. Kristen is still working back, but she went a pretty high pitch count [Friday] and felt strong.” The Longhorns have played UTSA more consistently over the years and own a dominant 37–5–1 series record, but the games have been close be- tween these teams in the last few years. The Roadrunners have a handful of solid hitters and a good pitcher in sophomore Lizzy Fox, who has a 3.05 ERA but has issued just 11 walks. Texas will need production from everyone in the lineup to head home with a win. Tuesday’s games will start at 4:30 and 7 p.m. and will be broadcast by the Longhorn Network, and Wednesday’s first pitch is set for 6 p.m. The quick turnaround between these games will serve as good practice for the remainder of Texas’ busy schedule. “I love that we’re pretty heavy right now,” Connie Clark said. “I feel like we finally got into a rhythm. We’re back to high energy, we’re clicking and using the whole roster, and that’s important to help us win championships.” Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff Junior left-hander Tiarra Davis is one of the few experienced arms steadying the Loghorn pitching staff. A challenging April slate of games will test the limits of the young squad. By Claire Cruz@claireecruz5SIDELINESOFTBALLBASEBALL|COLUMNGarrido shuffles pitching staff amidst late inning struggles Rachel Zein | Daily Texan StaffTexas head coach Augie Garrrido’s decision to move sophomore Connor Mayes (pictured) from the rotation to the closer role has yet to pay off for the struggling Longhorns. LONGHORNS IN THE NBAHamilton receives fresh start with New OrleansYou never know when your number will be called. Months ago, former Texas Longhorns small forward Jordan Hamilton was play- ing professional basketball in Volgograd, Russia. The NBA and the NBA Developmen- tal League had already given him numerous opportuni- ties to solidify a spot as a role player on a roster. But 6,300 miles later, Hamilton has been provided the opportunity again in the city of New Orleans. The New Orleans Pelicans’ sea- son has already crumbled, as the team has been eliminated from the playoffs. Nine play- ers are sitting out the rest of the season with injuries, in- cluding the team’s five lead- ing scorers. But not all is gloomy in the Big Easy. The Pelicans signed Ham- ilton to a 10-day contract on March 25. The follow- ing day was Hamilton’s first time stepping onto an NBA hardwood this season. With 145 games of NBA experi- ence under his belt, Hamil- ton realizes he is playing for his future. In four of his first five games with the Pelicans, Hamilton scored double- digit points. He has started two games, and New Orleans (29–47 overall) is 3–2 since the acquisition. Hamilton recorded a double-double in Sunday’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets, tallying 13 points and 11 rebounds. Hamilton is expected to remain with the injury- riddled team for the re- mainder of the season. For a team that has employed 21 different players this sea- son, the former first-round pick from Texas must stand out to receive a contract for next season. Before moving around the NBA, NBA D-League and Russia, Hamilton was a highly touted prospect at Texas. He was a 2011 second-team All- American in a season when he averaged 18.6 points, the second-highest scoring av- erage by a Longhorn since 2008, and 7.7 rebounds per game. After leaving Texas, Ham- ilton’s NBA destinations have included Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and New Or- leans. His D-League destina- tions have included Idaho, Iowa, Reno and Rio Grande Valley. At only age 25, Hamil- ton knows how much travel- ing can be involved in a pro- fessional basketball career. In the midst of his prime, he must replicate the perfor- mances he has posted with New Orleans to prolong his NBA career. At the begin- ning of this offseason, Ham- ilton’s “tryout” might result in one desired effect: his number being called by an NBA team. By Steve Helwick@naqwerty3Oklahoma gave Texas its 16th loss of the season on Sunday afternoon in Nor- man, dropping the Longhorns to four games below .500 prior to their matchup with Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Tuesday. The defeat also marked sophomore pitcher Connor Mayes’ fourth loss of the season, his second in the closer’s role. Mayes has been far from perfect since taking the mantle as Texas’ ninth-inning special- ist. He has surrendered three runs in five appearances, strug- gling at times with command. But Mayes’ issues shouldn’t signal an abdication from the role. For the sake of the Texas bullpen, head coach Augie Garrido must stick with Mayes as his closer. Prior to Mayes’ entrance into the pen, Garrido trotted out four different closers at one point in the season. But instead of slamming the door on opponents, the Longhorns consistently left it open. Bull- pen stability has been a key issue for Texas, compounded by a shaky defense behind the mound. The combination led to combustible end-of-game situations, with the Longhorns leaving many winnable games on the table. “We need to execute more consistently,” Garrido said. “We’ve made far too many mistakes, especially late in games.” The Longhorns thought they had their end-of-game answer earlier in the year. Freshman reliever Chase Shugart shined at the start of the season, earn- ing the moniker “Shutdown Shugart.” He struck out six batters in his first five appear- ances, blowing by batters with a fastball clocking in over 95 miles per hour. But Shugart’s competitive streak seemed to outpace his fastball. The fiery freshman displayed significant emotion on the mound and suffered two crushing defeats in the closer’s role. A matchup with Califor- nia on March 6 saw Shugart surrender five runs en route to a 10-7 loss, and Shugart blew the lead against Tulane on March 20. “He’s a competitor out there,” Garrido said. “He’s a very talented kid, but he tries to make the perfect pitch and doesn’t always trust the guys behind him.” With Shugart no longer an option, Garrido looked to the rest of his bullpen for answers. But the list of suitable closers proved shorter than expected. Senior pitcher Travis Duke has an extremely durable arm but doesn’t have any go-to pitches befitting a closer. And while sophomore pitcher Kyle Johnston seemed to be quality candidate, his team-leading 20 walks gave Garrido pause. A leadoff walk is extremely dangerous in late innings, and additional baser- unners are the last thing Texas’ defense needs. Some may argue for a bull- pen-by-committee approach, but constant reshuffling of the pitching staff is far from ben- eficial. Mayes has the talent to be one of the premier closers in the Big 12, and entered the season as a member of Texas’ weekend rotation. Even after Sunday’s blown save, Garrido needs to stick to his guns in the bullpen. It may be his best chance to salvage the season before it slips away. By Michael Shapiro @mshap2Texas looks to keep rolling against BaylorNo. 21 Texas (15–6) will travel to Waco on Tuesday to take on Bay- lor, after five consecutive home matches. Last weekend the Longhorns knocked off UTSA in a double head- er, taking the afternoon match 5-2 and sweeping the second contest 4-0 for their 11th victory in 12 matches. Freshman Harrison Scott, who remains ranked No. 113 in sin- gles, has won seven of his last nine singles matches with two coming over ranked opponents. This past weekend, Scott defeated UTSA senior Diogo Casa in straight sets. Scott is now 21–8 overall for this season. Senior Michael Riechmann and sopho- more Adrian Ortiz are featured at No. 61 in the latest ITA doubles rank- ings, but the duo did not play together in Texas’ most recent match against UTSA. Match play will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Baylor. — Alana KaufmanSPORTS BRIEFLYMBBVILLANOVA (2) UNC (1) MLBMARINERS RANGERS DODGERS PADRES “I’m killin’ this @ rihanna song” Chase Shugart@cshug2TOP TWEETJordan Hamilton| Daily Texan file photo Former Longhorn standout Jordan Hamilton’s post collegiate career has included stops in Russia and the NBA D-League before finding a new home in New Orleans. TODAY IN HISTORY1984Laker’s center Kareem Abdul- Jabbar sets the NBA career scoring record passing Wilt Chamberlain’s mark of 31,419 points. He’s a competitor out there. He’s a very talented kid, but he tries to make the per- fect pitch and doesn’t always trust the guys behind him. —Angie Garrido, Head coach6JACOB MARTELLA, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansportsTuesday, April 5, 2016 COMICS 7COMICSTuesday, April 5, 20167Today’s solution will appear here next issue SUDOKUFORYOU 2 9 4 18 4 7 5 9 5 3 2 3 9 7 1 47 2 5 3 8 3 8 4 5 4 7 6 4 1 2 3 2 8 4 9 7 3 5 6 16 7 9 5 1 4 8 2 33 1 5 8 2 6 4 9 74 3 6 7 5 9 1 8 27 9 1 6 8 2 3 5 48 5 2 4 3 1 6 7 99 2 3 1 6 5 7 4 81 6 8 2 4 7 9 3 55 4 7 3 9 8 2 1 6 8 L&ACAT CARDENAS, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan8Tuesday, April 5, 2016BOOK REVIEW | ‘THE NEST’Anticipated novel ‘The Nest’ takes off to soaring reviewsBy Anna McCreary@annammccrearyNEST page 5Editor’s note: Tat-Tuesday is a weekly series that fea- tures students around campus and their tattoos. By Hunter Gierhart@heartgearsPhotos by Carlos Garcia | Daily Texan StaffCourtney Naquin, a geography sophomore, has a tattoo of a man and a woman together without any skin. The tattoo sym- bolizes Naquin’s struggles with her gender identity. “Whenever I was a kid, I went against gender conformity, I had a boy name, and I identified more as a boy,” Naquin said, “As I grew up, I realized gender roles are dumb and that we’re all the same underneath our skin.” On her right arm, linguistic anthropology graduate student Nora Tyeklar has a tattoo of a tomato in a spaceship saving the Hungarian capital of Budapest. “There’s a lot of political turmoil in my home country of Hungary, so I wanted to say that it needs to be saved,” Tyek- lar said. “I really like tomatoes, and the Hungarian word for tomato is the same word for paradise, so I thought that was a cool play on words.” Courtesy of EccoRecommended by celebrities such as Amy Poehler and Ellie Kemper, Cynthia D’Aprix Swee- ney’s debut novel “The Nest” is a powerful story of family drama and dysfunction. One car crash, and Leo Plumb’s family’s entire for- tune is at risk — not that he necessarily cares. Hyped up for months by celebrities such as Amy Poehler and El- lie Kemper, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s debut novel “The Nest” is an emotional and sat- isfying story of family drama and dysfunction. In various bars around Manhattan, three siblings, Jack, Melody and Bea, drink alone, bracing themselves be- fore meeting one another for lunch. The Plumb family has been eagerly awaiting their late father’s inheritance mon- ey, but that’s all threatened by their brother Leo’s scandalous car accident. Right before the accident, Leo — amped up on drugs at the time — leaves his cousin’s wedding with a waitress. Not long after seducing the server, Matilda, and promising to connect her with an agent to launch her singing career, he crashes the car. The crash is devastat- ing and becomes a source of shame for Leo and his fam- ily. This inciting incident sets the stakes high for the novel, giving it momentum. Never mind the uncomfortable 27- year age gap between Leo and Matilda, his wearisome his- tory of addiction, or the fact that he’s married; the crash is so traumatic that the 19-year- old server loses her foot. In order to save face, Leo’s mother uses part of her chil- dren’s inheritance to pay off Matilda’s family. The siblings’ indignant response to their mother’s decision makes it immedi- ately clear that the Plumbs are not the ideal picture of familial closeness. At lunch, the Plumb siblings await Leo’s arrival, discussing how they will convince Leo to pay back their inheritance, what they call “The Nest.” They are bitter, all heavy with their own burdens, and have grown impatient with Leo’s selfishness negatively impact- ing theirs. They half expect him not to show; they half hope he won’t. But when Leo arrives, it’s like a miracle. The sib- lings are equal parts relieved and distressed, impressed and irritated. Leo’s character is defined by his egotism, and his fam- ily is obtusely aware of it. Each sibling has his or her own misconstrued hope for who he can be, shaped by younger, fonder memories of him. And while Leo is deeply flawed, he can also be charismatic, funny, intelligent and deeply loving. He’s a walking paradox — in one moment he’s either the hero or the villain, never in between. Throughout the course of