Mickle --DailyTexan

An article published Wednesday in U-T's Daily Texan is creating quite a stir. Claudia Mickle has more in this Bobcat Update.

The title: Professors dispute employment value of college degrees -- the article had a good start, but a sour ending. A professor at U-T stated that U-T was not Austin Community College or Texas State University, and that they should be training the leaders of tomorrow to think.

Texas State Senior, Nate Foss has some ideas as to why Texas State is portrayed this way.
SB : (Nate Foss) "First and foremost I think that Texas State gets a bad rep as not a good educational college and since everybody in Texas has this stigma that if your football team is not D-1 and if you're not in the big twelve, that your college must reflect that on the education scale."

Foss believes Texas State offers more preparation to finding a job later, as opposed to attending a university for its big name.
SB: (Nate Foss) "Beating ACC or UT in a community, you walk through Texas State and you know everybody, you know your professors and if you are going to get a lot more out of the job market from people that you know rather than just some grade or statistic at UT, I think that Texas State people are going to get some great jobs from just the relationships they have with professors and students here."
A requirements for a program that is nationally recognized takes place in a building located right off the Quad.
Stand Up: "The Evans Liberal Arts building is home to the largest Geography program in the country."
This Fall semester alone there are over 613 undergraduate majors for Geography, double that of UT's program of only 310. There are also125 masters students and 70 plus P-h-D students.
Texas State Undergraduate Program Coordinator for Geography, Dr. Richard Earl says the Geography department in the Evans Liberal Arts building does a good job of preparing students.
SB : (Dr. Earl) "Our program was built on good teaching, good advising and good career placement and counseling. Our students have an excellent record of getting good training and a good education in geography and then going out and securing professional employment."
Dr. Earl also says that the department's students have an excellent record of getting good training and then going out and securing professional employment.
SB : (Dr. Earl) "Last year we looked at our alumni survey and at least 90 percent of the graduates get professional related careers within one year of graduation."
The article from the Daily Texan Online has many heated comments posted…there are over 60 and counting.
Stand Up : "Despite what others may say, Texas State has its many achievements. We are the rising star of Texas. For Bobcat Update, I'm Claudia Mickle."

Summer Ratliff

Old Main could be undergoing renovations soon. The 107-year-old building at Texas State has cracks in the walls and floors due to ground movement as well as water damages from the leaky roof. Assistant Director (of what?) Michael Petty says the roof needs to be replaced to help minimize leaks. Petty says the construction on the roof could begin as early as June and will take at least six months to complete. Petty says the reroofing of Old Main could cost up to one-million-dollars.

Ansel Hildebrand

Students looking for on-campus housing have more than H-1-N-1 to worry about. Ansel Hildebrand has more in this Bobcat Update.
Incoming Texas State students that choose to live on campus will have to submit more than a housing contract in order to get a room.
Starting January first, first-time students will be required to receive a bacterial meningitis vaccine.
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The state law, passed during the last session, requires students at all higher education institutions to get the vaccine in order to live on campus.
Texas State Department of Housing and Residential Life says this is necessary given the dangerous nature of meningitis.
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There are ways to decline the vaccine. Students that object due to personal conscience or religious beliefs may sign an affidavit. A doctor may excuse the vaccine if it is found to effect a student's health.
Campus residents are responsive.
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Stand-up.
(very rough-draft)

Jonathan Wachsmann

Every year the Marine Corps raises money and collects gifts for less-fortunate children during the holidays. This year Alpha Tau Omega, a fraternity at Texas State, is providing support to the cause. 
SB: "With Toys for…underprivileged children"
Giving a little bit goes a long way.
SB: "From my memories…their Christmas better"
So far the fraternity's efforts have paid off, with several boxes full of toys and more than 200 dollars raised in less than week. People interested in donating toys or some loose change can find A-T-O in the quad or at one of their two houses located at the intersection of Lindsey and North Street.
StandUP.

Nathan Estrada

Stargazers in San Marcos can view the universe from a unique perspective. An observatory is open at Texas State on Wednesday nights on the top floor of the Supple Science Building on the university's west campus. The observatory has been in operation for several years, but many students and faculty don't even know it exists.  Texas State Physics professor Russell Doescher (Doh-share) is usually on hand to offer interpretations on what can be seen.  The observatory opens at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Rena Iglehart

Intramural sports continues to attract students as fans and participants at Texas State. Indoor soccer claimed victories in all six categories in last week's championships and, just yesterday, women's volleyball spiked in a new champion, Team Toxic. Due to bad weather, intramural football championships were pushed back to Monday. Intramural basketball remains the most popular sport. Sign-up for basketball begins early next spring.

Rhe-Anne Cannaday

Bobcat Update's Rhe-Anne Cannaday spoke to several Texas State students about the fatal shootings at Fort Hood last week.
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SB/ Standup
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Sarah Hudiburg

Texas State students wanting to work in water resources had the chance to stop by the Environmental Job Fair on Tuesday. The event, held in the L-B-J Ballroom, featured several potential employers including Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Water Development Board. Most of the organizations were seeking students to fill internships or, in some cases, full-time positions. An advisor with Career Services says several hundred students attended the fair. The next event sponsored by Career Services will be the Summer Job Fair next spring.

Selina Affram

Push America is getting a big push this week from members of a Texas State fraternity. Push America promotes volunteerism and education awareness for people with disabilities. Drawing attention to the group's effort is the fraternity Pi Kappa Phi, which has earned about 20 million dollars for Push America over the past two decades. You can find frat members on their scaffold this week. Seventy members will be alternating shifts and manning the quad 24-seven, to raise five thousand dollars. The deadline for donating to the cause is this Friday.

Timothy Ladusky

The grass is green and the boys are back. After setting multiple records last season, the Bobcats baseball team is already gearing up for another run. Timothy Ladusky has more on this Bobcat Update.
The Bobcats won 41 games last year, which set a team record and won them a conference championship. Junior outfielder Bret Atwood says the off-season is a good time for the team to work on the basics:
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Standup: After having a record setting year and winning a S-L-C championship, Coach Ty Harrington and the Bobcats are already getting for next year.
Bobcat pitchers and hitters report every afternoon to work on the fundamentals. Pitchers work with pitching coach Derek Matlock on technique and conditioning.
While Bobcat hitters take their cuts in the cage, the pitching staff has its own routines. Junior Outfielder Cody Gambill says that the pitchers will be even better this coming year.
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Drop the standup -- This is fall.  You can't say that spring is "right around the corner."  Plus, "the smell of victory" is cliche and nonsensical. Give me a different closing statement.  Cover it with B-Roll.  Standup: With spring right around the corner the smell of victory is already in the air for Bobcat Update I'm Timothy Ladusky.

Colby Howell

There's no anchor lead-in.  I added the signature out at the end.
The Texas State football program is working toward a move from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision. With an enrollment of more than 30-thousand students, Texas State is one of the largest schools NOT to play in the F-B-S. The process, if successful, should be completed in 2012, but there are mixed reviews regarding The Drive.
SB: "I am not for it because I'm a really big sports fan and I don't wanna see them... I think there's a good chance they'll struggle at the next level."
SB: "Nah, I don't think it's a bad idea. At first, I definitely thought it was something that was , like "Why are we doing this." If you can't even win, but then after everybody starts putting support into the program we see how Texas State athletics can definitely change and became better."
One of the requirements for the jump is a minimum average attendance of 15-thousand at home games. Such a benchmark seems possible for the Bobcats, because at their homecoming game two weeks ago the team drew a near capacity crowd. The next game at Bobcat Stadium will be this Saturday night versus McNeese State. For Bobcat Update, I'm Colby Howell.

Jesse Moloney

Today is Veterans’ Day -- a day of remembrance. And, in this Bobcat Update, Jesse Moloney tells us how San Marcos residents have been observing the event. 


Downtown San Marcos was shut down Saturday morning to make way for a record 80 entries in this year's Veterans’ Day Parade.
 Families, friends and flags surrounded the Square as Parade Master of Ceremonies and Vietnam Vet Alan Camaron sang to the crowd preparing them for the spirited caravan of floats.
Camaron says the amount of work to prepare for the parade is amazing.
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Kiwanis club members invited children of all ages to bring their bikes to the square to be decorated and to participate in the parade.
Retired Sergeant First Class Alicia Pineda says it's important for children to understand why these celebrations are held.
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Onlookers waved to government officials and veterans while being entertained by marching bands. Veterans say the sacrifices of their fellow soldiers must be remembered.
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The parade's grand marshal was George Kumpe, who was awarded two Purple Hearts for his service in the U-S Army during the Vietnam War.  
SB/Standup

Jessica Elmore

Thieves have been targeting vehicles parked on the Texas State campus.  Jessica Elmore has more in this Bobcat Update.

For months now, the I-H-35 corridor has provided burglars with an array of opportunities. The number of car break-ins has become so prevalent that the University Police Department is now joining forces with other area police departments to catch the thieves.
Police say they believe the criminals are non-students. U-P-D captain Rickey Lattie says the same group may be responsible for a string of break-ins.  Lattie says the thieves are showing no respect for property and are doing incredible amounts of damage.  Lattie says it's important not to provide bait for the burglars.
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Thieves often go after radio and stereo equipment, G-P-S devices, laptops and purses. Many students feel uneasy about the break-ins and are taking precautions to protect themselves.
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Several campus parking lots have been hit and the burglaries are often happening in the early morning hours between 2 and 6.  The lots are vulnerable because most Texas State parking lots don't have surveillance cameras.  To try to curb the amount of burglaries, the U-P-D has increased patrols on campus.
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Mitch Shubert

A celebration of peace -- that's how an event at Texas State is being described.  Mitch Shubert attended a poetry reading hosted by the Modern Languages Department, and he files this report:

"Paz! Y Daniel!"-quote
To remind her audience of the evening's theme, Dr. Maria Echeverria would stand and call out "Paz Y Daniel" or Peace and Daniel.. The event, a poetry and musical performance by students, was a celebration of peace and the life of Daniel Frouman, who died last summer. Daniel was a Spanish teacher at Texas State who had recently passed his med school exams. Maria Echeverria remembers Daniel as being the type of person who brought passion into everything he set his mind to.
Quote from Dr. Echeveria
Texas State students and faculty read from poems, shared their thoughts, even played music. The chosen poems transcended time, location, topic, even language. English samples included works by Shakespeare, Poe, Bukowski, and Whitman. Others chose to read Spanish-influenced poetry, Don Quixote, Santiasco's La Linea Roja, Cristobal's "Al Mas el Futuro." Alba Meglar reminded attendees that poetry may not always be understood  but can always be enjoyed.
Meglar quote
One of the students who attended, Cassie Kitchen, said the event was a success.
Quote from Cassie Kitchen
For those who attended the event, they got a glimpse into a life lived to the fullest, along with the ever-present theme of peace. After all, according to Plato, poetry is nearer to vital truth than history. We can all learn a little something from that. For Bobcat Update, I'm Mitch Shubert.
Music 

Ashley Flores

Students may have to pay a hefty price if caught downloading material illegally from the Internet. Ashley Flores has more in this Bobcat Update.
It may seem innocent at first. You tell yourself it's just this one time.  One song won't hurt anyone. Then you get an e-mail that says you've been busted. Some students are unaware of the university policy on downloading material from such websites as Limewire or Ares.
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When students activate a Texas State Net I-D, they agree to the Appropriate Use Policy that states the student will not use university resources to download unauthorized materials. Texas State senior  Joseph Adenji says the policy is wise and thinks nothing good can come from downloading illegal files.
SB Joseph Adenji
The Recording Industry Association of America is the watchdog that looks for students engaging in illegal activity. Once the association spots prohibited downloading it sends the university a complaint which includes the I-P address of the computer. Some students don't appreciate this and feel it's unfair to pay for music.
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Bridge- "If you want to download music there are alternative sites, such as hulu, myspace or even youtube."
Students who refuse to comply with the rules and continue to download illegally face consequences that can cost a lot more than 99 cents per song. According to the Texas State website, offenders face paying fines of up to 150-thousand dollars for each movie or song that has been illegally acquired or shared. That makes 99 cents seem like a bargain after all.  For Bobcat Update I'm Ashley Flores.

Amanda Bayer

One city council race has been decided in San Marcos; another is still up in the air.  Incumbent John Thomaides was reelected yesterday defeating Monica Garcia and Anita Fuller.  However, another city council race has yet to be determined.   Ryan Thomason is three votes shy of the 50 percent he needs to be declared the victor.  A recount is expected, and if that doesn't change the outcome, a runoff will be necessary.  Of his opponents in the race, the top vote-getter was Lisa Marie Coppoletta.  County officials say only seven percent of the eligible voters turned out for yesterday's election.

Sarah Hudiburg

Texas State students, faculty and staff are setting the stage for the first ever Bobcat Tube Film Festival. Sarah Hudiburg (HEW-duh-burg) has more in this Bobcat Update.

It's called the Central Texas version of the Cannes Film Festival. It's the Bobcat Tube Video Contest. Participants create a three-minute video collage entitled, "A Slice of My Life at Texas State" that represents the role the school plays in each individual's life. The director of the contest, David King, says he's not really sure what to expect from the video submissions.

(King…7 secs...of things}

There are many creative and interesting ideas circulating for what a Bobcat Tube video might be.

(Collage of Texas State students… secs…)

King has some tips for those wanting to take part in the contest.

(King…14 secs…copyrighted material)

The grand prize winner receives a Sony video camera. Second place gets an i-Touch, while the third spot receives an i-Pod Nano. Prizes will be presented at the Bobcat Tube Film Festival next month. Bobcats have until November 22nd to submit their videos for the contest. For Bobcat Update, I'm Sarah Hudiburg.

Rhe-Anne Cannaday

A network television correspondent visited Texas State University this week. Bobcat Update's Rhe-Anne Cannaday was among a group of Mass Communication students he talked with, and she filed this report:
John Quinnones, a reporter for A-B-C's 20-20 and the news show What Would You Do?, spoke with students about his life, career and his new book. After lecturing, Quinnes sat with a small group of students over pizza and discussed the thought-provoking journalism he is known for. Students asked questions about trends in society and the media today. 
(Quinnones...15...something back)
Mass Communications Professor Kym Fox says she welcomes the opportunity for students to hear from a successful former student.
(Fox...13sec...got started)
(Cannaday...15sec...I'm Rhe-Anne Cannaday)

Summer Ratliff

San Marcos motorists may see some street changes soon as part of the city's Downtown Master Plan. The City Council is considering changing some one-way streets to two-way. You need to attribute this to a source since you did not cover the meeting first hand. And the Council has decided  to widen downtown streets and lower the speed limit to make it easier for bikers to navigate alongside motorists.  The city's master plan also includes widening sidewalks and adding benches and trees. The street changes are expected to start within the next two years.

Jonathan Wachsmann

Suicide prevention experts are ready and willing to help at Texas State. That reminder is needed in light of a recent suicide of a freshman.  Jonathan Wachsmann (walks-men) has more in this Bobcat Update.
Twenty-three-year-old David Edwards of Kerrville was discovered by his brother James Edwards early on the morning of October 26th. The body was found with a suicide note in an abandoned building by Spring Lake, near the two brother's off-campus apartment. The investigation continues. 
Karen Gordon-Sosby, associate director of the Student Health Center, says depression is common among students, but help is available.
SB: "o/c: __________" (13 seconds)
Freshmen Chemistry major Allison McGlamory says she believes it's important to be aware of university resources, especially in cases such as this.
SB: "o/c ___________" (7 seconds)
Students who believe they, or a friend, need immediate assistance can go to the counseling center located on the fifth floor in the L-B-J Student Center or visit the Student Health Center to receive professional advising. If the two locations are closed, students are encouraged to call the crisis hotline at 1-877-466-0660 where there are people available to speak 24-hours a day.
Stand up: "I'm Jonathan Wachsmann (6 seconds)