Hannah Miller

National Coming Out Day will be observed this Sunday. But members of Lambda Texas State are starting early. Students are wearing name-tags, decorating the quad with drawings and flags and carrying signs to spread the word about this week's events. People with questions can visit Lambda's tent, in the quad every day this week. A speaker from Equality Texas will be on campus Thursday evening. Tonight a Guess Who's Gay Panel in the L-B-J Student Center will poke fun at sexual stereotypes. Amid all the fun and celebration, though, is a serious message aimed at fostering a safe environment at Texas State.

Ansel Hildebrand

The San Marcos River is noticeably higher from heavy rains that fell over central Texas last weekend. Small creeks and streams swelled from the rainfall and left behind debris on roads around San Marcos. Some areas of the Hill Country saw more than five inches over the last week. Climatologists say the storms are a result of the El Nino weather pattern, which is expected to bring more rainfall to the drought stricken area this fall and winter.

Kristy Hoerig

Gruene, Texas, will be hosting its 23rd Annual Gruene Music and Wine Festival this weekend. There will be 25 wineries participating in the event, so plan ahead since it's hard to find parking at events like this in Gruene. You don't have to be a wine connoisseur to enjoy the festival. It will be a great opportunity for people to come out, socialize and enjoy live music performed by a variety of artists at historic Gruene Hall.

Summer Ratliff

The Office of University Marketing is sponsoring the first-ever Bobcat Tube Video Contest. Students have the opportunity to produce a short video following the theme "A slice of My life at Texas State." Whether it's eating with friends at a dining hall, participating in a student organization or working out at the recreation center, students are asked to show what being a Bobcat means to them. Prizes include an i-Pod Shuffle, an i-Touch, OR the grand prize, which is a video camera. Deadline for entries is November 22nd.

Jessica Elmore

Jones Dining Hall at Texas State will soon have a new addition that many students are sure to enjoy. The food court will have a Chinese restaurant, called Panda Express, later this fall. Originally the restaurant was scheduled to be up and running by October 19th but the opening has been delayed. The university has not announced a revised schedule for completion.

Rena Iglehart

Homecoming at Texas State will be celebrated next month. The kick-off event on October 20th will be a talent show. Other Homecoming events include a Spirit Rally, a Powder Puff tournament and one of the university's oldest traditions, the Soap Box Derby. The Bobcats' Homecoming game this year will be against Stephen F. Austin on Halloween Day.

Amanda Dugan

The shades of bubblegum and cotton candy are decorating the quad in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink Week's goal is to educate more Texas State students about the risks and statistics of breast cancer. One hundred-percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Last year Pink Week raised over five thousand dollars. The week will end with Pink Out during which all Bobcat fans are encouraged to wear their brightest shade of pink to the October 10th home game.

Mitch Shubert

The recently disbanded SWAT program at Texas State is showing some signs of a rebirth. Mitch Shubert has more…
*Sound of phone dialtone*
That is the tone students hear if they try calling 805-S-W-A-T, the phone number for the Students With Alternative Driving program. Until recently, program provided a safe ride home --- no questions asked --- for intoxicated Texas State students on weekends. It is no longer operational at Texas State, but some members of the Student Government are working to change that.
ASG Rep SOUNDBITE
According to Director of the Alcohol and Drug Resource Center, Judy Row, the program had been running well since its creation in 2001, but during the past two years, a lack of student leadership and volunteers created a strain for the program. Row says the service suffered especially on Friday and Saturday nights because few volunteers were willing to participate. Senior Justin Payne says SWAT was a beneficial program, though he never took the time to volunteer.
SOUNDBITE FROM JUSTIN PAYNE
Other options are being looked into at the community and city level, like changing a downtown taxi ordinance or creating a late night bus route. For Bobcat Update, I'm Mitch Shubert.

Colby Howell

As enrollment rises at Texas State, the number of available parking spots on campus decreases. But a new 300-Thousand square foot parking complex is under construction. You might have seen the big, red and white crane on the north campus. It's being used to create Texas State's newest addition. The Matthew Street parking garage will be six stories tall and will have a one thousand-car capacity. The construction also includes the future Parking Services Office. Forty thousand pounds of rock were excavated when the crew broke ground last December. They plan to complete the project by July.

Hannah Miller

Student organizations at Texas State are ever evolving. But with the economic downturn, many of the university's more than 200 organizations are struggling to fund their events. The university allocates 24-thousand dollars to student organizations every year. And graduate assistant of student orgs, Dominique McGee, says this dollar amount will not change. The university also offers student orgs educational programs and workshops. Last year, leaders from 95 student organizations attended the university's advising session for presidents, the best turnout ever for the event.

Ashley Flores

Hispanic Organizations on campus are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
The festivities kicked off September 16th and will continue until October 30th.
Hispanics make up 25 percent of the student population at Texas State.
Organizations are participating by hosting such events as a quesadilla sale in the quad.
Students can check out a variety of films on Hispanic Heritage at Centennial Hall, and those who would like to try can learn to salsa at the Salsa Del Rio event at George's.

Jesse Moloney

Minority and women business owners from across the state are considering the opportunities that Texas State University offers following a business forum hosted by the university last week. Jesse Moloney has more in this Bobcat Update.

Historically-UnderUtilized-Businesses, also known as HUBs, gathered last week at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in San Marcos to discuss business opportunities with government-funded agencies, including Texas State University.

HUB Coordinator Rob Moerke (Murky) says businesses need to apply with the state to be considered HUB-certified, which qualifies them for many opportunities.

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HUB Supporter and San Marcos Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Leonard Cantu says last week's event was very informative.

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University HUB Specialist Yolanda Strey (streye) says Texas State University is required to employ minority and women-owned businesses whenever possible.

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For more information about business opportunities for HUBs, contact Yolanda Strey (streye) at H-U-B-at-T-X-state-dot-e-d-u. For Bobcat Update, I'm Jesse Moloney.

Claudia Mickle

You've probably experienced the frustration. You arrive on campus and try to make it to class on time, but you can't find any place to park. Claudia Mickle has more in this Bobcat Update.

To park on campus, you have to pay a registration fee. But registering your car offers no assurance that you can find parking once you get here. Some students grow frustrated looking for spaces in the student parking lots, so they go to the L-B-J parking garage instead. But L-B-J is officially a visitor's garage, which means you have to pay even more to park. Texas State Junior Paul Valle says he doesn't think it's fair that he has to pay for a parking sticker but is not guaranteed a spot.

Sound Bite: "I park here because really there isn't anywhere else to park…"

The first hour of parking at the L-B-J garage costs two dollars and caps off at ten dollars per day. This can cost a student attending two days of classes a week at least eighty dollars per month.
The garage has peak hours from 11 to 3 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The capacity of the garage is 500 spots, and once it's full the only way to gain entrance is if another leaves. Texas State Accounting Major Chris Johnson says he has experienced being late when the garage was full.

Sound Bite: "I was late to class about 40 mins…"

There are commuter parking lots for students who don't mind using the bus system, but that can be risky because the trams are often full. For Bobcat Update I'm Claudia Mickle.

Lianne Thomas

If a proposed city ordinance is enacted, students who enjoy the downtown bars will soon have another way to get home. Lianne Thomas has more in this Bobcat Update.

Current law prohibits taxicabs from parking and waiting for customers on the square, but the city is considering a possible change in hopes of providing a way home for patrons of the downtown bar scene. Texas State grad student Warren Keldsen says allowing more taxi-cabs downtown is a great idea.
SB (Keldsen, 6…)
Due to funding cuts at Texas State, a service called SWAT or Students with Alternative Transportation is no longer operating. Many students had previously used the service instead of catching a cab.
Hays County Constable David Peterson says bars in San Marcos are now open longer and drawing larger crowds. Peterson says the taxicab service would be beneficial.
SB (Peterson, 5…)
A City Council meeting will take place in October at which the proposed change will be considered. For Bobcat Update, I'm Lianne Thomas.

Hannah Miller

Student organizations at Texas State are ever evolving. New ones are created each semester, and those that have been around for a while are being revamped. Hannah Miller has the story.

Students looking for something to do this fall won't have to look far to find it. Texas State has 240 student organizations, and new ones spring up every semester. Caitlin Weekley is the member coordinator for the Association for Women in Communications, a new organization that's already gained footing among students.
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But with the economic downturn, many organizations are struggling to fund their events. The university allocates 24-thousand dollars to student organizations every year.
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The university also offers students orgs educational programs, advising sessions, and workshops. SB
Last year, leaders from 95 student organizations attended the university's advising session for presidents, which was best the turnout ever for the annual event. For Bobcat Update, I'm Hannah Miller.

Timothy Ladusky

The Texas State library has new hours of operation. Timothy Ladusky has more in this Bobcat Update.

Library officials say the extended hours are due to the great success of a trial run last spring. Alkek Library will remain open until three in the morning Sunday through Wednesday. Reference Librarian Jan Tidwell says students are already taking advantage of the new schedule.

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The three a-m closing time affects the reserve desk on the third floor and the circulation desk on the second floor, but the computer lab on the fourth floor will only remain open until 12:45 which is 45 minutes longer than previously. Freshman Heidi Kucera says the later hours are great for students who live off campus.

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Not affected by the revised schedule is SLAC -- the Student Assistance Learning Center. Those who seek tutoring will find that the hours have not changed. For Bobcat Update I'm Timothy Ladusky.

Nick Loftis

With enrollment increasing at Texas State, a big issue on campus is transportation. Nick Loftis has more.
Many students who use the bus system to get to class have reason to complain. At peak times on campus, the buses are very crowded, often filled to capacity. Road Supervisor Kevin Sturdivant says [AVOID THE HANGING LEAD-IN...PROVIDE THE ESSENCE OF WHAT HE SAID SO THAT IT FLOWS INTO THE BITE WITH ECHOING IT.]
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Texas State students pay nearly 80-dollars a semester for the tram services. The buses run from 7 a.m. to 10:45 p.m., but students often have to wait for two or three buses to come by before they can board. Crowding is a huge problem.
SB Caitlin McWeeney
The tram service offers six different routes that run through the city. Soon a G-P-S tracking system will be installed on each bus to provide real-time information. It will show students exactly where the buses are via the Web. For Bobcat Update, I'm Nick Loftis

Kristy Hoerig

Texas State University is trying to keep track of attendance this school year using a pilot program. Kristy Hoerig tells us more in this Bobcat Update.

The University's Information Technology Division has installed monitors and swiping systems in the Alkek Teaching Theater as well as the L-B-J Student Center.

Using the program, students are supposed to swipe their I-D cards when entering or leaving classrooms at those locations.

If students don't have their I-D cards, they can instead enter their identification numbers on a keypad.

SB: I would think that it would be easy to have someone else swipe in for you but I don't have any classes that require us to do that.

As an extra precaution, pictures are taken when students enter a classroom to prevent manipulation of the system.

Other methods of tracking attendance are sign-in sheets, or, in some cases, the use of a transponder device.

Media Technician Ken Smith says tracking students will benefit the university.

SB: I see that as positive. The only drawback is crowds going in and out.

Many students agree that a downside of the system is that they are often rushed to get to class on time.

One goal of the system is to transfer the collected data to TRACS, so that students and faculty members are aware of attendance records.

For Bobcat Update, I'm Kristy Hoerig.

Summer Ratliff

Career Services at Texas State kicks off its annual Career Month. Summer Ratliff has the story.

Despite the wet weather many students made there way to the L-B-J Student Center for an opportunity to visit with on-site peer advisors and career counselors.
Recruiting Coordinator Elizabeth Buchta says this is the first such event this month, but there are many more to come.

SB: we have many events promoting all of our job fairs and events around campus like rock your resume and mass comm. Week and fall job and internship fair.

Seminars are also scheduled next week. Senior Chris Contreas says he plans to attend more events and looks forward to the mock interviewing workshop.

SB: For me I've always worked in family businesses so I've never really had an interview so this will be really helpful for me.

The counselors spoke with students passing by and offered them advice while handing out popcorn, drinks and detailed information on resumes and job opportunities.

SU: Buchta says she hopes these events help students and ease their concerns about finding a job. For Bobcat Update I'm Summer Ratliff.

Nathan Estrada

Flu shots are in demand now, and Bobcat Update's Nathan Estrada tells us how you can get yours.

Texas State has been offering influenza vaccines to students who want to reduce their chances of getting seasonal flu.

Health Education Coordinator Ashlee Dozier (Doz-e-air) says there is a greater demand for flu shots this season.

The student population this fall is over 30 thousand and maintaining good health is a major concern because germs and viruses can spread easily on a college campus. While they had the opportunity, students lined up for shots to reduce their chances of getting sick and missing class.

Communication Disorders Grad Student Elizabeth Saenz (Sigh-inz) says it's important to get vaccinated.

Besides getting a shot, students can reduce the risk of infection by following a few easy guidelines. For example, after using computers keyboards or opening doors, students should wash their hands or use sanitizer to kill harmful bacteria and reduce the spread germs. Also, students should make sure they have tissues handy in the event of coughing or sneezing. If no tissues are available, they ought to sneeze into their shirtsleeves rather than their hands.

It is important to note that annual flu shots are different from the prevention efforts underway to stop the H1-N1 virus from spreading. H1-N1 shots will be offered later this fall.

For Bobcat Update, I'm Nathan Estrada.