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THE PAISANO
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline
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University Oaks residents advised to be cautious after suspicious activity By Anika Engler Staff Writer
U
niversity Oaks residents are advised by the University of Texas at San Antonio to be on high alert at all times following an alleged sexual assault taking place in the complex. On Oct. 6, a sexual assault was reported to the UTSA Police Department. While this student was sleeping in her apartment, an unknown male broke in through an unlocked window and proceeded to sexually assault her. The suspect escaped before anyone was able to capture him. While the perpetrator remains at large, there have been some advancements towards finding the offender. On Nov. 4, a report was made concerning a suspicious individual “wearing a baseball cap, black shirt and shorts.” This description matches one illustrated in an email sent by the UTSA Department of Public Safety
shortly after the sexual assault. The suspect is described as, “a stocky male, light complexion, wearing a gray t-shirt, dark shorts and backward baseball cap.” This recent thread concerning the report was posted on Reddit. After the post was published, some students spoke out. “Maybe residents should establish some sort of ‘neighborhood’ watch group. I know their own security shouldn’t be left up to themselves but with the lack of resources UTSA is providing, it may help in identifying this man,” a Reddit user posted. “I really wish they could identify this person,” another said. Two freshmen who currently reside in University Oaks shared their
thoughts after receiving updates on the incident. “Living at University Oaks became really unsettling after there was a break-in,” Izara Sanchez said. “As a girl, I felt particularly vulnerable, fearing that the intruders might be targeting females. I was always diligent about locking my doors, but now I’m even more cautious, making sure everything is secure. I also carry pepper spray with me at all times for added protection. One thing that has helped ease my anxiety is the installation of a safety tower with cameras overlooking the apartments, along with the increased presence of police in the area.” “Ever since the second sighting, I have been much more attentive of my
surroundings,” Paula Olivera said. “I make sure my door is locked correctly every night and that my windows are also shut. I also make sure not to walk alone late at night and that my friends don’t walk alone either. I have also seen a lot of police in the area so I feel a lot safer with them there.” This is a developing story. To stay updated, visit paisano-online.com.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the UTSA Police Department at 210-458-4242
Death of UTSA student prompts Red Hispanic wall swift response from Administration By Christopher Delgado Staff Writer
By Jake Mireles Editor-in-Chief
Incident
Following a second on-campus death in six months, an unprecedented decision was made by UTSA Administration to cancel all classes scheduled for this past Friday. The day of reflection was announced to students via email and UTSA Today. This response is extraordinary in nature. When confronted with a similar situation in early May, the university did not cancel or postpone scheduled classes, much to the dismay of the student body.
Student’s response
UTSA students had a mixed response to the university’s actions following the incident on Wednesday. Some Roadrunners took to platforms, like Reddit and Instagram, searching for answers about what tangible changes the university could make to rectify the situation in the future. Joshua David, a freshman majoring in Film and Media, was alerted to the incident via UTSA’s email announcement. “Their response was pretty basic. To me, it makes sense to just link all of the resources,” Davis stated about the university’s response. “They could have harped on it more, sent out more emails or something.” Senior Electrical Engineering major Jian Perez also was alerted to the incident via the email announcement. Compared to the university’s response to the last student death on campus, Perez felt there was a noticeable improvement. “Definitely would say it definitely took a higher step than last [semester],” Perez said. “This time, they did the rest day so as students we can just relax, don’t have to take care of school, and just make sure we’re aware of each other.” Perez noted that as a member of the engineering department, the reminders about mental health service access by faculty has been consistent. “In the engineering department, I constantly see things of people talking and announcing and telling us, ‘Go get help, there’s people to talk to. Don’t be afraid to talk about that stuff.” Cheyenne, a senior Cybersecurity major, learned
about the death through Reddit. Cheyenne noted that the lack of safety infrastructure in the on-campus parking garages was particularly concerning. “I feel like [UTSA] did the best with what they had, but I do also believe that they could do more physically,” Cheyenne stated. “ This is the second [death] that occurred on the garage, and I think setting up some bars or improving the resources we currently have. I know a lot of other students have problems with the counseling that’s here, so maybe facilitating more work on that would definitely be better.”
UTSA’s Response
Following the incident on Wednesday, UTSA has committed to providing students and staff with “additional well-being services” following Friday’s day of reflection. The university is offering online and in-person student listening sessions “to hear directly from our students” in coordination with the Wellbeing Enhancement Taskforce. Students and faculty will also have access to free “daily mental health support resources” in the Sombrilla from Nov. 11 to Nov. 15. Additional “meaningful mental health programming on topics ranging from healthy body image, recovery, therapy animals and more” will also be available to students. More information about this health program can be found on Rowdylink. However, UTSA has currently made no concrete commitment to making tangible, systemic changes to the mental health resources it provides to its students. Additionally, UTSA has currently made no commitment to adding additional safety measures to its on-campus parking garages — where the two most recent student deaths by suicide took place. When contacted for an interview to clarify the university’s stance on further commitments to addressing the situation, Vice President for Strategic Communications and External Affairs Joe Izbrand did not respond. When contacted for an interview on how / if their organization would advocate for the needs of the student body following this incident beyond hosting a Mental Health First Aid Workshop, the UTSA Student Government Association did not respond.
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In 2018, Beto O’Rourke ran for Texas Senate and lost to Senator Ted Cruz by a mere three percentage points — prompting many to believe Texas would soon turn blue. Two years later, the opportunity arose with the 2020 presidential election. President Joe Biden ended up losing the Texas electoral votes by less than six percentage points. The 2024 presidential election reinstated Texas as a definitive red state when President-elect Donald Trump won by a margin of 14%. What changed in Texas between the 2020 and 2024 presidential election? Major counties, such as Bexar, Harris, Dallas and Travis, continued to vote in favor of the Democratic nominee. However, Vice President Kamala Harris faced a 3-5% decrease in support compared to Biden in 2020. Tarrant County favored Biden by a slim 0.2%. The margin split open in 2024 by Trump, who garnered 51.9% of the popular vote compared to Harris’ 46.7%. Already missing several of the votes in major cities that Biden had harnessed, it was all but guaranteed Harris would not be turning Texas blue. However, what became most shocking was the lack of support she received from counties in the Rio Grande Valley. In 2020, Biden won 51% of the popular vote in Starr County and 58% in Hidalgo County — holding a 5% lead in Starr and 17% advantage in Hidalgo. The Democratic support wavered immensely in the 2024 election. In this election, 57.7% of voters in Starr County elected Trump, while 51% of Hidalgo County voted in favor of the GOP candidate. In Willacy and Cameron, previously blue counties, a little more than 50% of voters approved of Trump. No counties who had previously supported Trump wavered in their endorsement during this election. The increased support for the GOP is a trend that rings true across the nation. Surprisingly, the shift has been dominant in many Hispanic communities. Hispanic male voters remain concerned with economic issues. This attracted them to Trump, as he often lauded creating one of the best economies in United States history during his presidential term. The claims were disproven.