Vol. 69, Issue 4
Se p te mb e r 2 4 - O c to b e r 1 , 2 0 2 4
Est. 1981
THE PAISANO
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline
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Smokey Mo’s adds new flavor to UTSA Blvd Miles Jones/The Paisano
UTSA Alumni Association attends the Smokey Mo’s grand opening By Danie Craig Contributor
S
mokey Mo’s comes in hot near UTSA. On Sept. 21, Smokey Mo’s BBQ opened its doors to the brand new location at 6010 UTSA Blvd to waves of eager guests. The grand opening included giveaways alongside the UTSA Alumni Association, celebrating food and community spirit. Guests had the chance to win movie tickets and even a year’s worth of free barbeque. Smokey Mo’s also hosted a fundraiser to support local Clark High School student, Brandon Esquivel, in his campaign with Disability SA on the Fiesta Especial Royal Court. Fiesta Especial aims to offer inclusive and educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities allowing them to engage in the celebrations of Fiesta fully. All of his fundraising proceeds will be donated to Morgan’s Wonderland. “A part of our culture and core values is community, being a part of the community is very important at each one of our locations. I have a son with a disability, and so being a part of that is special to my heart,” said Shari Saldivar, wife of an owner of both the new location and the Stone Oak location. There were many options when looking for a location for the new Smokey Mo’s. However, the decision to wait for this once-vacant area on UTSA Blvd was driven by the area’s rapid growth and potential for collaboration
with local organizations such as UTSA and the Alumni Association. “When we were looking to open up in this area, there were quite a few different locations that were available,” Shari Saldivar explained. “This one was not quite built yet, it was just a grass area. So there was a time frame of getting that built before we could even start here. That process started about two years ago, so it’s been quite the journey to the grand opening.” When asked about plans to work with UTSA organizations in the future, Saldivar said, “We are doing a bunch with UTSA alumni, we’ve partnered with them on different events and are also talking to a few people over at UTSA to do some partnerships and sponsorships with us all.” Veronica Dominguez, director of membership and engagement for the UTSA Alumni Association, offered some insight about the program and their collaboration with Smokey Mo’s. “Today we’ve partnered with Smokey Mo’s to offer members a discount throughout the year and promote our student membership. This gives students access to free UTSA merch, tailgates, and mentoring opportunities. If people sign up today, they get a free sandwich; students also get a free shirt and get to come out and enjoy all kinds of fun stuff with the Alumni Association. We do a great job at engaging
Record breaking 35,900 students enroll at UTSA this fall By Jasmine Williams Copyediting Coordinator This fall, UTSA enrolled more than 35,900 students, breaking its previous enrollment record of 34,864 students from last year. This 3% increase in the student body is in accordance with UTSA’s Strategic Enrollment Plan which aims to enroll over 45,000 students by 2028, however, it has fallen short of the Phase One goal of 38,400 students. Nevertheless, expansion efforts continue, as seen in the university’s recent approval to purchase a $22 million office building downtown and its merger with UT Health San Antonio. Of the students enrolled at UTSA this fall, more than 5,100 are high school students who are close to graduating, or first-time-in-college students. It was found that 97% of these students were from Texas, and of them, 38% percent were from Bexar County. A similar pattern can be seen in the 9,000 transfers and first-time students — those who have no post-secondary school experience; 97% were from Texas with 43% of them residing in Bexar County. The freshman class alone totals over 7,120 students, which is yet another record set for the university. The undergraduate juniors and seniors are taking 4% and 6% more semester credit hours than last fall. Additionally, enrollment has increased at every level, including bachelor’s students, master’s students and doctoral students. Doctoral enrollment saw an increase of 8% while entering doctoral students saw an increase of 16%. There are more than 1,000 students enrolled in UTSA’s 29 doctoral programs. “UTSA continues to be the preferred destination for
and pushing the Roadrunner spirit.” The Alumni Association gives away scholarships to a minimum of 30 students every year and has a mentoring program that connects students with members of the community to discuss how UTSA shaped their careers. The new Smokey Mo’s location is at, 6010 UTSA Blvd. suite 106, San Antonio, TX 78249, just a twominute drive from campus.
Erick Henriquez Camargo/The Paisano
SGA elections: Who is on the ballot? By Kara Lee Graphic Editor
students from across Texas,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Students and their families appreciate UTSA’s commitment to accessibility, affordability and career preparation, providing exceptional opportunities for long-term career success.” The university offers eight fully online degree and certificate programs via UTSA Online. This year and last year enrollment was over 1,000 students. This fall has seen a 14% increase in enrollment with over 1,100 students. The online student body is primarily made up of adult learners as seen in 73% of them being 23 or older. “As we’ve built our curriculum, we’ve been intentional about ensuring our online programs are as meaningful and engaging as the experiences that students would receive in the classroom. This commitment to innovating with technology, investing in faculty development and creating a high-quality online curriculum is resonating with students who are eager to build successful careers while maintaining the flexibility to manage family, work and personal responsibilities,” Melissa Vito, UTSA vice Provost for Academic Innovation, said. In recent years, the university has prioritized creating an environment conducive to student success, strategic growth and innovative excellence. More details on how UTSA will implement these initiatives can be found in the Phase One report at https://www. utsa.edu/strategicplan/documents/UTSA_Phase-IReport_9-20-18.pdf.
The Student Government Association (SGA) held its Fall 2024 general elections on Sept. 18. Voting took place on RowdyLink from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., providing students with just a 12-hour window to cast their votes. Candidates Positions Freshman Senator Candidates: Mekhi Churchill, Richard Lujan, Jacob Haven, Gio Okpala, Beverly Baker, Erisa Rodriguez, Brinley Duncan, Ava Almendarez, Taiye Oyelowo, Kenny Oyelowo, Analisa Cruz and Margrete Shannon Zavala Beisert. Sophomore Senator Candidates: Ankita Das, Dianna Barrs and Mary Jo Paschall. Junior Senator Candidates: Athena Rangel, Enya Flores, Briana Miller and Micheal Valdez. Graduate Senator Candidate: Sydney Self. College of Health, Community and Policy Candidates: Damien Guerrero, Ellise Rodriguez, Jason Rodriguez, Leena Idris and William Avalos. College of Business Candidates: Itzel Vela, Alexis Ayala, Andrew Creedon, Martin Maldonado, Natalia Blanco and Rayaan Khan. College of Education and Human Development Candidates: Angela Avila, Haley Aguilar and Reilley Davis. College of Liberal and Fine Arts Candidates: Arynei Nance, Chelsea Montemayor, Conor Cummings, Jennifer Miguel Orellana, Kailey Swift, Natalia Fuentes, Shawn Maki and Sophia Gomez. University College Candidates: Elba Jaison and Daniela Enciso. Throughout the voting period, students could click on the blue icons next to each candidate’s name to learn more about their platforms. SGA elections have struggled with low voter turnout in past elections. Given the limited promotion before this election, concerns about participation rates are noticed. As of now, there are no reports available regarding voter turnout or election results. The Paisano has reached out to SGA for additional information on where students can find updates about upcoming elections and activities, as well as election results. We have yet to receive a response.