President Denise Trauth shows students around the president's office during Cat Chat on April 10 at JC Kellam.

Students brought issues concerning the Bobcat Tram system, parking permits and construction to University President Denise Trauth during her Cat Chat Wednesday.

The students, faculty and campus-organization representatives in attendance at the invite-only event had the opportunity to speak with Trauth in a round-table setting. A majority of the meeting was focused on the bus system and parking permits.

A lack of space contributes to a strain of resources at the Counseling Center, resulting in students being turned away, according to administration.

Gregory Snodgrass, Counseling Center director, said the department’s two biggest problems—space and manpower—are directly linked. The center needs more counselors to meet the needs of students, but no other therapists can be hired on until more office space is built for them to occupy. The Counseling Center should ideally have approximately three more employees to be proportionate with the number of enrolled students, according to Snodgrass.

The number of needed counselors will increase as the university expands each year.

“There’s nowhere to put the needed counselors,” Snodgrass said. “We currently have one office for every staff member and one group therapy room. Ideally, we would add more offices to accommodate more staff and add an additional room for group (therapy).”

Students busted by university police for small amounts of marijuana could avoid jail time under a “cite and release” resolution the Associated Student Government hopes to push through the administration.

ASG senator Kevin Kutras authored a resolution that would allow the University Police Department to participate in a cite and release program, which is an option under Texas House Bill 2391. Law enforcement officers can issue citations for nonviolent crimes without taking the individual to city or county jail under HB 2391. ASG passed its resolution in February.

Students would be protected from any adverse academic consequences resulting from spending time in jail, such as missed classes and tests. The resolution said it would allow for UPD officers to focus on violent crimes.

San Marcos may soon be getting a third H-E-B grocery store.

The store is in early stages of development. Planning and Zoning commissioners heard public comment regarding the topic during their March 26 and April 9 meetings.

H-E-B and the owners of the McCarty Commons Planned Development District are in talks to build a store at the corner of McCarty Lane and Interstate 35 with the hopes of bringing more activity to the area. The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing about the development during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Hank passed through the door and away from the small confines that had housed him. Dozens more like him remained locked up, making a cacophony of noise as he was led away for the last time.

Hank stepped quickly, jostling his brown and white fur. His head bounced like a bobblehead doll as he looked from one thing to another. Hank then fixed eyes on someone and wagged his tail. Hank had found a home, but the other dogs would have to keep waiting. However, the others will not have to wait for long if January is an indication of things to come.

The PAWS Shelter and Humane Society in Kyle has maintained its level of services, despite a weak economy and a decrease in public financial support. The shelter’s federal tax returns show its public financial support dropped by 57.8 percent from 2008 to 2010. The shelter completed 84 adoptions this January, compared to 45 the year before, which is an 87 percent increase.

Sergio Espinoza and his research team work with composite materials in a cramped room with in the Roy F. Mitte building. The resin the team works with produces such strong odors when heated that people come to check on them even when their vents are on full blast.

Espinoza, manufacturing engineering senior, said the team is working with the resin to find a replacement for heavy metals to improve future technology.

Although city council seats aren’t up for grabs until November, San Marcos’ only female councilmember has already announced she will not run for another term.

Councilwoman Kim Porterfield, Place 1, announced March 31 she will not campaign for re-election. Porterfield has served two terms on city council, during which she served as mayor pro tempore and deputy mayor pro tempore. Porterfield said she has chosen to focus on her career as director for community relations for Texas State and her family.

“My younger daughter was 10 when I started and now she’s 16, so I’m really sensitive to that,” Porterfield said. “I have a new boss, and we have been discussing some really exciting plans for my department (at Texas State). I’m really excited to implement some greater programming that will benefit the San Marcos community and students.”

Students stood together in front of Harris Dining Hall Friday, took off their clothes and proceeded to run through campus.

A student-service fee is funding several environmentally conscious projects around campus that aim to make the university more green and sustainable.

The mandatory Environmental Service Fee funds many new green initiatives across campus that are executed by the Environmental Service Committee. Nancy Nusbaum, assistant vice president of Finance and Support Services, said each student pays $1 per semester for the fee, which amounts to $73,000 annually. This year 13 projects were approved for funding from the Environmental Service Committee, including Bobcat Blend and the Spring River Clean Up. Nusbaum said there is a reserve of money because the funding does not get fully expended each year. She said $45,000 is left over this year.

Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said organizations propose projects to the committee. The committee then votes on proposals and allocates the funding if they are approved, Nance said.

Five faculty members have been ranked as some of the top ones in the state of Texas.

Jesús Francisco de la Teja, professor of Southwestern studies, and Yasmine Beale-Rosano-Rivaya, assistant professor of Spanish, were ranked as two of the Top 14 Hispanic Professors in Texas.
Jiyun “Yuni” Kang, assistant professor in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, and English professors Debra Monroe and Susan Beebe, were chosen as three of the Top 25 Women Professors in Texas.

The lists were compiled by StateStats.org and onlineschooltexas.com.

Beale has a Ph.D. in Hispanic languages and literatures, a master’s degree in Spanish and a bachelor’s in Spanish and linguistics. Beale attended the University of California-Los Angeles and later taught at her alma mater as well as Loyola Marymount University-Los Angeles.