Kara Ramer, Staff Illustrator

Students are pushing toward the peak of the college summit with finals on the horizon, but remember to study hard and tough it out to close the spring semester strong.

Bobcats only have a few weeks left in their classes until textbooks will be shoved aside and tubing will make its official debut across San Marcos. The editorial board would like to give students one last piece of motivation before finals and offer advice to those who will be moving on to the professional world.

Texas and San Marcos officials alike should work toward preserving freedoms of residents by rejecting policies that unduly regulate personal and fiscal issues.

“Freedom in the 50 States” is a study published March 28 by the George Mason University’s Mercatus Center that focuses on how well states observe personal, fiscal and regulatory freedoms. The study was co-authored by William Ruger, assistant professor of political science at Texas State, and is available at freedominthe50states.org.

“We’re measuring a moral concept,” Ruger said regarding the study.

In anticipation of the summer months and the prospect of some downtime, students should step outside their comfort zones and try something new in San Marcos.

It is not easy, but if it is possible, students should try to live within the boundaries of Sessom Drive, MLK Drive, University Drive and Ranch Road. It is a great experience to live in the heart of the university and the downtown area. It is invigorating for students to have a bank, a grocery store, the university, a favorite bar and an apartment all within about a one mile walking distance. If students are from Houston, Dallas or San Antonio, that is an experience that is difficult to come by. Having a pool at an apartment complex is nice, but having the San Marcos headwaters within walking distance is more decadent.

Illustration by Grace Perkins

The generosity and support of alumni is crucial to an institution’s success, but a major culture shift will have to happen at Texas State before graduates feel the need to give back to the university.

According to an April 18 University Star article, the Alumni Association is putting together a strategic master plan to outline ways to strengthen ties with Texas State graduates. Kim Gannon, alumni executive director, said the plan aims to improve engagement by creating and building strong connections in order to instill a desire to give back to Texas State.

When choosing Texas State University, everything from academic programs to cost of tuition to location comes into play. But what makes this university stand out among the rest is the river running alongside campus. The most prominent river activity that has always been enjoyed by Bobcats is tubing. The City of San Marcos even has it on the front of its visitors guide as one of the primary tourist activities in San Marcos.

Rumors have been circulating about a new competitor, called the Cool River Ranch Project, entering the tubing industry in the San Marcos area. Controversy soon followed, questioning whether this new business will be detrimental to the river and community.

The future of higher education at public universities like Texas State should model systems in place across the world by working to become free for students and subsidized by the American government.

Several students across the world can attend public universities without having to pay a single dime. The rising cost of tuition is a challenge faced by legislators and students across the state. Students who are looking to study at Texas State are not able to afford anything close to what a degree costs on their own. The excessive costs associated with attaining higher education are unnecessary, especially when the average student cannot be expected to have an endless flow of funds.

With the interest of catering to students involved in intramural activities, university officials should work to expand accessibility hours and increase the number of athletic fields on campus.

Texas State students often complain there simply are not enough intramural fields to accommodate the growing university population. According to the Department of Campus Recreation website, there are five Texas State fields available for students to use for intramural or other athletic activities. Students are required to make prior reservations and get permission from the department before using most of the fields.

According to the same website, there are 17 different types of team sports Texas State students can participate in during the fall and spring semesters. University officials should consider building more athletic fields to prevent over-crowding and allow more practice time as more students join intramural activities.

After the tragedies that struck the country last week, students have made the right move by decorously and selflessly looking to aid those who have been affected.

Many Texas State student organizations have found charitable causes and fundraisers to support in response to the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing and the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. The bombing resulted in the deaths of three people and injured more than 200 others, according to an April 22 ABC News article. The West explosion resulted in 14 fatalities, approximately 200 injuries and ruined or outright destroyed several homes, buildings and offices, according to an April 22 Huffington Post article.

Last week’s bombing incident at the Boston Marathon and the related shooting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology should not shake students’ faith in the strength of their country.

Many news outlets, including The Huffington Post, CNN and Time Magazine, have all compared the bombing at the Boston Marathon to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in some way. Although the horror in Boston did not come close to the tragedy that day, images of the carnage and bloodshed littering Boylston Street April 15 continue to flood the media. Experiencing the terror in Boston firsthand was one of the most jarring events of my young life. 

While many students may use Bobcat Bobbies to receive a safe escort or to score a free ride, the system is not providing as much security as it could beyond campus borders.

Bobcat Bobbies is a group that provides a safe escort via golf carts for students traversing across campus at night. Many students may believe the system is there to provide free rides solely, although the purpose of the Bobbies is to promote safety and allow students to feel safe at night. According to an April 17 University Star article, many calls made to Bobcat Bobbies are for rides to Jones Dining Hall. Students may be abusing the safety system to avoid a hike, since Jones is placed at the top of a steep hill. Although this behavior is somewhat understandable, it should not be encouraged. The Bobbies are already busy enough as it is without extra calls coming in from people who simply do not want to walk somewhere.