If ever there were a reliable bridge between the university and the city, it was Councilwoman Kim Porterfield, Place 1.

Porterfield, who recently announced she would not be running again for city council after her term expires this November, has been a vital link between the university and the city for six years. She has spearheaded initiatives with positive effects. Both entities were impacted especially by her work with the city’s Comprehensive Master Plan. Porterfield will continue serving students through her Texas State position as director for community relations and will devote more time to the Youth Master Plan, according to an April 9 University Star article.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s proposed plans for attack on the City of Austin will likely not be actualized, but the reasons behind the specific target warrant some questioning and discussion.

A photo released almost two weeks ago by North Korean state media officials showed Kim working on plans for potential American mainland attacks. The map present in the picture, provided by NK News, appears to display possible targets in places such as Washington, D.C., Hawaii, San Diego and Austin. As irrational as it seems, Kim is supposedly planning to attack the city about 30 miles northeast of the Texas State campus, a seemingly nonsensical target. What could Austin possibly possess to make it seem like an important target for North Korean leaders?

The state of Texas offers a variety of veteran benefits programs to students, but legislators must consider expanding coverage of the Hazlewood Act to serve a greater population.

One of the largest veterans benefit programs offered by the state of Texas is the Hazlewood Act. It provides veterans, spouses and children the opportunity to attend an eligible Texas educational institution with up to 150 hours of exempt tuition and a considerable amount of additional fees covered. This act is greatly beneficial for the education and financial future of many students who have parents that are veterans.

Students can finally spend their money and time taking more pertinent university classes when the physical fitness and wellness requirements are knocked out of the general core curriculum beginning fall 2014.

In life, sometimes it seems the second a student moves up in a grade, graduates or leaves an entity entirely, the atmosphere changes. Some of the most frustrating rules and regulations a student was required to obey suddenly become a thing of the past. This type of phenomena is about to hit home with many upperclassmen who will see the PFW culture shift happen before their eyes at Texas State. Any upperclassman enrolled in fall 2014 will still have to fulfill two PFW class requirements, while incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to sit on the sidelines and opt out.

Studying abroad is a special opportunity some will only get the chance to experience during college, so more students should travel with the Texas State programs to further enrich their education.

The experience of studying abroad is invaluable, helping participants become more confident, independent and culturally aware. Students can foster a larger perspective on global issues and cultures by spending time in another country. Plus, participation in a study abroad program looks great on any resume, and the foreign language skills potentially gained while traveling are vital to the country’s increasingly global workforce.

In order to promote a constructive discourse on religion, Texas State students and organizations need to display civility toward others who may not share a similar outlook on faith.

The 32 active religious organizations listed on Texas State’s Student Organizations Council website include Christian, Jewish, Muslim and pagan theologies. None of the religious organizations’ websites linked through the Student Organization Council webpage explicitly express contempt for those who do not share a common way of thinking. The websites are in sync with the council’s relationship statement that says it seeks “to nurture sensitivity, tolerance and mutual respect.”

The newly elected Associated Student Government president and vice president are in the perfect positions to help implement and carry out rational initiatives for the betterment of students, faculty and staff members.

Texas State is in a precarious position. The university is amid a race to tier one status, which could be the key to improving Texas State’s image and shedding its reputation as a regional, commuter school. However, with each stride the university makes toward the finish line, poor decisions and planning hold back Texas State on its dash to prestige.

The San Marcos roadways could be a lot safer if city officials made improvements to sidewalks and bicycle lanes, increased police presence and helped to create a better culture of transportation awareness.

It is no surprise many residents and students are dissatisfied with the horrendous conditions of some roads and bicycle lanes in the city. While it is true city officials have taken measures to improve some roadway features, major work still needs to be done in other areas. Many complain bicycle lanes are either too unsafe to use or nonexistent in certain parts around town, and these issues pose serious threats to pedestrians, bicycle riders and motorists.

Although honor societies can offer significant ways to boost campus involvement, students should make sure these organizations are a good fit for their schedules and pocketbooks before joining and paying dues.

Some students may find their BobcatMail inboxes stuffed to the brim with invitations for various honor societies. These emails usually advertise numerous networking, community service and scholarship opportunities for interested students—at a price. Honor societies may be genuinely rewarding for those who seek to become deeply involved. However, these organizations are relatively useless for students who simply join, do not get involved and then list the group on their resumes each year. Employers may be more impressed with students who have experience through leadership positions or community service hours within an honor society than those who simply list membership only.

In the interest of student safety and operational efficiency, transportation services officials should be commended for their plans to reroute buses beginning April 8 away from Sessom Drive to Woods Street.

Some of the trams will be rerouted for the next two weeks to avoid increased construction on Sessom Drive, according to a March 28 University Star article. The Post Road, Mill Street, Wonder World and interurban tram routes will drop students off at the new terminal on Woods Street. In addition, the Blanco River, Aquarena Springs and Bobcat Stadium routes will temporarily disembark at Beretta Hall. However, students on the LBJ and Ranch Road routes will continue to be dropped off at The Quad bus loop.