Ongoing and new construction projects may force students to find an alternative rout to class.

Michael Petty, assistant director in facilities and planning, said some projects have been completed recently, but more will begin in the coming months.

The criminal justice department will begin to see advancements in students, faculty and staff because of the addition of a doctoral program in the College of Applied Arts. The board of higher education approved the doctoral program in July. One month later students were enrolled.

Fans of the Texas State radio station, KTSW, may have a clearer advantage in the coming months thanks to a new purchase.

The university bought the station a $285,000 radio tower in order to broadcast a clearer signal to areas of San Marcos, said Dan Schumacher, KTSW general manager. He said one of the main objectives of buying the tower was to guarantee KTSW’s future existence.

“It’s like everything else,” he said. “If you rent an apartment you are still at the will of your landlord.”

Texas State is one of many institutions in the United States not participating in a new financial aid program for veterans.

The Yellow Ribbon Program assists veterans looking to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree and extended the provisions of the post-Sept. 11 G.I. Bill, which allows schools to apply for more financial aid.

Requirements include the institutions’ willingness to work with Veteran Affairs to fund the highest public-in-state undergraduate tuition rates.

Nihal Dharmasiri, assistant professor in the biology department is a recent recipient of the career development award from the National Science Foundation.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allotted $550,000 for five years to Dharmasiris’s research in plant growth and development. This is the third career award received in Texas States history and is the first career award given within the biology department.

“It is a lot of money and it shows us they are recognizing our work,” Nihal Dharmasiri said.

Texas State may be looking at new faculty and improved campus buildings in coming semesters from increased general revenue from the Texas Legislature.

The school received a 5.1 percent increase in General Revenue appropriation for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, which is the highest increase Texas State has received since 2003 according to Bill Nance, vice president for finance and support services.

The bill to allow concealed carry on campus is effectively dead despite overwhelming support from Texas legislators.

“The bill is dead,” said Michael Guzman, students for Concealed Carry on Campus national president. “(Democrats) are filibustering in lemans terms. To block the voter identification bill Democrats are filibustering. They are using how short the session is to knock out their bills and all the bills behind it.”

The San Marcos Lions Club caught on fire Monday morning. Karl Kuhlman, San Marcos Fire Rescue division chief, said the fire department was paged at 5:20 a.m.

“The details on that call, they couldn’t really pinpoint where the fire was exactly so there were some problems with dispatch getting the correct location,” Kuhlman said. “They paged out the fire department at 5:20 a.m. and our guys were on scene at 5:21 a.m. with heavy fires showing from the building.”

Fire Marshall Kenneth Bell said 27 fire fighters were on scene.

Fire broke out at the San Marcos Lions Club Monday morning. Karl Kuhlman, San Marcos Fire Rescue division chief, said the fire department was paged at 5:20 a.m.

“The details on that call, they couldn’t really pinpoint where the fire was exactly so there were some problems with dispatch getting the correct location,” Kuhlman said. “They paged out the fire department at 5:20 a.m. and our guys were on scene at 5:21 a.m. with heavy fires showing from the building.”

Fire Marshall Kenneth Bell said 27 fire fighters were on scene.

The problem with STIs on campuses has caused uproar among institutions’ administrations, according to Student Health Center officials.

Karen Gordon-Sosby, assistant director of the Student Health Center, said more students are coming back with positive tests for STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV than before.

The Student Health Center offers treatment for removal of HPV warts, antibiotics for Chlamydia and provides antiviral medication for herpes.
Gordon-Sosby said there are still sexually active students who do not get tested.