Talk Back: Responses to our July | August Issue

By Alcalde Staff in Letters, Sept | Oct 2014 on August 26, 2014 at 2:51 pm | No Comments

At the Alcalde, we welcome all thoughts about our coverage of the university at comments@alumni.utexas.edu.

Fracked

Charles A. Goebel, BS ’80, Life Member, appreciated the way our cover story on the hydraulic fracturing boom gave readers a look at both sides of the issue. “Thanks for presenting a reasonable article based on the historical, technical, and economic facts and basis for the latest ‘boom,’” he said. “This is the kind of information people need, rather than emotional ‘us vs. them’ arguments that accomplish nothing.”

On Facebook, the article drew strong opinions from anti-frackers and anti-anti-frackers. Dave Cannon, BS ’03, wasn’t at all surprised: “I work as a geologist in the industry and could show overwhelming proof that we do not hydraulically communicate with groundwater. But what’s the use? The comments section is usually filled with people who have already made up their minds. So instead, here is a picture of a cat.”

 

A Voice for Migrant Students

Our profile of Luz Hinojosa, MPAff ’10, the coordinator of UT’s Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program, got a lot of positive attention. Hinojosa seemed inspired by the show of support. “I am proud of the work my team and I do because we are furthering the university’s mission. I leave you with Cesar Chavez’s words: ‘Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.’”

Party Partial

Tom Granger, BA ’72, MBA ’77, Life Member, applauded Wallace Jefferson’s crusade to reform the judicial selection process in Texas. “Some years ago several former chief justices pushed a similar effort which unfortunately failed … I sincerely hope that Wallace will have greater success both in educating the public and in convincing the legislature that Texas will be better served by nonpartisan judges.”

Dell Med School Kicks Off Construction

Jon Hornaday, BJ ’58, Life Member, was sad to see that UT’s Centennial Park will be a casualty of the new medical school. “This delightful little park, dedicated in 1983 as a gift to UT on its 100th birthday, [has become] a disposable item, including its granite time capsule (which was to be opened in 2083) … It is disappointing that the architects and the Board of Regents couldn’t come up with a plan to at least preserve primary elements of this park, to be enjoyed by those who will be working at and visiting the medical school.”

Find the Albino Squirrel

Congratulations to Elvia Garrido Trautman, BBA ’90, Life Member, and her son, who spotted the little guy reclining on a bookshelf on p. 33. Elvia, your prize is in the mail.

Remember, the squirrel is hiding somewhere in the pages of each issue. Email his location to comments@alumni.utexas.edu and you could get all the glory.

Tags: comments, letters, letters to the editor, September | October 2014, talk back