Category: Featured
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Abbott’s age verification order spells Internet doom
Texas’ recent attempt to restrict access to pornography intrinsically fails to actually protect minors and legal consumers of porn while exposing them to new data risks. The Texas legislature passed HB 1181 June 2023 with the intent of limiting the access Texas citizens have to “sexual material harmful to minors on an Internet website” by…
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Gov. Abbott orders Texas universities to revise free speech policies to combat antisemitism
Gov. Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA44 on March 27, obligating higher education institutions in Texas — including UTD — to punish what he described as increasing antisemitism on college campuses linked to the Israel-Hamas war. To comply with the order, UTD must revise its free speech policies to address “the sharp rise in antisemitic…
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Gov. Greg Abbott visits UTD, announces Texas semiconductor committee
Gov. Greg Abbott announced new appointments to the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium’s Executive Committee on March 19 at UTD, which will include UTD Material Science and Engineering department head and professor Manuel Quevedo-Lopez and UTD President Emeritus David Daniel. Abbott was joined by Rep. Greg Bonnen of district 24, House Speaker Dade Phelan and Daniel…
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In the wake of death
In the past few weeks, you have probably heard about the deaths of fellow students and grappled with the shock at losing classmates and friends. We at The Mercury have felt the heaviness too, especially with one of the deaths confirmed to be a suicide. Students struggling with suicidal thoughts — know you are not…
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Who’s who in the SG Exec Race?
SPIRIT TICKET: Business administration junior Shashank Yalamanchi is running for Student Government President under the SPIRIT ticket. Currently the vice president of Chi Phi Fraternity, Yalamanchi said he believes his sociable personality qualifies him for the role. Business analytics sophomore Frydda Romero is running for vice president under the same ticket; as vice president of…
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Student government declares support for permanent ceasefire
S.R. 2023-12, addresses what is described as a humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to the “direct actions of the IDF.” The resolution supports a release of Israeli hostages in exchange for the permanent ceasefire, a rejection of dehumanizing language against Palestinians, a condemnation of both antisemitism and Islamophobia and a request that President Benson officially…
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Police confirm death of missing student Andrew Zhou Li
City of Richardson Police confirmed the death of political science sophomore Andrew Zhou Li, who has been missing since Feb. 24. According to a press release from Richardson PD, police officers found Li dead at 7:38 a.m. March 2. He was discovered underneath the elevated DART rail tracks in the 3200 block of Routh Creek…
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UTD student found dead in parking lot
Story update: March 4, 2024 On Monday, March 4, a report from the Dallas County Medical Examiner confirmed that the cause of death was suicide. Students who are in crisis can contact UTD Talk (972-883-8255), a 24/7 crisis counseling hotline, to speak to a mental health professional. The Student Counseling Center is available for appointments…
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The tragedy of the carts: skipping the corral puts us all in a cage of selfishness
Unreturned shopping carts in parking lots are society’s barometer for how much people care about others. And with a tiny bit of effort, you can make sure that barometer reads right and help workers, pedestrians and the whole community by putting your shopping cart where it belongs — in the corral. Picture this. It’s Friday…
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Protesters crash Nikki Haley rally
In Dallas, protesting Comets interrupt Haley’s speech, disrupt rally with criticism and condemnations Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley spoke at a Dallas rally; the event was disrupted five different times by pro-Palestine protestors who disguised themselves as Haley supporters on Feb. 18. “Nikki Haley chose a side – she chose genocide” During her campaign for…