Category: Opinion
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Art classes are vital to college experience
It’s a known fact that the arts are underrepresented at UTD, with the destruction of the Art Barn and the lack of real updates to the current arts buildings. However this lack of representation could lie in the student culture. We have a large population of students interested in STEM-related majors. This is what our…
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School shootings can’t be forgotten
With the recent shootings at Michigan State University and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School within the last two weeks, the national conversation about gun control is becoming prevalent. As shootings occur week after week with little time to reflect on their impacts, it’s time to consider the ease of access to guns in the United…
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Vicente Fox and his non-laudable inheritance
Last week, Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, visited UTD to give a talk about his book, “Let’s Move On: Beyond Fear & False Prophets.” An interesting title that fits perfectly with him: a false prophet, who criticizes the American president while he played the same position in Mexico without being any better. In…
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Black history is more than slavery, civil rights
During February, UTD and our nation as a whole take the time to celebrate black heritage and culture, yet they forget that black history is more than the slave trade and Civil Rights movement. Erasing the African roots of black heritage omits a large part of black identity and the modern-day traditions that came from…
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Student voices not heard in Testing Center decision
The Testing Center moved from its location in the library to Synergy Park North 2 in a unilateral move by administration without student comment. Located next to Northside, SP/N2 is a 20-minute walk from the library. Because of a lack of communication from the administration, students don’t know how much the move, renovation and new…
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Students should read books more often
Reading is one of the most important skills to have and develop in life. However, people don’t seem to be reading for fun as much as they could be and this needs to be changed. Along with the obvious benefits that come with reading for pleasure, such as increased intelligence and open-mindedness, it can also…
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Recent student deaths are our wake up call
By now you’ve probably heard: Two of our fellow students died this past week. Within that time, there has been a spike in student activity on social media and Reddit and students have even come to The Mercury in person for answers and what was going on after we discovered the first death was a…
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Trump is America’s wake-up call
As the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration recently passed, media platforms from Fox News to TIME magazine have reviewed Trump’s time in office and debated what, if anything, he has done to benefit the nation in the last year. While considering this question, I am confronted, almost immediately, with an answer: Donald Trump…
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Students turn blind eye to tragedy
A recent viral video showing a Libyan slave market auctioning African refugees led to international outrage, but was met with silence at UTD. Student organizations have mobilized to help Syrian refugees in the past, so their inaction during this crisis is both unwarranted and unacceptable. Muslim Student Associations at several Texas schools, including UTD, made…
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Rape survivors need support, understanding from community
Editor’s note: This op-ed author’s name has been changed to protect her identity. I thought my freshman year of college was supposed to be the most exciting year. I was in a new city, meeting amazing friends and taking classes I wanted to take. I couldn’t have been more wrong, however: about halfway through first…