Category: Opinion
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Don’t confuse holiday consumerism with a ‘giving spirit’
With the holiday season officially underway, sales from every store imaginable have begun to roll out without the slightest hint of stopping, turning a time meant for charity into a season of unnecessary spending. Whether it be minimizing your purchases this sale season or donating to charities with the money you would have spent, students…
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Bring our rocks back!
“Censorship.” “Cowardly.” “Bring our rocks back.” These were the sentiments expressed by students the morning of Nov. 20, when UTD administration removed the Spirit Rocks from campus. Admin claimed the rocks were never intended for “extended political discourse,” like the month long back-and-forth between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups before their removal. But this argument is…
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Abbott’s failures unmask the facade of “school choice”
School voucher programs siphon money away from public education, and UTD could become collateral damage The Texas Legislature’s fourth special session is underway, with the House committee advancing the school voucher bill after the previous special session saw stalemate on the issue. Despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s relentless crusading, the legislature’s hesitance to pursue voucher programs…
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Red Light: UTD Sexual Harassment Policies Threaten Comets’ Liberties
UTD should amend its Student Grievances policy to match the definition of sexual harassment in its Sexual Misconduct Policy. While firm anti-harassment policies are important and necessary, inconsistent and extrajudicial definitions of sexual harassment threaten students’ constitutional right to free speech. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting free speech…
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Antisocial Campus? Try Sports
Embracing sports culture at UTD will bring Comets together and invigorate campus UTD’s lack of a sports culture is a direct culprit for the school’s lack of a social scene. Luckily, this is something Comets can easily change by stepping outside their comfort zone and giving sports a try. It’s no secret UTD has a…
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Homecoming crowning a win for LGBT+ Comets
In a true embodiment of a comet, the UTD student body has fabulously soared above the standards of the Texas government by electing Margaret Belford and Cristy Lopez Aguilar as homecoming King and Queen respectively. This comes in the wake of the 88th legislative session of the Texas legislature which began on January 10. During…
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‘Disappointed to be a UTD student’: Benson’s Israel-Hamas statement disrespects grieving Comets
Not only does UTD president Richard Benson’s latest message about the Israel-Hamas war disrespect grieving students, it successfully alienates students with ties to Palestine at a time where Palestinian civilians are suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the Middle East, tensions between local groups are heightening and violent hate crimes are on the…
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Subreddit drama endangers students
At the end of the spring 2023 semester, UTD subreddit moderators clashed, causing the removal of one of its most helpful moderators, u/WillieCubed. With r/utdallas now unsafe to use, students should pay attention to the unresolved subreddit moderation issue. r/utdallas is the largest unofficial community for UTD, boasting over 25,000 members and being in the…