A St. Mary’s Student Publication since 1925 • Vol. 98 Issue 9 • March 30, 2011 • STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

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As a result of political upheaval in West Africa and regions in the Middle East, gas prices have risen dramatically across the globe, affecting students, staff and faculty on campus.

A barrel of crude oil is currently trading at $103.71, and currently the average gas price recorded in San Antonio is $3.40, according to eia.doe.gov and sanantoniogasprices.com as of March 25.

Bill Day, the executive director of media relations at Valero Energy Corp., believes that uncertainty has led to higher crude oil prices.

“Crude oil prices have jumped because of market uncertainty related to turmoil in oil-producing nations in Africa and the Middle East,” said Day.

Ever since Egypt gained independence from President Hosni Mubarak on Feb. 11, Libyan citizens have been asking for the same type of ousting from their leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi. This has led to a civil war in Libya causing one of the world’s largest oil producers to halt oil production.

Economics professor Steve Nivin believes that supply issues are the main cause of the rise in gas prices, but the unrest in the Middle East caused the sudden spike.

“I think the gas prices have shot up mainly because of supply issues,” Nivin said. “It is hard for me to imagine it is a demand issue that really started to spike with all the unrest in the Middle East and Africa.”

An 8.9 earthquake erupted on March 11 in the Pacific Ocean near Japan that caused destruction that

has halted the country’s economic activity.

Adjunct geology professor David Turner asserts that even though Japan’s catastrophe decreased the price of a barrel of oil for a short period of time, the tsunami will have little short-term effect on future gas prices.

“If there is a belief that demand is going to go down, then the price will drop. That is exactly what happened,” Turner said. “Right after the tsunami struck, [the price] dropped about 10 percent, but now it has gone back up again.”

Like Turner, Nivin believes that the current 2011 surge in gas prices is different from the summer 2008 gas spike, which was the highest the nation has ever experienced.

“In 2008 it was more of a demand side issue,” he said. “You still had a lot of China and India that was experiencing strong growth.”

According to money.cnn.com, the highest price for a gallon of gas in 2008 was $4.11. The average price currently is $3.98, according to fuelgaugereport.aaa.com. Because gas prices are starting to resemble the same trends from the expensive 2008 summer, drivers are starting to change their habits.

Senior English and communication arts major Kayle Morris has noticed how the changes have affected her as a commuter.

“I have been subjected to the rise in gas prices and it has greatly impacted what I have been able to do outside of driving,” said Morris. “I plan on carpooling and not driving as much because I simply cannot afford how high the prices are.”

Like Morris, law student Nathan Begley has experienced the frustrations that go along with the rise in gas prices.

“When you’re single and on your own, a student living on loans, it’s a tough situation. You only have so much pie, and it can only be sliced so thin,” Begley said. “Anything that goes to gas has to be taken away from something else, be it entertainment, food or clothing.”

A 1971 alumnus who owns a gas station in Boerne explains how gas prices are usually out of the retailers’ jurisdiction.

“World events and gas prices on a day-to-day basis are far beyond our control and are something retailers and consumers can merely react to,” Flagstop Café owner Rawley Weber said. “We should, however, pay attention to long-term trends, like world-wide energy demand, particularly in developing countries, and try to plan accordingly.”

There is no way to predict when the unrest in the Middle East will dissipate, therefore there is no way to predict when and if the gas prices will fall, according to Nivin and Turner. However, individuals can utilize alternatives to adjust to the situation.

Stephen Andy Scheidt, a public information coordinator for the VIA metropolitan transit, helps San Antonio citizens with those alternatives. He recommends that citizens take advantage of

VIA’s cheap and environmentally friendly transportation.

“Ride the bus, if possible. Most of VIA’s buses run on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, an environmentally friendly fuel that helps to reduce air pollution and IPC USA has the current contract to supply VIA with this fuel,” said Scheidt. “Almost all of the diesel supplied by the company comes from Texas refineries.”

At the university level, many are preparing for a hot summer and are expecting to pay more at the pump. Turner is already planning ahead and prepares to ride his bicycle to work at the Southwest Research Institute.

“I rode my bike to work in 2008 one or two days a week,” Turner said. “That is what happens when price hits a certain pressure point; people will change their behaviors as well.”

Senior economics major Andrea Chavez pumps gas at a nearby Shell gas station after paying a hefty price. Photo by Fernando Armendariz

By Katherine Benavides, Austin W. Newton and Jessica ClarkNews Editor, Senior Staff Writer, Contributing Writer

Increase in gas prices affect community

Alumni return for another successful Homecoming Oyster Bake, which is commonly called “Baby Bake.” Look inside for photos. PAGE 8

“You only have so much pie, and it can only be sliced so thin.”

- Nathan BegleyLaw Student