thebattalion
this day in
U.S.
history Jan. 29, 1919 The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Prohibition Amendment) was ratified. For nearly 14 years, until Dec. 5, 1933, the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages was illegal in the United States. The Amendment had the unexpected result of causing enormous growth of organized crime which provided bootleg liquor to thirsty Americans.
● friday,
january 29, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
A&M tuition costs may rise What you can do
Texas puts pressure on schools to meet budgets Robert Carpenter The Battalion President-elect Loftin sought feedback regarding tuition and fee increases in an open forum Thursday. Loftin said the forum was held largely because the University is facing a multimillion dollar deficit for the next fiscal year’s budget. “[The University has] a 17.1 million shortfall to deal with, and we are looking to try to offset some of that by increasing tuition,” Loftin said.
Previously, Mike McKinney, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, set a ceiling on year-to-year tuition increases at 4 percent. Loftin said that this restriction prohibits tuition increases from matching the shortfall on their own. “A 1 percent increase in tuition yields $1.3 million for the University. [So] 4 percent will not get us anywhere close to offsetting, by tuition alone, our revenue shortfall,” Loftin said. During the forum, four possible tuition increases ranging from 0 to 3.95 percent were
announced. Students will also shoulder a 2.15 percent increase in mandatory fees starting in the fall. In total, student costs will increase between $30 and $105 per semester, depending on the size of the tuition increase. Braden Deckard, a senior mechanical engineering major, voiced concerns over the impact of increased costs on students’ families. “Why is there no concern for salary cuts coming from the top?” Deckard said. “With
Loftin encouraged students to e-mail suggestions and concerns to him at president@ tamu.edu, and to address the Board of Regents when they vote on the increase in May.
See Tuition on page 4
More cold days to come
thebatt.com
Swim meet preview The up coming swim meet at SMU proves to be a yearly opponent, not to mention long-standing rivalry, for the A&M team. Find out all about it online.
Ann Littmann The Battalion Ready to pack away your Snuggies and winter clothes after this abnormally cold winter? Well, you’d better have jackets and scarves at the ready because Department of Atmospheric Sciences research associate Brent McRoberts said he thinks we are in for more cold and rain for the next few months. Texas is experiencing the lowest temperatures in decades due to a culmination of several factors, McRoberts said. “Normally, the cold air moderates some as it moves south, but this one originated from polar latitudes with the temperature in northern Canada now minus degrees and lower,” McRoberts said. However, this cold snap differs from last year’s short-lived freeze warning.
coming monday
Rebuilding history Texas A&M’s Nautical Archaeology department is reconstructing the past between Texas and Oklahoma one dive at a time.
b!
See Cold weather on page 5
trends
Fairy tales come to life MSC OPAS’ “A Cinderella Story” is certain to not be the same tale heard back in the toddler days. Let’s just say, happily ever after has an alternate ending.
Photo illustration by Nicholas Badger — THE BATTALION
sports
Recaps of sports galore Men’s and women’s basketball, swimming, track and field and tennis recaps to appear on Monday. Every sports update you want, and more.
voices
Terrorist psyche What mental challenges must a person one confront, and then defeat, in order to become a terrorist? Must they change their morals, their beliefs or maybe even their hairstyle?
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Courtesy photos
Dr. Tom Rivers performed several surgeries for Haiti earthquake victims in the aftermath of the devastation.
Overcoming the overwhelming A&M graduate uses skills to aid Haiti victims Brandi Tevebaugh The Battalion Dr. Tom Rivers, class of 1992, called his mother Jan. 16 to tell her that in a couple of hours he would know if he would be leaving for Haiti the next day. Within the next few hours, he knew. The next day Rivers joined The Greene Team and was on his way to the Dominican Republic, just five days after the magnitude 7 earthquake devastated the area. The opportunity was presented to Rivers through one of his partners, Dr. Michael Kent, at the Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic.
“Dr. Kent got a phone call from Dr. Greene and invited Dr. Rivers to go with him. Within 24 hours, they left,” said Cheryl Howard, an employee of Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic. The Greene Team, headed by Dr. Craig Greene of Louisiana, initially consisted of four doctors, but the project has since grown. The third team of doctors is in the Dominican Republic, and the first two teams, including Rivers’ team, have returned home. “I think he just felt like he could give See Haiti Doctor on page 5
Man held at gunpoint A man was robbed at gunpoint Thursday, while waiting at a bus stop in College Station. The suspect took the victim’s money and jewelry, but left the victim uninjured. The incident occurred at the intersection of Dominik and Merry Oaks drives. The suspect escaped on foot in the direction of Texas Avenue. College Station police said the suspect remains at large. “It makes me concerned for the welfare of people who ride the bus,” said Eric Kuusisto, a junior civil engineering major. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 20’s, of medium build, about 5 feet, 4 inches. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans. Any additional sightings should be reported to the police at (979) 764-3600. Rebecca Bennett, staff writer
1/28/10 9:24 PM
Y L L U F PED P I U Q E
Last day to apply for degrees
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Tree sale Watch at Holistic stars at open house Garden
The application deadline to apply for a degree to be awarded in May is 5 p.m. today. Degree candidates can apply by logging in to the Howdy portal and submitting an application under the degree evaluation channel.
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The Department of Physics & Astronomy at Texas A&M University will have free Observatory Open House at the campus observatory from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. today.
The Holistic Teaching Garden will have a fruit tree sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the northwest corner of Lot 74 where they will be selling a variety of fruit trees as well as herbs such as basil varieties, mint varieties and more.
Saturday partly cloudy high: 47 low: 30 Sunday mostly sunny high: 52 low: 37 Monday showers likely high: 57 low: 47
Today 80% chance of rain High: 49 | Low: 32 courtesy of NOAA
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thebattalion 01.29.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline
‘Catcher in the Rye’ author Salinger dies rth Fou Annual
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thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893
Amanda Casanova, Editor in Chief Ian McPhail, Opinion Editor Jill Beathard, Managing Editor Matt Woolbright, Asst. Managing Editor Evan Andrews, Graphics Chief Megan Ryan, Video/Photo Chief Megan Keyho, Features Editor David Harris, Sports Editor THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classified advertising, call 979-8450569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979845-2613.
NEW YORK — J.D. Salinger, the legendary author, youth hero and fugitive from fame whose “The Catcher in the Rye” shocked and inspired a world he increasingly shunned, has died. He was 91. Salinger died of natural causes at his home Wednesday, the author’s son, actor Matt Salinger, said in a statement from Salinger’s longtime literary representative, Harold Ober Associates Inc. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in a small, remote house in Cornish, N.H. “The Catcher in the Rye,” with its immortal teenage protagonist, the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield, came out in 1951, a time of anxious, Cold War conformity and the dawn of modern adolescence. The Bookof-the-Month Club, which made “Catcher” a featured selection, advised that for “anyone who has ever brought up a son” the novel will be “a source of wonder and delight — and concern.” Enraged by all the “phonies” who make “me so depressed I go crazy,” Holden soon became American literature’s most famous anti-hero since Huckleberry Finn. The novel’s sales are astonishing — more than 60 million copies worldwide — and its impact incalculable. Decades after publication, the book remains a defining expression of that most American of dreams: to never grow up.
Salinger was writing for adults, but teenagers from all over identified with the novel’s themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy, not to mention the luck of having the last word. “Catcher” presents the world as an ever-so-unfair struggle between the goodness of young people and the corruption of elders, a message that only intensified with the oncoming generation gap. Novels from Evan Hunter’s “The Blackboard Jungle” to Curtis Sittenfeld’s “Prep,” movies from “Rebel Without a Cause” to “The Breakfast Club,” and countless rock ‘n’ roll songs echoed Salinger’s message of kids under siege. One of the great anti-heroes of the 1960s, Benjamin Braddock of “The Graduate,” was but a blander version of Salinger’s narrator. “‘Catcher in the Rye’ made a very powerful and surprising impression on me,” said Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon, who read the book, as so many did, when he was in middle school. “Part of it was the fact that our seventh-grade teacher was actually letting us read such a book. But mostly it was because ‘Catcher’ had such a recognizable authenticity in the voice that even in 1977 or so, when I read it, felt surprising and rare in literature.” Associated Press
Where on campus?
Nicholas Badger — THE BATTALION
Think you know every nook and cranny at Texas A&M? The first person to get the answer correct will have their names published. Send your response with your name, class and major at photo@thebatt.com
Pentagon looks at lifting gay ban WASHINGTON — The Defense Department next week will propose for the first time a “way forward” on lifting the military’s ban on gays from serving openly, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Thursday. President Barack Obama has vowed to work with Congress to repeal the 1993 law, but Democrats have been waiting to hear from the military on how it could be done. In special hourlong testimony Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen will outline steps the military will take to lessen the impact on a force fighting two wars and inform Congress on how it could be done.“The secretary and the chairman have and will continue to work on an implementation plan, and we’ll be able to share (details) with you early next week,” Morrell said.
Fed chief Bernanke wins 2nd term
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Copies of J.D. Salinger’s classic novel “The Catcher in the Rye” as well as his volume of short stories called “Nine Stories” are seen at the Orange Public Library in Orange Village, Ohio on Thursday.
CAMP DAY
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WASHINGTON — Embattled Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke won confirmation for a second term Thursday, but only by the closest vote ever for the crucial post and after withering criticism from lawmakers for bailing out Wall Street while other Americans suffered in recession. The Senate confirmed Bernanke for a new four-year term by a 70-30 vote, a seemingly solid majority but 14 votes worse than the closest previous vote for a Fed chairman. Associated Press
howtoapply
Ma
Tuesday, February 2 9:30 am - 3:30 pm Sbisa Dining Hall Quiet Room Camps will be Interviewing for Summer Counselors & Staff Sponsored by: the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, the Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Club, AgriLife Extension and the TAMU Career Center
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If you are interested in writing or contributing content in The Battalion apply at thebatt. com, or call 845-3313. The Battalion welcomes any Texas A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.
corrections The Battalion welcomes readers’ comments about published information that may require correction. We will pursue your concern to determine whether a correction needs to be published. Please e-mail at editor@ thebatt.com.
Additional opportunities at the Career Fair on February 15, 2010 to be held in Exhibit Hall. Watch the Batt for more details.
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1/28/10 8:06 PM
sports thebattalion 1.29.2010 page3
Rewriting record books Austin Krajicek is on his way to living in Aggie lore By Michael Sullivan | The Battalion
Jonny Green— THE BATTALION
Not many athletes get a stadium or court named after them. Even fewer athletes get this prestigious recognition while still competing for their team. However, walk out to George P. Mitchell Tennis Center and on court 2 you will find junior Austin Krajicek’s name. The honor is well-deserved for the 6’1” junior, who in just two years at A&M has placed his stamp on the men’s tennis record books as a two-time All American and one of two players in school history to advance to the NCAA Doubles semifinals. Although he is just 19, Krajicek has played in the U.S. Open, served on the practice squad of the U.S. Davis Cup team, and is ranked No. 921 in the world for singles. Lucky for the Aggies, Krajicek said he feels there is no rush to enter the professional world and wants to continue his career at A&M. “It has always been a goal of mine to play pro tennis,” Krajicek said. “I am a young guy, still 19 and only a junior, so there is no reason for me to rush into pro
tennis. I will still have a lot of time to play after college tennis.” Krajicek was born and raised in Brandon, Fla., near the heart of Gator Nation. Tabbed as the No. 1 singles player in the state of Florida, No. 32 in the world junior rankings, and No. 7 college tennis prospect in the country by Tennis Recruiting Network, it is a wonder that A&M was able to grab Krajicek away from the nationally prominent University of Florida tennis team. But Krajicek fell in love with the coaches and atmosphere Aggieland had to offer. “It was a tough decision for me because I have been a Gators fan my whole life,” Krajicek said. “I really like the coaches a lot and we have one of the better coaching staffs in the country. I just kind of fell in love with the atmosphere here and I really liked the city because it is a college town.” Not only is Krajicek helping the Aggies by winning matches on the court, but he is helping to attract other tennis players to Aggieland. Jeff Dadamo, a fellow Florida native that grew up with Krajicek, spent two years
with Florida before transferring to A&M in the fall. In the fall season, Krajicek and Dadamo — both lefties — teamed up as a doubles tandem and advanced to the ITA National Indoor Semi-Finals. “I think Jeff came because he saw I was improving and wanted the same,” Krajicek said. “I have known Jeff since I was seven or eight. He wanted to play pro tennis as well and Coach Denton and McKinley are great for that.” As the Aggies enter the 2010 season, Krajicek is the most likely candidate to fill the No. 1 single position left vacant by Conor Pollock. The only dilemma is whether to move Krajicek’s court with him to court 1 where he will play No. 1 singles for the Aggies. “I was hoping they would move my name over and bump Conor down,” Krajicek said jokingly. “We have three really good guys this year, so I think we will have a really flexible line-up. Wherever they put me I want to play my best and try to win matches.”
Why Aggie basketball fans need not panic...yet
C
all me crazy, but I feel like the only way to properly analyze the state of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie men’s basketball team is with the help of Chris Martin. In Coldplay’s song, “Warning Sign,” Martin sings, “A warning sign, I miss the good part, then I realized. I started looking and the bubble burst…” First, let me answer the obvious question running through your head. Yes, I listen to and enjoy a little Coldplay every now and again (cue the judgments). Secondly, we as a fan base need to take a collective deep breath. Everybody, with me. 1, 2, 3, inhale and … exhale. Ah … Didn’t that feel better? Following Wednesday night’s 76-69 loss on the road in Stillwater, the popular consensus seems to be that this team should be relegated to second-tier status and is bound for the NIT. But, let’s all hold our horses and be patient. At 14-6 and 3-3 in Big 12 play, make no mistake about it, A&M is very much on the dreaded bubble. But, seriously, where were we expecting them to be?
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David Harris The warning signs that are present are also plentiful. Need I remind you they lost three of their five most important players — Josh Carter, Chinemelu Elonu and Derrick Roland — from last season’s team that finished only 9-7 in conference play. They’re very small inside. They don’t have much length on the perimeter after the loss of Roland. And, their outside shooting (last in the Big 12 with 22 percent 3-point shooting during conference play) is a lot like my success rate in picking up girls at Northgate: sometimes hot, but mostly cold. Very cold. So, you see, there are some major flaws and limitations when it comes to this squad. And those deficiencies are especially hard to over-
come in, what many consider, the most difficult Big 12). conference in the country. Yet somehow this They have a legitimate, go-to scorer in team, because of a successful out of conference Donald Sloan who has broken out in his senior schedule, is five wins away from going dancing season. Sloan, averaging 19. 3 points per game for the fifth time in a row. in conference play, can get to the basket at will And that fact alone is why you need not and has drastically improved his mid-range game abandon the maroon and white. But if you need and free-throw shooting. more in order to instill some confidence, But, most importantly, they’ve been know that this team has a lot going there. Don’t discount the fact that Despite its for it. this team has legitimately been on limitations, They have a great coach who, the NCAA bubble three of the last A&M is five time and time again, presents a four years. And in all those cases, product that claws tooth and nail those teams were able to put on wins away from for everything they get. That, their dancing shoes. a berth in the along with Bryan Davis letting out So, Ags, in closing, I leave you NCAA tourney. monstrous screams every game, has with another Coldplay tune. “Don’t become something you can rely on. Panic.” Yet. Go out to Reed tomorDespite the loss of the best defensive row night and support the guys against player in the conference, they’ll still play hardTech. Because, right now, we’re playing with nosed, man-to-man defense that forces turnhouse money. Enjoy it. Enjoy the ride. A ride overs and tough shots. that, unlike Martin sang, hopefully won’t see a They possess a sophomore point guard, Dash bubble burst. Harris, who is beginning to harness his athleticism and play up to his capabilities (see his 2.7 David Harris is a junior economics major and assist-to-turnover ratio, good for fourth in the sports editor.
1/28/10 7:53 PM
news
page 4 friday 1.29.2010
thebattalion
Continued from page 1
middle-income families struggling to pay tuition from semester to semester, I feel that no more than a 1 percent increase in tuition should be raised.” The forum came two weeks after Gov. Rick Perry requested state agencies to identify savings opportunities constituting 5 percent of each agency’s general revenue. Loftin said this pressure from the state is making budgeting decisions difficult for the University. “We are struggling right now to make sure that the 5 percent planned reduction is not going to hurt the students,” Loftin said. “But I don’t
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want to discourage the faculty and staff here [through paycuts], or send the message that if you come here, we are going to whittle away at what we’ve promLoftin ised to pay you.” Loftin gave several examples of situations the University is seeking to avoid. He specifically mentioned fewer class offerings, larger class sizes, poor facility maintenance and a decrease in the quality of class instructors as negative possibilities. The forum also came just three weeks after the A&M system announced its Shared Services Initiative. The initiative identified over $15 million in potential savings.
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Texas soldier arrested in highway drug case
B.J. Crain, Chief Business Officer for the system, said most of these savings will not contribute to the University’s 5 percent expenditure reduction. “Some of the recommendations are going to take a while [to implement],” Crain said. “So we probably won’t be able to use a significant portion of the $16.7 million towards this 5 percent cut.” Several steps remain in the tuition increase decision process, which will not be finalized until May.
EL PASO, Texas — A 27-year-old Fort Bliss soldier has been arrested after border agents say they found nearly 200 pounds of marijuana in his car at a highway checkpoint. Fort Bliss spokeswoman Jean Offutt says Sgt. Octavio Hernandez was arrested Wednesday night at the U.S. Border
Patrol’s Sierra Blanca checkpoint, about 90 miles east of El Paso. Border Patrol officials say Hernandez, whom they didn’t identify by name, was arrested after agents found 196 pounds of marijuana in the vehicle in which he, his wife and his children were traveling. It’s unclear what charges he may face, but the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating. Associated Press
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Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (Brazos Valley) Driver (Part-time position). Driver will transport blood from various donor sites to Component Laboratory and conduct the delivery of blood components to designated locations while maintaining proper record keeping an adhering to FDA regulations, Company standards, and established guidelines. Requirements: HS Diploma or GED, a Valid Texas Diver’s License with acceptable driving record. Apply at www.giveblood.org Have the summer of your life at prestigious coed sleepaway camp in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, 2.5 hours from NYC. We’re seeking counselors who can teach any Team& Individual Sports, Tennis, Gymnastics, Horseback Riding, Mt-Biking, Skate Park, Theatre, Tech Theatre, Circuis, Magic, Arts & Crafts, Pioneering, Climbing Tower, Water Sports, Music, Dance or Science. Great saleries and perks. Plenty of free time. Internships available for many majors. On-campus interviews on 2/2. Apply online at www.islandlake.com. Call 800-869-6083 between 9 and 5 eastern time on weekdays for more information. info@islandlake.com Healthcare technology firm MEMdata now hiring. Local, just minutes from campus. Part-time openings (20 hrs/wk minimum), M-F 8 to 5. Flexible Hours. Good Verbal Communication and Computer Skills a Must. $8/hr plus bonus. E-mail resumes to careers@memdata.com or fax to 979-695-1954. Looking for a male/female student that can drive a tractor, weld, handle a chainsaw. Need help all-day Saturday and Sunday afternoons. $10/hr. Email dmspeed43@verizon.net Musicians needed for small baptist church Sunday services. Instruments needed are drums, strings, and brass. Contact Mary at mary@christsway.org or 979-776-5000. Now hiring waitresses, door girls, and entertainers. Apply in person at Silk Stocking Lounge. College Station.
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One on one Affordable Tutoring! Subjects include Math, Statistics, and English. Call Katy at 979-220-0874 or email Kate05@attm.net for more informtaion! Sell VIP cards! Make $5 for every $10 Aggieland VIP card you sell. No limit. Contact sean@aggielandvip.com STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in College Station. 100% free to join. Click on surveys. The Corner Bar &Grill now hiring. Apply in person at 9pm monday thru wednesday. All positions available. Web Content Editor needed, Part-time, Paid hourly, 20-35hrs/wk. Good written/oral communication skills necessary. Responsibilities include web layout , text content/migration, and client communication. Submit marketing writing samples and resume to work@agnitek.com Youth Minister- Restoration Church is a dynamic growing fellowship that won’t stay small for long... and we’re looking for a sold out follower of Jesus Christ to begin building a vibrant Christ- centered Youth Group! Must love working with teens, not be afraid of humble beginnings, be fun, yet firm when needed, and be committed to your ministry. We don’t just want an employee, we want someone who will be part of the family! You must attend worship and one weekly youth meeting! If you’re serious about winning teens and building a youth ministry, call Pastor Mark at 979-229-9614!
MUSIC Party Block Mobile DJ- Peter Block, professional 22yrs experience. Specializing in Weddings, TAMU functions, lights/smoke. Mobile to anywhere. Book early!! 979-693-6294. http://www.partyblockdj.com
A+Teacup puppies: Maltese, Shorkies, Maltipoos, Yorkies &Poodles. $500 &up. 979-324-2866, linda_d_54@yahoo.com Adopt Pets: Dogs, Cats, Puppies, Kittens, Many purebreds. Brazos Animal Shelter, 979-775-5755, www.brazosanimalshelter.org ASCA Australian Shepherd Puppies. Male, $300-$350. 936-327-1625
REAL ESTATE We Buy Houses. Cash or take over payments. 979-220-3700.
ROOMMATES Female roomate needed ASAP. $310/mo +utilities &internet. Large bedroom &bathroom. Three miles from campus, next to bus stop. Jeanette 832-788-5531. Christina 832-660-1593. Serious female roommate needed for nice 4br house. Bedrooms have private bath. $525/mo + 1/4 monthly bills. 817-776-0868. Two females needing roommates ASAP in 4/4 Gateway Villas townhouse. Rent is $400/month +1/4 bills. 5 minutes from campus, close to shopping and restaurants! 817-706-6506.
SERVICES Conversational Czech language class. Call Trent 618-334-4584 or e-mail trentpearson@gmail.com
TUTORS Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpful one-on-one private tutors for all subjects at TAMU/Blinn and Sam Houston State. Check us out at www.99tutors.com, 979-255-3655.
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STUDIES IN PROGRESS ACNE STUDY Volunteers between the ages of 12 and 45, with facial acne are needed to participate in a 12-week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study related acne evaluations by a dermatologist • Study related medication • Reimbursement up to $250.00 for time and effort For more information please contact:
RED DRY SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDY (ECZEMA) Volunteers ages 18 - 64 needed to participate in up to 12 week long clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for atopic dermatitis (RED, DRY, SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN). Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study related medication • Physical Examination • Dermatological Assessments • Compensation up to $675.00 for time and travel For more information please contact:
ATHLETE’S FOOT STUDY www.AggieNetwork.com
Volunteers ages 17 and older are needed to participate in a 6 week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for the treatment of Athlete’s foot. Eligible volunteers will need to make 3 office visits and receive at no cost: • Study related medication • Medical examinations relating to their athlete’s foot • Compensation up to $120 for time and effort For more information please contact:
BACK PAIN STUDY Volunteers ages 18 and older who have recently experienced a back strain are needed to participate in a 2 week long clinical research study with an approved patch for the treatment of acute back pain. Participants will need to make 4 office visits over the 2 week period. Eligible volunteers will receive: • Physical Exam • Study Related Examinations by a Doctor • Compensation up to $300 for time and effort For more information please contact:
J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 www.js-studies.com
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Global concerns highlighted on campus Social Justice Week bring global issues to the forefront for Aggies Melissa Appel The Battalion Although it’s easy on a college campus to be lulled into the misconception that equal opportunities and educational prospects are everywhere, the rest of the world is not always as ideal as the Aggieland students call home. Social Justice Week, an event hosted by the Leadership and Service Center in the Department of Student Activities, is one way Aggies can learn about the world and the issues facing it today. “The main purpose of the week is to bring education and awareness regarding important social issues to our campus — empowering Aggies so they know how they can make a difference in these social issues,” said Jill Camper, graduate assistant in the Leadership and Service Center. Throughout the week of Feb. 1-5, students will have the opportunity to attend numerous talks and events designed to highlight certain modern global issues. Speakers were chosen based on their expertise and on the relevance and importance of their topics. Subjects include racism, prostitution, gender topics, diversity and active citizenship. “We have so many fascinating and engaging speakers and events throughout the week that we hope, if nothing else, that those who attend are given something to think about when they leave,” said Shiloh Venable, graduate assistant at the Center. “We would love to hear that someone was inspired to fight for change related to some issue of social injustice. No matter what it is, we just want people to think about the world we live in.” Social Justice Week was started in 2008 as a means to promote education and foster intelligent discussion on community concerns. “This year, we are highlighting the issue of hunger and homelessness by holding a food and clothing drive to benefit Twin City Mission and by host-
ing resource tables outside the Koldus Building where students can get more information on the issue and how they can help,” Venable said. The topic of social justice is one that is already near and dear to the hearts of some Aggie students. Senior psychology major Kayla Salazar is the president of Global Justice, a student organization that serves to unite members in an effort to improve the world around them. “We hope to empower our members, educate them, and ultimately make them aware of the positive influence they can have on the world,” Salazar said. Salazar said the idea of social justice should be something with which all students are concerned. “For me, social justice, particularly the Global Justice Movement, is so relevant to college students because it is students that are changing the world,” Salazar said. “As Americans, as Texans, and as A&M students, we all appreciate equality. Social justice is just the promotion of equality on the human level.” Social Justice Week can serve as an excellent opportunity for students to educate themselves about and get involved with these topics. Organizers hope that a new perspective for students will pave the way for future inquiry and discussion. “This is an opportunity for Aggies to not only learn from experts in the field, but also from other Aggies,” Camper said. “This is a great way to get a glimpse at some of these issues through a different lens — a lens that you have never looked through before.” Salazar stressed that any student involvement or interest could be the start of something much bigger. “It doesn’t take a brilliant man to change the world; it takes devotion and aspiration,” Salazar said. “If you want to end genocides, do it. If you want to fight poverty, do it. If you want to create equality, do it.”
Haiti Doctor Continued from page 1
assistance,” said Rivers’ sister, Lisa Akin. When The Greene Team left they had no definite plan. Originally, the group had the intention of working in an orphanage just east of Port au Prince, but they ended up at an orphanage in Jimini, Dominican Republic, about five miles from the Haitian border. “The plan changed a lot,” Rivers said. “It changed about every hour. When we said we were going that’s all we knew was that we were going. The orphanage was on our way to the other location we were going to, and when we got there we realized that we could do more good
Cold weather Continued from page 1
“Usually, the air masses that reach Texas move over part of the Pacific Ocean, and that tends to modify the colder air somewhat,” McRoberts said. “It takes a special orientation of the jet stream to have an air mass travel from the Arctic to Texas without crossing through the Pacific.” In addition to the freezing temperatures Texas has experienced, the United States has been affected by El Niño, where warm waters throughout the eastern and central Pacific Ocean impact the weather over North America,
Courtesy photo
Harry Boyte is one of the presenters for Social Justice Week. He is from the University of Minnesota and the founder and co-director of Center for Democracy & Citizenship.
there than at the other place.” The group is keeping people posted through Facebook and Twitter accounts. The Greene Team in Haiti page on Facebook has more than 2,500 fans, and the group’s Twitter page, “TheGreeneTeam,” has nearly 700 followers. The team is posting updates several times a day, uploading pictures, distributing information on how people can help, finding new team members and asking for prayer through these sites. “Initially everyone was excited for them, and then the second day they were there, there were some powerful aftershocks,” Howard said. “We were able to keep track of them through Twitter.” Three of the four original team members are orthopedic surgeons, who are in high demand in the area due to the amount of bone trauma fol-
lowing the earthquake. “I thought it was an awesome thing that he had the skills to go down there and help,” Akin said. Jan. 19 was the first day the team saw patients, and the online accounts simply use the word “overwhelming” to describe it. Another tweet from Greene relayed the message saying they had performed more than 50 successful surgeries that day. The orphanage and its only doctor had previously dealt with over 500 patients. “The closer we got the more worried or nervous I became about whether I would be able to handle it,” Rivers said. “When we got there, we talked to one doctor, and within the hour we were doing surgery.” The doctors did more than just surgery. “People were not necessarily doing what they were trained to do,” Rivers said. “They were
just trying to help. We were transporting patients, doing surgery on them, mopping floors, doing whatever we could to help.” Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic have supported Rivers and Kent by conducting a Haiti relief supply drive. “We collected 6,000 pounds of supplies — medical, sheets, and T-shirts,” Howard said. Rivers graduated with his undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences from Texas A&M, then earned his medical degree at the A&M College of Medicine. He currently lives in Houston with his wife Amy and four children. “It was actually a great experience and I’m glad I went. I definitely want to go again. There’s going to be needs for years down there,” Rivers said. “It’s unbelievable.”
McRoberts said. “Normally, the Pacific jet stream is more active in the southern United States, which means more rain than usual in Texas,” McRoberts said. “Weather is generally cooler in our area, not because of Arctic air outbreaks, but because of increased cloud cover and precipitation associated with a more active southern branch of the jet stream. So the long-term forecast from the Climate Prediction Center is wetter and cooler weather for the rest of the winter in Texas, mainly due to the ongoing El Niño.” Junior geography major Melissa Brauks said the temperamental weather keeps her on her toes
each morning. “The weather for the past couple of weeks has been very enjoyable despite the below average temperatures,” Brauks said. “I don’t enjoy the cold, especially if it is raining; I accomplish nothing and my only desire is to curl up in bed with tomato basil soup.” McRoberts said this projected weather will ensure that the drought Texas had been experiencing will continue to dissipate. “There are few areas of extreme south Texas that are still in drought conditions, but the long-term drought that plagued much of the state through the summer has
improved considerably.” Some Texas A&M students simply wish the weather would be consistent. “It has definitely been a rollercoaster of a winter,” Brauks said. “It would be nice if the weather would just pick one season to be for awhile, but at least it’s a surprise every time I walk outside.” Senior mechanical engineering major Kyle Richter said he will welcome the colder weather. “My grandma from Nebraska thinks I’m crazy because I told her I’ve been wearing flip flops and shorts. She told me that Northgate is affecting my brain.”
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Laura A. Sanchez The Battalion February marks not only a month to grab a sweetheart and remember loved ones. It also marks a time to remember those contributions made by African-Americans in our history. “Black History Month is important because it’s a deep part of our heritage and our culture,� said Black Student Alliance Council President LaPorcha Carter. Black History Month celebrations begin 7 p.m. Sunday in Rudder Auditorium, with a performance by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Black History Month is recognized every year in February and began when Carter G. Woodson started a Negro History Week in 1926 as a way to remember the contributions made by African-Americans to history. “He started off basically recognizing the blacks within history that were either undocumented or overlooked when we go through the history books and when learn about history in the classroom,� said Leah Wade, chairwoman for the Memorial Student Center Woodson Black Awareness Committee. “Over time, that celebration translated and shifted to not just a week in February, but became a month of celebration in honor of Dr. Woodson,� she said. The Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee, WBAC, was founded in 1969 in the Memorial Student Center and focuses on educational programming about the Afri-
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can-American community. “WBAC has taken the charge of facilitating many Black History Month programs from all disciplines along with the surrounding community,� Wade said. This year many activities and programs are planned to celebrate Black History Month around campus. “It’s a time to recognize the significance of the AfricanAmerican community in our history and the important things and great things African-Americans have done for this country and our people, and everyone in general,� Carter said. The Committee emphasizes that the meaning of Black History Month is much more than hosting events and remembering prominent leaders. “To me, Black History Month doesn’t have to be celebrated by just African-Americans,� said junior international studies major Cindy Teniente. “It’s a time for everyone to reflect on those people that really made a difference in our society and paved the way for other people.� In 2008, Black History Month at Texas A&M was limited to only 10 events, and has since expanded to be a campuswide event with more than 20 events planned and many contributing organizations. “It’s a great time for me. I always like to call Black History Month a prelude to the year. We call it Black History Year within our committee because we like to celebrate it throughout the year,� Wade said. Other events planned for the month include film showings, lectures, exhibitions and conversations. A Black History Month game show will also be open to the campus where students can register with teams of four and possibly win a $1,000 grand prize. “I feel tied to my ancestors during Black History Month. I have so much respect for those people who are part of black history, and who worked so hard for us so we can be where we are now, so we stand on their shoulders. So it’s important for our current generation to appreciate what our ancestors have done for us,� Carter said. The Committee has placed advertisements around campus promoting Black History Month entitled “I am Black History.� These posters feature Texas A&M students of all nationalities. Wade said these advertisements serve as a reminder that Black History Month is not just to be celebrated by African-Americans, but by all nationalities as well. Some campus organizations involved include the Black Student Alliance Council, Department of Multicultural Services, African American Professional Organization and the Black Graduate Students Association.
Black History Month events, next week. All Month: Walking with presidents (a photography exhibition). Opening reception is Tuesday, 6 p.m., Wright Gallery (Langford Architecture Bldg). Sunday: Black History Month Kickoff - Celebrating Black Arts: Presenting The Dallas Black Dance Theater at 7 p.m. Rudder Theater. Tuesday: Community conversation. “The Day Everything Changed: What to do when a campus incident puts you on the national news� by Dr. Jessica Pettitt, 11:30 a.m., Rudder 410. Friday, February 5: AAPO First Friday Lecture Series: “Communities of African Descent in Latin America and the Caribbean� by Dr. Glenn Chambers, assistant professor, history. 11:30 a.m., Koldus 111.
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