thebattalion
this day in
S U history
Feb. 26, 1983
● friday,
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” hit #1 in the U.S. The album spent a total of 37 weeks at number one. The tracks included: “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin,’” “Baby Be Mine,” “The Girl is Mine” (w/ Paul McCartney), “Thriller,” “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “Human Nature,” “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” and “The Lady in My Life.”
february 26, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
coming monday
Politically involved With SCONA Conference 55 complete, what topics were of concern and who was there?
inside sports |4-5
BEAT TEXAS Find the full BEAT t.u. poster and take it to the game to cheer on the Aggies.
voices | 7
Annoying versus amusing It’s election time again when all common areas on campus are covered in campaigners. Is it worth your time to pay attention?
Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION
The hopeful three Stories by Melissa Appel |
Okeson seeks to increase student opportunities VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPICS medal count USA GER NOR CAN RUS AUS KOR FRA SUI CHN SWE NED CZE POL ITA AUS SVK SLO FIN JPN LAT BEL CRO GBR EST KAZ
8 8 7 8 3 4 5 2 6 4 4 3 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
1 1 6 6 4 3 4 3 0 2 2 1 0 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 1
1 7 6 2 6 5 1 5 2 2 2 2 3 1 3 0 1 1 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 0
31 26 19 16 13 12 10 10 8 8 8 6 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1
The Battalion
Robinson hopes to voice student body’s opinion
Sims wants to promote honesty and respect
Texas A&M University might be built upon conWhen student body president candidate Jacob RobBryan Sims is rooted in the Aggie Spirit through crete and mortar, but student body president candidate inson first fell in love with Texas A&M University and his family connection, but it can also be said the Aggie Matt Okeson said he shares a common foundation with the Aggie Spirit, he said he didn’t imagine himself servSpirit has some roots in the family of the student body the University and its unified principles and core ideals. ing the University in the top-elected student governpresident hopeful. “I grew up learning about core values such as leaderment position. “My granddad played football here for Bear ship, excellence and integrity, and those are all of what Instead, he dreamed of becoming a yell leader. Bryant. My great aunt dated E. King Gill,” Sims A&M is about, so it just seemed like a per“I wanted to be a yell leader said. “My grandmother went to Univerfect fit,” Okeson said. “It just has so much up until high school,” Robinson sity of Texas but wears her Aggie SweetEditorial said. “All during middle school, Caught on heart Ring.” in line with my personal beliefs. There’s nowhere else where you can find a culture and I practiced the yell leader pushThe Midland, Texas resident has had decision camera the values like our student body at A&M.” ups every night. But that dream the values of the Aggie Spirit instilled in The Battalion’s Catch the interOkeson is a junior agribusiness major didn’t pan out.” him from a young age, in part because of editorial board views with each who is considering law school after graduaRobinson’s passion for his grandparents’ connection to the Uniendorses Jacob SBP candidate tion, with possible plans of entering public A&M began in sixth grade versity, he said. concerning their policy. Leadership and service are on his list Robinson for student when he attended a foot“One of my first experiences with the of important ideals, and he has worked to ball game. That spark of goals for the future. Aggie family that I remember, I had the body president. put them into action in his life, he said. interest in A&M was enincredible opportunity to go to a Bonfire voices | 7 thebatt.com “I’m the type of person that I’ve always hanced after his brother became when it was on campus. I went with my got to be doing something,” Okeson said. an Aggie. grandmother and grandfather,” Sims said. “I’d rather be doing something for other people, rather “I applied to over 11 schools in fear of not getting “I don’t remember what [the yell leaders and R.C. than sitting at home doing nothing for myself.” accepted [to A&M],” Robinson said. “I got accepted Slocum] said, but I remember what I felt. It burned While at A&M, Okeson has served as president of to Texas A&M on the last round of acceptances. When the image of the Aggie Spirit in my mind forever.” the Agricultural Economics Society, president of the I heard that ‘yes,’ there was absolutely no question. When it came time to decide on a university, Sims agricultural fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho and student A&M was where I always wanted to go.” said the choice was easy. See Okeson on page 2
See Robinson on page 2
See Sims on page 6
A&M-Commerce football players arrested, newspapers stolen COMMERCE, Texas –– Two student football players for Texas A&M-Commerce, Dionte Garrett and Deandre’ Bowers were arrested Feb. 19 after several bags of marijuana, pills and other drug paraphernalia were found in a campus apartment in McGill Hall by Sgt. Chris Vaughan of the Commerce Police Department. Thursday, the A&M-Commerce student newspaper The East Texan published the report about the freshmen wide receiver from Garland, Texas, and linebacker from Brandon,
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Florida. Within hours of the newspapers hitting the stands, the papers were removed from campus. “I was notified by a crime information officer at 9:30 [Thursday] morning that most of the East Texan papers were missing and that people had been taking large numbers,” said East Texan Editor-in-Chief James Bright. Police later told Bright 10 to 15 football players were gathered after a regular 6 a.m. workout and were allegedly encouraged by the recruiting coordinator to take the papers.
Security cameras from two of the oncampus distribution locations show two people taking the publications. Bright has not decided whether to prosecute the offenders. “I hope he pursues it. This sort of activity is not acceptable and they need to know you can’t escape bad press,” said online editor Jared Watson. Lt. Jason Bone of the Texas A&MCommerce University Police Department said the arrests made were in the same apartment where two previous drug-related incidents occurred. As
reported in the Feb. 18 issue of The East Texan, police officers responded last month to an emergency call when a football recruit was vomiting. Upon arriving the police questioned football players Danny Masson, Cherrod Simpson and Bowers about the ill player. University police ascertained information that the sick recruit and Simpson smoked marijuana in the campus apartment that evening. The two players were arrested after an undercover narcotics investigation. According to a press release
from Commerce Police Department, Vaughan began the investigation after he was approached by a confidential source regarding the issue. Texas A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones said it is disappointing to hear about students acting inappropriately, but he is not jumping to conclusions. “It’s early in the investigation,” he said. James Bright, The East Texan, and staff writer Lorelai Willet
2/25/10 9:49 PM