The Battalion: March 23, 2010

thebattalion

this day in

S U history March 23, 1925 An evolution law, enacted in the State of Tennessee made it a crime for a teacher in any state-supported public school or college to teach any theory that contradicted the Bible’s account of man’s creation.

Within two months, a Dayton, Tenn. high school science teacher, John T. Scopes was indicted, and later convicted, in the famous ‘Monkey Trial’ for teaching his students the theory of evolution; that man descended from a lower order of animals –– monkeys.

Scopes was fined $100. Defense attorney Clarence Darrow said that this was “the first case of its kind since we stopped trying people for witchcraft.”

● tuesday,

march 23, 2010

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media

Aggie fined $22 million

Gonzaga 72, Texas A&M 71

■ Death caused by texting while driving leads to manslaughter conviction Brandi Tevebaugh The Battalion A Robertson County jury, ordered an A&M student to pay $21.825 million in damages in a civil suit. The jury on Wednesday decided Jason Reed Vestal was texting while driving and it caused the deadly wreck in which he was involved in November 2007.

“My phone records indicated that there was text messaging and there was phone calls during my drive, but it was really hard to prove whether it was text messaging that caused it,” said Vestal, a graduate student

coming thursday

‘Til death do us part What is it that has some students deciding to say “I do,” before graduation and will it last?

See Texting on page 2

Updates to close Wellborn

inside

b!

Photos by ASSOCIATED PRESS

scene | 3

Sophomore forward Adaora Elonu goes up against the Gonzaga defense in the Aggies’ 72-71 loss in Seattle Monday.

A bitter end

Big fun Big Event will have live music, free food and a yell practice during Kick-Off Saturday before Big Event.

voices | 5

Finishing a season

Peace and

Senior guard Tanisha Smith finished her career at A&M by scoring 17 points in the defeat.

health care

Women fall short of Sweet 16

Republicans and Democrats need to work together to ensurehealth care happens in a positive way.

In a close overtime game, Gonzaga beats the Aggie 72 to 71, dropping the women out of the Sweet 16 bracket and ending the season.

sports | 7

■ Campus construction forges ahead, major projects yet to begin Matt Woolbright The Battalion Aggie students will continue to navigate a maze of construction on campus through 2012.

The Military Walk project has been delayed due to rain, the MSC has more than two years of construction and there are five projects starting soon.

“This construction is getting to be ridiculous; everywhere I turn there’s a road closed or sidewalk under construction,” said Dusty Wendel, a sophomore chemical engineering major.

The projects that have yet to begin include a renovation of the YMCA building, the See Updates on page 8

Greek Life students give time, effort Alternatives Many trips happen throughout the year. ◗ Habitat for Humanity –– http://www.habitat. org/youthprograms/.

◗ United Way –– http:// www.liveunited.org/ asb/. ◗ Cross Cultural Solutions –– http:// www.crosscultural solutions.org/ volunteering-abroad/. ◗ Break Away –– http://www. alternativebreaks.org/.

Pg. 1-03.23.10a.indd 1

Ann Littmann The Battalion Typically, spring break is a time for students to relax and forget about responsibilities for a week. However, for 100 Greek Life students, spring break was a time to serve the community of Lake Charles, La. The students, accompanied by a few Texas A&M faculty, traveled to the area ravished

by Hurricane Rita five years ago.

“We started the mission trip last year in Galveston, where we repaired homes damaged by Hurricane Ike,” said Ben Peterson, Interfraternity Council vice president of public relations..

After his experience in Galveston, Interfraternity President Logan Campbell knew what he wanted to do for his spring break.

“Personally, I knew I was going on a

mission trip, I just didn’t know where at that moment,” said Campbell, senior economics major. “I wanted to help those less fortunate and give back because I have been given so much.”

“We wanted to offer students the chance to break away from the typical spring break binge drinking fest and to instead spend their time helping those who are truly in need,” Campbell said. “The mission trip provides a great opportunity to give back and do something productive with our break.”

Greek Life member Brian Smith said that Greek Life is often viewed negatively and is accused of partying too much.

“How often do you hear about 100 Greek Life members giving up their spring break to help others,” said Smith, senior See Greek on page 4

Courtesy photo

Greek Life students volunteer to rebuild a community devasted by Hurricane Rita in 2005.

3/22/10 11:44 PM

Student Research Week

1

Y L L U F PED P I U EQ

2

Student Research Week, an annual event celebrating and promoting research across all disciplines, began Monday and runs through Friday. For more information visit http://srw. tamu.edu.

Strengths and Gender

3

Are there such things as “girly” strengths or “manly” strengths? This workshop from Student Activities will discuss gender dynamics and how to be your best based on your personal talents, regardless of gender stipulations. The workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Wednesday in s 146.

Post SXSW concert

Defacto Productions will host the B/CS Post SXSW Showcase starting at 8 p.m. Friday at Schotzi’s Bar. Performers include They Mean Us, Words in Windows, Blinded by Bears, Same as Sunday and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

Cover price is $7.

Today mostly sunny High: 75 Low: 53 courtesy of NOAA

For daily updates go to thebatt.com ●

Facebook ●

Twitter @thebattonline

Once Obama signs the health care bill these states plan to sue the federal government

◗Alabama ◗Florida ◗South Carolina ◗Pennsylvania ◗Texas ◗Utah ◗Michigan ◗Nebraska ◗Washington

In a defiant last stand against a newly passed health care overhaul, opponents are trying everything they can to stop it from becoming the law of the land.

Republicans in the Senate are planning parliamentary maneuvers to keep a companion bill from reaching the president’s desk. And lawmakers in at least 30 states are working to prevent what they say is an unconstitutional mandate forcing Americans to have health insurance.

Experts say none of it is likely to work, but it will keep the issue, and the outrage, alive until Election Day. “I am surprised by the mobilization of the states. It does strike me as a kind of civil disobedience, a declaration that we’re not going to follow the law of the land,” said Mark Hall, a professor of law and public health at Wake Forest University.

“It doesn’t make sense. The federal Constitution couldn’t be any clearer that federal law is supreme,” Hall added.

The House passed the plan late Sunday, sparking a variety of protests and threats less than a day later.

By Monday, at least nine state attorneys general had promised to file suit against the federal government as soon as Obama signs the bill. The states were Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Michigan, Nebraska, Washington. Officials in North Dakota were weighing whether to join the case.

Texting Continued from page 1

in finance and real estate. “I don’t remember anything from the wreck.”

Phone records indicated Vestal sent and received 15 text messages and made seven calls prior to the accident. The victim was Megan Small of Houston, a 21-year-old senior at Baylor University, who was driving on Texas Highway 6 to Waco when Vestal’s truck collided head-on with her vehicle. Small’s friend, Laura Gleffe, was following her. Gleffe’s car rolled in the accident.

The family of the victim and Gleffe will share the damages in what lawyer

pagetwo thebattalion 03.23.2010

Sam Smith— THE BATTALION

Biology graduate student Jedediah Tressler practices his medieval close combat skills with the other members of the Society for Creative Anacranism.

Hunter Craft calls a landmark case. in school debt, so I have no money,” “It’s a landmark case for several rea- Vestal said. “I had to file for bankruptcy sons,” Craft said. “No. 1 it’s the first at the age of 22. It came to so much because they were trying to send time a Texas jury has spoken a message. They were trying out and spoken loudly about “I’m a grad student. to send a message saying their thoughts with regard that text messaging and to texting and driving.

I’ve got $35,000 driving is bad, and it It was also the largest in school debt, so is. It’s dangerous. I’m wrongful death verI have no money. dict ever to come out very sorry for what I had to file for of Robertson County. had happened. It was backruptcy at 22.”

I think that’s probably an accident, but it was – Reed Vestal, synonymous with the a terrible accident.” graduate student. egregious nature of Reed Craft said the verdict was not about the amount of money but about the message that it sent.

“I think the number is purely indicative of what 12 people from Robertson

County thought about Jason Reed Vestal’s conduct,” Craft said. “We’re very pleased with the message it sent, and our expectations are that it grabs headlines.

The message will be sent that this kind of conduct is not acceptable in Texas.”

Craft and the family of the victim are expecting the verdict to bring attention to the dangers of text messaging and are hoping to influence the Texas Legislature.

“The civil lawsuit was only the first stepping stone,” Craft said. “We’ve already been in contact over the weekend and last week with state legislators, and we will use the civil verdict and parlay that into hopefully what will be a statewide law banning texting while driving.”

It's Time!

A Conference Commemorating 25 Years of LGBT Recognition at Texas A&M University Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building March 30-April 1, 2010 March 30th – The Garbage Man's Kid: An Autobiographical Performance Bryant Alexander (California State LA) Fallout Theatre/ Blocker 140, 4 pm Photograph permission from the Cushing Memorial Library & Archives.

March 31st – Queer of Color Symposium Scholars Include: Qwo-Li Driskill (TAMU) Gayatri Gopinath (NYU) Daniel Heath Justice (U. of Toronto) Darieck Scott (U. of California, Berkeley)

April 1st – 25 Years: LGBT in Higher Education Keynote Address:

Charles Middleton (President, Roosevelt University)

Outside Participants Include: Larry Hickman (Southern Illinois) D'Lane Compton (U. of New Orleans) Nancy Jean Tubbs (U. of California Riverside) Clayton Koppes (Oberlin) Brian Reinhardt (Assoc. for University & College Counseling ) Free and Open to the Public. To register and for more information, please visit:

http://itstime.tamu.edu Pg. 2-03.23.10.indd 1

The Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University will host a physics festival on Saturday, March 27, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the George P. Mitchell ’40 Physics Buildings. Entry to the event is free and all ages are welcome.

All knights on deck

Virginia and Idaho have passed legislation aimed at blocking the bill’s insurance requirement from taking effect in their states.

In Michigan, a petition drive was launched to put a measure on the ballot asking voters if they want to exempt the state from the overhaul.

In Arizona, lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment that will be put on the ballot in November. And in Colorado, a citizens’ group was collecting signatures to put a comparable amendment on the ballot.

Regardless of whether such measures are enacted, they will give opponents of the federal bill a chance to keep the issue in front of voters until the fall.

For the states, it’s a question of individual rights. Many say Congress does not have the authority to require citizens to buy goods or services they may not want.

“Just by virtue of being a resident of the United States, never before in history have we been required to purchase something,” said Brian Gottstein, a spokesman for Republican Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli II. In Washington, Obama’s health care overhaul isn’t completely finished. Although the main bill has passed both houses of Congress, a series of changes sought by House Democrats was headed to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin as early as Tuesday.

Associated Press

Vestal’s conduct in the case.”

Vestal filed for bankruptcy before the civil case, so he will not be expected to pay in full.

“I’m a grad student. I’ve got $35,000

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will be host their 17th Annual Open House on Saturday, March 27, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the veterinary medicine complex. Photos can be taken with Reveille, along with a showcase of exotic animals and rescue dogs.

5

Physics Festival

Wednesday 20% chance of showers high: 75 low: 57 Thursday 50% chance of thunderstorms high: 70 low: 48 Friday sunny high: 70 low: 48

Health care meets opposition States to file suit

4

Animal Open House

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.

thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

Amanda Casanova, Editor in Chief Jill Beathard, Managing Editor Matt Woolbright, Asst. Mng. Editor Vicky Flores, City Editor Ian McPhail, Opinion Editor Megan Keyho, Features Editor David Harris, Sports Editor Evan Andrews, Graphics Chief Megan Ryan, Video/Photo Chief 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.

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Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979845-2678.

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 979-845-2613.

3/22/10 11:41 PM

things you should know

5 before you go Century on Broadway

1

OPAS presents “100 Years Of Broadway” from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. tonight in Rudder Auditorium. From New York, the show brings together five of Broadway’s biggest talents from shows like Phantom of the “Opera,” “Les Misérables” and “Cats.”

2

Science Cafe

Gary Varner from Department of Philosophy will speak on the subject of animal rights activists as environmentalists from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight at the Revolution Cafe & Bar in downtown Bryan.

Admission is free.

Big

Practice for job interviews

Aggie art race

3

4

Learn the appropriate attire and what questions to ask during an on-site visit and job interview through the Career Fair Event from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in room 110 Koldus Student Services Building.

This campuswide race will begin at 3 p.m.

Thursday from the Student Recreational Center. It offers innovative ways to learn about the arts on campus. Register at http://stark.tamu.edu.

Prizes worth $300 will be awarded at a reception.

5

Farmers market

Fresh fruits and vegetables will be sold from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday in front of Sbisa Dining Hall.

b! thebattalion 03.23.2010 page3

scene

entertainment tertainment

Hear ye: |i suppose it’s about time| |we do some songs about water| |after all| |we need it| |we drink it| |we’re made of it| |and it’s been falling from the sky every friggin’ day|

1. Singin’ in the Rain “Singin’ In the Rain”

Nancy Barerra The Battalion While students return to studies from a spring break composed of tanning, staying up late and having a good time with friends.

Others are eager to come back to A&M and take part in The Big Event, the largest, one-day, student-run service project in the nation where students of Texas A&M University come together to show appreciation to the residents of BryanCollege Station.

Before completing service projects such as yard work, File photo window washing and painting for com- Big Event is the largest service project that students from Texas A&M participate in annually. In addition to munity members, helping out the community, there will also be live music, free food and an appearance by the yell leaders. students are invited to attend Kickunidentified speaker. Parson’s Mounted Cav- hoe, drummer Steve Pruitt, bassist Sean Jacobi Off from 8 a.m. alry will attend Kick-Off to fire the and lead guitarist Phill Aelony. to 10 a.m. where student groups canyon for tool distribution. Bus “The band is great entertainment and a are required to sign in and are 12 will also be present to play good way to draw students in into Kickwelcome to purchase a Big Big Event will feature “The War Hymn.”

Off,” said Melissa Gutierrez, senior finance Event T-shirt.

Nelo, a popular artist Nelo, an unsigned rock, major and recruitment committee member.

“One of the greatest among students, as pop and folk band from Music is not the only aspect attracting ways to experience The well as free food, yell Austin will be performing students to Kick-Off. Students will be able Big Event is to come to practice and other songs from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. to enjoy 12,000 various Pepsi drinks along Kick-Off and see the vast activities for students at Kick-Off. Their music with Slovacek’s sausages prior to heading off amount of people contribparticipating. has been produced by Justice to jobsites. uting to such an important Records since 2005 and is said “Free food is always great amongst the stucause,” said Mallory Johnson, to sound like Cadillac Jones.

The dents and due to the popular request of Slovasenior management major and band is composed of songwriter and cek’s sausages, the lines to get a taste are usually recruitment executive. guitarist Matt Ragland, singer Reid Umstarather long,” said Marc Bajaj, senior economics The yell leaders will be present at Kick-Off ttd, saxophonist and keyboardist Brian Donomajor and committee member. for yell practice along with the presence of an

|there ya go|

2. Slightly Stoopid “Ocean” |get loose|

3. Brand New “Play Crack the Sky” |i don’t get this title…|

4. Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet “Captain” |aw&tsq4l|

5. Grateful Dead “Box of Rain” |i collected a box full of rain once|

worst 8 hours ever

6. The Doobie Brothers “Black Water” |bring on summertime|

7. My Fair Lady “The Rain In Spain” |plug!|

8. Sons of the Pioneers “Cool Water” |saw them in Branson, MO|

a.k.a. old-folks-Vegas

9. PlayRadioPlay! “Forgiveness, the Enviable Trait” |it’s about a river, OK?|

10. Gordon Lightfoot “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” |reppin’ grade school music class|

Buy them. |and maybe the rain will stop| |unless it already has|

rendering this list obsolete

Attention Class of 2011, 2012, and 2013!

Are you interested in becoming a Class Officer?

We currently have applications available for Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, which can be found online at

classcouncils.tamu.edu.

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3/22/10 7:57 PM

news

page 4 tuesday 3.23.2010

thebattalion

The families benefited by Greek Life’s efforts were chosen by the committee after an extensive background check on the families and their financial situation. “We were helping people who physically and financially were not able to make the repairs themselves,� Campbell said.

Campbell said, the most rewarding moments of his spring break came from his personal interactions with the residents he was helping. “Day after day they kept thanking us and saying they don’t deserve our help,�

Campbell said. “Hearing their stories was amazing, just everything that they had gone through. It was so amazing to just be able to give back a little of what they had lost.�

Some of those living in Lake Charles had given up hope of ever receiving help in repairing homes and lives. “The man whose house I was working on told me he had already given up, and he planned on growing old in his house. It wasn’t even safe to live in,�

Campbell said. “I just thought it was amazing that we were able to give him that back.�

For Smith, this was his best and most

Greek Continued from page 1

construction sciences major. “This trip was important to for us to show how much Greek Life cares about serving others, despite the stereotypes.�

Greek Life teamed up with United Methodist Committee on Relief, for the trip. “They were great to work with,�

Campbell said. “They are based out of Lake Charles, and they were able to handle our large number of volunteers.�

The committee provided the volunteers with most of the tools and supplies needed for the job. During the week, Greek Life repaired four of the homes owned by residents devastated by Rita.

The budget for each house’s repairs was approximately $5,000, Peterson said.

The team did anything from painting the walls and repairing roofs to doing demolition work and installing floors and insulation. “I really wanted students to be able to see the difference they were making,�

Campbell said. “Seeing the difference in the houses constantly reminded us of the [worth] of our work.�

Courtesy photo

Members who started the Greek Life mission trip hope that it will become an A&M Greek tradition to sacrifice spring break to help those in need.

rewarding spring break. “This was one of the best spring breaks I’ve had,� Smith said. “I enjoyed getting to know new people in Greek Life that I hadn’t been able to meet before. It was great that while we were building friendships we were also positively affecting people through our actions.�

Campbell hopes a spring break mission trip continues to be a part of Greek Life long after he is gone. “It is my hope, dream and wish that I can look back in five, 10 or 20 years, and this still be going on. I don’t want this to be the last time it happens,� Campbell said. “I feel like we are so lucky and so blessed to be where we are in life and to be going to the greatest university in the nation. I think it’s important to keep that servant aspect and give back to those less fortunate than us.� “These students gave up their spring break to go to a different state to a home they didn’t have an attachment to, to help people affected by an event they weren’t affected by,� Campbell said. “Students from 10 different chapters of fraternities and sororities came together for a common purpose, and I hope that never ends.�

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voices

page 5 tuesday 3.23.2010

thebattalion

Reeling from registration

W

ell, I am just outraged.

As if dealing with drunken roommates, cafeteria food, the Freshman 15, meningococcal outbreaks, the rabid weasel infestation of Walton Hall and navigating all the other perils of studenthood weren’t enough, soon the University will expect me to register for classes.

This would be bad enough on its own, but to add insult to injury, the powers that be have decided to make the process as insanely mind-bogglingly difficult as physically possible. If A&M can’t get its act together on registration, I may just be forced to switch over to one of those online accreditation schools. (You know the ones where you shell out 90 bucks and 30 minutes of your time and come away with a law degree).

Seriously, I have performed brain surgeries less complicated than the Howdy portal’s registration process. (Granted, Tommy the hamster was never quite the same, but the operation was a success ... and now I’ve sent my check to http:// www.onlinedoctorschool.ru, I can perform this procedure on people.)

First of all, Howdy’s layout design was created by writing each piece of the site’s content on a note card and then firing them out of a shotgun into a wall of fly paper, with a couple of tabs thrown in for good measure. Just try to find the registration link amid all of the other equally important items on the same page, like Golf Course Membership and Final Examination Schedules for A&M Qatar. And just because you find the registration page doesn’t mean you can do anything useful.

Allow me to illustrate my point with a transcript of my last class registration experience.

Me: I want to register for classes.

Computer: Remember the old My Record registration page that showed a graphic schedule and highlighted classes that had a time conflict?

Me: Yeah, that was great.

Computer: Well, we replaced it with

EDITORIAL

Starting a healthy relationship

P

James Cavin — THE BATTALION

some arbitrary reason, you will not be able to sign back in until you clear your browser cache and sacrifice your firstborn to the Howdy gods.

Of course when all else fails, you can walk down to the adviser’s office.

Although I tend to avoid this because the advisers have a tendency to sign me up James Cavin for things I don’t want. Something about “required courses” and “writing the words something even better!

Me: Man, this is easy! All I do is select a ‘Mickey Mouse reruns’ on your degree plan does not make it a class.” Every time class, click “add to cart” andI get the same song and dance: Computer: That’s Amazon.com.

Adviser: I’m signing you up for UnderMe: So I didn’t just sign up for a class water Basket Weaving. called “Cancun Bikini Showdown XVII”?

Me: But I already selected a course.

Computer: No. Adviser: You do realize that Me: Bugger.

“The Art of Bellydancing” Computer: No, to register The Howdy doesn’t fit on your degree plan. for a class you’re going to have portal has made Me: It’s a kinesiology. to read through this gigantic registering Adviser: You’ve taken it phone book of CRN’s, slog for classes an four times. through 7,863.5 courses that ordeal.

Me: Oh, I’m sorry, I exist only at A&M Theoretical thought I was here to get an Planes of Existence Campus and education. read through enough text to shame Can you believe it? You don’t have to Herman Melville. put up with this kind of crap with sketchy Me: OK. Computer: Except there was a schedul- Internet universities. What’s that, A&M? “Babeology” isn’t a degree plan? Well, the ing conflict that I didn’t tell you about, so Online Collegiate Institute of Stuff and you have to start over from the top.

Things disagrees, pal. So unless A&M is Me: What? going to start addressing the competition, Computer: Also, it’s been more than I’m going to take my education else3.7 seconds since you clicked on somewhere. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got thing, so I automatically signed you out. a nuclear engineering degree to purchase.

Me: Can I sign back in again?

Computer: Normally yes, but since James Cavin is a senior English major. you’re using Firefox, which I hate for

resident Barack Obama’s hope for bipartisanship may have disappeared as the votes topped out at 219 for the health care reform bill, 212 against, with all Republicans voting against the bill.

According to CNN news analysts, no historic legislation has passed without some of the opposite party voting for it. The tension between the two parties has been evident in Obama’s term. Both sides are guilty of allowing politics to trump positive change. “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer,” former President John F. Kennedy once said. “It was the right vote,” Obama said Sunday night, echoing Kennedy more than 50 years later.

With this reform, 32 million additional Americans will have coverage, hopefully eliminating the 45,000 deaths each year that result from no insurance.

Health care What is important is that both reform requires parties work together to ensure Republicans this does not fail, that the bill does and Democrats what it is supposed to do. More imto work together. mediately, for students, we will find ourselves able to stay on our parents’ insurance until we are 26. In the face of a struggling economy, this is good news for us worried about our post-graduation health care coverage.

Rather than dragging their heels in this time of change, it will be imperative Republicans see this as an opportunity instead of a blow to political agendas.

Additionally, rather than leaving the Republican party hobbling on Capitol Hill to celebrate a victory, it will be important for the Democrats to team with the Republicans.

The process to get to this landmark change has been wrenching, with each side doing its best to outdo the other, and there is still work ahead for this to become a positive reality. But the process has begun. And that is a fact we simply all have to agree on.

EDITORIALBOARD The Battalion’s editorial opinion is determined by its Board of Opinion, with the editor in chief having final responsibility.

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Opinion Editor Amanda Casanova Jill Beathard Ian McPhail editor@thebatt.com battcopy@thebatt.com opinion@thebatt.com

HELP CHRONICLE TEXAS A&M HISTORY. GET EXPERIENCE TO ENHANCE YOUR RESUME. join the staff of texas a&m’s award-winning yearbook! download an application from our website at http://aggieland.tamu.edu or drop by the Student Media office in The Grove, Bldg. #8901 for info, call 979.845.2681

AGGIELAND 2010 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University

Pg. 5-03.23.10.indd 1

3/22/10 8:26 PM

sports

Coming Wednesday A look at men’s and women’s swimming at the national championships.

thebattalion 3.23.2010 page7

Sweet turns sour

Awaiting the return of Tiger

A

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sophomore forward Adaora Elonu defends during the Aggies’ 72-71 loss to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA tournament Monday in Seattle. Elonu finished the game with a team-high 14 rebounds.

Aggies fall to Gonzaga in heartbreaker, 72-71 Mike Teague The Battalion In a down-to-the-wire contest featuring six, second-half lead changes, Texas A&M’s second-seeded women’s basketball team was knocked out of the NCAA tournament following a 72-71 defeat at the hands of seventh-seeded Gonzaga.

The Aggies could not handle Gonzaga senior forward Vivian Frieson who recorded game-highs in points with 23 and blocks with four. Frieson added nine rebounds, six assists and three steals to the effort.

Junior center Danielle Adams led the Aggies in scoring again and recorded another double-double, totaling 19 points and 10 rebounds.

In the final game of her collegiate career, senior guard Tanisha Smith hit 8-of-12 from the field for A&M, scoring 17 points but she

also had a costly turnover down the stretch.

“They play a wide zone,” said Head Coach Gary Blair. “They played 30 minutes of zone, 10 minutes of man. That one turnover that Tanisha[Smith] had just killed us. We had 16 turnovers by our guards. It was uncharacteristic…Both teams weren’t handling the ball or making the right decisions. Turnovers were key. Free throws were key. But give them credit. They made the shots they needed down the stretch.”

Gonzaga put up 41 points before halftime, matching the most scored against A&M in the first half this season.

The final minutes of the game got interesting when Gonzaga senior guard Courtney Vandersloot fouled out and put A&M junior forward Sydney Colson on the free throw line with 1:23 remaining. After knocking down both shots and coming up with a defensive stop, Smith drove hard and

made the go ahead lay-up with a foul.

After recovering from a fall, Smith was unable to connect on the free-throw and gave the ball back to the Bulldogs leading 71-70. With 21 seconds left, Frieson hit a pull-up jumper to put Gonzaga back on top 72-71.

Following an A&M timeout with 13 seconds on the clock, Aggies’ sophomore guard Sydney Carter drove the lane and kicked the ball out to Adams who missed the game-winning jumper from the baseline as time expired.

Texas A&M finished the 2009-2010 season with a 26-8 overall record, winning at least 25 games for the fourth consecutive season. With only two seniors graduating and five returning players with starting experience, the Aggies will look to take another step next season toward establishing A&M as a women’s basketball powerhouse.

h, I can hear it now.

Jim Nantz’ sweet, sensual voice ringing out in my ears on the morning of April 8.

“A tradition unlike any other …” he’ll whisper ever David Harris so softly. “The Masters. On five months ago, but I accept CBS.” this championship trophy And he will at least be partially correct in saying the with the utmost sincerity …

Oh, and I’m still really super 2010 Masters tournament duper sorry about everywill be unlike any other. thing. Please like me.”

“The Masters is where See, as Tiger tries to make I won my first major, and I his return to golf and lead as view this tournament with great respect. After a long and normal a life as possible, the necessary time away from the uncertainty filling the air is haunting. game, I feel like I’m Never has an ready to start my athlete conTiger’s return at season at Aufronted a more The Masters will gusta,” Tiger daunting task be clouded by Woods said in in regards to the uncertainty a statement last rebuilding an week. that now image.

Five With Tiger’s follows him. months ago, sex scandal — or Tiger was the sex disaster, take definition of secluyour pick — 16 weeks sion. Hell, ‘Privacy’ was the in the past, he has decided name of his multi-million the right time to return to dollar yacht. the ultimate gentleman’s We, the general public, game is on golf’s grandest only knew the Tiger Woods stage and at its most trawe saw on the golf course. ditional site: the hallowed And he liked to keep it that grounds of Augusta. way. We admired the fervor The place where fans are with which he played the respectfully referred to as game. We looked up to his patrons. Where the roars unflappable, almost robotic are audible throughout the nature. We accepted his hidGeorgia landscape. Where den lifestyle because … well, Amen Corner is revered because he was Tiger, and he as a sacred temple. Where was allowed that. the grass redefines the color He was raised by two green. The home of the most upstanding parents to be a majestic and most special respectable, knowledgeable, setting in all of sports. All goal-oriented young man. He of which makes the 2010 gave back to the community.

Masters the most anticipated He seemed to be a religious, sporting event of my young hard-working person. And in lifetime. one five-month train wreck, The storylines and questions surrounding the long an- the reputation he built has all dissipated into thin air, ticipated return of the world’s nowhere to be found. biggest athlete are infinite.

Are people going to warm What will the fans reacup to him again during one tions be? Will they boo him four-day stretch of golf? Will or will security prevent such the sanctity of the game and a scene? the sight of a remorseful What will his game be Tiger in his most comfortable like? — And no, I don’t environment begin to heal the mean his game with the ostensibly irreparable wounds? ladies. That’s fairly well Nobody, especially not documented.

Tiger, has the slightest idea.

Will he answer questions “I’m a little nervous about anything other than about that to be honest with birdies and bogeys? you,” Woods said when Will he fist pump with the asked of the reception he’s same passion, vigor and enthusiasm he displayed for the expecting at Augusta. “It would be nice to hear a last 13 years, or will he hold back in fear of potentially gy- couple claps here and there.”

As Tiger embarks on the rating his hips and assuredly most widely awaited tournacausing an uproar? ment of his lifetime, one What if he wins? How thing is certain. Combating will the green jacket look one of the most difficult tests draped over the huge scarlet in golf after a six-month letter? What will his accephiatus from the game will tance speech entail?

“Yeah, I know I wronged not be near as challenging as trying to repair an image that basically every single person looks beyond repair. in attendance, and I know I haven’t really been frank David Harris is a junior ecoat all about what happened nomics major and sports editor.

Spring football storylines to follow A

t 4 p.m. today, Aggie faithful will get their first look at the third year of the Mike Sherman era.

Sherman, 10-15 (5-11 in Big 12 play) in two seasons at Texas A&M, will be attempting to answer questions in his NCAA-allotted 15 practice days.

The defensive coaching staff is almost all new, with four of the five defensive staffers being new hires. Gone is former Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach Joe Kines, and in his place comes former Air Force Defensive Coordinator Tim DeRuyter, who will fill both of Kines’s roles on the 2009 coaching staff.

DeRuyter, 47, brings an impressive résumé, with stops at Ohio, Nevada and Air Force. In 2009, DeRuyter’s Air Force defense used the 3-4 to finish 11th in total defense (288.3 yards per game allowed), 10th in scoring defense and 19th in yards per play. By comparison, the 2009 Aggie defense allowed 426.3 yards per game,

Pg. 7-03.23.10.indd 1

Kyle Cunningham placing them 105th in total defense.

DeRuyter brings the 3-4 defensive scheme with him to Texas A&M, where the Wrecking Crew has been on hiatus for the last decade.

Major personnel questions run rampant on the Aggie defense, which loses safety Jordan Pugh from the starting lineup.

Pugh, the starting free safety for 12 of the team’s 13 games this season, led the team in interceptions with three, and was second in tackles with 84, including 51 solo stops. The odds-on favorite at this point appears to be backup freshman Steven Campbell who, as Pugh’s backup, accumulated 25 tackles over the year,

including 15 solo stops.

The 3-4 defensive line will be a focal point for the spring drills.

In the middle of it all will be the competition for nose tackle, where the competition has opened up following sophomore Eddie Brown’s shoulder surgery. Redshirt freshmen Rod Davis and Adren Dorsey will compete for the spot. Lucas Patterson and Tony Jerod-Eddie will be the front-runners for the strong defensive end position. Spencer Nealy goes into camp as the favorite for defensive end.

Von Miller comes in with a stranglehold on one of the outside linebacker spots after a 17-sack 2009 campaign, but the other outside linebacker position comes with a bit of uncertainty. The two candidates look to be freshmen Jonathan Stewart and Sean Porter.

Garrick Williams played well at the 4-3 outside linebacker position, leading the linebacker corps with 74 tackles, and finishing second in

tackles for a loss with 8.5. Williams looks to be a front-runner for one of the interior linebacker spots.

As for the offense, all the skill position starters return, but the offensive line graduated three starters: Lee Grimes, Kevin Matthews and Michael Shumard. Evan Eike and Patrick Lewis return and will compete with a leg up for the guard spots, but the other positions are up for grabs. Danny Baker, who was in and out of the starting lineup, seems to have an inside track at one of the three open spots, with incoming freshman Luke Joeckel, senior Matt Allen and sophomore Stephen Barrera competing as well.

This afternoon, helmets will pop, the clutter of cleats will thunder across the practice fields, and whistles will split the air. And, for the first time in four months, College Station will have football.

Kyle Cunningham is a junior sports management major.

File — THE BATTALION

Senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson returns for his final season at A&M after a record-breaking year.

3/23/10 12:07 AM

news

page 8

classifieds see ads at thebatt.com

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thebattalion

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Updates Continued from page 1

construction of underpass at the intersection of Old Main Drive and Wellborn Road, a reconfiguration of Ross Street on the north side of campus — a project that will result in Fish Pond being moved to the lawn in front of Sbisa, the building of a highly contested Arts and Humanities Building near Langford and upgrades in the Northside power plant.

“I think that it is necessary to maintain our University’s excellence. Imagine the longterm benefits that these great facilities will bring Texas A&M in the future,” said Cameron Stewart, a sophomore sports management major, “but maybe all of this being built at once might not be the best idea.”

Wellborn underpass The master plan unveiled in 2004 includes the dual underpass to be constructed in February 2011. The project budget is $34 million, of which $23.8 million is federal money.

Democrat Rep. Chet Edwards and the city of College Station worked with A&M to see the project through, said Jason Cook, chief communications officer for the A&M system.

The passageway will be two side-by-side tunnels, with lanes for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

Sophomore biochemistry major Shannon Curtis has one class on West Campus every week and said she welcomes a plan that includes students not having to cross Wellborn Road to get to class every day.

“I think it will be useful and good use of money because Wellborn is a busy street and that way people can get to West Campus safely without having to deal with traffic and waiting for the signal,” Curtis said.

Despite the nature of the project — two tunnels underneath one of Bryan-College Station’s busiest streets — road closure is not expected to drastically impede travel on the road, Cook said.

“Given that Wellborn Road is a state highway, we do not expect a full, extended closure as part of the construction process,” Cook said.

Campus beautification Adverse weather conditions over this winter have resulted

in a delay of more than 75 days on the Military Walk reconstruction project, executive vice president Lallah Howard said. This sets the completion date for the middle of the summer.

The contractor for the project intends to have the southern portion of Military Walk open by May — an effort to have the Rudder area ready before graduation.

“Now I hear about them taking Fish Pond across the street; it’s unAmerican I tell you.”

–– Dusty Wendal, sophomore chemical engineering major

The project is on a $4 million budget and is funded by donations.

“I think beautification projects are wonderful and necessary to the life of our campus,” said Lauren Barton, a junior middle school education major. “It is important for students to be proud of their school, which can come from having a clean and beautiful campus.”

While removing the walkway from Rudder to the MSC, damage was done to Rudder Tower that will have to be fixed. Underground utility infrastructure in the area also has caused minor setbacks, but the expected completion date remains at mid-2012.

There are no plans to open streets.

“Part of the master plan is for this to be a much more pedestrian friendly campus, which means less vehicles in the heart of campus,” Howard said.

Many students have voiced concerns and recommendations about the closure of Joe Routt Boulevard and how long it will be until it is open to traffic. President R. Bowen Loftin is looking at information and gathering data to reach a decision about opening the street to traffic, Cook said.

Old and new The Arts and Humanities Building to be erected near Langford will be proceeding as planned. The plans were met with harsh criticism from students when it was revealed this summer.

Howard said the building

would not detract from the nature of that area of campus.

“The chairman of the design review board is very interested in ensuring the architecture fits with the historic part of campus there,” Howard said.

Ross Street on Northside will be rerouted, started in November 2010. There will be a reconfiguration of the layout in the area that will result in moving Fish Pond, Howard said.

“Fish Pond will actually move to the Sbisa side of the street,” Howard said. “Fish Pond is going to stay Fish Pond; it’s just literally going to be picked up and moved to a different location.”

Cook said the University has received student concerns regarding Fish Pond.

“Now I hear about them taking Fish Pond across the street; it’s un-American I tell you,” Wendel said.

The YMCA building will be renovated beginning this month, due for completion in August 2011. The side of the building facing Academic Plaza was deemed structurally unsound and will be torn down and rebuilt to match the front side in the $15 million project.

The building will house the dean of facilities, department of philosophy, faculty senate, Aggie code of honor and the division of marketing and communication.

Another $70 million is allocated for a plan approved by the Board of Regents in the fall — the central heating and power plan. “[The upgrades] will help make things more efficient and lower the cost of utilities around campus, which will save money for students,” Howard said.

The updates to the system are long overdue, Cook said.

“A lot of the equipment in the power plant is 40 years old,” Cook said, “so this will replace a lot of that equipment and make our utility system even more efficient than it has been in the past.”

A proposal to build a residence hall on Northside and another parking garage near the intersection of Wellborn Road and University Drive has also been submitted.

“As far as construction goes, I think that it definitely takes away from the allure of Texas A&M,” Barton said. “But since we are ever expanding, there isn’t much we can do besides build new buildings.”

between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm

3/22/10 11:39 PM