Sep 1st 2009 The Battalion Print by The Battalion

thebattalionasks

What do you think of the new Howdy system?

thebattalion PORTAL PANIC ● tuesday,

Andrew Martinez third yea year doctora doctoral student in school schoo psychology psych

september 1, 2009

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

A Weak Howdy: Columnist Steve Humeniuk questions whether the Howdy system is efficient enough to do its job voices | 11

“I think it’s horrible. It’s sad how the school wasted so much cash to get this thing working and it crashes on the ﬁrst day of school. I think it was a horribly implemented portal that they tried to do without testing it.”

Brent Mayorga aerospace engineering major

“As compared to last year’s system, I don’t really like it. It made things pretty complicated.”

Madison Russell sophomore general studies major

Senior history major Lauren Winship attempts to use the Howdy Web portal Monday in the Student Computing Center. The system crashed the first day of classes leaving students unable to find their classes.

“I was already on it yesterday, so it didn’t really affect me. I know it affected a lot of my friends. They couldn’t ﬁnd a lot of their classes this morning.”

Christina Cerda junior psychology major Nick Badger — THE BATTALION

“Today was really bad. It’s nice having everything in one place, but don’t ﬁx what’s not broken. I noticed that everyone’s Facebook status was like, ‘I hate Howdy.’” Julie Rambin — THE BATTALION Lynnsay Crittenden — Special to THE BATTALION

Howdy Web site crash poses problems

Katy Ralston The Battalion Aggie students received an unexpected, shaky welcome back to school yesterday when the Howdy Web portal was temporarily unavailable for the first day of classes. At 8:31 a.m. Enterprise Information Systems reported having the first problems, leading to shutdowns of the system throughout the day. Howdy was restarted and reopened for use at 1 p.m. to a restricted num-

Editorial: Student body should attend the sacred tradition. voices | 11

ber of log-ons. At 2:30 p.m. the limit of connections was brought down to 3,500 users. Users attempting to gain access past the 3,500 maximum were denied access and instructed to try again. “We’ve had some technical issues with the database,” said Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) project director Ramesh Kannappan. “We’re still investigating the underlying cause of the problem.” Information located in the web

portal includes registration, financial aid, scholarships, student records and the campus directory. The system failure created inconveniences for those wishing to view schedules and check classroom locations on the first day of classes. Communication professor Dr. Jennifer Jones-Barbour noticed the effect it had on class attendance. “I did notice that the students came See Howdy on page 12

Silver Taps: 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in Academic Plaza

Silver Taps to remember seven Aggies June 15, 1969 — July 26, 2009

July 10, 1990 — May 1, 2009

March 6, 1987 — May 17, 2009

March 27, 1990 — July 10, 2009

Oct. 26, 1989 — May 14, 2009

May 4, 1987 — May 17, 2009

April 4, 1988 — April 19, 2009

Michael Lynn Fountain

Bob Warren Hofmeister

Erin Kellie Shehan

Patrick Smith

Serena Swanland

Jon Louis Urbanosky

Andres Felipe Uribe

Senior environmental design major Michael Lynn Fountain, 40, died July 26 of heart failure at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston. He had received a double-lung transplant in 2007 after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. “If a big problem came up, instead of moaning about it, he sat right

Sophomore general studies major Robert “Bob” Warren Hofmeister, of Flower Mound, Texas, passed away May 1 from a heart aneurysm. His best friend and pallbearer, Blake Ahrens, a sophomore at Oklahoma State University, recalls how sudden Hofmeister’s death was. “I couldn’t believe it. I was in total shock,” Ahrens said. “He was in

Erin Kellie Shehan, a junior psychology major, died May 17 in College Station. Shehan grew up in College Station and attended A&M Consolidated High School. “Kellie sang, loved Jesus, contemplated life’s little mysteries, and made fun of anything that was too cheesy — she was all about being genuine,”

Junior general studies major and father of one, Patrick Smith, 19, died July 10 in Houston, Texas. Smith wanted to earn a degree in international business and then go to law school, said his father Gus Smith. “Patrick had a beautiful mind. He wanted to run for Justice of the Peace this year for College

Serena Swanland, a 19-year-old sophomore chemical engineering major, was killed in a vehicle collision May 14. While traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 190 near Hearne, Swanland lost control and skidded into oncoming traffic, said the Texas Department of Public Safety. Swanland had aspirations of becoming a

Class of 2009 Aggie Band trumpeter Jonathan “Jon” Louis Urbanosky was killed May 23 in a car accident on County Road 162, near Private Road 57. Urbanosky was a member of the Corps of Cadets, B-Company, and entering his last semester of agricultural leadership and development. “He accomplished so

Sophomore biology major and Colombia native, Andres Felipe Uribe, 21, died in a car accident in San Antonio, Texas, April 19. Born April 4, 1988, Uribe had just turned 21 and was working to become a doctor and volunteered at St. Joseph Regional Health Center, said his father Cesar Uribe. “He was trying to

See Fountain on page 6

See Bob on page 6

See Shehan on page 4

See Smith on page 4

See Serena on page 4

See Jon on page 4

See Uribe on page 4

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TEXAS A&M

SINCE

1893

Amanda Casanova, Editor in Chief Mattie Williamson, Managing Editor Matt Woolbright, Mng. Editor–News Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, City Editor Jill Beathard, Lifestyles Editor

Timothy Durham, Sports Editor Calli Turner, New Media Chief Evan Andrews, Graphics Chief Nick Badger, 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. 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.

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Throughout September, the Texas A&M University Police Department will be promoting National Campus Safety Awareness Month. “Things that will be on the rise are petty theft, car burglaries, date and acquaintance rapes,” said Master Officer Kristi Hosea of the Crime Prevention Unit. Property engraving can help prevent theft, and can also aid in identification of personal property if it is recovered after a theft, Hosea said. “[Prevention] goes back onto personal safety,” Hosea said. “You can’t leave your stuff unattended. During book selling and buybacks backpacks are more likely to be stolen.” Students are also encouraged to take precaution with alcohol. “Students should be careful of what they drink and not to be isolated with one individual,” Hosea said. “We’ve got an influx of students coming to school. Their parents aren’t here, and they need to know how to keep themselves safe,” Hosea said.

September Events Property engraving 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Wehner Building and 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Southside in the commons area on Sept. 1 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sept. 2 at Blocker Building 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Zachary Building 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Sept. 9 at Rec Sports Center Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 12- 19 Car seat-installing workshops will be held at the University Apartments and a car seat safety check will take place on Sept. 12 at the Target in Bryan.

Sophomore biomedical sciences major Lesia Fejer points freshman biomedical engineering major Ariana Dominguez in the right direction Monday outside the commons. Lynnsay Crittenden — Special to THE BATTALION

DNA samples arrive on horseback Alex Worsham The Battalion On Monday, 50 DNA samples arrived at the Texas A&M University veterinary school, having been delivered on horseback from Canada. The samples, taken from 50 Canadian horses, will be used to determine the Canadian horse’s ancestry. “This is an extremely rare breed, the rarest of the North American horses,” said Equine Genetics Research Facility director Gus Cothran. The researchers are going to study the diversity of the sampling to determine whether the Canadian horse might be an ancestor of the Morgan horse. “The Morgan is unique because it’s a riding horse as well as a working horse,” Cothran said.

The Canadian horses travelled at least 2,200 miles. “It was probably more like 2,500 miles because we took back country roads a good bit of the way,” said the horses’ owner and rider Richard Blackburn. Blackburn and his horses started their journey in Quebec on May 11 and arrived at A&M on Monday. “The hardest part was to figure out what and how much to feed them,” Blackburn said. “I started them on four pounds of grain a day, but that wasn’t enough. Eighteen pounds a day was perfect.” The delivery method of the samples was chosen to showcase what the horses are capable of. “We wanted to show that you can ride these horses from Canada to Texas in the summertime,” Cothran said.

8/31/09 11:13 PM

scene

Editor’s Note: This piece is the first of a series about money management for college students. Next week’s topic will be budgeting.

thebattalion

Megan Ryan The Battalion Being an Aggie gets a little more expensive every year. Students have a lot to choose from though when it comes to where to shop and what to buy. Moneywise Aggie counselor and certified financial planner Mike Mielke said students should have some sort of financial training to make smart financial decisions. “Students who are not knowledgeable on financial topics often fall prey to salespeople masquerading as financial counselors or financial advisors,” Mielke said. “The financial products the salespeople are selling are not always in the students’ best interest.” Older and wiser students of Texas A&M University have handed down some advice for big spenders, incoming freshmen and all those who just need to save a few bucks. The first piece of advice is about one of the most important sources of learning: textbooks. “I bought some books online to save money and some on campus just because it was convenient,” said Class of 2008 Emily Scott. Sometimes convenience wins out, but another student said that the price difference between stores on and off campus is too significant to ignore. “[Buy] off campus because buying textbooks at either textbook solutions or online at half. com was much cheaper than buying books on campus,” said Class of 2009 Katie Siulinski. Eating is another big expense, because students have to do it everyday. With the alwayschanging meal plan options and the line of restaurants on University Drive, it is important to know what choice means to the wallet. “I would rather eat off campus because you get more value for your money and have way more options,” Siulinski said. “I would rather pay six or seven dollars and get a sandwich from Blue Baker than pay the same amount for a sandwich at Rumour’s.” Trips to the grocery can also be beneficial. “I live off campus and do not have a meal plan or Aggie bucks so my answer may be somewhat biased,” said senior civil engineering major Tom Heinemann. “Buying groceries and making your own meals can save you some money. If you plan your grocery shopping at the right time and place, you can save at least 33 percent on each trip to the store.” When it comes to getting a job, it seems to be about personal preference and finding what is available, according to Siulinski. “I had a job off campus because I could not find a job on campus,” she said. “I did like working off campus because I got to spend

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9.1.2009 page3

A tradition of

saving

Aggies pass back their wisdom about money in Aggieland half of my days on campus and half off. Also, I found the pay off campus better than [for] oncampus jobs.” However, Scott said she found working on campus to be a great experience and a good way to meet people. “I worked on campus, and I loved my job, loved the people and loved being in the MSC all the time and getting to see lots of people,” she said. Transportation is also an issue of financial expense, especially in the later years of college when students migrate to off-campus housing. “The cost of a parking permit is starting to become a little outrageous,” Heinemann said. “I typically ride my bike to school. The bus is a good alternative and is pretty reliable, especially early in the day.” However, bike riding is not for everyone, and it is important for students to know the road rules if they do plan to ride a bike. “I’m too clumsy and accident prone to ride a bike,” Siulinski said. “The bus is great if you are near a bus stop and if the bus isn’t full every time you try to get on it. Every year I bought a parking permit because it was easy and I lived about six miles from campus, but it was kind of expensive.” Scott said that scholarships can be difficult to , but that they do exist and can be helpful in covering some of the costs.

On Campus:

$5.50 Off Campus:

$1.23

On Campus:

$454.40 Off Campus:

$388.60*

Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION

Identical items can be found on campus or off, but different locations offer better prices. The first sandwich was bought at the Common Denominator and the second sandwich was made with store-brand products. *The on-campus books were bought at the MSC bookstore, and the price given for off-campus books is based on an average of prices for the same textbooks at three different off-campus stores. “I never had a problem with my scholarships or anything like that,” she said. “I do feel like the size of the University has a negative effect on this area just because getting in touch with someone who can actually help you when you do have a question or financial issue is challenging.” Nora Cargo, associate director within the of-

fice of financial aid and scholarships, has an adage she often shares with students. “Unless you live like a college student when you are in college, you will be living like a college student the rest of your life,” Cargo said. “And, I also like reminding students to consider their education as an investment of a lifetime.”

8/31/09 11:32 PM

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Texas A&M Football

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page 4 tuesday 9.1.2009

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Shehan Continued from page 1

said close friend Dana Willenborg. Being genuine and lessening the burdens of others were among Shehan’s best qualities, Willenborg said. Shehan was involved in her church and active within religious retreats. Shehan excelled in music and was known for her strong voice and guitar playing, which she taught herself to play at age 14, Willenborg said. She sang and was involved in Aggie Sisters For Christ. “I loved when she would run up to me excitedly and say, ‘I have a new song,’”

Willenborg said. “One time in particular, I followed her into an empty room to listen to her song, and by the end of it people had joined me in the audience.” Shehan also shared her talents by writing and performing a song at the wedding of her best friend and roommate Ashley Banks. “It was effortless for her. Beautiful words and beautiful music flowed from her so freely,” Banks said. Shehan was a hard worker, balancing school and her jobs at Starbucks and Freebird’s, Banks said. Shehan planned on becoming a Christian counselor to help those struggling in life, Banks said. “Kellie’s greatest love was Jesus Christ,”

Bank said. “Her relationship with the Lord and her church family was so precious to her and kept her going through the good and the bad.” Shehan could light up a room when she walked in, said friend Marcus Toussaint, Class of 2006. Toussaint and Shehan were involved together at the Wesley Foundation, a Methodist student center at Texas A&M University. “Kellie would want people to remember that life is all about knowing Jesus and worshipping him,” Toussaint said.

He played saxophone in the marching band and jazz band in middle and high school. He became an acolyte for Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Houston in the fifth grade. “He carried the cross extremely high in the air, the only one that did that so he become known for that,” Kristi said. “Three years after high school he was asked to come back to serve at Porter Paris’ funeral. He is the founder of the Shamrock Hilton in Houston. His family asked for Patrick to come back to be an acolyte.” As Command Sergeant Major in Junior ROTC he won Outstanding LET Cadet, and as a Corps Cadet in D-2 Company at A&M, Smith won the “spend the night with a cadet” competition. “He was able to answer all the questions and was chosen to lead his unit into Kyle Field,” Gus said. “ I believe one of the questions was ‘how many flags are there flying in Kyle Field and what do they represent?’ He knew the correct answer.” After announcing to his parents that he would attend A&M instead of West Point,

Smith studied Aggie traditions scrupulously, Kristi said. “He knows about all traditions — he even knew about the ghost at the bottom of oceanography building,” she said. “He knew traditions so well and had us so well trained that when I was in Aggie Moms and there was a question about traditions I knew the answer.” Smith was well-traveled, river rafting and panning for gold in Alaska at age 6 and visiting Australia and New Zealand at 12. But his biggest passion, Kristi said, was spending time with his 18-month-old daughter Annabell. “Annabell was the apple of his eye. He had the softest, most compassionate, tender- caring way with her,” Kristi said. “He carried her picture with him everywhere in his backpack on campus.” Smith is survived by his daughter Annabell Smith, parents Gus and Kristi, grandparents Pat and Truitt Hallmark, brother Brandt and sister-in-law Denise Smith, and niece Megan Smith. Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor

was so happy when she found a job on campus doing what she loved.” Swanland served as a Fish Camp counselor, and participated in Sophomores Advancing in Leadership (SAIL). She was a licensed scuba diver and eager for adventure, said friend Anna Lewis. Swanland graduated from Kadena High School in Japan. She played tennis and participated in tennis tournaments. “She loved sports and working out,” said friend and junior agricultural leadership and development major Cory Fortner. In 2004, Swanland began assisting “Stripes,” an editorially independent daily newspaper for the U.S. military com-

munity, with coverage of Far East tennis tournaments. Swanland was more than meets the eye, Lewis said. “Serena was kind. She was there for me when I needed her,” Lewis said. “She was patient, outgoing and always eager to try new things.” She made an impact on all those who met her, Taylor said. “I am so blessed to have been a part of Serena’s life and that she was a part of mine,” Taylor said.

He was a much-revered trumpeter in Aggieland, Howe said. “Locally, a lot of people knew him because for Memorial Day and other events he would go to the ceremonies,” Howe said. “He would play Taps for the fallen soldiers from our area. He did that quite often.” In addition to his musical inclination, Urbanosky had a knack for athletics, Howe said. “He was very involved in intramural sports within the Corps,” Howe said. “He always played sports in high school and growing up. He was very active. He played basketball, baseball and football.” Urbanosky was born May 4, 1987, in

Caldwell. In 2005, he graduated with honors from Somerville High School. He was adventurous and hands-on, said Howe. “He was a constant outdoorsmen: fishing, hunting, playing golf. He just liked to be outside. He would take things apart even if he didn’t know how to put them back together; he’d find a way.” Urbanosky was a well-rounded person and a dependable friend, said senior environmental studies major Dalton Esparza. “The most selfless person I ever met,” Esparza said. “He would do anything for anyone.”

was a very spiritual person.” Graduating from Memorial High School in Houston, Texas, in 2007, Uribe was in the American Honor Society and the French Honor Society, Cesar said. “He was in rodeo show with art from high school,” he said. “He had very good drawings, remarkable.” Uribe was also athletic, Cesar said. “He played soccer and was a good table tennis player,” he said. Uribe was a hero and role model to his 13-year-old brother Juan. “He was always trying to be better, always active in his mind,” Cesar said. “He

was very patient and a victor in everything and struggled to get his goals.” Uribe and his family came moved to the U.S. from Colombia just six years ago and picked up the language fast, Cesar said. “He was in an ESL [English as a Second Language] program for one year and was awarded as one of the best juniors and seniors at Memorial High School.” Uribe is survived by his brother Juan, sisters Isabel, Marcela and Anna Maria, and his parents Cesar and Maggie Uribe.

Vicky Flores, staff editor

12th Man Meeting If you are interested in trying out for the 2009 Texas A&M football team, you must attend this MANDATORY walk-on meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 1 at 6 p.m. in Hagner Auditorium inside the Bright Football Complex. To be eligible to walk-on you must be a full time student who is enrolled in at least 12 hours and be in good academic standing with the university. All other necessary information will be presented at the meeting.

Smith Continued from page 1

Station. He was convinced he could get enough votes from on campus to be elected,” he said. “His people skills were really starting to show and develop.” In elementary and middle school teachers called him ‘Mr. Mayor’ and ‘Mr. President,’Gus said. “Patrick was a very serious, studious, student and extremely well read for his age,” he said. “His teachers recognized the talent for leadership and fully expected to see him leading in public office someday.” Patrick graduated a year early in the top 7 percent of his class from Waltrip High School in Houston, Texas, in 2007. “He was always receiving outstanding merits; when he took the SAT at 13 he received the Duke’s challenge from Duke University,” said Kristi Smith, his mother. “In 2004 and 2005 he won Creative Writing, and Persuasive Writing and Ready Reading.”

Serena Continued from page 1

doctor, but was also exploring other career opportunities, friends said. Swanland worked as a photographer for The Battalion from October 2007 to April 2008. “She loved taking pictures and was excited about working for The Battalion,” said friend Jace Taylor. “Serena loved candid photos. If you weren’t ready for a Facebook photo, and she took one, ‘oh well,’” Taylor said. “She

Jon Continued from page 1

LAST CALL FOR ORDERS Audit Deadline: Sept 9ÊÊUÊÊOrder Deadline: Sept 11

Aggie Ring Day: November 13, 2009 3-7 pm at The Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center HOW TO GET YOUR AGGIE RING ON NOVEMBER 13, 2009: If you meet the requirements after Summer '09: 1. Submit an Aggie Ring audit online at AggieNetwork.com/Ring by September 9, 2009. 2. Check the status of your Aggie Ring audit online at AggieNetwork.com/Ring once your audit has been reviewed. Ê ÊÊ UÊ Êi > ÊÜ ÊLiÊÃi ÌÊÌ ÊÞ ÕÊ ViÊÞ ÕÀÊÀiÛ iÜÊ ÃÊV « iÌi°Ê Ê ÊÊ UÊ vÊÞ ÕÊ` Ê ÌÊÀiVi ÛiÊ> Êi > ]ÊÞ ÕÊÜ Ê ii`ÊÌ ÊV iV ÊÞ ÕÀÊ>Õ` ÌÊÊ status online no later then September 10, 2009. Ê ÊÊ UÊ vÊµÕ> v i`]ÊÞ ÕÊÜ ÊLiÊ>ÃÃ } i`Ê`>ÌiÃÊÌ Ê À`iÀÊÞ ÕÀÊ }} iÊ, }° 3. Order your Aggie Ring during the assigned dates. Ê ÊÊ UÊFull payment is due at time of order. Pricing is available online. Ê ÊÊ UÊRing loans are available to qualified, currently enrolled students at the Short Term Loan Office. Submit your application online at http://financialaid.tamu.edu or call 845-3955 for further details. Please complete your Ring audit before applying for a Ring loan. Ê ÊÊ UÊIf you are unable to order in person during your assigned dates, you may order on another day prior to the order deadline, September 11, 2009, or complete an order form found at http://www.aggienetwork.com/ring/cs_ringform.pdf

much during his short time here,” said Urbanosky’s cousin Mary Dubois. “He made everyone in the family very proud with all of his accomplishments.” He had played the trumpet since grade school and excelled at it, said Urbanosky’s cousin Keith Howe, Class of 2005. “That was just the type of person Jonathan was. When he started something he may not have been the best but with time he sure would be,” Howe said. “He would work harder then anybody else I know.”

Uribe Continued from page 1

become a doctor and took major an in biology and minor in business administration. He was in the fourth semester,” Cesar said. “He received some scholarships during the four semesters.” He was a very charitable person, Cesar said. “Taking care of ill people and helping them to eat and bathe, and cleaning — he was a very generous person,” he said. “He

- Mail or fax orders must be received by the Aggie Ring Program by September 11, 2009.

- Please contact the Aggie Ring Program at (979) 845-1050 to confirm we have received your order.

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2. 45 undergraduate resident credit hours completed at TAMU. 3. 2.0 cumulative GPR at Texas A&M University. 4. Must not be on academic probation, suspension, dismissal, expulsion, or on honor violation probation from the university. GRADUATE STUDENT REQUIREMENTS: Master’s Thesis Option 1. Defended Thesis Due to ordering deadlines, you may order at the beginning of the semester you will graduate. Your Aggie Ring will be delivered on Aggie Ring Day if you have defended your thesis prior to the deadline set by the Office of Graduate Studies. If you do not defend your thesis prior to this date, your Aggie Ring will be held until the qualification is met.

Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor

— I M M E DI AT E F UL L - T IM E O P E N I NG —

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT REQUIREMENTS: 1. 90 cumulative completed undergraduate credit hours.

Angel Hadnott, staff writer

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‘Man in a van’ collects stories of recession PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The beat-up 1989 Dodge van www.villagefoods.com carries a sign with a question: Wehasmake it easyaffected to eat... “How the recession you?” Along the side, a request: “Tell me your story.” Scrawled in marker across the orange paint are hard-luck tales: “My grandma lost her house and my dad is working less hours,” signed Peoria, AZ. “I lost my job, my home, my car & was homeless for 6 months. This was the first time in 27 yrs I was out of work,” signed Sue W. The man behind the wheel is Aaron Heideman, 29, an artist from Grants Pass, Ore., who in www.villagefoods.com the We past year lost his job at ato... paint van, and a homeless man. His fimake it easy store and began sleeping in the nal destination is Grand Rapids, van. He hit the road July 1 with Mich., home of ArtPrize, where what he calls “The Man in a Van he plans to display his project in Project,” angling for a $250,000 September. prize at an art fair. During Heideman’s stops, he “I just want to give people a unscrolls several feet of the roll, voice,” he said during a stop in lays it in front of the van with Rhode Island, the 20th state he a couple of markers, and asks stopped in during what he calls a passers-by to add their thoughts. nationwide conceptual art piece. “I lost my job 10 month ago, His media, as he describes it: a and I’m still unemployed. I don’t 50-yard roll of Tyvek, a Dodge have family here and I need

Aaron Heideman, from Grants Pass, Ore., stands underneath the Washington Bridge in East Providence, R.I., where he has been interviewing homeless people for his project. ASSOCIATED PRESS

help,” signed Denis Chavez. “My parents are always fighting about money,” wrote Melissa Curry, 17, of Johnston, R.I. Heideman estimates that thousands of people have written messages on the banner. “I like the fact that this is a way for regular folks to tell a story,” said Aaron Phaneuf, 32, of Newport, R.I., a fundraiser at Brown University, after he wrote a note about the difficul-

ties he’s had raising money. Some messages are hopeful. “All my college savings were in the stock market. But I’m not giving up. I’ve cut back on a lot of things I thought I could never live without and I’m a better person for it. DON’T GIVE UP AMERICA!” signed Melissa Charette, a student at Johnson and Wales University in Providence. Associated Press

Gates renews veto threat for jet engines FORT WORTH, Texas — The Obama administration renewed a threat Monday to veto a $680 billion defense spending bill if it includes money for two separate engines for a jet fighter, a luxury the Pentagon says it cannot afford. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, touring the Lockheed Martin Corp. plant, where the first of the $100 million planes are being assembled, said there is no need for two suppliers.

“We have looked at the business case a number of times,” Gates said. “The general conclusion is that it would cost several billion dollars in addition,” and cause headaches for production down the road. In an era of defense pennypinching, Gates said, “we feel strongly there is not a need for the second engine.” Having an alternate supplier for one of the most expensive

Fountain Continued from page 1

and went to work to fix it,” said Lynette Fountain, his wife of five years. Originally from Lufkin, Texas, Fountain spent the past three years in College Station attending Texas A&M. “It was his greatest dream to be accepted into and graduate from the ‘number one school in Texas,’ according to him,” she said. He was an incredibly determined student, said George Mann, architecture professor and Skaggs-Sprague Endowed Chair of Health Facilities Design. “He wanted to be treated like everyone else and was really excited about the projects,” Mann said. “He didn’t want any special treatment because of the fact he had a double-lung transplant.” In addition to being a source of encouragement for his classmates and professors, he was a

Hofmeister Continued from page 1

perfect health.” On the weekend of

components of the military’s next-generation fighter jet would spread defense dollars and jobs across more GATES companies, and more congressional districts. Stripping the funding toward a second engine supplier would save $560 million. Associated Press

role model to his children, Lynette said. “Whenever he would get done with a project for work, he would take us out to the site after it was done and show us just what it was that ‘daddy’ did,” Lynette said. “He enjoyed showing the kids that at any age it is not too late to go back to school and achieve your dreams.” Despite his busy schedule, Fountain found time for his family, said classmate and senior environmental design student Ramin Youssefzadeh. “His wife and kids would come visit him around dinner time and you could tell when they arrived because Michael’s 3-year-old son would always be the first in, with a smile going ear to ear, yelling, ‘daddy, daddy!’” Youssefzadeh said. “Anyone could see how much love he had for his family.” “No matter what was going on in his life, he always had a smile,” Lynette said. “You could put him into a room with people he didn’t know before that day, and within an hour, everyone felt like old friends.” Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor

Hofmeister’s passing, “he was coming in town for a Dave Mathews Band concert, and went to dinner with his parents and was just hanging out with his brothers,” Ahrens said. That Friday night he went

The Departments of Residence Life and Environmental Health & Safety

Mock Residence Hall Room Burn Learn how to get out and stay alive! September 2nd 6:00 pm Simpson Drill Field

Reporter

Cole Allen, staff writer

PI ZZ A

The Battalion

into shock and was rushed to a hospital where he fell into a coma. “It’s genetic. Both of his brothers are having to be tested for it too,” Ahrens said. Hofmeister’s funeral was May 7 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Grapevine. “A lot of people attended and each said something about him as they walked by and sprinkled dirt on his grave,” Ahrens said. Ahrens recalls how Hofmeister was his first friend and how he had no enemies. “Everybody liked Bob. He just had something that everyone loved. He left a bunch of friends behind who will never forget him.” Hofmeister loved Texas A&M University and the Aggie network, though he was originally unsure whether to come to A&M. “Bob couldn’t decide to go to Marquette (where he was originally from) or go to A&M. As he went to a few Aggie games, it grew on him,” Ahrens said. In Flower Mound, a park will be dedicated to Hofmeister. “We are in the process of restoring a park where we used to play basketball every Wednesday with new benches, paint, and his name on the court. It’s a big project,” Ahrens said. Robert Hofmeister is survived by his parents; Maggie and Robert Hofmeister, and brothers, Matthew and John Hofmeister.

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sports thebattalion 9.1.2009 page7

Bump, set, own Jon Eilts — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M senior outside hitter Mary Batis recently won the Texas A&M Invitational MVP after leading the team with 48 kills and 36 digs in three games.

Senior outside hitter Mary Batis leads A&M into 2009 season Courtney Nelson Special to The Battalion While most students at Texas A&M are going from class to class, hanging out with friends or taking the ever popular mid-afternoon nap, Mary Batis is in Reed Arena getting ready for a twoand-a-half-hour volleyball practice. In the lower level of the gymnasium, Batis, senior veteran, gets taped up, puts on her shoes and pulls up her knee pads as she gets ready to sweat, roll, pass and hit. A&M volleyball season is in full swing, and the Aggies are looking to advance into the post-season with a block of experienced seniors. Batis is accompanied by seniors Jola Kelner, Sarah Ammerman, Kristen Shevikhoven and Jennifer Banse.

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Batis began playing volleyball in the fourth grade in a church league. She continued to play at schools and with various clubs, where she met Banse. Both from San Antonio, they have played together since they were 11. Batis played with Banse on club teams, competed against each other throughout high school, and then reunited in College Station. During high school, Batis won countless awards, and was named to the top 50 high school volleyball recruits. Batis said she has wanted to come to A&M since she was in seventh grade, but did not verbally commit until her sophomore year of high school. “When I was in seventh grade, I remember coming home from the A&M volleyball camp

and drawing a picture on a balloon of myself dreaming,” Batis said. “The dream cloud said, ‘Texas A&M Volleyball.’” At A&M, Batis has started each game of her collegiate career. Mary said most people think it is hard to balance playing a sport with school and a social life, but it is pretty easy, especially in the fall. “The less time you have, the more you get done,” Batis said. Batis said her favorite part of playing in college is continuing to compete at a high level. At the other end of the spectrum, she said she does not like the stigma attached to being a student athlete. Batis is majoring in sports management, with minors in business, religious studies and an inter-

national cognate. Batis said she hopes to continue her career after she graduates in May by playing professionally overseas, preferably Slovenia. Last season, Batis led the team offensively in kills per set, averaging 3.38 and also registered 2.81 digs per set during the 2008 season. Batis was named to the 2008 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Team, and for the second year in a row, she showed her dedication off the court by being selected to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. This weekend, the senior displayed her veteran role by leading the Aggies to win the Texas A&M Invitational, which included victories against Iona, Virginia and Northern Iowa. Batis was named the tournament MVP for the second year in a row.

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The Battalion Texas A&M’s season opener may be getting closer, but that does not mean the practices are getting any easier. A&M Head Coach Mike Sherman had the team up early Monday for its first practice since the end of fall camp. Dubbing fall practices a return of the Junction Boys days, Sherman kept the momentum going into the first game week and had players doing conditioning by 6 a.m. “I think any time you get 18-to-22-year-olds up at six o’clock it’s hard to expect them to be totally excited,” Sherman said. “I wanted to run them before we practiced so they had to practice tired for a little bit. After running the gassers they were pretty competitive.” While some players, like junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson, enjoy the morning practices, others struggle with the early hours. “I came to realize regardless of what time I go to bed, I’m tired when I wake up,” said sophomore receiver Jeff Fuller. The Aggies are fighting to push a 4-8 2008 season into the past and to move forward with a new legacy. Sherman’s first season was characterized by a season opening loss to a Football Championship Subdivision team, Arkansas State. After the loss to the Red Wolves, A&M went on the road to New Mexico and won 28-22. The difference between the 2008 New Mexico team and the 2009 New Mexico team is a new coaching staff led by Mike Locksley, who replaced Rocky Long in December after Long stepped down following the 2008 season. Sherman said it will not be a luxury to face New Mexico a second year in a row because of the changes the team saw from year to year. “Because of where the coach is from we’ve spent a lot of time

looking at Illinois,” Sherman said. “But you have to realize any coach is going to adapt their scheme to fit their players so we have to put a little bit into that as well. It’s a little of a hodge podge of research that we do.” Johnson, then a sophomore, made his debut against the Lobos in 2008 after quarterback Stephen McGee suffered an injury to his shoulder. Johnson will start Saturday after winning a battle for the position against sophomore Ryan Tannehill. The 2009 team has 15 freshmen listed on the depth chart, notably freshmen running back Christine Michael and receiver Ryan Swope who will handle kick returns. “I want their first experience at Kyle Field to be a win,” Johnson said about the large freshman class. “There will be a lot of young guys playing and I want it to be a blast for them. I want them to be as comfortable as quick they can.” With a 2-5 home record in 2008, the Aggies had its worst season at Kyle Field since 1972, when the A&M squad lost four of its five home games. “I think last year it’s one of the things we didn’t stress enough is winning at Kyle Field,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to get that home field advantage back.” Senior safety Jordan Pugh struggled to contain his excitement when talking about the upcoming game. “I can’t wait,” Pugh said, grinning. “Just to play. I love playing football. Being out there with my teammates. I’m ready to just play.” Pugh said he is thrilled with the leadership role he is playing on the defensive side of the ball. “One thing about being a senior is leaving a legacy, or starting a legacy,” Pugh said. “You have your young guys coming in and you see the progress and the uprise that A&M is on, and you want to start that legacy. You want to start that winning tradition.”

STUDIES IN PROGRESS RED DRY SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDY (ECZEMA)

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J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845

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sports

page 9 tuesday 9.1.2009

thebattalion

Roddick fans offer advice NEW YORK, NY — Everyone, it seems, wanted to talk to Andy Roddick about his loss to Roger Federer in last month’s epic Wimbledon ﬁnal: the 16-14 ﬁfth set, the 77 total games, the Centre Court crowd chanting the American’s name afterward. They wanted to console Roddick, pat him on the back, tell him what that match meant to them. Maybe offer some advice for next time.Fellow players in the locker room. Fans on the street. Even the guy who delivers Roddick’s mail at home in Texas. As Roddick recounted in a series of Twitter postings on July 20, two weeks after that heartbreaker at the All England Club, the mailman told him he lost “cause i sweat a lot and dont change my shirt enough during the course of a match and it weighs me down.” Roddick wrapped up the story: “the best part was that he prefaced his shirt/sweat analysis with this quote ‘i dont know anything about sports or tennis but.....’”

Favre: Injury didn’t stop me HOUSTON, Texas — Vikings quarterback Brett Favre says he might have a cracked rib, although it didn’t prevent him from starting against the Texans. Favre told ESPN before Monday night’s game at Houston that he hasn’t received an ofﬁcial diagnosis but that taking a deep breath caused him some discomfort. He also didn’t wear any kind of special padding, saying “the damage is done.” Favre didn’t appear to be in any pain when he handed off to Adrian Peterson on the ﬁrst play of the game, and Peterson scored on a 75yard run.He wasn’t listed on the injury report, and none of his teammates mentioned the injury before the game. The three-time MVP signed a $25 million deal with the Vikings on Aug. 18.

Rangers star joins sidelines ARLINGTON, Texas — Rangers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been shut down after experiencing more numbness in his right arm. He might need seasonending surgery. “If rest made it better, then I wasn’t going to have to have it,” Saltalamacchia said Monday. “But if the rest isn’t doing it, it’s progressing more toward surgery than anything else.” Saltalamacchia, on the disabled list since Aug. 15, had the same problem during a minor league rehab assignment Sunday. Associated Press

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4LTVYPLZ MHKL @LHYIVVRZ SHZ[ H 3PML[PTL ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nastia Liukin, 19, has won nine medals at the World Championships in her career, which ties her for most medals all-time with 1996 Olympic gold medalist Shannon Miller.

Olympian to not compete at World Championships Olympic champion Nastia Liukin ran out of time. Liukin withdrew her name from consideration for the world gymnastics championships Monday, saying she hasn’t had enough time to train. Liukin, only the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic title, has been in high demand for appearances, photo shoots and commercial opportunities since she left Beijing, but the schedule wreaked havoc on her training. The first of two training camps that will be used to choose the U.S. women’s team is next week, and worlds are Oct. 13-18 in London. There is no team competition at this year’s worlds, only the all-around and individual events. “I didn’t want to go out there and compete and represent Team USA if I wasn’t at my best,” Liukin said. “Physically, I’m not capable of doing it because I didn’t have enough time to prepare.” While Liukin said she is going to take a break from the sport — “I hope to go on vacation, hopefully on an island somewhere” — she insists she is not retiring. She plans to return to the gym, and still hopes to compete at the London Olympics in 2012. She’d also like to compete at another world championships. Liukin has won nine medals at worlds, tying her with Shannon Miller for most by a U.S. gymnast. “This decision has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of my career. It’s based

on just this year, the world championships,” Liukin said. “I really feel like it was necessary just because I haven’t really had much time off. I wasn’t always in the gym, but I was always on the go. “I’m going to take some time off, regroup, get ready for the next few years and decide what the plan is from here on out.” Making this decision was stressful, Liukin said, because she didn’t want to let anyone down. Though there’s no team competition at worlds, these championships set the tone for the leadup to the next Olympics and give an early indication of who are the teams and gymnasts to watch. The Americans served notice they had rebounded from their disappointing showing in Sydney by winning two of the four event titles at the 2002 world championships. Chellsie Memmel and Liukin were 1-2 in the all-around in 2005, and the Americans went on to collect seven more medals in the event finals. Liukin took gold on beam and bars. Liukin said she talked with her parents — father Valeri is her coach — over the weekend, and spent two days trying to track down women’s national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, who is in Romania on vacation. When she finally got ahold of Karolyi on Monday morning, Liukin said it was one of the hardest conversations she’s ever had. Associated Press

Order your 2010 Aggieland yearbook (chronicling the 2009-2010 school year) by choosing the Yearbook fee option when you register for fall classes. To order by credit card, go to http://aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979.845.2613.

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EDITORIAL

Silver Taps: a tradition of respect

page11 thebattalion thebattalion 9 9.1.2009 .1.2009 p

ilent, sacred and solemn. Silver Taps is an important Aggie tradition meant to be practiced with respect to our fellow fallen Aggies. Held the first Tuesday of the month, Silver Taps allows friends and family to join together to honor current A&M students who have died in the previous month. Tuesday’s ceremony will honor all Aggies who died during the summer. The roughly 30-minute ceremony was started in 1898 and remembered Lawrence Sullivan Ross, the former governor of Texas and president of the then-called A&M College. Gathering in a darkened Academic Plaza, Aggie students, family and friends stand shoulder to shoulder. Shots of a 21-gun salute ring out to the North, West and South. A bugle sextuplet plays “Taps” in the three directions, omitting a turn to the East as the sun will never rise on these Aggies again. For first-timers to this sacred tradition, remember Silver Taps is a chance for reflection and mourning. Turn off your cell phones for the ceremony. Allow friends and family of the deceased to stand in the area between the statue and the Academic Building. Also, do not stand or sit on the benches lining the walkway between the flagpole and the Sullivan Ross statue. Finally, the walk to and from the Academic Plaza should be made in silence. With the hundreds of heads crowding into the area, the ceremony is not always visible. And some nights the weather is less than welcoming or there are tests or meetings to attend to. However, it is a sacrifice we as Aggies should try to make. We encourage not only attendance at this Silver Taps but at future ones as well. Aggies should be able to show up and tell families that even if they did not know these students, they respect them. Join us Tuesday night as we head to the center of campus to remember our fellow Aggies and take part in this sacred tradition.

Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION

A weak Howdy I

think it’s safe to say that our new and improved Howdy system had a little hiccup, and by hiccup I mean it threw up in its mouth and choked on that for a while. Many have previously said, and most still do say that the system stinks. Spring registration was chaos for many and the user interface of the program is downright confusing. But we’re all Aggies, and naturally that makes us pretty smart, so we adapted to it. We held back tears, bit our lips and accepted the system for what it is — a brilliant concept with the idea of centralizing all essential information in one easy-to-use place. But then there was the catch, Howdy wasn’t all that easy to use. For now, it is what it is — a great idea that has a few kinks that need to be worked out. Monday I think everyone found that out the hard way. Pierce Cantrell, vice president and associate provost for information technologies, and

3,000 users. We have close to 48,000 students, and I’m willing to bet in the past three days, nearly all of them have had reason to access Howdy. I guess I just don’t like being this little project’s guinea pig when it affects whether or not I’m going to be able to enroll in the classes that I need that are inevitably going to affect my graduation date. This Howdy thing is much bigger than it seems. I know this is A&M and we aren’t supposed to like change and what not, and I hate to be that guy saying this, but what was wrong with the old system? Yeah, it was old and outdated, and I’m sure someone can come up with a list of 100 reasons why the switch to Howdy was necessary. But when push comes to shove in old versus new, the old one was easy to use in a self-explanatory way and it worked when you needed it to. What’s wrong with that? Why break something that doesn’t need to be fixed?

Steve Humeniuk

The previous portal proved sufficient in the past. the man behind Howdy, said that around 8 a.m. the system was overloaded to capacity with users and malfunctioned. He understood that Monday on the first day of class would be one of the highest traffic periods that the program would ever encounter, but he said that it’s difficult to simulate that kind of load. OK, I give him the benefit of the doubt. It’s a new system, and inevitably there are going to be bugs, except that Cantrell said the program freaked out at roughly

Also, Howdy to date has a total operating budget of $22.75 million, Cantrell said, with a total project cap at $33 million. We’re spending a lot of money on something that just pisses everyone off all of the time. Hopefully the system will get better, but this is something that affects all of us, and I think that many in the student body are losing patience with this thing. When they finally do make Howdy userfriendly, it really is going to be a great resource, and I’ll probably be happy. Until then I’m begging someone somewhere to do something about this thing. The Howdy portal going offline for a while is a big deal, and I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but can we get this fixed? Cantrell said that the project’s implementation will be final on Oct. 31 of this year. So what are we going to be left with— a beauty or a beast of burden? Steve Humeniuk is a senior political science major.

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thebattalion

Perusing for posters Freshman education major Heidi Thomson and freshman petroleum engineering major Tobin Gelbs browse posters Monday at the MSC Poster Sale. Due to construction, the weeklong sale is being held in front of Sbisa Dining Hall, instead of its usual location in Rudder Plaza. The sale is sponsored by MSC Townhall, MSC Aggie Cinema and MSC Visual Arts Committee. Jonny Green — THE BATTALION

Howdy Continued from page 1

late to class or didn’t make it today because they didn’t know where they were going,” she said. The shutdown not only affected students but Texas A&M University staff as well. Faculty was unable to access class rosters, creating a dilemma for many classrooms. “It’s been a major problem and inconvenience here on the first day of class and the whole team has been doing everything they can,” Kannappan said. While the exact cause has yet to be confirmed, the EIS has speculated that it is related to the heavy load of users simultaneously signing on. “It’s the highest load we have ever seen on the

system,” said Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology Pierce Cantrell. Since Howdy was launched in March 2008, the number of users has remained below 4,000. Yesterday morning Howdy reached more than 4,000 users and staff. “We’ve never had a system with this many simultaneous users like we had here,” Kannappan said. “We expected a bigger load, but not necessarily this.” Cantrell said it is hard to simulate this kind of load and that it will take time to figure out the problem. “We’re trying to do our best to accommodate as many users, but if it can’t then we’ll have to limit it,” Kannapan said. “As we go up, my fear is we may run into that problem again. That is what is uncertain at the moment.”

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