thebattalion ● thursday,
aggiesarewe
COACH SHERMAN: Texas A&M football Head Coach Mike Sherman gives Sherman his “State of the Union” address on the Fightin’ Texas Aggie football team before the A&M-Arkansas game this weekend. sports | 7
october 1, 2009
● Serving
Texas A&M since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2009 Student Media
Sherman calls special yell practice Head Coach Mike Sherman, the Aggie Football team and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band will be at a special Yell Practice tonight at 6 p.m. on Kyle Field. Raffle tickets will be given to the first 20,000 students to arrive, and four Aggies will be given an all-expense paid trip with the football team over the weekend. “They’ll get to see how that whole process works — watching the coaching staff and seeing how get the team excited and give the team all the tools they need
to get them to victory,” said Student Body President Kolin Loveless. Winners will travel with the team for its away game in Arlington against Arkansas, walk through the Cowboys Stadium, and sit on the sidelines with players during the game. “This is probably the only time we’re going to do something like this,” said Head Yell Leader Casey Schaefer. “This is a really big game for us — we’re 3-0
Alex Ravandi
junior industrial engineering major
We are the Aggies Aggies are We will be a series of stories published every other Thursday highlighting Aggies.
Christina Francisco | The Battalion
A
lex Ravandi is an Aggie that knows how to have a knee-slapping good time. He’s a junior industrial engineering major from Iran. Not only does Ravandi practice the art of integrated systems, he also practices the art of funny. Ravandi is an aspiring stand-up comedian, and he brings his unique brand of humor to Aggieland every Tuesday night. Comedy wasn’t always something he pursued. It wasn’t until his friends urged him to try out for his high school talent show that he realized he could entertain a crowd. “A few years ago I started realizing I had the ability of making people laugh,” Ravandi said. “I figured I should just start writing all this stuff down.” He ended up placing third in the show his junior year, and second his senior year. Since then, Ravandi has taken every opportunity to write more material, especially the opportunities that being a college student provides. “A lot of my material is based off of my experiences. I write about the stuff I observe on campus and in class,” Ravandi said. “I think students love hearing about stuff like that. It’s fun to make them laugh at the things that stress them out.” Comedy is more than a hobby, Rav-
From Cornell University, David M. Lee, 1996 Nobel Prize winner in physics, will make the move to Texas A&M to continue his research. “He was hired for a faculty position where he will also be able to conduct research and collaborate with others in his field,” said Shana Hutchins, communications coordinator of the college of science. Hutchins said that the idea was formed by colleagues in his field wanting to collaborate more closely with Lee. “I ran into a friend of mine at a Yale physLee ics graduate school reunion and he told me about some wonderful opportunities at A&M, so in February I went down for an interview,” Lee said. Lee said he was attracted to A&M because of the friendly people and its reputation as a great place to do research. Lee became the recipient of the Nobel Prize for his work in the field of low temperature physics and the discovery of a rare form of helium in very low temperatures.
Follow Alex for a day Watch online as Christina Francisco captures Alex’s comedy show.
thebatt.com
Nicholas Badger — THE BATTALION
Rebekah Skelton G
HN
Howdy Ags
.XC
K OC
ST
How to give yourself a breast exam ■ Lie down and place your right arm behind your head.
Jeremy Northum— THE BATTALION
Student Body President Kolin Loveless, MSC Student Programs Director Sherry Wine, Vice President for Facilities Chuck Sippial, and Interim President R. Bowen Loftin answer questions regarding current issues facing the University Wednesday evening in Rudder Theater. The Military Walk, a traditional walkway for the Corps of Cadets and students alike, is currently nine percent complete, said Physical Plant Vice President Charles Sippial Jr. Other buildings that are under construction are the Emerging Technology and Economic Development Interdisciplinary Building, Agriculture Headquarters Building and the Ross See Town hall on page 5
See Nobel prize on page 10
Breast cancer awareness month begins today
Jane Lee
write to him about any issues and concerns they might have. Student Body President Kolin Loveless spoke on the ongoing search for a new president and said that there will be meetings in the next week with the Board of Regents. Loveless said a 10-year commemorative Bonfire Remembrance will occur at 8 p.m. on Nov. 17. The memorial service will honor the 12 students that lost their lives on Nov. 18, 1999.
A&M welcomes Nobel laureate The Battalion
See Alex on page 5
The Battalion Interim President R. Bowen Loftin had a town hall meeting Wednesday to address concerns and issues of the University. The town hall meeting consisted of a panel of speakers from various departments that helped clarify major changes happening at Texas A&M. “We hope this meeting will help students understand the changes, as well as the reasons behind them,” said MSC President Stephanie Burns. Loftin spoke about Vision 2020 and the enrollment increase at the University. “There are now more women than men at Texas A&M,” he said. The president also addressed concerns with the current flu season. “We urge you to go and receive a flu shot from [Student] Health Services,” Loftin said. He encouraged students to practice safe sanitation procedures, such as washing hands thoroughly, not attending classes and organizations when ill, and receiving proper attention to their illness. Loftin urged students to
Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor
Vicky Flores
Loftin informs students with town hall meeting
pg.1-10.01.09.indd 1
right now. We’re trying to make this a big weekend — get behind the team, get them motivated and get them to come home with a win.” The gates will open at 5 p.m. at the northeast and southeast entrances. Only currently enrolled students will be eligible. All students must bring their student IDs. Purses, bags and backpacks will not be allowed in. Check facebook.com/tamu for further details.
■ Use the finger pads of the three middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions to feel the breast tissue. ■ Use three different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. ■ Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone. ■ Repeat the process on your left breast. American Cancer Society
The Battalion Today kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign with a goal to increase awareness about the importance of detecting breast cancer in its early stages. “Anyone can be affected by breast cancer,” said Lauren Dorsett, a health educator with Texas A&M University’s Student Health Services. “All men and women can be affected.” Breast cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the tissue of the breast, typically in the ducts, the tubes that carry milk to the nipple, or the lobules, the glands that make milk. Although breast cancer is most prevalent in women over the age of 45, Dorsett said it’s important for women in college to get in the habit of performing self-exams once a month and having a physician perform a clinical exam at annual well-woman check-ups. “It’s a goal for all college women to perform breast exams and get breast exams starting from puberty on,” Dorsett said. “You need to be comfortable with your own breasts and know what’s normal for your breasts. So if there is a lump or an abnormality, you know.” Although some women may feel uncomfortable performing a self-breast exam, Dorsett said it is important to erase the negative connotation associated with the exam. “I think the most important thing for college women to know is that it’s not a scary thing to do a breast exam,” Dorsett said. “It’s also important to have a physician do a clinical breast exam because it is not the same as a mammogram, which is an X-Ray.” Another element of prevention is keeping physicians aware of any familial history of cancer. “It’s not just being directly affected by breast cancer, but having a family member affected by breast cancer [can increase chances of development],” Dorsett said. According to the National Cancer Institute, both smoking and inheriting certain genes are risk factors that can increase chances of cancer. The NCI also said that although there is no way to prevent the development of cancer, See Breast cancer on page 10
Since 2003 in Afghanistan and Iraq, More details at PLEASE HELP. booksforsoldiers booksforsoldiers BooksForSoldiers has been there. Keep our mission going. .com/details or .com/donate In 2008 alone our volunteers sent $2.9mil info@bookforsoldiers.com in care packages. Our internet site and Send $5 or what you can. BooksForSoldiers love to be adopted. security are costly. In the terrible economy Our deadline is soon and 116 Lowes Food Drive #123 WeWe’d are nonprofit, 501(c)(3). money donations for these are way down. without YOU this could Courtesy PVTMurphy.com Used with permission. Baker. ©Mark Lewisville NC 27023 be the end. THANKS. Groups like us are needed as much as ever. 9/30/09 11:55 PM