thebattalion
news for you campus Silver Taps
● tuesday,
october 5, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
Byungchan Kim Silence will fill the darkness of Academic Plaza tonight for the ceremony of Silver Taps. Campus lights will be darkened as friends, family and fellow students gather in honor of Byungchan Kim. Kim was a mechanical engineering graduate student from Korea who died in a swimming accident Aug. 27. Kim’s family was not available for contact. All are welcome to join the ceremony in memory of Kim by gathering at 10:30 p.m. tonight in front of the Academic Building for the remembrance. A guard from the Ross Volunteer Company will march across campus to the plaza, where the company’s members will break the silence with three rifle volleys. Letters to Kim’s family may be placed in the memorial box located in Academic Plaza during Silver Taps, as well as at the tables in the Quad, Koldus Plaza and Sbisa during the day.
texas $1 billion loss in Houston ship crash A barge accident that left an electric tower leaning precariously over the water and shut down the Houston Ship Channel, disrupting traffic to the port, will cause a nearly $1 billion economic loss, the Coast Guard said Monday.
Mental exam for Fort Hood suspect The Army psychiatrist accused in last year’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood was ordered Monday to have a mental health evaluation before a key hearing to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
Woman on death row loses appeal The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down an appeal from Suzanne Basso, one of 10 women on death row in Texas. The 56-year-old Basso was condemned for the beating death a dozen years ago of Louis Musso, a mentally impaired man in Harris County. Associated Press
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On call with Obama
Courtesy Photo
Ty Petty
The Battalion College costs, healthcare and jobs. It is the triumvirate most students worry about, obsess on and lose sleep over. With the economy struggling to get back on its feet and the implementation of the new healthcare bill, students across the nation have many questions to ask the president about the security of their future and how much of it is really in their hands. Sept. 27, President Barack Obama had conference call with college reporters to address student concerns, including fears about unemployment, health care, restructuring of student loan programs, waning graduation rates, student debt and how his administration is dealing with the rising costs of higher education. “You guys are going to drive the future success of the United States,” Obama said. For 30 minutes, Obama led a question
and answer forum where he fielded questions from reporters all over the U.S. He expressed optimism about employment prospects for college graduates. “I think your generation is going to be just fine,” Obama said. “If you’re getting a college degree, there’s still jobs out there even in a tough environment. And nine out of 10 people who are looking for work can still find work.” The national unemployment rate is 9.6 percent, according to the Department of Labor. Obama did not provide specific examples of steps his administration has taken to improve the economy. He said the Affordable Care Act and the restructuring of the system of student loan administration will save money for students and their parents. “We’re making college more affordable; we’ve changed the way student loans are administered,” Obama said.
“Instead of handing over $60 billion in tential defaulted loans can cost the governunwarranted subsidies to big banks, we’re ment a significant amount of money. redirecting the money so it goes directly The same report that the House GOP to the students.” cites also analyzes the increase in Pell Grants The president did not provide specifics authorized under the same program. The on how this program makes colreport concludes that the two lege more affordable. programs together have the President Obama According to the ofpotential to be expensive ficial GOP website for to the taxpayer and add to discussed student the House of Reprethe national debt. concerns including sentatives, the non“Most of the proposrising costs of partisan Congressional al’s ‘savings’ are poured higher education, Budget Office and the back into entitlement the economy, independent firm Price spending [and] the inunemployment and Waterhouse Coopers creased cost of the Pell healthcare. conducted a study of this Grant program,” said to provision. Both firms noted that under federal direct loan programs, such as the new system enacted into law under the Affordable Care Act, the overall risk of loan defaults to the government is increased. In turn, these po-
the report, “It is very likely that the proposal will increase federal spending by $32 [to] 39 billion over 10 years.” The president said he was seeking to See Obama on page 5
Corps of Cadets names new commandant
Police help students stay safe on campus
Stephanie Massey Special to The Battalion
Reginald Clark
Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez, Jr., class of 1979, was selected as the 39th commandant of the Corps of Cadets yesterday. Ramirez is the Corps’ first Hispanic commandant. He will be appointed Nov. 1. Ramirez will take over for Interim Commandant Col. Jake Betty, class of 1973. Betty began leading the Corps after Lt. Gen. John Van Alstyne’s resignation in January. Ramirez said academics, recruiting, retention and increasing diversity in the Corps will be his main priorities. “As the school population grows we’ve got to also grow the population of the Corps of Cadets for a lot of good reasons,” Ramirez said. “I’d like to see the numbers in the Corps of Cadets more reflective of both the state of Texas and our country as a whole with respect to minorities and women.” President R. Bowen Loftin and Lt. Gen. Joe Weber, vice president of student affairs, made the final decision after the 12-person advisory committee, chaired by class of 1968 Gen. Hal Hornburg, narrowed down applicants to Ramirez and class of 1967 Lt. Gen. Randolph W. House. “It was a difficult decision, both qualified, so how do you pick the best-qualified?,” Weber said. “It was especially good to hear [Ramirez’s] emphasis on
Special to The Battalion The recent shooting and death of a student at the University of Texas at Austin has made students concerned about their safety on campus. Though catastrophic events like UT’s are rare, it is essential for students and faculty members to be prepared. The most recent shooting on A&M’s campus was in March 1989, said Sgt. Allan Baron of the More University Police Department. info According to court docu- For more ments obtained, Harry Horak, information who was an A&M student at about emergency the time entered a woman’s preparedness residence hall armed with two loaded rifles, a knife and assorted on campus, visit ropes. A total of eight rounds http://www.tamu. were fired by the assailant, but edu/emergency no one was struck by any of the bullets. Horak was arrested and in July 1990 a jury convicted him of burglary of a habitation and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to serve 40 years. According to Charley Clark, associate vice president
See Corps on page 8
J.D. Swiger— THE BATTALION
There are 115 Blue-Light phones located throughout the A&M campus. Students can use the phones to notify police in case of emergency.
See Emergency on page 5
Office ensures equal opportunity Amber Jaura The Battalion Disability Services at Texas A&M has a huge role in providing for students with disabilities. With the increased population of students with disabilities this fall, the services now accommodate more students than ever. Kristie Orr, the interim director of Disability Services, said by the 12th day of class this semester, 617 students were registered. “The number of students with more significant disabilities has been increasing as more students are comfortable disclosing their disability and more students with disabilities are getting the support they need to come to college,” Orr said. Senior biology major Tahani Hamdan said when she was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis her junior, year she automatically thought that she would lose everything she spent years trying to achieve.
“I was not aware of Disability Services at A&M until halfway into my freshmen year when a friend suggested it to me. Hamdan said, without A&M’s Disability Services, I would have had to drop out of school. They offer so many accommodations that have helped me make it to my senior year with a 3.5 GPR that otherwise would’ve been impossible,” Hamdan said. “I receive extended exam times in a quiet secluded room free from distractions, early registration, excused absences on days when I’m too sick to function and Paratransit picks and drops me off to each of my classes.” Disability Services at A&M accommodates students in need with counseling, evaluation referral, disability-related information, adaptive technology services, sign language interpreting and transcription services. “Technology is constantly changing and can be a great equalizer for students with certain See Disability on page 8
J.D. Swiger — THE BATTALION
Students work on exams Monday at the Disability Services Testing Center. The center provides a quiet, distraction-free environment for students while testing.
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