thebattalion ● monday,
october 12, 2009
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2009 student media
Out of the closet
and into the classroom Queer Studies available at A&M Katy Ralston The Battalion The Queer Studies working group, a branch of the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities, meet once a month to provide an outlet for faculty and students to voice opinions and examine perspectives. The Glasscock Center working groups are topically oriented discussion forums for faculty members and graduate students interested in the same topic to interact with others. The Queer Studies working group focuses on the meaning of sexual identities, performances, discourses, practices and representations throughout history and in everyday life. As a group, they meet in different places on campus to discuss and peer-review works in progress by group members related to queer theory. The group collectively studies books and films dealing with queer studies and also engages in active dialogue rejecting and destabilizing ideas about sexuality, gender and race. “I have had a chance to have my work by the people in the Queer Studies group and critiqued, which is a great help to my own scholarship,” said member Christopher Carmona, an English graduate student. “It has certainly added to my theoretical education and helped me to be able to think more critically about all aspects of my work and society.” English graduate student Rebecca South said one reason she became involved in the group is it is good to be in a community of scholars who work in a similar field. “The real benefit for me of being in the group is being able to discuss readings, films or lectures with other people who work in the same field that I do,” South said. “It is helpful to be able to circulate ideas about the field itself and about individual topics within Queer Studies in order to get a broad range of perspectives.”
Patrick Clayton — THE BATTALION
Rebecca Schloss and Krista May are co-facilitators of the Queer Studies working group.
See Queer Studies on page 5
Howdy Day promotes A&M tradition on campus Today is Howdy Day. The student organization Howdy Ags will be passing out Howdy stickers at Koldus Building and in front of Sbisa Dining Center. Additionally, $5 T-shirts will be sold at the Academic Plaza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Saying Howdy is an important tradition that we want to stay alive every day,” said Howdy Ags President Katie Coburn, “and we’re using this one day to promote Illustration by Evan Andrews what we hope Aggies would do every day.” Howdy Day is on the 12th of every month, and the spring semester features Howdy Week in which Howdy Ags pass out Howdy cups, koozies, pens, fortune cookies and temporary Howdy tattoos. “We push for it in the spring because it’s after the freshmen’s first semester and people are starting to forget so we want to bring the spirit back.” The next Howdy Day is Nov. 12. Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor
A&M 31, Oklahoma State 36 Unexpected run Sophomore quarterback/wide receiver Ryan Tannehill carries the ball on an extrapoint attempt in the Aggies’ loss to Oklahoma State Saturday at Kyle Field. Tannehill had three receptions for 41 yards in the game.
Stephen Fogg- THE BATTALION
Missing chances Despite facing an Oklahoma State squad that was missing its top receiver Dez Bryant, the Aggies failed to steal a win they had a good chance of taking.
sports | 3 What’s next Texas A&M (3-2) vs. Kansas State (3-3) Manhattan, Kansas
on TV Fox College Sports
A&M wins National Quiz Bowl Madiha Rizvi The Battalion The Texas A&M Chapter of Wildlife Society won the National Quiz Bowl Competition at Monterey Bay, Calif., on Sept 22. The competition was with 14 teams, from universities including State University of New York – Syracuse, Utah State University and Humboldt State University. The A&M team had four members Sammy Reinhart, the captain, Andy Maddox, Drew Fowler and Caleb Carter. “Questions on ecology, about how living organisms, biotic, interact with abiotic nonliving in the environment, statistics and specialized names such ornithol-
ogy is the study of birds [were posed],” said Drew Fowler, president of the A&M chapter. Fowler said the thing to note was A&M competed against Humboldt State University who has won the past four years. “We beat them. It’s a great accomplishment.” The Wildlife Society is a professional organization with several student chapters throughout the U.S.. According to the Web site, the Wildlife Society mission “is to represent and serve the professional community of scientists, managers, educators, technicians, planners and others who work actively to study, manage and conserve wildlife and its habitats worldwide.”
A&M commemorates Columbus Day On this day, Oct. 12, 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, as the poem goes. The Spanish explorer and his three-ship fleet landed on the Bahamian island of Guanahaní and began the European expansion of the Americas, which was inhabited only by native Americans. His exploration set forth a chain of events, making the modern Americas what it is today. The first recorded celebration of Columbus Day didn’t happen in the United States until 300 years later in 1792, according to the Library of Congress. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation officiating the day, making Columbus Day a national holiday. On Oct. 21 and 22, Astronomer Ken VanLew will speak at the George Bush Presidential Library on “Christopher Columbus, The Big Dipper and The Underground Railroad,” explaining how the Big Dipper helped Columbus’ voyage and the operation of the Underground Railroad. For more information visit bushlibrary.tamu.edu. There will be various activities around campus celebrating the day. Classes are in session on Columbus Day.
Courtesy photo
Team members and wildlife and fisheries sciences majors seniors Drew Fowler, Caleb Carter, Andy Maddox and junior Sammy Reinhart prepare for competition in September in Monterey Bay, Calif.
Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor
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