Seventy-nine percent of the student body at Texas A&M have financial aid, whether it’s a loan, a scholarship, a grant or a work-study. Lynn Barnes, director of Outreach for scholarships and financial aid at A&M, said that the University faces potential budget cuts that could diminish the amount of financial aid the University can offer to students. According to the Proposed Budget Reduction Plan for 2010-11 from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, financial aid is indispensable since it draws lower-income students into higher education. Budget cuts at A&M could mean fewer dollars to give to financial aid applicants through state financial aid programs like the Texas Grant Program. But it’s not just A&M; all state agencies are facing cuts. Whether or not a student receives financial aid depends on the amount of money that the University has to give, which depends on what the Legislature determines. The Texas Legislature, a series of negotiations that prioritizes how to spend the state’s money talk about the potential cuts in the spring. This discussion will determine the amount of money available for Texas students seeking needbased financial aid. “If that cut goes through it has a direct impact on students,” Barnes said. “There’s no question about it.” The growing gap between need and aid could increase even more. With less free money for students, it is likely that more students will have to borrow loans. The University gives money on the basis of need and first come, first serve. To better chances of financial aid, students are advised to apply early. The FAFSA will be available in January. “The need for financial aid increases year after year,” Barnes said. “But the dollar amounts do not. If the University receives fewer dollars through state financial aid programs like the Texas Grant Program, it doesn’t mean fewer dollars per student. It means fewer students get free money from Texas A&M.” Emily Villani, special to The Battalion
Grass fire in park
Ty Petty — THE BATTALION
Smoke rising and sirens howling shattered the typical tranquility found in Research Park on a Tuesday afternoon. A small grass fire broke out on the southeast side of Research Park near Research Parkway Drive, the Landscape Services Building and Research Park. A&M Landscape Services employees noticed the small fire and called the fire in to emergency services at about 2 p.m. University Police and the College Station Fire Department arrived within five minutes. Ten minutes after the fire was reported, CSFD and landscape employees had the unseasonal fire extinguished using a combination of water sprayers and fire extinguishers. An emergency worker at the scene confirmed that grass fires this time of year were uncommon. Campus police could not be reached for comment. Ty Petty, staff writer
thebattalion ● wednesday,
october 13, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
AGGIELAND Photos by Michelle Meyers — THE BATTALION
and adventures across the Atlantic he had heard so for the students. Jolynn Easter, a junior business much about during the War. He also knew of the management major, said she is relieved when she The Battalion More than three decades. The majority of the Brazos Valley because his grandfather was a cotton encounters a professor such as Woodcock who has been at Texas A&M for an extended period student population hasn’t even been alive for that buyer for a spinning company, and bought many shipments of cotton from right of time. Like many students at A&M, “I’ve been long, much less planning life that far in advance. here in College Station. Easter juggles school and multiple teaching here Most people want something from life. On the “When we opened our archijobs; she is an Advancement Via longer than other hand, the “what” part of that equation is a Individual Determination (AVID) whole different can of worms. For those of you tecture magazines to read about some of my what was happening in the world tutor at Stephen F. Austin Middle who wake up in the morning and wonder if you students have we saw that America had recovered School in Bryan, Texas and is the should change your major (for the fourth time), been alive.” brilliantly from the war,” Woodassistant coordinator for Aggie Athor can’t decide between traveling the world or atArnold Krammer cock said. “I decided I really wanted letics 12th Man Rewards Program. tending MATH 141, there is hope for you yet. to find out what it looked like.” Through the day, she is comforted by David Woodcock and Arnold Krammer are two The journey to get to Texas A&M the fact that the goal of professors like professors at Texas A&M who began their careers was quite different than today. The trip took two Woodcock is to help shape the students’ future, while unsure of which path to take. Yet through weeks and consisted of a freighter from Liverpool not make their lives more complicated. their experiences and their 30-plus-years at Texas to Boston, a train to New York, a train to Chi“The main advantage to having a professor who A&M University, not only have they taught many cago, a train to Houston, and a Grey Hound bus to has been here for so long is that they understand students, they’ve grown up and found their calling College Station. When Woodcock finally arrived what being an Aggie is all about,” Easter said. with A&M. Texas A&M for the first time, he experienced the “It’s more than just getting an education. It’s about Woodcock of the architecture department has effects of culture shock and not to mention a heat making a difference and caring about people.” taught at Texas A&M University for 44 years with wave as it was August. In addition to Woodcock, another professor 14 different presidents including General James “For the most part the students I was working devoted to the students at Texas A&M is KramEarl Rudder. Woodcock came to Texas A&M in for were in uniform, and I was quite unaccustomed mer, professor of history, who has been at A&M 1962 after graduating from the University of Man- to that,” Woodcock said. “It was very strange.” 37 years. chester with a professional degree in architecture After his Fulbright Scholarship term, Wood“I’ve been teaching here longer than some two years previous. Wanting to see the world but cock returned to England and began teaching at of my students have been alive,” Krammer said. lacking a certain amount of funds needed, Wood- Canterbury University. A few years later, the first “I’m getting people in my classes telling me that cock applied and received a Fulbright Scholarship dean of the Architecture College of Texas A&M their parents also had me as a professor when they allowing travel and stay at Texas A&M for visited Woodcock in England and gave him came to A&M.” nine months. a job offer. In the end, Woodcock packed Hailing from Chicago, Krammer began his “They “The idea of the Fulbright Program is up once again and, along with his wife, collegiate career in chemistry at the University understand a scholarly exchange, you visit another of Wisconsin, only to end up a devoted history what an Aggie traveled back to College Station. country and share your experiences “By then, it had become Texas aficionado and tenured professor of Nazi and Geris all about.” and knowledge with them and meanA&M University. Earl Rudder had man history. Jolynn Easter died sadly, and far too young,” Woodwhile, you get a better understanding “I love to teach,” Krammer said. “My wife says of who they are so when you go back cock said. “We had a new image of what that if I didn’t have a classroom, I’d probably teach home,” Woodcock said. Texas A&M was becoming; women had been door to door saying ‘Hello! Have you heard about During this time, Britain was still recovering allowed to enroll and enrollment of the Corps of World War I?’” from World War II and had bread rationing in Cadets was optional – two decisions that I think The passion for the past has been a fundamental until 1952. In choosing a destination, Woodcock were brilliant.” See Professors on page 6 came to America looking for new experiences It is evident how professors like Woodcock care
Sarah Smith
Newly diverse sport report card Katie White
The Battalion A study conducted by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, TIDES, at the University of Central Florida found collegiate sports leadership in the National Collegiate Athletics Association overwhelmingly held by white men. The Racial and Gender Report Card, created by the sport management department of UCF, grades schools on the percentages of minority people they employ in the sports departments. In 2008, Federal Affirmative Action policies stated the percent of minority college sports leadership positions should reflect the percent of the minority in the entire population. Schools that meet the percentage receive an ‘A’ in the study and subsequent lesser percentages receive lower scores. “The Institute continues on this work to keep doing its part to raise awareness about the need for diversity and equality in college athletic depart-
ments and professional front offices,” said a media representative from TIDES. The report states TIDES aims to illustrate how important it is to have diverse individuals playing and working for a school’s athletic department. The numbers from the 18-year-long study show improvements have been made in college athletic departments. In 2001, 11.6 percent of athletic directors were people of color. By 2008, that number rose to 16.2 percent. “TIDES has been at the forefront of creating social change for decades, and there is evidence that information such as this really works,” said George Cunningham, a professor of sport management at Texas A&M. “It sheds light on a critical problem facing sport, and the more people who know about it, the more likely the problem is to change.” Cunningham said he believes there is still much improvement to be made to be more gender and racially equal in sports, but the movement towards
diversity over the years is a testament to TIDES and other diversity reports. Black Coaches and Administrators, or BCA, publishes an annual report card but uses different criteria to grade the nation’s colleges hiring practices. Schools are graded for how often communicate with affirmative action committees, how many people of color work for employment recruitment committees, how many of the candidates interviewed are African-American and how long a school takes to make a decision in hiring. “The numbers have improved since we started making the report since 2003,” said Floyd Keith, executive director of BCA. “The numbers before our first report were abysmal.” BCA publishes its reports and sends them to the schools under scrutiny to see where they need to improve. “The big problem with the major sports in Division See Diversity on page 6
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Cuts from financial aid funds
10/13/10 12:26 AM