thebattalion
sports page 4 Title implications Aggie soccer takes on OU and OSU for Big 12 supremacy A word from Coach G. The team needs your help
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october 22, 2010
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Mathias and Mautz Transfers make immediate impact on the Aggies
page 5 Ryan Swope Sophomore wide receiver converts to the Aggie way Start Tannehill Why it’s time to try something new
Then...
Keys to the Kansas game Including the loss of Evan Eike and failing interest
Freshman QB arrested Police arrested a Texas A&M football player charged with purchasing and distributing alcohol to under-aged individuals. Matthew Joeckel, a freshman business administration major and third-string quarterback for the Aggies, was seen at Zapatos Bar late Saturday night buying three shots of whiskey. According to the probable cause statement, Joeckel went to the bar and asked for shots. The bartender serving him failed to ask for identification. He kept one for himself and gave the other two to his sister Sarah Joeckel and his roommate Connor Fields, a freshman general studies major. The drinks were in celebration of his birthday, he said. Joeckel was released from the Brazos County Jail after he posted $4,000 bail. Gayle Gabriel, staff writer
Courtesy photo
Northgate stands time’s test Paula Harman The Battalion Northgate is an Aggie tradition that goes back as far as most can remember. Aggies visit it for the nightlife scene, to eat and to hang out with friends and to shop. Northgate means something different to everyone, but most students agree it is an important tradition that is part of what makes Texas A&M a unique place. Justin Box, class of 2009 and first year veterinary school student, said he has frequented Northgate for several years. “We go there to eat occasionally, but the biggest reason we go to Northgate is for the nightlife and the social scene,” he said. “Everyone goes there on Thursdays; it’s just what we always do.” For others, like senior civil engineering major Courtney Carr, Northgate means something entirely different.
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College Station Heritage Programs Coordinator Anne Boykin said Northgate was very different from what we now know. “It was the very first strip center in the area and the first traffic light was there as well. Most of the older churches in College Station were started in the Northgate area, and a couple of them, like St. Mary’s, [are] still there,” Boykin said The street names in and around Northgate are also a reminder of its history. Church Street gets its name from one of the churches that originated there, and Boyett Street is named after the Boyett family, who owned much of the land in the area and Boyett’s Store. Boykin listed a few of the original businesses that made up Northgate. “Boyett’s Store predated everything else, but there was also Luke & Charlie’s, a grocery store which later dropped the ‘Luke’ and became See History on page 6
...and now
Libraries encourage ‘Open Access’ Free cake? Free shirts? Free literature? It sounds too good to be true, but all this and more are available to students this week as the Texas A&M University Libraries celebrate Open Access Week. “OA Week is helping to build momentum for open access to research and helping to establish open access as a new publishing norm,” said Holly Mercer, digital service librarian. “As a top-tier research university, our community is a huge creator and user of information,” said Gail Clement, digital services and scholarly communication librarian. Students have access to these databases, scholarly articles, newspapers and journals through libraries and other research organizations, which pay for the information. Clement said the prices that commercial publishers charge are unsustainable. For example, a subscription to a certain bioscience journal costs $24,000 a year. “Open Access is a form of publishing high-quality, scholarly research and cultural materials without charging fees to the reader or subscriber. Many open access resources have fewer copyright restrictions, allowing readers to use the materials more freely, without having to ask permission or without having to worry about a take-down notice or infringement suit,” Clement said. The Open Access Cafe is today at Evans Library. Cake will be served at 1 p.m. Emily Villani, special to The Battalion
“I usually go there to eat — and I’ve actually never been there for the nightlife,” she said. “I really like the food there. It’s convenient because it is right across from campus and I enjoy going there because it is something that is unique to A&M.” Traditions are essential at A&M, and Northgate is prominent among them. When Bill Lancaster, class of 1949, grew up in College Station before attending A&M as a business student, Northgate was an important place for everyone who lived in the town. “It was the center of College Station back when I was growing up here in the ’30s and ’40s and when I was going to A&M in the ’40s,” he said. “It was the closest thing to a ‘downtown College Station’ that we had. The churches were there, the grocery stores, what we used to call ‘drug stores,’ which are now called pharmacies, and what few eating places there were in town were at Northgate. Sometimes we’d go there for a Sunday lunch.”
Stephanie Leichtle — THE BATTALION
Karate program mentors children Katy Ralston The Battalion Chuck Norris’ KICKSTART Courtesy photo KIDS program has middle school students in the Navasota and Bryan area karate-chopping off the streets Martial arts and film legend Chuck Norris’ karate camp and into a better future. Saturday, teaches middle-schoolers karate and life skills. the martial arts-based mentor program will be kicking up some fun at the “Kick It Event info Up For Kids Western Event and Concert” to raise “Kick It Up For Kids Western Event and funds and awareness for the program. Concert” will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Grimes The show features rodeo style bulls, broncos County Fairgrounds in Navasota and will and barrel entertainment by the internationally known Catalena Rodeo and performances include a family-friendly carnival with games, by The Catalena Cowgirls Precision Rodeo inflatable games, food, demos from children in Drill Team, horse trainer Guy McLean, The All the KICKSTART program, music by the Singing American Cowgirl Chicks trick riding and rop- Cadets and a western show. ing, and Texas Hall of Famer Cowboy Tommy High, it is perfect for us to celebrate the program Lucia and Whiplash the monkey. The concert and dance will start at 9 p.m. with in Navasota,” said Chuck Norris. “We’re doing it in true Texas style, complete with western The Emory Quinn Band, Sonny Burgess. “We are so excited about our first ‘Kick It Up performers and great country singers. Not only for Kids’ western event. Since this area is our will it be a fun night, but the proceeds will help home, and the first few months of the KICK- support the KICKSTART KIDS program. We START KIDS program has been so successful See KICKSTART on page 7 at Davila Middle School and Navasota Junior
‘A Powerful Noise’ highlights plight of oppressed women Austin Burgart Special to The Battalion Women are fleeing their homes and being abused economically in Mali, one of the three poorest nations on the globe. In Bosnia, women aren’t being given an opportunity to support their families after they are widowed by widespread ethnic clashes in the country. On the other side of the world, in Vietnam, a small group tries desperately to bring HIV and AIDS awareness to a society that turns its back on those diagnosed with the disease. These issues and the women who are at the forefront of resolving them are presented in the documentary “A Powerful Noise.” The Aggie W — Power in Women Club screened this movie in honor of CARE’s National Day of Action on Sunday. CARE, a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty by educating
and getting jobs for women around the world, is closely associated with the work that the W Club performs on campus. Funds that the W Club raises through events goes to the CARE regional offices in Austin. “CARE is an excellent place to send our funds,” said Kathryn Tears, sophomore business honors and accounting major. “You see, a lot of places will just throw money at a problem and maybe build a bridge, but the education and human development that CARE invests in carries on for generations.” CARE operates around the world, helping women begin to support themselves and their families. The program offers women services such as micro loans or legal fees at little to no personal cost. In order for CARE to continue its philanthropic services around the world, See CARE on page 7
10/21/10 6:59 PM
First Christian Church Presents
Run For The House! Rob Chandler Memorial 5K Run / 2K Walk *% % % !# & %) ! !# #) # Texas A&M Baseball Coach
Rob Childress
Saturday October 23, 2010 % ( $ ' #$ %) $ $%# % ! % #%$
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Open access
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The Texas A&M Libraries continues its celebration of Open Access Week through today. Visit http:// openaccess.library.tamu. edu for more information.
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Class reunion
The Class of 1944 is having a reunion today through Sunday in the Clayton Williams Alumni Center.
Photo contest
Students can submit photos of their study abroad to the 2010 International Experience Photo Contest. Visit http:// aglifesciences.tamu.edu for more information.
Saturday 20% chance of thunderstorms high: 84 low: 67 Sunday 30% chance of thunderstorms high: 87 low: 67 Monday mostly sunny high: 88 low: 67
Today 20% chance of thunderstorms High: 87 | Low: 68
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courtesy of NOAA
thebattalion 10.22.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com â—? Facebook â—? Twitter@thebattonline
Call 979.823.5451 or !# "# # $%# % ! % $
Summer camp questions
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Need to have your wisdom teeth removed?
Stephanie Leichtle — THE BATTALION
Jessica Schildwachter, junior environmental studies major, and Heidi Thomson, sophomore education major answer sophomore civil engineering major Bryan Sheppard’s questions about working at Pine Cove this summer.
Don’t hope for hocus-pocus. We have a research study.
nation&world
Right now, PPD is looking for men and women for a post-surgical pain relief research study of an investigational medication. Surgery for qualiďŹ ed study participants will be performed by a board certified oral surgeon. Financial compensation is provided upon study completion and the surgery is performed at no cost.
US shuns big public works projects
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MUSLIM STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION PRESENTS
NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey’s governor wants to kill a $9 billion-plus train tunnel to New York City because of runaway costs. Six thousand miles away, Hawaii’s outgoing governor is having second thoughts about a proposed $5.5 billion rail line in Honolulu. In many of the 48 states in between, infrastructure projects are languishing on the drawing board, awaiting the right mix of creative financing, political arm-twisting and timing to move forward. And a struggling economy and a surge of political candidates opposed to big spending could make it a long wait. Has the nation that built the Hoover Dam, brought electricity to the rural South and engineered the interstate highway system lost its appetite for big public works projects? At a time when other countries are pouring money into steel and concrete, is the U.S. unwilling to think long-term? “My sense is things have changed,� said Andrew Goetz, a University of Denver professor and an expert on transportation policy. “People now tend to see any project as a waste of money, and that’s just wrong.� “I call it the Bridge to Nowhere syndrome,� he added. “High-profile projects get publicized and they become a symbol for any infrastructure project that’s out there, and even the ones that are justified get tarnished by the same charge.� The so-called Bridge to Nowhere would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to connect one Alaskan town to an island of 50 residents. It figured in the 2008 presidential election when then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was criticized for initially backing the plan, which was eventually scrapped.
Podcast: Battalion Sports Beat
The other cautionary tale of the past few years is Boston’s Big Dig, the highway and tunnel project that was originally envisioned at less than $3 billion and wound up costing nearly $15 billion. The Big Dig has made it far easier for motorists to get to and from Boston’s airport, and it eliminated a noisy and unsightly elevated highway that cast a shadow over some of the city’s neighborhoods. But construction was plagued by years of delays, corruption and shoddy workmanship that resulted in the death of a motorist in a ceiling collapse. A report this month by the Treasury Department and the Council off Economic Advisers paints a picture off a country dissatisfied with the state off America’s aging infrastructure and in favor of improvements, but not necessarily eager to commit the dollars to fix it. Standing in New York’s Penn Station on Thursday in front of a sign touting the proposed tunnel, commuter Bill Mischell of Plainsboro, N.J., gave voice to those conclusions. “You could make the argument that it will make New Jersey a better place to live, but you also have to weigh it impartially against the huge cost,� Mischell said. “The state’s in pretty significant financial trouble, and the money’s got to come from somewhere.� Infrastructure spending in the U.S. stands at 2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product— half what it was in 1960 — compared with approximately 9 percent in China and 5 percent for Europe, according to the government report. Associated Press
Pregnant? Need answers? There is Hope.
Howdy Ags! Welcome to the all-new Battalion sports beat podcast. I am Chandler Smith, the host of the show, and I have a revolving door of commentators. Joining with me this week in the peanut gallery is Beau Holder, sports desk assistant and Richard Creecy, podcast coordinator. This podcast is dedicated to all Aggie sports, but this week we will focus on the disaster that was the Missouri game Saturday. We will also glance ahead to the Kansas game this Saturday in Lawrence. Also be sure to listen to some heated discussion on the value of the current Bowl Game system weighed against having a national champion. Check out all this and more on www.thebatt.com t ebatt co uunder de podcasts. podcasts
thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893
Matt Woolbright, Editor in 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 ofďŹ ces 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.
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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 classiďŹ ed advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising ofďŹ ces are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and ofďŹ ce 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 979-845-2613.
10/21/10 5:48 PM
things you should know
5 before you go 1
Poetry reading
The University Libraries will have a poetry reading by Lionel Garcia, class of 1956, from various works including his poem “My Horse.� The event is from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. today in the Mayo-Thomas Room of the Cushing Memorial Library.
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Crafts for kids
Students can drop by make a gift for a pediatric patients being treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bryan from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today outside of Harrington Education Center. Free pizza will be offered to everyone who participates.
Hear ye |it’s true for everyone| |that some days‌| |you’re the cock of the block| |and other days‌| |you’re the tool in the pool| |but‌| 1. Eric Bibb
“Diamond Days� |overall|
2. Trey Anastasio “Ether Sunday� |you’ve got to admit|
3. JJ Grey and Mofro “The Sun is Shining Down� |that when it comes down to it |
4. John Prine “That’s the Way that the World Goes Round� |in an all-encompassing|
5. Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World� |inclusively retrospective|
6. The Band of Heathens “Let Your Heart Not Be Troubled� |deeply personal| slash biased
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7. Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet “A Kazakh Melody� |introspective look|
8. Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet “Banjo Pickin’ Girl� |at your life|
9. Bob Marley & the Wailerse “One Love� |and stuff|
10. Delerious? “The Happy Song� |it’s really and truly|
Buy them. |not so bad| wouldn’t you say?
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‘The Battle Prestige’ of the screening bands
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The MSC will show “The Prestigeâ€? at 8 p.m. today in Rudder 301. The ďŹ lm, starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, tells the story of two magicians’ ďŹ erce rivalry.
MSC Town Hall will have its next round of Battle of the Bands at 8 p.m. today in front of Sbisa Dining Center. Four bands will compete, but only one will advance to the ďŹ nal round.
Students can experience the USA Science & Engineering Festival in Aggieland with hands-on experiments, ight simulator demonstrations and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow in the Chemistry, Zachry Engineering and Mitchell Physics Buildings.
Science & engineering festival
thebattalion 10.22.2010 page3
scene
Zombie invasion Students prepare for worldwide ‘Thriller’ dance Alec Goetz The Battalion November, 1982: pop sensation Michael Jackson releases a new album, titled “Thriller,� and changes the music industry forever. A year later, Jackson and filmmaker John Landis, director of the classic monster movie “An American Werewolf in London,� unleash upon the world a 14-minute music video masterpiece for the album’s title track featuring Jackson slowly turning into a werewolf and an undead entourage more interested in boogying than eating brains. Now, 26 years later, one group of Aggies is celebrating the late superstar’s legacy by performing the video’s instantly recognizable dance with thousands of people worldwide. Thrill the World got its start in 2007 as a way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Jackson’s landmark album by having 1,722 people from 52 cities worldwide dance like the video’s well-choreographed zombie horde — and they did so, all at the same time. College Station joined the list of participating cities in 2009, when 77 Aggies got down with more than 22,000 others from around the globe. “I found out about Thrill the World my freshman year,� said Jennifer Taphorn, senior animal science major. “My friends and I were just hanging out around the dorm, when we decided it might be fun to learn the dance from Thriller. We found some instructional videos from Ines Markeljevic, the creator of Thrill the World, and taught ourselves how to do it.� Taphorn, who is the music education executive for MSC Town Hall, said she thought it would be a great idea to put her knowledge of the dance to use and bring Thrill the World to A&M in 2009.
Stephen Olmon — THE BATTALION
Students gather in the Student Recreation Center to practice the choreography for Michael Jackson’s famous “Thriller� dance, as coordinated by MSC Town Hall.
Last year’s event drew 77 dancers dressed different to do on the weekend.� in the finest undead fashion, alongwww. withvillagefoods the Participants do not need to be huge fans of .com www.villagefoods.com attention of a sizeable audience. Taphorn said Jackson’s music to join in. We make it easy to... We make it easy to... she is confident this year’s group of partici“I honestly cannot say I am the biggest pants will meet or exceed that number. Michael Jackson fan, but it has been Part of the fun is that Thriller dance is amazing to see the differsimple enough for anyone to learn with just a ent types of people his little practice, making it easy for people with music has reached and little to no experience on the dance floor to the influence he’s pick up quickly. had on the music This year’s ‘Thrill “I’m not much of a dancer, but I’ve been that’s popular tothe World’ event having a lot of fun,� said Kevin Ellis, a senior day,� Taphorn will begin at 5 poultry science major who is participating in said. p.m. tomorrow this year’s event. “It’s cool to have something This year’s in front of Sbisa Thrill the Dining Center. The www.villagefoods.com www.villagefoods .com World event Houston-based We make it easy to eat better begins at 5 We make it The easyLive to drink better... bands p.m. toLight and The morrow in Watermarks will front of Sbisa also perform. Dining Center and features live performances from Houston bands The Live Light and The Watermarks in addition to the main dance event. The Live Light will be performing at 5 p.m. while dancers register and get zombified with makeup www.villagefoods.com www.villagefoods .comby MSC Town Hall. provided We make it easy to eat... We make it easy to eat better The dance itself will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a performance from The Watermarks. Webcams will be set up to broadcast the dance online with the rest of the simultaneous performances going on around the Courtesy photo world, and participants and audience members Michael Jackson’s 14 minute-long music video of “Thriller� took the world by storm with alike are invited to attend in their best zombie clothes. its troupe of the dancing undead in 1982.
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sports thebattalion 10.22.2010 page4
‘We need your support’
Chance at a title
With two home matchups on the horizon, Head Coach G. Guerrieri asks the Twelfth Man to support the team as they try for their 11th Big 12 Soccer Championship. Dear Twelfth Man, Howdy! This weekend your sixth-ranked Aggie soccer team has a HUGE challenge, and I’m asking for G. Guerrieri YOUR help as soccer Head Coach we try to win our 11th Big 12 Soccer Championship. This Friday night and Sunday afternoon we will take on Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in our last two home games of the regular season. The Sooners come to Aggieland in third place in the current Big 12 standings. This Friday night’s match is Senior Night, where we will honor our eight graduating seniors prior to the match. It’s an all-important match for Texas A&M. Kickoff for this match is set for 7:30 p.m. Then on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., we play OSU. The Cowgirls are a game ahead of us at the top of the Big 12 race and carry a No. 5 national ranking into Sunday’s game against the No. 6 Aggies. This game very well could determine this year’s conference championship! So, here’s my request for this Friday and Sunday: Let’s make the Aggie Soccer Stadium the loudest, most energetic venue NCAA soccer has ever seen. The Aggie student section is already nationally recognized as one of the most-spirited, sportsmanlike and intimidating crowds in college athletics. The power of the Twelfth Man has astonished the nation before, and I know you can do it again. Let’s BTHO Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, on the field and in the stands. G. Guerrieri
Photos by Paul Mezier— THE BATTALION
Left: Junior Beth West dribbles the ball during the Aggies’ victory over Texas Tech. Above: The Aggies, pictured huddling after a goal, face off with Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m. Friday and No. 5 Oklahoma State at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Both games will take place at the Aggie Soccer Complex
Aggies contest Sooners, Cowboys for Big 12 Austin Meek The Battalion A weekend filled with serious conference implications is on the horizon for the No. 6 Texas A&M women’s soccer team. The Aggies (13-3, 6-1 Big 12) will battle the Oklahoma Sooners Friday at 7:30 p.m. and their in-state rival, the No. 5 Oklahoma State Cowgirls Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The Sooners (9-5-2, 4-2-1 Big 12), who haven’t lost since Oct. 3, come to College Station with the third best record in the conference. The Aggies will be looking for revenge after failing to capture the win last season in Norman, the first time OU had defeated the Aggies during Head Coach G Guerrieri’s tenure. Riding the elation of a 2-1 overtime victory versus Colorado last Sunday, Guerrieri said that the Sooners are playing their best soc-
cer ever. “They’ll be playing with confidence,” Guerrieri said. “I’m sure they’ll come in with a lot of pride and trying to do whatever they can to derail us. “For us, it’s a huge match. If we want to be able to win our 11th Big 12 title, we’re going to have to win on Friday night.” The team’s eight seniors will be honored before the game: forwards Kat Armstrong and Whitney Hooper, midfielders Amber Gnatzig, Nicole Ketchum, Alyssa Mautz and Rachel Shipley and goalkeepers Kristen Arnold and Kelly Dyer. “All of them have been instrumental in not just our conference success but the national success of this program. “I hope the Twelfth man will be out there to really stand and cheer for these guys and help us in what
we know is going to be a very difficult match.” Sunday’s tilt against Oklahoma State poses even a bigger challenge for the Aggies. With only three games left in conference play, every match has added significance — especially when the conference championship is on the line. The Aggies currently lie three points behind the first place Cowgirls, who are 7-0 in Big 12 play and have a 13-game unbeaten streak. Their only loss of the season came in a 1-0 defeat against No. 2 Portland, who also defeated the Aggies by the same score. Although the Aggies have the upper hand in the rivalry (1-14-2), OSU’s lone victory came last year in the Big 12 tournament game. “Last year, that was the first time we ever lost to them,” Guerrieri said. “A 1-0 game where they scored on a corner kick. They’re
very good defensively. They’re very good on the counter. They have a really good team chemistry to them, so they’re going to be a real challenge for us.” In addition to Senior Night, Friday is also Greek Day. All Aggies wearing fraternity or sorority letters will be admitted free. The group with the largest attendance will receive free admission to a men’s basketball game for their entire fraternity or sorority. Dollar soft drinks and popcorn will be sold. Sunday is Aggie Appreciation Day. Students who show their A&M IDs will get in free and be able to watch the Aggie women try to claim first place in the Big 12. “Sunday is a big, big day for us,” Guerrieri said. “And I know with it being our last home game of the regular season, it’s our crowds’ last chance to see us for sure at home.”
Mathias and Mautz critical to success By Austin Meek | The Battalion
T
he No. 6 Texas A&M women’s soccer team is riding a six game winning streak heading into this weekend’s matchups against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Aggies have resided in the top 10 all season, but there’s no telling how successful the program would’ve been if two transfers, senior midfielder Alyssa Mautz and junior forward Merritt Mathias, hadn’t decided to transfer to the friendly confines of College Station. After a spectacular senior season of high school in which she was named the Missouri Player of the Year, Mautz decided to play her college ball at a local school, St. Louis University. “I thought I wanted to stay close so my parents could come watch,” said Mautz, who’s family lives about 45 minutes from campus. “I just wasn’t happy. Being in the city just wasn’t for me, just the environment.” The program at SLU was very reputable, but not as challenging as Mautz would’ve liked, saying that it was “laid back.” “We would just practice and we didn’t have to lift as much as we do here,” Mautz said. “We didn’t have a strength and conditioning coach — there just weren’t that many resources.” Midway through her freshman year, she realized that a change needed to be made. “I wanted a bigger program and I wanted to get better.” Mathias’ road to College Station was a bit different than Mautz’. After being named an All-American in both 2006 and 2007, Mathias committed to play at the University of North Carolina, a women’s soccer powerhouse. After an injury derailed her freshman season, she had difficulty reintegrating into the system. “I went there to get better and to play at a topranked soccer program,” Mathias said. “Yeah, they were top-ranked, but I didn’t get better and I ended up not liking the school and not liking the town and everything put together just made me realize, ‘This just isn’t right for me.’ “You get into it and things start to happen and
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then you just kind of realize that there’s somewhere else where I’d be a lot more happy.” Both players were drawn A&M because of the program’s reputation as a perennial contender, though Mautz was less familiar with it than Mathias. “When I came for a visit, I just liked the coaches and I liked the players I’d met,” Mautz said. Mathias had seen the A&M squad from the other side of the field when the Aggies played against the Tarheels. After getting lost in the system at UNC, she really appreciated how dedicated the coaches were at A&M. “It was a lot about how the coaches worked together that made me really appreciate the program,” Mathias said. “Talking to them [Head Coach G Guerrieri and assistant coaches Phil and Lori Stephenson] made me feel like family. They understood where I was coming from and what I wanted to do.” “They’re determined to get you better,” Mautz said. “And if you wanted to go on they would help you through that.” Being a transfer isn’t easy, Mautz said. Not only do you have to acclimate yourself to a new environment and a new team, you have to work even harder to showcase your talent. “You definitely have to prove yourself right away and just show that you belong there,” Mautz said. Guerreri said that every girl, transfer or not, is treated with the same amount of respect. “We have a saying,” Guerreri said. “’If you want a freshman to play like a freshman, then treat
Photos by Tyler Hosea and Stephanie Leitchtle — THE BATTALION
Senior midfielder Alyssa Mautz (left) and junior forward Merritt Mathias (right) have paid dividends after transferring to A&M. them like a freshman — make them carry the bags, polish the shoes, do all kinds of demeaning things. But if you want that player to play like a senior, then treat them like a senior. “We are a non-caste system. We are a nonclass environment. The same expectations are put on everybody, but also the same benefits are put on everybody.” Mautz and Mathias are two of the crucial reasons the Aggies are having such an impressive sea-
son. Sunday’s match against Oklahoma State will determine the winner of the Big 12 South. Just three months into her time in Aggieland, Mathias is certain that transferring was the right choice for her. “At the end of the day, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Mathias said. “Playing on Friday nights with these girls and coaches, it just makes everything worth it. I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better second chance.”
10/21/10 5:13 PM
sports
page 5
thebattalion
friday 10.22.2010
Aggie gameday texas a&m vs. Kansas 6 p.m. saturday memorial stadium
things to look for
the perfect aggie
1no eike, big problem:
Courtesy photos
Sophomore wide receiver Ryan Swope has had a productive second season in Aggieland. He is third on the team in catches and yards.
sophomore ryan swope arrives in aggieland striving for greatness By Kyle Cunningham | The Battalion
2quarterback play:
A
t first glance, Ryan Swope is the atypical Aggie — with shaggy blonde hair and an Austin background, he fits the College Station stereotype of Longhorns.
Add that to the fact his father Paul went to Texas, and it seemed all but determined that the 6 foot sophomore receiver would be burnt orange-bound from the beginning. Swope was raised in a family filled with competitiveness, be it from his parents — his father played golf and his mom, Louise, played tennis — or his brother Louie, whom he would battle in anything from football to video games to racing up the stairs. “We compete in everything we do and we have since we were growing up,” Louie said. “We competed in everything and every single sport — we’d go in the backyard every day and play one-on-one, getting into little bickers and fights and our parents would have to break us up, but we were always very competitive and it’s always been a lot of fun.” As a junior in high school, Swope had to choose between the Aggies, Texas Tech and Baylor, among other programs in the nation. After a pair of visits to Kyle Field in the 2007 season, Swope made his verbal commitment to the program. “I came up here and loved everything about it,” Ryan said. “I love the tradition. I came to two or three games, and I knew that this place was the right fit for me and the main thing is the fans and how much support they give us.” But all of that tradition couldn’t cover up the first few awkward moments when Ryan had to pass up the Longhorn clothing in his closet in favor of maroon and white. “It was a different feeling [wearing Aggie gear], considering my dad graduated from Texas,” Ryan said. “And it took him a while to put on a maroon shirt, but it was a good transition and I have no regrets at all. I just love everything about Texas A&M.” Despite the tumultuous first year of the Mike Sherman era in which the Aggies went 4-8, Swope never considered backing out on the commitment, despite the success of the Red Raiders in 2008 (11-2, including a victory over the then-No. 1 Longhorns).
“I knew right when I made my decision that this was the right place for me,” Ryan said. “I didn’t want to back out — a commitment’s a commitment. Nowadays, someone will commit and back out, but I always think once you commit there is no backing out. I didn’t want to sit on any other offers — this was the right place for me and I made my decision.” Swope’s freshman year was a successful one in spite of the Aggies’ 6-7 record. His lone touchdown of the 2009 season, which came in the September matchup with UAB, is still considered his favorite Aggie moment. This sophomore season, Swope’s role has increased and he is now second on the team in receptions with 33, receiving yards with 344 and return yardage with 80. Wide receivers coach and NFL veteran Troy Walters, new to the staff in 2010, sees a lot of plusses in Swope’s game. “He’s a great player who is very fundamentally sound,” Walters said. “So we didn’t really have to change a whole lot of what he was doing. It’s been a pleasure to work with him — he’s gotten better and can still get better. That’s the scary thing.” But Swope’s help hasn’t just come from the coaching staff. Louie was a defensive back who had committed to SMU but came to A&M despite not having a scholarship offer. “[Ryan] didn’t even really push me to go here, he wanted me to make my own decision all on my own,” Louie said. “The thing that made me want to come here was all the tradition. I went to an SMU game and I went to an A&M game and the games are completely different — one has 80,000 and the other has 30,000. And I just felt a lot more comfortable with the coaches at this school.” Their competitiveness has followed them to College Station, where Ryan said Louie still lines up against him and will mess with him. But overall, their passion for winning and family matters more. “I thought playing with him in high school would
Senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson will start Saturday night. This we know. Jerrod Johnson, senior However, one quarterback must think that in a game so winnable, if Johnson continues to struggle, Head Coach Mike Sherman will pull the plug and give junior Ryan Tannehill the shot he deserves. With a quarterback playing as poorly as Johnson, it is a matter of holding somebody accountable. Besides, what does Sherman really have to lose? Tannehill could be the spark to light the fire under this unit’s rear. Or he could perform as poorly as his predecessor. Regardless, Sherman owes his team, the fans and Tannehill a chance to see what their future quarterback has.
3General disinterest: be the last time, but when he de-committed from SMU and decided to come here was a great feeling,” Ryan said. “It makes it 10 times easier on my parents and just to have him here for three more years is great.” That love of family, plus a desire to be greater than he is today is what drives Ryan Swope. And that makes him more Aggie than his surface leads on.
Tannehill should take over at quarterback
I
t’s time to draw that mythical line in the sand. Ryan Tannehill needs to take over the quarterback duties for the Texas A&M football team. Now. The season that Aggie fans once thought they would or could see is over. This team will struggle to make a bowl, not for want of talent, but because it is 3-3 and 0-2 in its conference with three top 25 teams and a resurgent Baylor squad left on the schedule. It will not win the Big 12. It will not push for nine wins. There’s nothing left to lose. This is not a personal attack on senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson or a degradation of his abilities. It doesn’t change the facts. With the season lost, Head Coach Mike Sherman and his staff need to face reality and prepare for the future. The simple truth is that if Tannehill, a junior, will ascend to the role of starting quarterback in his final campaign, he needs to have a chance to get up
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to speed. To Beau Holder take meaningful snaps. To try to sophomore win a game. sociology major This is the perfect time to do it. The two contests directly ahead on the schedule set up in such a way that he can warm up against a terrible Kansas team that the Aggies should basically out-talent, followed by a tougher game against a down Texas Tech team. The coaching staff needs to do the right thing for the sake of the future of Aggie football. At the same time, there are still six games left in the season, and A&M needs to try something, anything, to light some sort of fire under its team. There is a point where loyalty to a player and concern over his draft status
Junior guard Evan Eike has been the most consistent player on an inconsistent offensive line. With his status listed as questionable (though he is doubtful) due to a high Evan Eike, junior ankle sprain, guard the Aggies will again throw freshman Jake Matthews out to the wolves. Thus far in 2010, the unit has given up 23 sacks — they gave up only 28 in all of 2009. This number is due to the struggles against edge rushers along with some problems when dealing with stunts and various blitzes — and their quarterback holding on to the ball too long. Kansas’ front seven shouldn’t cause too many issues in pass protection though defensive end Jake Laptad has the potential to do some damage. It should be a good game for this new five to gel and become a bit more cohesive with the toughest part of the schedule on the horizon.
take a back seat. Johnson does not many of the latter. deserve the seething disgust and blame So do something to ease this burden drifting his way, but he has played on him. Give him a break. Tannehill poorly in 2010. might not replace him so easily; maybe Issues at the other offensive posiit’ll give rise to a greater appreciation tions only go so far in explaining nine for him. Whatever can be done, do it. interceptions in six games, a drop “Every week, and these players in completion percentage, depleted know this, we evaluate every player rushing numbers, an 11-point drop in after every game,” Sherman said. quarterback rating and 23 sacks taken “We will go with who gives us the — and those are only the probbest chance to win. Everyone lems that stats can measure. knows that is looming, includ“I can’t imagine being in, ing Jerrod. I have zero favorites say, Jerrod’s position,” senior … I care about all of them, but linebacker Michael Hodges said as far as winning my decision on Monday. goes with who gives us the best Until the thorough beating chance to win.” by Missouri, the calls for JohnIf that is true, and if Sherson’s benching had a solid man cares about the program’s case, but a limited pedestal to Ryan Tannehill, future beyond this season, the stand on; because no onlooker quarterback/ right thing to do is start his wide receiver could tell if or when he quarterback of the future. The would snap out of his malaise justifications for so doing are abunand how much of it could be blamed dant, but the issue can be made real on other aspects of the offense. Those simple, real quick. Deny it, coachhindrances have been removed: not speak it, work your way around it a soul can argue with wins and losses. all you want: the 2010 Aggies have Halfway through the season, the Agnothing left to lose. gies already have been crippled by too
Anybody in attendance Saturday saw an offense that looked seemingly disinterested. There were some mental mistakes — junior receiver Jeff Fuller’s false starts and the receivers’ drops come to mind. And the offense played with a certain lack of confidence. Maybe that’s the result of four straight average games. Or maybe they’ve lost faith in the coaching staff. Whatever it is, they face off against not only the worst team in the conference, but one of the worst in the country. There is no excuse to go out in Lawrence and play another sloppy football game. None. David Harris, sports editor
Staff predictions david harris, sports editor
20-10 A&M beau holder, sports assistant
24-6 A&M ian mcphail, opinion editor
24-21 KU kyle cunningham, staff writer
20-14 A&M matt woolbright, eic
17-10 A&M jill beathard, enterprise editor
27-21 A&M mike teague, staff writer
35-10 A&M zachary papas, staff writer
21-17 A&M
10/21/10 5:14 PM
IT’S TIME
to have your graduation portrait made for Texas A&M University’s 109th yearbook
news
page 6 friday 10.22.2010
thebattalion
History Continued from page 1
Dec ’10, May ’11, Aug ’11
GRADUATING
SENIORS and GRADUATE STUDENTS
Have your senior portrait taken today through Oct. 29 in Training Room 027 of the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. To schedule your free portrait sitting, go to www.thorntonstudio.com Go to School Portraits, Scheduling, click New User, complete with Login Password: tam Or walk in, 9 am –5 pm weekdays
‘Charlie’s,’ a bootmaker named Holick’s where everyone from the Corps of Cadets had their boots made, A&M Donut Shop, A&M Barber Shop, University Bookstore and a Kodak shop, along with a post office and a tax shop,” Boykin said. The first City Hall and jail were also located at Northgate, at 101 Church Ave., which is a City of College Station historic marker. The founder of Holick’s boot shop, Joseph Holick, was the first Aggie bandmaster. He found himself in College Station completely by chance but soon opened Holick’s, which is still an Aggie tradition today, though it is no longer located at Northgate. Even the name “Northgate” has a history that dates back to the origins of A&M. Many years ago, there were four gates that surrounded the University — Northgate, Southgate, Eastgate and Westgate. However, the North gate was the most popular of the four gates. These gates served as entrances to the University, though rumors suggest that many years ago, wolves were occasionally spotted on campus, and there are even stories of an attack, so it is pos-
Courtesy photo
Aggies in years past would have seen this A&M donut car cruising the streets around Northgate in the morning hours. sible that these gates were also there as a deterrence to wild animals. Regardless of whether these rumors are true, it serves as a reminder that the University was a much different place at the time. These gates no longer actually exist, but the name “Northgate” stuck with the area. While the significance of Northgate may
have shifted from being the main commercial center of town to a favorite student hang-out and tradition, it still remains a popular spot in College Station. Though the faces of the students and buildings might have changed over the years, the memories of what Northgate has meant to A&M and College Station over the years will not be lost.
AGGIELAND 2011 A Texas A&M tradition since 1895
classifieds
PLACE
AN AD Phone 845-0569 or Fax 845-2678 The Grove, Bldg. #8901 Texas A&M University
ANNOUNCEMENTS Absolutely 1-Fun Defensive Driving! Ticket dismissal/ insurance discount. W&Th (6pm-9pm) or Sat (8am-2:30pm). Denny’s (near TAMU). $45 cash, $25 Special (w/purchase 2-food items). Restrictions apply. 979-694-8888. FOR A GOOD TIME . . . CLICK HERE www.lonestarcalendar.com Get your copy of the building of the 1969 Aggie Bonfire at aggiebonfireflick.com
AUTO I buy vehicles, running or not running. 979-778-1121.
COMPUTERS Superior Teks. $50 for almost any computer repair. Call 979-703-7963 or visit www.superiorteks.net
WHEN
TO CALL 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day
FOR RENT 2bd/2ba 4-plex. Spacious floorplan, W/D connections, close to campus. $550/mo. www.aggielandleasing.com 979-776-6079.
3/2 fourplexes, close to campus, on bus route, W/D, newly renovated, very nice, must see. southwoodplace.com 979-822-3520.
3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apartments, 1250sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, walk-in pantry &closets, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 979-694-0320, office@luxormanagement.com
3/2/2, fenced yard, appliances, pets OK with refundable deposit. $1050/mo. 1001 San-Benito. 979-690-0786.
FOR RENT $1200 Prelease, short-term leases ok. 3bdrm/2ba. W/D, pets ok, near TAMU. Call Agent Ardi 979-422-5660. $295 Pre-lease. 1-room in shared, furnished apartment. All bills paid. Short term leases ok. Call agent Ardi 979-422-5660. $375 Pre-lease. 1/1, 2/1. Free Wi-Fi, on Northgate, on shuttle. Short term leases ok. Call agent Ardi 979-422-5660. 1-acre, close to campus, 4bd/2ba +study, 2000sq./ft., nice double wide, fenced yard, large covered deck, W/D included, $1100/mo. Owner/Realtor 979-219-0405. 2/1 CS duplex, available late December, pets allowed, privacy fenced backyard, ceiling fans and blinds, tile floors, W/D connections, E-Walk shuttle route, $625/mo 979.218.2995 2bd/1ba apartment, 800sq.ft. New appliances, carpeting and tile. W/D. Bus route. $550/mo. +$300 deposit. Available on, or before January. 210-391-4106.
3bd/3ba duplexes. Great floorplans, fenced yards, W/D, tile floors, icemakers, alarm systems. 979-776-6079. www.aggielandleasing.com
SPECIAL
see ads at thebatt.com
PRIVATE PARTY WANT ADS
$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.
FOR RENT
HELP WANTED
Reduced! $895/mo, 3bd.2ba C.S.. Huge duplex, fenced, shuttle route, w/d connection, lawn services included. Treehouse trail. www.c4properties.net 979-268-1074. Will Pay 2 Months Rent+ Sublet Fee. 1/1 downstairs apt with W/D, approx lease 8 months. University Square Apartments on TAMU/Blinn bus route. Pet deposit negotiable. 512-694-6925 leave message or 979-693-2720, mention Unit#55
HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. 512-684-8296. photoguy@io.com Child Care- FT & PT shifts available. Some nights & Saturdays required. Apply in person at 3609 E. 29th St., Bryan. Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment. Dental lab technicians, labratory or dental office experience necessary. Apply 3200 Kent St 979-776-7905.
3bdrm/2ba townhome in gated community off of Harvey Road/Hwy 30. W/D connections with small fenced back yard, community swimming pool. $1250/mo, 979-571-4831, www.scottirealty.com
Help needed to assist lake management company in field and store work. Full days only. 979-703-7990.
4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Houses, Townhouses, Duplexes &Fourplexes, 1250-1700sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 694-0320. office@luxormanagement.com
FREE Coca Cola fountain drink for the first 50 cutomers
LUNCH SPECIAL SMALL 1-TOPPING $4.99 PIZZA
Hiring teachers morning and afternoon shifts, Covenant Presbyterian Child Care. 220 Rock Prairie rd College Station. 979-696-6484 mon-fri 7:30-5:30.
Tutors wanted for all subjects currently taught at TAMU/ Blinn and Sam Houston State starting at $8.00/hour. Apply on-line @ www.99Tutors.com, 979-255-3655.
Local embroidery shop needs part-time help Monday through Friday, call Russell at 979.260.2907 for details.
Working Mom needs reliable, dependable weekend childcare in my home. Must commit to these hours: Friday 4pm-11pm, Saturday 7am-11pm, Sunday 7am-5pm. chefquintero@hotmail.com
P/T Evening Security/ Custodian 20hrs/wk, $8.50/hr. Bilingual a plus www.fumcbryan.org/jobs to apply. PT openings, customer sales/svc, no experience necessary, conditions apply, all ages 17+, internships available, 979-260-4555. SIGNS NOW! P/T and F/T positions available in Vinyl Graphics Dept. Apply in person or online: 10187 St. Hwy 30, College Station (by Central Baptist Church) or www.SignSourceTX.com 979-776-5001. STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid Survey Takers Needed In College Station. 100% Free To Join. Click On Surveys. The Corner Bar &Grill now hiring. Apply in person at 9pm Monday through Wednesday. All positions available.
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the battalion
PETS Adopt Pets: Dogs, Cats, Puppies, Kittens, Many purebreds. Brazos Animal Shelter, 979-775-5755, www.brazosanimalshelter.org Beagles, puppies and adults, AKC. Shots, wormed. $100-$400, can email pictures. 979-884-0017. kubena@verizon.net Designer breed tea cup puppies: Maltese, Maltipoos, Yorkies, Poodles &Shih Tzus. $325 &up. 979-324-2866, linda_d_54@yahoo.com
ROOMMATES Male roommate needed, Spring Semester for 4/2 house, S.Dexter. big room, private bath, on bus-route, $425/mo. call/text 210-316-2570. Spring 2011 sublease at The Woodlands, 1 bdrm in 3/3 townhouse, Female only, 713-839-5404.
TUTORS Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpful one-on-one private tutors for all subjects at TAMU/Blinn and Sam Houston State. Check us out at www.99tutors.com, 979-255-3655.
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COLLEGE STATION: 3br/1ba w/GARAGE & 4br/2ba w/ STUDY HOMES in Wolf Pen Area!! Central A/H, W/D CONN, FENCED YARDS/PATIOS. $825/MO. Pets welcome! 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com
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plus t/s
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HELP WANTED
979-846-3600
1740 Rock Prairie Rd.
979-680-0508
1-800-SKI-WILD • 1-800-754-9453
puzzle answers can be found online at www.thebatt.com
Northgate, Brand New, 2/2, W/D connection, walk to campus. 979-255-5648.
www.AggieNetwork.com
Word Square Form a four letter word from the long word such that the fourletter word and the long word have some similarity in meaning or context. Then fit it into the word square. 1. ATMOSPHERE 2. SENSOR 3. VANITY 4. FLOURISHING
Thursday’s solution:
B A N K
A M E N
N E M O
K N O T
Siddharth Kumar — THE BATTALION
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10/21/10 7:07 PM
news
page 7 friday 10.22.2010
thebattalion
CARE
KICKSTART Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
look forward to seeing all of our friends, neighborslook forward to seeing all of our friends, neighbors and supporters there.” KICKSTART KIDS began in 1992 as a non-profit organization at one middle school in Houston and has grown to encompass more than 44 schools, including the Navasota and Bryan school districts. “The program places trained martial art instructors in middle school physical education classes who teach the highly structured and ordered discipline of martial arts,” said Ginny Hargrave, director of administration, “as well as model the focus and direction they will need to face the challenges they deal with every day and become mentors for the participating children.” “We are dedicated to providing students with tools to strengthen their self-image and develop social skills and emotional resilience through martial arts in order to avoid drugs and other self-destructive behaviors, remain in high school until graduation and use the skills they have developed in our program to become productive members of our community,” said Ed Saenz, executive director of operations. KICKSTART KIDS has seen that statistically students who have participated in the program are less likely to engage in drug-related activity or have discipline fractions and have lower dropout rates and higher grade transition rates during high school, Hargrave said. But for all of the statistics, the most power-
Courtesy photo
Chuck Norris hugs a participant of KICKSTART KIDS. The program was started by Norris and is a non-profit organization for middle school students to keep them active. More than 44 schools participate. ful stories of success are on an individual level. “For years, we have seen that the KICKSTART KIDS program can address the individual challenges of some of our most vulnerable students, empowering them to overcome the negative effects of their environment and achieve greater success in school,” Hargrave said. “We can intervene in the growing cycle of poverty, family dysfunction, substance abuse and gang involvement and help give
students more resilience and confidence.” Tickets for the carnival and western event are $15 each and the concert is an additional $15, or $25 for both. Tickets are available at http:// kickstartkids.org, The Texas Store in College Station or at the front gate the day of the event. “I think it’s a great way to enjoy the Texas outdoor weather. It will be great entertainment, and there is something for everyone,” Kelley said.
it requires heavy financial support. “Here in America there’s not much actual work to be done,” said Amanda Gillihan, sophomore history major. “The best way that we can help is to raise funds for them and get the message out.” The movie brought to light many global issues that perhaps not everyone knew existed, as well as the solutions and support that women of all races are finding in each other. It centers around three women with different problems and from a variety of locales: Bui My Hanh, an HIV-positive woman in Vietnam who worked with a group called Immortal Flower to spread awareness about the disease to a society that views it with a social stigma; Madame Urbain, a woman from Mali who educates the young girls of her village and Nada Markovich, a woman from war-devastated Bosnia who formed a co-op for widowed women. “They help out women in every way imaginable, from giving out loans to working hands on with people when they are just starting off,” said Stephanie Gillihan, senior environmental and geological science major. “CARE is the inspiration for the Aggie W Club.”
TIME IS RUNNING OUT to have your graduation portrait made for Texas A&M University’s 109th yearbook
Dec ’10, May ’11, Aug ’11
GRADUATING
SENIORS and GRADUATE STUDENTS
Have your senior portrait taken today through Oct. 29 in Training Room 027 of the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. To schedule your free portrait sitting, go to www.thorntonstudio.com Go to School Portraits, Scheduling, click New User, complete with Login Password: tam Or walk in, 9 am –5 pm weekdays
It’s your yearbook. Be in it.
AGGIELAND 2011 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University
Untitled-9 1
10/21/10 7:00 PM
If You Have Something To Sell, Remember ClassiďŹ eds Can Do It!
prank calls
will never be the same again
www.tiny.cc/prankmeapp
Call 845-0569
the battalion
Wrecked your car? www.aggiebodyshop.com Find us on
LAMBDA XI CHAPTER OF DELTA ZETA SORORITY HOLDS COOKOUT TO SUPPORT NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ALCOHOL AWARENESS WEEK The Lambda Xi Chapter of Delta Zeta Sorority will hold the i Have a Choice cookout to educate college-age students about the dangers of alcohol abuse. The Lambda Xi Chapter is located on the campus of Texas A&M University. The i Have a Choice cookout will take place at the recreation center’s pavilion on October 22, from 5:00-8:00. Delta Zeta wants to reach out to all TAMU students and the College Station community, and encourages everyone to come out and enjoy a fun, alcohol free evening. There will be plenty of free food, games and prizes. Donations will be accepted that will beneďŹ t an alcohol awareness organization on campus. Delta Zeta Sorority’s campaign, i Have a Choice, works to educate college-age students about the dangers of alcohol abuse, inspiring them to examine their lifestyles and make informed decisions regarding this and other substances. Moreover, the campaign seeks to partner with ofďŹ cials and administrators in higher education, as well as the community surrounding campuses where Delta Zeta has chapters, to eradicate the abuse of alcohol among college students. The campaign supports National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, October 17-23, 2010. Delta Zeta Sorority was founded on Miami University’s campus in Oxford, Ohio in 1902. The Sorority has over 220,000 alumnae and collegiate members worldwide. The Delta Zeta Foundation, a non-proďŹ t organization, makes possible gifts and support for scholarships, leadership, philanthropy and education.
ΔΖ
For further information, please contact Bethany Goodrich at dz.programming@yahoo.com or (254)760-9062.
Feature your organization in the 2011 Aggieland yearbook
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AGGIELAND 2011 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University
EDITOR’SNOTE
‘
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.
Feeling T
exas A&M prides itself on being diverse. There’s even a website about it. The school’s diversity plan states that the subject “involves an exploration of individual differences in a safe, positive, welcoming and nurturing academic environment.�
voices thebattalion 10.22.2010
page8
left out
It mentions many of the reasons students are sometimes not received warmly into this type of atmosphere, such as religious beliefs, cultural identity or sexual orientation. One marginalized group that the plan fails to address at all is the left-handed community. I’ll admit I planned on writing a joke column about discrimination against left-handedness on campus. However, I quickly discovered two things – first, I’m not actually funny, and second, left-handed students really do experience neglect. Maybe that seems absurd to us who have always been on the right side of matters, but A&M isn’t nearly as hospitable to the left (no political pun intended). The most evident area where lefties are disadvantaged is the classroom. Very few classes have an adequate number of desks to accommodate southpaws. Some of them don’t provide any lefthanded seating. This might sound like more of an inconvenience than a legitimate problem, but it wears on students who have to sit uncomfortably all the time. “Your back hurts the rest of the day because you spend hours twisted in a desk,� said Brad Walker, junior biology major. Left-handed students are even assigned righthanded seats for exams. Though it’s true lefties Caleb Wilson are allowed to sign up for junior history left-handed seats in some major classes, many are still stuck in “normal� desks because the lists fill up fast. Sign-up sheets are a great option, but until there is suitable seating provided for every student this won’t solve the problem. Campus computers also reflect the University’s disregard for left-handed students. In every computer lab I have been to, I have yet to see a mouse on the left side of the monitor. Lefties are left with two choices. The less common one is for them to place the mouse on the side of their dominant hand. This entails manually adjusting the mouse settings to switch the primary and secondary buttons. If that’s not done, right clicking reaches a whole other level of difficulty. The usual decision is to leave the mouse on the right side of the computer monitor. By
Abraham Hernandez — THE BATTALION
now, every lefty has already mastered using the right-handed mouse. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for a southpaw to learn how to do things the “right� way, the right-handed way, when they are not given much of a chance to do what is natural. It would be hyperbole to say that left-handed students are prejudiced against, but it is no stretch of the imagination to conclude they are too often ignored. “I think society doesn’t even know we exist,� joked Caleb Quinones, junior economics major. Quinones’ response, although tonguein-cheek, does characterize the University’s attitude towards left-handed students. A&M is not intentionally unfair, but it is neglectful. It’s more than just desks and computer mice. If the school boasts of welcoming and nurturing all individuals, then it should. To disregard lefthanded students’ seemingly insignificant needs is unmerited. They haven’t been sinister since the Middle Ages. No one should be disadvantaged because of dexterity. I’m not here to call for a Bill of Lefts, but the University does need to grant more left-handed rights. Accommodating all students shouldn’t be any more expensive than the current set-up. Diversity is for everyone. Like the coffee mug says, lefties are all right.
GUESTCOLUMN
Stay true to Aggie values 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., events across Texas A&M campus 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hands-on science & engineering demonstrations
3:30 p.m. Public lecture by Dr. Dudley R. Herschbach 1986 Nobel Prize winner
Big Physics Day Mitchell Physics Buildings Chemistry Open House Chemistry Building Discover Engineering Zachry Engineering Center 3:30 p.m.
Public lecture by 1986 Nobel Prize winner Dr. Dudley R. Herschbach
See website for complete schedule, parking information, and other up-to-the-minute details!
A SATELLITE EVENT All events, held in conjunction with the national USA Science & Engineering Festival, are sponsored by the Dwight Look College of Science and Texas A&M University.
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To my fellow Aggies, many great administrators Five months ago I walked across a stage in and staff on campus; but we Reed Arena and was handed a maroon tube should never let the voice containing a diploma from a school I have of students be muffled grown to love over the last four years. To by those in leadership, many, a diploma is merely a piece of paper especially when the acknowledging the completion of a degree values we as Aggies pride Logan program, but to Aggies, it symbolizes much ourselves on are called Nichols more: the values, traditions and excellence that into question. is Texas A&M. Looking back, I know class of 2010 What happened the last semester of my I did what was morally senior year was unimaginable. It was and ethically right, and I disheartening to witness students know I stood for the values I believe tokenized and discriminated in. However, the decision that against because of the color of was made regarding the race Don’t let your Aggie their skin. Even more so, it of those involved was out of traits be shaken, was disconcerting knowing my control as a student, and even in situations this took place at A&M. students were harmed. when administrators Just two years ago, I want to stress to each challenge them; I ran for student body of you the importance of such as the blurred president because I wanted standing up for what you ethics involved with to represent A&M and believe. A&M’s mission is to the Big 12 on the the values for which we, develop leaders of character Hill incidents in 2009 as Aggies, stand. Little did to serve the greater good. As I know a year later each of a student, and even after you and 2010. those values would be brought walk the stage, your character into question regarding the race of and values may be challenged. two students. Integrity and respect are two core values I do not see myself as a victim of this that build the foundation we as Aggies stand situation because of the lessons I was able to on, as individuals, as leaders, and as people take away. Being put in a tough situation has of character. Do not compromise who you helped me learn to stand up for what is right, are as a person, nor as an Aggie. These are even when those above me encourage me to two values we should never lose, even when look the other way. We are privileged to have shaken to the core.
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