The Battalion: November 16, 2010

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thebattalion the battalion

campus

Student contracts meningitis

● tuesday,

november 16, 2010

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media

Austin Burgart The Battalion A Texas A&M student who lived off-campus was hospitalized Monday after being diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Students often come in contact with other people, using the same doorknobs, sitting at the same desks or even shaking hands. Sometimes the outbreak of a rare and potentially fatal diseases, like bacterial meningitis, can open their eyes to be more aware of their health. Student Health Services has notified and begun giving out antibiotics to those who were in close contact with the affected student, including those who lived with and were in the same classes as the student. Within a few hours of their e-mail notification, 25 students visited Beutel Health Center for preventative measures. “The most at-risk individuals were those that lived in the same house as the student or came in close contact with them,” said Richard Darnell, assistant director of Student Health Services. “Most people should not worry because you can’t get it by just passing by the infected person on the sidewalk.” Vice President for Student Affairs Lt. Gen. Joe Weber sent an e-mail to A&M students Monday warning them about the dangers of the disease and urging them to get vaccinated. “We’re not trying to scare the students or incite a riot,” said David Teller, associate director of medical services. “We just want people to come in if they are concerned, especially if they are showing symptoms.”

s e i g g A g n i k a m Film Joe Ter rell| Th

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maker” ggie” and “film at are are two words th d bine rarely seen com . At a college h at re b e m sa e within th business reign d an g n ri e e in g where en that A&M’s se ri rp su o n ’s it supreme, canon have lm fi e th to s n o ti contribu glaring overa , st e b at al im been min shua Mills and Jo ts n e d u st r e sight form class of 1998, th o b , o d ce an Carlos G ing change. Graduat have set out to ng a time when ri u d M & A as x from Te ven available, e t o n as w r o in a film m e now poised to ar o d ce an G d Mills an length film, re u at fe t rs fi ir e release th ugh Mills’ proro th , n e M f o Fishers sert Wind Films. e D , y an p m co duction

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See Filmmakin

Evan Andrew

See Meningitis on page 7

Aggies fast Rising textbook cost concerns A&M leaders to show support for Dream Act

and partner with other student leaders in Texas to do the same. From one A&M professor’s view there is With class registration right around the corner and new classes to look forward to, students no free market on textbooks in College Station. Political science professor Jon Bond find themselves wondering once again said for this reason the textbooks why textbooks are so expensive. required for his course are not “Over the past four years, I sold at Bryan-College Station have definitely noticed the Roughly 50 percent bookstores. increasing cost of textbooks, of students surveyed “I have been concerned and we’re working to do said they opted out of about the high price of something about it,” said buying a textbook for textbooks for more than Konrad Johnson, executive a course because they 30 years of teaching Aggies vice president of the Student here at Texas A&M Univercould not afford it Government Association. sity. Long before I published Johnson said it’s difficult to my own textbook for POLS compete against the big money 206, I tried repeatedly to negotiate that backs the textbook industry, but with publishers and local bookstores to the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board, of get the discounts on the price of the books I use which he is the chairman, is working to advo-

Amber Jaura The Battalion

Rebecca Hutchinson The Battalion After not eating for three days, the Council for Minority Student Affairs began to see burgers and turkey legs in the clouds, but they bore it for a cause they believed in. The Council of Minority Student Affairs ended the fast Friday outside Academic Plaza, a statewide event petitioning to readdress the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors, or DREAM Act. This is a bipartisan proposal that would allow illegal immigrant students to obtain citizenship. There are about 300 illegal immigrant students attending Texas A&M. “This is an issue that affects Aggies,” said Maria Cabello, a sophomore member of the Council for Minority Student Affairs. “These students were raised in Texas, accepted here and work just as hard for their degree, but they can’t use it when they get out.” The University officially recognized the council this semester, and the focus is to raise awareness of the plight faced by minority students. After three days of fasting, members of the organization were taking down tents and folding blankets, getting ready to break the fast with granola bars at 5 p.m. “The first day was the worst, because you’re so hungry, but the second day wasn’t so bad,” Cabello said. “But when it’s for a cause you believe in,” she said trailing off, shrugging her shoulders. Introduced about a decade ago in 2001, the DREAM Act was designed to help remedy the issue of illegal immigrant students. In order to qualify a student must have come to the U.S. before the age of 16, graduate from high school or have a GED, enlist in the military or

April Baltensperger Photo Illustration — THE BATTALION

cate on behalf of students within the University

Q&A Student Activities

Yoga master to give four-day workshop Connie Thompson

director talks about getting involved

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More info

The Battalion

Joyce Go The Battalion Texas A&M University provides its students with more than 800 student organizations on campus. Choosing what organizations are right for students and how involved to be with Student Activities can be a daunting decision to make with all the choices available. Bill Stackman, director of student activities, gives some advice about how to get involved and what resources A&M provides to students in extracurricular activities. Q: What is the Office of Student Activities’ main purpose? A: Our goal is to enhance [students’] formal learning experience outside of the classroom. Our mission is to create and foster leadership opportunities for students through involvement and to enhance personal and organizational development. Q: How can a student use Student Activities to help them find what organizations are right for them? A: We have a tool called OrgMatch, and it’s online and it helps students. It’s an inventory that will identify a student’s interests and match them with organizations that are focused on goals that meet their needs. Another opportunity is to come and talk to our staff and to get direct guidance and support in finding an organization. Q: What kind of programs does Student Activities provide students with? A: Our department provides a lot of support for student organizations and we offer leadership programs. Some of those programs are: Leading with your Strengths, StrengthsQuest, Strengths Round 2, Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for College Students, Leadershape and a leadership speaker See Q&A on page 7

See DREAM on page 8

See Textbooks on page 7

This past Sunday, Texas A&M welcomed Shriram Sarvotham, 20-year master of Sri Sri Yoga, an international yoga organization. Sarvotham spoke on behalf of the Art of Living Foundation about the importance of yoga and meditation for not only physical health but also mental health. “There are already a lot of resources for learning yoga in our community but we felt that his style was very unique and refreshing, and that we have to bring him here to College Station,” said Aditya Shrivastava, leader for the A&M chapter of the Art ooff ndation. “There’ss Living Foundation. a lot of wit it and humor inn tation, and his his presentation, in-depth knowledge of body and mind really impressed us.” The lecture cture focused on the need to eliminate te stress and create a sense of belonging ngingg in a collegee y. community.

The workshop is $50 for students and $150 for the public. Registration information is at http://artofliving.tamu.edu. The Art of Living Foundation has been a nonprofit organization since 1982 and offers programs for groups such as: youth, teens, business, government, prison inmates, trauma survivors and people with depression, as well as separate programs for people living with cancer, HIV and other life-threatening diseases. In the lecture, Sarvotham said practicing yoga reduces stress, tension, anxiety and frustration, frustrati and improvs memory and con provs concentration. Sarvotham will lead a four-day Sri Sri yoga worksh workshop Thursi Rudder day to Sunday in Tower. The course cou will incclude cl ude yoga post postures, proper e breathing methods, meditative relaxation methods, di discussion of a proper diet and princo ciples of coping with day-to-day d y-to-d stress. da

ASSOCIATED PRESS

11/15/10 9:31 PM

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*Just show the MSC Box Office on your smart phone when purchasing your tickets! Not valid with any other offer.

IN CONCERT THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18 ũĨťŢ Ł COFFEE BREAK! Students are invited to hang out with Time for Three right after the concert. Enjoy the complimentary coffee bar while chatting up the guys. You must present your concert ticket to access the coffee bar. Series sponsored by Ashford Square Realty, Sterling Auto Group and St. Joseph Express

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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 offices 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. 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 classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office 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.

courtesy of NOAA

Study abroad

An informational by the Study Abroad Programs Office will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today in the Quiet Room of Sbisa Dining Hall.

2

Remember Bonfire

3

Thursday, students will be remembering the students that were tragically killed or injured by the collapse of the Aggie Bonfire of 1999.

Registration

Preregistration for the 2011 spring semester begins Thursday. Register at howdy.tamu.edu under the “MyRecord” tab.

Wednesday sunny high: 74 low: 43 Thursday sunny high: 64 low: 39 Friday sunny high: 69 low: 52

pagetwo

thebattalion 11.16.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline

Scanners and searches upset airline travelers WASHINGTON — Nearly a week before the Thanksgiving travel crush, federal air security officials were struggling to reassure rising numbers of fliers and airline workers outraged by new anti-terrorism screening procedures they consider invasive and harmful. Across the country, passengers simmered over being forced to choose scans by full-body image detectors or probing pat-downs. At the San Diego airport, a software engineer posted an Internet blog item saying he had been ejected after being threatened with a fine and lawsuit for refusing a groin check after turning down a full-body scan. The passenger, John Tyner, said he told a federal Transportation Security Administration worker, “If you touch my junk, I’m gonna have you arrested.” Tyner’s individual protest quickly became a web sensation, but questions also came from travel business groups, civil liberties activists and pilots, raising concerns both about the procedures themselves and about the possibility of delays caused by passengers reluctant to accept the new procedures. Concerns about privacy and low-level radiation emitted by the machines have led some passengers to refuse screening. Under TSA rules, those who decline must submit to rigorous pat-down inspections that include checks of the inside of travelers’ thighs and buttocks. The American Civil Liberties Union has denounced the machines as a “virtual strip search.” Associated Press

Reduce, reuse and recycle Stephanie Leichtle — THE BATTALION

Pregnant?

fully ed p p i u eq

1

Texas Aggies Recycle Day was celebrated in Academic Plaza Monday. Recycling Services organized the event to promote recycling and sustainability.

Protests over Haiti cholera epidemic PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Protesters who hold U.N. peacekeepers responsible for a deadly outbreak of cholera that has killed 1,000 in three weeks threw stones and threatened to set fire to a base in the country’s second-largest city Monday, Haitian radio and eyewitnesses reported. A case of cholera had never before been documented in Haiti, and fear and confusion is following its path. President Rene Preval addressed the nation Sunday to educate people on good sanitation and hygiene. Cholera is transmitted by feces and can easily be prevented if people have access to safe water and can regularly wash their hands. But those conditions

ASSOCIATED PRESS

An elderly woman suffering cholera symptoms is carried on a stretcher Saturday to the Doctors Without Borders temporary hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. don’t exist in much of Haiti, and tens of thousands of people have been sickened as the disease has spread across the countryside and to nearly all the country’s major population centers. Doctors Without Borders and other medical aid groups have expressed concern that the outbreak could

eventually sicken hundreds of thousands of people. The U.N. acknowledged that there were sanitation problems at the base, but says its soldiers were not responsible for the outbreak. No formal or independent investigation has taken place despite calls from Haitian human-rights groups and U.S. health care experts.

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11/15/10 7:38 PM

sports

thebatt.com The No. 8 A&M women’s basketball team begins its 2010 campaign against Arkansas Little-Rock at 7 p.m. today at Reed Arena. Check out a preview of the season-opening matchup online.

thebattalion 11.16.2010 page3

A big week in Aggieland

File photos — THE BATTALION

Above: Senior “joker” Von Miller and sophomore linebacker Sean Porter crunch Robert Griffin III in A&M’s 42-30 victory over Baylor Saturday. Below: Junior cornerback Coryell Judie awaits a kickoff in the victory. Judie ran back a kickoff for a touchdown for the second consecutive week.

No. 18 A&M prepares for marquee matchup with No. 9 Nebraska Austin Meek The Battalion With Saturday’s primetime matchup against No. 9 Nebraska the final time these seniors will ever play on Kyle Field, quarterback Jerrod Johnson is looking back with fondness on his impact during his time in Aggieland. “When I came to Texas A&M, all I wanted to do was leave a legacy,” Johnson said. “I wanted to be a part of something special, put A&M back to prominence, put A&M back to where I felt it should be. “Each game we win puts us more

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and more on the national scene and I’ve felt like a part of that. And if that’s all I can do with this school, then that’s fine with me.” Senior defensive end Lucas Patterson hopes that the team will harness the emotion and channel it into an impressive team effort. “It’s hard to believe I’ve been here five years and this is my last one on Kyle Field,” Patterson said. “A top-10 team coming in here — the last time Nebraska is ever going to play here — I think the stadium is going to be wild. It’s going to be an emotional game for

everybody, especially the old guys, and I think all of that is going to help.” The No. 18 Aggies will face the Huskers Saturday night on ABC. Arguably the biggest game of the Sherman era, the game’s importance was ratcheted up a notch after the Aggies took care of business in Waco this past weekend. Trailing 30-14 after running back Jay Finley’s 69-yard touchdown rush, the Aggies responded with 28 unanswered points, eventually pulling out the 42-30 victory over the Baylor Bears.

Junior running back Cyrus Gray, who has taken the lion’s share of carries in the wake of sophomore running back Christine Michael’s injury, posted his fourth straight 100-yard effort. The Desoto native rushed for 137 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. “Cyrus is a great player,” said junior quarterback Ryan Tannehill. “He works hard everyday in practice. He gives you everything he has every time he runs the ball.” Head Coach Mike Sherman has been impressed with how Gray has See Football on page 4

11/15/10 7:23 PM

sports

page 4 tuesday 11.16.2010

thebattalion

Football Continued from page 3

stepped in to the feature role. “I just see a guy who keeps getting better and better as the weeks go on,� Sherman said. “I don’t think we’ve seen his best yet. I think his best is still out there.� The Baylor defense keyed in on stopping junior wide receiver Jeff Fuller and, for the most part, was successful. The added pressure on Fuller, whose three catches for 37 yards included a highlight-reel one-handed grab, opened up the field for sophomores Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu. “It helps us tremendously just spreading the ball around,� said Swope, who finished with four grabs for 56 yards and a touchdown. “There’s more threats on the field, which kind of opens everything up.�

Saturday’s battle at Kyle Field features two of the hottest teams in the country. Both squads have won four straight conference games, and the Cornhuskers have been dominant on both sides of the ball. All-American cornerback and senior Prince Amukamara will have the unenviable task of trying to contain Fuller. The battle of potential NFL first-round draft picks will have everyone watching. “I definitely love competition,� Fuller said. “It not only makes you better, but it’s just fun to rise to the occasion and play good football. I’m definitely going to have to come with my ‘A’ game.� Sherman is hoping his team brings it’s “A� game. “Games like this make it very special when you’re competing for something,� Sherman said. “The school gets excited. “It’s special when you can have a game like this at home in front of a great crowd.�

Freshman linebacker Damontre Moore hits Robert Griffin III during the Aggies’ 42-30 victory over Baylor Saturday in Waco. File photo — THE BATTALION

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things you should know

5 before you go 1

Time for Three

The trio of young, classically trained musicians known as Time for Three will perform as part of MSC OPAS at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Rudder Theatre. The group features two violinists and one double bassist performing a variety of musical genres.

Essential Film Series

2

The Department of Visualization Essential Film Series will present “City Lights,� a 1931 American silent romantic comedy starring, written and directed by Charlie Chaplin at 7 p.m. today at the Langford Architecture Center.

3

International Film Series

The International Film Series will present the second ďŹ lm in the Millennium Series, “The Girl Who Played With Fire,â€? at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow in Koldus room 227.

4

Dangerous Liaisons

The Department of Performance Studies will present a production of “Dangerous Liaisons,� a play about deceit and scandal among the French aristocracy in the 18th century. The performance will take place at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Rudder Forum.

5

b!

Thanksgiving Dinner

 Â

Sbisa Dining Hall will have a Thanksgiving dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Students can use your meal plan, Dining Dollars or pay with cash and credit cards.

thebattalion 11.16.2010 page5

New point of view

tech

Different web browsers offer varying advantages In this age of rapidly advancing technology, constant has to do with the program’s ability to process the code that advances in the quality and practicality of technological apmakes up a given website. So essentially, a better designed plications push developers to innovate. And as a result, we browser can load a page more quickly. And certainly the fastenjoy better and better products. A good example est browser is Chrome, with Firefox close behind. of this, and one relevant to each of us, is that of There are a number of data-driven tests that web browsers. confirm this, but it’s actually quite evident by We all use the Internet daily; web browsers are comparison. My roommate, a longtime IE user, the applications that help us do so. However, many recently downloaded Chrome and one day exof us may be unaware of the options available to us claimed “Man, that Google Chrome is fast! Why in web browsing software. There are a number of was I using Internet Explorer?� browsers available for free download and that vary Indeed, virtually any web browser ranking you Clay Harley see online will rank Chrome and Firefox in the two considerably in speed, security, customizability and overall user experience. senior management top spots, Safari somewhere in the middle, and IE The four most widely-used browsers are Miinformation near the bottom. Speed is not the reason for this; crosoft’s Internet Explorer, Apple’s Safari, Mozilla systems major another important factor is security. This is an area Firefox and Google Chrome. Internet Explorer where IE really suffers. The reason for this is partly is the standard, built-in browser for Windows operating sysdue to IE’s widespread use — “hackers� have more opportutems, and Safari is the standard for Apple OS — most people nities to exploit its vulnerabilities — and partly because it simuse one of these by default. Firefox is the built-in browser ply has more vulnerabilities. Safari falls short in this category for Ubuntu and other Linux-based operating systems, and as well, while Chrome and Firefox are equipped with strong Chrome is one of Google’s offerings in its ever-expanding libuilt-in security measures. brary of applications. No matter what your operating system’s Another big factor is design and user experience. In terms default browser is, you can download any of these — and oth- of being asthestically pleasing, Google Chrome is the clear ers — for free online. winner. Its minimalist frame consists of a thin strip containThere are plenty of comparisons, with varying levels of ing the search bar and navigation buttons, and the tabs act as associated geekiness, we can make about these four tools, but the title bar for the window, maximizing the content area. I think one aspect in surfing the Internet we all care about The simple design is right on par with the light, quick feel of is speed. Not all browsers load pages at the same pace; this the browser. Chrome also has themes and color schemes the

user can apply to customize its look. Safari also has a good feel to it, especially if you like that Apple touch, but I personally prefer Chrome. An area where Firefox excels in that of technical customizeability. There are more than 6,000 free add-ons that can help you tailor Firefox to your liking. Add-ons are downloads that work with the Firefox browser software adding utility, functionality or aesthetics to your browser. Firefox has a wide range of add-ons including WeatherBug, which gives built-in weather forecasts; Screengrab, which takes a screenshot of an entire webpage, not just the immediately visible content; Adblock Plus, which removes all advertisements from web pages and Like.fm, which helps track the music you and your friends listen to on sites like Pandora and Grooveshark. Now if you don’t already feel inclined to try out Chrome or Firefox, let me offer one final piece of information: neither Chrome nor Firefox will give you problems with that confounded site, eLearning. If you’re tired of being booted back to your eLearning home screen anytime you try to download a file, take a few minutes and download — again, for free — one of these superior browsers and save yourself the frustration of IE. In fact, most computers on campus at the Open Access Labs already have Firefox installed. Just click the Start button, type in “Firefox� and you’ll see it show up. Then you can pin it to the taskbar and it’ll be there every time. See Browsers on page 6

Courtesy photo

It is never too late to JOIN the

Corps of Cadets

The Corps of Cadets has a 134-year tradition of developing well-educated leaders of character prepared to “Answer the Call� for leadership and service in the public and private sectors.

Carol Krenek ’11 joined the Corps after her ďŹ rst semester at A&M. She was selected for a leadership position on Corps Staff for the 2010-2011 school year. This tradition of developing successful leaders demands hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence.

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page 6 tuesday 11.16.2010

thebattalion

NY judge nixes Douglas ex’s ‘Wall Street’ lawsuit

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case belongs, not who should win, Chinitz said she was confident the actor would prevail if his ex pursues it further. The couple divorced in 2000 after 23 years together. Diandra Douglas’ lawyer said she plans to appeal. Both Douglases have homes in New York, and “the case should be decided here,” said the lawyer, Nancy Chemtob. Diandra Douglas’ camp has said she should get half the actor’s earnings from this year’s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” because their divorce deal gives her a share of proceeds from projects related to work he did when they were married, such as the original “Wall Street.” “Mr. Douglas is seeking to shirk his financial responsibility that was entered into when he signed this contract,” Chemtob said at an August hearing. “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” released in September,

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LOS ANGELES — “Glee” guest star Darren Criss has turned a “Teenage Dream” into reality. The Fox series’ co-producer, Twentieth Television, says Criss and his character, prep school glee club member Blaine, will continue to appear on the show this season and that Criss could become a regular next year under a newly signed deal. The 23-year-old’s character was introduced last week as a mentor to Kurt (Chris Colfer), an out gay student who faces harassment at school. Criss and the glee club at his school performed a cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” in that episode. Twentieth Television says the cover scored the highest first-day sales for a “Glee” track, with more than 55,000 downloads. Twentieth Television says whether Criss’ character and Kurt become romantically involved has yet to be decided. Associated Press

Browsers Continued from page 5

An interesting browser that will soon be released is Netscape’s Rockmelt, which is based on the open source portion of Chrome, the basic platform Google released for anyone to build on. Rockmelt adds two sidebars to its browser window that integrate a number of web applications like Facebook into the browser, making content from selected apps easily and constantly accessible. This may be a continued trend with new browser releases, but its popularity and success remain to be seen.

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has grossed more than $100 million worldwide. Michael Douglas’ lawyer said the actor’s ex was misinterpreting the divorce agreement and that it didn’t apply to the “Wall Street” sequel, which wasn’t on the horizon when the two split. “When does it stop? ... She’s not Mrs. Michael Douglas” anymore, Chinitz said at the August hearing. Michael and Diandra Douglas’ divorce pact specified that future money disputes would be resolved in California — and that’s where courts are best equipped to handle it, the judge wrote in his decision, first reported by the New York Post.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Douglas’ ex-wife has lost a bid to cash in on his earnings from his recent “Wall Street” follow-up, with a judge saying her case is too much of a Hollywood divorce to set a sequel in a New York court. A Manhattan judge dismissed Diandra Douglas’ lawsuit against the Academy Award-winning actor in a ruling made public Monday. The judge said the dispute doesn’t belong in a New York court because the former couple’s complex, multimilliondollar divorce agreement was hashed out in Santa Barbara, Calif. “After balancing all competing interests and factors, the California court is the more convenient forum for this matter to be tried,” state Supreme Court Justice Matthew F. Cooper wrote. Michael Douglas was “very happy” with the New York lawsuit ruling, his lawyer, Marilyn B. Chinitz, said Monday. While it stuck to the question of where the

Guest star joins ‘Glee’

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Meningitis Continued from page 1

Bacterial meningitis is a disease that inflames the membrane around the spinal cord, which, because of its close proximity to the brain, can be fatal in some cases. It is usually rare but college students who live within close proximity to each other are especially at risk. The most common symptoms are a stiff neck, sudden fever and headache. “Those are the big three,” Teller said. “This disease can develop very quickly with the disease possibly progressing to death from a few hours to a day or two.”

Q&A Continued from page 1

series. We provide these programs because leadership is essential to our mission. First and foremost, the mission of our department is to create leadership opportunities for students and help students further develop themselves as leaders. Leadership is very essential to who we are, what we do, and the programs that we do offer are very much around leadership. Q: What are some benefits students get from attending these programs? A: One benefit is increasing self-awareness so [students] can understand who they are, to understand their potential, their strengths, their leadership skills and abilities, to [learn to] network and to find out ways they can get involved on campus. It helps them identify ways they can take their skills and then become active in the community and elsewhere in life. This gives students the opportunity to put into action the skills that they’ve learned and developed.

Textbooks Continued from page 1

in my courses,” Bond said. “Assuming there was a market and price competition, a number of years ago I contacted several off-campus bookstores here and offered to give my textbook order exclusively to them if they would mark it up less than is typical. They all refused, saying that they could not afford to cross the big national bookstore chains, like Barnes and Noble, that have contracts with universities to sell textbooks … The MSC Bookstore acts as a clearing house for all textbook orders and divides up the number of books that will be needed for a course among all the off-campus bookstores. And all the bookstores sell the book for the same price.” Bond said the only way he was able to get a lower price on his textbooks for students was to negotiate a deal with his publisher last semester, and this semester he was able to get them to set up a website so that students can buy the book directly from the publisher at a substantial discount. Ordering through the site gives students free shipping on the textbook as well as access to the first chapter for free while the book is being shipped to them. Robert Stewart, a retired oceanography professor, decided not to publish his books altogether. Stewart’s Introduction to Physical Oceanography, Our Ocean Planet: Oceanography in the 21st Century and Environmental Science in the 21st Century are all posted free online. Stewart said having his book online works well for him and his students. Stewart said many textbooks become out of date by the time they are printed and cannot be updated soon enough. With the text online, Stewart said he can easily update his book in a few minutes or correct errors found by students and other readers. Increased accessibility for students and the public has allowed Stewart to become wellknown around the world. He said he is constantly thanked at professional meetings and by e-mail from students and others. His book is easily accessible and can be read online or printed out at a copy center. “I do know that many professors do not care what texts cost, and they have no interest in keep-

page 7 tuesday 11.16.2010

Generally exposure lasting less than four hours shouldn’t be cause for concern unless a student comes into direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids. The Department of Residence Life required those living on campus to get the meningitis vaccine before they could get a room assignment to help prevent an outbreak in campus housing. “No vaccine is 100 percent but the one we are currently using is in the range of 80 to 90 percent effective,” Teller said. “Many people have already received the vaccine and are protected even if they weren’t required to get one, so the chances of contracting the disease are small.” Each year 3,000 people in the U.S. are infected with bacterial meningitis, according to Weber.

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Q: Why is it important for a student to get involved at A&M? A: It is one of the best ways to really enhance the learning experience. There are so many opportunities outside of the classroom. What we offer are other ways that a person can develop outside of the classroom and to really supplement the learning that takes place here. At the beginning of each semester, the Memorial Student Center provides the Open House that is an outstanding opportunity to gather more information, to meet the members and to learn about activities that may be more suited to them. Q: Can a student ever become too involved? A: I think student activities are certainly timeconsuming depending on the person and their choices, and I would say there are some individuals who probably over-commit, but that’s part of the learning experience. Students will learn to prioritize; they learn to organize their time well so they’re not overcommitted. They end up creating a balance between their friends, their schoolwork and their involvement.

ing costs low. More than a few hope students will use their texts, and some hoped to make money from selling their books to students. The Faculty Senate, Academic Affairs Committee discussed this at length a few years ago. We strongly recommended that professors not benefit from requiring students to use their texts,” Stewart said. “[In college] I paid just a few dollars for each of my texts. That was in 1959-1963. The dollar was worth about 10 times more then … So my texts cost $20-$30 each. They were smaller, and they had no color figures.” In 2008, The Higher Education Opportunity Act was passed which sought to require that all colleges provide more information about textbooks needed for each class when students sign up. In addition, the bill requires that publishers sell college textbooks and supplemental material, like CDs or workbooks, separately rather than in a bundle to allow students to have more options and save more money. The law became effective as of July this year and changes in textbook prices are expected. Johnson said A&M administrators are concerned about the cost of textbooks and are working with student government leaders to find solutions. Representing more than 120,000 students, the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board is made up of all A&M system student body presidents as well as one student representative from each campus. The board conducted a survey in September to gather student feedback. More than 2,500 students responded to the survey. Roughly 50 percent of students surveyed said they opted out of buying a textbook for a course because they could not afford it, while roughly 85 percent said they bought their textbooks on campus because it was the only place the book was available. The majority of students surveyed reported spending from $500 to $800 in a given semester solely on textbooks. Freshmen business honors major Joanna Starling said textbook prices came as a shock to her. “I was able to find some books at a lower cost on websites but by the time they were shipped I was already behind on my reading,” Starling said. “I definitely support the lowering of textbook costs. As students, we already have to work with tight budgets.”

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news

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thebattalion

UK agrees on settlement for ex-detainees

US proposes West Bank settlement deal

Britain’s government will announce details Tuesday of settlements agreed with a group of ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees suing the U.K. for alleged complicity in their torture overseas. Prime Minister David Cameron’s ofďŹ ce said the speciďŹ cs would be disclosed in a written statement. It follows a series of talks aimed at avoiding a series of lawsuits.

JERUSALEM — Israel would be allowed to ďŹ nish hundreds of apartments already under construction in West Bank settlements even if it agrees to a U.S.-drafted deal to renew a freeze on new construction, a diplomat familiar with the details said Monday. The U.S. is pressing Israel to renew a settlement slowdown that expired in September in order to get stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks moving again. In exchange, it is offering Israel military hardware and veto protection against U.N. resolutions critical of its policies. According to the emerging deal, construction would have to halt for 90 days on hundreds of additional

Groups urge UN not to forget Darfur International humanitarian groups are lobbying the U.N. Security Council to ensure that human rights issues in Darfur are not ignored during its debate on the upcoming referendum in Sudan that could split Africa’s largest county in two. Representatives of aid organizations said they worry about ongoing attacks on civilians and access to humanitarian aid. Associated Press

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Filmmaker “It’s been a great journey,� said Mills, who served as writer, producer and codirector of the film. “This is what I have always wanted to do.� During his time at A&M, Mills was member of Phi Delta Theta and played club soccer. He graduated from A&M with a major in journalism and minor in theater arts. After graduation, Mills began organizing acting workshops in the Los Angeles area, which is how he met Gancedo, who attended one of his sessions. “Trust me, actors have it hard,� Gancedo said. “Getting your start in the film industry is tough.� His roles in the making of the film include actor, stills photographer and director’s assistant. Gancedo was a member of the Aggie Men’s Club, a student senator and a Fish Camp counselor for three years. But this active Aggie almost never made it to A&M. “I was actually considering going to [the University of Texas at Austin] to go to theater school because I knew I wanted to be an actor,� Gancedo said. “But I came to Texas A&M for a school visit and made my decision on the spot. I never looked back.� Both Mills and Gancedo said the qualities instilled in them while at A&M contributed to their success.

DREAM Continued from page 1

TURNS OUT,

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homes begun after the ďŹ rst slowdown expired on Sept. 26. But that freeze would not apply to apartments already under construction that were exempted in the ďŹ rst slowdown, the diplomat said. The Palestinians have not said

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi began the nuts and bolts work of reviving her political movement Monday, consulting lawyers about having her now-disbanded party declared legal again. Suu Kyi was released over the weekend from 7 1/2 years in detention. On Sunday, she told thousands of wildly cheering supporters at the headquarters

Continued from page 1

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A Palestinian family participates in a weekly demonstration supporting Palestinians evicted from their homes in East Jerusalem. whether they would accept the deal, whose details they have not yet discussed with the Americans, they say. “Once we see it we will meet and have a response,� said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi seeks to restore political party

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attend university and be of good moral character. “I think we should allow undocumented students the same chance of an education. Just because they don’t have legal status doesn’t mean they don’t deserve an education,� said Emily Martin, a junior physics major. “Many were brought here as children and had no choice in the matter so why should we punish them? They are just as much a resident as anyone else who grew up here.� Besides fasting there was a petition students could sign to show support for the issue. “We want as many as we can get; to show student opinion, because right now senators aren’t listening,� Cabello said.

of her National League for Democracy that she would continue to ďŹ ght for human rights and the rule of law in the military-controlled nation. Although her party is ofďŹ cially dissolved, it has continued operating with the same structure. But without ofďŹ cial recognition, it is in legal limbo, leaving it and her vulnerable to government crackdowns.

“Just the atmosphere in College Station I think makes you a better and honorable person,� Mills said. “People definitely notice these differences, especially in Hollywood.� In 2008, Mills started up and became CEO of Desert Wind Films, a production company committed to developing quality inspirational films. “Fishers of Men� is the company’s first official film. “With films like ‘The Blind Side,’ ‘Fireproof’ and ‘Facing the Giants’ gaining critical and financial success, it’s proof that audiences want more of these types of films,� Mills said. “But we aren’t a church making movies. We are filmmakers that make films with good messages.� “Fireproof,� released in 2008 and created in part by Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia, was made for a scant budget of $500,000 and garnered more than $30 million in box office returns. “The Blind Side,� a faith-based film released in 2009, became one of the highest grossing films of 2009 and earned Sandra Bullock an Academy Award for Best Actress. Mills and Gancedo’s film “Fishers of Men� follows the plight of two twin brothers during 1958. Success comes easy for Pete, who serves as the shining light of the film. About to attend seminary after his high school graduation, Pete seems to have it all: the respect of the town, a stable career track and the most beautiful girl in school for his girlfriend. Pete’s twin, Andy, rep-

resents all that Pete is not: a heavy drinker with bad grades and no plan for the future. On prom night, wealthy student Gordon murders Pete’s girlfriend in a jealous rage in the school’s bathroom and is able to place the blame on Pete. With Pete incarcerated for the crime, it’s up to Andy to redeem himself by finding a way to get his twin brother out of prison before he’s executed. “We were looking for a good story to base our first feature on, when this short story came across my desk,� Mills said. “I read it through and made a bunch of notes and submitted it to a writer.� The Aggie filmmakers had a lot to say about their first feature film experience. “[It was] great to be a part of it and to see all of the different components it takes to make a feature film,� Mills said. “It takes a special drive and commitment, especially at the beginning, to the project.� Mills said he offers encouragement to aspiring Aggie filmmakers. “Don’t get discouraged. We’re a growing breed,� he said. “And we take care of each other just like we did in school or any other career. The Aggie Network is still strong.� Mills and Gancedo wear Aggie Rings when they are on camera. “It’s just a little thing we did that means a lot,� Gancedo said. “It’s important to remember where you came from, especially in this business. Even though I’m an actor, I hang on to who I am.�

Greisa Martinez, the campus awareness officer of the group, said many students were unaware of the issue, but came to ask questions and were receptive to the cause. In September the U.S. Senate was unable to get the necessary 60 votes to attach the DREAM Act as an amendment to the defense bill that ended with a 56-43 vote. Majority Leader Harry Reid voted to block the bill as well, which will allow it to be presented later. “When the state legislature meets in January, the Council for Minority Student Affairs will be working with other University groups to lobby against bills that aren’t supportive of the DREAM Act,� Martinez said. The past week was National Week of Action for the DREAM Act, said Cabello, and students at about 10 other universities across Texas participated in the fast, including the University of Texas at Austin, Lamar Univer-

sity and the University of North Texas. A number of universities across the nation have openly shown their support for the cause, such as Texas, Harvard University and Stanford University, but A&M has yet to do so. President R. Bowen Loftin said: “Loss of human capital is a loss to all of us,� but he has not come out with an official letter, Cabello said. “After graduation, these students go back to working on lawns or babysitting. I know one girl who graduated with a 4.0 from the Mays Business School, and she’s now in Dallas babysitting. It’s wasted talent,� Cabello said. However, Democrats are pushing for the DREAM Act to be added as an amendment to the defense bill, while Aggies fight the 6311 Student Senate bill that would block illegal immigrant students from in-state tuition.

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EDITOR’SNOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail

call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters

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will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verified. Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 | mailcall@thebatt.com

voices thebattalion thebattalion 11.16.2010 11.16.2010

page9

Calling off cramming I

On test day, failing to remember key concepts and facts is bad enough, without further suffering from “reading fatigue” and stress. A Harvard Medical School study showed that lack of sleep negatively affected the cortex, the portion of the brain in It seemed reasoncharge of storing informaable to me. College tion, According to the is about finding and Arizona Daily following passions, Pamela Thacher, a which did not inpsychology professor clude learning about at St. Lawrence Unithe Industrial Revoversity, said “College Caroline lution or whatever students’ sleep is inadan annuity is. I enjoy equate, irregular and Ward being involved in junior of poor quality, and all clubs and around my communication result in worsened acafriends. The logical major demic performance” choice was to bein an article from Scicome a dropout and ence Daily do what makes me happy. I know you are smarter than My parents said no and everyone within a 50-mile radius laughed at the moronic quesand your grades are superb, but tion. Thinking long term, Colby studying a little each day and lege will get me a job, and I will getting sufficient sleep the night make money, which will make before a test, you can imme happier than dropping out. prove your grades, Was I serious about quitget a rocking ting school? Of course not. But job after colDepriving school can be overwhelming. lege and be There are too many responsibiliyourself of smarter ties and not enough time. I often than evsleep on feel like Atlas with the weight of eryone in test nights the world on my shoulders. the state. can also When students have to Grades deprive your juggle school, organizations, are very GPA. friends, family, a job, etc., we fragile make attempts to prioritize. and can be Which is more important: influenced by going dancing with friends or a myriad of factors. studying for a test? For example, if you miss Studies often take a back seat the test because there was a fallen to things that are more exciting. tree in the middle of the road or Sometimes we find ourselves if the bus breaks down, that is putting it off until mere hours clearly out of your hands. Getbefore we have to start bubbling ting a healthy dose of sleep and letters on the scantron. long term studying, however, are This drives most college stuwithin your realm of control. dents to pull an all-nighter before I’m not suggesting that you the test. Staying up all night give up watching the entire Projstudying happens frequently for ect Runway marathon Thursdays procrastinators, which seems to on Lifetime, maybe just one be a significant number of college episode to store a few key facts students. in your long-term memory. But Cramming before a test can starting even a week before the cause uncertainty of previously test starts can work wonders for learned information, an inability your stress levels, not to mention to process the information and for your complexion. make the important connections.

asked my parents freshman year if I could quit school and just focus on my clubs and my social life.

Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION

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news

page 10 tuesday 11.16.2010

thebattalion

illegal immigration

California court upholds in-state tuition for some Paul Elias

HMoore_PrintAd_MECH.indd 1

11/12/10 2:16 PM

Associated Press The California Supreme Court weighed in Monday on the politically charged immigration fray when it ruled that illegal immigrants are entitled to the same tuition breaks offered to in-state high school students to attend public colleges and universities. While the ruling applies only to California, the case was closely watched nationally because nine other states, including New York and Texas, have similar laws. Republican congressmen Lamar S. Smith of Texas and Steve King of Iowa filed a so-called friends of the court brief urging that illegal immigrants be denied the reduced rate. The politicians and others argued that federal legislation l The lawsuit considered by the court was part of a broader legal assault led by immigration legal scholar Kris Kobach, who has filed numerous cases across the country seeking to restrict the rights of illegal immigrants. He represented a group of U.S. students who filed the lawsuit seeking to invalidate the California law. Kobach said he would appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. A unanimous state Supreme Court, led by politically conservative Justice Ming Chin, said the California provision was constitutional because U.S. residents also had access to the reduced rates. The California Legislature passed the controversial measure in 2001 that allowed any student, regardless of immigration status, who attended a California high school for at least three years and graduated to qualify for in-state tuition at the state’s colleges and universities. In-state tuition saves each state college student about $11,000 a year and each University of California student about $23,000 a year. A state appellate court ruled in 2008 the law was unconstitutional after a group of out-ofstate students who are U.S. citizens filed a lawsuit. The suit alleged the measure violated federal prohibitions barring illegal immigrants from receiving post-secondary benefits not available to U.S. citizens based on state residency. However, the state Supreme Court noted the California law says nothing about state residency, a distinction that foes of the plan said shouldn’t matter. Kobach said the federal legislation was meant to prohibit exactly what the California Supreme Court allowed for illegal immigrants on Monday. “It presents a rather incomprehensible read-

ing of the federal statute,� Kobach said. The Sacramento-based Pacific Legal Foundation, which supports numerous political efforts, said the spirit of federal law was to deny tuition breaks to illegal immigrants. Foundation attorney Ralph Kasarda, who submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, said California was not in sync with the federal mandate against showing favoritism to illegal immigrants. “California’s policy is also atrocious financial stewardship,� he said. The state law also requires illegal immigrants who apply for the in-state tuition to swear they will attempt to become U.S. citizens. The applicants are still barred from receiving federal financial aid. “Through their hard work and perseverance, these students have earned the opportunity to attend UC,� said University of California president Mark G. Yudof. “Their accomplishments should not be disregarded or their futures jeopardized.� Kobach also failed to invalidate a similar law in Kansas. His lawsuit in Nebraska is pending. The law professor was the chief drafter of Arizona’s tough new laws against illegal immigrants, which is pending before a federal appeals court. He was elected earlier this month to serve as secretary of state in Kansas. Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C., are mulling whether to try to pass immigration reform measures before they lose control of the House of Representatives in January. During his re-election campaign, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., promised to try to get a vote on the “DREAM Act,� which would create a path to citizenship for youth living in the country illegally who attend college or join the military. White House spokesman Luis Miranda said the administration welcomes any opportunity for Congress to take up the proposal. The legislation “is important to both our national security and our economy,� Miranda said. Meanwhile, retiring Republican Florida Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart is seeking a vote on proposed legislation giving states the option to allow illegal immigrant students to pay in-state tuition. “Allowing undocumented students to attend primary and secondary schools but requiring that they pay out-of-state tuition for college creates an unfair financial burden,� Diaz-Balart said.

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