thebattalion ● thursday,
In this Feb. 17, 2009 photo, numbered plastic markers mark the location of bullet casings found at the scene of a shootout where unknown gunmen opened fire and killed four police officers in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Drug-related violence in Mexico claimed over 6,200 people last year, double the previous year, and more than 1,000 in the first eight weeks of 2009. U.S. authorities are concerned about its spread across the border.
april 23, 2009
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Continued violence
Associated Press
By Nicole Alvarado| The Battalion
S
ome would argue that the violence on the border of Mexico and the United States has escalated in recent years and the media isn’t doing the situation justice. Others would say that coverage by U.S. news teams has blown the situation out of proportion. One indisputable fact, though, is the existence of a problem in the borderlands that cannot be ignored any longer.
“As long as drugs are seen as a joke in movies and on TV, the problem will get worse,” said Dave McIntyre, director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M. Reports, such as that of the Council on Foreign Relations in November, say the violence really took off after Mexican President Felipe Calderon assumed his position in December 2006. One of his first matters of office was to deploy thousands of federal troops in order to crack down on drug-related violence. Howev-
er, this merely resulted in angering more drug lords and a spike in death tolls. McIntyre said the problem began further back in time beginning in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. He said a significant amount of drugs were being run through the Caribbean into Florida. After the U.S. government successfully cut off many of those trade circuits and worked with countries like Colombia to See Violence on page 8
MSC renovation forum opens discussion
CHL bill topic of senate meeting
Calli Turner
■ Senator
The Battalion Architects, construction officials and members of the user committee presented a project update for the Memorial Student Center renovation that included relocation assignments for the remaining MSC organizations in an open forum Wednesday. Choral Activities will move to the basement level of the Commons and the Wimberly Building in downtown Bryan was posed as a pending assignment for the MSCC Forsyth Galleries. Stephanie Burns kicked off her term as the 2009-2010 MSCC president by announcing plans for the Countdown to Construction. A ceremony will commemorate the building’s history and those who have contributed in the MSC 6 p.m., May 1. Texas A&M President Elsa A. Murano will speak, along with former MSC President Denis Davis-Mayfield and MSC Director Luke Altendorf. A yell practice will follow in Rudder Plaza at 7:15, and a 1950’s style commemorative dinner will be served at 7:3o in the 12th Man Café. Vance Cheatham, associate principal for Perkins+Will Architects juxtaposed sketches for interior and exterior redesigns with photos dating back to the opening of the MSC in 1951. Major points of focus for the open forum were dining facilities, bike capacity and entryways. “We want dining to really be something that engages the student body,” Cheatham said. The updates, he said, will feature delicious dining experiences. David Riddle fielded questions on dining options having served seven days on the job as executive director of Dining Services. “The architects are looking for us to have some very general plans, so they can do the right setup,” he said. He said he will travel to other campuses to see the best concepts. “The great part about it is, it’s a blank slate. We can make it as great as we want to make it,” Riddle said. e said there will be jobs available after the renovation, because they expect a larger group of consumers, such as faculty and staff. “We’re getting rid of all bikes on campus,” Cheatham said jokingly in response
to concerns of bike rack availability post renovation. He said they are looking at options in different countries and they will have high profile bike rakes surrounded by planters to prevent the structure from being an eye sore. Cheatham said the architects had major plans for renovating the entryways to better fit the building. “The building is pedestrian,” he said. “It doesn’t grab your attention.” He said you walk in and see an ATM machine. “It does not really convey the message that the MSC needs to convey,” Cheatham said. “This MSC really needs to face the student body, engage the student body and invite them in.” Plans were presented for the 12th Man Hall of Honor that will be a focus point of the MSC after the renovation. Cheatham said they tried to figure out what makes the MSC special and “memorial” always came up during focus groups. The Hall of Honor will have 12 limestone columns to represent the 12th Man, he said. Cheatham said the architect’s theme for the renovation was to have the MSC serve as a lantern at the center of campus Eric Beckham took the stage as the incoming student body president and said that during the renovation, the tradition of the MSC will remain the same. “The spirit of what really matters will be there for years and years to come,” he said. Texas A&M University President Elsa A. Murano speaks Wednesday at the MSC open forum.
Rachael Goynes THE BATTALION
Alden Harris resigns from the 61st Student Senate before impeachment on the 71st Melissa Appel
John David Swiger — THE BATTALION
Former Off Campus Senator Alden Harris of 61st Session gives his resignation Wednesday before the Student Senate.
The Battalion Students will have the opportunity to express their opinions on the Concealed Hand Gun License bill before the Texas Legislature. Student Senate called for a student referendum with the passage of a bill at their meeting Wednesday night. With the referendum, students will be
able to have their voices heard regarding the upcoming debate in the Texas Legislature. Earlier in the 61st Session, Student Senate passed bills expressing student opinion on various bills in front of the state legislature, including tax-free textbooks and tuition prices. Most of these issues dealt with campuswide concerns shared by many students, and senators used their positions to pass the bills themselves. The issue of concealed gun carry, however, is considered much more political in nature and divides students along partisan lines. Senators felt the need to take the question directly to the students for their input. “This is something so politiSee Senate on page 10
President’s Office donates $50,000 ■ Becky Gates accepts a check from Elsa A. Murano for Children’s Center Rebekah Skelton The Battalion Texas A&M University President Elsa A. Murano presented the Children’s Center Director Di Fontenot with a $50,000 check as a gift for the new Becky Gates Children’s Center and Multipurpose Building from the president’s office at the ribbon cutting Wednesday morning. “Within these walls we are helping to develop the leaders of our Aggie future,” Murano said. Becky Gates, who was at the ceremony with her husband, former A&M president and Secretary of State Robert Gates, said she was “delighted to see the fruition of the ‘10 year’ plan happen.” The building was founded in
Courtesy Photo
Robert and Becky Gates along with Texas A&M University President Elsa A. Murano and others cut the ribbon Wednesday at the Becky Gates Children’s Center and Mutipurpose Building ribbon cutting ceremony.
part by a $1 million donation from Arthur McFerrin Jr, Class of 1965, and his wife Dorothy. “If it wasn’t for Becky’s interest in the children’s center a lot of us wouldn’t have known about it or gotten involved,” Dorothy said. Those who spoke at the ceremony agreed that the Children’s
Center is important to the future of A&M. “It gives students and faculty peace of mind that their children are safe,” said member of the Board of Regents Morris Foster. “It also gives [the children] the best opporSee Children on page 10