The Battalion: April 28, 2009

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thebattalion the battalion ● tuesday,

april 28, 2009

● Serving

Texas A&M since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2009 Student Media

Shattered By Kevin Alexander | The Battalion

On Sept. 25, 1998, Don Mathews Jr. was beaten savagely during a random act of violence. When he woke 20 days later, he wasn’t the Don his family and friends remembered.

Lost in the night | 4 Photos by Kevin Alexander — THE BATTALION

Bill allows students to vote to approve environmental programs

WHO raises global swine flu alert level

Jill Beathard The Battalion Students from Texas A&M and University of Texas put aside their rivalry to speak in favor of a bill promoting environmentally sustainable programs on Texas campuses. The Green Fee bill would allow state universities to add a student fee of less than $5 to fund these programs if the student body votes in favor of such a fee. “It [the bill] allows students to vote if they would like to see [funding for] more environmentally sustainable projects,” said Environmental Issues Committee Chairwoman Amanda Grosgebauer, a senior English major. “All the power is in the students’ hands.”

Staff and wire The swine flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency. The United States advised Americans against most travel to Mexico and ordered stepped up border checks in neighboring states. The European Union health commissioner advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States. Three cases of the swine flu, now called North American Influenza, have been confirmed in Guadalupe County, Texas. No related deaths have been reported in the U.S., and no confirmed or suspicious cases exist Texas A&M’s area, said Dr. Martha Dannenbaum, director of Student Health Services. Symptoms include sudden fever, body aches, coughing and unexplained fatigue. Students with any of these symptoms or who have been around others who are ill are encouraged to schedule an appointment or walk-in at Beutel Health Center See Swine flu on page 2

Getting the job done Professionals share stories about career choices and paths Megan Keyho The Battalion

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See Green Fee on page 8

Hemali Tanna — THE BATTALION

ven though becoming an author, columnist or spokesman of NASA might seem impossible, the basic standards remain the same. The professionals break it down to competence, experience and passion.

A family wearing protective masks walk in downtown Mexico City, Monday. A fatal strain of swine flu has been detected in Mexico while the virus has been confirmed or suspected in at least a half-dozen other countries.

In the A&M spring elections, 76 percent of the student body voted that they would like to see A&M invest more in environmentally sustainable programs and services. The EIC is working to implement a $1 per semester student fee at A&M. The EIC, a committee of the Student Government Association, was asked to speak by Reenergize Texas, a coalition of college students advocating conservationism in Texas. Reenergize Texas provides resources for and organizes students to unite and get involved in promoting environmentally sustainable programs. The students spoke before the Committee of Higher Education in the House of Representatives. Grosgebauer represented A&M, along with

The columnist: What does it take? “Competence, that is the main thing,” said John Kelly, a columnist at the Washington Post. “You have to be good at this, especially in journalism” Kelly said many young people have a tendency to be shy, and in the journalism world, there is no room for shyness. He said forwardness and directness are qualities that employers look for in journalists, along with a strong enthusiasm for the business.

Ethics are another aspect of the business that cannot be forgotten when pursuing a career in journalism. “There have been lots of [ethical] missteps lately: Jayson Blair and plagiarism, but even in this freewheeling culture it is a bedrock thing — you can’t make stuff up,” he said. As of right now, nobody knows what direction journalism is going to take, and even though it is harder for a young person to break into the business because of the lack of small newspaper businesses, people have the tools, Kelly said. They just have to use them. Web sites like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and blogs, whether they are here to stay or just fads, are ways aspiring journalists can get their name out in the field. “Will these Web sites really amount to something? Nobody knows,” Kelly said. “We hope journalism will survive and thrive, but who is going to do it? That is what we have to figure out.” See Careers on page 2

Jonny Green — THE BATTALION

MSC Open House moves to Rec Center The Fall 2009 Memorial Student Center Complex Open House will be going on the road as it relocates to the Student Recreation Center because of MSC renovations. “We have more than 800 student organizations that come out and recruit, and promote their organization; its probably the greatest showcase of organizations that freshmen can come and see,” said MSC Vice President of Marketing Sarah Barnes. Barnes, a junior communication major, said the Open House will be a success but regrets that organizations will have to pay a $40 fee in order to have a spot at the Open House. “The size of [the Student Recreation Center] was big

enough; the only other place on campus that was big enough was Reed Arena, but we decided the Rec was a better venue,” said MSC Communications Coordinator Eric Blodgett. The Rec will be open during Open House. The organizations will be set up in one of the gymnasiums, the archery room and the garden room. Fall Open House will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6. Student organizations can register at mscopenhouse.tamu.edu. Vicky Flores

How to register Fall Open House will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 6. Student organizations can register at mscopenhouse.tamu.edu.

4/27/09 10:32:04 PM


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