thebattalion ● friday,
Students say ‘no’ to CHL
may 1, 2009
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
On the Mark Melissa Appel The Battalion
■ Aggies vote against Concealed Handgun bill Texas A&M students voted against the Concealed Handgun License Bill during a student referendum Wednesday and Thursday. The referendum asked A&M students if they supported a bill that is currently in the Texas Legislature. The bill would extend the rights of gun owners with a Concealed Handgun License by allowing them to carry handguns within a public university building. As of now CHL carriers are required to disarm before entering a University building. The student body voted against this bill with a vote of 5,737 votes, or approximately 54 percent of the participating voters. The results of this referendum will become the official opinion of Student Government Association. Student representatives will relay this opinion to the Texas Legislature during later interactions with the Legislature during the 81st Session. Melissa Appel
Swine flu shuts area schools Tracey Wallace The Battalion The Swine Influenza virus has made its presence known in Texas. Almost all of the state’s major metropolitans have confirmed cases, and each of those cities are attempting to slow the spreading process of the contagious disease. San Antonio has shut schools down and Austin dioceses are ordering the discontinuation of the Blood of Christ offering at Eucharist. “All Eucharistic ministers should wash or sanitize their hands after the sign of peace and before distributing communion,” said the Bishop of Austin, Gregory M. Alymond, in a letter to the clergy, religious and laity of the Diocese of Austin Wednesday. “It is not a sin to miss Mass if you are sick; it is an act of charity.” Churches around the Brazos are taking many of the same precautions. “For as long as necessary, we will be providing hand sanitizer at the entries of the Sanctuary. No person with even a sniffle will be serving communion,” said Matt Idom, of First United Methodist Church in Bryan, in a letter to the parishioners. Precautions that expand much further than the religious realm are popping up over College Station. An upcoming Texas A&M study abroad trip to Mexico, which 78 students were attending, has been canceled because of the swine flu outbreak. “All of the decisions that I’m making are based on ensuring the safety, health and well-being of our students and faculty,” said Eric Bost, vice president for Global Initiatives. But international programs aren’t the only ones putting a halt on Aggie travel. Breathe Hope, a student service organization dedicated to increasing Cystic Fibrosis awareness See Swine Flu on page 2
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Patrick Clayton— THE BATTALION
With the office of Student Body President of Texas A&M University comes a great deal of responsibilities, including representative, mediator, negotiator, coordinator and other qualities that reach far beyond what is typical of a college senior. For 2008-2009 Student Body President Mark Gold, however, the role held one intent. “My purpose as the president was very simple,” Gold said. “I wanted to serve students with excellence.” His presidential journey began April 3, 2008, when Gold defeated his opponent in the run-off election. “Probably the most humbling experience was simply being elected,” Gold said. “I know that I will never be able to perfectly represent the character and Spirit that makes this University so special. But to be entrusted with the responsibility of serving the students that I love so much is one of the most incredibly, humbling honors I may ever be given.” His term has introduced Gold to multiple prominent figures on the state, national, and international stage. He has met with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, testified before the Texas Legislature, spoke with Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and talked with former University President and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Even with all of these interactions, Gold emphasized that it was his day-to-day activities
Watch the video of Mark Gold’s last days in office at thebatt.com with Aggie students that made his job meaningful. “Everyday as SBP seemed to hold something new,” Gold said. “But I knew that everyday I would have the chance to interact with students, and that is truly what inspired me and kept me motivated.” The Aggie family was an important theme throughout Gold’s term. He was continually reminded of the strong presence of the Aggie Spirit, even in the most difficult times. “The hardest thing that I had to deal with this year was representing the student body at 2nd Lt. Zac Cook’s funeral, various meetings with the families of the 1999 Bonfire victims, visiting the families of the students being honored at Silver Taps, the Ring Remembrance Ceremony and Muster,” Gold said. The lessons learned through these experiences within the vastly diverse Aggie community are what will impact Gold far beyond his one-year term. “I have learned that life is full of uncertainty. At any given time, our lives can be changed forever,” Gold said. “However, I also believe that there is a purpose worth living and dying for that allows us to walk in peace in the midst of See Gold on page 7
Bonfire Memorial to play host to MSC grass Architectural renderings of how the Memorial Student Center will look after renovation were revealed April 22. Designs for the renovation are 75 percent complete.
Ceremony to move center from memorial to construction status Jill Beathard The Battalion A three-by-five foot section of grass will be removed from the northeast corner of the Memorial Student Center Complex lawn at 12:30 p.m. Friday and transferred to the Bonfire Memorial. There will be a formal ceremony that will begin at 6 p.m. in MSC 201 to commemorate the history of the MSCC and start the Countdown to Construction program. Opening remarks will be made by University President Elsa A. Murano. Class of ‘86 Denis Davis-Mayfield will be
the keynote speaker. Mayfield will speak about the changes the MSCC has undergone throughout the year and the different meanings the building has had for different people. The grass will not be considered a memorial during the renovation process. “Basically, the building is being turned from memorial status into construction status,” said MSCC President Stephanie Burns, a senior animal science major. “It’s the same thing they do in Washington for monuments and other things.”
A final Yell Practice will take place in Rudder Plaza immediately after the ceremony, followed by a 1950’s-style dinner will in the 12th Man Cafeteria. Meal plans, dining dollars, credit cards and cash will be accepted for dinner, and free coke floats will be provided. “It’s supposed to commemorate the 1950s, when the building was opened,” Laden said. The MSCC Council will continue to provide the programs and services it has been, just from difSee MSC on page 7
Two students’ essays share international experience
Senate: report finals schedule violation Melissa Appel
Vicky Flores The Battalion Upon arriving at university, many students are unaware of what to expect in their first year, but imagine coming from a different country altogether. Graduate industrial engineering major Romy Misra and graduate entomology major Ana Dal Molin became the only two students to place from the same university in the University Language Services essay contest. Dal Molin was awarded with first runnerup and Misra was given honorable mention. “University Language Services helps students around the world apply to and succeed in college,” said Diane Erwin, content manager of University Language Services. “ULS specializes in the translation of academic transcripts, records and personal documents in more than 150 languages.” With 25 years of helping international students, ULS wanted a way to collect stories these students had to share, while giving them a chance to fund their education. ULS has received over 200 essays within the last two year from students studying around the world in every continent besides
Courtesy Images
Stephen Fogg — THE BATTALION
Battalion staff member Romy Misra, a graduate industrial engineering student, recieved honorable mention in the University Language Services essay contest.
Antarctica. Erwin focused on finding students with a unique perspective on education in the U.S. and other countries. “That’s the advantage of going to a school like Texas A&M, which has one of the largest number of international students of any college in the U.S.,” Erwin said. “It gives all students there, no matter where they are from, the opportunity to see U.S. schools, classes and even social activities from a different angle.” Dal Molin and Misra found out about the contest through a listserv that all international students are placed on. See Essays on page 7
The Battalion Texas A&M Faculty Senate is encouraging students to prevent professors and faculty from violating the final exams schedule by reporting the problem before it prevents them from performing to the best of their ability. According to the rules set by the Registrar’s Office, all finals must be proctored during the allotted time, which is set according to class time. The only classes exempt from this rule are labs or one hour classes. Professors are not allowed to give final exams during reading days of dead week. However, there are some occurrences within Texas A&M faculty when professors will change final exam times in order to better suit schedules or grading needs. Members of Faculty Senate stressed that the final exam schedule is constructed in a way to benefit students, and should not be compromised by any faculty member.
“It’s to help spread your finals over a few days; it enhances your chance to perform to your optimum ability,” said Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Chairwoman Melinda Grant. “If it even affects one student and affects that student to not perform to their optimum, then we’ve done a disservice.” Grant emphasized that it is the job of the professors to make a student’s education easily accessible. “We can’t put a student at a disadvantage for our own convenience,” Grant said. The problem of a faculty member violating the final exams rules is one that is known to occur in the University. However, due to the large numbers of faculty and staff, it is impossible for deans to account for the practices of each individual course and professor within their college. “There was never a way administratively to police that,” said Kolin Loveless, academic affairs chairman in Student Senate. “There was no way for See Finals on page 7
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