The Battalion: June 10, 2009 by The Battalion

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june 10, 2009

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Johnson to throw first pitch at Astros Houston native Jerrod Johnson, the returning starting quarterback who earned Sophomore All-America honors for the Texas A&M football team in the fall, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Houston Astros versus Chicago Cubs baseball game Wednesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. and Wednesday is Aggie Night at the stadium. Learn more about Jerrod Johnson at thebatt.com Aggie Night will highlight the State Farm Lone Star Showdown Trophy. The trophy highlights the head-tohead athletic competition between Texas A&M University and the University of Texas. The Longhorns won the trophy the first three years of the competition and the Aggies have retained the rights to the trophy the past two years. Fans can access tickets via the web at www.astros. com/aggie. The password is Aggie. Tickets are halfprice with $2 from each purchase benefitting The Howdy Club, the Houston A&M Club and the Reveille Club.

Airlines replace monitors Brazil — Airlines moved quickly Tuesday to replace speed monitors like those suspected of feeding false information to the computers on Air France Flight 447. Seventeen more bodies were pulled from the sea Tuesday, bringing the number recovered to 41. Associated Press

MSCC President Stephanie Burns stands in front of the Memorial Student Center, which will be closing in August for three years. Jon Eilts — THE BATTALION

Grace under pressure Burns reassures students before renovation Meagan O’Toole-Pitts The Battalion

Student leader proﬁle series Once a week during the summer, The Battalion will be proﬁling a student leader to gain insight into their lives and what it takes to do their job.

ith the MSC renovation rapidly approaching, MSCC President Stephanie Burns is taking advantage of every sunny day to plan for the return of the entire student body. “I stayed in town this summer to continue attending meetings and workshops regarding the renovation and to help prepare the building to close,” Burns said. “When students return to campus in the fall, the MSC will be closed and they will need to know where all of the services housed there have been relocated.” Many preparations are underway to ensure an easy transition into the new academic year, for both new and returning students, she said.

“Much of this summer is dedicated to planning for the coming year to ensure that the fall semester is as smooth as possible,” Burns said. “Our student programming committees will continue to offer the same great programs, and even some innovative new ones, but we will face some challenges as we lose our traditional programming and marketing space.” And, the plans don’t end there. “In the fall, I will be ensuring that our student programs office remains as productive as ever in our new space and working on the renovation as we finish up the design development phase of the project,” Burns said. “You never know what the future will bring, so I will also continue to work with other student leaders to represent students and address issues that affect our campus and community.” However, Burns said her top priority is the Aggie Spirit. “One of our most important tasks is to

Meet the MSCC president Find out what Stephanie loves most about being an Aggie and her postgraduation plans. Hear from her Read Stephanie’s guest column to students. student leaders | 5

See Burning on page 5

Transportation Services receives parking award Alex Worsham Special to The Battalion Transportation Services was named Best Parking Organization by the International Parking Institute May 20. Texas A&M is the first university to receive this award. “Transportation Services is a leader in several areas, including parking systems, technology-gate system software, innovative online service software, automated pay machine capabilities, marketing in innovations,” said International Parking

Institute board of advisers member and University of Kentucky Parking and Transportation Services Director Don Thornton. The International Parking Institute is a trade organization with members of parking organizations from cities, universities, hospitals, airports, theme parks, convention centers and racetracks. “My evaluation of the applications was based on excellence in overall job performance, outstanding service to students, employees and visitors, leadership

in the campus parking and transportation industry, customer service, operating a quality program over a period of time, and initiative and/or creativity,” Thornton said. The applications were scored on six different areas. “We score them on organizational membership, professional reputation, contribution to the parking industry, creative solution, reliability and the breadth of the program,” said International Parking Institute committee

chairwoman and University of Kansas Transportation and Parking director Donna Hultine. A&M’s Transportation Services was also chosen for the amount of improvement it’s made, said Transportation Services Director Rodney Weis. “If you talk to people who went here 10 years ago they’d say it was just crazy,” Weis said. “ People would wait in the parking lot for hours waiting for someSee Transportation on page 4

Physics department reaches for the stars sports | 3

Running for the gold The Texas A&M’s No. 1 men’s and No. 1 women’s track teams head to Fayetteville, Ark. today to compete for national championships.

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■ Tran brings energy to expanding team Julie Rambin Special to The Battalion There’s a new astronomer in town. Assistant astronomy professor Kim-Vy Tran is the latest addition to a growing group of astronomers in the Physics Department. “We are very energetic,” Tran said. “We have a lot of motivations, and we’re coherent in how we want to build the undergraduate program and the graduate program.”

Tran’s research focuses on massive, distant galaxies. “The light of the nearest star takes four years to get here, so we’re seeing that star the way it was four years ago. I look at galaxies where it takes anywhere between five and twelve billion years to get here. You’re seeing these objects the way they were five billion years ago,” Tran said. “You get to have that time machine, looking at galaxies billions of years ago when the earth was in different ages.” Tran’s arrival isn’t the only exciting change in the Physics Department, said Department Head Ed Fry. See Physics on page 4

Stephen Fogg — THE BATTALION

Assistant professor of Astronomy Kim-Vy Tran is the most recent addition to the University’s Astronomy program. She received her doctorate from the University of California at Santa Cruz and Lick Observavory.

6/9/09 10:43 PM

Today High: 96 Low: 76

Thursday High: 96 Low: 76

Partly cloudy

Mostly sunny

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Friday High: 97 Low: 76 Mostly sunny

thebattalion 6.10.2009

Keep your strength up

how to apply

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If you are interested in writing or contributing content in The Battalion apply online at thebatt. com, or come by The Grove, 845-3313.

Jason Staggs opinion editor HOMETOWN: Evadale, Texas CAREER TRACK: Senior history major; with the goal to become a lawyer.

The Battalion welcomes any Texas A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I’ve never done a somersault. IF I HAD TWO SPARE HOURS I WOULD: Take a nap to catch up on the sleep I lose at The Battalion. MOST UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB: Posing for the Bonﬁre remembrance issue.

Check us out on thebatt.com, Facebook

Natasha Sankovich — THE BATTALION

Meghan Wall, a recreation, parks and tourism sciences graduate student, and Carlyle Locke, a senior mechanical engineering major, snack on cookies after donating blood Tuesday. The blood drive is being sponsored by the American Red Cross and will last through Friday outside of Sbisa Dining Hall.

North Korea jails journalists Vijay Joshi Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — The families of two American journalists sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean labor prison urged its hard-line government to grant them clemency, amid hopes the U.S. government would send an envoy to negotiate their release. The sentencing of Laura Ling and Euna Lee on Monday is a new challenge for President Barack Obama, who last week warned he will take a “very hard look” at tougher measures against North Korea for failing to end its nuclear program and testing a second atomic device on May 25. “We remain hopeful that the governments of the United States and North Korea can come to an agreement that will result in the release of the (women),” said a joint statement by their families. “We ask the government of North Korea to show compassion and grant Laura and Euna clemency and allow them to return home to their families.” The statement expressed concern about the women’s health, noting that Ling, 32, has a serious medical condition, a reference to her ulcer, and that Lee’s 4-year-old daughter is showing “signs of anguish over

the absence of her mother.” Lee, 36, and Ling — who work for former Vice President Al Gore’s Current TV — were arrested March 17 near the China-North Korea border where they were reporting about the trafficking of women. It’s unclear whether they tried to sneak into the North or if aggressive border guards crossed into Chinese territory and grabbed them. The North accused the reporters of unspecified “hostile acts” and illegally entering the country, but the formal charges against them were unclear. Their trial, which was closed to foreigners, began Thursday and they were sentenced Monday to 12 years of “reform through labor.” But analysts doubt that Pyongyang is interested in having them sent to jail or one of its gulags, where poorly fed inmates often do backbreaking work in factories, coal mines and rice paddies. Rather, the sentence is a way for Pyongyang to maximize its leverage with Washington, said Roh Jeongho, the director of the Center for Korean Legal Studies at Columbia Law School. “I don’t think the reporters will do hard labor. It’s simply not in the North Koreans’ interests to make them go through that,” he said in comments e-mailed to The

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Bush plans to parachute at age 85

Library honors Bush birthdays

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — Former President George H.W. Bush plans to celebrate his 85th birthday Friday by making a parachute jump in Maine, where he has his summer home. Aide Jim Appleby said Tuesday that Bush will make a tandem jump with a member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team onto a landing zone near St. Ann’s by the Sea Church in Kennebunkport. Bush’s most recent jump was in November 2007 at the reopening of his library at Texas A&M University in College Station. He made his ﬁrst jump as a Navy pilot when his plane was shot down over the Paciﬁc during World War II. He also made two jumps apiece on his 75th and 80th birthdays. Associated Press

Celebrate the birthdays of President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush with the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on June 12, 2009. Museum visitors are invited to join in the celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. honoring both of the Bushes’ birthdays with cake, Blue Bell ice cream and refreshments in the rotunda. Visitors who join us for the celebration can register to win a free tandem skydive donated by Skydive Aggieland. Also, everyone is invited to send President and Mrs. Bush birthday greetings through the Museum’s Web site. Mrs. Bush’s 84th birthday was Monday, and President Bush’s 85th birthday is Friday. story courtesy of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A South Korean man reads a newspaper reporting American journalists detained and sentenced to 12 years in prison in North Korea at an office in Seoul, South Korea Monday. Associated Press. He said the whole case appears to be a calculated move by Pyongyang to get Washington’s attention. By not accusing the women of espionage it has offered a “face-saving way of resolving the issue.” “They want to say to the Obama administration ‘take us seriously and we’ll resolve this issue for you,’” he said. North Korea wants to be recognized as a nuclear state, but Washington has so far refused to endorse such a status

for the unpredictable nation, which has a history of terrorism, ripping up agreements and sharing its nuclear knowhow with nations hostile to America. The U.N. is debating a new resolution to punish the North for its second nuclear test last month. Pyongyang followed the test with a barrage of missile launches, and is believed to be preparing another long-range missile test at a new launch-pad.

WHO: possible pandemic GENEVA — The World Health Organization said Tuesday a spike in H1N1 virus cases in Australia might push it to finally announce the first flu pandemic in 41 years. It also expressed concern about an unusual rise in severe illness from the disease in Canada. WHO’s flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the agency wanted to avoid “adverse effects” if it announces a global outbreak of H1N1. Fukuda said people might panic or that governments might take inappropriate actions if WHO declares a pandemic. Some flu experts think the

world already is in a pandemic and that WHO has caved in to country requests that a declaration be postponed. Margaret Chan, WHO’s director-general, said it was important to verify the reports that the virus is becoming established outside North America before declaring a pandemic. “The decision to make a phase 6 announcement is a heavy responsibility, a responsibility that I will take very seriously, and I need to be convinced that I have indisputable evidence,” she said. Associated Press

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6/9/09 10:17 PM

Actually building champions

sports thebattalion 6.10.2009 page3

Brett Sebastian

Several years after A&M announced its athletic motto, those champions are being built.

Running for the gold

n 2002, Texas A&M rocked the college sports world with the hiring of former Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne to lead an Athletic Department in need of repair. Quickly the motto became “building champions” despite the lack of actual championship trophies. Seven years later and it’s apparent that those champions have been and are being built. At the start of summer, A&M retained the Lone Star Showdown trophy over Texas for the second year in a row. In addition, men’s golf won A&M’s first team national championship since David Letterman was considered a “rising star.” This week, the No. 1 men’s and No. 1 women’s track teams are heavy favorites to make it back-to-back championships for A&M. Track and field is arguably the biggest success story of Bill Byrne’s tenure at A&M. With a low point in 2005 when the men finished the year ranked 47 and the women 29, both teams are now on top of the nation going into the National Championships. This success can be seen in three places. First is the Athletic Department’s commitment to track and field, building the preeminent indoor track facility in the nation and giving track the tools to succeed. Second is the hiring of Head Coach Pat Henry from LSU. Henry has coached 27 national champions and gained five national coach of the year honors. Since arriving at A&M in 2005, he has engineered a complete turn around and earned six Big 12 titles and six Big 12 coach of the year titles, with this year looking to be the best chance at his first A&M-based championship. Third is the commitment, heart and work put in by the athletes themselves. From the low point in 2005 to national elite in recent years, the student athletes that have made College Station their home have exemplified the motto “building champions” along with Aggie traditions such as hard work, sportsmanship and success. Four Aggies this year will participate in three events in Fayetteville, and 12 athletes are ranked in the top five in their sports, not counting the three top five relay teams. Of these, sophomore Jessica Beard is ranked No. 1 in the 400 meter, and the women’s 4x100 relay team is No. 1 as well. Track and field is truly building champions, and hopefully building a championship. Brett Sebastian is a senior geography major.

File Photo - THE BATTALION

Junior De’Lom Isom runs hurdles earlier this year in the A&M-UT Dual Meet. Isom is one of 32 Aggies going to Fayetteville for the championships.

Men’s and women’s track look for championship Patrick Hayslip The Battalion The Texas A&M track team will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, beginning today and ending Saturday, at the John McDonnell Field at the University of Arkansas. Coming off of the Midwest Region team championships, both men and women will look to win the outdoor championship after the women came in second behind Tennessee in the indoor championship by five points and the men finished ninth. “We had an awfully good meet indoors but it only takes a little bit,” Head Coach Pat Henry said. “The difference between nationals and a regular meet is kind of like a Volkswagen and a Porsche, if you aren’t hitting on everything, you’re in big trouble.” The Aggies will need great performances by everyone if they are to claim their first national championship. They have shown their skill throughout the season as the women and men are both currently ranked No. 1. “It’s the kind of situation where it’s about excellence and a great performance all on the same day,” Henry said. “You have to have a little bit of luck but you have to make a little luck for yourself too.” The Aggies will send 32 athletes to nationals, including 17 women and

two alternates, and 12 men with one alternate. The women’s 4x400 meter relay was added four days after the Aggies won the Midwest Regional meet and that Phiri means that both relays for the men and women will compete at nationals. “Of course we are sprint, hurdle, jump heavy,” Henry said. “We have all four relays and there aren’t many schools that have all four.” Key opponents for the Aggies include defending indoor champion Oregon men, LSU men and women, Arizona State men and women and defending indoor champion Tennessee women. “I think Oregon is our biggest competition,” said sophomore sprinter hurdler Gabby Mayo. “They have a lot of good distance girls so I think they are our main competition, but then again you never know who will show up at track meets so we can’t Mayo worry about anybody else but just what we have to do.” Mayo anchors the women’s 4x100 meter relay and will also compete in the 100 meter and 100 meter hurdles. “I’m pretty confident in the relay,

we are ranked No. 1,” Mayo said. “I think everybody is on that same page and they are just ready to do what they did to get better.” Sophomore Julian Lucas Reid is coming off a win in the long jump at the Regional meet with a career best leap of 26-4.5 (8.04) along with breaking the 34-year-old facility record at the John Jacobs Complex in Norman at the University of Oklahoma. This is Reid’s second year at Nationals and he will compete along with sophomore Tyron Stewart in both the long and triple jump and along with junior Zuheir Sharif and sophomore Melvin Echard in the triple jump. “Hopefully, I’ll be competing all four days, both prelims and finals, but I think I’ll be able to cope with it better than last year,” Reid said. “At this level, I have never competed through all four days but in the prelims I PR’ed, so I think I’ve learned from that experience so hopefully this year will be different and I will be able to make it through all four days.” In addition to Mayo and Reid, the Aggies showcase many other athletes favored to win their events. Sophomore Gerald Phiri is running in three events. Junior Porscha Lucas is in three events, with her lowest rank be-

ing third. Senior Justin Oliver is running three events, including the anchor position for both top five ranked relay teams, along with his No. 5 400 meter poOliver sition. Sophomore Jessica Beard is ranked No. 1 in the 400 meter dash. When asked if there are any expectations of the team, Henry said, “I think most expectations are our own of us. If you run your best and you get beat then that’s OK. I think if we have everybody do their best we are going to be very successful.” Though the Aggies did not reach their goal of winning a national championship indoors earlier in the season, they will be ready both mentally and physically, according to Henry, and they will use the experience they gained from indoors to help propel them to a win in the outdoors. “It’s about mental preparation and I think we are very prepared physically. I think we are stronger mentally all the time and the indoor prepares you for that kind of thing,” Henry said. “Indoor track is a huge part of our program and we want to try to be very successful indoors but outdoor is where track and field really is so you use the indoor to prepare yourself for outside track.”

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ROOMMATES +1/3utilities, $300/month, 3bed/2bath, all appliances, includes cable/internet, close to campus 979-885-9993. $375 Need 1 or 2 female roommates for ‘09-’10 4bdrm/2bath off of Rock Prairie. Friendly roommates. 1/4 utilities. 817-915-7281. 1-Male needed in 3bed/2bath with W/D, $400/month, +1/3utilities, on shuttle route. 979-236-3911 1-roommate needed Fall, & Spring. 4/2 house. 2505 Antietam. $400/mo +1/4 utilities. Clara, 361-463-1727. 2-male, non-smoking roommates needed. 4bdrm/2.5bath at Longmire and Baron, C.S. $488-$538/month. Call Jessica 979-220-3454. 2-Roomates needed for 09-10 year, 3/2 house on bus route with backyard, $400/mo +1/3 utilities, Lindsey 512-557-5592. Male roommate for summer, $350/month, bills included. Autumn Circle. 979-324-3834 Male roommate wanted for the 09-10 schoolyear. 4bed/2bath house at 3203 Callie Circle, in nice neighbourhood near shuttle stop. $400/month +1/4bills. Move-in August, 12-month lease, email Greg. gdundas28@yahoo.com Roommate needed, female non-smoker. Fully furnished, all bills paid. $550/mo, C.S. 979-690-7394.

TUTORS Private Math Tutor, Precalculus Math Physics Degree, $25/hr, 979-209-9466.

Pre-leasing for August. 3b/1.5b, carport, on shuttle, pets ok, fenced, $750/month. aggieLandRentals.com 979-776-8984.

FOR SALE 1931 Ford Model-A sedan. 2-door 4-person. Offer starting at $10,000. 979-220-6702.

read the fine print.

HELP WANTED A student worker is needed to assist in a variety of research activities in USDA Cotton Genomics Laboratory on campus. Training and/or experience in molecular genetics, biochemistry, and/or bioinformatics is preferred. Applicants should email resume, transcript, and references to john.yu@ars.usda.gov and call 260-9237 for information. 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.

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Call 845-0569 To Place Your Ad

Physics Continued from page 1

A new physics building on the north side of campus is nearing completion. The building will house all of the Physics Department’s teaching facilities, Fry said. “I think it’s going to have a huge impact on our teaching capabilities,” Fry said. “The building itself is a fabulous building.” The George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy and the George P. Mitchell ‘40 Physics Building will open by the end of 2009. “It’s a green building,” Fry said. “There’s a big cistern in the ground that collects rainwater and will be used to water the garden as well as the grounds around the building.” The building will contain a large, swinging pendulum, which will be suspended from the inverted-dome ceiling of the glass-walled atrium, Fry said. “If you set a pendulum oscillating, the pendulum will swing in an inertial plane,” Fry said. “The earth will actually be rotating underneath it. If you’re standing there, it will look to you like the pendulum is moving because you’re on the Earth. It’s relative motion.” Though the astronomy and

astrophysics group at Texas A&M is relatively new, it’s been garnering national recognition, said astrophysics outreach coordinator Keely Finkelstein. The University is a major partner in building the Giant Magellan Telescope, a landbased telescope under construction in Chile. “It’s going to be one of the largest telescopes in the world,” Finkelstein said. “It’s an exciting project for Texas A&M to be a part of.” The telescope is projected to have a better resolving power than any telescope ever built, with images up to 10 times sharper than those from the Hubble space telescope, Fry said. “There are planets circling other stars, and at the present time astronomers have only been able to detect their presence by certain effects,” Fry said. “The GMT will have the resolution and the light-gathering power to look directly at the planet.” The department also has a teaching observatory near Easterwood Airport, Finkelstein said. Starting again in August, after sunset on the last Friday of every month, students will have the opportunity to use telescopes and listen to a talk on recent developments in astronomy at the Observatory Open House, at the Physics Observatory. “2009 is the International

Transportation Continued from page 1

body to leave.” Statistics show that the number of towed vehicles has dropped 75 percent in the past five years. “When you’ve got a system that works, people don’t feel like [they] have to violate [it],” Weis said. “Our web registration, citation appeals process and payment process is actually one of the best in the nation.” A&M’s Transportation Services has been an example to universities across the nation, Hultine said. “What it came down to is the fact that many of us had actually benefitted from a program Texas A&M started,” Hultine said. “They’ve gone out of their way to share their programs with us.” Transportation Services is continuing to work on improving the system, Weis said. Texas A&M partnered with software company T2 Systems and other universities in an effort to improve gated lots. “We just started this year on citations, they’ll have a photograph attached so if you can’t remember it will

Year of Astronomy,” Finkelstein said. “On a local level we’re just trying to do a couple of things.” The most common misconception about astronomy occurs when people confuse it with astrology, Tran said. “No, we are not going to tell you your horoscope,” Tran said. “That’s one we get all the time. You’d be amazed how often that happens.” For Tran, an introductory astronomy class started her love of astronomy. “I was thinking I would study writing, because I love to write, but I also had a very strong background in math and the sciences,” Tran said. “So I took this astronomy class and I just thought it was the coolest thing.” In addition to her research, Tran will be teaching Astronomy 101 in the fall. “We are now offering many more courses in undergraduate astro,” Tran said. “As a science, [astronomy] is probably one of the most accessible sciences.” Astronomy is the key to understanding the evolving universe, Tran said. “It makes you think about the universe, but it also forces you to think about your own place in the universe,” Tran said. “So it touches people on many levels.”

be posted on your account,” Weis said. “We try to get as much information out as we can. There are no secrets.” The student body’s needs are important to transportation services, Weis said. “Other companies are amazed at how much time we spend with students,” Weis said. The University should be congratulated on this accomplishment, Thornton said. “A university cannot have an exceptional parking and transportation program without the support of the university administration,” Thornton said. Texas A&M’s Transportation Services was honed into an efficient system after much trial and error, Thornton said. “Like Texas A&M, other organizations should learn from the negative experiences of the past, not repeat those mistakes, and move forward. [We will] never give up searching for ways to improve. [We will] place priority on communication with customers and [won’t] be afraid to be innovative,” Thornton said. “Texas A&M’s parking and transportation program is constantly setting new standards for the industry.”

“Texas A&M’s transportation program is constantly setting new standards for the industry.” — Don Thornton International Parking Institute board of advisers member

puzzle answers can be found online at www.thebatt.com

Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment.

In this April 6 file photo, Alan Jackson performs at the ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert in honor of George Strait in Las Vegas. ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jackson to play free show NASHVILLE, Tenn. — You’d think Alan Jackson might want to celebrate two decades in the music business by taking a day off. Instead, the laid-back singer will mark the occasion by performing a free concert. “It’s just something we wanted to do,” Jackson said recently. “We’ve got about 50 hits, so it’s hard to do them all. We’ll try to pick a few that the crowd might like.” Jackson normally plays arenas, but he’ll sing Wednesday at a club called Cadillac Ranch in Nashville’s honky-tonk district. The show comes as thou-

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sands of country fans pile into Nashville for the Country Music Association’s annual festival, which opens Thursday and runs through Sunday. This year’s lineup includes Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and many more. Jackson’s show is sure to stir up old memories for the 50-yearold; he played lots of clubs before landing a deal with Arista Records 20 years ago this month. He went on to sell more than 50 million albums and chart a slew of hits, many of them from his own pen. Associated Press

6/9/09 10:32 PM

Stephanie Burns senior animal science major

studentleaders

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thebattalion

What do you love most about being an Aggie? My favorite part about being an Aggie is the family that comes with it. On a campus with 48,000 students, you still get that small-school feeling of camaraderie and friendship. As a transfer student, that feeling of “home” and sense of belonging was, and still is, very important to me. That’s why I try to say “howdy” and extend that friendliness to everyone I meet—we are all part of one Aggie family.

wednesday 6.10.2009

If you had three hours of free time, what would you do with it? I love to be busy, so the concept of “free time” is a little hard for me to imagine! I guess I would probably call some old friends and meet them for a long dinner and coffee. As your schedule gets busier, it can be hard to keep in touch with everyone who matters to you. Sometimes you need a few hours with those special people to remind you about what is important in life.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I was always infatuated with animals, and from a very young age I was determined to be a veterinarian. Until two years ago, it was still my dream to go to vet school at A&M. I’m not really sure what changed my mind, but I think the MSCC opened my eyes to a different world and new possibilities. Now I am content to just own lots of animals and let someone else treat them!

What are your goals for after graduation? This one is the million-dollar question for me right now. As a fifth-year senior, I feel a lot of pressure to decide what is next for me. I hope to work in higher education, but I’m not sure the exact path or plan yet. The only thing I know for sure is that I love working for students and want to continue to help improve the quality and accessibility of education in our country.

What is your favorite memory made at Aggieland so far? My Ring Day last year. My mom was in the hospital, so my parents and brothers couldn’t be here. I thought it would be sad without them, but my friends supported me. My ring is important to me because it reminds me of that day. Whatever lies ahead, we will always have thousands of family members to celebrate with us, grieve with us and help us over any obstacles in our path.

Compiled by Jill Beathard

GUESTCOLUMN

MSC spirit will live on in students

owdy Ags! This is my third summer to live in College Station, and I am once again surprised by how quiet Texas A&M and the Bryan-College Station community becomes this time of year. It is a little sad to walk across campus without hearing “Howdy” and to see the buildings standing lifeless, waiting for students to return. There is one building, however, that will have a bit longer to wait for students to breathe life into it again — the Memorial Student Center. The MSC is even quieter than usual this summer as the bookstore, offices and departments begin to move out in preparation for the renovation. Over the last few months, I have had the unique opportunity to interact with many different Aggies, talking to them about the upcoming changes and their perspectives on the renovated building. While I have heard many different opinions, there is one common truth that I have come to realize: the Memorial Student Center is more than a building. The MSC is a memorial to those Aggies who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their country and our freedom, but it is also a “living tradition.” Students past, present and future are what truly make the MSC special. The relationships built here, the traditions born here, the history told here: that is the true memorial. While the MSC is closed, we will have to work hard to continue to build and foster relationships with our fellow Aggies. We must say “Howdy” more often. We must teach the Class of 2013 the traditions of the MSC — why they will not be able to walk on the grass or wear their hats inside. We must boast of the seven Medal of Honor recipients recognized here. We must tell the stories of those who have gone before us, inspiring future Aggies to lead with a servant’s heart and to value integrity and respect for others. Most of all, we must share our own stories of time spent in the Flag Room, Fish Camp lunches in the 12th Man Cafeteria, hanging banners in the main hallway and meeting thousands of fellow Aggies here on busy game day Saturdays in the fall. When students return in the fall, there will be many changes to adjust to. We have identified lounge space in Rudder to serve as an alternative to the Flag Room. Dining carts will be located in various places around main campus, and Duncan Dining Hall will be open to the general public for lunch to accommodate for the loss of the MSC’s dining areas. Most importantly, all of the student services located in the MSC will still be available, despite having new locations around campus. To help students orient themselves and prepare for these changes, we have posted our Relocation Guide on the renovation Web site. While I know the coming year presents many challenges, I am truly optimistic about what lies ahead. Be on the lookout for some new and innovative programs as our students find creative ways to reach out to the student body and engage new audiences. While the building may be under renovation, the Memorial Student Center Complex will be as alive as ever — continuing to serve you by offering great programs and much needed services. From OPAS shows and leadership conferences to speakers and service projects, we are looking forward to providing Texas A&M with another year of opportunities for involvement and growth! Although everyone has slowed down for a much-needed break, there are still a few summer programs and activities for students remaining in College Station. The Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts hosts a summer performance series at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center and the 57th MSCC Fall Leadership Conference will be held Aug. 25-27 at Camp Allen. Many new Aggies are also in town for New Student Conferences — a perfect opportunity for you to meet the Class of 2013 and help introduce them to Aggieland. And finally, if you (like me) are spending your summer in College Station, I hope you get the chance to take one last walk though the MSC before it closes on Aug. 15. Take a minute to reflect on old memories and friendships made here, because these are the stories you must cherish and share until we return to the MSC in 2012. Stephanie Burns is a senior animal science major.

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Jon Eilts — THE BATTALION

Memorial Student Center Complex President Stephanie Burns addresses students at a new student conference.

Burning with passion Continued from page 1

preserve the history and traditions of the MSC while the building is being renovated,” Burns said. “It is crucial that incoming classes of Aggies understand the importance of the building and respect the traditions of removing your hat and not walking on the grass.” Though Burns has an immensely long list of things to do, she is more than capable of accomplishing the job, said MSCC program adviser J. Amber Fonseca. “She is the epitome of grace under pressure,” Fonseca said. “She does not back down when I challenge her, but rather, she rises to the occasion and far exceeds even my expectations. I always tell her she is the best student leader I have ever had the pleasure of working with.” Growing up in Bethesda, Md., near Washington, D.C., Burns attributes her strong will to her roots. “Being raised in a big city on the East Coast definitely shaped my worldview,” Burns said. “I grew up in a political area and met a lot of people with big accomplishments and great careers. I think that experience taught me to work hard and to dream big.” Burns has received several awards since the start of her college career including the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Award, Margaret Rudder Community Service Award and Buck Weirus Spirit Award. “I think the most important decision I have ever made was deciding to transfer to

Texas A&M,” Burns said. “I didn’t know anyone here, and it was scary to start over at a new school, in a new town. Having the courage to transfer was a huge accomplishment for me, and it was probably the best decision I have made in my life so far.” As a high school student, Burns was a member of the National Honor Society, involved in student government and on the varsity softball team at The Connelly School of the Holy Child. After graduating in 2004, Burns had to defer her college career due to a knee injury. In 2005, Burns entered her freshman year at TCU. “It did not take me long to realize that TCU was not the right place for me, and I transferred to Texas A&M as a sophomore,” Burns said. Burns has always been extremely passionate about Texas A&M, Fonseca said. “She is extremely driven and passionate,” Fonseca said. “She is so intelligent and she knows what she wants, but more importantly, she is not afraid to work hard to get what she wants.” Burns began her involvement with MSCC LEAD as a sophomore, and served as the director of community service, director for MSCC Fall Leadership Conference and the chairwoman of MSCC LEAD, before becoming the MSCC president. “I think this is an incredible challenge for her, and I think she is looking forward to it,” said Burns’ mother Maryanne Burns. “I’m very proud of her. She’s always wanted to attend A&M and when she finally did decide to attend I was happy … it’s a very

good fit for her.” An animal science major with a minor in educational human resource development, Burns said she loves animals and had childhood aspirations of becoming a veterinarian. But, Burns said she now wants a career in higher education. “I love working with and for students, so I hope to turn that into a career,” Burns said. She could make a great addition to the Texas A&M administration, Fonseca said. “I could definitely see her working with the Foundation or the Association of Former Students because she has a deep passion for this place and her enthusiasm for Texas A&M is contagious,” Fonseca said. “No matter what Stephanie does, I know she is going to be great at it.” To ease the worries of the student body in the midst of the MSC renovation, Burns has helped initiate several projects to preserve the Aggie traditions and provide a reminder that the renovation will not erase Aggie history but instead create new history. “The fact is that the MSC is outdated and inadequate for our growing Aggie family. The next three years will bring some inconvenience and change, but it will also bring us a beautiful, renovated Memorial Student Center with more space and better services,” Burns said. “The Memorial Student Center is our building, and we deserve the best. The next three years will ensure decades of enjoyment for future Aggies, and we can say that we are the ones who made it happen.”

6/9/09 10:20 PM

news

page 6 wednesday 6.10.2009

thebattalion

Making use of summer time Mike Tyson

Tyson marries in Vegas LAS VEGAS — Boxer Mike Tyson has married for a third time, two weeks after his 4-year-old daughter died in a tragic treadmill accident. The owner of the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton hotelcasino said the former heavyweight champion and his bride, Lakiha Spicer, exchanged vows Saturday in a short, private ceremony. County marriage records show the 42-year-old Tyson and 32-yearold Spicer got a marriage license 30 minutes before the ceremony. Tyson’s daughter Exodus died in May. The girl suffocated after she either slipped or put her head in the loop of a cord hanging under a treadmill’s console in her Phoenix home. Tyson’s agent, Harlan Werner, said Spicer is not Exodus’ mother. Associated Press

Slim Jim plant blast rips roof 2 still missing, 41 injured Alysia Patterson

Jon Eilts — THE BATTALION

Junior industrial distribution major Olen Nau practices his drive Monday at the Texas A&M University Golf Course. Students may become a member of the golf course by adding it to their student fees.

Clemson president gives low grade to other schools in rating COLUMBIA, S.C. — Move over Harvard, Yale, Princeton. Asked to rate other universities for the influential U.S. News & World Report rankings, Clemson University President James Barker put his institution on top. It might sound like the kind of cheerleading to be expected from a college president. But Barker’s votes in the peer review portion of the rankings — which account for 25 percent of a college’s score — appeared to at least partly validate some reported claims last week by a staff member portraying Clemson as consumed with moving up the table. Documents released by Clemson show Barker

gave his university a “strong” rating in the peer review portion of the rankings. But he gave no other university that high a mark. He ranked half the undergraduate universities in the magazine’s survey as “marginal,” according to copies of his survey provided to The Associated Press. On Tuesday, Barker stood by the ranking he gave the university, which is No. 61 overall in the magazine’s latest table of national universities. “I believe the total undergraduate experience at Clemson is why I ranked Clemson where I did,” Barker said in a telephone interview, arguing the school’s “in-classroom, out-of-classroom, collegetown experience,” tops all others in the nation.

Associated Press GARNER, N.C. — A blast at a Slim Jim meat products plant Tuesday blew workers off their feet, ripped the building’s roof off its supports and critically burned four people. Two workers were still unaccounted for Tuesday night. Authorities said they located one person in the building who had been missing, but they did not say whether that person was alive. More than 40 others were taken to hospitals, including three firefighters who needed medical attention after inhaling ammonia gases that left a distinct scent around the sprawling ConAgra Foods Inc. plant just south of Raleigh. The explosion left gaping holes in the roof. An exterior wall collapsed, smashing cars parked next to the 500,000-square-foot building. Wake County Emergency Medical Services district chief Jeffrey Hammerstein said he and other officials at a command center did not immediately have more information about the person who was located because they were not at the building. The missing workers had been at the plant in the morning, said Frank McLaurin, a battalion chief with North Carolina Task Force 8 Urban Search-and-Rescue. Crews trying to find them relied on cameras and listening equipment as thunderstorms delayed the search. They were also concerned because the building was unstable.

“This is not a fast operation by any means under any conditions,” McLaurin said. Some of the more than 300 workers on duty described chaos after the explosion. Authorities could not say exactly where in the plant the blast happened or what caused it. “I was getting ready to pick up a piece of meat off the line and I felt it — the percussion. And you could feel it in my chest and my ears popped,” Chris Woods said. “One of the guys I was working with got blown back — his hat flew backward.” Janelle Lynch, who has worked at the plant for eight years, said she saw flames and ran. She planned to leave through the cutting department, but the roof started to collapse, so she went in the other direction and escaped through a warehouse. “I saw a fire and things just started exploding,” she said. ConAgra spokesman Dave Jackson said someone called the plant over the weekend and threatened to start a fire. He said company officials don’t believe the threat was connected to the explosion. Garner Police Sgt. Joe Binns would not say whether police think there is a link. “I don’t want to go in that direction right now,” Binns said. “We’re focused on the rescue, not the investigation.” Four people were in critical condition at UNC Hospitals with burns covering between 40 percent and 60 percent of their bodies.

Where on campus? No correct answer on Tuesday

Stephen Fogg — THE BATTALION

Think you know every nook and cranny of Texas A&M? Test your campus know-how by e-mailing The Battalion and telling us where you think this photo was taken. The first people to get the answers correct will have their names published. Send your response with your name, class and major to photo@thebatt.com.

Developer of Chili’s chain, Brinker International dies DALLAS — Norman Brinker, a restaurant mogul who popularized the salad bar and built a worldwide casual dining empire that includes Chili’s Grill & Bar, died Tuesday at age 78. Brinker died at a hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., said Robin Rymer at the Swan-Law Funeral Home. He suffered complications related to pneumonia while on vacation, Brinker International Inc. spokeswoman Stacey Sullivan said. Before retiring as chairman of Dallasbased Brinker International in 2000, he had built the chain of more than 1,000 ca-

sual-dining restaurants. The company now has 1,700 restaurants in 27 countries, according to its Web site. While Brinker wasn’t necessarily a household name, he had a high proNorman file in Dallas and Americans Brinker have enjoyed his eatery concepts that fit somewhere between fast food and fine dining. “My goal is to wipe out dining room lights across the country,” he said in a story published in 1996.

Brinker moved to Dallas in the 1960s, where he started a coffee shop before developing the concept for Steak & Ale restaurants — a chain he established in the mid-1960s where he’s credited with popularizing the salad bar and casual dining. He sold Steak & Ale to Pillsbury Co. in the 1970s and went to work for Pillsbury’s restaurant division. While there, he established the Bennigan’s chain and became known for creating a “fern bar” restaurant concept intended to attract single people. In 1983, Brinker purchased Chili’s, which had started as a single restaurant in

Dallas and has about 900 company-owned restaurants and more than 550 franchises. He took Chili’s public and in the 1990s renamed the chain Brinker International. “His people in those restaurants not only admired and respected him, they loved him,” said Brinker’s friend, billionaire businessman and former presidential candidate Ross Perot. “He had a tremendous ability to inspire and motivate other people to do great things.” He was the father of five, had six grandchildren and lived in Dallas with his wife, Toni. Associated Press

Other chains Among the chains Brinker International has bought and sold are Corner Bakery Cafe, EatZi’sMarket and Bakery. It now operates On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, Maggiano’s Little Italy and Chili’s. Brinker also holds a minority investment in Romano’s Macaroni Grill.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Mike Eli Special Acoustic Performance ALL TICKETS $10 IN ADVANCE AT BASKINS, CAVENDER’S, THE HALL AND ONLINE, OR $12 AT THE DOOR

FRIDAY, JUNE 12

Max Stalling Everybody gets in FREE!!! SATURDAY, JUNE 13

Stoney LaRue w/ Ryan James ALL TICKETS $12 IN ADVANCE AT BASKINS, CAVENDER’S, THE HALL AND ONLINE, OR $15 AT THE DOOR

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6/9/09 10:35 PM