l tuesday,
september 17, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
thebattalion l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
William Guerra — THE BATTALION
$740 million in reported 2012-2013 fundraising dwarfs previous high Kadie McDougald The Battalion
D
onations to Texas A&M from Sept. 1, 2012, to Aug. 31, 2013, reached an alltime high for the University at more than $740 million. According to a University press release, the donations are more than $300 million more than any other 12-month period reported, making the University among the top fundraising institutions in national rankings of higher education. The funds are nearly double what the University of Texas received in the same period. Kathryn Greenwade, vice president of the Association of Former Students, said the Texas A&M Foundation, the Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Association and the Bush School collectively raised the funds, along with former students and other members of the Aggie network. The drastic increase in donations is suspected to have resulted from, amoung other causes, Texas’ thriving economy and energy business. Greenwade
said she believes the rise in funds can be attributed to former students who are proud of the University’s recent successes and have had some success of their own. “I think we’re at a time where there’s a lot of positive news about Texas A&M,” Greenwade said. “Aggies feel good about Texas A&M and there’s an alltime high in pride. I think it speaks to the generosity of Aggies and it speaks to the success of Aggies [because they] are in the position to give back.” Greenwade said the majority of the funds are restricted by the donors, which means they are directed to be used in a certain manner, whether it be for a certain scholarship or for the Kyle Field renovation. “The money [the Association of Former Students] raises is unrestricted,” she said. “We work with the University to figure out how it may be utilized.” Because state support has declined, Greenwade said an increase in private funds increases in significance to the University every year. “It’s very important to the University to strive for excellence and move toward what we want this University to be,” she said. “We want to be the top public University in the nation.”
Event celebrates Hispanic ‘desire to succeed’
student government
J-Court denies transfer student’s SBP eligibility Aimee Breaux
The Battalion ransfer student Jarrett Namken argued to be able to run for Student Body President in the spring — what he claims is his right as an Aggie — during a hearing for the Student Government Association Judicial Court’s first case of the year. The hearing took place Friday in Koldus and dealt specifically with a suit brought by Namken alleging that election commissioner Allison Krenzien overstepped her bounds in declaring Namken, who has completed two semesters at the College Station campus after transferring from Texas A&M at Galveston, ineligible to run in the SBP race due to a failure to fulfill the requirement of completing three consecutive semesters at Texas A&M. The court released Monday a unanimous 6-0 decision in favor of Krenzien. According to the majority opinion, the decision was partially based on the core premise that
T Jade Bedell — THE BATTALION
T
he Hispanic Presidents’ Council and the Professional Hispanic Network teamed up Monday night in the Memorial Student Center to lead the opening ceremony in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. In addition to a food buffet and a poetry reading, the event featured keynote speaker Marco Portales — pictured above with Joseph Puente, executive director of Hispanic Presidents’ Council — who discussed
the importance of an “evolved” Hispanic and Latino community. “Latinos have a deep desire to succeed,” said Portales, an A&M English professor. “Education is our first concern and most desired need. The present and the future are not going to be like the past. The world always continues to evolve, and we have the opportunity to lead this change.” For the full story, go online at thebatt.com
FROM GREECE TO AGGIELAND
thebattalion asks
Q:
Professor Vasilakis gives a glimpse into his personal life
Page 2: Why is the First Amendment important to you?
Alexandra Slaughter, lifestyles writer, sits down with English professor Apostolos Vasilakis THE BATTALION: What was it like growing up in Greece?
Why is it important to celebrate the Constitution?
VASILAKIS: My father was in the military and every two years we would move to a different part of Greece. It was fun, but difficult since I didn’t have a chance to make friends. I was growing up during the dictatorship, and I was there when democracy came. It was difficult since my father was in the military at the time, which was part of the dictatorship. It was one of those experiences you will never forget. These were historical events we were living in. Though we were young, we were still shaped by them.
Let’s be friends
THE BATTALION: What was the difference between New York and Greece? Shelby Knowles — THE BATTALION
@thebattonline
BAT_09-17-13_A1.indd 1
See J-Court on page 6
Professor Apostolos Vasilakis discusses his childhood in Greece and his teaching career at A&M.
VASILAKIS: Twenty-four years ago I moved to the States and lived in New York for about six years in the Upper West
Q&A: Side of Manhattan. The main difference was New York was very cosmopolitan. Very big. I loved the cultural chaos that New York had. I have a huge family in New York. Believe it or not, more than in Greece. I also lived in Atlanta, Ga., for about five years and Chicago. THE BATTALION: What has been your favorite city? VASILAKIS: My favorite cities have been Chicago and New York. Chicago is really cultural, and I like all the cultural ingredients that it has that you don’t get elsewhere in the architecture and the water. It is much different than New York. It was a huge change when I came to Texas. The University here is great, and the students are great so I enjoy it here. See Vasilakis on page 5
9/16/13 10:17 PM