The Battalion — November 22, 2022

Coach Kuhn red

By Jordan Epp @j_epp22

According to a press release from Texas A&M Athletics on Monday, Nov. 21, the university has announced that head volleyball coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn is being “relieved of duties” as the coach of the Aggie volleyball team, effective immediately.

Coach Kuhn led the Aggies to a 76-60 record during her five seasons as the head coach of A&M, but the maroon and white have not had a winning record either overall or in the SEC over the last three seasons.

A&M volleyball finished its 2022 season with an overall record of 13-16, going 5-13 in conference play. The team also had losing records both at home and on the road.

“The goal for all our teams at Texas A&M is to perform at a consistently high level and compete for conference and national titles,” Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said in the release. “Given the recruiting base in Texas and support for volleyball, we believe that we can and should be better, and that is what the 12th Man deserves.”

Bjork said A&M will begin a national search for a new coach, its seventh in program history, immediately for the 2023 season.

The Aggies are not expected to advance to the postseason, advancing only once under Kuhn’s tenure. In 2019, the Aggies reached the NCAA regional semifinals, a season in which Kuhn earned the title of SEC Coach of the Year.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity,” Kuhn said in the release. “I’ve learned and grown so much in my time here. I love all the players that have come through and all the people that have impacted us as a staff.

Texas A&M is a really special place and I appreciate all the energy, resources and the people. Going forward, I know they are going to be great. This is a great place and it’s going to be a great program.”

Get rowdy in Reed during Thanksgiving week SPORTS START ON PG. 5

Cagin’ the Cajun Tigers

Aggies look to end season on high note after losing streak

By Luke White @lukewhite03

Senior wide receiver Jalen Preston was frank when asked last week what the Texas A&M football team was playing for in its final two games of the season, specifically in the finale against LSU on Saturday, Nov. 26.

“Hopefully we can, and I don’t know if this is bad, but piss in their corn flakes,” Preston

Future of Arts & Sciences

and other schools.

By Ana Renfroe @aeoenia1

The Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is expanding the college through a new hiring initiative, expanding current scholarships and improving opportunities for students.

On Oct. 24, the Arts and Sciences Interim Dean José Luis Bermúdez, Ph.D., sent an email to all of the college’s students and faculty announcing his new Transformational Hiring Initiative. In his email, Bermúdez clarified the purpose of ongoing changes in the college.

“This initiative is designed to kick-start the process of elevating the College of Arts and Sciences to a position of national and international prominence,” Bermúdez wrote.

Bermúdez said the new initiative authorized departments to make at least one new “transformational hire” through aggressive recruiting to add to the number of stellar faculty at Texas A&M.

The email further defined a transformational hire as someone who would add to the prestige of each department, furthering current areas of strength and creating new collaborations within the college, with other colleges

PUBLICATION NOTICE

The Graduation Edition of The Battalion will be the final print of the semester, and will be distributed on Monday, Dec. 5. The Battalion will return on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 with the Back to School Edition.

In an interview with The Battalion, Bermúdez said his goal is to improve the reputation of the program, stating that many other colleges have reputable arts and science programs. For A&M, the new initiative authorizes departments to actively seek additional, prestigious hires for the college. In the past, candidates would have to apply themselves to work at A&M.

Bermúdez said each department was tasked with creating a list of three possibly attainable professionals in each field of study. From there, departments can actively begin additional recruiting measures. While the number of hires will vary, Bermúdez said all departments will be able to hire at least one new member.

“This type of recruiting takes time, and there is no expectation that the process will be completed this academic year,” Bermúdez wrote in his initial email.

Bermúdez said A&M can expect to start seeing changes from this initiative beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year.

According to the statistics provided on behalf of the College of Arts and Sciences, the college currently has around 19,000 students, including undergraduate and graduate students. The college also has over 4,000 first-generation students, accounting for 25% of its students.

In addition to the new initiative, Bermúdez said he plans to increase opportunities and sup-

said. Indeed, the Aggies don’t have much else to play for, now that a bowl game is off the table. Sitting at 4-7 after picking up their first win in nearly two months against Massachusetts, the players and coaches have their sights set on ending the year on a high note while proving themselves as competitors.

“[We’re] playing for each other and Texas A&M,” coach Jimbo Fisher said. “You’ve got Texas A&M on your jersey and you play for your teammates, and you play for yourself because you’re sending a message of who you are and what you are.”

While there may not be much good to find in a 5-7 campaign in which it was the sixthranked team in the preseason AP Top 25, A&M’s season may feel a bit sweeter to some if the Aggies can take down the Tigers and put the nail in the coffin of their College Football Playoff hopes.

The purple and gold’s year has taken a far different trajectory than the maroon and white’s, as LSU enters the final game of the regular season with a 9-2 record and a 6-1 mark in conference play. On Saturday, Dec. 3, the Tigers, ranked No. 6 in this week’s AP poll, will face

port for students in the college.

“To achieve that we will increase support for students, improve resources for student success and innovate in the curriculum to prepare students for their future careers,” Bermúdez said. “The scale and structure provided by the new college will be indispensable in these efforts.”

Bermúdez said it is important for arts and sciences to continue to support its sizable pop-

ulation of first-generation students through the college’s Regents’ Scholars program. First awarded in fall 2004, the Regents’ Scholars program assists first-generation students from low-income families by providing a renewable four-year scholarship and academic support.

Bermúdez played a critical role in helping elevate the Regents’ program in Arts and Sciences, and identified one of his top priorities

Happy Thanksgiving, Aggies

giving means to them personally, and why they have decided to stay in town during the three days off from school.

By Anna Deardorff @annardeardorff

While many students venture home for the break, some opt to stay in the College Station area. Aggies dive into what Thanks-

Thanksgiving brings to mind many different things: turkey, family, cooking and parades. For finance junior Maggie Bright, a College Station local, it means being surrounded by almost 30 family members, making for a

memorable, jam-packed day.

“We start the day by having a Turkey Bowl,” Bright said. “The winning team doesn’t get much besides bragging rights, but that is enough for my family. Then, we head back to my house and start cooking for lunch. Right before we eat we say a prayer, and ev-

Students share holiday plans, gratitude

Freshman QB Conner Weigman (15) carries the ball during Texas A&M’s game against UMass on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 at Kyle Field Robert O’Brien— THE BATTALION

Newest college expands scholarships, stipends, faculty

Senior Alexis King talks with a student at the College of Arts & Sciences Launch Party in the East Quad on Aug. 23, 2022.

Samuel Falade — THE BATTALION

Kyle Field as seen from Modesta and Clayton Williams Plaza on Nov. 22, 2022.

Medicaid protection threatened

Hospital Corporation, it would mean that Medicaid beneficiaries would only be able to seek enforcement of rights under Medicaid from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or from state and federal agencies.

By Mia Puntham @MiaBatt25

A new Supreme Court case could decide if Medicaid users can go to federal courts for relief after their rights have been violated.

On Nov. 8, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County v. Talvenski. The case was filed by Gorgi Talvenski’s family against the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Ind.. Talvenski’s family claims his nursing facility violated the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act, or FNHRA, by using psychotropic drugs as chemical restraints and involuntarily transferring and discharging him to a dementia facility.

The Talvenski family is suing under Section 1983, a federal law that provides individuals the right to sue the government for civil rights violations. The case originally went to a federal district court that dismissed it, stating that the FNHRA does not grant federal rights and cannot support a cause of action. Talvenski’s family appealed and the United State Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed the decision. The case then headed to the Supreme Court and a final decision is not expected until June 2023.

This decision rendered from this case will answer two questions. First, whether the court should reexamine the well-established position that individuals can sue in federal court to protect rights from legislation under the Spending Clause of the Constitution, which includes Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the Children’s Health Program. Second, whether the rights protected under the FNHRA are enforceable. These questions could both affect the rights of welfare program recipients, including college students enrolled in Medicaid or SNAP.

Texas A&M associate professor of public health in the Department of Health Policy and Management Simon Header said this court case is important for the future of healthcare and healthcare coverage in the United States.

“It goes beyond healthcare,” Header said. “It’s a broader issue with whether beneficiaries of public programs have the ability to seek recourse through the court system or whether they simply have to rely on state and federal agencies to protect their rights.”

If the court rules in favor of Health and

“Medicaid agencies and those that administer the program [Medicaid] often challenge the budget environment,” Header said. “Trying to impose as many restrictions as they possibly can to contain program costs. For beneficiaries, this often means that they see their access or their treatment curtailed.”

According to the Commonwealth Fund, the main worry of many beneficiaries under Medicaid is that this change could lead to many issues not being addressed in a timely manner or at all by state and federal agencies.

“When beneficiaries have to apply to federal and state agencies to seek a remedy that often can take a very long time,” Header said.

“It potentially can go nowhere because of the restrictions of budgets, staffing and willingness to enforce regulations and statutes.”

Public health junior Abby Nitsch also expressed the same sentiments that the right for Medicaid enrollees to be able to go to the federal level is an important oversight tool of the federal government over states implementing Medicaid.

“Going to the federal level is an important thing to be able to do,” Nitsch said. “Because a lot of the time states might not be receptive or might not have the power to do anything about it. However, on the federal level, they can. They’re there to protect the rights of citizens and decide what is constitutional and not.”

Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, Medicaid coverage for college students has increased substantially from 8% to 13%. The worry for many public health professionals, like Header, is that state agencies will try to impose further restrictions on access to specific Medicaid areas due to the fact that it could go unchallenged in a federal court.

“Potentially states that are less supportive of access to reproductive rights might get creative in creating restrictions to accessing contraceptive services,” Header said. “Even to a degree that is questionable under state and federal law, it’s something that is important for college students to have access to.”

According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, 1 in 5 low-income Americans are enrolled in the Medicaid Program. Many public health professionals worry that without oversight the system could take advantage of those already vulnerable individuals.

“So many people on Medicaid work in high-risk jobs,” Nitsch said. “They really need insurance to be able to protect themselves in

It’s more than an ordinary towel.

case something happens. If it [Medicaid] turns into a horribly corrupt system, it would be really detrimental [to] their health.”

The long-term implications of this court case have the potential to upset precedents that have provided Medicaid beneficiaries their right in courts, like Section 1983 which has provided a precedent for protections for Medicaid beneficiaries in the past.

“Taking a step back, the benefits of the Medicaid program are not as legally, statutorily secure as Medicare and Social Security,” Header said. “There’s some concern that this could be another step to further restrict the rights and benefits of people on Medicaid. This one could do it quite severely because it could unwind some of the precedents that have been quite beneficial for Medicaid ben-

eficiaries in terms of what they can access and how they can access it.”

Although this decision is not set to be made by the court until June, the outcome could decide if Medicaid beneficiaries have the right to sue in federal court. This is a decades-long precedent that the court has upheld; however, if overturned, it could lead to millions without proper protections for access to healthcare.

“Broadly speaking, if this is decided in favor of the Health and Hospital Corporation,” Header said. “We go into a situation where state agencies and providers have more power compared to beneficiaries. That raises questions about what it means to be a citizen, to have rights to public services, and how citizens can fail to have meaningful protections in a lot of ways.”

Mixed bag for 2023 Grammys

By Emma Ehle @EmmaKEhle4

2023 Grammy nominations are officially out and on trial in the court of public opinion.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Recording Academy released its complete list of nominees for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Unsurprisingly, nominations repeatedly highlighted artists such as Harry Styles, Adele, Beyoncé, ABBA and Kendrick Lamar, with albums like “Harry’s House” (2022), “30” (2021) and “Renaissance” (2022) dominating most of the major categories. Doja Cat and Taylor Swift also make an inevitable appearance, with “Woman” and “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film)” showing up in several categories.

Despite the vague nod of public approval that accompanied nominations for some of the highest-grossing and generally most popular albums of this year, there always seems to be a few things that the Academy gets wrong.

Starting off with Album of the Year, nominations for this category feature several artists with the potential to take home the title. Based on her past popularity with the academy, Grammy Awards veteran Beyoncé may be the favorite to win for her album “Renaissance,” however Adele’s “30” will not be going down without a fight. In a matchup similar to the 2017 Grammy Awards where Adele’s “25” (2015) faced Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” (2016) and won, these two powerhouses appear to be the front-runners in this category of the awards once again.

Other strong contenders in the Album of the Year category include Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” (2022) and Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” (2022).

“Un Verano Sin Ti,” while receiving its well-deserved nomination for Album of the Year as the first-ever Spanish album in a major category, surprisingly did not break through into the Song or Record of the Year categories, leaving Bad Bunny fans upset at the Puerto Rican rapper’s absence in major areas of the awards.

Similarly, another large cause of public outcry against this year’s nominations is the obvious lack of attention to Rosalía’s “Motoma-

Most of the year, this $2 cloth is destined to either be stowed away until next season or become a handy-dandy shop towel in dad’s garage. But what it lacks in Egyptian cotton, it makes up for in pride. If you have ever seen 80,000 of these waving at once in a churning sea of white, you know this towel is much more than a humble handkerchief—it helps 11 men play with the power of 12.

Students may see changes to government healthcare, benefits, following court ruling

Arts criticism writer Emma Ehle discusses Grammy nomination highs, lows

fall to A&M the week before.

Our friends from Baton Rouge, La. are competing with at least six other schools for one of four playoff spots, and as the only school with two regular season losses, the margin for error is slim to none.

Some Aggies will enter the matchup with fire in their bellies, given A&M’s recent history with LSU. The Tigers boast a 9-2 record over the Aggies since 2011, with A&M’s lone wins coming in the form of 2018’s 74-72, seven-overtime thriller and a sloppy 20-7 win in 2020. Last season, LSU upset the then-No. 14 Aggies, 27-24, with a last-minute touchdown thrown by none other than junior quarterback Max Johnson, who started three games for A&M this year before going down with a hand injury.

A victory over the Tigers may also serve as a more satisfying way to cap off the season, given the circumstances of the Aggies’ “win” over the Minutemen. The Aggies defeated Massachusetts, 20-3, and while the defense was impressive, the offense felt just as miserable as the fans. Taking on arguably the worst Football Bowl Subdivision team in the nation, A&M was forced to deal with rainy, 40-degree weather in front of next to

ARTS & SCI CONTINUED

Bermúdez played a critical role in helping elevate the Regents’ program in arts and sciences, and identified one of his top priorities as enhancing the support of the program to increase student success.

Currently, the College of Arts and Sciences has about 1,000 Regents’ Scholars, and in the 2023-2024 academic year, Bermúdez expects another 200 scholars.

Along with expanding the Regents’ program, Bermúdez is working with his development team to increase other endowed scholarships for undergraduates and students interested in studying abroad, as he believes that going overseas can be a transformational experience for students.

Additionally, arts and sciences graduate student stipends will be raised.

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the minimum stipend for 9-month teacher assistants and research assistants will be $20,000. According to Bermúdez, additional funds will be available for the summer in many departments.

Bermúdez is also reviewing programs that would provide travel funds and professional development support for arts and sciences graduate students.These new developments and plans for the future of the College of Arts and Sciences are fundamental in expanding the

nobody. Don’t let the announced attendance of 90,177, the smallest crowd at Kyle Field since 2014, fool you — this one felt like a middle school game.

“We’re all disappointed, [we’re] not where we want to be,” Fisher said. “But they will be packed out of here next week, I think, for the things that go on, and we play LSU. I’m sure they’ll be here.”

The Tigers also took on a nonconference opponent last week, triumphing over 5-6 UAB, 41-10. Junior signal-caller Jayden Daniels continued his dominant season, throwing for 297 yards and a touchdown while racking up 111 yards on the ground with a touchdown. He was complemented by junior running back Noah Cain, who tallied 76 yards and three touchdowns, and sophomore wide receiver Malik Nabers, with 129 yards on seven catches.

“[Daniels] is a really good player that has made a lot of big plays for them in critical moments,” Fisher said.

Speaking of offense, a couple unknowns remain for the Aggies in the unit, as junior running back Devon Achane and freshman wide receiver Evan Stewart missed the past game with injuries. The latter suffered a hit to the head against Auburn on Nov. 12, while Achane was out for A&M’s contest with the Tigers with a banged up leg. On Monday, though, Fisher did say he was very

support for its students.

Communications senior Alexis King is co-founder and co-president of the Student Council of arts and sciences, or SCAS. King said while she hasn’t heard about this in her classes, through the SCAS she feels new staff would be beneficial to students.

“I was surprised I hadn’t necessarily heard much talk of this initiative in any of my classes, or from faculty that I personally interact with,” King said. “However, in talking to council leaders and talking with professors and faculty, I’ve really gathered that this is an opportunity to bring in some highly qualified people.”

King said she has thought about how the initiative would impact students on an undergraduate level.

“For the undergraduate experience, it’s not only bringing in people who are experts in their field, but also people who are passionate about transforming the everyday classroom experience,” King said.

King said she believes classroom experiences can really set apart students’ time at A&M.

“What the [SCAS] really wants to see is just passionate professors that want to engage with students that want to provide experiences in the classroom,” King said.

When asked about the council’s thoughts on expanding the Regents’ program, King said expanding scholarships is always a positive

eryone says one thing they are grateful for.”

Where some families would end the day after the meal, the Brights keep the party going. Bright remarks that this is part of what makes the holiday so special and the love for her family so strong.

“We reconvene and start gambling after lunch,” Bright said. “We play poker and blackjack with real money, and then we gamble away until you literally have none or you won it all. This lasts until about midnight, and then everyone goes home.”

Public health senior Katie Guye also lives in College Station, but most of her extended family is in Illinois, where she’s originally from. To make the most of the day, Guye’s family welcomes friends and strangers into their home.

“My favorite part is having everybody over at my parent’s house,” Guye said. “On Thanksgiving Day, we always have a big party [with] family friends, students

optimistic about the duo returning to play.

Regardless of the questions surrounding the Aggies, LSU coach Brian Kelly spoke from experience about going up against a Fisher-led team. The duo has met twice as head coaches, the first meeting coming in 2011 when Fisher’s Florida State Seminoles eked out an 18-14 win over Kelly’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Champs Sports Bowl. They met again in 2018, when the No. 2 Seminoles took down the No. 5 Irish, 31-27.

“The calling card has always been outstanding offenses, the ability to play aggressive defense and just good football teams,” coach Brian Kelly said. “They’ve always been great games, and I look forward to another great matchup again.”

Fisher and the Aggies know that, win or lose on Saturday, their fate is sealed. There’s no bowl game to be had, and the team will instead spend the offseason evaluating where the program is at while searching for what went wrong during a season that began with high expectations but came crashing down to Earth. However, in major college football, players play to win games, which should be enough motivation. A&M will aim to do just that this weekend.

And, just maybe, they’ll piss in some corn flakes too.

thing, and the council approves Bermúdez’s plans.

“It just increases access for higher education for individuals who might have not otherwise had the opportunity to attend,” King said.

King also supports Bermúdez’s plans to increase scholarships, especially those for studying abroad. Reflecting on her time studying abroad, King said it made a special impact on her overall experience at A&M.

King said that SCAS is supportive of the increase in minimum stipends for graduate students.

“[It] is awesome that the college is deciding to support [the] passionate individuals who are contributing to our academic experience here within the college,” King said.

When asked if SCAS thought there should be any additional priorities for the college, King was interested in seeing facilities that align with the college’s mission.

“It’s really about student engagement [and] creating spaces where arts and sciences [students] can come and collaborate and share ideas,” King said.

King stated the college is committed to keeping up its passion for improvement.

“Whether it’s large events or initiatives 10 years down the line, when this college is more established, we [will] still see this passion from our administration,” King said.

who can’t go home, single people and kids. It’s fun to have a holiday that’s normally very family-focused to be with all kinds of people.”

Guye’s part-time job at Sweet Eugene’s is another factor causing her to stay in town during the break, since she is an opening manager at the coffee shop. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about the upcoming festivities.

“The idea of putting a bunch of time and effort into this one meal is really cool,” Guye said. “You spend so much time cooking and it’s just to love on people [and] getting to spend time with them without distractions.”

Biomedical sciences sophomore Nicole Adams said she is appreciative of her family traveling from Dallas to spend time with her in College Station. Adams said she’s looking forward to a specific part of the meal.

“My favorite part about Thanksgiving is the food, hands down,” Adams said.

“I’m a big potato gal. I love sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes,

GRAMMY NOMINATIONS CONTINUED

mi” (2022), which earned an impressive eight nominations at the Latin Grammy and a mere three at these awards, none of which are in major categories. Rosalía’s surprising snub sits alongside other female artists such as Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion and the K-pop girl group BlackPink, all of whose names were interestingly excluded from this year’s nominations. Florence and the Machine also shockingly only received one nomination in the category of Best Alternative Music Performance for her song “King,” snubbing “Dance Fever” (2022) of any nominations in the alternative album category.

In regards to Song of the Year, the fight between Adele and Beyoncé — as well as Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo, — now has a new contender: Taylor Swift. Receiving a nomination for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film),” this song is an interesting contender among the mix, seeing as it is a re-released version of a song originally debuted back in 2012 on Swift’s album “Red.” During its original release, “Red” was shockingly snubbed of receiving any awards, leaving fans hopeful that “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)(The Short Film),” as well as “I Bet You Think About Me,” — which is nominated in two country categories — will not face the same fate.

Despite the undeniable success of

any kind of potato. My mom cooks well, so I have all the side dishes.”

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without the mention of Black Friday, which Adams finds too daunting to participate in despite liking the idea of it.

“I’ve always wanted to go Black Friday shopping, but I don’t like waiting in line,” Adams said. “Online shopping like Cyber Monday is a good idea; I might have to try that.”

Whether home is near or far from College Station, students are making the most of the time they have off from school and focusing on what they are grateful for.

“I was blessed with a wonderful life and a wonderful family,” Bright said. “It is my favorite holiday because of the people I am with and what we do all day. I want my future family to experience how amazing it is to spend time with family, and maybe they will love it as much as me.”

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” it’s not necessarily a clear-cut favorite to win, with Adele’s “Easy on Me,” Beyoncé’s “Break my Soul” and Harry Styles’ “As It Was” all being incredibly successful nominations in the category. While “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” may be more successful in the Best Music Video category, Swift is still a strong contender across the categories for which she is nominated.

Other notable nominations at this year’s awards include Ozzy Osborn for “Patient Number 9” — with Osborn being nominated in four rock and metal categories — Wet Leg, who received an impressive five nominations for a new artist, the cast of “Encanto” and Coldplay for “Music of Spheres” (2021).

Freshman RB Le’Veon Moss (22) runs for a short gain during Texas A&M’s game against UMass on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 at Kyle Field.

Jonathan Taffet — THE BATTALION

Georgia in the SEC Championship, but even a win may be insignificant if they

Cameron Johnson— THE BATTALION

Cameron Johnson— THE BATTALION

Deliciously dark comedy

Director: Mark Mylod

Release Date: Nov. 18, 2022

Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes

By Joey Kirk @joeypkirk

Released on Nov.18, “The Menu” is a witty and energetic dark comedy thriller. More funny than scary, the film works best when it’s not taking itself too seriously, instead offering some delicious satire and twisted fun. It’s a unique class warfare between the elite and its service workers, committed to offering an excellent high-stakes meal.

Ralph Fiennes stars as Chef Slowik, a presence that looms over the night with a deadly stare and a mannered composure. Playing such iconic characters as the concierge of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) and Voldemort himself,

Honoring King T’Challa

Director: Ryan Coogler Release Date: Nov. 11, 2022 Runtime: 2 hour 41 minutes

By Richa Shah @WhoIsRichaShah

Fiennes draws from the best of both performances as a dedicated but slightly sadistic service worker. The chef has invited 11 wealthy guests to his private island where everything is made freshserving only the finest cuisine. His menu is a surprise, and anyone who’s seen the trailer can suspect some of what’s to come.

We’re first introduced to the young couple of Margot and Tyler, played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult, respectively. As they await the incoming ferry, Tyler expresses nothing but wholehearted worship for the chef’s craft. He’s waited for this day a long time. Margot is coming along for the ride, but certainly doesn’t belong there. It’s a good thing, because without a “commoner” at the center, the audience might be alienated by the snobs.

As soon as the ferry arrives, the plot moves quickly. After all, there’s still a five-course meal to get through. The guests are casually introduced, the cooks are even more casually acknowledged, and everyone prepares for the first

country despite the death of the Black Panther. Likewise, General Okoye led an all-women combat group and defeated an armed troop more numerous in number.

course. The first 10 minutes are extremely entertaining — the brisk pace is paired with a breathtaking score by Colin Stetson, employing either soft or harsh pluckings of strings to propel everything forward.

At the restaurant itself, director Mark Mylod pulls out every trick he has to excite the one location that will be used for most of the runtime. The camera work is lively and smart, rarely relying on the same angle repeatedly. Similarly, the editing is controlled but appears frantic as it shifts its perspective toward each of its inhabitants. Going in looking for something thrilling and comedic, I was surprised to find it also very well-crafted.

The committed cast, sumptuous score and compelling camerawork could be noticed in the first 10 minutes, but the real meat is in the script. The dialogue is always sharp and the character interactions are riveting. Every time the story goes darker, the jokes get funnier. There’s always an irony between the events on display and the highbrow arro-

gance or an irony between the absurdity and the operatic score. That playfulness is matched by cooking-show-style pazazz. For those with a dark sense of humor, “The Menu” is laugh-out-loud funny.

That humor has a purpose here, but digging into the satire isn’t necessary to have a good time. Of course, the ultra-rich are an easy target, but the film finds its nuance in the humanity and relatability of its cast. The cooking world is a perfect chamber for examining the server and serving: the artist and the critic. That intrinsic thematic tension pairs nicely with an already tense scenario.

“The Menu” is having a decent start at the box office, an impressive feat for an original film since the pandemic. The positive word of mouth should help it, because there’s so much to love here for a wide array of audiences. This might be what “kitchen nightmares” are really made of: Voldemort yelling at you to finish your plate, no matter how upsetting. If looking for something thrilling or dark this week, pick “The Menu.”

8.3/10

Released on Nov. 11, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is the sequel to the 2018 Marvel origin story. The movie tells the story of the sister of T’Challa, the Black Panther and the struggle for vibranium.

The consensus is generally that sequels cannot match up to the original. However, I am happy to report that is not the case here.

Though the movie was on the longer end of the spectrum at a whopping 161 minutes, it encompassed not only action sequences and powerful women, but also strong character development that had viewers on the edges of their seats.

Seeing multiple non-white women leading fulfilling lives with control over their own destinies was a refreshing break from reality. Each character had their plotline and their own personality, entirely independent from the men they were surrounded with. For example, Ramonda took a United Nations conference by storm and warned the world to not mistake Wakanda for a weak

From the original fight between Namor’s people and a U.S. research vessel and the fight that ended with the Wakandan mainland in shambles and Ramonda’s death, each punch and each kick were well choreographed. Beyond the physical, Shuri even comes to understand Namor’s weakness and succeeds in using it against him. The lighting and camera angle of each fight allowed audience members to clearly outline each move. Moreover, action sequences were often filmed against different backdrops, namely an ocean, a research facility, an underwater kingdom, in midair and so forth. Having the villain be born with wings on his feet and the protectors of Wakanda traditionally using spears set the scene for many fast-paced, well-choreographed fights.

As someone who dislikes cliché dialogue, I am happy to report there was little of it. Unfortunately, comedic relief was also minimal. However, Okoye pointing out the irony of a “colonizer” in chains surprised a delighted laugh from the audience. Hand-in-hand with the few corny lines was the lack of genuinely shocking twists and turns. Besides the post-credit scene showing the Black Panther had a son and Michael B. Jordan’s cameo, the movie was relatively predictable. As someone who rarely guesses the culprit in a mystery movie,

I found little I had not already been expecting. Of course, the heroine is able to become the next Black Panther and has a kind and forgiving soul. Of course, the young, talented girl is saved by Ramonda and able to help fight the enemies.

The movie starts with a heart-wrenching funeral for the Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman. After the actor’s death in 2020, Marvel decided not to replace him in the movie. Producers Kevin Feige and Nate Moore went with the truth: the Black Panther had passed away. His funeral set the plot with a motif about the grief that accompanies the death of a loved one. This theme, in turn, paves the way for Shuri’s character development.

Following T’Challa’s funeral, Shuri is shown to be stoic and unflinchingly dedicated to her work. This shows the side of grief that is more complicated than unending tears, the side that makes it too difficult to think of the lost loved one so the living keeps their minds occupied elsewhere. Played by Angela Bassett, the queen then takes on the role of a mentor to young Shuri. Right before the entrance of the antagonist, Ramonda even attempts to help Shuri deal with her grief by burning the clothing worn at T’Challa’s funeral. Shuri refuses.

Similarly, when Shuri ingests the concoction that allows her to become the Black Panther, she is able to speak to supervillain Erik Killmonger. When confronted with the motives of her burning desire to kill Namor, Shuri is asked whether she wants to be too noble

like her brother. She angrily denies any such claim and vows to end Namor, even if her intentions are fueled by grief and vengeance.

As a result of Namor’s first attack, Wakandan civilians’ lives were uprooted and their minds filled with fear. Still reeling from the death of her mother, Shuri pulls herself together and convenes with the Wakandan council to develop a solution. This is the first scene where Shuri is blossoming into more than the protected princess she was at the beginning of the movie.

Later on, while Namor’s people fought the Wakandans on a ship, Shuri lures Namor to a desert island. In the ensuing fight, he impales her with a spear. She gathers her courage and forces herself to slide off the end of the weapon. As she stood over Namor, contemplating killing him, she remembered the words of evil Killmonger. Despite her overpowering grief-fueled rage, she allows Namor to live and asks for little in return.

Lastly, Shuri is seen burning her mourning clothes and letting her tears flow freely. The character arc of Shuri from an in-denial, angry and vengeful warrior to that of a strong, independent and merciful leader allowed the movie to finish strong.

Alongside the usual Marvel sneak peek with the end credits, the movie ends with a short verbal and visual dedication to their friend Boseman. The perfect way to honor the man who first embodied the beloved superhero.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

AROUND THE SEC

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 13

By Brad Bennett @Brad_Bennett

No. 20 Ole Miss @ Mississippi State

Thursday, Nov. 24 — Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Miss. 6 p.m. on ESPN

This Thanksgiving matchup may just end up being the best of the entire SEC slate. On offense, Mississippi State is going to depend on its short passing game and Ole Miss will try to run the football. The winner will likely be whoever is able to

get stops on the defensive end. While it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Bulldogs pull out the victory, expect the Rebels’ ability to run the football to shorten the game and ultimately pull out the victory.

Prediction: Ole Miss 34, Mississippi State 31

South Carolina @ No. 9 Clemson

Saturday, Nov. 26 — Memorial Stadium — Clemson, S.C. 11 a.m. on ABC

Before South Carolina’s blowout victory against Tennessee, most probably expected this upcoming matchup to probably be an easy one for Clemson. South Carolina’s offense looked great against Tennessee, but Clemson’s defense is the strength of this team. South Carolina will have to put

together another great performance for the Gamecocks to have a chance to come out of Death Valley with a victory. In this game, expect things to go differently for South Carolina. The Clemson offense will probably continue to struggle, but that shouldn’t change the outcome.

Prediction: Clemson 27, South Carolina 14

Auburn @ No. 8 Alabama

Saturday, Nov. 26 — Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Ala. 2:30 p.m. on CBS

This matchup always seems to be close no matter how bad either team may be. Just last year, Auburn gave Alabama all they could handle and even pushed them to overtime. This year, Alabama’s team is not as talented as years past and is only ranked inside the top 10 because of great play from junior quarterback Bryce Young. Auburn seems to have new life under interim coach

Carnell Williams. The key for Auburn in this matchup will be its ability to run the football. For Alabama, they’re going to need Bryce Young to continue to play like he’s the future No. 1 overall pick for the Houston Texans. Expect Auburn to stick around and for Alabama to pull away towards the end of the fourth behind more magic from Young.

Prediction: Alabama 31, Auburn 21

Georgia Tech @ No. 1 Georgia

Saturday, Nov. 26 — Sanford Stadium — Athens, Ga. 11 a.m. on ESPN

Throughout the season, Georgia has looked like the best team in the country. Currently, Georgia is 11-0 and scheduled to play No. 6 LSU in the SEC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, in Atlanta. As long as Georgia wins one of its next two games, they are assured a spot in the College Football Playoff. In its rivalry game against Geor-

gia, expect the Bulldogs to win comfortably. While Georgia Tech is coming off of an impressive victory against North Carolina, Georgia is a different animal. The real question is whether or not Georgia Tech will score more than 10 points because Georgia’s defense has played great all season.

Prediction: Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 7

It’s like uber, but for longer distances.

Texas A&M vs. LSU

Opinion Editor Asst. Sports Editor

@CalebElizondo7 @Grant_Gaspard

Whatever you do please don’t Google jury nullification.

I survived Fred’s, I can survive this.

Bobby O’Brien

Asst. Life & Arts Editor @BattandMuse

What do y’all think of basketball? I think basketball is pretty cool.

Michaela

Caleb Elizondo Grant Gaspard

RUBEN

BOBBY

Ruben Hernandez

Fisher hopes for ‘bright future’

is going to be a great game for us.”

By Neomi Brown @neomib_03

The Aggies’ season has been disappointing all around with a six-game losing streak becoming the focus of the underwhelming campaign. Now that Texas A&M has gotten itself out of that streak with a win over Massachusetts on Nov. 19, the team’s final matchup is against none other than the SEC West champions, LSU.

Going into this matchup, junior offensive lineman Layden Robinson, freshman defensive lineman Albert Regis and head coach Jimbo Fisher met with the media inside the Kyle Field Media Center to address questions.

Here are three takeaways from Monday’s press conference:

It’s just another game

Despite the Aggies having to go against the sixth-ranked team in the nation, the team’s mentality has stayed firm on treating this game like any other.

“We’re approaching it like we approach any other game,” Robinson said. “We just want to go in here and get the win and that’s our focus. It’s just another great opportunity to get out there and play on the field. Unfortunately, this is our last one but this

As A&M owns 4-7 overall and 1-6 conference records, many fans have expressed their discontent with this season’s results leading to a stark contrast in Kyle Field’s attendance. However, this hasn’t discouraged the team, Regis said.

“I think we’ll have juice regardless because it’s a blessing to play this sport at this level,” Regis said. “What’s not fun about that? This is our last time this season to step out onto Kyle Field in front of everyone on national television and put on a performance for them. Regardless of LSU, why not have juice because you’re blessed to do this and not a lot of people are.”

No matter who the opponent is going into this game, the focus is and always will be to win, Robinson said.

“The mindset is just to finish and finish strong for the seniors on this team,” Robinson said. “Finish strong because this is the last game we’re playing this season and there’s no other thing to say for that. I feel like this team is going to have a great game on Saturday and we’re going to battle our hearts out just like we’ve always done.”

son, so the win would push us in the right direction. We are already heading in that right direction, but the win would give us a boost.”

Echoing Regis, this week offers the possibility of redemption once again and shines light on the future of this program, Fisher said.

“I think it’s huge,” Fisher said. “The future of what you have here, which we believe is extremely bright, and where we’re going, what we’re doing. I think for the seniors, [it would be] a great sendoff and another lesson on persevering and not letting circumstances dictate who you are and what you are. It would be a great message for those young players going into the offseason.”

With such a heartbreaking season for the Aggies, a top-10 win would mean the world to the 12th Man, Robinson said.

“That would be great,” Robinson said. “They were lined up out there today and I believe they’ve been waiting since Thursday, so that would be very good to give the home crowd a final win. That’s what we’re trying to do, just to win every game is our goal anyways, but to give them that win that we feel they deserve that would be great.”

Lessons learned

Now that bowl contention is out of the picture, the only thing left for this team to play for is pride and the future.

“A win would do good,” Regis said. “No one wants to go out the season with a loss and have a bad taste in your mouth going into the offsea-

With the possibility of A&M’s first eight-loss season since the 1950s looming, this season offered several opportunities for growth and learning for the team, Robinson said.

“This season will be most likely a disappointment,” Robinson said.

“There’s no hiding that or going away from that at all, but it’s also just a learning experience from the players. Knowing that this is what happens when you’re not putting everything in and missing opportunities, this is just a lesson for the team.”

The suspensions that occurred weeks ago are still current issues that are being handled by the University’s judicial system, Fisher said. Unlike the rumors going around about this program being in shambles, it came down to the youngness of this team, Robinson said.

“I can say it wasn’t the culture of this team and coach Fisher holds this team to a high standard,” Robinson said. “You’re going to experience some trouble with that sometimes, it’s just sometimes teams learn the hard way going through rough and difficult times. Hopefully, I know those guys have learned from their mistakes and learned how their presence on the team could have helped us so much more tremendously.”

Through everything this team has been through during the last 13 weeks, finding the light such as celebrating with the Yell Leaders after a win is key, Regis said.

“Beauty through the rain,” Regis said. “Throughout whatever you may go through as a human from sports to life, as long as you find your happy spot, you’ll find happiness without a doubt. It was a good moment to celebrate a win and then also do something new. I’ve never seen a player go join them [the Yell Leaders] so I thought let’s try something new.”

News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

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Michaela Rush, Editor-in-Chief

A win for the Aggies is a win for everyone

Aggies regain confidence after win over UMass, ready for rivalry match

Freshman DL Albert Regis (15) joins the Yell Leaders during the Aggie War Hymn after the Aggies defeated UMass at Kyle Field on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.

Kaili Gaston— THE BATTALION

Men’s hoops hope for rebound

focused on the job and the task at hand which is to win the game.”

The tough losses offered an interesting lesson about egos and how to keep a level head early on, Williams said.

By Neomi Brown @neomib_03

After a disappointing Myrtle Beach Invitational, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team will move on in non-conference play against DePaul on Friday, Nov. 25.

Prior to the invitational, the Aggies earned the No. 24 spot in the AP Top 25, marking the team’s first ranking since Jan. 1, 2017. The 201718 season saw the maroon and white reach the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament and post a 22-13 record under former head coach Billy Kennedy.

However, with backto-back losses against Murray State, 88-79, and Colorado,103-75, the Aggies dropped out of the Top 25 just as quickly as they appeared in it. The results from the past few weeks haven’t been up-to-par and leadership was the problem, A&M coach Buzz Williams said.

“I’ve done a bad job the last three weeks,” Williams said. “We’ve got good players who

are better people. I’ve done a poor job as a leader. Over the last 36 hours we got back to what we’re supposed to be about.”

has to stay focused, Marble said.

“As coach said, we have to get back to our identity,” Marble said. “We had big egos coming into Myrtle Beach because of whatever

was going on. Instead of focusing on what we need to do to get better, we kind of strayed away from that and today we got back to who we are. Energy for sure. We have to have everyone engaged and

“If that’s the lesson we learned and we learned it in the second week of the season, over the next 17 weeks if we can maturely handle that wisdom in the right way from this experience then it was worth however much Texas A&M spent for us to come up here,” Williams said.

The Blue Devils have guard Umoja Gibson leading the squad with 85 points, 32 assists and 18 rebounds. Close behind, Javan Johnson has put up 82 points, eight assists and 34 rebounds. With both teams coming in with the same record of 3-2, the team has to focus on things not on the box score, Williams said.

“We have to find things to compete in that there’s not a stat for,” Williams said. “Airtime is our time. There’s not a stat for running toward the ball or when the ball is in the air on the rise of a shot. We have to keep score and continue to identify things that are not in the box score.”

Tipoff between the Aggies and Blue Devils is set for 12 p.m. at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Ill.

‘Battle-tested’ and back in action

ally, they are ranked 22nd in scoring offense with 87 points per game, and 15th in scoring margin at 34.8 points.

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001

After a close match against a struggling Texas Southern team on Sunday, the Aggies continued their three-game home stretch against two more in-state foes in Texas State and Rice.

The Aggies came away with a victory in their last matchup against Texas Southern 6754. The game was closer than Texas A&M would have liked, with the Tigers keeping the game within single digits for a majority of the match. Despite this, the Aggies pulled away late to ensure a victory.

A&M’s next matchups will be against two more formidable opponents than Texas Southern, the first being a Wednesday matchup against Texas State.

Texas State comes into this matchup 3-1, with its only loss being their most recent game, an overtime road loss to the University of Texas at El Paso. Its resume boasts two 69-point victories against Howard Payne and Arlington Baptist, as well as a close victory against Sam Houston State.

“[Zenarae Antoine] does a great job, they are a very, very good team,” coach Joni Taylor said. “They’re battle tested, they’re experienced, and if we do not fix some things immediately, we will have a very hard afternoon on Wednesday when they come into here because they will be the best team we’ve played at home all year.”

The Bobcats are a substantially older team

Eaton currently leads the Bobcats in points per game with 17, scoring in double figures each game this season. Hood returned to the starting lineup last game for Texas State after missing two games, and is currently averaging 24.5 through two games played.

The Aggies will take on Texas State on Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 4 p.m. at Reed Arena.

Following its game against the Bobcats, A&M will face the Rice Owls on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 2 p.m. at Reed Arena.

Rice is currently 4-0, and will play Texas Southern on Wednesday before coming to College Station to face off against the Aggies on Sunday.

The Owls’ victories all came against quality competition with wins against Abilene Christian, Pacific, St. Mary’s and Stephen F. Austin. The wins against Pacific and St. Mary’s both came in road matchups in California, so Rice is accustomed to winning on the road this season.

The starting five for Rice is composed of three seniors in forward Ashlee Austin, guard Destiny Jackson and guard Katelyn Crosthwait as well as two sophomores in forward Malia Fisher and guard Trinity Gooden.

Similarly to Texas State, the Owls have a prolific offense, tied for 25th in the nation in scoring offense with 85 points per game. Rice is led by Fisher, who is averaging 13.25 points per game with a season-high of 18 in their matchup against SFA.

For more information on A&M women’s basketball, visit 12thman.com or find the team on Twitter and Instagram @aggiewbb.

It’s like ube r, but

r lo nger dist a nces.

Junior G Sahara Jones (24) catches a rebound during a game against Army at Reed Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2022.

Ishika Samant— THE BATTALION

than A&M, with a whopping seven graduate students on the roster. That experience is represented in their starting five, with forward Da’Nasia Hood, guard Tianna Eaton, guard Kennedy Taylor and guard Ja’Kayla Bowie all

being graduates. Junior forward Nicole Leff is the only non-graduate in the Bobcat’s roster, illustrating the depth of experience across the Texas State roster.

Offense is where the Bobcats thrive. Nation-

Women’s basketball prepares for Bobcat, Owl matchups during Thanksgiving break

Freshman F Solomon Washington (13) has the ball knocked away from him while under coverage from ACU during Texas A&M’s game against ACU at Reed Arena on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.

Robert O’Brien— THE BATTALION

Sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV continues to lead

the team, shooting 20-for-46 for 71 points, while junior forwards Henry Coleman III and Julius Marble are tied for second with 44 points. Despite the near last place finish in Myrtle Beach, fla. the team

Men’s basketball looks to recover from double-loss at Myrtle Beach