The Battalion — October 19, 2023

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2023 STUDENT MEDIA

Title IX fails students A&M office understaffed, facing record complaints as three Aggie women come forward with reports of inaction, months-long delays

By Nicholas Gutteridge @nico_gjc

Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual violence and harassment. Victims’ names were replaced with pseudonyms to protect their identities.

“Texas A&M University will promptly address all complaints of sex-based discrimination, harassment and related retaliation made by or against faculty, staff, students, guests and vendors,” the A&M Title IX website reads.

However, as reports of sexual violence increase, some students said they aren’t receiving the assistance they need. Three Aggie women said Title IX inaction and months-long delays led to alleged offenders receiving no consequences or disciplinary action.

A&M Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Smith said the office is understaffed and facing record complaints, and one former case manager said while the staff enjoyed working with students, they lacked the infrastructure to properly help victims.

Delays, delays, delays “Abby,” a freshman in 2020, said she lived in the White Creek Apartments. She met a man on a dating app, and when he asked to come over, she said yes.

“We started to have sex, and I got really uncomfortable with it,” Abby said. “He was five years older than me, and I thought that I was going to be OK with that, but I wasn’t. When I started saying, ‘Hey, I’m not really comfortable with this,’ he told me I wasn’t allowed to say no.

I tried a couple of times to kind of get away from that, but he physically restrained me … [he] was a foot and a half taller than me [and] had 75 pounds on me.

It really was a bad situation.”

She said after he left, she was left bruised and her room was ruined.

The tapestries and pictures on her wall had fallen off, and she didn’t know what to do, Abby said.

At the time, she said she didn’t realize it was sexual assault, as she had originally consented before she revoked it. First, she contacted RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, who told her to contact the Title IX office at A&M.

The Title IX office is the result of a law prohibiting sexual discrimination in programs that receive federal funding — such as universities and student organizations. The office also handles sexual assault, harassment and discrimination cases on campus, with case managers assigned to each victim’s case.

Abby reached out to Title IX soon after her assault, but she said they weren’t available for months.

“It took three months to actually set up an appointment,” Abby said.

Abby said the man graduated that May, leaving Title IX’s jurisdiction altogether. By the time the meeting took place, Abby said she was only given two options: mediation and investigation.

Mediation would have the two sitting in a room, each with counsel, talking with each other to work things out, she said. An investigation would require a full testimony in front of a board of professors and students, which would then give a guilty or innocent verdict.

“Both options actually depended on him agreeing to those happening in the first place because he had graduated,” Abby said. “If he had said no to either of those things, that was just the end of the road.”

Even if he agreed to an investigation and was found guilty, Abby said the only punishment would be a mark on his official transcript noting a Title IX violation.

She also said her case manager told her going to the police was an option but dissuaded her from doing so, saying it would be easier to get a guilty verdict from a Title IX investigation.

She told her case manager she needed time to think about her next steps. Her case manager reached out a few days later, but Abby said she still needed more time. Then, she said she never heard from Title IX again.

“He works at this tech startup now, making mid-six figures right out of college,” Abby said.

“The worst [Title IX] could do was put an asterisk next to his name, and they didn’t even get to do that. So he gets to live his life, and I have to think about it all the time.”

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The Battalion | 10.19.23

TITLE IX FROM PG. A1 Campus-wide issues Earlier this year, a male student was allegedly caught taking pictures of a female student after sneaking into a bathroom stall.

“Sam,” an individual in the department who requested anonymity, said after the woman in the stall realized there was a student taking pictures of her, she left the restroom and called everyone in her lab to stand outside, waiting for the individual to come out.

“It was at this point that the cops would have been called, but the professor in the situation told [the victim] that they were going to just contact Title IX and have Title IX handle it,” Sam said.

Sam said the male student then came out of the bathroom and was confronted by the other students before the professor separated them all. Sam said the incident occurred on a Friday and was reported on Monday.

Immediately after hearing about the situation, Sam said other staff and faculty in the department reported it to the university police.

“The staff … once they heard this and called the police as well, Title IX was like, ‘Why would you do that? We were handling this,’” Sam said.

Sam said university employees were then threatened with disciplinary action for reporting the situation to the university police rather than Title IX itself, as university employees are considered mandatory reporters and must report sexual assault, harassment, dating violence and stalking to the Title IX coordinator, according to state law.

Sam said the Title IX office took over the case, and after a brief investigation, declared the alleged offender innocent. Sam said because the office is understaffed and has limited investigative power, an innocent verdict is a common ending to these incidents.

A&M Title IX statistics show there were 527 reports in the 2019–20 academic year and 492 in the 2020–21 academic year. That number rose to 1,019 reports in the 2021–22 year.

Each year included reports of alleged violations of gender equality, including sexual assault or harassment, from university employees and students at. In the 2021–22 academic year, 221 reports were classified as duplicate reports and 33 were confidential reports, which are not eligible for investigation.

Of the remaining 765 reports, 343 were closed by the complainant, 20 were closed due to lack of jurisdiction and 185 were closed due to lack of information, leaving 217.

The statistics show only 25 investigations were conducted in the 2021-22 academic year, with 176 cases still pending. The rest, 16, were resolved through an informal resolution agreement, such as mediation. Of the initial 1,019 Title IX reports in the 202122 academic year, only 2.4% resulted in an investigation.

Of the 25 investigations, two ended with no policy violation found, one concluded

with an employee disciplinary sanction, five ended with a student disciplinarily sanctioned, two ended with an informal resolution and 15 were pending a disciplinary process at the time of release.

A failed notice, a failed no-contact order “Bella’s” freshman year happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she said it was hard to make friends during that time.

Eventually, she met a guy, and they hung out at his house to watch movies one time, she said. It went well, but days later, Bella said he became insistent about having sex. She said she went to his house soon after to hang out.

“He kept asking to have sex over and over and over again,” Bella said. “ … He’s just

“I guess I was really naive because I thought that he wouldn’t want that again,” Bella said.

Bella said she wanted to watch a movie, but he was insistent about having sex. Bella said with no way to get rid of him, she said yes.

“At one point, I was crying,” Bella said. “I was crying, and I was trying to move. I was trying to get away.”

Bella said he began physically restraining her, and he only left after she got a call from her neighbor. It was at that point Bella said she knew she had to report him.

She said she met with a Title IX case manager, where she was given three options: mediation, investigation and a meeting between Title IX and the perpetrator about consent. Bella said she was told the investigation could take more than a semester, so she chose the meeting about consent instead. She said she also decided to

“He works at this tech startup now, making mid-six figures right out of college,” Abby said. “The worst [Title IX] could do was put an asterisk next to his name, and they didn’t even get to do that.

So he gets to live his life, and I have to think about it all the time.”

“ABBY” An anonymous victim who spoke with A&M’s Title IX office

really, really pushy, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to leave.’”

But Bella said there wasn’t any way for her to get home, as it was night and he drove her. So, with no other options, she said she reluctantly agreed.

“Then, immediately … the term he used [was] ‘the hymen broke,’ and I started bleeding everywhere,” Bella said. “So I guess I kind of got saved, I guess. … I was standing in the [apartment] shower, just bleeding. And I was like, ‘I want to go home.’”

She said he got mad at her afterward.

“I thought we were friends,” Bella said. “I didn’t want to do that, and I did it. I just felt kind of gross about myself.”

He dropped her off, and when she got home, Bella said he started telling her it was just a mishap, that it wouldn’t happen again and it’s not as bad as it seems. He told her it wasn’t his intention, Bella said. She said they still talked every day, with him apologizing throughout. Eventually, she said they met again weeks later at her apartment.

have a no-contact order put in place, meaning Title IX could take disciplinary action if he contacts her.

Bella said she reported him in late June, but the notification informing the man he had a Title IX complaint was sent months later — right before the fall semester final exams.

While she waited during the semester, she said she saw him multiple times.

“I was so afraid,” Bella said. “I just felt like a shell of a person.”

But once the Title IX notice was sent, Bella said she realized they forgot to send the notice of no contact.

“So, immediately, he starts, like, as soon as [the Title IX notification was] sent out [to him], he starts trying to contact me,” Bella said. “And he immediately tried to call me on Instagram and added me on Snapchat.”

Bella said she had to call her case manager 15 times before they answered, and they had to expedite a notice of no contact.

“I’m just walking on campus, crying, calling [my case manager, and] I finally get a

hold of her,” Bella said. “And I’m like, ‘[He’s] trying to contact me, when did you send out the stuff? Can you send it right now? Can you send my no contact? I’m scared.’”

Bella said she was also informed Title IX can check if victims have classes with the offender, so she emailed her case manager to check for the following spring semester. However, she said her case manager didn’t respond for three months.

As for the meeting about consent, Bella said she never knew if it happened. “[My case manager said] he never responded [to Title IX],” Bella said. “And I’m like, ‘He never responded? What’s happening? Are you all gonna make him respond? Is something going to happen?”

Difficulties facing the office In an Oct. 16 email, Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Smith said the Title IX office, alongside the Office of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations, or CREI, that oversees it, has been understaffed because of an “increase in regulatory requirements, a hiring freeze under the previous administration, high staff turnover and a record number of complaints.”

“During the last academic year, CREI responded to 2,794 complaints,” Smith said in the email. “At one point last summer, we were down to two case managers.”

However, Smith said the office recently received authorization to double the number of case managers. She said the office has been busy recruiting this fall, with the last hire scheduled to start in November.

“At that time, we will have six case managers plus a deputy Title IX coordinator for case management,” Smith said. “This is an appropriate level of staffing for our current workload.”

“Rey,” a former case manager, requested anonymity due to a fear of retaliation. Rey said the lack of staff made the job difficult.

“I really think the folks I worked with have good intentions,” Rey said. “They want to help people. That’s why they’re there.”

They said the cases were split among the available case managers — even if it was hundreds of cases per staffer.

“I think [Smith] does the best she can with the infrastructure she is provided,” Rey said. “ … with that being said, she’s also one person, right? … When you have a student body the size of the university that A&M has, not just in College Station, but across the state and abroad — it’s hard to be everywhere at once.”

Rey said if there’s anything they could’ve changed while they were there, it would be improving the flow of cases and how they’re managed so “the folks on the ground could actually focus on putting that support together for the community.”

“Having such a large population of folk and not having adequate funding, having fully-trained people on staff all the time [and] having high turnover is a problem,” Rey said. “ … I think everyone’s just doing the best they can.”

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The Battalion | 10.19.23

Felines: Friend or foe? SGA officials swear in captured and neutered, resulting in no new Stray cats threaten A&M’s cat clowders, or groups of cats, found the year. biodiversity; students advocate following Similar initiatives, like the BCS Spay Neuter Project, have resulted in over 4,100 for spaying, neutering local cats being neutered and over 600 adopted

By Hilani Quinones @hilaniq At Texas A&M, stray cats roam the campus in colonies. While passing visitors know of the furry ferals, students are concerned about the threats stray cats pose to A&M’s biodiversity as a highly-adaptable invasive species.

Stray cats can contribute to the spread of illnesses like toxoplasmosis, which induces headaches and swelling, and results from parasites found in cat feces.

These parasites can easily become an invasive species if introduced into ecosystems, biochemistry junior Ian Mattingly said.

“They are a threat due to their ability to make many smaller animals and birds in their area virtually extinct,” Mattingly said.

“Since they are an invasive species, in most cities with overgrown populations of cats, many local prey aren’t adept to the cats and therefore make their extinction much more likely.”

Mattingly said most of the blame falls on humans for continuing to let domestic cats thrive in nature and around A&M. “As a cat lover, this is not the cats’ fault,” Mattingly said. “It’s humans for not properly accounting for the cat population [growth] and the effect they can have on the local population. If humans kept their cats indoors, they would live longer, healthier lives and wouldn’t cause such destruction to the environment.”

Local organizations have banded together to care for stray cats in the area. Various trap, neuter and return programs have been tested before as well, such as a study at A&M where 123 strays were

in an effort to reduce stray populations in Bryan-College Station.

International studies sophomore Lisette Rodriguez said cats are a problem because they are responsible for disturbing local ecosystems.

“I usually have seen dead animals being brought by [cats], and [that’s] a problem since they take away resources from other animals,” Rodriguez said. “They are responsible for killing many animals, like crickets, and are tough on the environment.”

Rodriguez said people should be spaying and neutering their cats to minimize the threat they pose.

“Catching, spaying and neutering the cats will keep them from being so invasive,” Rodriguez said. “This way, there won’t be as many cats killing other animals and taking away resources.”

Biology sophomore Valeri Chica said cats harm biodiversity at A&M, as it disturbs nature’s sensitive balance.

“Outdoor cats are pretty bad on biodiversity, and they hunt

animals like owls and h a w k s that otherwise wouldn’t have as many natural predators,” Chica said. “Biodiversity on campus is [already] pretty much damaged based on all the concrete and construction that goes on. All the birds and small animals would be very sensitive to cats.”

Chica said outdoor cats’ health is also affected if they become feral and start consuming dead animals and waste.

“I have heard mixed feedback on whether cats should be kept inside,” Chica said.

“However, it’s not great to let them outside b e c a u s e they get into trash and eat rats and mice [that] were killed by poison already. The best practice is, if you have a pet cat, then keep it inside most of the time.”

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Following the impeachment of A&M’s student body president, former Speaker of the Student Senate Andrew Applewhite, left, was officially sworn in by Judicial Court Chief Justice Sawyer Bagley, right, to assume his presidency on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

and seeing his passion for service and his Student leaders assume new knowledge for procedure … inspired me to up here and do the same,” Purtell said. roles following former president come After arguments were presented by both sides, Speaker Pro Tempore Robert HarHudson Kraus’ impeachment grove announced the results to the chamber

By Justice Jenson @justice_jenson Former Speaker of the Texas A&M Student Senate Andrew Applewhite was sworn in as the new student body president, or SBP, following the impeachment of former SBP Hudson Kraus on Sept. 27. After Kraus’ removal, the Student Government Association, or SGA, Constitution dictated Applewhite as next in line for the presidency.

At the Oct. 11 Student Senate meeting, Applewhite was officially sworn in by Judicial Court Chief Justice Sawyer Bagley. It left a speaker vacancy, resulting in the senate also electing Constituency Affairs Chair Marcus Glass to serve as speaker of the senate.

To decide its new speaker, the senate internally elects a senator to serve as the primary representative, and they preside over all meetings. The position is analogous to the speaker of the house position in the U.S. Congress.

Glass and Legislative Relations Chair Corbitt Armstrong were both nominated for speaker, and their nomination was immediately followed by arguments in favor of both candidates for the position.

Off-Campus Caucus Leader Ramon Rodriguez argued in favor of Glass. “[Glass] is not just a leader — but a visionary,” Rodriguez said. “[He is] committed to making our campus even better.”

After arguments were made for Glass, supporters for Armstrong were given the floor.

Off-Campus Senator Eli Purtell stated his case.

“Seeing [Armstrong] work in the senate

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after the secret ballots were tallied.

“We have the votes,” Hargrove said.

“With a vote of 33-30, Marcus Glass is selected as the new speaker of the student senate.”

After embracing Armstrong in a hug, Glass walked to the front of the room to be sworn in by Bagley. Glass then said his first priority in his new position is to create a strong relationship with the executive cabinet. Next, he addressed the Student Senate as a whole.

“I’m just honored to serve you guys for the next six months, and I hope we keep the ship all steady,” Glass said.

While the new speaker of the senate was being selected, Applewhite addressed the senate about his central message to the student body regarding his presidency.

“I’m here to represent everyone, to represent everything it is to be an Aggie,” Applewhite said. “We are all unified by something.

We’re unified by our Core Values, Honor Code and the ‘spirit that ne’er be told,’ and that means so much more than the mere fact that we go to school together. I’m going to work tirelessly to honor that same Aggie Spirit and make sure every Aggie is fully represented by our student government.”

When asked about his main goals for his presidency, Applewhite said his first priority is representing the student body.

“The main goal of my presidency is to represent and serve the students as best as we can,” Applewhite said. “There are already a lot of projects that are being worked on that will positively affect students, from the ‘no more than four’ effort, to mental health week and resources, to posthumous degrees, to many more projects.”

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CRITICISM The Battalion | 10.19.23

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Criticism: It’s good to be a Swiftie “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” Artist: Taylor Swift Release Date: October 13, 2023 Rating: 8.5/10

By Camila Munoz @camila.munox Between consistently selling out stadiums for her tour and spending the last few months rerecording her 1989 album, Taylor Swift has managed to outdo herself again. In early August, the 23-time VMA winner announced the release of her new movie “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.”

Spoilers ahead.

The movie is a recording of the concert, starting with the “Lover” (2019) era. It takes you through each album of her musical journey, mixing nostalgia and excitement all in one. Because of the high volume of songs and transitions, the movie even had to cut out part of the setlist to shorten the film — one of which being “The Archer” off of her “Lover” album.

In her regular Swift fashion, the concert is filled with extravagant costumes and props. During the “Lover” era, Swift styles a bejeweled pink and purple leotard and knee high bejeweled boots.

She opens the tour with her hit song “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.” It was a perfect song to start with since the opening line for the concert was “It’s been a long time coming,” which describes her long awaited return to the stage. Moreover, the strategic move of removing “The Archer” was appropriate.

The rest of the “Lover” discography was light-hearted and energetic, while “The Archer” is a more serious and slow song that can be saved for later eras.

After venturing through her “Lover” era, Swift takes us to one of her most nostalgic eras, “Fearless” (2008). Changing into a frilled golden dress, it truly takes you back to your early childhood memories. Playing songs like “You Belong With

Me” and “Love Story,” the crowd goes wild for the early days of Swift. While watching the movie, I could not help but feel sentimental as I got to hear songs from my childhood blast on the big screen. This was one of her best set list choices. She played three “Fearless” songs and the theater went crazy for every single one.

Moving on from the nostalgia, Swift shocks the audience with the witch version of her top-selling single “Willow” to start off the “evermore” (2020) era. Since this was the first time performing “evermore” live, Swift pulled out all the stops. From a heartbreaking showing of “Tolerate It” to the jaw-dropping performance of “Illicit Affairs,” Swift spares no expense for this era. Due to the time crunch, “Tis The Damn Season” was removed from the movie.

In a complete transition from sobbing to screaming, Swift slithers into the “reputation” (2017) era leg of the tour. A personal favorite of mine, she opens with the iconic “Ready for it” before moving onto other hits like “Delicate” and “Don’t Blame Me.” Arguably the loudest time in the theater, fans belted out the high notes in their seats.

Disappointingly, the “Speak Now” (2010) era only received one song. Allegedly because of the rerecording of the album, which came out on July 7, Swift did not give a lot of love to this album. However, after releasing “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” she did add “Long Live” to the set list. For the movie, “Long Live” was cut. I did not agree with this decision. That song holds an important place in the hearts of Swifties, as it is a song Swift dedicates to her fans. Many

Swifties (myself included) did not get to see this live because the Texas tour dates were before the release and were hoping to see it on the big screen.

The next few eras were memorable but did not stand out to me as much in terms of stage presence, props or lighting. After the “Speak Now” era, Swift submerges us into the depths of the “Red” (2012) album. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” (2021) is one of her longest albums, which is why I was not impressed with the exclusively radio-hit songs she selected for the setlist. With the exception of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” and the hat pass-off during “22,” this era was one of the more boring areas of the movie. The hat was given to the late Kobe Bryant’s daughter, Bianka Bryant, a raw moment that made the crowd very emotional.

My personal favorite album era came next, Swift opened the “Folklore” (2020) era with “The 1.” Although my top album, nothing in this era stood out to me. The single “Cardigan” was cut from the movie, which makes sense since this era had seven songs. Swift did come back in style and wow the audience with her “1989” (2014) era, playing crowd-favorites such as “Bad Blood” and “Blank Space”.

Another cut came from this era with “Wildest Dreams” being removed from the movie. In place of this cut, I think producers could have removed “Shake It Off” instead.

A tradition that Swift started during the tour was to sing two surprise songs per night, one on piano and one on guitar. The songs change every night and fans did not know what to expect for the movie. I think Swift made an excellent decision with the surprise songs for the movie, playing “Our Song” off her debut album and “You’re On Your Own Kid” off her most recent album, “Midnights” (2022). It was symbolic, showcasing one of the first songs that went popular to one of her most recent songs that details her journey and the

Photo via IMDB

blood, sweat and tears it took for her to get there. There could not have been better surprise songs for this movie.

Finally, Swift ends the movie with her “Midnights” era. With seven songs, Swift has magical clouds and outfit changes that tie the whole movie together. With a knack for theatrics, Swift ends the movie with “Karma” and colorful confetti exploding all over the stadium.

As long as you are prepared to sing through 2 hours and 48 minutes of pure talent, this movie is a must-watch for dedicated fans. If you were not able to get tickets, this is a perfect substitute for attending the actual tour.

However, this is not for the weak of heart. Some theaters have re-

ported the audience trashing and dancing with flashlights for the entire duration, others had the audience simply sit and watch.

No one really knows what to expect for each showing.

Most theaters have “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” themed popcorn buckets, cups and posters at the concession stand. The movie brought in $96 million dollars opening weekend and is expected to keep climbing. I would recommend it if you are a die-hard fan and want to support Swift, but other than that, the movie is not worth it.

So Swifties, the only question that remains is … Are you ready for it?

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The Battalion | 10.19.23

Good riddance: A eulogy for DEI

Opinion writer says diversity, equity and inclusion removal benefits students, staff

By Benjamin Barnes @Ben_Batt24 Recently, Texas A&M, in conjunction with every other public higher-education institution in the state, was ordered by the Texas Legislature to cease all activity and practices involving diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. The controversial bill known as S.B. 17, not to be confused with the existential Spongebob episode “SB-129,” specifically prohibits offices and curriculum from including any DEI initiatives. Before this bill was even passed, however, the topic of DEI’s presence on campus was a politically-divisive one.

Some students felt DEI was the only way to properly address and teach students about underrepresented groups of people. Others felt as though the curriculum was rooted in division, focusing more on the ostracization of straight white men and the victimization of people of color.

The overtly bland and neutral statement released by Interim President Mark A. Welsh III in response to the bill, which read, “We will work with the System to ensure full compliance by Jan. 1, 2024,” did not help either. Add that to the ‘hush, hush’ stance many current faculty involved with the former Office of DEI have been forced to take with the dialogue surrounding this hot topic is starting to resemble the first two rules of “Fight Club.”

Amidst the neutral corporate messages and students’ emotionally charged opinions, it’s hard to know how this bill will affect students.

What I’m hoping to show you is how the disbandment of DEI was the best case scenario for everyone at A&M. Before S.B. 17, the integration of DEI offices on campus was closing in on three years.

So, let’s start with examining how DEI has impacted students and the university financially.

According to data compiled by The Texan from publicly available operating budgets ending in the fiscal year 2020, t.u. comprised 63% of total DEI expenditures across Texas public universities with a whopping $28.5 million in 2020. A&M came in second at around $7.4

million.

The same data also reveals that both t.u. and A&M dwarf The University of Houston in spending, despite U of H reportedly having the second most ethnically diverse student body in the nation. Granted, it is in the middle of one of the most diverse cities in the country, but Texas is the second most diverse state in the nation. U of H is building a more diverse campus and spending less money doing so.

Moreover, $2 million went towards “Operations and Management” for our associate provost for diversity in 2019. On what planet should one person be in control of that amount of money for a facet of campus that didn’t exist even five years prior?

Albeit, $2 million can be easily glossed over amidst the entire university budget, but when I can’t even sit through a lecture in Harrington Education Center Classroom without spotting roaches, grasshoppers, ants or one of the other hordes of insect colonies infesting the building, it’s safe to question how our funds are being allocated.

Of course, by no means is this entirely DEI’s fault, however, it’s painfully ironic when DEI faculty will then insert a curriculum in Hullabaloo U that blames our students for promoting a culture of disparity.

But this was in 2019, so I’m sure we’ve gotten better at keeping track of where our money is now.

How about when the Board of Regents pledged to spend $24.75 million this year on DEI-based initiatives prior to the state’s ruling, with spending trended upward year after year.

However, despite its ever-growing budget, I’m still not sure what A&M was trying to achieve through DEI. “It’s to spread awareness and enact change for future generations!” “It’s to spark engaging discussions regarding the mass-wave of racism still present in our society!” “It’s to give ethnically diverse and disadvantaged students a fighting chance!”

I hear you. Now, put your torches down.

Without using any buzzwords or regurgitating politically-correct jargon, I want you to ask yourself a simple question. Aside from making sure the university met what was once considered competitive appearance standards, what purpose did these offices serve?

How did they benefit yourself or others directly? Did you or anyone you know actually walk inside these offices? Could you even

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point out where the physical buildings were?

Could you name a single faculty member affiliated with the program off of the top of your head?

Freshman and prospective business major, Martin Siqueiros, who identifies as an Anglo-Latino, said he does not believe DEI would have improved his experience at A&M whatsoever. He said the students on campus are the most important attribute when cultivating an inclusive environment.

“It just comes down to the campus itself … everyone here is so welcoming,” Siqueiros said. “Regardless of who you are, you’re going to get along with somebody … putting your race into anything doesn’t make it any better or worse.”

Former student Maddison Westbrooks, an African-American female, who now attends U.T. Arlington, or UTA, said she was often disappointed with how A&M handled DEI. “There was really not much effort on still trying to make sure minority students actually had those spaces and places for students to express their feelings,” Westbrooks said.

She explained how UTA made progress in diversity despite the state’s ruling.

“UTA has made a lot of accommodations,” Westbrooks said. “They’ve created new spaces for people to still feel comfortable despite not having a strict office dedicated to it [DEI].”

Apparently, students weren’t the only ones who were unsure of the oh-so-important work being done behind closed doors.

In 2021, A&M hired an independent consulting group to produce an internal performance report of how various offices were performing around campus.

The “Effectiveness of the Diversity Office” was rated most negatively on transparency, with 30% of faculty, staff, students and former students rating it as ineffective or highly ineffective.

Harvard Business Review collected data from over 800 firms in addition to interviewing executives and managers, and they found that diversity programs are backfiring. The study showed that force-feeding DEI programs to employees actually fueled bias as opposed to eradicating it.

In a separate piece, Dr. Levy Paluck, a psychologist at Princeton University, found that after more than a decade’s worth of research, “diversity training is likely the most expensive, and least effective, diversity program around.”

Given these disappointing statistics, it would seem throwing money at the problem and de-

manding your incoming freshman memorize the ins and outs of complex frameworks like intersectionality is not working. Let’s also stop pretending “inclusive language,” i.e. the use of Latinx and the fetishization of people of color has been a part of making campus life better.

It is the very people that university offices attempt to group together who should be recognized as the individuals they are. They have their own accomplishments, tribulations and stories to share. Let’s stop doing them a disservice by boxing them in and allocating a finite amount of money to a cause that has proven ineffective.

The good news is that the university no longer has the option of metaphorically dusting off its hands and saying, “Look at how much money we spent, we’re doing our part.”

They’ll now have to prove it to every minority student on campus. How so?

Use the money we’ve previously put towards egregious salaries and virtue signaling to good use. Design spaces around campus that promote thoughtful exchanges, invite renowned speakers to campus, fund more organizations that cater towards the people these offices claim to aid and provide supplementary financial benefits to lower-income families. Inequality and racism do exist, but it starts with this institution supporting its students first.

I know that’s a lot, so start with this. Rather than bragging about being a Hispanic Serving Institution the second we hit a 25% Latino population in the student body, ask these students how we can make their — and future Latino Aggies — overall experience better.

Next, can we perhaps shoot for practical solutions outside of quotas on how to ensure A&M is more appealing to African-American students? Anything would be better than the current 3% admission rate we’re bolstering.

Strides towards justice and inclusivity need to be made today and it’s hard to justify the closing of an office that was grounded in good intentions, however, S.B. 17 doesn’t have to be the start of a less diverse campus.

With that, I rest my case. This concludes the eulogy for the closure of the Office for Diversity. R.I.P. DEI. Benjamin Barnes is a telecommunication media studies senior and opinion columnist for The Battalion.

SPORTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2023 STUDENT MEDIA

Names like no other Sports editor builds a definitive list of the top-10 most unique school monikers

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001 Well, it’s that time of year again. As Texas A&M football sits on a bye week, so too do I. As a college nickname/logo/mascot aficionado, I figured I’d have a little fun this week, embarking on a journey to find the best college nicknames in the country.

The only rule I had for this journey down the rabbit hole was that the nickname had to be completely unique — no duplicates. Now, I won’t be talking about the usual “Wichita State Shockers” or “UAB Blazers” that usually make up these lists. As fun as those names might be, they don’t hold a candle to the contenders on this list.

Honorable mention: Rhode Island School of Design [REDACTED] Just … just look this one up yourself.

Viewer discretion is advised.

No. 10: Webster University Gorloks

The most unique nicknames are the ones that are quite literally just made up. Located in Webster Groves, Missouri, Webster University decided to stray from the Eagles, Lions or Wildcats we see far too often and take a much more unique path.

The name actually came first, combining the names of the streets, Gore and Lockwood, that intersect in the middle of campus. Then, later in 1984, the student paper, The Journal, ran a contest for applicants to send in a picture of what they thought a Gorlok would look like, giving us the Gorlok Webster has today.

A Gorlok is described as having, “the paws of a speeding cheetah, the horns of a fierce buffalo and the face of a dependable Saint Bernard.” What better way to make a mascot than to just do it yourself?

No. 9: Chaminade University of Honolulu Silverswords

Despite the menacing-sounding nature of Chaminade’s nickname, it is neither silver nor a sword. Instead, the college’s nickname refers to the Silversword plant, a perennial plant grown in Hawai’i. The plant nearly went extinct, but it was saved by botanists who crossbred the plant and kept it in greenhouses.

They also only bloom once every 50 years, then promptly die.

There’s probably something poetic here about resiliency and fighting until the job is done, but it’s lost on me. Either way, it’s still a good representation of the Aloha State.

No. 8: Campbell University Fighting Camels

When researching how Campbell got the name of Fighting Camels, I expected some tale about how Buies Creek, North Carolina had two hills that resembled a camel’s hump or some corny story like that. Instead, I found a tale of lies, deceit and big tobacco.

The running theory on campus is that after the university burned down in 1900, founder J.A. Campbell was told by friend and contractor Zachary Taylor Kivett, “Jim Archie, why are you in bed? Time’s wastin’.

I thought Campbells had hump on them.”

The hump part of that quote is the reasoning behind the camel.

This is where it gets good. Billy Liggett from the Campbell Magazine identified that the university only began using the camel as its nickname in 1934, 33 years after the incident. Instead, Liggett noted that D. Rich, a Campbell alumnus, left an eighth of his estate to the university upon his death in 1924 and contributed more than $400,000 to the university.

In his life, Rich was the treasurer for the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. What was this company’s biggest brand? Camel.

Considering big tobacco’s rise in the 1930s and its prominence with college-age students, it makes sense.

While the verdict is still out on how they became the Fighting Camels, I love a good conspiracy theory. Great nickname, even greater lore.

No. 7: California State University Maritime Academy Keelhaulers

Back to the simple naming strategies, the CSU Maritime Academy adopted the nickname Keelhaulers in 1974 by a student vote. Now, their logo resembles that of a pirate, which in and of itself isn’t that unique.

That being said, if you don’t know what keelhauling is, let the academy itself explain it to you.

“To haul under the keel of a ship by ropes attached to the yardarms on each side. Keelhauling was a form of corporal punishment that was formerly practiced as a punishment in the Dutch and English navies.”

Ouch. Nothing goes together much like maritime and deadly punishment. A vicious nickname, indeed.

No. 6: Bismarck State Mystics

If this list isn’t a testament to the creativity of college students, I don’t know what is. Yet another student-voted nickname, the Mystics moniker was adopted in 1940.

Nickie Barber, a Bismarck State alumnus said, “[The Mystics] came out of a newspaper comic strip. There was this guy … a wizard or magician or something. Comic strips were just coming into fashion and we were young and it appealed to us,” according to the school’s athletic page.

Well, they really dodged a bullet there if that’s the case. The Mystics is a sick nickname, with a cool mascot — named Merlin, by the way — to boot. If they were to have come up with the comic-strip nickname 30 years later,

however, we may be looking at the Bismarck State Garfields.

No. 5: University of Jamestown Jimmies

While the University of Jamestown’s logo is a simple knight, a closer inspection reveals a peculiar feature: the word “Jimmies” plastered across its shield.

According to the university, “It has been rumored that years ago a knight named Sir Jimmie fought for the good of all mankind and an unknown athlete from the University of Jamestown read about this knight.”

Wow, I feel rude for not thanking Sir Jimmie for saving all of mankind. I feel like the least I could do is put him on this list.

Also, side note. Besides the Jimmies, there are also the St. Thomas Tommies and the Saint John’s Johnnies. If someone wants to found St. Timothy University and create a football program, I would start a GoFundMe for a Jimmies-Johnnies-Timmies-Tommies round-robin tournament each year.

No. 4: Atlantis University Atlanteans

Unfortunately not within the Lost City of Atlantis, Atlantis University is located in much less cooler Miami.

That being said, the university was handed their mascot on a silver platter. I mean what’s cooler than Atlantis? I don’t know, maybe calling yourself an Atlantean? The logo being a King Triton-esque merman holding a trident just puts the cherry on top of the whole college’s aesthetic.

The only suggestion I could offer the school is to play all of their games inside of a giant underwater dome, for continuity.

No. 3: Whittier College Poets

Founded by the Religious Society of Friends in 1887, the university was named after John Greenleaf Whittier who was — drumroll please — a poet. In all seriousness, there’s a lot to work within this nickname. I can already imagine all of the “The pen is mightier than the sword,” shirts flaunted around campus.

Even their mascot, Johnny Poet — docking points for lack of naming creativity there — carries around a giant pen. I’m already envisioning the “Poetry in motion” headlines.

This just goes to show you the effectiveness of the moniker. Also, as unintentional as it may be, saying you’re a “Whittier Poet” not

only shows your collegiate allegiance, but it also implies you are superior in a lyrical battle of wits.

I love how Whittier had an opportunity and jumped right into it. Their embrace of the Poet nickname has even inspired me. I might be a Poet and I didn’t even know it.

Oh Whittier College, Different from any school, You are quite unique.

No. 2: Arkansas Tech University Wonder Boys and Golden Suns

Arkansas Tech were not always the Wonder Boys, as before 1920, the small Russellville College was just called the Aggies, an admittedly tame mascot. However, after The Arkansas Gazette on Nov. 17, 1920 officially referred to the university as “the Wonder Boys,” the name stuck.

What a Wonder Boy is is beyond me, but does it lend visions of football players in capes or basketball players donning masks to prevent their identity as a multi-millionaire being revealed?

Some backlash has come from the moniker’s use of the word, “Boy,” but it hasn’t stopped the university from using it for over 100 years.

Besides, Wonder Men doesn’t roll off the tongue as well, sounding increasingly more PG-13.

The women’s team was called the Wonderettes until the 1970s until the female student-athletes voted to change it to the Golden Suns. Not only do we get one beautifully unique nickname, but two? It’s perfect.

No. 1: North Carolina School of the Arts Fighting Pickles

Taking the No. 1 spot on this list, in all of its briny glory, is the UNCSA Fighting Pickles.

In the Fall of 1972, UNCSA held a contest to give the school an official mascot. The idea was to have it be militaristic to reflect a fighting spirit. Students at the time, Francis Perry, Mark Stadler and Robert Severini, took this as a challenge, compiling a list of 63 unique mascots with their own unique slogans, according to the university. Only one other submission was given for the contest, a simple rooster.

Perry said the origin of the pickle nickname stems simply from the inability to find a pickle anywhere in Winston-Salem, North Carolina during the Vietnam War. By some vinegary miracle, the Fighting Pickles became the moniker.

The origin of this nickname is just a testament to not only how tactical college students can be but also the lengths they will go to avoid doing classwork.

Also, the slogan “Sling ‘em by the warts!” is one of the most disgustingly beautiful phrases I’ve ever heard.

SPORTS

B2

The Battalion | 10.19.23

NEXT ‘DREAM TEAM’

Ishika Samant -- THE BATTALION

Former Yell Leader Nathan Drain cheers on former RB De’von Achane (6) after scoring a touchdown during Texas A&M’s game against Appalachain St. on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.

Sports writer picks his lineup for the newly-added flag football 2028 Olympic roster

By Ian Curtis @Texiancurtis American football — some would say the superior form of football — is coming to the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee has announced the introduction of flag football to the Olympic Games for the 2028 edition of the event in Los Angeles. With that being said, it’s time to start thinking about the next “Dream Team.”

A 5-on-5 flag football roster consists of 12 players, with one substitute on both offense and defense. For the sake of brevity, this list will only examine the starters on both sides of the ball.

Keep in mind, this will be for the 2028 Olympics, and the NFL landscape won’t look the same five years from now. Age will keep some of today’s best players out of this roster.

Quarterback: Caleb Williams, USC Remember, this is 2028 we’re talking about. By then, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner will be coming into his own on Sundays.

Williams has excellent accuracy, which will

be a valuable asset when the entire game depends on hitting the nation’s fastest receivers in stride. The current Trojan also has the legs to keep plays alive long after they should have devolved into chaos — another ability flag football will emphasize.

Running Back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins Achane is a bonafide track star — let’s not forget he was an All-American sprinter at Texas A&M — and he is one of the NFL’s fastest players. In just four games this year, Achane ranks third in the league in total rushing yards and is averaging a monster 12.1 yards a carry, largely due to his straight-line speed.

In a game as dependent on speed as flag football, Achane is a must-have.

Wide Receiver: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins Waddle in many ways is the disciple of Tyreek Hill. He has a similar speed and explosiveness, while the fluidity and agility of his game adds another layer of depth to this Team USA offense.

He’s consistently proven to be one of the league’s top receivers, and that’s all while playing second fiddle to Hill. He’ll definitely be top dog by 2028.

Wide Receiver: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons Hear me out: tight end may not be a position in flag football, but in this case Pitts has potential as a receiver.

Pitts may not have the speed of someone

like Achane or Waddle, but he brings one thing to this offense they don’t: size. At 6 foot, 6 inches, Pitts will create mismatches that will have the American coaches licking their chops.

Wide Receiver: Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers Watson gives Team USA a middle ground between the speed of Waddle, with a 4.36 40-yard dash, and the size of Pitts, with his 6-foot-4-inch frame.

He gives the offense more options, and the more options they’ve got the better the end result will be.

Defensive Back: Sauce Gardner, New York Jets.

Standing at 6 foot, 3 inches and with a 4.41 40-yard dash, Gardner has the athleticism and measurables to match up with the rest of the world’s best 5-on-5 players. And he’s proven he can succeed at the highest level, taking home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Plus, what better to represent the entirety of America than the swagger of Sauce Gardner?

Defensive Back: Tariq Woolen, Seattle Seahawks Take everything I just said about Sauce Gardner and make him just a little bit bigger and a little bit faster and you have Tariq Woolen. While Gardner has had more success in the NFL so far, Woolen’s raw athleticism and his ability to secure interceptions will play dividends in the 5-on-5 game.

Defensive Back: Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos Much like the other defensive players on this list, Surtain brings a mixture of size and speed to the team. But his leaping ability is another advantage that gives this defense another tool to frustrate opposing offenses.

Defensive Back: Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys While most teams tend to play three defensive backs and a safety, I think Team USA would be better off bringing four defensive backs and dropping one back further into coverage given the talent they’ve got at the position in this scenario.

While Diggs would be the oldest member of the team, he’s got the speed and frame to match the rest of the defensive and has even more experience.

Rusher: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys Flag football rewards versatility, and there’s few defensive stars more versatile than Micah Parsons.

Dallas’ do-it-all linebacker has a very particular set of skills that translate well to flag football. He’s speedy, with a 4.36 in the 40yard dash. He can rush the quarterback, as he’s recorded at least 13 sacks in both of his full NFL seasons. Lastly, he has the size to get in the way of passes when things get chaotic.

What more could you ask for?

SPORTS

B3

The Battalion | 10.19.23

Pass or fail: Football bye-week grades

Ishika Samant -- THE BATTALION

Sophomore QB Max Johnson (14) runs the ball as the Alabama defensive line chases him during Texas A&M’s game against Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 at Kyle Field.

Are Aggie position groups’ grades better than yours?

By Eli Meschko, Cade Harris and Matthew Seaver @EliMeschko, @cadeharris_ and @Matthew_Seaver Quarterback — B It’s hard to give a definitive grade for this position, as junior Max Johnson had to step in for sophomore Connor Weigman after Weigman’s season-ending injury. However, the quarterback play for A&M this season has its fair share of ups and downs.

Before Weigman’s injury, he threw for 979 yards on 82 completions with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. So far, Johnson has thrown for 898 yards on 67 completions with seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

The biggest difference between the two is the number of sacks each has taken. Weigman only took three sacks in his starts while Johnson has taken 10 sacks so far, with seven coming during his starts.

A&M fans pointed fingers at the offensive line play for the number of hits Weigman took when he started, which is fair, as the offensive line struggled in pass protection. The issue for Johnson is that he has taken significantly more sacks than Weigman behind an offensive line that still struggles in pass protection.

It’s fair to say it’s because Weigman didn’t play Alabama or Tennessee, but sacks can be attributed to the quarterback at times. Johnson tends to hold onto the ball too long, which could be caused by different variables, but Johnson should know that he doesn’t have a long time behind bad pass protection.

Johnson also isn’t as mobile as Weigman, so getting rid of the ball quicker should be his focus heading into next week. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino also needs to help his quarterback with short-developing plays to scheme around the offensive line.

Running Backs — B Coming into the season, it was unclear which running back for the Aggies would emerge as RB1. What A&M did know is that they had three talented options they could work with in the backfield.

Sophomore running back Le’Veon Moss has taken the majority of the carries for the Aggies. Moss has averaged 5 yards a carry this season, while showcasing his quickness and ability to break tackles.

If there was one area A&M’s coaching staff would like to see Moss improve in, it is the passing game. Moss was targeted four times in Week 7 against Tennessee, only hauling in one catch, while dropping a key pass on third down and eight early in the third quarter.

Moss has been more of the every-down back for the Aggies, but behind him are some weapons the Aggies have been able to use in other ways. Junior running back Amari Dan-

iels has been the Aggies’ big-play threat, while freshman Rueben Owens has been a hardnosed runner with the ability to make plays in the passing game and open space.

Since arriving in Aggieland, Daniels has had to sit behind running backs De’Von Achane and Isaiah Spiller. However, when he had the chance to touch the ball, he showed off his big-play-making ability with his speed.

Daniels’ biggest run of the season came at the end of the game against Auburn, in which he ripped off a 79-yard run to put the Aggies in the red zone.

Aggie fans waited all off-season to see the five-star Owens. At times this season he has shown flashes of the “five-star” name with his tough running and the plays he makes in the passing game. However, he’s still a freshman, and he still needs time to adapt to the college game.

A&M’s run game hasn’t been the strongest part of the offense, but it’s nowhere near the weakest. The running backs are still young and should keep improving as the season goes on.

However, the stats will back up their growth only if the Aggies see an improvement from their worst offensive group, the offensive line.

Offensive line — C The Maroon Goons had high expectations coming into the season with many key players returning. One of the biggest returns for this A&M team is starting sophomore center Bryce Foster, who missed a majority of last season with an injury that ended his campaign after only four games.

However, Foster has been a huge liability for this unit so far this season, receiving a PFF grade of 34.1 which was the lowest among every starter for the Aggies. He has also been a weakness in the passing game with a protection grade of 16.7 that sees him also last among starters.

In the performance against Tennessee, sophomore QB Max Johnson was pressured on 64.1% of his dropbacks which is the highest pressure percentage that A&M has ever had since the stat began being tracked in 2014.

A&M’s offensive line ranks dead last in the SEC in pass-blocking evaluation, which already showed challenges for the mobile sophomore Conner Weigman. Now with the pocket passing Johnson, the flaws truly are beginning to show for this unit.

When Jimbo Fisher talked about Johnson and said, “We ain’t blaming him,” I believe that he was trying to take some of the blame off the backup Johnson and tell the public how limiting the poor offensive line play can really be.

To be fair to the boys up front, they have played to elite front sevens in the past two weeks, with NFL-caliber players all over the field. They can’t let this limit them though as there is talent all over the SEC, and if Jimbo ever wants to win anything in maroon and white then he’ll need to sure up these offensive line woes.

Wide receivers/Tight ends — A It was no secret the artillery of weapons the A&M wide receiver corps held coming into this season with the likes of junior Moose Muhammed III and the sophomore duo of Evan Stewart and Noah Thomas, as well as the shining star with the return of Sub-Zero, graduate Anais Smith.

The receivers looked elite to start the season, demolishing opponents with starting quarterback sophomore Conner Weigman.

However, with the move to Johnson, some cracks are starting to show as the offense has to shift to catering towards the left-handed throws.

The receivers have been the least of this team’s issues and if A&M can just find someone to get the ball to these blazing flashes of Maroon and White, then the offense could truly prosper.

If the offensive coordinator can win Lamar Jackson a Heisman with the lack of weapons around him that he had, I see no reason why these star receivers can’t help carry A&M’s offense even without Weigman under center.

Starting Tight End Donavon Green tore his ACL in a pre-season scrimmage, which launched sophomore Jake Johnson up the depth chart. Johnson has shown good chemistry with his brother.

But he is far from an elite talent and the likes of Georgia’s junior Brock Bowers. Johnson has lots of room for improvement and it will be interesting to see how A&M uses tight ends with the likes of freshman Jaden Platt waiting to see the field.

Defensive line — A+ Simply put, the Aggies defensive line has been dominant this season. From defensive linemen alone this season, the Aggies have accumulated 19 sacks and 36.5 tackles for loss.

The emergence of the D-Line has also consisted of a much-improved run defense that ranked 123rd last season in rushing yards allowed per game. The Aggies are ranked 20th in that category this season due to the disruption the line has caused, while also containing running quarterbacks.

A&M has faced a pair of mobile quarterbacks in Arkansas’ senior KJ Jefferson and Alabama’s redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe.

Jefferson accumulated -3 rushing yards against the Aggies, while Milroe went for -31.

This type of grade was expected for the Aggies after signing five composite five-stars and two composite four-stars along the defensive line in the 2022 class. The Aggies have also received great play from veterans such as junior defensive lineman Shemar Turner and senior defensive lineman McKinnley Jackson.

Turner has 3.5 sacks coming off the edge this season, while Jackson has clogged up the running lanes with his 325-pound frame.

If the Aggies are to right the ship the rest of the way, the Aggie defensive line will likely continue to have to perform at the A+ plus grade they have been performing at.

Linebackers — A The starting linebackers for the Aggies have been fantastic so far this year and fully deserve a high grade.

True freshman Taurean York has been all over the field in his first year of college ball.

The former three-star flipped his commitment from Baylor to A&M a few days before signing day and has proved his recruiting ranking wrong this season, as he is second on the team in tackles with 41. York also has a sack and a forced fumble on the year.

Junior Edgerrin Cooper has been a star for the Aggies at linebacker and was recently named to ESPN’s midseason All-American team for his play so far. Cooper has been a menace in the pass-and-run game this season.

He leads the Aggies in tackles with 45 and has a team-high six sacks.

Getting after the quarterback is a new dynamic to Cooper’s game this season. In his previous two seasons combined, he only had half a sack. Cooper also leads all FBS players in tackles for a loss with 13.5.

Defensive backs — C This may seem like a harsh grade in comparison to the other defensive positions, but the Aggies have struggled in coverage downfield this season.

Coming into the season, the Aggies needed to replace Antonio Johnson and Jaylon Jones who departed for the NFL. Head coach Jimbo Fisher brought in seniors Josh DeBerry and Tony Grimes through the transfer portal, but the Aggies are still looking for answers in the passing game.

A&M is ranked as the 12th-best defense in passing yards allowed per game, but the Aggies also give up 13 yards per completion which ranks as the fourth-worst out of the top 50 passing defenses.

In the Week 6 loss, Alabama senior receiver Jermaine Burton caught nine balls for 197 yards and two touchdowns against A&M. This past weekend, Burton only caught two passes for 60 yards versus Arkansas.

Miami junior quarterback Tyler Van Dyke also erupted for 374 yards passing and five touchdowns in A&M’s Week 2 loss to the Hurricanes.

Senior Josh DeBerry struggled in both of these games, but he is fourth on the team in tackles with 31 and has two interceptions on the year. It is worth noting that he looked a lot better playing in the slot versus Tennessee in place of sophomore Bryce Anderson, who missed the game due to injury.

The defense has yet to see senior Tony Grimes in action this season. The former North Carolina Tarheel transferred to A&M in the offseason, but a lingering lower-body injury has kept him sidelined.

A&M fans shouldn’t point at the defensive backs as the reasons the Aggies have dropped some winnable games this year, but it is very apparent that this group is the weakness of the Aggie defense.

SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.19.23

AROUND THE SEC A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 8

By Ian Curtis @Texiancurtis

Mississippi State @ Arkansas

No. 17 Tennessee @ No. 11 Alabama

Saturday, Oct. 21 — 11 a.m. on ESPN Razorback Stadium — Fayetteville, Arkansas

Saturday, Oct. 21 — 2:30 p.m. on CBS Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The day starts with a battle at the bottom of the barrel between Mississippi State and Arkansas. Both of these teams are currently winless in conference play and badly need a win here to keep their hopes of a bowl game alive.

Both teams have senior quarterbacks that have racked up a long list of accolades but have underperformed this year, in the Razorbacks’ K.J. Jefferson and

the Bulldogs’ Will Rogers. But while Arkansas has had bright spots on defense in holding Alabama to 24 points and Ole Miss to 27 in a pair of one-possession losses, Mississippi State has given up an average of just over 39 points in SEC games this year.

It’ll be Arkansas’ stoppable force that gets past Mississippi State’s moveable object this week.

Prediction: Arkansas 37, Mississippi State 17

It’s the Third Saturday in October, and that means it’s time for the biggest day of the year for cigar shops across the South.

Both these teams proved they can win sloppily last week, as Tennesse defeated Texas A&M 20-13 and Alabama held off an Arkansas comeback to win 2421 over the Razorbacks. That experience will prove valuable in this matchup.

Last season, this game was an offensive shootout that ended 52-49, as the Volunteers broke

their losing streak to the tide.

This time, defense takes center stage, as a Tennessee defense that ranks third in the country in team sacks faces Alabama sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe, who’s already been sacked 26 times this year.

Both teams will come away with turnovers, but the Volunteers begin their own win streak and get their victory cigars for the second year in a row thanks to a strong showing from their defensive line.

Prediction:Tennessee 23, Alabama 17

No. 13 Ole Miss @ Auburn

South Carolina @ No. 20 Missouri

Saturday, Oct. 21 — 6 p.m. on ESPN Jordan-Hare Stadium — Auburn, Alabama

Saturday, Oct. 21 — 2:30 p.m. on SEC Network Faurot Field — Columbia, Missouri

The much-anticipated Hugh Freeze revenge game has arrived.

Freeze is back in the SEC at Auburn after his scandal-driven departure from Ole Miss, and his Tigers don’t have the offense to compete with the Rebels in year one of the Freeze era. Auburn ranks dead last in the conference in passing offense, partially due to their dual-quarterback system of passing threat junior Payton Thorne and run-focused sophomore Robby Ashford.

On the other hand, Ole

Miss has a high-flying and high scoring offensive attack. Led by junior quarterback Jaxson Dart, the Rebels are averaging a whopping 41.7 points a game compared to dead-last Auburn’s 27.7 While things look better for Auburn on the defensive front, the Tigers don’t have the offense to keep up when Ole Miss tries to turn this game into a shootout.

Prediction: Ole Miss 42, Auburn 21

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Carnival Ride Pass

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FREE PARKING

Missouri has come out of nowhere to put themselves in contention for an SEC East title. They’ll need a little help to get there, but South Carolina shouldn’t pose a problem for the Tigers.

The Gamecocks have the worst defense in the SEC in terms of total yardage, passing yards and rank second-to-last in points conceded per game. Mizzou might just have the most underrated offense in the con-

ference, thanks to the connection between junior quarterback Brady Cook and sophomore wide receiver Luther Burden III. Burden’s 808 receiving yards led the SEC this season.

South Carolina has a passing attack of their own, thanks to senior quarterback Spencer Rattler, but the Gamecocks defensive woes mean Mizzou’s average defense will be enough to get the Tigers the win in this one.

Prediction: Missouri 34, South Carolina 24

B5

SPORTS

B6

The Battalion | 10.19.23

Prime Time boosts HBCU programs 1

Georgia 43 1750

6-0

–

2

Michigan 23 1721 6-0

–

3

Ohio State 1567 6-0

–

4

Washington 6 1562

6-0

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Photo courtesy of Clementine Miller/CU Independent

The Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders gestures toward the field during the game against Colorado St. University on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.

Sports writer says Sanders trailblazed a path to recognition for Black schools

By Braxton Dore @BraxtonD1088 Lately, current University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and his goal to transform the Buffaloes’ losing program have been the talk of the sports world, but just last year, he was focused on a completely different goal at the Historically Black College and University, or HBCU, Jackson State.

His goal: to promote HBCUs and restore them to their former prestige and popularity, outside of the most well-known ones like Howard, Spelman and Morehouse. NFL Hall of Famers who attended HBCUs include Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Shannon Sharpe and Micheal Strahan, just to name a few.

In the past 10 years, the prominence of HBCUs has waned in funding and recruitment, due to players being lured to powerhouse FBS programs like Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama.

In recent years due to the introduction of NIL, student-athletes are

free to capitalize on their own personal brand. Why would an athlete willingly attend a school that does not offer as many, if any, opportunities in NIL? When compared to powerhouse universities, HBCUs struggle to find ways to promote their programs as time and money are not on their side, but Sanders flipped the script during his time at JSU. Coach Prime spent three years redeveloping a culture around Jackson State in order to bring in money and recruits for the once legendary university before taking on the role at Colorado.

Sanders accomplished this feat through various efforts including media coverage, sponsorships and a renewed sense of passion for the vitality of HBCUs in the world of college football. During his tenure at Jackson State, Sanders had a 27-6 record and won the SWAC Conference twice.

Sanders transformed the view on HBCUs with his in-depth look behind the scenes of a season at JSU, courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

Following the success of the documentary and of JSU, broadcast deals for HBCU conferences were a reality now that “Prime Time” had paved the way for their renewed media coverage.

ESPN now broadcasts a SWAC conference game every week and even brought College Gameday to the Jackson State versus Texas South-

ern game, only the second time ever in history an HBCU received the honor.

Just this year, the governing body over some of the oldest HBCUs, the CIAA or the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, struck a 10-year deal with Allen Media Group to create HBCU GO, a streaming platform for CIAA events.

In terms of fixing the recruitment process, Sanders successfully lured prominent athletes from top schools across the country to JSU in order to set an example for other HBCUs to follow.

Recruits like five-star defensive back and wide receiver Travis Hunter, who was the first five-star to attend an HBCU since the ranking system was introduced, and four-star sophomore wide receiver Kevin Coleman.

Sanders also called awareness to the “money games” dilemma, which is smaller FCS and HBCU programs being forced to play against Power 5 teams in order to pay their bills.

“If we [are going to] get our butt kick[ed] shouldn’t it be worth it?”

Sanders said to reporters following an FBS matchup, “How in the world are we settling for the peanuts in the little minute droppings that they [are] giving us when everybody’s darn near [receiving] $500-600,000 [or more]?”

Sanders went on further by describing how smaller FBS programs are treated more favorably.

“Appalachian State got $1.5 million to play against Texas A&M,” Sanders said to reporters. “Georgia Southern got $1.4 to play against Nebraska.”

The “Prime” effect on JSU went beyond just improving media endorsement, recruitment and bringing awareness to discrimination. It also helped convince the city of Jackson to approve a bill for the construction of a new stadium to honor its winning program.

Coach Prime’s mission to change the culture surrounding HBCU football is starting to be seen as a success when examining the statistics.

Looking at the latest attendance records according to the NCAA, there are five HBCUs in the top 10 for FCS this season. JSU also tops the rankings with an average game attendance of a little over 27,000. “[Sanders] makes the biggest impact anywhere he goes, the fact that he vouched for HBCUs everywhere … [puts] them in the spotlight,” A&M engineering senior Tim Adu said. “[Even] now at Colorado, Sanders still advocates for their continued success.”

Even though some criticized Sanders’ decision to depart from JSU to take the head coaching position at Colorado, the legacy he renewed there will continue to live on and thrive at HBCUs across the country.

WWW.THEBATT.COM @THEBATTONLINE

5

LAUNCH PARTY

Florida State 1548 6-0

 1

6

Penn State 1460 6-0

 1

7

Oklahoma 1409 6-0

–

8

Texas 1230 5-1

 1

9

North Carolina 1176 6-0



10

3

Oregon 1140 5-1  3

11

Alabama 1115 6-1

–

12

Oregon State 934

5-1 

13

2

Ole Miss 872 5-1

–

WWW.THEALINEMAG.COM @THEALINEMAG

14

MAROON LIFE WITH A-LINE

2

Utah 817 5-1

 2

15

Notre Dame 810 6-2



16

2

Duke 690 5-1



17

USC 681 6-1  7

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3

Tennessee 635

5-1

–

LSU 561 5-2



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20

Missouri 365 6-1 

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21

1

3

Louisville 258 6-1  6

22 23 24

Air Force 249 6-0 NR

Iowa 171 6-1 NR

UCLA 125 4-2

 2

25

Tulane 123 5-1 NR

The SMP represents the top 25 teams in college football as voted weekly by student journalists across the nation New entrants: Air Force (22), Iowa (23), Tulane (25) Dropped out: Washington State (21), Kansas (24), Wisconsin (25) Receiving votes: James Madison (119), Clemson (89), Washington State (30), Miami (FL) (26), Florida (22), Fresno State (22), Kentucky (22), Liberty (22), Wisconsin (18), Arizona (10), Kansas State (9), Kansas (8), Wyoming (7), Toledo (6), Oklahoma State (5), Texas A&M (4), Maryland (3), UNLV (1), Georgia State (1), Miami (OH) (1)

Student Media Poll is sponsored by Indiana University Student Media