The Battalion — September 21, 2023

Mexican Festival hosted in Downtown Bryan

FESTIVAL ON PAGE A4

Opinion: Marijuana is bad, let’s act like it

WEED ON PAGE A5

Football hosts Auburn in conference opener

PREVIEW ON PAGE B1

A&M volleyball opens SEC play with sweep

RECAP ON PAGE B4

Students campaign for fall elections

By Hilani Quinones @hilaniq

The fall 2023 elections for the Student Government Association, or SGA, are approaching, and voting will officially begin next week.

Students can vote online at vote.tamu. edu from Thursday, Sept. 28, at 9 a.m. until Friday, Sept. 29, at 12 p.m. Currently, candidates have an 11-day period to pitch their campaigns to students.

According to SGA’s Election Commission, positions that are up for election are as follows:

• Freshman Class President

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, one senator

• School of Architecture, two senators

• School of Education and Human Development, one senator

• School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, two senators

• Texas A&M Health, two senators

• School of Visual and Performing Arts, one senator

• Off-Campus Residencies, one senator

• Freshman Caucus, two senators

The general campaigning period commenced Monday, Sept. 18, at 12 a.m. in which SGA candidates have the opportunity to campaign to potential voters.

This period ends when voting concludes. Afterward, unofficial election results will be announced no earlier than 7 p.m. on Sept. 29. The election is being overseen by SGA Election Commissioner Malaka Ravihara, who strongly encourages students to vote and get to know candidates.

“The SGA elections are a great opportunity for students to get their voices heard,” Ravihara said.

“Everyone should vote because it would create a diverse SGA and therefore reflects a diverse student body. It is a great way for students to support each other as well, have a say in who they want to represent them, and express their opinions.”

Ravihara said the Election Commission will be posting a candidates’ guide on its website for students to easily access information about candidates.

“The Election Commission will be publishing a guide in which students can have access to learning all about the candidates, such as their background and their campaign platform,” Ravihara said. “It’s important for students to know who is running and what they’re running on.”

Biomedical sciences freshman Delany Dalton is campaigning as a senator for Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dalton said she wanted to get more involved on campus and provide students with a positive experience at A&M.

“I’m really looking to be involved on campus, and I want to make meaningful differences,” Dalton said.

Kraus rescinds impeachment injunction

New Path Forward

University releases re-evaluation of former-President M. Katherine Banks’ “Path Forward” report, initatives

By Nicholas Gutteridge @nico_gjc

Texas A&M released its findings after reviewing former-President M. Katherine Banks’ the Path Forward initiative in a 32page report published online on Sept. 19. The findings recommend less centralization throughout the university, increased resources for colleges and a push to re-establish trust in the journalism program.

On Aug. 18, Interim President Mark Welsh announced he appointed Vice President for Planning, Assessment and Strategy Joe Pettibon to assess the initiative and provide a comprehensive report of the observations and recommendations.

In a Sept. 15 statement, Welsh said the team conducted over 100 listening sessions with key university stakeholders, such as on-campus faculty groups including the Council of Deans, executive committees in the Faculty Senate, distinguished professors and more.

Welsh said these meetings also included student leaders.

General observations from the report emphasized there must be stronger shared governance among faculty and administrators in the future, marking a change from the centralization initiative the Path Forward proposed.

Banks’ Path Forward initiative was based on a report from a third-party company, MGT Consulting, from 2021. The report similarly included a list of observations and recommendations, many of which were implemented.

Despite skepticism about MGT’s findings, the report said the university should continue many of its initiatives.

“Concerns have been expressed about the origins of the MGT report and the value of its recommendations,” the report reads. “Nevertheless, changes have been implemented and the university is in a different place than even one year ago. Any steps taken in a different direction must build on where we are today, not where we were.”

According to the new report, the university must rely less on top-down solutions, especially on smaller details, such as department and degree names, program proposals and the structure of academic units and programs.

Faculty affairs, university libraries

The Path Forward restructured the Provost Office, resulting in college deans being significantly less involved in major university decisions, which was not received well across campus, the report reads.

“There is a significant concern that the power and authority for faculty resources, at the heart of every college and school’s concern, is outside the control of the provost,” the report reads.

Many offices are also not resourced adequately and run inefficiently, such as the faculty affairs staff being separated into two buildings, according to the report. Additionally, the dissolution of the Academic Innovation Office and moving the Aggie Honor System Office under Student Affairs caused concern among faculty, who worried the systems would be weakened permanently.

In response, the report recommends reverting the changes by elevating the provost back to the No. 2 position in the university and returning power to the provost to better function specific offices, such as the Aggie Honor System Office and the Education Abroad Office.

The elimination of faculty tenure for librarians was the most divisive and concerning element of the Path Forward changes, according to the report.

“Significant questions were raised about the treatment of colleagues being forced to choose between remaining in the Libraries in a staff position or retaining tenure as a faculty member outside the Libraries,” the report reads. “An estimated 25% of these faculty members left rather than make this choice.”

However, the report recommends there be no change to librarian faculty status or tenure at this time, instead recommending A&M codify academic freedom for librarians in a system policy or university rule.

Out with the old, in with the new … and out with the new?

As a result of the Path Forward, three colleges — the colleges of geosciences, science and liberal arts — were combined to create the College of Arts and Sciences.

By Nicholas Gutteridge @nico_gjc

Texas A&M Student Body President Hudson Kraus released a statement on Sept. 19 stating he withdrew his injunction from the Judicial Court. Now, the Student Government Association, or SGA, impeachment proceedings will continue as planned, with an official date for the senate trial pending.

“I sought this injunction because this process has been unfair and, frankly, wrong,” the statement reads. “… I wish to restore the bonds of peace that would lead the Student Government Association back to selflessly serving Aggies, and I trust that others are interested in doing the same.”

Kraus said Student Senate members called for his impeachment at the beginning of September and that he did not publicly respond out of respect for the student body, SGA and the university.

“However, unfair and inaccurate information has now been published in the media, and I can no longer stand by without a response,” the statement reads.

Kraus said there were some key points he wanted to clear up in his statement.

“Impeachment proceedings were brought forth by a certain group of individuals in the Student Senate, an independent student organization, and not by Texas A&M University or any member of the administration,” the statement reads.

At the Aug. 30 Student Senate meeting, Kraus nominated his brother for the vice president of campus improvement position, a cabinet spot that required confirmation from the senate.

At the same meeting, Constituency Affairs Chair Marcus Glass said the description for the official qualifications had been altered by Kraus that morning, changing the position to an entry-level position.

“In fact, it turns out there was an edit made to the actual descriptions at 11:30 a.m. today,” Glass said at the Aug. 30 meeting. “So, what does that mean for us? Do we disenfranchise the student body by changing what the qualifications were originally for this position?”

Documents obtained by The Battalion show the edits made to the cabinet position’s qualifications on the morning of the senate meeting.

While the initial version said previous SGA experience is recommended but not required, the edited version said the position was entry-level and that SGA experience is not required.

Kraus also added a sentence saying an individual’s resume does not matter as much as their “attitude toward service and their personality.”

In his statement, Kraus said it was within his “purview as [student body president] per the SGA bylaws” to change position qualifications.

Student Body President Hudson Kraus who published a statement Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 sits during a Student Senate meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.

Chris Swann --- THE BATTALION

“Changes have been implemented and the university is in a different place than even one year ago. Any steps taken in a different direction must build on where we are today, not where we were.

PVFA celebrates first-year anniversary

By Ashley Acuna @AshleyMAcuna

This month, the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, or PVFA, celebrated its first year at Texas A&M University.

Established Sept. 1, 2022, PVFA was created for students who love to imagine, create, learn and grow, according to its website. Since its creation, PVFA has developed new degree programs and minors to attract students, focusing on collaboratively bringing its programs together so students can work on them simultaneously.

The school offers three undergraduate and graduate majors: dance science, performance studies and visualization. This school provides a way for students to get their master’s and bachelor’s degrees at the same time with a joint degree program in performance studies, according to its website. Additionally, PVFA offers nine minors with six new ones that

include music technology, graphic design, studio art, devised theater, choreography and dance performance.

Associate professor of dance science Carisa Armstrong has taught at A&M for two decades and said the school has a strategic focus on moving forward.

“It has been exciting because all of the arts on campus have come together in one place, so it has made collaborative projects a lot easier,” Armstrong said.

Kinesiology junior Rebecca Saccone said she is all for the growth of this new school, especially with its new research. Saccone is enrolled in dance classes to become a physical therapist for dancers.

“We started off very small when I came here as a freshman, and now we are getting to expand and interconnect with the [visualization] and the performance majors,” Saccone said. “It is cool to intermix and bring technology into dance.”

Visualization graduate Sean Kerrigan said he is eager to see how the school’s majors will partner with the other majors as the school grows. Kerrigan said he was impressed by the new equipment the school has invested in for his major.

“The biggest change so far, since the school

is very new, is we have more support from the university and a better budget which is nice,” Kerrigan said. “We are seeing some new hires of professors and more specific curriculum for some wide variety of the classes students will be able to take.”

The classes that Kerrigan takes are unlike normal lectures but rather hands-on experience learning, he said.

“We get to simulate what we want to be doing in the industry,” Kerrigan said. “We get a taste of what it is like to work on an animated project and we get animated portfolio pieces, learn teamwork, get great feedback and always learn.”

Kerrigan said he is thankful for the alumni who are supportive and generous with their time, including many individuals from Pixar, Dreamworks Animation and Disney.

“A&M has a program that has been around for a while, that has an amazing reputation and has so many great connections across the industry,” Kerrigan said. “It is perfectly combined with the more scientific computer side with the more artistic and traditional side, so it is a great half and half that I think the students really love.”

The school is still changing in order to help the students with their goals for career aspira-

tions, Armstrong said.

“Two weeks before school started we got approved for our new B.S. in dance science by the state,” Armstrong said. “It has been a really long process, [so] lots of writing a curriculum but it is very exciting because all of these changes mean it is going to be better for our students.”

Armstrong said different professors, including herself, approach teaching their classes like labs. She said she also conducts technique and wellness screens yearly with her students.

“We tell our students that all of the learning is very hands-on,” Armstrong said. “We are breaking down why we do things and what is the best way to keep the body safe.”

Armstrong said she has hopes and expectations for the school’s future in different ways.

“For the future of this school, we [should] get a performing arts center where all of the art programs can have the academic and creative research space they need, including some new performance spaces that are manageable sizes,” Armstrong said. “We have talked a lot about creating new degrees where students are in multiple art forms and not just one discipline.”

CASH FOR CLOTHES

School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts reflects on its creation

Professor John Cartwright performs a technical screening for kinesiology senior Cally Hall on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 at the Physical Education Activity Program Building.

Fayobami Taiwo --- THE BATTALION

The new college is comparable with the College of Engineering in terms of enrollment and budget, according to the report.

“The rationale for this merger was not and still has not been clearly articulated, leaving [the] leadership of the new college to develop the rationale from any benefits realized,” the report reads.

The report identified two major concerns within the new college: firstly, tenure and promotion policies alongside research expectations. Second, budget appropriation, as sharing a budget would result in less funding for costly science disciplines, according to the report.

Additionally, the report said it’s unclear why the university studies program was eliminated so quickly, especially with no substitute in place yet.

The recommendations were to retain the merged college and review its governance to ensure no faculty or major is treated unfairly.

The creation of the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts was also welcomed among students and faculty, the report reads. While those involved are confident

in the school’s future, the college needs more resources, as over its first seven years, it’s predicted to have a $60 million revenue shortfall.

“Absent a feasible plan, it may be necessary to merge with another college or school,” the report reads.

Following negative press regarding the re-establishment of A&M’s journalism program, the report recommends the department continue and focus on rebuilding trust to attract students and faculty.

The former president pushed for the creation of a life sciences meta-major. Similar to the College of Engineering’s entry-to-a-major system, it would have required life science majors to spend their first year in a “meta-major” and apply for their preferred major after their first year at A&M. The report recommends ending the pursuit of this effort altogether, as there was no evidence showing it had support from the majority of faculty and no evidence had been presented showing it would benefit students.

Health programs being moved to the School of Public Health and political science and international studies programs to the Bush School of Government and Public Service were received well by faculty and students, according to the report, and no large changes were recommended.

ELECTIONS CONTINUED FROM PG.

“I’m

International studies freshman Henry Smith is running for freshman class president. Smith said he is eager to represent his class by applying past experiences and increasing voter turnout this election.

“I’m hoping to increase the low voter turnout by encouraging everybody to vote, and I have a lot of experience with SGA,”

KRAUS CONTINUED FROM PG. A1

Because Kraus withdrew his injunction, A&M’s Judicial Court canceled the hearing scheduled for Sept. 19.

Chief Justice Sawyer Bagley said

For the McAllen Higher Education Center, the report noted further investment was needed to bring the faculty to a sustainable level, and for the Galveston campus, plans to relocate faculty to Galveston are opposed by staff, according to the report. Faculty also oppose a plan to sell a major building, fearing it will disrupt research and equipment.

The integration of the Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, and the Student Health Services with the Health Science Center was discussed, with the report noting the initiative is reaching more students.

However, the report notes the separation of CAPS and the Division of Student Affairs is a cause for concern, as it may cause a deterioration of services.

Centralization, centralization, centralization

The report also offers observations regarding the centralization of facilities, finance, HR, IT and marketing and communications.

“The centralization of these five areas was not well coordinated and the operational structures differ significantly, making coordination across the centralized areas more difficult to navigate,” the report reads. “The implementation plan shifted personnel, then budget, followed by trying to define roles and re-

Smith said. “I was at community college for two years, and I found that I made a really big difference there. Of course, it wasn’t just me. I also worked with other great people, but I saw the impact I could have on my community. I think I could also do that here. There’s a lot of good work to be done, and I could be that person to do that work.”

Smith also wants to create a memorable year for the Class of 2027, aiming to get heavily involved with organizing freshman class traditions and more.

“I want to have a great freshman year,” Smith said “I’m gonna plan events, such as the freshman class tradition which is gonna pull us all together. I hope to make connections that are really valuable.”

he did not want to make an official comment to maintain neutrality.

“The Judicial Court, in pursuant of our neutral stance within SGA and our responsibilities and duties, will be unable to provide any commentary or statement regarding the withdrawal of the case,” Bagley wrote in a statement to The Battalion. “The relevant parties have

been notified of the withdrawal, and pursuant to the Judicial Court Bylaws, they were made aware that the Writ of Certiorari and the Writ of Injunction have been made null and void by the Judicial Court. The Court has not been notified of anything regarding the impeachment nor has any request been made at this time regarding the impeach-

sponsibilities. The reverse approach should have been followed, which would have limited issues.”

Centralization resulted in a plethora of issues according to deans and department heads cited in the report, such as departmental needs being overlooked, cross-functioning with other teams becoming more difficult, additional layers of bureaucracy, decreased accountability and increased workload among faculty in contrast to the less workload originally promised.

“There have been some suggestions that the centralization efforts have resulted in [$8 million] in savings, but the university community is highly skeptical of this assertion given their own experience at the unit level,” the report reads. “In addition, additional resources have been invested in all five centralized areas to varying degrees, resulting in more positions and increased budgets for these functions.”

For facilities in particular, the report noted centralization caused long delays in multiple areas that affect teaching and research. In the School of Veterinary Medicine, the freezer broke, resulting in all specimens melting. The air conditioning has been broken in animal science buildings for nine months, a window has been damaged at the Bush school for 10 months, elevators are

failing to operate in the Dwight Look Civil Engineering Building and more, according to the report.

Finally, the report noted capital construction projects throughout the university were also affected by centralization.

“There does not appear to be a current strategy with stakeholder input on priorities that engages anyone outside select members of leadership,” the report reads.

In a statement that accompanied the report, Welsh asked for feedback from the community on the report and its recommendations.

“Your perspectives and suggestions will play a pivotal role in shaping my final decisions,” Welsh said in the statement.

Community feedback can be shared in an online form found on the Office of the President’s website, and the form closes Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m.

“I will review all your feedback to inform my decisions on [the] next steps, which will be shared on Oct. 4 at an all-faculty, staff and student meeting,” Welsh said.

Editor’s Note: The Battalion was involved in the evaluation of the new journalism department

ment procedures or hearing.”

In a statement to The Battalion, Speaker of the Senate Andrew Applewhite commented on the proceedings.

“I’d like to once again reaffirm my faith in the senate,” Applewhite said. “As the speaker of the senate, I can assure everyone that the Student Senate supports the Aggie Honor

Code and each Core Value of this great institution: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. The senate will continue to support and embody those, and I have complete faith in the senate to make the right decisions in order to serve the student body as soon as possible.”

The Student Senate meets on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.

Kyle Heise --- THE BATTALION

Community members celebrated Mexican culture and independence from Spain over the weekend in Downtown Bryan.

On Sept. 17, the day after Mexico declared independence from Spain over 200 years ago, the Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas of Bryan-College Station welcomed thousands to celebrate with a festival and parade.

Founded in the 1990s, the non-profit organization celebrates the beauty of Mexican culture and promotes education through scholarships. Event Organizer and Administrator Alma Villareal said the organization has grown immensely since its inception over 30 years ago and spends a year planning the event.

“The whole focus of the event is to instill the Hispanic culture and raise funds for scholarships for teachers and students pursuing higher education,” Villarreal said. “It’s a year-round planning process because we do fundraising, planning and logistics with the city. We partner with the downtown area and do different things at different times. For example, we received our permit back in May. There are a lot of different, little things we do in order to make the event possible.”

The annual event kicked off at noon with a parade down William J. Bryan Parkway. The scholarship winners, dubbed parade King and Queen, followed leading men and women in Mexican traditional wear riding horseback and holding Mexican flags in hand.

Marching behind, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band played the Aggie War Hymn. Reveille X trailed behind the cadets in a black, windows-down jeep. The band has served as an integral part of the parade for a decade now, Villarreal said.

“For 10 years, the band has been a part of the event,” Villarreal said. “They’re

always really excited to be a part of the event. Everyone in the community loves it. Some people don’t have the opportunity to go to an Aggie game or see the band perform. This is always a big treat for attendees.”

In addition to A&M, other schools from the Brazos Valley had the opportunity to be a part of the parade. Local elementary, intermediate and high schools rode on floats decorated with papel picado and Viva Mexico! banners.

The parade also featured performances from ballet folklorico performers and the group Danza Azteca de San Juan Diego

Cuauhtlatoatzin, which performed one of the oldest, traditional dances native to Mexico.

Following the parade, guests visited various food vendors at the annual festival and enjoyed elote, birria tacos and aguas frescas while listening to live music. Other vendors sold homemade zapatos, caps and other goods. For the first time ever, the organization also hosted a car show, Villareal said.

“The participation was amazing … the whole area around the main band stage was full of cool cars for people to look at,” Villareal said.

The festivities, new and old, paired with cooler weather made for a packed event from noon to 9 p.m. with people from all over Texas and across the border, Villareal said.

“People came by early and then stayed the whole time,” Villareal said. “We’ve seen people come for the parade and then go home to relax for a while before coming back in the evening, which was not the case this year. We didn’t also just have Hispanics. Other races also came and enjoyed the food, music and festivities. We had people come from Austin, Houston and San Antonio. Two people also came from Mexico and led El Grito [de Independencia].”

Villareal expressed gratitude to the sponsors who helped make the event possible and said she is looking forward to next year’s event.

To be blunt ... Marijuana isn’t harmless

prosecuting.

“We’re gonna treat every marijuana case the same whether it’s before or after the arrest,” Gray said. “I took an oath to uphold the law. I won’t change that.”

By Ryan Lindner @RyanLindner12

Weed, pot, cannabis, devil’s lettuce, ganja. All rough synonyms for the most controversial but little-understood drug in America. Today, the fight over legalization has captured the nation, with states such as Colorado and Oregon opting for full legalization, while states like Texas have maintained their prohibitionist approach.

However, growing public support for ol’ Mary Jane is unfortunately starting to change the landscape, even in the Lone Star State.

An example close to home is the recent decision by the Texas A&M University police department to go easy on marijuana possession on campus, a symptom of the misguided view that the drug may not be as harmful as previously thought.

Instead of immediately arresting someone in possession of 2 or fewer ounces, the campus police will confiscate the drugs, request an arrest warrant from the County Attorney and let the attorney’s office decide on whether to pursue charges. On its face, it may appear to be a reasonable policy change, but it may actually increase the amount of marijuana-related offenses on campus — a worrying possibility.

It all has to do with what Brazos County Attorney Earl Gray calls a “false sense of security.” Because the ultimate authority to prosecute a crime rests with the attorney’s office, a student caught with drugs on campus but released by the police is not legally off the hook. Marijuana possession is illegal in Texas, and that’s exactly what Gray said he will be

Will enforcement come through police actively searching for the offender and carrying out the arrest warrant, or will the warrant remain “outstanding” and be executed when the offender encounters law enforcement in the future?

For instance, a student has marijuana confiscated by an officer, and the county attorney obtains a warrant approved by a judge. A couple of months later, the offender runs a red light, gets pulled over, and the officer notices an active arrest warrant and is thus obligated to bring the unsuspecting person to jail. Does this policy still sound reasonable to you?

Another glaring problem with the change is the lack of uniformity among all the other Brazos County police departments. If someone is caught with marijuana on Northgate, they will be taken in by the police. If caught across the street on A&M property by campus police, the drugs will be merely taken away, with a warrant likely waiting for them.

The clear consequence is one police department unilaterally “enforcing” drug policies differently than all the others, which obviously sends mixed signals regarding the risk of possessing marijuana. If the goal is to prevent crime, then inconsistent messaging is the last thing you want.

Only time will tell how the logistics of this will play out, and that’s part of the danger. The original enforcement policy, and the one still pursued by every other police department in the county, is at least predictable in the sense that the offender isn’t going to be surprised by an arrest warrant in the future. Furthermore,

the straightforward policy of arresting marijuana users de-incentivizes drug use for the general population.

So, why should anyone care about this?

The simple fact is that marijuana is much more harmful than its advocates let on, and, as a community, we have an obligation to prevent the proliferation of its use.

A recent study published on May 4, 2023 in Psychological Medicine reinforces previous studies that highlight the close correlation between schizophrenia cases among young men and heavy pot usage. High marijuana consumption is linked to excessive vomiting, paranoia and tachycardia, or rapid heatbeat.

Even the argument that legalizing marijuana is the key to the fight against opioid overdoses is dubious given recent research. A working paper released in February 2022 examines opioid deaths in relation to recreational and medical cannabis and finds that “legal medical marijuana, particularly when available through retail dispensaries, is associated with higher opioid mortality.” Unsurprisingly, replacing one drug with another is not an effective way of fighting drug use.

Clearly, marijuana is not the harmless drug its advocates claim it is. However, what’s also damning is its detrimental effects on an individual’s feeling of motivation, loss of attention and performance. Think of it as a self-degradation drug. Typical work days become unbearable, and simple tasks become, well, not so simple.

Compounding the problem are popular stereotypes that paint marijuana use as utterly harmless aside from having the occasional bout of the “munchies.” This nationwide gaslighting makes it nearly impossible to discuss the harms of cannabis without being depicted as a hater of all things fun.

Take Annie Lowrey’s August 2018 essay in The Atlantic, “America’s Invisible Pot Addicts,” for example. After interviewing multiple people with a history of marijuana use, she describes one of her takeaways as being the number of people who suffered greatly from using the drug but how difficult it was for them to convince people of the severity of their situation.

“Users or former users I spoke with described lost jobs, lost marriages, lost houses, lost money, lost time,” Lowrey said. “Foreclosures and divorces. Weight gain and mental-health problems. And one other thing: the problem of convincing other people that what they were experiencing was real.”

While casual marijuana users probably won’t experience the worst of these effects, the march for legalization has contributed to a growing number of people — roughly 16 million Americans, suffering from what’s known as marijuana use disorder. As more and more people become addicted to marijuana, these dangerous and life-derailing effects become significantly more likely.

So, we have a drug that millions of Americans are hooked on, and countless lives derailed because of addiction and other dangerous side effects that are rarely told to unsuspecting consumers. It’s a cultural problem as much as a drug problem, and if I said there’s an easy fix, I would be lying. However, what should be obvious is that going easy on marijuana is not a sustainable solution.

To A&M police and the public at large: Marijuana is a real threat to people’s health and the community. Let’s act like it.

Ryan Lindner is a political science senior and opinion editor for The Battalion.

War Hymn vs. War Eagle

A&M opens SEC slate against Auburn in early morning matchup

By Luke White @LukeWhite03

As Texas A&M football prepares to open SEC play against Auburn, the list of changes both programs have undergone since the teams met last season is long enough to stretch from Texas to Alabama. The two programs, both with six wins against each other, will meet at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 11 a.m.

The Aggies and Tigers met on Nov. 12, 2022, with the understanding that the losers would have their hopes of salvaging the season with a bowl game dashed. The two entered on five-game losing skids with a mission to stay out of the conference’s basement.

In a game in which both offenses took the night off, Auburn eked out a 13-10 win that saw A&M tally just 215 yards of offense while all but ensuring a losing season for the Maroon and White.

Fast forward a year, and it’s safe to say A&M and Auburn are feeling a bit more optimistic about the future.

Bobby Petrino was hired in the offseason as a remedy for those offensive woes and has more than lived up to his billing, with the Aggies averaging 44 points a game for the 12th-highest in the country. That number is double what the offense produced last year, as an experienced and electric stable of receivers has led the way.

Despite an early stumble at Miami, A&M’s defense has shown signs of life as well, far from its form in 2022 when it struggled to get off the field. In the team’s two wins against New Mexico and Louisiana-Monroe, the opponents scored just a combined 13 points.

Yes, it may only be New Mexico and Louisiana-Monroe, two teams that have sat near the bottom of their respective conferences for much of the past decade. But what sets these non-conference games apart from those of years’ past is that the Aggies took care of business and played in a manner expected of them.

A&M’s season-opening 31-0 shutout of Sam Houston State looked good from a defensive standpoint, but left a lot to be desired on the other side of the ball last season. Those concerns came to fruition a week later when Appalachian State came into Kyle Field and left with a 17-14 victory that encapsulated the 5-7 season for the Aggies. Heck, they even struggled against lowly UMass, as the day’s rainy conditions matched the play on the field in a 20-3 win.

Looking upon last season as a basis, beating the Lobos 52-10 and taking down the Warhawks 47-3 were victories that should be celebrated. A&M learned that no win should be taken for granted, particularly in the gauntlet of the SEC.

Last season’s loss to the Tigers saw a handful of freshmen earn playing time, although perhaps more out of necessity than anything else due to a rash of injuries. Those freshmen included now-sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman, who completed just 14 of 36 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown while being sacked three times.

“My head was spinning, trying to figure out what was going on,” Weigman said. “[Now I have] a way better grasp of the offense and knowing what defenses are trying to do to confuse me — just having a

better grasp of pretty much all aspects.”

What a difference an offseason makes, as that bright-eyed freshman has transformed into a leader on

an A&M offense looking to prove doubters wrong this year. Weigman has completed 70.5% of his passes with eight touchdowns compared to two interceptions while rushing

ship qualities and motivation on the sideline. The signal-caller was seen during the ULM game keeping his teammates locked in and focused on the bench.

“I feel like it’s always been there with whatever sport I’m playing — football, baseball, basketball growing up,” Weigman said. “Like coach Fisher always preaches, we’ve got to play well all four quarters and just because we’re winning a game, we can’t let up. We’ve got to go out and execute the game plan and what coach Petrino’s calling.”

For the Aggies to put together a successful year, an offseason culture change was needed. To put it simply, A&M needed an attitude adjustment, one that views losses as a learning opportunity while keeping the players’ minds focused on the game ahead.

“I feel like the losses last year really brought our team down a little bit,” sophomore defensive lineman LT Overton said. “You can really see the change in maturity of our team this year. I feel like after that loss to Miami, now we know that’s not all we have. We know what type of potential we have, we know what we can do. It’s just, ‘What are we going to take out of that loss?’”

If last Saturday was any indication, that new mentality has been put in action already, as A&M put forth a complete effort in a strong rebound from the loss to Miami.

“I feel like last year we didn’t take that loss to App. State pretty good, but this year, that early loss, we’re really taking it well, as we should,” Overton said.

Differences from last season’s matchup don’t end with the Aggies. The Tigers, shaking off a 5-7 campaign of their own, reeled in former Ole Miss and Liberty coach Hugh Freeze during the offseason to make his return to the SEC. Freeze led the Rebels to a No. 3 national ranking and a 39-25 record over five seasons before being forced to resign due to personal misconduct.

Freeze was 3-2 versus A&M while at Ole Miss, although two of those wins have been vacated for recruiting violations. Fisher and Freeze met each other on the gridiron in 2016 when Fisher’s Florida State opened the season against Ole Miss. Fisher and the Seminoles stormed back from a 28-6 deficit to come out with a 45-34 victory.

“Hugh’s going to be aggressive on offense,” Fisher said. “He’s going to be dynamic, he’s going to create things. [On] special teams, [he’s] not afraid to call a fake, not afraid to do things. Very good coach, gonna have his guys motivated and ready to play.”

Auburn suffocated A&M last season with a rushing attack that tallied 270 yards, compared to just 60 through the air. This season, with Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne under center, the Tigers have been more well-rounded, averaging 215.7 yards on the ground and 212.3 passing yards per game.

Last season’s starting quarterback, sophomore Robby Ashford, is now used primarily to run the ball, with 15 carries and six passes through three games. The strategy has worked thus far, with four touchdowns coming with his legs. Thorne isn’t afraid to run the ball either, with two touchdown runs of his own while averaging 6.4 yards a carry.

for two more scores.

That growth hasn’t stopped on the field, as Weigman has earned praise from coach Jimbo Fisher and his teammates for his leader-

Both teams will look to begin the conference slate on a good note on Saturday. While one team will take the next stop in a comeback season, the other may have to reevaluate expectations for this year.

Chris Swann, Ani Tummalapalli and Kyle Heise — THE BATTALION

By Matthew Seaver @Matthew_Seaver

AROUND THE SEC

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 4

No. 15 Ole Miss @ No. 13 Alabama

Saturday, Sept. 23 — 11 a.m. on CBS Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Ole Miss, led by junior quarterback Jaxson Dart, holds a record of 3-0 and looks to keep on rolling. Alabama, with a record of 2-1, has no true QB1 and is still trying to find “the guy.”

Despite coach Nick Saban’s excellent coaching, the poor play from under center will hold

back the Crimson Tide. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s group of misfit toys have tons of momentum and are looking to carve a spot for themselves in the SEC. The Rebels will turn the Tide and leave Tuscaloosa, Alabama with a win.

Prediction: Ole Miss 31, Alabama 20

Memphis @ Missouri

Saturday, Sept. 23 — 6:30 p.m. on ESPN

The Dome at America’s Center — St. Louis

In the tale of two Tigers, Missouri is coming off of a walk-off field goal victory against Kansas State, while Memphis had a back-and-forth battle with Navy. Missouri will need to be able to outlast Memphis junior quarterback Seth Henigan, who scored the winning touchdown

run against Navy. Missouri sophomore wide receiver Luther Burden III is proving why he was the No. 2 wide receiver in the country coming out of high school. Missouri’s stripes stand strong and it hands Memphis its first loss of the season.

Prediction: Missouri 27, Memphis 21

Kentucky @ Vanderbilt

Saturday, Sept. 23 — 11 a.m. on SEC Network

FirstBank Stadium — Nashville, Tennessee

Kentucky’s bourbon has not been the only smooth thing, as the Wildcats are off to a strong 3-0 start. Transfer senior quarterback Devin Leary has looked poised and confident through the first three weeks of this season.While the Commodores can only boast a record of 2-2, sophomore quarterback AJ Swann

has thrown at least two touchdown passes in every game.Vanderbilt is looking for a statement win here as Kentucky comes to town.They won’t find it though, as Leary will prove why he left Wolfpack red for Wildcat Blue and derail the Commodores.

Prediction: Kentucky 45, Vanderbilt 42

Arkansas @ No. 12 LSU

Saturday, Sept. 23 — 6 p.m. on ESPN Tiger Stadium — Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The LSU Tigers and coach Brian Kelly did not start the season how they had hoped, getting dominated by Florida State in Week 1, but are coming off a big win against Mississippi State. The Razorbacks wanted to make a statement this year led by senior quarterback KJ Jefferson,

but there was no Woo Pig Sooie last week as it fell to the BYU Cougars. If senior LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels wants the Heisman, he has to dominate against the SEC foes. The Tigers will maul the Hogs and Daniels shows why he belongs in Heisman contention.

Prediction: LSU 38, Arkansas 27

Mississippi State @ South Carolina

Saturday, Sept. 23 — 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network Williams-Brice Stadium — Columbia, South Carolina

Neither of these teams is starting the season how it had hoped, with both at the bottom of their respective divisions. Senior quarterback Spencer Rattler is not performing like Gamecock fans had hoped and South Carolina will need to find something to get its offense going. The Bulldogs and senior

quarterback Will Rogers are still reeling from the passing of legendary coach Mike Leach, and the Bulldogs’ offense is still finding a new way of life after the air raid. Rogers rights the ship, and South Carolina coach Shane Beamer’s seat may begin to heat up.

Prediction: Mississippi State 24, South Carolina 10

UTSA @ No. 23 Tennessee

Saturday, Sept. 23 — 3 p.m. on SEC Network Neyland Stadium — Knoxville, Tennessee

Tennessee senior quarterback Joe Milton is looking to prove to fans and NFL scouts that he can produce the same level of magic as Hendon Hooker and this Volunteer offense did last year, they return to Rocky Top after losing a fight in the swamp.

UTSA and coach Jeff Traylor are off to a slow start after losing many of last years over achieving roadrunners to the NFL and the transfer portal. Smokey gets a bowl full, and the orange and white checkerboards fly high.

Prediction: Tennessee 56, UTSA 17

A&M has ‘Bad Blood’ against upcoming opponents

with their attempts. This ain’t a fairytale, so the Aggies need to put in the effort.

Leading the Bulldogs in goals with three on the season is junior forward Aitana Martinez-Montoya. She has racked up 21 shots, with 14 on frame and an assist this season.

By Kylie Stoner @Sportsbystoner

After a brief break from conference play, Texas A&M soccer will dive into the rest of the season as it travels to Mississippi State and returns home to play Arkansas on newly-dubbed Taylor Swift Night.

Mississippi State

With the last three matchups between the Aggies and the Bulldogs resulting in an A&M loss, the Maroon and White hope to turn it around on Thursday, Sept. 21 in Starkville, Mississippi.

Mississippi State defeated A&M twice in 2022, with a 1-0 loss at Ellis Field and a 2-1 overtime loss during the SEC Tournament.

Four yellow card bookings were distributed during the overtime loss. The Bulldogs did a number on the Aggies, but honestly, baby, who’s counting?

In the tournament matchup, the Aggies outshot the Bulldogs, 29-9. Only the all too well 10 minute version’s amount of shots landed on target for A&M, and just one made it in the net. With Mississippi State having a much better ratio with on-target shots of nine total and eight on goal, A&M needs to be more precise

Arkansas On a five-game losing streak by the Aggies to the Razorbacks, A&M will hope to utilize new talent in its Taylor Swift-themed match night because they aren’t dead and gone and buried yet.

Arkansas and A&M combined have at least one yellow card in every game since 2017. You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.

Arkansas shut down A&M’s attack in the last matchup. The Razorbacks shot 17 times in their home game, but limited the Aggie offense to four shots throughout the entirety of the game.

The Razorback graduates midfielder Bea Franklin and forward Morgan White both lead the team in points with eight. Both of the forwards have four goals and one assist on the season. The leading scores have had a marvelous time ruining everything for opposing defenses.

The Razorbacks should keep in mind there is nothing Aggie soccer does better than revenge.

A&M will host Arkansas on Sunday, Sept. 24 at Ellis Field with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m., and it’s been a long time coming.

Aggies take on Mississippi State, Arkansas, look to put series losses in rearview

Megan Williams — THE BATTALION

Junior D/M Quinn Cornog (34) and Washington State F Grayson Lynch chase after the ball during Texas A&M’s game against Washington State on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.

Aggies cage Bulldogs

By Luke White @LukeWhite03

During his weekly media availability on Monday, first-year coach Jamie Morrison made an admission about SEC volleyball as a coach that’s new to the conference.

“The SEC is tougher than I thought it would be,” Morrison said. “If you look across the conference, they’ve done a really good job of hiring. That’s not to toot my own horn, but I think the majority of coaches they brought into this conference are gonna pick their teams up. I think it’s a testament to just how deep and difficult this conference is gonna be.”

In spite of those challenges, Morrison’s first match in SEC play was one to remember, as Texas A&M swept Mississippi State 3-0 in front of a raucous Reed Arena crowd on Wednesday, Sept. 20. The Aggies improved to 9-2 with the win, their best start to the season since 2019, when they reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament. A&M also snapped a six-match losing streak to Mississippi State after dropping both matches to the Bulldogs last year.

“Going in, we talked about making a statement about who we are in the SEC,” Morrison said. “This first time through with each team that we play, it’s our chance to say, ‘This is what Texas A&M is.’”

Graduate outside hitter Caroline Meuth

and sophomore opposite hitter Logan Lednicky paced A&M on offense with 12 and 11 kills each, while sophomore libero Ava Underwood added 10 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla added 10 blocks, including seven in the third set, as the Aggies displayed a balanced offensive attack.

“Everyone shines at different moments and it also very much depends on what the other team is doing,” Lednicky said. “We started off winning with the serve and pass game and then we finished off with the blocking game … I think it just shows everyone can step up in different moments and we can all work to-

gether to win.”

The sweep looks great on paper, but it didn’t come without its challenges, with set wins of 25-20, 25-22 and 25-18. The Bulldogs remained a thorn in the Aggies’ side for the entirety of the match and didn’t allow A&M to build up any significant leads.

Mississippi State showed that fight from the get-go, jumping to a 4-0 lead in the first set with a pair of attack errors and a service ace from graduate setter Alexa Fortin Goede. The Aggies picked up a 9-8 lead they wouldn’t lose, riding it to a set victory. After a 14-12 lead, A&M maintained a cushion of at least 3

points for the rest of the way.

“Jamie talks a lot about being comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Lednicky said. “That’s where we almost thrive now, and we’re getting to where we play even better in those types of situations, we’re able to come out of it way faster.”

Mississippi State lost a key piece of its defense when graduate middle blocker Zoe Gonzales went down in the first set with a leg injury. After being helped off the court, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week didn’t return for the remainder of the match.

The Bulldogs bounced back with a 12-9 lead to begin the second set behind kills from five different players. A&M kept things close as Mississippi State clung to a mere 15-14 lead at the set’s commercial break.

Amid a 6-3 A&M run, Mississippi State used its two timeouts of the set, albeit to no avail. The Aggies grabbed a 16-15 edge and held on for the win while warding off the Bulldogs, who stayed persistent and brought things as close as 23-22 with a 4-1 streak.

A&M took a 5-2 advantage at the onset of the third and final set, but Mississippi State refused to let up. The Bulldogs took a brief 10-9 lead with a kill from senior outside hitter Karli Schmidt, one of her team-high nine kills. The Aggies broke a 12-12 deadlock thanks to a service error before an 8-1 rally carried them to a match victory.

A&M continues the gauntlet of the SEC with matches on the road against No. 16 Arkansas and No. 3 Florida on Sept. 24 and 27.

A&M volleyball takes down Mississippi State to open conference play at home

Texas A&M opens SEC play against Mississippi State in a 3-0 sweep on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 at Reed Arena.

Ishika Samant, Chris Swann and Jaime Rowe --- THE BATTALION