TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2016 STUDENT MEDIA | @THEBATTONLINE
TECHNOLOGY
Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION
Students can use the Spitball app to share study guides and talk about classes.
‘Spitball’ app to bring new study platform to A&M By Dani Manley @danimanley18 A new outlet for studying can be found with the tap of a finger on an app and is now available to Texas A&M students. Spitball, a free communication and group study app, allows students to share study guides, create custom quizzes and talk to fellow students about classes. Jordan Weiss, head of U.S. Operations for Spitball, said the app is launching at 13 schools around the United States and chose College Station as a testing ground because A&M is a large school with a high-level of academics. “Spitball originally launched in Israel and we already have two-thirds of Israeli college students using our platform, and those are students all across the country,” Weiss said. “A&M has really strong academics and a vibrant culture and campus life. We found that Spitball is most successful on campuses where there is a campus community and students are working together and studying together.” Weiss said Spitball got its name for being an open space where students can communicate ideas and find help with academic issues. “The platform is called Spitball because to spitball means to brainstorm together in an open, non-judgmental environment,” Weiss said. “Spitballing and the idea of working together are some of our core values.” Students can access Spitball from any location at any time that posts the most relevant information first, Weiss said. “[Students] can use Spitball wherever they are, at any time, to study at their own pace while still being a part of a larger group,” Weiss said. “We rely on students to upload the content. We have, similar to Facebook, a ‘like’ feature. The algorithm is such that the documents that are downloaded more often, liked more often, commented will be promoted.” Jennifer Gonzalez, biomedical sciences senior, said she does not use study apps often. “I do think they’re helpful; I just personally mostly prefer doing stuff on my own. But I do think they are helpful,” Gonzalez said. “I think it depends on the course. I know last year for one of my classes we would share stuff through a Facebook page and we would all collaborate and I thought that was useful and fair in a way because we were all doing it together and putting stuff we can all think about and contribute. I don’t think it’s as helpful if only one person is contributing everything.” Cynthia Maldonado, biochemistry sophomore, said she does use study apps, but found that many of them lacked the information she was seeking for her major. “I think it would be useful as long as there’s material that helps,” Maldonado said. “If I have questions with regards to a problem and I can’t find an answer or I can’t seem to get help, I could just put my question in and use it, and people could just answer it and it could be faster than going to office hours.”
BATT THE
As a sophomore in 2015, Emma Douglas was involved in multiple J-Court cases during the spring elections.
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FILE
‘Let’s talk about when things get tough’ Former election commissioner Emma Douglas approved as chief of staff, opens up about sexual assault By Sam King @Sam_King372
T
he spring 2015 semester was a turbulent time for the Student Government Association, enough so that the time period between student elections and the end of the semester became known as “Koldusgate.” And at the center of it was then-sophomore Emma Douglas. But it wasn’t until one year later, at a May 2016 Student Senate meeting, that Douglas revealed she had been sexually assaulted during the same time period Koldusgate was at its highest amount of controversy. In the spring of 2015 Douglas served as the election commissioner, a position which put her in charge of running the student elections. Errors in the online balloting process, campaign violations and rumors led to multiple SGA Judicial Court cases. Although each case found in her favor — in some cases through close rulings — Student Senate later called for Douglas’ impeachment. In a move to “save the Student Government Association from further perpetuating unhealthy and destructive dialogue,” Douglas resigned as election commissioner March 11. A few weeks later, then-student body president-elect Joseph Benigno put Douglas in front of the Student Senate to become a member of his executive staff
Emma Douglas, now a senior, was confirmed as executive chief of staff for SBP Hannah Wimberly. FILE
as the operations executive vice president. His nomination was denied by the senators of the 68th Session. Current SBP Hannah Wimberly put Douglas forward once again, though this time for the position of her chief of staff, late in the spring 2016 semester. During the first meeting in which Wimberly put Douglas forward, Douglas was again turned down, this time by senators of the 69th Session. But when Wimberly put Douglas forward once again at a May 2, 2016 Student Senate meeting, Douglas
SPITBALL ON PG. 2
was unanimously approved as chief of staff. It was during this meeting that Douglas opened up about her sexual assault. “If things get tough this year, how can you convince me that you’re not just going to resign?” Grayson Blair, student senator of the 69th Session asked Douglas during the May 2 meeting. Douglas was quick in her response. “Let’s talk about when things get tough,” Douglas said. DOUGLAS ON PG. 4
BLUFFING AT BARS Bouncers, local police discuss illegal use of fake IDs at Northgate bars By Christine Doran @cndoran
Northgate bartenders and bouncers say they see fake IDs four to five times each week. Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION
Northgate is teeming with them, the bouncers and bartenders expect them, it wouldn’t be a college town without them — fake IDs, as Sergeant Jason Summers with the College Station Police Department said, “come with the territory.” So when one Texas A&M student began making them, he said, “It was really easy.” The anonymous source said he began making “papers,” the printed, paper version of a temporary driver’s license, as a freshman. According to the fake ID producer, he received a template via email from a friend and simply typed up the basic information typically found on a driver’s license. These fake IDs expire after one month, similar to official temporary paper IDs, so they were sold for
only approximately $10-$20 each, the source said. A finance senior who had one of these paper fakes said he got a fake in order to avoid pricey cover charges at bars for minors. “When I had my paper fake, the first time I used it was one of the scariest moments of my life,” he said. “Because everyone’s done it, they don’t feel like it’s that big of a risk.” He said while some places are easier to get away with a fake ID, the paper IDs aren’t entirely foolproof. “I only used it at gas stations that everyone knew were sketchy,” he said. “Bars are different. It all depends on who the bouncer is.” Two bartenders at Dudley’s Draw, Nate Hahn and Thomas Ayars, said they only encounter fake IDs about once a week, while Zach Barnett, a bouncer with Icon Nightclub and Lounge, said their weekend bouncers frequently find four or five of them each night. Barnett said fake IDs have a range of tell-tale signs FAKE IDS ON PG. 2