MONDAY, AUGUST 27 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2018 STUDENT MEDIA
ZACH IS BACK
Photos by Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION
The completed Zachry Engineering Education Complex willto provide enhanced learning facilities to students.
After four years of renovations, Zachry welcomes students By Jordan Burnham @RJordanBurnham As the school year begins, the recently reconstructed Zachry Engineering Education Complex will open its doors for students to begin taking classes and using the updated facilities. The Zachry Complex, which has been under renovation for the past four years, now features an increased size, updated, state of the art engineering technology and an emphasis on space for socialization and collaboration. Updates that further set the building apart from its previous version include its Fischer Design Center, rooftop garden and active-learning style classrooms. According to Dean of Engineering M. Katherine Banks, the Fischer Design Center boasts 60,000 square feet and functions as a versatile makerspace, a collaborative area providing students the technology to work on a range of projects from 3D printing to woodworking. “We currently have 20,000 square feet in our Engineering Innovation Center,” Banks said. “The 60,000 square feet we have in the Zachry building [design center] will allow students even more room to create and test their designs.” Not only does the building feature new technology updates, it also showcases art with an engineering connection and foundation. The outdoor E-Quad will incorporate various mathematical formulas into its design, ZACHRY ON PG. 2
New actions against sexual assault
FILE
Reveille VIII served as Texas A&M’s mascot for eight years and will be laid to rest in the Reveille cemetery on the north end of Kyle Field.
Honoring Reveille VIII Funeral service for former mascot to be held Thursday Staff Report The Corps of Cadets will give a final send-off for former mascot Reveille VIII at her funeral service Thursday morning. Reveille VIII passed away on Monday, June 25 at 12 years old. The funeral service for the former first lady of Aggieland will be held at The Zone Plaza on the north side of Kyle Field on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 8:30 a.m. The service is open to the public and expected to last 30 minutes. A burial alongside her predecessors in the Reveille Cemetery will occur 30 minutes after the service concludes. Reveille VIII began her reign in Aggieland in August 2008 and retired to Texas A&M’s Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center in May 2015. In a statement
announcing the mascot’s passing, University President Michael K. Young thanked the Aggies who served Reveille throughout her life. “Our university mascot is one of the most beloved and unifying traditions at Texas A&M,” Young said. “I encourage Aggies and Texas A&M supporters to join in honoring Reveille VIII for her service to our institution. I would also like to thank the Corps of Cadets Company E-2, the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and the Stevenson Center for maintaining the highest standard of care for Reveille VIII throughout her time as mascot and during her retirement.” Since the service will take place on the same day as the Northwestern State football game, freshman ticket pull has been relocated to the east side of Kyle Field. At noon, north ticket windows will open for public ticket sales.
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
University President Michael K. Young addressed the new Title IX actions at a media briefing.
Investigations yield changes to A&M’s Title IX policies By Taylor Fennell @TaylorPaige1299 University President Michael K. Young recently approved 11 actions aimed at improving procedures and resources involved in Title IX sexual misconduct cases. Announced on Aug. 20, the actions are based on recommendations from internal and external investigations into the university’s handling of such cases. The investigations were launched after survivors of sexual assault brought their experiences to light this summer, many calling for a more supportive process for survivors and increased accountability for students found
responsible for sexual misconduct. Two internal committees comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, and members of local advocacy organizations provided the president with recommendations that resulted in nine of the 11 actions. New reporting guidelines designed to limit the number of times a survivor must recount a painful or traumatic experience are among the actions taken. Dr. Robin Means-Coleman, vice president and associate provost for diversity, co-chaired the first committee, which examined the student experience throughout the Title IX investigation process. She said the previous procedures often required survivors to retell their story multiple times throughout the reporting process.
“What is a strength is also complicated and that is we have a number of intake points where one can report what has happened to them…” Means-Coleman said. “That might be through counseling services, it might be a faculty member, it might be a roommate. We worked hard to then talk about how many times does a survivor have to tell their story? How can we make that more comfortable and trauma-informed for a survivor?” The second internal committee, chaired by vice president for student affairs Daniel Pugh, made recommendations on student sanctions and eligibility for participation in extracurriculars. The committee made it clear in a summary of their recommendations TITLE IX PG. 2