The Battalion - February 11, 2021 by The Battalion

A&M transfer students search for belonging New Aggies face obstacles while transitioning academically, socially By Katen Adams Guest Contributor At only 5 years old, Autumn Isaacks said she was torn between choosing her father or a family friend in the traditional Texas A&M

versus University of Texas argument. As her Aggie family friend baited Isaacks away from her father, the Longhorn fan, she said the Aggie whispered, “When Texas A&M gets a touchdown, you get to kiss the guy you are with.” After that moment, Isaacks said she set her heart on the path for A&M but, for a variety of reasons, attended three different colleges before coming to the university. On the chilly day of Feb. 11, 2020, Isaacks was ac-

cepted into A&M as an education major, excited and feeling like her hard work had finally paid off. Isaacks’ reaction to the long-awaited news was to call everybody she knew to share the moment with them. After being welcomed to the Aggie community, Isaacks said the journey into A&M was followed by a series of unexpected disappointments. Other transfer students who did not start their academic careers at A&M agree being a

transfer has its challenges. Advisors and research confirm that Isaacks is not the only transfer student to encounter barriers academically and socially. Academic advisor Kristy Kulhanek-Stockmoe, Ph.D., confirmed through research that Isaacks’ experience was not isolated. People who advise and direct student success agree there is a TRANSFERRING ON PG. 4

PROVIDED

Construction science senior Hayden Haddock was recently signed to Red 11 music agency.

On the rise: Hayden Haddock Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

A student employee working in Texas A&M’s A.P. Beutel Health Center receives the COVID-19 vaccine.

Aggies share their experiences, thoughts on COVID-19 vaccine Many A&M student, faculty health care workers have chosen to get vaccinated, encourage others to as well By Julia Potts & Alex Stebel @juliaapotts & @alexsteb11

ince the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine began in December 2020, more than 27 million people have received their first doses in America. While many recipients of the first vaccine rollout have been frontline workers and public officials, some people closer to home have also had the opportunity, including Texas A&M Director of Student Health Services Dr. Martha Dannenbaum. “I chose to get vaccinated to lead by example, support community response to the pandemic, provide reassurance that [Student Health Services] is committed to providing

a safer environment for in-person healthcare and to reduce my own personal risk for severe illness,” Dannenbaum said in a tweet from Student Health Services. While many at A&M are ready to receive the vaccine as early as possible, others are more hesitant. Allied health senior Elliott Clause has worked at Baylor Scott & White since August 2019 as a phlebotomist and laboratory technician, and said after initial apprehension, she is now ready for the vaccine. “I didn’t get the vaccine in December when it was first offered because I was honestly nervous and wanted to see its effects,” Clause said. “Now I’m ready for it and am on a waitlist to hopefully receive it soon.” Clause said her motives for receiving the vaccine are to not only protect herself, but most importantly, her loved ones. “Seeing the effects this virus has had on older people, I have been wanting to get the vaccine in order to protect not only me but my family and friends,” Clause said. “This virus is very strange with its effects on each person, but I am afraid of what it may do to family members.”

Cameron Stevens, a first year dentistry student, was vaccinated first on Jan. 7 and received his second dose on Feb. 7. As a dental student, Stevens said he felt it necessary to be vaccinated if he was to interact with patients. “I decided to get the vaccine because in order to build herd immunity and to protect those who can’t get the vaccine, it’s better for other people to have immunity,” Stevens said. Andrea Argenal, Class of 2020, received the vaccination on Feb. 5. She said she has been assisting her family in their pediatric clinic with duties that vary day-to-day and obtained the vaccine a few weeks ago. “I was actually one of the last people to get the vaccine at the office since I don’t get that much face-to-face time with patients,” Argenal said. Argenal said before she received the vaccine, she was aware some people experienced side effects the first day, but the process seems routine. “I’ve heard people get a lot of side effects VACCINE ON PG. 3

A&M senior balances academic schedule with country music career By Shelby McVey @shelbyxbreann With more than 100 shows played per year and a top 20 single on the Texas Country Music Chart, Texas A&M construction science senior Hayden Haddock has hit the road running with his music career and has no plans to stop anytime soon. Haddock’s current radio single, “Where You Come In,” pays homage to “Ol’ Aggie Town” and its iconic nightlife, becoming the second most downloaded song on Texas radio behind Cody Johnson. Although he’s shared the stage with Texas country legends such as Roger Creager and the Eli Young Band, Haddock said as a shy 14-yearold, picking up the guitar was about as far as he saw his career going. “For five years, I didn’t play the guitar in front of anybody, and I definitely didn’t sing,” Haddock said. “That wasn’t even in the question of things. I got down to A&M for my freshman year and I almost didn’t even bring a guitar with me.” Haddock kept his talents to himself until his freshman roommate saw the opportunity to embarrass Haddock, or lend him a helping hand, after he brought a girl home to their apartment. “I was talking to a girl at the time and I brought her over to the apartment, and my roommate at the time — who I had known since the early days of high school — thought it would be a good time to embarrass me and tell HADDOCK ON PG. 3

Experts weigh in on rejoining Paris Agreement A&M professors talk United States’ role in combatting climate change By Avie Vaidya @avie_vaidya On President Joe Biden’s first day in office, he upheld his campaign promise to rejoin the Paris Agreement, an international treaty within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change committed to reducing global temperatures to fight climate change. The Paris Agreement’s main goal is to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally to 1.5 degrees Celsius, levels which are comparable to the pre-industrial era. Since its inception in 2016, 197 countries have signed this agreement. While the United States exited the Paris Agreement during former President Donald Trump’s term, professor of atmospheric sciences Ramalingam Saravanan, Ph.D., said the United States has still reduced emissions. “The United States has done pretty well because of its shift to natural gas, despite the Trump Administration pulling out of the Paris Agreement,” Saravanan said.

Though the United States has begun to make a switch to natural gas from oil and coal, Saravanan said he believes the United States is still an integral part of the Paris Agreement and the world “practically need[s] the U.S. on board to provide political leadership.” One of the less-discussed contributors to global warming is hydrofluoric carbon emissions, or HFCs. These typically come from air conditioners and fridges. Atmospheric sciences professor Yangyang Xu, Ph.D., said HFCs are one of the biggest issues that must be addressed. “If we don’t regulate HFCs, then the growth of it alone can increase global temperatures by 0.5 degrees [Celsius],” Xu said. “In European countries, which typically have mild summers, people may want to start to buy more air conditioners as global temperatures increase, just adding on to the problem.” The $900 billion stimulus package passed last December also included funding to combat climate change that specifically targets HFC emissions. Xu said this money is “one of the most influential packages signed since 2009.” As renewable energy begins to take a more dominant stance in the industry, the question arises of what will happen to the oil and gas

Creative Commons

The United States has now rejoined 197 countries around the world in supporting the Paris Agreement, which looks to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.

companies that have historically provided the world with the majority of its energy. Atmospheric sciences professor Andrew Dessler, Ph.D., said he believes oil and gas companies are already on the decline. “The oil and gas industry will be greatly

diminished at some point in the next few decades, and policy makers should be focused on how to phase this out slowly,” Dessler said. “Start transitioning away now and slowly, and PARIS ACCORD ON PG. 4

LIFE&ARTS

The Battalion | 2.11.21

Making every voice heard

PROVIDED

Student organizations including RepresentAsian are working to increase the representation of minorities in student government at Texas A&M.

La Familia, RepresentAsian empower minorities to run for Student Senate By Lauren Discher @lauren_discher After seeing the historic underrepresentation of minority students in student government, several student organizations were created to support minority candidates running for Student Senate. La Familia and RepresentAsian were established to increase the representation of minorities in student leadership positions on Texas A&M’s campus by giving them a network and platform to increase their chances of success. They hope to ensure A&M’s Student Senate accurately represents the university’s growing diversity in order to advocate for university policies that benefit the entire student body. External Affairs Associate for La Familia Alexia Hernandez said the purpose of the La Familia initiative under the Hispanic Presidents’ Council is to increase the representation of Hispanic and Latinx senators in A&M’s Student Senate through coordinated campaigning. “Our goal is to ensure that the Student Senate consists of accurate representation of the ever-growing communities on campus in order to advocate for university policies that

benefit the student body as a whole,” Hernandez said. Founded in 2018, Hernandez said the program has helped many Hispanic and Latinx students become student senators. “The vast majority of our candidates have had major success in the program and were able to be elected to the Student Senate. Candidates who may have otherwise not had the support, guidance or resources to campaign by themselves,” Hernandez said. “Our La Familia alumni have gone on to achieve significant accomplishments in the Student Senate, holding chair positions, crafting important pieces of legislation and speaking to administration directly about pressing issues that affect students every day.” Though diversity can often be seen as a buzzword thrown around with no intention of achievement, Hernandez said, La Familia is taking real, important steps to bring diverse people and opinions to campus. “I believe diversity and inclusion begin with electing diverse people to leadership positions, which brings many different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences to the table that have historically been unheard or disregarded,” Hernandez said. “Depending on the issue, the Student Senate often has a heavy influence on how administration weighs in on university policy, and it’s important that we have representatives who can advocate for im-

plementing policies that benefit every Aggie.” Director of Civic Engagement for Asian Presidents’ Council Megha Viswanath said she started RepresentAsian in the fall of 2020 after personally witnessing the lack of Asian American representation within Student Government Association. “I was one of only four Asian American senators during the spring 2020 elections and the only Asian woman elected,” Viswanath said. “I realized the incredible lack of Asian American representation within student government itself as I navigated both the executive side as part of the SGA Diversity Commission and then the legislative side as part of the [Student] Senate.” Since Asian American Pacific Islander Desi American, or APIDA, students make up 8.8 percent of the student body, Viswanath said the representation in Student Senate is disproportionate. “Asian Aggies have backgrounds from South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia and each comes with a unique experience, perspectives, and issues that they need to be addressed,” Viswanath said. “With only four Asian American student senators last election, how can all of these identities and problems be heard and appropriately understood and addressed?” Viswanath said her intention in creating RepresentAsian was to give Asian American

students a platform to campaign on, resources to better understand and navigate student government and a network to connect with and better serve Asian American students. “Currently, we operate as a cohort-based program taking applicants every semester, and accepted students serve as a RepresentAsian candidate and mentee one semester and a program ambassador and mentor the next semester,” Viswanath said. “I hope this program will encourage more Asian American students to get involved with student government and remove some of the stigma and fear that organizations and environments like this are not meant for us.” With an ever-growing student body of individuals with intersecting identities, Viswanath said there is still a large gap between the demographics reflected in the decision-making process of SGA and the Aggies who make up A&M. “Programs like RepresentAsian and La Familia take that first step to help decrease the gap by empowering more diverse candidates to run and become a part of that important decision making process,” Viswanath said. “As our school grows and changes, we need more diverse faces and voices who have first hand knowledge and experience with the issues in our communities to have a seat at the table and make sure our problems are addressed and taken seriously.”

Know t

h out. ac

igns. R s e e h

NOT ANOTHER

AGGIE tx.ag/suicidepreventiontraining

NEWS

The Battalion | 2.11.21

HADDOCK CONTINUED her that I could play the guitar and sing and all this stuff,” Haddock said. “So basically after about 30 minutes of arguing, I got the guitar out and played a song. That was the most nervous I’d ever been in my life. About a month later I played my first show.” That first show at a local jazz bar featured Haddock playing four songs during a break in the in-house band’s set. Now, he travels virtually every weekend of the year, checking off his bucket list of venues to play one by one. On Jan. 28, he got to cross Hurricane Harry’s off that list. “Of course that was one of the venues on my bucket list, so getting to mark that one off was great,” Haddock said. “It was definitely a big one for me with me living here and being an Aggie. It’s a cool feeling to step on a stage where I know all of these huge artists that I look up to have played.” On top of climbing his way up the Texas country charts, Haddock is months away from graduating from A&M, and he said he can feel the pressure of balancing a career on top of his degree piling on his shoulders. “It definitely creates a lot of stress,” Haddock said. “The closer I get to graduating, the harder these classes are getting. It’s really tough, but it’s one of those things that I chose to do so I’m not going to complain about it. I’m getting close to graduating, and man, I can’t wait for that day to come.” Looking ahead to the rest of 2021, Haddock said he and his band are excited to play catch up from a less-than-satisfying, COVID-19-filled 2020. “I’m excited to get back out there and be kept busy. We just don’t want to rush into the studio, and we want to make sure the entire world doesn’t shut down again to make sure we get to play the new songs live,” Haddock said. “I

LAST CALL

HOW TO GET YOUR AGGIE RING ON APRIL 9-10*

Check Ring Eligibility by Feb. 23 Order Aggie Ring by Feb. 24 Aggie Ring Day: April 9 - 10* How to order your Aggie Ring: 1. Login or create an account at AggieNetwork.com by Feb. 23 to check your Ring eligibility. 2. In the Aggie Ring tab, click on "Order Your Aggie Ring". • •

Follow the steps to customize your Aggie Ring; your eligibility will be checked after this step. Ring requirements are available online.

3. If approved, schedule an appointment to order in person. • Official Aggie Ring sizers are available at • • •

PROVIDED

Construction science senior Hayden Haddock began playing guitar at 14 years old.

know we’ve got some out-of-state stuff coming up here shortly. Outside of that we are going to have some new music released sometime soon this year, probably more toward the summer.” With graduation in sight and a brand new signing deal with the well-known red dirt booking agency Red 11 Music, Haddock said he still plans to take his ever-growing success day by day, putting out music he likes to listen to.

“Even when I started playing shows and getting paid to play, I still never thought about where it was going to go,” Haddock said. “I took it day by day because I loved doing it. I was going to give it my all, I wasn’t going to go in and BS around and not do everything to the best of my ability. I want to put out music that I want to put out and music that I like, not what someone tells me is going to be a hit.”

the Aggie Ring Office. Full payment is due at the time of order. If the cardholder is not present, an invoice must be emailed to them to make a secure payment online. You may apply for an Aggie Ring Loan through the Short-Term Loan Program administered by Scholarships and Financial Aid. Visit http://financialaid.tamu.edu/ for eligibility, interest rate, processing, and repayment information.

4. If you are unable to order in person, submit an order online by 5 p.m. CT on Feb. 24. Important notes regarding Ring Orders: 1. ONLY the person ordering an Aggie Ring will be allowed into the Ring Office area. 2. Face coverings must be worn in alignment with the Texas A&M University policy. 3. Social distancing practices will be enforced in the Alumni Center. Sneeze guards have been installed, and Ring stations, sizers and finishes will be sanitized between customers. 4. If ordering online, we encourage you to visit a local jeweler to size (please ask to use their wide-band sizers). Sizing tips and a paper sizer are available on AggieNetwork.com.

*While it is uncertain at this time, current Aggie Ring order protocols and Aggie Ring delivery dates could change at any moment should government guidelines change. Any changes will be communicated via AggieNetwork.com.

Visit tx.ag/RingRequirements for information on eligibility requirements for ordering an Aggie Ring.

VACCINE CONTINUED the day that they get it,” Argenal said. “I understand why people are hesitant to get it, but for me, it was just like another flu shot.” Argenal said she encourages people to have faith in doctors and the vaccine. “I hope more and more people get vaccinated and that people are more open-minded and trusting that doctors

wouldn’t recommend something that would be harmful,” Argenal said. For any type of normalcy to return, Clause said everyone should get the vaccine when possible. “I believe everyone should bite the bullet and get the vaccine, whether they are afraid or not,” Clause said. “The quicker we all get vaccinated, the quicker we will get back to normal life and the quicker we may be able to eradicate the virus.”

The chance for a negative reaction is low, Stevens said. He encouraged all who are able to be vaccinated to do so as soon as they can. “If you’re choosing to not get the vaccine, I hope it’s because you have a reason not to get the vaccine for medical reasons,” Stevens said. “If you can get the vaccine and are able to get it, it’s going to be the best [option] for our world in general.”

The Association of Former Students is the oldest organization serving Texas A&M University in support of the ever-growing Aggie Network. We are HERE for Aggies during their days as students and former students, THERE for Aggies as they make their way around the world and EVERYWHERE the Aggie Network needs us to be. To help us help more Aggies, make a gift at tx.ag/Give.

Aggie Ring Program at (979) 845-1050 | AggieNetwork.com

NEWS

The Battalion | 2.11.21

TRANSFERRING CONTINUED problem; and they are working toward a goal. Loneliness is one obstacle transfer students face, and a topic Kulhanek-Stockmoe said she explored when starting her dissertation in the fall of 2016. She said she began working with transfer students during that time and is now the senior academic advisor in the Department of Communication. “The first cycle of research I did, I wanted to see if there was a problem and if transfer students need support, and overwhelmingly I found out they did,” Kulhanek-Stockmoe said. Kulhanek-Stockmoe said one of her findings was that the more socially involved students are, the better they do. It’s about finding balance, she added. “What you put in, you will get out,” Kulhanek-Stockmoe said. Friends, more than academic resources, are what helped Abby Zubkoff, a communication

junior who transferred from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Getting involved socially was the key, she said. “The school didn’t give me tons of resources to make me feel like an Aggie,” Zubkoff said. “There are still traditions I don’t fully understand, and the freshmen that got the freshman experience have all the traditions on lock.” Zubkoff described her experience as a “tradition overload.” “I’ve never felt so out of place,” Zubkoff said. “I never went to Fish Camp like everybody else, so now when I go to games, I don’t exactly know the motions or words to everything.” Assuming everyone knows the traditions just because they are on campus is a problem, Kulhanek-Stockmoe said. “A lot of emphasis is put on [Freshman Leadership Organizations] and Fish Camp, and being a transfer student is not very traditional,” Kulhanek-Stockmoe said. A&M’s curriculum also inhibits transfer students’ success, Valerie Wilson, an academic advisor in the Department of Communication, said. “If you go to the Texas A&M course catalog, transfers do not follow a four-year plan, so that structure excludes transfers from the beginning,” Wilson said. Isaacks, like many other students affected by the transfer process, said she had a lot of issues with her transfer. Since Isaacks is classified as a sophomore by hours instead of a junior, she said she was limited when it

came to opportunities like pulling tickets for A&M football games and declaring her major as education. The inability to get the full attention of advisors was Katie Dundas’ biggest struggle as a transfer student. The Blinn TEAM program helps transfer students follow an easier path into the university, Dundas, Class of 2017, said, but even as part of the program she encountered problems. One-on-one time with advisors could be extremely beneficial in the long run for transfers, Dundas said. During the adjustment period, Isaacks said she felt like the advisors did not help as much as they should have, and she still felt “basically clueless,” even after mandatory meetings with her advisor about her degree plan.

“

Coming into Texas A&M, transfers have a stigma that they didn’t get in the first time, but I want them to know they will always have somebody by their side and they are not alone.” Riley Lowder, Executive Director of Aggie Transition Camps

As an academic advisor in the Office for Student Success, Rafael Almanzar said he tries to remove roadblocks and help students who are often overlooked in the transfer process. Each of the transfer and re-admitted students who come to A&M should not be generalized because they have multiple identities, Almanzar said. “Higher education does a bad job at supporting transfer students and re-admitted

students because they assume they have the experience,” Almanzar said. “We need to be more creative and mindful of how to support them.” The Office for Student Success has already begun helping transfer students by creating a transfer student program, Almanzar said, which focuses on making the entire transition for transfer students more centralized and intentional. The program added a new employee on Dec. 1, and Almanzar said the program aims to be functional for the spring 2021 semester. “My office is here to challenge the status quo,” Almanzar said. There are two camps available for transfer students: Howdy Camp offered before the spring semester and Transition Camp, or T-Camp, offered before the fall semester, according to the Aggie Transition Camps website. Executive Director Riley Lowder said Aggie Transition Camps have future goals to expand and get more transfers involved. Lowder said she is trying to promote the camps on social media and get involved with the A&M Student Activities Instagram to grow and get the word out. “Coming in, I want [transfers] to know that they are valued,” Lowder said. “Coming into Texas A&M, transfers have a stigma that they didn’t get in the first time, but I want them to know they will always have somebody by their side and they are not alone.” Isaacks attended Transition Camp because she said she wanted an experience similar to Fish Camp. Without T-Camp, Isaacks said she wouldn’t have known about any resources at A&M and never would have gained the friends who consistently keep in touch with her. “I wanted a school with a lot of tradition,” Isaacks said.

Brady Stone, Editor-in-Chief Myranda Campanella, Managing Editor Julia Potts, News Editor Bec Morris, News Editor Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Jennifer Streeter, Asst. Sports Editor Casey Stavenhagen, Asst. Sports Editor Shelby McVey, Life & Arts Editor Jessica Le, Asst. Life & Arts Editor Amina Butt, Maroon Life Editor

Joshua Howell, Opinion Editor Caleb Powell, Asst. Opinion Editor Will Nye, Photo Chief Abbey Santoro, Asst. Photo Chief Mitchell Beddingfield, Multimedia Editor Annie Wells, Multimedia Editor Cori Eckert, Design Editor

THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2021 sprint semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

Via Instagram @APNews

President Joe Biden signed an executive order rejoining the Paris Agreement on Jan. 20, 2021.

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

PARIS ACCORD CONTINUED

Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com.

there won’t be a big falling off of a cliff. People in charge don’t think on decadal time scales, just on short-term best interests.” Dessler said he believes the implications of global warming are much more

Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

costly than the efforts to combat it. “There is little room for short-term pain,” Dessler said. “Ten years ago it was fair to say that the price of solar and wind were significantly more expensive than fossil fuels, but that isn’t true anymore. It is all gain at this point.” There are things people can do on

an individual level to combat climate change, Dessler said, such as carpooling, flying less and eating less meat. However, Dessler said these individual choices only offer part of a solution. “The only thing that will solve climate change is international coordinated policies,” Dessler said.

classifieds see ads at thebatt.com

an ad Phone 979.845.0569 Suite L400, Memorial Student Center Texas A&M University

When

to call 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day

SPECIAL

Place

Private Party Want ads

$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for 2/11/21 sale. Guaranteed at The Battalion Crossword results or you get an additional 5 days PuzzleJunction.com no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.

Across

TheBattalion IN PRINT • ONLINE Life & Arts News Photos Sports Opinion Maroon Life Multimedia Classifieds

www.thebatt.com FOR RENT

STORAGE UNITS

CLOSE TO CAMPUS. $50 10x10 Call 979-696-4464

read the fine print.

HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $75-$150/hr, up to $500/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com

Call 845-0569 To Place Your Ad

to todays puzzles

Classifieds

ANSWERS

battalion

to todays puzzles

thebatt.com

the

ANSWERS

Pet Sitter for 3 dogs and 2 cats. Very well behaved dogs. Part time. Contact smatthews13@gmail.com.

1 Doctor’s order 6 Cuba libre ingredient 10 Caviar source 11 Bewail 13 Scarf 14 Perception 16 Places in the heart 17 Face part 19 Be behind 20 Statistics calculation 21 Supporters of the American Revolution 22 Ruckus 23 “Wheel of Fortune” buy 24 Critical 25 Roar 26 Trap 28 Anne, Charlotte or Emily, e.g. 29 Light bulb unit 30 Farm sounds 31 Scabbard 34 Enlists 37 Lab work 38 Frenzied 39 Henpeck 41 Per person 42 High nest: Var. 43 Crosby, Stills and Nash, e.g. 44 Country club figure 45 Gold braid 46 Fertilizer 47 Golf ball whacker 49 Boxcars

14 17

23 26

29 31

48 51

46 49

52 53

51 Arrowroot 52 ___ the dice 53 Card game for three 54 Alpine call Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Desist Mischievous Kind of skirt Bio bit Histogram Walking sticks Trans-Siberian Railroad city 8 Luau souvenir

9 Lobito native 10 Rubber-making hydrocarbon 11 Feudal lord 12 Foil 13 Cry from a crib 15 Home of the brave 18 Queen’s residence 21 Anger 22 Dentist’s advice 24 Midges 25 Mustang 27 Lawn mower’s path 28 Evil spirit 30 Priesthood

31 32 33 34 35 36 38 40 42 43 45 46 48 50

Measures Valentine items Dates Delhi dress Come apart Kind of expression Gift of the Magi Sticky substances Upright Gown fabric Gumbo ingredient Neuter Symbol of strength Go a-courting

The Battalion | 2.11.21

OPINION

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Opinion writer Ozioma Mgbahurike says the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross in Academic Plaza should be removed from the heart of A&M’s campus.

A&M is still missing the point Opinion writer Ozioma Mgbahurike says some issues can’t be fixed by simply writing a check

Ozioma Mgbahurike @Ozi_Oma_

exas A&M recently unveiled a report from its commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The report’s findings led the Board of Regents to implement eight actions aiming to tackle racial injustice on campus. Some of those changes include increasing the number of scholarship recipients and creating a task force to “accurately and fully tell the story of Texas A&M’s history through displays and iconography.” The university’s new policies were quite impressive, and it even came with a shiny price tag of just under $25 million. For a second, it appeared A&M was honestly trying to improve the lives of underrepresented students on campus. However, all the excitement came to a halt at the news that the Lawrence Sullivan “Sully” Ross statue was to stay in Academic Plaza. I believe this decision is at odds with any efforts made to improve diversity on campus. I realize people may ask, “A&M is investing all this money into diversity on campus, so why can’t you let this one thing go?” I understand the sentiment behind this train of thought. It seems

no matter what A&M does, people will always find a reason to complain. However, Ross’ statue plays a heavy role in campus climate, and the decision to keep it in place proves A&M isn’t as invested in promoting diversity as it claims. Removing monuments with racist or confederate histories may appear distracting from the real work of dismantling systemic racism itself. However, symbolic actions matter just as much as any other structural effort. The two go hand-in-hand rather than one being a replacement for the other. The symbolic removal of white supremacist figures sets a standard for the type of climate and foundation an institution wants to create and validates those who feel unseen and unheard. The report also acknowledges the inevitable cycle of current students becoming future donors, and it would be in A&M’s best interest to act sooner rather than later. This level of self-awareness is what makes the decision to keep the statue baffling. In the section titled “Donor Funding,” the report states this of the people looking to keep the statue: “Much of the dissent is from a small number of people who are spreading rumors and tend to be overly vocal about their opinions.” It feels like a slap in the

face that a small group of individuals is impeding decisions that will benefit the university’s image. Even more surprising is the report acknowledges long-term funding will not be significantly affected if the university went through with its plan to commit to change on campus and move the statue. Instead, students were excluded in the decision-making as university officials shut down all further discussions of moving the statue. As a matter of fact, university officials had no plans to move the statue at all. The commission for diversity studying the issue for the past three months never considered removing the statue, according to Interim University President John Junkins. How does a school have a diversity commission and not discuss removing a former Confederate general’s statue? Irony is dead, and A&M killed it. Furthermore, the report states A&M “is one of the worst-performing schools” in regard to the percentage of Black and Latinx undergraduate students compared to its state population. In 2019, the percentage of Black undergraduate students was an outstandingly low 3.32 percent. We all could probably have figured that out by just stepping on campus, but seeing such a low percentage took me off guard. To put it in perspective how

disappointing this percentage is, the number of Black and African Americans at A&M in 1999 was 2.6 percent. The policies the university aims to implement will probably boost the embarrassingly low percentage, and maybe we even get to a whopping 5 percent. Nevertheless, the issues A&M is facing right now go more in-depth than financial compensation. Keeping the statue of a white supremacist at the heart of campus while also increasing funding to promote diversity has an uncomfortable feeling of bribery to it. It is as if A&M is paying marginalized students to ignore the ties to white supremacy now that they have thrown money at the problem. For A&M to increase diversity, it must make its marginalized students feel welcome and safe. Creating a habitable environment won’t magically happen because there’s now an increase in scholarship funding. I appreciate A&M at least taking a step toward the problem of racial injustice, but those scholarships will collect dust if the students they are aimed for don’t feel comfortable enough to study here in the first place. Ozioma Mgbahurike is an electrical engineering sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion.

Senior Boot Bag Price Includes Embroidered Logo and Name (More logos available) Shop for Little Aggies to an Aggie Xmas etsy.com/shop/aggiesandbows by Charlotte, Reveille’s Seamstress Aggie Mom & Grandma For A&M Sterling Jewelry: stores.ebay.com/charboeg979

1711 N Earl Rudder Fwy Bryan, TX 77803

979-778-2293 charboeg@yahoo.com

ARTSCRITICISM

The Battalion | 2.11.21

Creative Commons

‘WandaVision’ is exclusively available on Disney + and its first episode was released on Jan. 15.

‘WandaVision’ breaks Marvel’s mold Arts criticism writer Kevin Ferguson says ‘WandaVison’ teases big things for the Marvel Cinematic Universe Kevin Ferguson @KFerguson725

an. 15 brought the release of “WandaVision,” the first of Marvel Studios’ planned series for Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Currently, the show is five episodes into its eight-episode season, and it has been a wild ride for viewers. The show follows Wanda Maximoff and Vision, or “Vis,” two of the titular Avengers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU. Wanda and Vis are settling into their new suburban life in Westview as the main characters of a sitcom also called “WandaVision.” The

dynamic duo tries its best to live peacefully and happily while hiding from the townsfolk that she has magical powers and he is an android. As is expected of a sitcom, shenanigans ensue, from a nearly disastrous dinner with Vision’s boss and accompanying wife to a community talent show with a hilarious performance. However, more is going on in the town than simple hiccups. Occasional glitches in reality hint to the star couple that their idyllic lives may not be so picturesque after all and something sinister is occurring behind the scenes. Currently, the main complaint against the show is its slow pacing. In one way, this gripe is understandable. “WandaVision” has yet to show any of the fast-paced action scenes the other installments of the MCU are known for.

To some, this lack of action may be a turn-off as fights and chases are usually something that can be certain to entertain in MCU cinema. However, the lack of physical action only paves the way for the narrative to shine more intensely. With each episode, the stakes are raised just a little bit more, audiences are given a few more answers, and many more questions are born. It is a change of pace for Marvel Studios, but it is a welcome one that ensures viewers Marvel doesn’t need a big spectacle to make a compelling story. There is much to question about the plot’s trajectory as the show slowly but surely puts the pieces together. Some of these questions have been raised by the show itself, such as the overarching question of “What is really going on in

Westview?” Viewers have raised other questions as well, creating no shortage of theories from who the wacky neighbor Agnes really is and who might really be afflicting the town to the implications of episode five’s ending. It is already known that “WandaVision” will tie into the upcoming “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” film, but exactly how far the events of the series will reach is unknown. “WandaVision” is a fascinating new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and an engaging show to put on one’s watchlist. It has confounded and wowed audiences in the best ways so far and promises to deliver more excitement as it fills out the remainder of its season. The show can be found exclusively on Disney+, along with other MCU films.