WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2019 STUDENT MEDIA
Preparing for success
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Signs in front of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum direct visitors to the Bush family gravesite behind the pond and explain why most of the museum is currently closed.
Shutdown enters 25th day Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Last week against Alabama, sophomore guard and forward Savion Flagg had a total of 16 points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Aggies look to earn additional SEC victory in Auburn matchup By Dylan Poitevint @Poitite The Texas A&M men’s basketball team will host the No. 14 Auburn Tigers on Wednesday in Reed Arena with hopes of pulling away with a victory over a divisional foe. A&M is coming off of an electrifying win over Alabama, which boosted the team to a 7-7 overall record and their first conference win. However, the Aggies are now preparing for a different challenge, as Auburn’s potent defense and shooting has earned the team a 12-3 (1-1 SEC) season record.
The Tigers are ranked fifth nationally in steals per game, forcing opponents to turn the ball over 10 times per game on average. A&M will need to have better ball security against Auburn’s defense, as the Aggies rank 213th nationally in turnovers with almost 14 a game. A&M head coach Billy Kennedy noted that the turnover battle could be a defining factor in the game. “Defensively, they turn you over, but if we can take care of the ball like we did against Alabama, then we put ourselves in a great chance to get a win,” Kennedy said. Junior forward Josh Nebo stressed that the Aggies will have to display a M. BB ON PG. 2
Texas A&M professors discuss national and local impacts of federal closures By Savannah Mehrtens @SJMehrtens As the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history continues, local federal workers and the community are feeling the effects. The government shutdown began Dec. 22, 2018 and became the nation’s longest on Jan. 12. The shutdown was sparked by a budget dispute between President Donald Trump and Congress, as the president stated he would not approve critical funding legislation unless it included $5.7 billion for a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. There are 800,000 federal employees who are directly affected by the shutdown which will likely lead to major economic consequences. Associate professor of political science Joseph Ura said the opportunity for a quick end to the shutdown has passed as the new Congress is now sworn in, with Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives. When the shutdown started, Republicans controlled both the House
and Senate. “Now the new Congress is coming in, it may even be more difficult to resolve the shutdown because the Democratic majority is going to answer to a constituency that has a pretty low tolerance for making a political deal — especially on border security if it involves a wall or some other kind of physical boundary because the issue has become so deeply symbolic of overall disagreement with the administration on lots of issues,” Ura said. Larry Napper, professor of the practice of international affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at A&M, worked as a foreign service officer for 31 years. Throughout those three decades, he worked at the State Department, which is currently shut down among many other federal offices. “This shutdown is a little different than other ones,” Napper said. “In most previous cases, the entire federal government was shut down when we had these kinds of events. In this case, the shutdown is a little more selective because there were several departments, including the Department of Defense, which were already fully funded for the SHUTDOWN ON PG. 2
PROVIDED
Five cadets spent their winter break marching to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior foundation. Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Priceless journey
A truck hauling dozens of VeoRide’s turquoise bikes drives between the Memorial Student Center and Cain Garage on Tuesday.
Cadets raise money and awareness through winter ruck march from California to Oregon
Out with the old, in with the blue
By Giselle Warren @GiselleWarren6
Rise and fall of ofo offers lessons for VeoRide bike-share program
Braving strong winds and heavy snowstorms, five members of the Corps of Cadets walked over 1,000 miles, for a good cause. The second-ever Project Atlas Ruck was planned and executed by members of Company H-1 — industrial distribution senior Sebastian Brown, mechanical engineering junior Hunter Birt, international studies sophomore Ethan Lochner, construction science sophomore Taylor Elliott and English junior Nathanael Duty. Their trek began in Death Valley, California on Dec. 28 and ended on Jan. 7 in Portland, Oregon. Through their efforts, the group raised over $9,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides support to the families of Special Operations personnel who are killed or wounded in the line of duty. Brown said the cadets’ experiences in the Corps gave them the mindset they needed to carry out Project Atlas. “We all just figured that we had been given so much MARCH ON PG. 2
By Allison Beatty Guest contributer Over winter break, the yellow bikes that became notorious for showing up on sidewalks and in trees around Bryan-College Station were replaced with teal bikes from another source. Late last semester, Texas A&M terminated its contract with bike-share vendor ofo and turned to VeoRide as a replacement. The university cited ofo’s poor handling of customers and customer-support issues as reasons for the switch. The logistics of bike-sharing on campus and in the surrounding city of College Station have proven to be complex to meet campus, user, city and vendor goals. A&M’s Transportation Services and city officials have acknowledged the different standpoints of each party, but both said
there is common ground to make a bikeshare program productive. The unsuccessful ofo experience also offers lessons to the new vendor. Veoride’s service will function in much the same way ofo’s did — the rider will download an app, scan a QR code on the bike and lock it in a designated area after the trip. Even with problems, ofo bikes filled a need. Since being introduced midway through the spring 2018 semester, ofo has racked up more than 39,500 registered users in B-CS who have collectively taken more than 500,000 rides, according to a university press release. The bike-share program was implemented to reduce the number of bikes left behind on campus, said Transportation Services alternative transportation manager Ron Steedly. Standard university procedure is to collect the bikes, hold them for 90 days and notify their owners if possible. If a bike remains unclaimed, it is then sold, but the high costs of constantly impounding and storing bikes de-
manded a new approach. “We had an abandoned bike problem,” Steedly said. “With campus growing like it is, I can’t expand bike parking; I’m kind of landlocked.” The main solution was to introduce a bike-sharing system so more people could use a bike maintained by someone else, Steedly said. While ofo bikes served their intended purpose, both the city of College Station and frequent ofo customers have voiced their complaints about poor ofo customer support. “They don’t respond to anything,” said university studies sophomore Jose Rueda, who tried to get in contact with ofo last semester when he noticed higher prices. “From the moment they first raised the rates, I’ve sent them probably 10 emails. They have not responded.” Rueda said his prices went up from 50 cents an hour to $1.50 an hour, while his friends’ rates remained the same. BIKE-SHARE ON PG. 4
NEWS
2
The Battalion | 1.16.19
BASKETBALL CONTINUED Megan Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief Luke Henkhaus, Managing Editor Jordan Burnham, News Editor Sanna Bhai, Asst. News Editor Henry Mureithi, Asst. News Editor Kathryn Whitlock, Life & Arts Editor Hannah Falcon, Life & Arts Editor Samantha Mahler, Life & Arts Editor
Angel Franco, Sports Editor Abigail Ochoa, Sports Editor Cassie Stricker, Photo Chief Meredith Seaver, Asst. Photo Chief Daoud Qamar, Video Editor Kevin Christman, Video Editor Jane Turchi, Special Sections Editor
THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the 2019 spring 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.
similar performance to one they pulled off in the Alabama game, where the team had only three turnovers. “Against Auburn, you can’t have too many turnovers because they are a very good fast-breaking team that can get hot, so we’ll have to limit our turnovers again,” Nebo said. The Tigers also pose a problem with their shooting, as they rank sixth nationally in three-point shots per game with 10.8. The Aggies, meanwhile, rank 319 nationally in three-pointers per game, seeing more success when defending three-pointers than when
shooting them. A&M gives up a shot from outside the three-point line only 32 percent of the time, and will have to capitalize on this when they face Auburn. Nebo said if they are able to use height to their advantage, A&M will have a chance against a tough Auburn lineup. “When you have a long lineup like that, you can rebound pretty well, you can protect the rim, get steals, and it’s a pretty unique lineup out there,” Nebo said. After the win over Alabama, where sophomore point guard TJ Starks hit a buzzer-beating three-point shot to win
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. 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.
the game, Kennedy said he wants to see his team finish games. He believes that the Auburn game, along with the rest of the season, will be a chance to do that. Looking ahead, Kennedy said he hopes the team can avoid situations where especially tough shots are essential to win. “Winning a little bit easier than that is easier on the coach, and easier on everybody,” Kennedy said. “But we’ll take them however we can get them.” A&M will take on No. 14 Auburn Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Reed Arena. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
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The Unconstrained Presidency The Albritton Center for Grand Strategy presents a lecture by Dr. Elizabeth N. Saunders on her article published in Foreign Affairs titled “The Unconstrained Presidency,” discussing the recent trend of increasing presidential power in the United States. Dr. Elizabeth N. Saunders is an Associate Professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
January 30, 2019 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Paul Burke — THE BATTALION
Orientation Theater, George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum
At the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the Rotunda remains open during business hours, while the main exhibit hall is closed due to the government shutdown.
bush.tamu.edu/saunders
SHUTDOWN CONTINUED
Application Workshops Wednesday, January 23 Koldus Building, Room 144 5:00-6:00 pm Thursday, January 24 Koldus Building, Room 144 4:00-5:00 pm Monday, January 28 Koldus Building, Room 144 6:00-7:00 pm Tuesday, January 29 Koldus Building, Room 144 3:30-4:30 pm
current fiscal year before this standoff began. It’s sort of a differentiated shutdown in the sense that some departments like DOD are fully funded and functioning, and others like state and treasury are limping along with only workers who are declared to be essential for public safety.” Napper said the reason for this shutdown is also unique because it is a single-issue shutdown. In the past, government shutdowns have been about broader topics such as the overall level of government spending. “This one is over a more specific issue, which is the President’s demand for a specific part of money to build this physical barrier that he wants,” Napper said. The White House is making a case that there is a crisis at the border, said Brittany Perry, instructional assistant professor of political science, This claim is defined by the idea that there are high quantities of undocumented individuals and drugs coming across the border. However, Perry said the data proves otherwise. “If you look at the data, we’re actually seeing the number of people crossing the border illegally decline significantly over time,” Perry said. “In terms of regulation of drugs, if we want to think of that as a national crisis, we’re not actually catching that many people with drugs in between those legal ports of entry into the United States. So what that goes to say is our legal ports of entry are kind of working because that’s catching the drugs, that’s serving as a barrier that we need.” People could be unable to receive assistance from federal services like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In Congressional District 17 — which includes
MARCH CONTINUED The Buck Weirus Spirit Award honors up to 55 students each year who demonstrate high involvement, create positive experiences throughout the Aggie community, impact student life at Texas A&M and enhance the Aggie Spirit.
Apply online at:
AggieNetwork.com/BuckWeirus Application due February 4 by 11:59 pm
opportunity at A&M,” Brown said. “We wanted to just do something special with the time we had been given during Christmas break to try to do something for a good cause as opposed to relaxing and to give back to a good military organization and to help out with families who have done so much for us.” Throughout the hike, the men dealt with weather conditions that pushed their bodies to the limit, from sore ankles to aching Achilles tendons. Birt said being part of Company H-1 prepared them to handle the obstacles and to fight through the aches and pains. “I would say that definitely being in
Brazos County — over 24,000 households depend on SNAP benefits, according to a 2018 report from the USDA. “The longer this goes on, the more we’re going to see consequences,” Perry said. “Not just in terms of things like longer lines at airports or ‘we can’t go to our favorite national park,’ but things like our inspection of our food quality could go down, and that’s something that could affect everyone.” In Bryan-College Station, the university and federal government offices will feel the effects of the shutdown as well, if they haven’t already. The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum’s main exhibit area is closed, though the Rotunda and Bush gravesite remain open. According to Napper, funds for research in a range of fields depending on federal grants could run out. “The university’s operations are going to be increasingly affected the longer this goes on,” Napper said. “For instance, many of the federal grants that fund research in the university in a wide variety of fields, from the physical sciences to the social sciences, are going to dry up, causing real disruptions in the research program at a major tier-one institution like Texas A&M, much of which depends on federal funding.” Certain federal workers such as TSA screeners are still being told to work despite not being paid. In the long run, if government employment is less reliable than private sector work and continues to be less lucrative, it may be harder to recruit talented people into public service, according to Ura. “Their bills don’t stop and that’s going to create a lot of pressure on them,” Ura said. “In the short run, there’s going to be a lot of stress in our community and in any community that depends on jobs that are associated with the federal government.”
Company H-1 gives you the mindset that there is something bigger than yourself,” Birt said. “My outfit specifically always challenges you to be better physically and to try to give back when you can.” Raising awareness and funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation made all those miles worth it, according to Duty. “Seeing people rally behind us, meeting people on the road, or donating to the cause and getting to succeed with other guys through hardship and getting to know them more from seeing them at their weakest and strongest points was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences,” Duty said. For more information about Project Atlas, visit @projectatlasrucks on Facebook. Donations can be made at tx.ag/ProjectAtlas.
Sponsored by:
The Houston A&M Club
Notice of University Student Rule Revisions Additions, deletions and changes to the University Student Rules may occur over the course of the year. The following student rules have been revised:
Presented by:
Rule # 39
Rule Soliciting on Campus
Date Student Rule Website Updated November 30, 2018
Each student has the responsibility to be fully acquainted with and to comply with the Texas A&M University Student Rules. Student Rules can be found at http://student-rules.tamu.edu.
SPORTS
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The Battalion | 1.16.19
L L A B T O O F M A A E R D S ’ R E PLAY
By Yuritzi Elizondo @aightyuri
Current and former A&M players declare for NFL Draft ahead of April draft date While the college football season has come to a close, Monday was the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2019 NFL Draft. The complete list of players that have been granted eligibility for the NFL Draft will be released on Friday. Below are the Aggie underclassmen who are hoping to hear their names called, including former A&M quarterback Kyler Murray.
KYLER MURRAY
REDSHIRT JUNIOR QUARTERBACK Following a less-than-stellar freshman season for A&M football in 2015, Kyler Murray transferred to the University of Oklahoma. After sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer rules, he became the backup to Baker Mayfield during his 2017 Heisman campaign season. Murray drew attention to himself after a successful 2018 baseball season for Oklahoma and was then selected as the ninth overall pick in the MLB Draft by the Oakland A’s. The A’s agreed to allow Murray to continue playing college football which led him to a Heisman-winning 2018 season while recording the second highest passing efficiency rating in FBS history. With his eyes on a bigger payday and without having to go to the minor leagues, Murray officially announced his decision to declare for the NFL Draft on Monday afternoon.
TRAYVEON WILLIAMS
ERIK MCCOY
JUNIOR LINEBACKER
JUNIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
JACE STERNBERGER
Tyrel Dodson continued to be a leader on the defensive side in the 2018 season after tallying a teamhigh 105 tackles his sophomore season. Dodson ended his last season with A&M’s second most tackles, with a total of 70. Dodson’s announcement on Jan. 2 to declare for the NFL Draft and forgo his senior season was not one that many saw coming, but his name is still expected to be called early on.
Through most of his time at A&M, Erik McCoy has been the highest performing and one of the most versatile offensive linemen. After his 2015 redshirt season, McCoy went on to start in all of his 39 games for the Aggies at center and guard. Following his announcement on Jan. 3 to forgo his redshirt senior season and declare for the draft, McCoy is currently listed as the third best center available in the draft.
After arriving at A&M as a junior college prospect and one of Jimbo Fisher’s first recruits as head coach, Jace Sternberger proved to be a major force on the A&M offense this season, leading the team with 10 touchdowns, 832 receiving yards, 48 receptions and earning First Team All-American honors. Sternberger led the nation and set a program single-season record for the most touchdowns by a tight end. Following his only season as an Aggie, Sternberger announced his decision to declare for the draft on Jan. 1, just one day after A&M defeated North Carolina State in the 2018 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
TYREL DODSON
JUNIOR RUNNING BACK
A 236-yard and three-touchdown production in the 2018 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl pushed Trayveon Williams to become the program’s third leading overall rusher of all time, and put him at 1,760 yards this season for a new single-season rushing record. His second 1,000-yard season made him a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award and First Team SEC Honors. Williams, the SEC leading rusher with 1,524 yards and 15 touchdowns, announced on Jan. 3 that he was declaring for the NFL Draft, forgoing his senior season with the Aggies.
JUNIOR TIGHT END
Photos by Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
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The Battalion | 1.16.19
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Junior forward Josh Nebo has proven to be an offensive force during his second season on the Texas A&M men’s basketball team.
Off the bench and onto the court Transfer forward Nebo looks to make the most of his 2018-2019 season By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo In his second season with the Texas A&M men’s basketball program, junior forward Josh Nebo has proven to be a valuable asset on the court. In the Aggies’ 81-80 win over Alabama on Saturday, Nebo had a career-high 21 points and added four blocks and seven rebounds. Nebo said the win gave the Aggies (7-7, 1-2 SEC) a lot of confidence moving forward. “We just have to stay confident in ourselves whether [we have] a bad game or a good
BIKE-SHARE CONTINUED Aubrey Nettles, special projects coordinator for the city of College Station, said the city had concerns with ofo and a lack of city bikeshare regulations. When the yellow bikes showed up overnight in March of 2018, the city of College Station did not know about the bike program’s implementation, Nettles said, adding the city was “not aware, not consulted.” In response, a city ordinance was passed in August requiring any dockless bike-share company operating within College Station to adhere to certain regulations. “The ordinance allowed us to intervene,” Nettles said. “The city had no recourse. We did not have a seat at the table. Now we do.” The city revoked ofo’s permit to operate on Oct. 12, then reinstated it on Oct. 26. The permit was revoked due to various infractions of the city ordinance, notably ofo’s loss of general auto liability insurance for vehicles used to distribute the bikes. An ofo representative who was repeatedly contacted for this story has not responded. Business administration freshman Will Othon, a former frequent ofo rider who pur-
game,” Nebo said. Nebo had a late entrance into the basketball world, not playing his first game until junior high. Before then, he was a defensive end in football and skateboarded recreationally. Nebo credits his sister Kim with getting him involved in basketball. “I started playing because my sister played,” Nebo said. “I started to follow her path and decided to take after that. I hit a growth spurt and that kind of worked out my way.” That growth spurt changed Nebo from a 5’7” middle schooler into the 6’9” forward he is today. He became more serious about basketball during high school at Cypress Lakes in Houston. After graduation, Nebo played for Saint Francis University in Loretta, Pennsylvania
but elected to transfer to A&M following his sophomore season. In his first two collegiate seasons, he was named the Northeastern Conference defensive player of the year, set a single-season school record with 89 blocked shots and led the school in career blocks with 144. Nebo was forced to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer eligibility requirements, and he said there was an adjustment period after not being able to play. “I feel like I’m improving a lot,” Nebo said. “I’m getting more comfortable after sitting out last year and with my teammates. I’m just going to continue to work on my game and get better.” Head coach Billy Kennedy said while it was Nebo’s defensive prowess that first piqued his
interest, Nebo has proven to be an offensive force as well. “I didn’t know how good he was going to be offensively, but he’s worked hard in the off-season,” Kennedy said. “He gets in the gym, and he works a lot on his shot.” Nebo said as the season progresses, his focus will be on consistency. “I feel like I still have another level to get to just being consistent in my effort and everything I do, whether it’s rebounding, blocking shots or scoring — just being consistent in that every day,” Nebo said. Nebo and the Aggies will take the court against No. 14 Auburn at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Reed Arena.
chased a semester riding pass, stopped because of poor service. “A lot of times I use bikes they’re in pretty bad shape, so that’s why I stopped using them,” Othon said. With no car or bike in College Station, Othon said he bought the semester pass with the intention of using ofo to get around. Now he prefers the bus system. “It’s more reliable with a time table,” Othon said. “When you’re using an ofo, you never know if there’s going to be one outside your class.” Issues aside, ofo certainly excelled in one area — data collection. With a few clicks of his mouse, Steedly is able to analyze trips for patterns and trends. One map showed just main campus, with yellow, orange and red lines of various intensity, indicating the most frequently travelled routes taken by ofo bikes. Steedly said this information can help the university put their dollars toward maintaining the sidewalks and streets that cyclists are already taking. “There was no way of knowing that before,” Steedly said. “I can better plan the infrastructure budget to meet needs.” A&M isn’t the only entity benefitting from a bike share program in town. Both Steedly
and Nettles said more mobility options allow more opportunity for local retailers, improve the fitness of those riding the bikes and cut down on traffic. “The biggest pro is that they reduce traffic congestion, more cars off the roadway,” Nettles said. She also noted that the city has invested a lot in sidewalks and trails. “To ensure they are utilized is fantastic,” Nettles said. At the city level, Nettles and senior program manager Venessa Garza works with Steedly on matters related to dockless bike-sharing. While the city and the university had different perspectives on the main benefits of bike-sharing, both said management could be improved. “The program itself, I don’t think there is a con,” Garza said. “It comes down to how it gets managed and how the users use the bikes. If they use it poorly, it gives the program a bad name, but hopefully it’ll outlast that.” According to the city’s ordinance, all dockless bike vendors operating in College Station must accept responsibility to curb bike misuse. “The city has taken the position that if a bike is left by a student, it is the vendor’s responsibility to change the user’s behavior,” Nettles said. This can take the form of a fine, or even
prohibiting the user from using the service. This is great in theory, but Steedly and Nettles said ofo failed to change user behavior. “Ofo is too chicken to fire [users],” Steedly said. According to a June press release from the city of College Station, only 2 percent of rides are “non-compliant.” These are the bikes that end up outside of the designated geofence, not properly locked, or stuck in trees. But at 3,400 noncompliant rides, there’s a visible community impact. “This is some people’s only way of getting around,” Nettles shares. “The bikes are resources for visitors as well. I would hate to see it go away for bad behavior.” The city of College Station lists “poor customer response or service” in the ordinance as a potential reason the city might revoke a vendor’s permit to operate. The response and customer service complaints, however, can be a lesson for this year’s VeoRide implementation. “We didn’t know what to look for a year ago,” Steedly said. In the new year, all eyes will be on VeoRide to meet expectations. “Retail, health, sustainability, less traffic, all those things are byproducts to me,” Steedly said. “I just want to get people places in a cost-effective way that works for them.”
AGGIELAND 2018
here
Texas A&M University Vol. 116
2018 AGGIELAND The 2018 Aggieland are here and it’s not to late to buy your copy. The 116th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook is a photojournalistic record of the 2017-2018 school year Go Online to aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613 to make your purchase. $75.00 + Tax (Includes Mail Fee) Come by office L400 of the MSC and skip the mail fee charge.
Don’t forget to also preorder your copy of
https://msfe.illinois.edu/why-illinois/stem-degree.aspx
the 2019 Aggieland yearbook. The 117th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook. Distribution will be the Fall 2019.