The Battalion - January 21, 2021 by The Battalion

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Texas A&M offers free COVID-19 testing for students and campus visitors.

Brazos County to see COVID-19 influx Abbey Santoro - THE BATTALION

Local health experts predict likely increase in cases with spring return

The Matthew Gaines bus route was opened for spring services on Jan. 19.

A&M unveils Matthew Gaines bus route

By Bec Morris @BecWrote As spring classes begin and students return from break, eyes are on the number of active COVID-19 cases in Brazos County. According to an update from the Brazos County Health District on Wednesday, Jan. 20, the county’s ICU bed capacity currently sits at 131 percent, with 1,747 active cases among the community. Jan. 20 reported an increase of 103 positive cases, which marks the 21st consecutive day of 100 or more cases being confirmed in the county. Dr. Shawn Gibbs, the dean for the Texas A&M School of Public Health, said an increase in cases is likely with students and faculty returning from various areas for winter break. “We are seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country,” Gibbs said. “National and local experts had predicted that the November COVID-19 ON PG. 6

Route 36 to honor late senator, education advocate whose legacy is integral to university By Julia Potts @juliaapotts

he name of the route 36 bus, previously named “Cotton Bowl,” has officially been changed to honor the late Matthew Gaines — a Texas senator who promoted the founding of Texas A&M. A&M Transportation Services announced

via Twitter @JCCIC

Joe Biden took the oath of the Office of the President using a Bible that was used when he was previously sworn in as a U.S. senator and as vice president.

this change in multiple tweets, the first of which occurred on Jan. 4. The tweet stated that the name change would be effective Jan. 5, and the route and bus stops would remain the same. Before this announcement, funding was also secured in the fall of 2020 to erect a statue of Matthew Gaines in the future. Computer engineering junior Fawaz Syed serves as the student services chair in Student Senate, overseeing student transportation among other duties. “The idea came when I was communicating with Matthew Gaines [Society] leadership,” Syed said. “I thought there should be a way we can ... honor Matthew Gaines other than just the statue.” The process required the approval and recommendation of many parties to get the name change passed, Syed said.

“The process involved a lot of layers. It started back in March. I had contacted [the] Transportation Services Advisory Committee to look into the idea,” Syed said. “We presented the idea in September to the committee. The committee voted to move forward and collect student organization recommendations, so that included Matthew Gaines Society, Student Senate, Student Government, GPSG and Traditions Council.” Political science senior Erica Pauls, Matthew Gaines Society president, was also involved in the discussion with Transportation Services. After proposing the idea to Transportation Services, Pauls said she approached the Student Senate, among other organizations, to gain approval from the GAINES ON PG. 2

FILE

The Texas A&M softball team kicks off SEC play on March 19 against LSU.

Biden, Harris sworn into office Aggies gear up for spring return Former President Trump absent from historic 56th inauguration By Alyssa Gafford-Gaby @AGaffordGaby

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, Kamala Devi Harris and Joseph Robinnette Biden Jr. were sworn into office as the vice president and 46th president of the United States of America. Former President Donald Trump broke precedent and refused to concede and attend the inauguration of Biden and Har-

ris; however, former Vice President Mike Pence was in attendance. The 59th Inauguration Ceremony was opened by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who spoke of the recent breach of the Capitol and passing the torch of democracy. Klobuchar said the celebration of a new president and the first African American and Asian American woman vice president would “restore the soul of America.” “Two weeks ago when an angry, violent mob staged an insurrection and desecrated this temple of our democracy, it awakened us to our responsibilities as Americans,” Klobuchar said. “This is the day when our INAUGURATION ON PG. 2

A&M Athletics continues COVID-19 protocols into start of spring 2021 By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo Seven weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the shutdown of college athletics due to COVID-19, the sports world continues to adjust to the pandemic. In a Jan. 19 appearance on Texas A&M Athletics’ Aggie Town Hall, Director of Athletics Ross Bjork gave some updates as the Aggies head into the spring under the new

COVID-19 protocols. “In some ways it has gone by so fast, in other ways it’s been this slow churn of protocols, being as safe as possible, moving things, shutting down,” Bjork said. “Just a lot of emotion, and I know people are tired, I know there’s some weariness that we have among staff, coaches, athletes.” As Bjork reflected on the changes over the past year, he said one constant has been prioritizing the safety of A&M’s athletes while also finding a way for them to play. These precautions included testing out the A&M engineering department’s new COVID-19 SPRING SPORTS ON PG. 4

It’s a new year, but Aggieland is still the extraordinary place you call home. No matter what opportunities or challenges arise this semester, we know you are ready to rise to the occasion. Best wishes for 2021!

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The Battalion | 1.21.21

GAINES CONTINUED student representatives. “Once we got approval from student representatives, we were already in the ear of the TSAC board,” Pauls said. “We were able to move forward with good conscience that it was something the student body supported, but also something the Transportation Services were all on board with.” Syed said working with the Student Senate on this idea involved a lot of consideration for the student body, from which the senate received much approval. “Student Senate represents a wide range of opinions and beliefs,” Syed said. “What makes it really beautiful is seeing how you get a majority of the senate to agree on an idea.” Madeline Dillard, assistant director of Transit Transportation Services, said Transportation Services was pleased to be able to help students make this change, knowing Gaines’ place in history. “Matthew Gaines, serving as a senator in the Texas Legislature during Reconstruction, played a significant role in addressing the rights and interests of African Americans and was instrumental in assisting the Texas Legislature with taking full advantage of the LandGrant College Act of 1862, which created the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now Texas A&M University,” Dillard said. Recreation, park and tourism science senior Peyton Liebler, art commemoration chair for the Matthew Gaines Society, said

Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M names its bus routes after significant pieces of Aggie history, culture and traditions.

this name change is a dream come true for the organization. “I think it’s just really cool to see that the student body actually took charge on their own accord to make the bus route happen,” Liebler said. Syed said the bus routes are named after dif-

ferent events and ideals at A&M. For this same reason, Pauls said the name change means a great deal, as the Matthew Gaines Society aimed to create something with more outreach and tangibility by renaming bus route 36. “When we think about the bus routes, we

INAUGURATION CONTINUED

via Twitter @VH1

Kamala Harris is the first woman, African American and Asian American to serve as Vice President of the United States.

democracy picks itself up, brushes off the dust and does what America always does — goes forward as a nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Following Klobuchar’s opening remarks, Chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, Sen. Roy Blunt said inaugurations are a moment of celebration that have been held through war, economic depression and now a pandemic, every four years since 1789. Blunt said the theme for this inauguration would serve as a reminder for the United States to continue moving forward. “That theme for this inauguration — our determined democracy, forging a more perfect union — was announced by the joint committee before the election with the belief that the United States can only fulfill its promises and set an example for others if we are always working to be better than we have been,” Blunt said. Reverend Father Leo Jeremiah O’Donovan III led a prayer over the inauguration before Lady Gaga sang the National Anthem. Following the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, Justice Sonya Sotomayor, the first Hispanic woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, swore in Vice President Kamala Harris. After a performance by Jennifer Lopez, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts administered the presidential oath to Biden, who swore on a Bible that has been in his family for 128 years. “Few people in our nation’s history have been more

think about the names of them. They all pinpoint a facet of Texas A&M’s history, culture [and] tradition,” Pauls said. “It means so much that Matthew Gaines, someone that was an integral part of this university’s founding, is going to be a part of that, is going to be highlighted as an important facet of Texas A&M.”

challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we’re in now,” said Biden. “To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words. It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity.” In Biden’s inaugural address, he called for unity and hope amid the challenges America is facing. “This is America’s day,” Biden said. “This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages, America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, a cause of democracy … At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.” Biden closed his address with a new vision for the “American story” that he will lead as the 46th President of the United States of America. “And together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear; of unity, not division; of light, not darkness,” Biden said. “A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness. May this be the story that guides, the story that inspires us and the story that tells age is yet to come.” After the inauguration, Biden signed 17 executive orders concerning topics such as COVID-19 and rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement. Biden has also reversed some of Trump’s orders including his travel ban on Muslim-majority countries and the backing of the border wall.

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Courtesy of Trent Herrera

(R-L) Mechanical engineering senior John Waterworth and biology senior Trent Herrera, members of the Trent Herrera Band, perform at The Tap in College Station.

On the rise: The Trent Herrera Band Aggieland-based band breaks into Texas country music scene By Shelby McVey @shelbyxbreann Growing up with musical influences ranging from a touch of country radio to alternative, R&B and indie, members of the Trent Herrera Band, or THB, have found themselves thrown into the Texas country music scene that College Station has grown familiar with. After a dorm room jam session to George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning,” drummer and mechanical engineering senior John Waterworth and the band’s frontman, biology senior Trent Herrera, both realized they wanted to act on their shared desire to play music. “No one in my family is musical,” Herrera said. “Like seriously, no one in the history of my family is. But I just loved it. I would play the guitar and sing in the choir in high school, but I was never in a band when I was younger, and I always wanted to be. Getting lucky enough to meet people like John and other musicians really just made me like, ‘You know what? Let’s just do it.’” That push to pursue what he loves was also

thanks to friends and family who sat through choir performances and high school Singing Valentine deliveries, Herrera said. “I was writing little songs here and there on my guitar and the more confident I got, the more I was showing people, but I was just playing guitars in my bedroom. Nothing amazing,” Herrera said. “But so many people were like, ‘Man, you should really do something with this.’” Even with little exposure to Texas country music before arriving in Aggieland, Herrera said his love for the genre quickly emerged after witnessing Texas A&M’s music scene through venues like Hurricane Harry’s. “For me, I didn’t really grow up liking country so much, but over the years — playing baseball in high school and then going to Texas A&M — it was pretty much always there,” Herrera said. “I ended up just loving it. It is my favorite genre of music, but I definitely wouldn’t say that I grew up listening to it as much.” As for Waterworth, breaking the popular stigma of disliking country music propelled his desire to play in a country music band. “I never really liked country, but I don’t think I ever really gave it a chance until I got to college,” Waterworth said. “In high school

I played in an indie band. I was someone that was like, ‘No, I don’t really like country music,’ I feel like [it] doesn’t get a lot of credit. But I started playing it and now I love it.” When it came time to buckle down and truly form a band, write songs and book studio time, Waterworth took the lead in making the band into a brand. “I’m always trying to think about where we want to be at the end of the semester,” Waterworth said. “The biggest thing I’ve learned since starting all of this is just to ask people. I think the more people you ask the higher chance you’re going to have at finding someone who is willing to help and is good at what you want.” Now with their two most recent singles “Gambler” and “Heart of Austin” released on all music streaming platforms, Herrera said his experiences with multiple music genres is what he hopes will influence the band’s next few releases. “I have a variety of musical background with growing up surrounded by multiple genres, not just one,” Herrera said. “So I want to try to incorporate that but still have that style of Texas country songwriting at its roots. I’m a lover of all things music, so we want to kind of incorporate as much as we

can while still staying true to who we are and what we started with. That is what I would say the direction is for the new songs and the new album. We want to put out something fresh and unique so that people can remember the band.” Although the hardest part has been getting THB off of the ground and maintaining momentum within one of Texas’ biggest country music scenes, Waterworth said their enthusiastic goals for the future are just getting started. “That first goal we had was to just form a band and then release a song,” Waterworth said. “I know one of our goals for the end of this semester — it’s kind of ambitious — but we want to have at least four new songs recorded and put them on some kind of E.P. But then we have to think about what songs we want to use, how much the studio time is, what days we can go in and so on. So we’ve just started with our big goal, and then we backtrack.” With their time at A&M coming to an end and with the start of something special on the horizon, the pair have their sights set on a bright future for THB. “This is just the beginning I think,” Herrera said. “We’re on the rise I’d say. We’ve got a long way to go.”

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Get to know freshman Class President Ben Fisher can do that, but we’re punching out leaders and influencers — people who actually want to make a difference.” In addition to being a full-time student, Fisher said his hours are often taken up by the duties that come with the position of class president. “The class president is responsible for representing their class to all campus organizations and to the Texas A&M administration,” Fisher said. “We manage all class traditions and assist with class traditions for other classes. Lastly, we’re responsible for identifying needs not met by other organizations and using our respective class councils to step up and answer those calls for action.” With COVID-19 causing separation among students and decreasing campus involvement, Fisher said he wants to focus his attention on helping students make connections. “My primary goal is to help my classmates identify how we can best belong at Texas A&M and use our time here to not only grow as individuals, but to pour into one another and the school we’re honored to attend,” Fisher said. “I want it to mean something to be an Aggie for the Class of 2024.” Fisher said anyone who has a passion for serving the student body should consider pursuing student government. “We always need more high-quality people to step up and serve,” Fisher said. “It’s a great way to invest in the place that has invested so much in you. To anyone who has an interest in student government, seriously consider it.”

College Station native looks to lead Class of 2024 with spirit, unity By Lauren Discher @lauren_discher

Via Texas A&M Class Councils — THE BATTALION

Ben Fisher discusses his role as freshman class president and encourages students to get involved in student government.

SPRING SPORTS CONTINUED breathalyzer test over the winter break.“We always said, if we’re allowed to, if it’s safe, it’s our obligation to move forward and put our athletes in the safest environment possible,” Bjork said. “We’ve never backed away from that. Protocols are in place, safety parameters are in place.”

FILE

Athletics director Ross Bjork said Blue Bell Park is expected to operate at 25-30 percent capacity.

Despite the advances in testing methods and the release of COVID-19 vaccines, these

improvements don’t mean everything has been running as smoothly as scheduled. Less than an hour before the town hall, which was streamed live on Facebook, A&M men’s basketball announced its Jan. 20 matchup at Vanderbilt was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Commodores’ program. Though the 2020 football season concluded almost two weeks ago, Bjork said fans should expect the release of the 2021 schedule within the next few weeks. As one of the conference’s 14 athletic directors, Bjork said he sees a model of the schedule two years in advance, and can give his input on the order of games, though the amount of say he has is minimal as any alteration “has to fit the puzzle.” “There’s 14 teams. We’re not the only one that can say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to move that Alabama game to Nov. 13,’” Bjork said. “That has a domino effect on other games.” Football wasn’t the only sports schedule Bjork discussed during the town hall, as the SEC has released the full schedule for baseball and the conference schedule for softball. Bjork said the nonconference schedule for softball should be released soon. Bjork said while nothing is finalized yet, he

Texas A&M’s freshman class president, Ben Fisher, strives to unite his class and make every Aggie feel like they belong. A business freshman, Class President Ben Fisher said the Andrew Carnegie, “Here lies one who knew how to get around him men who were cleverer than himself,” defines his leadership in Student Government. A College Station native, Fisher said he always loved A&M for its traditions and school spirit but never planned on running for class president. Despite this fact, he was elected this past October. “I initially did not want to run,” Fisher said. “I wanted to help a friend run, but the two friends that I thought would be phenomenal candidates ended up declining. The Lord ended up opening some crazy doors for me, and I was presented with the opportunity to run myself.” Fisher said he is honored to serve A&M because of its unique capacity to produce outstanding leaders. He credits his campaign team for his success and said he formed many close friendships throughout the campaigning process. “I like the fact that this is a campus that develops leaders at every level,” Fisher said. “It’s really cool to see a place that creates people who are going to make an impact, not just regular students. I feel like any college

April 9-11 vs. Alabama April 13 @ Texas State April 16-18 @ Arkansas April 20 vs. Texas Southern April 23-25 vs. Tennessee April 27 vs. Texas State April 30-May 2 @ Mississippi State May 4 @ UT Arlington May 7-9 vs. Ole Miss May 14-16 @ Auburn May 20-22 vs. LSU May 25-30 SEC Tournament

expects capacity at Blue Bell Park will be set at 25 to 30 percent for the 2021 season, and the number of season ticket holders will “dictate final capacity.” “We’re fortunate that we’re able to host fans in a safe-as-possible environment,” Bjork said. The full conference schedules for baseball and softball are below:

2021 A&M BASEBALL FULL SCHEDULE Feb. 19-21 vs. Xavier Feb. 23-24 vs. Abilene Christian Feb. 26-28 @ Round Rock Classic March 2 vs. Houston Baptist March 3 vs. Incarnate Word March 5-7 vs. New Mexico State March 9 vs. A&M-Corpus Christi March 12-14 vs. Samford March 16 @ Houston March 19-21 @ Florida March 23 vs. Rice March 26-28 vs. Georgia March 30 vs. Texas April 1-3 @ Missouri April 6 @ Sam Houston State

2021 A&M SOFTBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE Feb. 19-21 Texas A&M Invitational March 5-7 Reveille Classic March 19-21 @ LSU March 26-28 vs. South Carolina April 1-3 @ Alabama April 9-11 vs. Auburn April 16-18 vs. Ole Miss April 23-25 @ Mississippi State April 30-May 2 vs. Kentucky May 7-9 @ Florida May 12-15 SEC Tournament

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The Battalion | 1.21.21

OPINION

Via Twitter

Jennifer Doleac, an economics professor at Texas A&M, shared a tweet about raising the minimum wage after then-President-elect Joe Biden released his economic plan on Jan. 14. The tweet sparked much conversation for and against Biden’s plan to more than double the now-$7.25 minimum wage.

$15 minimum harms economy

Aggies need minimum wage increase

Columnist Sam Somogye argues against a new minimum wage.

Opinion writer Zach Freeman argues for a new minimum wage.

By Sam Somogye @samsomogye

he United States recently reached a dreadful record regarding COVID-19 — 400,000 Americans have died. On top of that, over 100,000 businesses have closed due to shutdowns, and over 12 million people are still out of work. Some are calling for drastic economic measures to combat some of these repercussions. I am here to tell you a $15 minimum wage should not be one of the answers. President Joe Biden has released his COVID-19 relief plan, and one of the staples of that proposal is to more than double the current federal minimum wage. At first glance you may be thinking something like, “What’s the problem with a $15 minimum wage? I would love to get paid that much at my job!” And I don’t blame you for thinking that. However, this increase could lead to your not having that job at all. The Congressional Budget Office predicts 1.3 million jobs will be lost by 2025 if the minimum wage is raised to $15. Millions of jobs have already been lost due to this pandemic, so why would we want to enact a policy that will only add to that somber statistic? Something else to keep in mind are the small businesses facing unprecedented hardships. As previously stated, over 100,000 businesses have shut down since the start of this pandemic and the lockdowns brought along with it. A number of businesses are already struggling to make ends meet to keep their doors open and pay their employees. Let’s say your local coffee shop has four employees; they get paid the current minimum wage and each works 25 hours a week. That would mean each employee is making about $182 a week for a total of $725 a week for all of them. Now, if the employer was required by law to pay each of their employees $15 an hour, that would mean each employee gets paid $375 a

week, totalling $1,500 a week. That is more than a 100 percent increase in what the employee has to be paid. The sad reality is that money does not grow on trees, and employers know this better than anyone. With that being said, where do you think businesses that are already struggling are going to find this money? I can tell you how it will start. First, businesses will raise prices for their products. That $5 large almond milk cold brew that has become a part of your morning routine will go up to around $7. That killer chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle will go from $8 to $10. But wait! Everyone is making more money, so you can afford it — duh! Not so simple, because I doubt the people who will lose their jobs due to this drastic pay increase will feel the same way — which brings me to my next point. Businesses are either going to start letting their employees go, or hire fewer of them, because they cannot afford to keep them on the payroll. For example, a growing trend among major corporations has been an increase in self-checkout devices. Amazon even has a store that has shopping carts that scan your items when you place them in the shopping cart. If businesses are forced to pay more than double what is already required of them, they will start to replace human services for technological ones just because they can, and it’s cheaper. Simply stated, now is not the time to more than double the federal minimum wage. A more reasonable approach would be to raise the required wage to $10 rather than $15. This would still help people be lifted out of poverty without having an atomic-like ripple effect on the entire economy. With businesses closing and people already losing their jobs, this increase will only add to the fiscal burden American business owners are already facing. It makes no sense. It is irresponsible and lacks an understanding of basic economics. Sam Somogye is a political science senior and columnist for The Battalion.

By Zach Freeman @ZachAtBatt

have had to work low wage jobs throughout my time in college in order to sustain myself. Making $7.50/hour while working 15 - 30 hours a week left me with less than what I pay in rent, but thanks to the money I receive from scholarships (and a hearty diet of pasta, rice and beans), I scrape by. Economic anxiety is a phrase many have thrown around a lot these past few years. Always knowing that without a source of income, I’m just a few months away from being unable to pay rent and being blacklisted from renting in the future, I can’t help but feel how painfully accurate the term is. For students not as fortunate to receive the same level of financial aid as I, these wages won’t cut it. They’re forced to give up on higher education simply because the price of living has vastly outpaced salaries in this country. Post-WWII to 1979, productivity and income rose in tandem. Since then, wages have flatlined while productivity has skyrocketed. College students already face high levels of food insecurity and housing uncertainty. With the economic devastation caused by COVID-19, this has only become more true. We are currently in the longest interval without a wage increase since the minimum wage was created over 80 years ago. It was designed to increase alongside productivity, inflation and rising expenses. COVID-19 has harmed the economy, but it has not lowered expenses. Today, Americans face harder times economically than they have since the Great Depression. This is especially true for college students, who are a group with little economic stability to start with. One hundred thousand fewer high school seniors filled out FAFSAs this year, a decrease of 4.2 percent. The largest decline in FAFSA applicants comes from small towns and rural communities, suggesting that the cause is students feeling that even with aid, they don’t have a chance. Students from low-income families are hit the hardest, with many freshmen dropping out due to financial hardship. Students from families who make less than $75,000

a year are twice as likely to drop out, and the vast majority of these students will never re-enroll. The $15 minimum wage increase in President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan is the ideal remedy. Increased wages will guarantee Aggies and the people of Bryan-College Station long-term security. With a living wage, students will be able to better afford off-campus housing, ensuring they have a stable place to live throughout the year. They’ll also be able to reinvest in small businesses within the community. Many worry higher wages will mean the university will employ fewer student workers, which is a legitimate concern. However, research shows minimum wage increases do not contribute to a measurable degree of job loss. Additionally, we have an economy that is robust enough to easily adjust and compensate, especially with new COVID-19 relief acting as an economic buffer for students and families. Realistically, any initial job loss will have very little effect on the average American. The real long-term cost will be at the expense of America’s richest individuals. Billionaires have increased their wealth by the cartoonishly large sum of one trillion dollars since the pandemic’s start, perpetuating Scrooge McDuck levels of income inequality. It is certainly possible that raising the minimum wage will result in some professors hiring fewer research assistants, but the economic prosperity created by higher wages will fuel future job creation and overall raise wages. Some students will find themselves in a situation where maybe they didn’t get the RA job they wanted. Fortunately, their parents and families are now making more money. Moreover, their future job prospects are more lucrative and more accessible job opportunities outside of the university are paying the same high wages. Remember what Martin Luther King Jr. said during his struggle against systemic poverty and inequality. “If a man doesn’t have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty and the possibility for the pursuit of happiness.” Zachary Freeman is an anthropology junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

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The Battalion | 1.21.21

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The 87th Legislative session began on Jan. 12 and will conclude on May 31.

87th Texas Legislative Session underway Coronavirus, state budget included among legislative session topics By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel With the start of the 87th Texas Legislative Session on Jan. 12, the COVID-19 pandemic has played a large role in the session’s outlook. Safety measures, such as wearing a mask, are required at the session to help reduce the

COVID-19 CONTINUED to December holiday seasons would result in many more cases, and the rise in local and national cases are a result of behaviors during those holidays. We were very aware that this was likely and is one of the reasons why we have implemented the Return to Spring testing for both employees and on-campus students.” The return to campus testing plan requires all student workers, staff, faculty and students living on campus to get a COVID-19 test by Jan. 22. All other students are strongly advised to test by this date as well. Vaccine availability for the general public is another question on the minds of students returning to A&M this spring, as news of vaccine developments by various companies continues circulating. One local hospital, CHI St. Joseph Health,

spread of COVID-19 among lawmakers. According to the Texas Tribune, these are not the only precautions added this year. Political science professor Anthony Ives said there is also an increased security presence at the Texas Capitol due to civil unrest around the country. “To my knowledge, the FBI believes that there are threats against every single state capital regardless of whether it is controlled by Democrats or Republicans or [is] shared, so

there will be more security at the Capitol,” Ives said. “There are already less people being able to come in and out because of coronavirus, so people were already used to not having as much access to the building itself.” A significant subject on the agenda for lawmakers this year is the budget, which is set every two years in Texas. Due to COVID-19, Texas has a $1 billion deficit, which will affect the upcoming budget this September. During a virtual event with the Texas A&M Advoca-

currently receives weekly allocations of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for distribution, but according to information provided by the hospital, the supply is limited. “We have also been identified as a vaccine hub for our community by the state and are now working with Brazos County to develop a community vaccine clinic at the Brazos Center,” an email from CHI St. Joseph said. “Our nurses, physicians and other caregivers have trained [in] pandemic response throughout their careers, and we continue to adapt our policies and procedures to best address the current COVID-19 pandemic.” The U.K.-originating coronavirus variant, B.1.1.7, has also hit Texas, with Harris County reporting the first case on Jan. 7. Experts are predicting this highly transmissible strain will cause another spike, making up the largest portion of cases in the U.S. by this spring. Brazos County Health District support services manager Sara Mendez said the current

COVID-19 tests don’t uncover the specific strain of coronavirus infecting an individual, meaning there may be more cases of this variant than are currently reported. “There is more testing that has to be done, so if you go get a COVID-19 test, it doesn’t necessarily tell us what kind it is; If someone is hospitalized, then the provider could determine what variant it is,” Mendez said. “Early research is showing that [B.1.1.7] is more easily transmissible than the current strain that we have, but the same prevention measures of social distancing and wearing masks prevent the transmission of that, even the variant of the virus.” With the new strain, limited vaccine availability and a recent return from travel, an email from CHI St. Joseph said the hospital is prepared for a spike in cases, despite its current over-capacity ICU. “Our health system has a surge plan for handling the additional capacity,” CHI St. Jo-

cy Network on Jan. 5, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar, Class of 1993, discussed the upcoming 87th Legislative Session with a focus on the budget. “[The revenue estimate] sets the foundation for what the budget cycle is going to be,” Hegar said. “Every revenue estimate I give has clouds of uncertainty, but right now it has more clouds of uncertainty continuing than ever before.” With 2020 being a federal census year, there is a possibility to increase the number of representatives for Texas in the House of Representatives based on population growth. Because the census is still incomplete due to COVID-19, it is unclear how many seats Texas will gain in the lower chamber. Political science professor Dwight Roblyer said the number of seats will determine how much the state will have to redistrict for representatives — which is another line on the 87th Legislative Session’s agenda. “It’s a highly political, highly power-infused process because of gerrymandering,” Roblyer said. “They are very strategic and tricky in how they draw those lines.” The legislative session has a great influence on things most people do not think about, Ives said. Subjects such as tuition, taxes on imported goods and the coronavirus are topics people often forget this session will affect. With the large number of bills, there is sure to be something of interest to everyone, Ives said. “Every single person in Texas is always interacting with our government whether they are thinking about it or not,” Ives said. “If the Texas Legislature takes away power from the counties to do coronavirus emergencies, that is going to have an immediate impact on dayto-day lives.”

seph said. “As we continue into flu season and acknowledge the further potential increase in COVID-19 cases, our care sites are actively planning to care for a surge of patients. While we have these resources, it is important to do everything we can to slow and reduce the spread of COVID-19.” To more efficiently track the spread of the coronavirus, A&M redesigned its COVID-19 Dashboard, keeping all historical information in separate graphics while prioritizing new data and creating a table for voluntary asymptomatic testing statistics. “The month of January will be a difficult one for our country and the state of Texas,” Gibbs said. “The many protocols, seen and unseen, that [A&M] has put in place to better protect our student and employee populations from the spread of the virus have been effective, but we still need everyone to be diligent.”