THURSDAY, JANUARY 24 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2019 STUDENT MEDIA
A call for democracy
Cassie Stricker— THE BATTALION
Quarterback Nick Starkel won the starting job in 2017 but lost it to Kellen Mond in 2018.
Starkel announces plans to transfer Backup quarterback to earn A&M degree early, move to new program By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo
Cassie Stricker— THE BATTALION
At 7 p.m. Tuesday night, Texas A&M backup quarterback Nick Starkel announced his decision to transfer from A&M. According to his Twitter account, Starkel will receive his Aggie ring in April before completing the classes necessary to graduate in June. As a redshirt sophomore, Starkel has two years of eligibility left to spend with another program. “I am forever thankful for all of the help I have received and I am blessed to have developed important relationships with my professors, mentors, coaches, teammates, and many others,” Starkel said in his announcement. STARKEL ON PG. 2
Christian Rodriguez, Class of 2018, holds up a sign while speaking to other demonstration attendees on Wednesday afternoon. The event was hosted by the Texas A&M Venezuelan Student Association to support change in the Venezuelan regime.
Students hold demonstration to call for reform in Venezuelan government By Sanna Bhai @Bhaisanna Expressing support for regime change in the Venezuelan government, the Venezuelan Student Association hosted a “call for democracy” demonstration in Rudder Plaza Wednesday evening. Jan. 23 or “23 de enero” is remembered in Venezuela as the day when dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez was overthrown after 10 years of military rule from 1948 to 1958. This year, the day may mark the start of another regime change in the South American
nation. In 2013, Nicolas Maduro was elected president by a small margin after the death of Hugo Chavez, who had held the office since 1999. During Maduro’s regime, there has been turmoil throughout the country from inflation, corruption and violence. On Jan. 10, Maduro was inaugurated for his second six-year term, though the election was widely labeled fraudulent by the international community. On Wednesday, opposition leader and head of Venezuela’s National Assembly Juan Guaidó — who has called Maduro a usurper — declared himself acting president. Now officially recognized by U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from more than 10 Latin American nations, Guaidó has promised to institute a transitional government focused on human-
itarian aid and free elections. Venancio Mendez, civil engineer junior and president of the Venezuelan Student Association, said they hope the military authorities of both Venezuela and other international communities will stand at the side of democracy and recognize Juan Guaidó as the nation’s president. “Maduro was elected through a fraudulent process. More than 70 countries rejected that process and they stand against the dictatorship in Venezuela and they support any transitional democracy that is going happen in Venezuela,” Mendez said. “We are getting together and trying to support from College Station, Texas. We are here standing for democracy in Venezuela.” VENEZUELA ON PG. 2
Ambassador visits Bush gravesite
Edith Anthony — THE BATTALION
A new MSC exhibit explores angles beyond art techniques and movements.
Female art, artists featured in gallery
Hockey meets with Texas A&M cadets, places flowers to honor late president
MSC exhibit explores evolving role of women as creators and subjects
By Jane Turchi @JaneTurchi
By Claudia Soto @cisoto98
Australia’s ambassador to the U.S., Joe Hockey, visited George H.W. Bush’s gravesite Wednesday to pay his respects to the late former president and first lady. While the ambassador never met the 41st president, he is acquainted with the Bush family. Hockey was present at Bush’s funeral at the Washington National Cathedral in December and said he was moved to visit the gravesite. The ambassador left a bouquet of flowers and took part in a short prayer to honor the site. “We should be very proud of this guy, but also very proud of America,” Hockey said. The ambassador was greeted by members of the Corps of Cadets, and the Singing Cadets sang “How Great Thou Art” and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” for the event. After Barbara Bush’s passing in April, the Singing Cadets performed at her funeral. It was important that the cadets honored President Bush
Women take the spotlight in the newest art exhibit at Texas A&M. “Women’s Work” is an interactive exhibit in the MSC’s Forsyth Galleries, featuring artwork from female artists including Mary Cassatt, Peggy Bacon, Grandma Moses and Texas-native Dorothy Hood. The exhibit aims to address women’s role as artists and as the subject in various pieces of artwork. Pieces from both the Forsyth and Stark Galleries’ permanent collections are displayed, as well as those from the Runyon permanent collection. The items from the Forsyth Galleries are primarily from the late 19th and early 20th-century collection while the Stark Galleries’ pieces are contemporary and focused on Texas artists. Jennifer Korolenko, curator of education and public programs for the Forsyth Galleries, said “Women’s Work” is the first show she has curated solely on her own.
AMBASSADOR ON PG. 2
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Joe Hockey, Australia’s ambassador to the U.S., speaks with seniors Chris Haerr, Laura Martinez and James Bovenkerk during his visit to the Bush gravesite.
ART ON PG. 2
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The Battalion | 1.24.19
A&M Graduate on ‘Worst Cooks in America’ Allison Wolfe graduated in 2009 with a degree in agricultural communications and journalism. She was recently a contestant on the current season of Food Network’s reality show “Worst Cooks in America.” Life and arts writer Kenedi Kruger spoke with Wolfe about her experience.
a huge moment. So I went out and bought a cookbook. When it came to words like “saute” and “flambe,” I got really overwhelmed. I gave up until I was watching Food Network. Going up to the process, it was the last day I could apply for the show. I was sitting in my bathtub taking a bubble bath and my daughter joins me — because you know I’m never alone — and then my husband walks in and asks, “Are you For those who may not know, can going to apply or not?” He’s the type of you explain what the show is and guy who pushes me to do things when he why it is called “Worst Cooks in knows I really want to. He went and got America?” my maternity bathing suit and goes, “Film The show is essentially a boot camp the video.” for people who don’t know how to cook. I did, and I was talking about how I They have two of the best chefs in the don’t know how to cook, and I try to teach world [Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence]. myself but just don’t know where to start. We compete in culinary challenges and Hopefully this show could start a love for create two dishes. There is the skill drill cooking for people who may not know and the main dish challenge. they had it. I know it’s called “Worst Cooks in Were you an avid watcher of the America,” but really it should be the “Most PROVIDED show before you went on it? Improved Cooks in America” because the I wasn’t, but I had seen two seasons “Worst Cooks in America” will feature person who has improved the least gets before and they were some of the earlier Allison Cook, Class of 2009, on Sunday. voted off each team by the mentors. ones, so I was familiar with the show. The After you graduated college, how show is awesome, and it’s evolving with the the fourth episode this coming Sunday, and did you get to where you are now? times. it’s just watching and reliving the moments. I graduated in December of 2009, and What are some of the coolest things It’s the opportunity of a lifetime; learning to around that time it was really bad in the you have learned by being on the cook from the best cooks in the world. We economy and there were not a lot of jobs. show? are watching it for the first time too, even A lot of people moved back in with their This is going to sound silly, but we learned though we lived it. It’s reliving good times parents, and that is what I did. I was working how to cook eggs. That’s the one thing I with really good friends. at PaperCity Magazine in Houston and thought I could cook, but really learning how What motivated you to go out for the absolutely loved it. Then I really did a lot of to make a full English breakfast was one of show? evaluating and realized that I wanted to stay the coolest things I learned. I have three kids, and I am 32. I had home with my children and raise them. Are there any other comments you twins and I brought them home and I’m Since I was a journalism major, I was would want people to hear? in Houston. Hurricane Harvey was huge, writing a blog about topics like how to I think encouraging all the readers of The and my husband is a nurse, so he was out save money and I feel like that fulfilled my Battalion to hang in there. I thought I was working. journalism career. completely alone, and you’re not. I had a two year old daughter at the time What are you most excited for That’s what I wish someone would have and my two preemie boys. I would usually regarding the show airing? told me when I was 20 or 21. You can do it. If just call in food, but the restaurants were Honestly, watching the show with my I can do it, you can do it. shut down and I’m looking at a pantry, friends is the funnest thing. They’re airing realizing that I couldn’t provide food. It was
VENEZUELA CONTINUED Blinn student Sabrina Socorro came to the United States in search of better healthcare, however, she said there is much more that Venezuelans need. Socorro said the average monthly income for adults there is around $2 and one dozen eggs cost $90, making it nearly impossible for middle and lower class citizens to survive. “Basically for 20 years we have been trying to fight against the dictatorship,” Socorro said. “All the Venezuelans right now are really struggling so much. They don’t have any food, any healthcare. Basically I came here because I didn’t have healthcare and I needed it. I was diagnosed with cancer three years ago. I had to come here.” Luis Chapellin, agricultural business master’s student and vice president of the Venezuelan Student Association, said they are standing together with fellow Venezuelans, family and friends to support the transition to a democracy led by Guaidó. “I have been back home and I have seen how these kinds of activities support or give people hope, and this way we try to help Venezuelans know they are not alone — that there a bunch of people outside, here, studying, preparing themselves and wanting to go back home,” Chapellin said.
ART CONTINUED Korolenko said she thought of this show as an opportunity to look at the University Art Galleries’ collections from a unique angle unlike anything she had done before, investigating gender roles and women rather than topics such as techniques and art movements. “‘Women’s Work’ came out of a personal interest of mine in looking at the relationships that women have with and to the art world,” Korolenko said. Korolenko said she wondered about the female artists within the university’s collections as well as women featured in the art itself. “Being an artist myself, I was always bothered by the lack of female representation as artists in museums,” Korolenko said. “What was further compelling was that most subjects of art were women. The majority of paintings had women
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Demonstration coordinators gave students the opportunity to leave messages of support at Wednesday’s gathering.
as subjects, but often we knew little to nothing about who these women were. The focus was always on the creator of the work, who is most likely a white man.” Nuclear engineering senior Christian Brazell said he found the collections fascinating, especially when comparing them to other exhibits. “Maybe it’s the pieces that they selected or it’s something different in the way that some of the different scenes were depicted but there’s something unique about it,” Brazell said. Korolenko said she was happy with the outcome of the exhibit in regards to aesthetics and accessibility, such as the inclusion of scannable smartphone content and a typewriter that invites guests to type out their thoughts. “The hope is to be a bit of an eye-opener, to spark curiosity on the subject and maybe to inspire 21st-century women and girls to connect with their histories,” Korolenko said.
STARKEL CONTINUED
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“I will always cherish my time at Texas A&M. I will be an Aggie for life.” The Argyle native spent the 2018 season as backup to sophomore quarterback Kellen Mond. Starkel appeared in four games, 15of-22 passing attempts and throwing for 169 yards and a touchdown. During his freshman season under thenhead coach Kevin Sumlin, Starkel started in five games and threw for 1,793 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. “Since I signed my letter of intent, I have given my all to my teammates, coaches, and the 12th Man — from starting my first college football game under Coach Sumlin and his staff, to winning the Gator Bowl with Coach Fisher,” Starkel said. On Wednesday, Starkel announced he is
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looking at Duke, Southern Methodist, Arizona and Ohio State as potential programs to join, according to The Eagle. In December 2017, Starkel set A&M freshman records for passing yards (499), attempts (63), completions (42) and touchdowns (four) in the Aggies’ 55-52 loss to Wake Forest in the Belk Bowl. Though Starkel’s departure is an obvious loss for A&M, the Aggies are not lacking depth at the quarterback position. On the current roster are freshman James Foster, freshman Connor Blumrick, junior Bo Schneider, sophomore Colton Taylor, freshman Jagger Laroe and freshman Reinard Britz. Zach Calzada, high school quarterback from Buford, Georgia and four-star recruit according to ESPN, officially signed with A&M in December and enrolled in January.
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AMBASSADOR CONTINUED in the same way, said Singing Cadet’s president Corey Bowers. “We have honorary members and we take deciding on those honorary members very seriously — they become a part of our family,” Bowers said. “President and Mrs. Bush are both honorary members and so we love them dearly.” Special consideration was given to
the songs performed at the gravesite on Wednesday. Composers from across America submitted suggestions for David Kipp, the director of choral activities. “I honestly hope that even as our future generations continue to come around... that they’ll still continue to carry on their memory and how special they were not only to the singing cadets, but to Texas A&M, to Texas and the world,” Kipp said.
OPINION
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The Battalion | 1.24.19
Jenkins’ ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ lacks realism Unnecessary voice-over causes annoyance throughout film Cole Fowler
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Barry Jenkins won an Academy Award for his 2016 film “Moonlight.”
@thecolefowler
arry Jenkins gained acclaim relatively early in his career with his 2008 film “Medicine for Melancholy,” but his national recognition didn’t come until his Academy Award-winning film “Moonlight” in 2016. Jenkins has firmly established himself as one of the top American directors of the past 10 years, and this reputation will certainly continue for films in the future. However, his latest project, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” feels restrained in comparison to his previous work. The film is an adaptation of the acclaimed novel of the same name by James Baldwin. The story, set in 1970s Harlem, paints the beautiful yet heartbreaking love story of Clementine “Tish” Rivers and Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt. Tish and Fonny’s love is tested when Fonny is thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, and the racist justice system is set on keeping him locked away. As far as book-to-film adaptations, Jenkins does an incredible job of capturing
the spirit of the novel, but he struggles to achieve the same level of realism. The Harlem that Jenkins creates is certainly beautiful, but the essence of the environment feels fabricated in comparison to the novel. The film feels as though Jenkins has kept the beauty of the novel and removed the gritty, realistic outcome of his characters. The beauty, at times, feels empty, and the emotional connection with the characters is severed during these scenes. The most shocking element of the film is the heavy reliance on voice-over. Jenkins has proven himself one of the best filmmakers when it comes to conjuring the exact feeling he wants from his audiences, so the use of this cheap ploy was equal parts confusing as it was annoying. Rather than Jenkins using his proven talent, he relies on a narrator, Tish, to explicitly describe to the audience the emotions or actions of the characters. This mutes the film’s emotional aspect as Tish constantly reminds the audience of the dire situation of oppressed lovers. The narration also restricts the source material from blossoming into a new creation through the art form of cinema. Rather, the audience is left wishing to be reading Baldwin’s novel
instead of the watching the film. However, as much as Jenkins mutes his own story through the unnecessary use of narration, there are many instances in which Jenkins reminds the audience of his poetic potential. A few of the scenes, such as the marvelous panoramic shot of Fonny’s woodworking abilities, are on-par with the shots from his previous works. Unfortunately, these scenes are rare and fail to completely make up for the lack of creativity in the majority of the rest of the film. Overall, “If Beale Street Could Talk” is an engaging enough adaptation of Baldwin’s novel to warrant a viewing, but isn’t commensurate to the same emotional investment as either Jenkins’ previous work or Baldwin’s novel. That said, the film remains a lovely love story interwoven with relevant commentary and should absolutely be supported in theatres. Jenkins has proven his filmmaking ability with his previous masterful artwork, and he will continue to influence the medium of film until the end of his career. Cole Fowler is an English sophomore and Life & Arts writer for The Battalion
‘The Sun is Also a Star’ explores every character’s perspective Nicola Yoon’s romance novel captures readers’ attention through detailed writing Lauren Slusher @LaurenSlusher10
I
t takes a lot for me to enjoy a romance novel. The writing has to be great, the story can’t be cliche and I need to feel like I’m getting something out of it. Because of my prejudice, I was a little skeptical about reading “The Sun is Also a Star,” but Nicola Yoon hits all the right notes for me with her poetic writing and engaging characters, making the book much more than a standard star-crossed love story. The whole novel takes place in the span of one day, but Yoon develops captivating characters without rushing their growth. The main characters of the story are Natasha, an undocumented Jamaican immigrant, and Daniel, a first generation Korean-American. The book is written mostly from the perspectives of Natasha and Daniel, who meet by chance — or fate — on the streets of New York City. Each chapter tells the story from the
character’s point of view, but the alternating chapters don’t simply lay out the story line by line. With each progressing chapter, the reader learns a little more about Natasha and Daniel’s individual backgrounds. At the beginning of the book, the reader knows that Daniel has an important admission interview at Yale and that Natasha’s family is being deported that night. As the story progresses, the characters reveal the family dynamics and personal situations that lead to the exact situation in which they find themselves at the beginning of the book. In addition to chapters from the perspectives of Natasha and Daniel, Yoon writes brief chapters from the perspectives of passing characters that would otherwise be considered inconsequential, giving them their own story. She also gives herself a voice by including small chapters explaining the nuances of her characters. Her writing is dynamic and multidimensional, setting it apart from the stereotypical romance novel. Yoon makes it clear that the love story isn’t the only plotline in this book, and I appreciated the per-
spectives that gave the book depth. Above all the other aspects of the book, Yoon’s writing is what kept me engaged until I finished reading. Her writing is poetic and lyrical. Her dialogue between characters with accents is realistic without being stereotypical. She makes her story plausible while remaining heart-wrenchingly romantic. Her characters have completely opposite personalities, but they don’t feel forced. And Yoon is a beautiful writer. Everything about a book can be developed and edited to be made better, but being able to write so fluidly is a gift. Yoon’s gift is on full display in this book. Yoon’s characters make her book dynamic and engaging, while her interim chapters construct little connections and give the book depth that make her writing feel purposeful. Even if the storyline wasn’t so well fabricated, I would still recommend the book just for the sake of Yoon’s writing. “The Sun is Also a Star” is the perfect romance novel for a couple hours of escapism. Lauren Slusher is a business honors junior and columnist for The Battalion
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Nicola Yoon’s novel puts a spin on typical love stories with varying perspectives.
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A new report shows that urban flooding is a problem worthy of national concern. Above: A Houston neighborhood faces heavy flooding during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Researchers examine urban flooding Collaborative report explores causes and effects of nation-wide problem By Savannah Mehrtens @SJMehrtens Urban flooding is a significant problem in cities across the country, according to the new nationwide joint study between the University of Maryland and Texas A&M. Although recent weather events in 2018 such as Hurricane Harvey received national press attention, much of the damage to urban areas was due to flooding not caused by riverine or coastal issues. The research for this issue started with support from A&M’s Hagler Institute for Advanced Study. The study found 10 separate conclusions from the research, including that urban flooding causes economic loss and significantly affects the issue of housing inequality, among other findings. Jayton Rainey, graduate assistant researcher from Texas A&M University at Galveston, said a portion of the research was started from
scratch. Rainey said the study does not delve too deeply into specific details, but instead focuses on the essential overarching situation the country faces. “It was pretty much starting out the conversation, bringing to light the issue of urban flooding and just really elaborating what that meant and what the costs of that were for not only the local communities but the nation as a whole, and what we can do in the future to subside some of those issues,” Rainey said. Urban flooding is not restricted to coastal or riverine cities, Rainey said. Man-made infrastructure and the lack of natural areas within cities to absorb rain water has caused rainfall to be trapped. The study also found that storm drains are often not kept up to standards, reducing the amount of rainfall that can travel through storm sewer systems. “This is a human-induced issue,” Rainey said. “This is something where we are building in an environment where maybe we shouldn’t be building in, or if we do build in it, we’re not preparing ourselves for the consequences afterward.”
Sam Brody, director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores and professor of marine sciences at A&M-Galveston, said this report was released through a congressional briefing in late November sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Mike Quigley, both Democrats from Illinois. Brody said they expected only a few congressional aides at first, but the room was packed with individuals interested in their work. “The main finding is that urban flooding, as we defined it, is an issue of national importance,” Brody said. “It’s getting worse. There’s a combination of factors driving the problem, from aging infrastructure to changing rainfall patterns to not understanding the unintended consequences of the built environment. We brought this to the national attention of our decision makers before the shutdown, and this has led to more discussion and more work on the issue.” Brody invited Gerald Galloway, research professor at the University of Maryland, to help study urban flooding. Galloway, who has been in the field for five decades, said little has
changed in terms of how people prepare for and respond to flooding. “The problem is our largest single natural disaster is flooding, and I’ve been doing this for 50 years and we haven’t come very far,” Galloway said. “People still put themselves at risk because they don’t understand.” Many places that are cheaper to live are more likely to experience flooding, Galloway said. This puts poorer communities at greater risk for the effects of flooding. “We had better figure out what we can do about it and help communities to help people,” Galloway said. “People who have less money tend to go to places that are cheaper — that was just pretty logical — so how are we going to help them know and understand what the risks they face are, and then what can we do when they go to these places [to make] them more safe.” Galloway said action should be taken at every level of government to find a solution to urban flooding. “We need to recognize there’s a problem and deal with it,” Galloway said.