The Battalion - March 23, 2020 by The Battalion

LETTER FROM THE SPORTS EDITOR ON PG. 5

SENIORS REACT ON PG. 6

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FILE, Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The MSC on its busiest day, MSC Open House, stands in stark contrast of the MSC after recent COVID-19 precautions have moved all A&M coursework to online-only instruction.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The Battalion will continue to serve the community no matter the circumstance Dear readers,

s of March 22 at 9:19 p.m., there are 12 cases of coronavirus in the Bryan-College Station community and three cases associated with Texas

A&M. While A&M has canceled in-person classes to prevent further spread, the majority of students have retreated back to their hometowns for the remainder of the semester. As such, many of The Battalion’s staff members are either finding alternative methods to interview sources, such as emails or Zoom calls, or not able to continue working at all during this time. Although we now have a shortened list of contributors, we have been on top of the coronavirus as it relates to A&M since the

first suspected student case in February that was later confirmed negative. Since the beginning of Spring Break, The Battalion’s editorial staff has broken the coronavirus news from as far west as Malibu, California, and as far east as New York City. Now that classes are back in session, we intend to continue to serve you just as we have the past few weeks. Within the pages of this paper are just a fraction of the coronavirus stories we have told so far. This edition includes short briefs about the move to all online classes and the cancellation of Ring Day, as well as feature stories on how members of the Corps of Cadets and graduating seniors are adjusting to this semester’s changes. We also have included a letter from a former Battalion editor who recently returned home from studying abroad in Italy and a letter from sports editor

Hannah Underwood about what this means for spring semester sports. To read all of our coronavirus coverage, visit thebatt.com/ news/coronavirus. Though we normally print 6,200 copies of each paper, we have cut that in half to 3,500 for this edition to reflect the dwindling number of students on campus. As of now we’re not exactly sure when our next paper will be printed, but our promise to continue to serve the A&M community remains in the forefront of our minds. Whether classes are on-campus or online, The Battalion’s staff will continue to release breaking news updates as well as daily articles on our social media channels and our website. For up-to-the-minute coverage, follow us on Twitter @TheBattOnline. To read all of this year’s print editions, visit issuu.com/

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thebatt. And if you have a question about how the coronavirus is affecting the A&M community, share it with me at editor@ thebatt.com and I’ll work to make sure we find an answer. For now, as your fellow student, I ask each of you to continue to listen to healthcare and A&M officials. Continue to practice good hygiene and if you don’t have to be out in public, please stay home. After all, social distancing is selfless service. And if you’re like me and really miss your margs, you can always order one to-go. Thanks, gig ‘em and stay healthy. Respectfully, Samantha Mahler ‘19 Editor-in-chief

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NEWS

The Battalion | 3.23.20

FILE

Classrooms will stay empty for the remainder of the semester as classes transition to an onlineonly format.

A&M moves classes online Texas A&M cancels in-person classes for spring semester, postpones graduation By Samantha Mahler @mahlersamantha Texas A&M announced in an email on March 12 that all classes were canceled from March 16 to March 20. Classes will resume online-only from March 23 to April 28. Campus will continue to remain open for faculty, staff and students. “This time will enable faculty, staff and student leaders to continue coordinated planning for the remainder of the semester,” the email read. In a March 17 email, A&M announced that all university-sponsored meetings and events are allowed to have a maximum of 10 participants. In a series of tweets after the email was sent, A&M announced all dorms will remain open to students in addition to dining services. Bus transportation will continue to operate on break schedule. No on-campus tours, undergraduate or graduate recruiting will take place until April 3. A&M also announced in the March 17 email that spring commencement is postponed and all final exams will be held online. Since the United States is a COVID-Level 2 country, all students, faculty and staff are encouraged to self-monitor using the guidelines found on the CDC website. Any students returning from CDC Level 3 countries should continue to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival in the U.S. It is also recommended students self-report through the travel reporting portal. Reporting for domestic travel is not required at this time.

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The 2020 Aggie Ring Day scheduled for April 17 and 18 has been canceled and rings will be mailed to their owners.

Traditions change, Aggie Spirit remains Aggie Rings will be mailed to recipients due to coronavirus By Hannah Falcon @hannahfalcon_ The Association of Former Students announced the cancellation of formal Aggie Ring Day festivities in accordance with new CDC guidelines. On March 17, the Association contacted the 6,500 students scheduled to receive their rings to inform them of changes. Recipients have the option to either have their

N A u C o Y l l ! a t i e v ha

ring delivered to them April 2 through 18 or have the Association hold their ring until normal campus operations resume. Recipients will receive an additional email on March 23 allowing them to choose how and when to receive their rings. In an email, Kathryn Greenwade, Vice President of the Association, said 50,000 people were anticipated to attend Ring Day, far more than the CDC recommended 10 persons. “This difficult decision, made in the interest of public health, will allow April Ring recipients to receive their Rings on or before the originally scheduled date and

all shipping costs will be borne by The Association,” Greenwade said. Ring Day as Aggies celebrate it now began in 2000 and has since become a highly anticipated event in Aggieland, Greenwade said. “The absence of Ring Day, however, does not lessen the importance of the Aggie Ring or diminish the academic achievement it signifies,” Greenwade said. “The power of the Aggie Ring emanates from its significance as the most visible symbol of the worldwide Aggie Network and the connections it facilitates.”

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NEWS

The Battalion | 3.23.20

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The Q-drop deadline has been moved to 5 p.m. on April 24.

Grading options ammended Administration approves temporary grade change, Q-drop extension By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim In an email sent on behalf of President Michael K. Young and Provost and Executive Vice President Carol A. Fierke, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee will allow students the temporary opportunity to choose their preferred grading scale for the remainder of the spring semester. The email sent out by the Office of Provost outlined details regarding the Faculty Senate’s decision and what students can anticipate moving forward. “Students will have the opportunity to choose Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading for any course in which they are enrolled in the spring semester 2020,” the email stated. “Students have until 5pm on Tuesday, April 28 to make changes to their grading options.” The email also stated the Q-drop and Withdrawal deadline has been extended 10 days after its initial deadline to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 24. “Q-drops after Spring Break will not count toward the institutional limit of 4 nor the state limit on drops,” the email stated. Students can choose on a class-by-class basis whether or not to implement the S/U option. As stated in Student Rule 10, courses graded S/U will not count toward GPA hours. In addition, U and F grades this semester will not count toward a student’s GPA. While surprised by the administration’s de-

cision, psychology sophomore Jett Reinhardt said he appreciates the university finding the best solution to accommodate every student. “Offering a choice to students, especially for each class, along with the temporary changes to Q- drops, etc. is pretty gracious,” Reinhardt said. “I’m glad it was a choice and not a forced change.” However, Reinhardt said he sympathizes with those who may have Q-dropped a course before Spring Break, since they did not know they would have more time to consider their decision. “In a situation as drastic as we’re in though, I think it’d be impossible to find a truly perfect solution for every person involved and affected,” Reinhardt said. Students seeking to opt-in to the S/U grading scale are encouraged to speak with their academic adviser to avoid potential issues involving degree progress and financial aid. “This may not be applicable to students in first professional degree programs who should contact their program for grading information,” the email stated. Aerospace engineering senior Jerod Venable said he is satisfied by the university’s decision to accommodate all of their students, but finds the timeline to accept the grade scale confusing. “The late deadline seems odd to me,” Venable said. “I would think it’s best for students to choose now and ... commit to a decision. Leaving the option open until the last moment makes it easier for a student to abuse the system by simply switching to Pass/ Fail in any class in which that student is performing poorly.”

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The dining area in Quadbucks is closed due to a state-wide ordinance.

College Station dining to-go Bars, restaurant dining rooms affected by new state-wide policy By Brady Stone @bradystonex Your Northgate plans have just been canceled. As of 9 p.m. March 19, all bars and restaurant dining rooms in Bryan and College Station are closed in order to prevent the possibility of exposure to COVID-19. Additionally, public gatherings of 10 or more people are now prohibited, per CDC guidelines. These orders will remain in affect until the declarations of disaster are lifted for the two cities. Restaurants can still provide take-out, drive-thru, delivery and curbside options. “The best way to protect the residents of Brazos County from COVID-19 is for restaurants to make these changes to their business model because they align with guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and by the Texas Department of State Health Services,” Bob Lamkin, environmental health manager for the Brazos County Health District, said in a press release. “In addition, bars, gyms, and other entertainment venues should also close at this time.”

These restrictions were agreed upon on March 18 by leadership from both cities in coordination with the Brazos County Health District and the Bryan-College Station Independent Restaurant Group. “As ambassadors of the culinary culture of Bryan-College Station, it’s our responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for all residents. That includes our patrons and our staff,” Kristy Petty, representative of the BCS Independent Restaurant Group, said in the press release. “We understand that closing down the dining rooms is a prudent move to ensure that we can provide the safest kitchens to bring you food during this time.” The BCS Independent Restaurant Group represents dozens of local restaurants that employ more than 1,000 workers that will be affected by these restrictions. “We understand that these actions are painful to our business community, but we also know these actions work to help prevent the spread of this virus,” College Station Mayor Karl Mooney said in the press release. “Along with our partners in the community, we will be exploring all options for helping these businesses weather this unprecedented event.” In accordance with this ordinance, Texas A&M Dining Services has closed all dining rooms and will only offer to-go orders.

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The Quad, home to Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets, is typically full of students doing Corps trainings and walking to class.

Corps of Cadets faces many changes amid COVID-19 With many Corps traditions canceled, cadets work to maintain expectations By Brady Stone @bradystonex With more than 2,000 student participants, the Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M’s oldest student organization, is facing major changes to tradition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Corps of Cadets Commandant General Joe Ramirez stated in a Facebook post on March 16 that there are no Corps meetings or activities scheduled during A&M’s online-only class period. “We are encouraging cadets to STAY HOME and conduct their on-line classes from home,” Ramirez said in the post. “The intent is for cadets to remain at home as much as pos-

sible, and for those who do return to campus to focus on academics only - NO CORPS ACTIVITIES.” Additionally, March to The Brazos, Senior Dining Out and Final Review have been canceled and Campus Muster Committee announced that campus Muster will not be held in-person in Reed Arena as it is traditionally. Head Yell Leader and Ross Volunteer Karsten Lowe said while he does understand the decisions, he is still disappointed. “Seeing the way this is affecting all of these students that aren’t able to take part in the unique traditions at A&M saddens me,” Lowe said. “But also, I 100 percent understand the health concerns and at the end of the day this circumstance is bigger than us and is about national safety and health.” Tanner Cedrone, the 2020-2021 Corps Commander, said although this situation can

be seen by many as an obstacle, he is confident in the Corps’ ability to remain positive given the circumstances. “We can look at this entire situation as an opportunity, and this is going to be one hell of an Old Army story,” Cedrone said. “This time that we have with our families is time that we can use to reflect on our past years and work towards continuing to make the Corps the organization that produces global leaders.” While the Corps typically uses the period after Spring Break for the bulk of their training, in-person training is not possible with the guidance they have been given. “As of right now all of [the training] is TBD,” Cedrone said. “I am working on an online variant of these trainings right now that could prove to be very effective. It might look like a lot of group chats over GroupMe or even Zoom but we are going to do whatever

it takes.” Cedrone said while experiences are an important part of the Corps, cadets won’t be harmed long term by these changes. “I don’t think this situation could have any long term effects for the Corps,” Cedrone said. “The only thing that people are really missing out on are good memories.” The canceling of events is disappointing for everyone, the rising Corps Commander said, but it is important to keep in mind that traditions will return. “It is unfair and it does suck, but what we know as Aggies is that the tradition is us. We are the tradition,” Cedrone said. “If we keep our heads held high and we keep going, these traditions will only be canceled and they won’t die.”

The Battalion | 3.23.20

OPINION

PROVIDED

English junior and former assistant news editor for The Battalion Camryn Lang (right) was one month into a semester abroad before Texas A&M mandated all students to return stateside.

Paradise in the midst of panic As the world goes on lockdown, study abroad programs bring students back to a country in chaos Camryn Lang @camrynlang

spent one month studying in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy, before COVID-19 rose to a Level 3 and the world went into a panic. On Feb. 28, I stood among my crying peers and felt the blood drain from my face as our professor told us that Texas A&M had ordered us to return home. Having just visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa and walked among locals and tourists alike, it was hard to imagine the severity of fear that had overtaken the entire world. Isolated from most visual news, I relied heavily on articles from the New York Times and Washington Post which gave me a realistic view of the virus’ progression. Without the flash of eye-catching graphics and dramatic performances of newscasters, it was easy to believe that the virus was manageable. I’d spent the week prior to the notice convincing myself that television news was sensationalizing the virus and everyone was overreacting. While stocks were diving lower and hand sanitizer was

disappearing from the shelves, myself and 33 other students were relentlessly calling our airline to book flights and sharing our disappointment with family. At the time, I was miserable thinking about leaving Italy with its incredible culture and beautiful views. I so desperately wanted to have every experience I could, knowing I may never get to come back to Italy or to Europe as a whole. I had been fortunate enough to visit Florence, Arezzo, Rome and Orvieto, but how could I leave when I was supposed to see so much more? My classmates and I filled our last few days with as many experiences as possible, and the directors of our program were kind enough to set up a visit to Cortona. Our tour guide, Giovanni, who was quite the favorite among our group, took us around his hometown. My last day in Italy was spent walking through cobblestone streets, seeing the rolling hills of Tuscany and buying wine. It was a beautiful day of appreciation and solace. As we walked around the town, I saw the concerned faces of business owners and citizens who will feel the economic impact of the dwindling tourist season. Although I was sad to

leave a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I was devastated to leave the community behind. The next day, I stepped onto a bus at 3 a.m. and watched Italy whisk by in the darkness. One short flight to Frankfurt, Germany, followed by a 10 hour flight to Houston went by in a blur. During our rush to make it to each flight, we weren’t screened for symptoms like I thought we’d be. We were only taken through security and customs. I breezed by in Houston, trying desperately to make my San Antonio flight. One of my classmates didn’t make it to the plane on time, and some other students were left behind in Frankfurt. I was fortunate enough to have a place to stay, but some of my classmates couldn’t go home to their families because of the risk of spreading the virus. All of us went into isolation for two weeks in self-quarantine, watching the world realize how devastating COVID-19 could be. In my quarantine, I have been bombarded by stories of grocery stores packed with panicked shoppers and news of faulty test kits being shipped out across the U.S. Now, it feels as though the country is shutting

down. I didn’t think that in leaving Italy I’d return to a country in the midst of doomsday prepping. I understand why these decisions are being made. If drastic action isn’t taken by our governments and institutions, millions could be infected and compromised populations stand to lose thousands of people. I’m not worried about myself, but understand that I’m one of the lucky ones. As a 21-year-old with no underlying conditions, I have the best chance at surviving COVID-19. I can only hope in the next few months, the precautions being taken will save those who aren’t so fortunate. I don’t currently have any symptoms and with only four days left in my quarantine, I’m hoping that continues. I wouldn’t want the next headline to be about how I spread the virus across Texas. Camryn Lang is a English junior and former assistant news editor for The Battalion. Editor’s note: Camryn has since finished her quarantine and has not developed any symptoms.

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SPORTS

The Battalion | 3.23.20

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Sports editor Hannah Underwood covered the Texas A&M vs. Arkansas football game at AT&T Stadium for The Battalion.

Sports journalism is the easiest thing, until it’s not Sports editor Hannah Underwood expresses concerns and difficulties during coronavirus panic Hannah Underwood

@hannahbunderwoo ear readers, There is a consistency with sports journalism that you don’t find in any other area of journal-

ism. Heading into the start of a season, you know exactly what you’re going to cover and when. There is a set schedule of games that provides guaranteed content for the next several months. You know you’ll at least have a preview and a recap of each game, with stories on players, coaches, trends and other news sure to follow. It’s easy to plan a season’s worth of content, and that makes the job itself easy. I’ve watched The Battalion’s other editors plan their budgets for each week, and each time, I am thankful that sports provides the stability it does. I don’t have to search far and wide for each of my stories. I have a set schedule I can

refer to and plan around. I also don’t have to look very hard to find sources. Other than the occasional feature stories we do, weekly press conferences take care of that. But what do you do when there are no sports? Coronavirus has brought a lot of uncertainty on the world, and unfortunately, the sports world could not escape unscathed. It all began crashing down last Wednesday. On March 11, things were normal. That afternoon, the NCAA and the SEC announced their decisions to limit fan attendance at the men’s and women’s basketball tournament games to “only essential staff and limited family.” Other than that, everything was fine. Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork released a statement announcing the softball game that night against Texas State would allow fans to attend. So I covered that game, not knowing it would be the last game I (probably) would cover this season. I also had two other stories to write from press releases

we had received earlier in the day: A&M volleyball’s Mallory Talbert had been named to the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team and would train with the U.S. National Team in the summer, and A&M track and field’s Tyra Gittens had been named SEC Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. Gittens was also in Albuquerque, New Mexico, preparing to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday, along with the rest of the qualifiers from A&M. The morning of March 12, there was an uneasiness in the air, but for the most part, things were still normal. That morning, I started editing two previews for weekend games. Only one got posted. While I was doing that, news broke that the SEC had canceled the remainder of the 2020 Men’s Basketball Tournament. Then, the SEC followed with an announcement that it was suspending all regular season games for all sports through March 30. Just four hours later, the downfall of sports continued. The NCAA announced

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the cancellation of all remaining winter and spring championship games, eliminating March Madness and the College World Series in one fell swoop. Twenty-four hours later, the SEC extended its suspension of sporting events to April 15 and included all “organized team activity” in the ban. While we know this means in-season sports are on hold for the time being, we’re still waiting to hear what this means for spring football, Pro Day, the NFL Draft and the Summer Olympics. Any plans I had regarding those events are potentially down the drain, and down with them went the stability that I’ve grown accustomed to. Moving ahead, the sports desk will be focusing on student-athlete profiles, coaches and other people involved with A&M athletics, in addition to branching out to cover more A&M club sports. If you have any ideas for us to pursue, send them to sports@thebatt.com. Thanks, Gig ‘em and God bless. Hannah Underwood is a journalism junior and sports editor for The Battalion.

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THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2020 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. 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. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

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NEWS

The Battalion | 3.23.20

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

At time of publication, the Spring 2020 graduation ceremony is postponed and the university is planning on mailing diplomas to graduates at no cost.

Seniors face disappointing end to time in Aggieland Spring commencement ceremonies postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak By Sanna Bhai @BhaiSanna Students from elementary to college wait for snow days, long weekends and random cancellations all year long since this gives them a chance to spend time with friends, away from the world of structured class times and detention. However, when schools across the country canceled classes due to COVID-19, emotions varied, especially for seniors. Leaving for Spring Break, little did graduating seniors know that it was the last time they would be a traditional college student. For many seniors, their busy lives in College Station would come to a sudden halt with no chance to say final goodbyes to the place and people they called home for four-plus years. Hannah Fawcett, an English senior, had been seeing other colleges suspending classes amid the COVID pandemic and knew it was only a matter of time before her senior year

would end. Hoping for some closure, Fawcett refreshed her email frequently until she saw the email that ended her college experience. “When I got it I definitely cried a little bit, because it was like a nail in a coffin,” Fawcett said. “I was already so bummed about college ending and then it ended in just one email.” She can see her friends again, but the chance to say goodbye to professors is what Fawcett said she will miss the most. Fawcett said it is hard to believe that the last class before Spring Break with her professors was the last one. “Going to class and having that relationship with professors, right now that is something that is done,” Fawcett said. “I am still hoping to see friends, but learning hands-on from professors and forming relationships with them is over and that is so sad.” These final weeks of college come with realization and reflection for many seniors on the journey they embarked on as young adults. One big milestone to starting a new life is walking across the stage in Reed Arena with friends and family celebrating one of your biggest accomplishments. Because English senior Zoe Sherman was

home-schooled prior to attending Texas A&M, this was the first time she would ever walk the stage in a cap and gown. When commencement was postponed, Sherman was heartbroken. She would not get to sing the war hymn with her class or celebrate with her family, a long line of Aggies. “Graduation really meant the world to me,” Sherman said. “I know that not walking across that stage doesn’t diminish my accomplishments in any way, but I really wanted that bookend moment, to have the chance to turn the page on this chapter before moving on to the next.” Being a first-generation college student, biomedical sciences senior Lesly Gill said attending a university like A&M was a dream come true for her and her family. Her final steps across the stage are not only to celebrate her accomplishment, but more importantly to thank her parents for their sacrifices that allowed her to be in this position. Gill said if she is unable to take that final step, she and her family will be devastated. “I was going to be the first of my family to go to college,” Gil said. “My brother followed

my footsteps and now he attends Dartmouth College, even he felt sorry that I was not going to have graduation as he understands the work that we as college students put in to receive our degree.” Taking a positive outlook on this situation, political science senior Caroline Moore hopes to embrace her memories of college and take this time to focus on her next steps. “I appreciate the changes that are happening, especially because members of my family are higher risk,” Morre said. “These changes allow me to be more accessible during my job hunt and closer to my family. I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t have my official lasts but I’m happy with the experiences I’ve had already.” Facing a lack of motivation to continue on, Sherman has held on to a quote from the movie “JoJo Rabbit” that she said made her realize there is so much she gained from A&M and hopes everyone can look towards the future, as they hold their college memories close to their hearts. “‘Let everything happen to you; beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.’”