WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2018 STUDENT MEDIA
CRUZING TO THE CAPITOL Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
At time of publication, 97 percent of Texas precincts had reported results totaling 8,268,369 votes. 4.2 million of those were cast for Cruz.
Republican incumbent reelected in high-profile race for U.S. Senate seat By Luke Henkhaus @luke_henkhaus Texas Republican Ted Cruz is keeping his seat in the U.S. Senate, but Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke did not make it easy for him. The Senate race was one of the closest Texas has seen in decades, with Cruz receiving roughly 51 percent of the vote compared to O’Rourke’s 48 percent. Over 8 million Texans came out to vote this year, putting turnout for the 2018 midterms far above that of the 2010 and 2014 elections, neither of which surpassed 5 million. Kirby Goidel, professor of political communication and director of Texas A&M’s public policy research institute, said the 3.9 million votes racked up by O’Rourke rep-
resent a serious accomplishment for a Texas Democrat in a statewide non-presidential race. Goidel compared O’Rourke’s total to the 1.8 million votes cast for Wendy Davis in the 2014 governor race. “That’s a pretty remarkable thing for a candidate to do, and Cruz had to respond to it, so it made it one of the most exciting races in the country and the high rate of participation is a good thing,” Goidel said. In Brazos County, Cruz claimed victory by a wider margin, taking 55.8 percent of the county’s 63,998 votes. In Texas A&M’s Memorial Student Center, the Election Day voting line stretched all the way back the Flag Room, and some students waited for as long as two hours to cast their ballots. Mechanical engineering senior Ryan Zimmerman said choosing between Cruz and O’Rourke was no easy task, but after
researching both candidates’ platforms, he ultimately sided with the incumbent. “I appreciate Ted
Megan Cusick — THE BATTALION
Madeleine Albright was the first secretary of state under Bill Clinton.
Foreign policy becomes bipartisan First female secretary of state speaks at Texas A&M Tuesday By Jordan Burnham @RJordanBurnham The Bush school overflowed with members of the community on Election Day as former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright spoke on the vitality of bipartisanship in foreign affairs. Albright was the first female Secretary of State in 1997 under Bill Clinton, becoming the highest ranking woman in the history of the United States government at the time. Albright was the first secretary of state to visit North Korea and has since been recognized for her landmark contributions to international peace. During Tuesday’s lecture, Albright shared her insight on bipartisanship, the challenges presented by a globalized world and the ways democracy can overcome these issues. Though Albright served as a Democrat throughout her time in the state department, she emphasized the importance of reaching across the aisle, especially during a polarized midterm election. “Whether our chosen candidates win or lose, we must all find ways to work together
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Photos by Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Admon Gilder, TJ Starks, Chennedy Carter and Aaliyah Wilson are returning to Texas A&M for the 2018-2019 men’s and women’s basketball season.
STARTING THE SEASON RIGHT Men’s basketball goes into game with clear plans and new strategies By Brian Bass @BrianBass4 It’s basketball time in Aggieland once again. Texas A&M looks to recreate last year’s magical run to the Sweet 16 with a new set of faces on the court. The Aggies have lost a bulk of their roster due to early departures for the NBA or graduation and will face a hefty challenge trying to replace them. Guards TJ Starks and Admon Gilder will be expected to increase their production from last season as they are two of seven players to return with at least 12 starts under their belts. Several other familiar faces from last year will be stepping into starting roles this season. Sophomore guard Jay Jay Chandler and forward Savion Flagg are expected to make significant contributions to the offense, having improved significantly over the off-season. Starks, who was named a preseason AllSEC guard earlier this week, is looking to nearly double his numbers from last year. Starks said he will be making every effort to score as much as possible this season, though he trusts his teammates will have his back. “I believe in our team, and I know that if I come up short as far as points, I know
I can dish out assists and I can count on my teammates to come through with the win,” Starks said. Head coach Billy Kennedy said the team will be taking a different approach in how it operates this season. “We’re utilizing the three-point line a little bit differently and probably more so than what we’ve done in the past,” Kennedy said. After the loss of Tyler Davis and Robert Williams, A&M will not be able to resort to the paint very often. Instead, they will have to be able to operate from the perimeter, shoot more threes and draw fouls by driving into the paint. Kennedy has built a roster full of talented guards with significant depth. Baylor University and Trinity Valley Community College transfer Wendell Mitchell will be one of the key additions to this roster as he looks to add valuable experience to the Aggie offense. Transfer sophomore Brandon Mahan is another guard who is expected to make a difference early in the season for A&M. “He’s really a good shooter,” Kennedy said. “He’s catching on defensively, which is usually the biggest transition for a first-year guy at this level.” After spending his freshman season at Chipola College, Mahan is expected to be a perimeter player, taking a lot of threes and M. BASKETBALL ON PG. 3
Blair prepares for season with new additions to Aggie women’s roster By Angel Franco @angelmadison_ For the first time in Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair’s 38-year career, he will be starting five sophomores. Despite this being a first for him, Blair said he believes in the capacity of his young team. “I think they’ve earned it,” Blair said. Seven and a half months after their 90-84 loss to No. 1 Notre Dame, the Aggies return to the court to face Rice on Wednesday night. Blair said the road ahead for the women’s program will be a hard one. “We’re a work in progress right now,” Blair said. “We’re going to start five sophomores — I’ve never done that before — but that sets up well for the future.” With Khaalia Hillsman no longer on the roster after graduating from the program, Blair said one of the biggest tasks he has this season is finding someone to replace Hillsman in five spot — also known as the center or post position. “We’re trying to find some scoring at the post position,” Blair said. “That [was] bothering me, but then I went and looked at some stats from 2008. We almost made the final four with my five player averaging 4.6 points,
so there are other ways to score.” However, Blair said he isn’t too worried about finding the right person immediately. “It’s sort of like a toss salad right now,” Blair said. “I don’t know what we’re going to start with, but I’m going to keep adding. … That’s what you have to do here. You have to find out what is going to work in November and December. That way, by January, you know what your eight-player rotation is all about.” At the end of last season, Danni Williams and Anriel Howard announced their intentions to transfer out of the program. Williams went to Texas, and Howard went to Mississippi State. Leading up to the home opener, Blair didn’t want to talk about Williams or Howard, saying the only players that matter to him are the 14 on his roster. “I will always keep up with Anriel and Danni through what they have accomplished, but right now it’s time to worry about this year’s team,” Blair said. Despite having four transfer players on his roster, Blair said he believes students transferring from one program to another is hurting college athletics. “I am not a vindictive person, but transfers around the country in every sport is what is hurting all sports,” Blair said. “We believe in signing a kid for four years, not one. We W. BASKETBALL ON PG. 3
Senior Boot Bag
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Megan Rodriguez, Editor in Chief THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the 2018 fall semester and 2019 spring semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.
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Biomedical engineering seniors Bradley Schott and Matthew Reyes pull their laptops out to work on an assignment while waiting in line to cast their ballots for the midterm elections.
ELECTION CONTINUED Cruz and what he does and his lack of compromise in regards to politics,” Zimmerman said. “[He has] a very clean slate, and it’s very policy focused, which doesn’t make him the most likable person, but it is definitely what politics should be.” Industrial distribution senior Pablo Flores became a U.S. citizen last semester, making this election season his first opportunity to cast a vote. Flores said he opted for O’Rourke after observing the level of control Republicans have exercised over the state in recent years. “I have a lot of conservative values but I believe in the balance of power and I don’t think that is there with Texas, so I think that’s why a lot of young people are out here because they see that issue,” Flores said. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, Zimmerman said voting presents a chance for many students to get more involved in their communities. “I appreciate the opportunity to actually contribute as a citizen,” Zimmerman said. “Being a student, I don’t have to go to jury duty; I don’t pay substantial taxes. I love the ability to vocalize who I am as an American.” While the election of Cruz and 50 other republican candidates preserved
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THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
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Aggieland 2019
Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland yearbook are:
REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester; PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society); • Have demonstrated ability in writing, editing and graphic design through university coursework or equivalent experience; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on the Aggieland or comparable yearbook.
Application forms should be picked up from and returned to Douglas Pils, Student Media General Manager, in Suite L410 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Wednesday, November 7, 2018.
to further our shared interest instead of retreating into our separate camps,” Albright said. “Bipartisanship is important today, but it will be absolutely vital tomorrow.” Albright said she has faith in the resilience of democracy, despite the multiplication of divisions the country faces. “And at the same time, I am worried,” Albright said. “I worry about tensions on the Korean peninsula and the Middle East, and about the humanitarian catastrophes unfolding in Yemen and Syria. I worry about Vladimir Putin, who is trying to make Russia great again by asserting his influence in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, while undermining the West.” According to Albright, the issues that have arisen can be explained by two forces: globalization and technology. “The same forces that have brought the world closer together, have made many people want to cling even more tightly to their ethnic, cultural and religious identities,” Albright said. “And when men and women feel insecure
the GOP’s control of the Senate, Democrats took over the House of Representatives, claiming 207 of 435 total seats. According to Goidel, this new division of congressional power will likely exacerbate the existing partisanship and polarization influencing American politics. “Now you move from unified government control to divided control of government, and with that it makes it harder for someone to govern, especially someone like President Trump, who has played largely to his base, and hasn’t tried to reach out to the other side very often,” Goidel said. This partisanship played a role in driving up voter turnout and activism on both sides of the political spectrum during this year’s election cycle, Goidel said. “Typically you might say, ‘higher participation, what a great thing,’ but its higher participation motivated by a fear of the other side and a dislike of the other side and a concern that the other side is going to undermine democracy or undermine progress, so it’s a little troubling that way,” Goidel said. In the U.S. House Race for Texas’ 17th district, Rep. Bill Flores kept his seat by a comfortable margin, receiving 56.92% percent of the vote. Representatives Kyle Kacal and
John Raney were reelected to the Texas State Legislature, along with State Senator Charles Schwertner. Each defeated their Democratic challengers by at least 12 percentage points. In College Station, Elianor Vessali was elected to City Council Place 4 by a thin margin, receiving 51 percent of the vote compared to Joe Guerra Jr.’s 49 percent. Elizabeth Cunha took City Council Place 6 with 40 percent of the vote, putting her ahead of Dennis Maloney and Craig Hall. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick were also reelected, with Abbott receiving roughly 56 percent of the vote and Patrick claiming a more narrow majority with 51 percent. In his victory speech, Abbott addressed the increasingly divisive nature of politics across Texas and the rest of the nation, encouraging other elected officials to commit to a more bipartisan approach in the future. “It’s been the red team versus the blue team,” Abbott said. “Well now that elections are over, and the people have spoken, it is time for all of us to unite under the best banner of them all, and that is the great flag of the Lone Star State.” More details and results for Brazos County are available at brazosvotes.org/results.
about the future, they tend to look for someone to blame — someone who isn’t like them. The outsiders, the strangers, the different, the immigrants and the refugees.” Albright said foreign policy is something that continually changes and its success depends on cooperation between both parties to address problems such as proliferation, terror, the global economy and development. Albright said these problems led her to three solutions: giving national security more options and tools, increasing education and perseverance in support for democracy. “There’s no question that our military must remain second-to-none,” Albright said. “We also have a profound interest in sustaining NATO, and helping the UN system adapt and in developing close and cooperative bilateral relationships across the globe.” An audience member asked Albright what she believes could improve human rights around the world and she said electing more women is essential. “The other thing though, the reason I feel very comfortable saying this, is that I was actually the first secretary
to bring women’s issues into the state department,” Albright said. “Not just because I’m a feminist, but because we know that when women are politically and economically empowered, societies are more stable.” Albright said one of the most important lessons she learned from her time in Washington is that the best leaders have a gift for listening, not just hearing themselves talk. “Without underestimating the challenges, I still firmly believe in America,” Albright said. “We believe of the rights and responsibilities of the individual, and of the power of each of us to make a difference.” Davis Jones, CEO of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation, read a letter from former president H.W. Bush, who was unable to attend the event. “If I were there, however, I would want to salute secretary Albright for her enduring commitment and selfless service to our country,” Bush said. “I could not be more pleased that she has come to the Bush center to share her thoughts and insights on our ever-changing world.”
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FILE
Sophomore guard Savion Flagg played in 30 games during his freshman season. Paul Burke — THE BATTALION
Sophomore guard Aahliyah Jackson played 17 minutes during Texas A&M’s exhibition game against Oklahoma City, scoring seven points.
W. BASKETBALL CONTINUED believe in letting that Aggie connection help them in the next 40. Not just a ring and getting out in three years, but an Aggie connection for years and the contacts you make.” According to Blair, women’s basketball is the only program that sends its players to the Aggie 100 — a program which recognizes the 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world. Blair said he
M. BASKETBALL CONTINUED
asks to have his players sit at tables which align closely with their post-grad interests in an effort to establish future connections. “I want my student-athletes, particularly juniors and seniors, to sit at different tables that [match] their major,” Blair said. “[I want them] to hear the stories of these Aggies that have [run] their own business.” No. 20 Texas A&M kicks off its season Wednesday night as the Aggies host Rice at 6 p.m. in Reed Arena.
filling a role occupied by DJ Hogg last season. Kennedy expects to find out how the rotation will go as the season progresses, but he said he wants players who are consistent three-point shooters on the court. Transition basketball will also be an important aspect in A&M’s offensive production. “I’ve always been the type of guy that can get up and down the court,” Gilder said. “To play a faster pace, I think that now is the time to show [our abilities].” The plan is clear-cut for this season in terms
of playing, but there will be plenty of new faces stepping up to put this plan in motion. The season opener against Savannah State is expected to be a fast 40 minutes up and down the court all night. A&M goes on the road for the first time this season next Thursday against No. 3 Gonzaga. The Aggies then head to Canada for two games in the Vancouver Showcase, starting Nov. 18. With this season’s schedule, A&M will be tested early against talented Power 5 teams. The Aggies open up the season on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. against Savannah State in Reed Arena.
Young opens dialogue at town hall
Universty president answers questions raised by A&M staff By Anthony Pangonas @apangonas
Annie Liu — THE BATTALION
Young discussed his goal to increase retention rates.
Looking to address questions from Texas A&M’s faculty and staff, University President Michael Young took part in a town hall hosted by the University Staff Council. Young answered questions provided by the council before opening the floor to audience members. Young opened the town hall with recent statistics and rankings that have put A&M ahead of other colleges and universities. A&M has been named “Best value college in Texas” by U.S News and World Re-
port, and 90 percent of students surveyed said they were very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their education after graduating. Young said A&M’s staff has played a key role in achieving this status. “It’s a reflection of the kind of community that you help them create on this campus,” Young said. “When I’m out and about talking to people, it is as likely they’re telling me a story of a staff member who’s important to their education as it is a professor.” Young said transformational learning is a major focus as A&M looks to move beyond traditional lecture-based methods and help students do more with their time in college. Transformational learning includes capstone projects and research projects with professors. “We want to create students who have their own analytical capacity who can dis-
cover facts for themselves,” Young said. “Last year, the graduating class, we calculated that 80 percent of students had at least two of those types of experiences. By 2020, it will be 100 percent that will have at least two experiences.” Young said the university is also exploring options to provide more opportunities for distance learning and aiming to raise freshman and sophomore retention rates from 93 percent to 95 percent. Young said the university is looking to improve staff initiatives and benefits, and the current merit-based system of salary increases will most likely remain in place. “A one percent across the board salary increase is essentially $15 million,” Young said. “But we do want to encourage a merit -based culture here. It is likely to continue.”
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‘OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND’ CRITIQUES HOLLYWOOD Welles’ unfinished film arrives on Netflix with harsh style Cole Fowler
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Orson Welles’ film was added to Netflix on Nov. 2.
@thecolefowler
rson Welles’ final film, “The Other Side of the Wind,” was his last attempt to regain his place in Hollywood. Due to political and financial issues, this film was not completed until this year, nearly three decades after Welles’ death. It was released on Netflix on Nov. 2, and despite the film’s troubled past, it successfully places Welles back among Hollywood’s elite. During the Golden Age of Hollywood — which lasted roughly from 1920 to the early 1960s — Welles was renowned in the industry, directing nearly 40 films in his lifetime. However, once Hollywood began to decline, Welles began to lose his influence as a filmmaker. He was never able to successfully return to the scene, and most of his projects, including “The Other Side of the Wind,” went unfinished. The film itself is difficult to analyze from a modern sense of performances and screenplay
as Welles’ intentions for the film lie in his critiques of the global film scene at the time. Welles focuses on his hatred of Hollywood and the arthouse style that had become popular in Europe. Welles found himself stuck between his inability to fund his movies in Hollywood and his desire to avoid conforming to this new style of cinema. The film follows the character Jake Hannaford as he tries to fund his final movie. The film is styled as a documentary of the screening of Hannaford’s film. Welles balances the narrative between this fictional documentary and footage of his protagonist’s film, including several different styles that move freely between professional and amateur filmmaking. Welles also masterfully spliced together each of the plot lines. Hannaford’s story is copied from Welles’ personal account of trying to fund his film. Welles finds a good balance of fiction and non-fiction. Welles was outspoken about his hatred of the European arthouse style of the Italian greats such as Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni, and this hatred is depicted
in Hannaford’s film. Welles crafts Hannaford’s film in a style reminiscent of Antonioni’s 1966 film, “Blow Up” but in the most irreverent way possible. Welles removes all the art from the genre and replaces it with gratuitous nudity and violence. Although the focus of the film is not on the performances, John Huston’s performance as the washed up Jack Hannaford perfectly fits into Welles’ Hollywood critique. Huston himself was a director in the Golden Age of Hollywood and is best known for writing and directing the 1941 film, “The Maltese Falcon.” Like Welles, Hurston also had difficulty adapting to the changing Hollywood scene, so his performance is certainly believable. Although “The Other Side of the Wind” is a critique of the Hollywood system, the film reminds audiences of Welles’ fantastic filmmaking ability. Fans of Welles will find this style much harsher than his previous work, but great nonetheless. Cole Fowler is an English sophomore and Life & Arts reporter for The Battalion.
Diwali celebrations light up the community Aggies share experiences from traditional celebration By Navid Nathani @Nathaninavid On campus and around the world, people are celebrating the Hindu festival of lights. The autumn holiday represents the triumph of good over evil, often rooted in the Hindu epic of Rama defeating King Ravana and his army. According to Srikari Ayyagari, a board member of the Indian Student Association (ISA), the practice of setting up lights for the festival not only has historical significance but also helps her connect with friends and family. “The basic premise of Diwali is the triumph of good over evil,” Ayyagari said. “The light represents
the good and the dark represents evil, so we light up as many dark places so the good can touch all of us. We would leave all of the lights on throughout the house as well as light lamps on the outside. The reason we use lamps specifically is because the heat from it is said to also help kill off evil.” Srinivasa Sunkari, Class of 1992, is a research engineer at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and a member of the local Hindu temple in Bryan. Sunkari said since Hindu festivals do not usually fall on weekends, the local Hindu community came together to celebrate before the actual day of the festival, which falls on Wednesday this year. “Over the weekend, we held a prayer at the temple as well as entertainment and food, ending with fireworks,” Sunkari said. “Indian graduate students host these events
to allow them to connect with the community. We also had non-Hindu members of the university attend.” There are also important rites and rituals performed on Diwali in addition to festival celebrations. According to Sunkari, these practices are more personal and tend to fill the whole day. “On the day of the actual festival, the celebrations are usually conducted with your close friends and family,” Sunkari said. “Although it is a small and intimate celebration, it usually looks beautiful. We will plant oil lamps all throughout the house and join each other for small prayer and food.” Indian Student Association President Devaki Patel, is hosting an event called Bollywood Night on the day of Diwali. “Where I’m from, the people of the community usually get togeth-
er and host a sort of talent show,” Patel said. “The kids would usually perform skits, and people would sing songs.” Patel said she sees Diwali as a way to bring the community together. “We’re going to try and have everyone in the Indian community, especially those who feel homesick and can’t be with family, join us in celebration during Bollywood Night,” Patel said. “We will have entertainment and food as well as lights as decoration.” According to Ayyagari, non-Hindus often join the celebrations as well. “Even though the festival comes from a god defeating a demon, the idea behind it is a story of good and evil and that is something that is found throughout all societies,” Ayyagari said. “At the end of the day, it’s a reason to see loved ones and eat good food.”
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The community lights lamps and candles to celebrate Diwali.
AGGIELAND 2018
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Texas A&M University Vol. 116
2018 AGGIELAND It’s not too late to order your copy of the 2018 Aggieland, a photojournalistic record of the 2017-2018 school year. The 116th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook. Go Online to aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613 to make your purchase. $75.00 + Tax (Includes Mail Fee)
Don’t forget to also preorder your copy of the 2019 Aggieland yearbook. The 117th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook. Distribution will be the Fall 2019.
AGGIELAND PHOTOS FREE portrait sessions for the 2019 Aggieland will take place during the 2019 Spring semesters. Look to your Battalion newspaper, social media or campus email for dates, location and times.