The Battalion - October 20, 2017 by The Battalion

DEEP FROM THE HEART: ONE AMERICA APPEAL | 10/21 | 7 - 9 P.M.

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

Eventful semester gives student leaders, administration new challenges to address By Luke Henkhaus @luke_henkhaus

alfway through the Fall 2017 semester, Texas A&M has faced the wrath of Hurricane Harvey, anxiety over immigration policy, concerns about free speech and a host of challenges tied to the university’s ever-increasing size. The semester’s tumultuous first half has presented a unique set of challenges for student leaders as they work to build and maintain student representation at the higher levels of university decision-making. On Oct. 31,

student leaders will speak with University President Michael Young during their first formal meeting of the semester, presenting student perspectives on the issues shaping A&M’s campus and community. While student leaders will be entering the meeting with half a semester’s worth of topics to discuss, Memorial Student Center President Annie Carnegie said previous opportunities to exchange ideas with Young have been invaluable to fostering understanding between the administration and student body. “I think that when we go into a meeting, we definitely feel like we leave with a better understanding of the university and that President Young is able leave with a better understanding of what’s going on with the student body,” Carnegie said.

Though schedules have been strained by the extra commitments a chaotic semester brings, Student Body President Bobby Brooks said Young remains committed to understanding students’ concerns, taking time to speak with student leaders at other events and gatherings throughout the semester. “I do get to run into him quite frequently, so whenever I do bump into him, I bring up a lot of the ideas I have and a lot of those things I’ve been working on and I really try to get in as much time with him as I possibly can,” Brooks said. “He will listen to me when I track him down, he’ll talk and he does offer good suggestions and tips.” However, the settings of these unstructured meetings with the president can sometimes restrict the range of topics that can realistically

be discussed, said Matthew Etchells, president of Graduate and Professional Student Council, recalling a conversation with Young at the Aggie football game against South Carolina. “In that setting, you’re not going to say something that would lead to a deep conversation, you kind of keep it light because that is the social norm for those kind of spaces,” Etchells said. More consistent, scheduled contact with A&M’s administration comes through regular meetings with Daniel Pugh, executive vice president for student affairs, said Jasmine Wang, speaker of the student senate. “I get regular meetings with Dr. Pugh and that kind of helps to supplement that because LEADERSHIP ON PG. 4

Standing united for hurricane relief efforts All five living former presidents to attend benefit concert at Reed By Emily Bost @EmmyBost Texas A&M will host the five former living presidents – Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – on Saturday for Deep From the Heart: The One America Appeal, a concert for hurricane relief efforts. Plans for the concert were announced by the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation earlier in October to aid in relief efforts for hurricanes that caused

SHARING THE STORY: RESEARCHING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION PANEL | 10/20 | 1 P.M.

destruction in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Tickets to the event, ranging from $30 to $600, sold out in less than 24 hours with all of the proceeds dedicated to aiding in relief efforts. According to David Jones CEO of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation, the idea for this event came from former President George H.W. Bush. “What was originally scheduled to be a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Bush Library and Foundation and Bush School of Government and Public Service quickly became an opportunity to raise money for hurricane relief following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria,” Jones said in a press release.

UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY: DECLASSIFYING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DOCUMENTS PANEL | 10/20 | 3 P.M.

The ticket sale proceeds will go to One American Appeal, a hurricane relief fund started by the former presidents, which began in September to aid in the storm victims’ processes of healing and recovering, according to bush41.org. Funds raised will reach victims through the Houston Harvey Relief Fund, the Rebuild Texas Fund, the Florida Disaster Fund, Unidos Por Puerto Rico and The Fund for the Virgin Islands, according to oneamericaappeal.org. The event will feature musical performances by Alabama, Lyle Lovett, the Gatlin Brothers, Robert Earl Keen and more in Reed Arena, set to hold 10,800 seats after staging construction, according to an RELIEF ON PG. 4

FAMILY FEST | 10/21 | 2 P.M.

GROWING INTO HER OWN Kiara McGee discusses personal growth on court By Ryan MacDonald @Ryan_MacDonald2 Though today Kiara McGee is an incredible volleyball player who earned honorable mention All-American honors last season, volleyball wasn’t the sport she was the best at growing up. McGee excelled in volleyball, track and basketball in high school but ultimately had to narrow her primary focus down to one sport due to time conflicts. “I was honestly best at track, but I had time conflicts between track and club volleyball,” McGee said. “My dad was paying for my club volleyball so he made me choose which sport

I wanted to play,” The youngest of four, McGee came from a family of basketball players — her father played basketball at Oral Roberts and her oldest brother was a four-year letterwinner at Oregon State. McGee, however, never really found a passion for basketball like her Dad and brother and decided to focus on volleyball. McGee’s decision paid off, as she had an illustrious volleyball career at Taft High School in San Antonio. A four-year starter, McGee led her team to back-toback

playoff appearances after the school’s 10-year playoff drought. McGee was named to the 2013 San Antonio Express-News All-Area Super Team and was selected to play in the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) all-star match. After her volleyball success MCGEE ON PG. 3

Hanna Hausman — THE BATTALION

Senior outside hitter Kiara McGee led the Aggies with 334 last season, and her 21 kills against then No. 16 Florida State was the most kills recorded in a single game by an Aggie all season.

NEWS

The Battalion | 10.20.17

PRESIDENT

PROFILES Jimmy Carter

James Earl “Jimmy” Carter was elected in 1976 and served as the 39th President of the United States. Carter served one term as President and lost his re-election campaign to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter strived to make government “competent and compassionate,” to be responsive to the American people’s expectations during a time period of rising energy costs and inflations. By the end of his administration, there was an increase in approximately 8 million jobs and a decrease in the national budget deficit. Carter also had many accomplishments in domestic affairs. He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights and encouraging economic and social development.

George H.W. Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush was elected in 1988 as the 41st President of the United States. Bush served as Vice President to Ronald Reagan from 1981-1989, he then served one term as president from 1988-1993. Bush worked in many domestic areas, such as federal deregulation and anti-drug programs. The Cold War was drawn to an end after 40 years, marking the fall of Communism and the Berlin Wall. Bush faced a changing world while in office. His popularity came from military and diplomatic triumph. Bush also withstood discontent at home from a troubled economy, inner city violence and high deficit spending. After his presidency, the Bush family returned to Houston where the former President volunteered with their church and sat on various boards. The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum was dedicated in 1997 at Texas A&M in College Station.

Bill Clinton

William “Bill” Jefferson Clinton was elected in 1992 as the 42nd President of the United States. President Clinton served two terms in presidential office with Al Gore as his Vice President. Both the White House and Congress were held by the Democratic Party for their first term, but Republicans won both houses of Congress in the second term. During his term, he bombed Iraq when Saddam Hussein stopped United Nations inspections for weapons of nuclear, chemical and biological capacities. Clinton was a global proponent for an expansion of NATO, promoted more international trade and had a worldwide campaign against drug trafficking. After he left the White House, Bill Clinton moved to Chappaqua, New York. He initially spent his time writing a memoir and overseeing the creation of his presidential library in Little Rock, Arkansas.

George W. Bush

George W. Bush was elected in 2000 as the 43rd President of the United States. President George W. Bush served two terms in presidential office with Dick Cheney as his Vice President. Bush’s administration focused on “compassionate conservatism” by embracing education, tax relief and volunteerism. He delivered significant tax cuts, one of his campaign pledges. The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the stopped flight against the White House on September 11, 2001 caused this to be a wartime administration. Bush formed a new cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security and sent American forces into Afghanistan in response. George W. Bush returned to Midland, Texas after his second term and took residence at Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas. Additionally, George and Laura Bush bought a home in Dallas near Southern Methodist University, where his presidential library is located.

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Barack Obama was elected in 2008 as the 44th President of the United States. Obama served two terms in the presidential office with Joe Biden as his Vice President. Obama’s administration successfully passed healthcare reform, negotiated the Iran Nuclear Deal and ordered special forces to raid a compound and kill Osama bin Laden. He ended U.S. combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2014. Additionally, Obama signed the Paris Climate Accord to agree to do the nation’s part in lowering greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2020. Obama and his family have relatively stayed out of the public’s eye since his presidency. The Obamas rent a house in the nation’s capital, so their youngest daughter, Sasha, can finish out her high school career. In Obama’s last press conference as president in January, he revealed that he wanted to do some writing.

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Compiled by Savannah Mehrtens Photos courtesy of presidential websites All information on history until the end of presidency sourced from whitehouse.gov. Information on post-presidency sourced from millercenter.org.

vopment.

to todays puzzles Josh McCormack, Editor in Chief Gracie Mock, Managing Editor Alexis Will, Creative Director Katy Baldock, Social Media Editor Angel Franco, Sports Editor Luke Henkhaus, News Editor

Mariah Colon, Life & Arts Editor Cassie Stricker, Photo Editor Adrienne DeMoss, Multimedia Editor Maya Hiatt, Page Designer Brad Morse, SciTech Editor

THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (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 Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

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SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.20.17

AROUND THE SEC A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 8 By Kevin Roark @Kevin_Roark

NO. 24 LSU AT OLE MISS

TENNESSEE AT NO. 1 ALABAMA It seems like Tennessee still hasn’t returned to form since they lost a heartbreaker to Texas A&M in 2016. They couldn’t make it out of The Swamp with a victory against an overrated Florida earlier this season, and have since been shut out by Georgia and even fell to South Carolina. Nick Saban and Co. are perfect against the Volunteers in the last 10 years. The fact of the matter is Tennessee’s best chance for a win against Bama was last year when they were hot. Alabama has nearly endless resources and keeping up with their offensive pace is the only way to beat them. Or is it? The Vols have scored a touchdown in just two of their last four competitions, but their secondary has been terrific and allowed more than one touchdown just once this season. If the Tennessee defense can’t slow down the Tide in the early minutes, the game will be out of hand before they know it. Prediction: Alabama 39, Tennessee 9

LSU has surprised us again and again this season, whether it be good or bad. They beat Syracuse who just snagged a victory from national championship-defending Clemson, yet lost to Troy the next week. Last weekend they pulled off a tight win over No. 10 Auburn. That being said, they should make easy work of Ole Miss — but the Tigers obviously don’t care what I think. This squad clearly has its flaws, but they’ve somehow kept themselves from slipping into an abyss. The offense is shaky but the defense is playing great ball. With the return of Arden Key, the pass rush should cause trouble for Ole Miss QB Shea Patterson and his struggling offensive line. However, Patterson has been great in the pocket and has already racked up 2143 yards for 17 scores and six picks. At home, he’s boasting 72.6 percent completion and averages 11.23 yards per game for 13 scores and just a single pick. He’s currently seventh in the nation for yards and is set to face a competent Tiger secondary. I’m going to root for the Rebels to keep the margin in their favor, and give us an upset. Prediction: LSU 20, Ole Miss 23

GRADING THE AGGIES: FROM SEASON OPENER TO OFF WEEK

Photos by Cassie Stricker and C. Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION

(left to right) Wide receiver Christian Kirk, defensive line Jarrett Johnson, head coach Kevin Sumin, linebacker Cullen Gillaspia, quarterback Kellen Mond, running back Trayveon Williams, linebacker Tryel Dodson, defensive back Armani Watts and offensive lineman Koda Martin will all return to Kyle Field to play Mississippi State, Oct. 28 after the off week.

By Angel Franco & Alex Miller @angelmadison_ & @AlexMill20

Over half-way through the 2017 season, Texas A&M is 5-2 and has played in one-possession games each week. Head coach Kevin Sumlin said the Off Week was a good time for his players and staff to have a mental break, but Aggies everywhere may be needing the same thing. Before A&M comes down the home-stretch of the year, here’s a look at how The Battalion Sports editors grade each position group:

QUARTERBACKS:

Redshirt sophomore Nick Starkel’s injury against UCLA really pushed true freshman Kellen Mond into the spotlight. Mond has shown improvement since his college debut against the Bruins. He’s made strides in the last few weeks to improve his game extending play. Still, Mond ranks in the bottom-half of the SEC in passing yards — hopefully we will continue to climb up the charts.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

The defensive line has by far exceeded expectations. Landis Durham and Jarrett Johnson had huge shoes to fill coming into the year with both Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall leaving to the NFL. But now half way through the season, Durham has a team 5.5 sacks and is ranked No. 22 overall in the country and Johnson has 3.5 sacks on the year.

COACHING:

RUNNING BACKS:

Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford exploded in the opening weeks, showing that the Aggies had a powerful ground attack. Each were dealing with small injuries, allowing backups Kendall Bussey and Jacob Kibodi to get meaningful reps. All four backs have shined bright at times, but A&M’s run game has been stagnant and held under 100 yards in back-to-back games.

SECONDARY:

For as youthful as the position group is, they have played beyond their years. Senior Armani Watts, who leads the SEC in interceptions with four this season, has remained healthy and has served as a vital anchor on the back end of the defense. Inexperience has been susceptible to allowing big plays though, but for playing five true freshmen at times, the Aggies have played solid perimeter defense.

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Junior Christian Kirk was one of two receivers coming back from last season and leads the team in receptions, which is no surprise considering that Mond has leaned heavily on the veteran. One of the biggest surprises to come out of the wide receiving corps is senior Damion Ratley, although he hasn’t had a receiving touchdown just yet, he’s had crucial catches in big time situations. Including a 42-yard catch against the Gators in The Swamp to keep the momentum going.

LINEBACKERS:

This position group is by far the most improved on the team. Coming into the season, there were questions regarding the group, but in the last few weeks they’ve really been able to hold the opposing rush offense. Tyrel Dodson has emerged as one of the Aggies’ biggest play makers. Dodson has 4.5 sacks and three interceptions, and leads the teams in tackles. Junior Otaro Alaka is ranked No. 36 in the entire country with five sacks thus far. However, the group will have to keep the level up heading into the second half of the season, which has been notoriously troublesome for the team.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

Position coach Jim Turner has done a subpar job trying to put the pieces together. Players have shuffled, but things have only worked out with the starting five. Behind the first team, a complete second group has struggled to emerge due to youth. The O-Line has still had trouble getting movement against top tier defensive lines, such as Alabama.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Shane Tripucka, Daniel LaCamera and, believe it or not, Cullen Gillaspia have been some of the biggest difference makers on special teams this season. Gillaspia may have made one of the biggest and most exciting plays of the season when he blocked a punt in the end zone against Alabama forcing a safety and cutting their lead. LaCamera made the game winning field goal in his home state of Florida to send A&M back to Texas with a win, which rarely happens in The Swamp. Tripucka averages 46.2 yards a game and out kicked the No. 1 ranked punter in the nation last week in A&M’s win over Florida.

Sumlin seemed to be a dead man walking after A&M’s tumultuous loss at UCLA. However, since then Sumlin has steered the Aggies ship straight, guiding them to a 5-2 record. He has done so by completing four comeback wins while facing second-half deficits. Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone continues to transform Mond, while John Chavis has exceeded expectations on defense, particularly in the front seven. The move from the coaches box to the sideline and the mid-game adjustments have paid for Chavis and the defense. Things have been far from perfect and A&M has made questionable decisions, but the bottom line is this staff continues to adjust and win games when the odds seem stacked against them.

MCGEE CONTINUED

C. Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION

Senior outside hitter Kiara McGee has 126 kills and 18 blocks this season.

at the high school level, McGee originally signed her National Letter of Intent with Georgia Tech. However, McGee reopened her recruitment after Georgia Tech got a new head coach and was originally drawn to Texas A&M by her club teammate, senior outside hitter Ashlie Reasor who was already committed to A&M. “Me and Ashlie had played on the same club team and it turned out A&M needed an outside hitter so I came here and took a visit. The coaches took me around and I could tell they wanted me really bad, and it seemed like a good fit,” McGee said. Despite her very successful high school career, when McGee walked into her first day of volleyball practice at A&M in 2014, she was nervous. “When Kiara first came in she was very timid and uncertain of what to expect,” head coach Laurie Corbelli said. “She was reluctant to be coached by me, my intensity caught her off guard.” McGee said she adjusted one practice at a time and slowly began to gain self esteem. “My confidence started to grow when I started to care less about what people thought and doing more about what I knew how to do and trusting in myself,” McGee said.

McGee was the first outside hitter to come off the bench her freshman year. That season she played in 22 matches, averaging 1.49 kills per set. However, Corbelli said McGee’s freshman year was a buffering period as McGee and Corbelli were getting used to each other. “It took about a year for us to really connect on how to coach Kiara,” Corbelli said. “It was hard for me to know how to coach her best, and she knew it.” The disconnect was a result of culture shock for McGee who was accustomed to being the best at what she did; however, when she started playing for A&M that wasn’t the case. “When Kiara came in, she was used to always being the star [on the team] and when she got here she saw that she had a lot to learn, which was probably frustrating for her,” Corbelli said. Corbelli seemed to have struck a chord with Kiara after that year, and it paid dividends as she had a breakout sophomore season, starting in 26 matches and averaging 3.26 kills per set. In her sophomore year, McGee also helped lead the Aggies to an SEC Championship and earned the Aggies’ Most Improved Player Award. McGee further upped her game during her junior year and was an integral part of

the team’s success, playing in all but two sets of the whole season and leading the team in kills and kills per set. This year, McGee has continued her dominant play on the court, averaging 2.85 kills per set and a .233 hitting percentage. She has also emerged as a trend setter amongst her teammates, which has been seen by her influence on the underclassmen on the team, including freshman setter Camille Conner. “It’s been awesome to have her senior leadership because I know that if I’m ever struggling or something’s not going my way, I can go about to Kiara and she’ll say ‘hey you got this,’” Conner said. Off the court McGee said she is much more laid back and has a hidden talent of being able to spout off all of the states in the United States in alphabetical order in under 20 seconds. McGee showcased her talent in a segment on ESPNU this month. “We were taught the states in a song, and I’ve just always remembered the song,” McGee said. “I think I learned it in like second grade. We probably sang the song everyday [in class] and it’s just always stuck with me.” As for her future after she graduates from Texas A&M, McGee said she is not yet sure if she wants to continue pursuing volleyball. “I’m still up in the air about pursuing volleyball after college,” McGee said. “I’m not against it at all, so if it happens, it happens.”

NEWS

The Battalion | 10.20.17

NEW ORGANIZATION AIMS TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR THE HOMELESS By Megan Rodriguez @MeganLRodriguez United in their commitment to serve the community, Helping Others Meet Ends (H.O.M.E.) is a new group determined to improve the quality of life for homeless people in the Brazos Valley and beyond. H.O.M.E. became a recognized student organization in May and is now in the process of planning their first semester of service initiatives. Initially founded with the goal to aid the homeless population in the Bryan-College Station area, the group’s focus shifted after Hurricane Harvey hit. This semester, the team is partnering with both local organizations and Houston service groups to assist anyone they can, with goals to eventually grow into a self sustaining organization in the coming years. The idea for this group came from Stephanie Herman, electronic systems engineering technology junior and founder and president of H.O.M.E., and her experience serving the homeless when she was in high school. “Going into my senior year of high school I went on a service trip to Boston and I had been partnered with organizations that helped the homeless,” Herman said. “It’s something that I had never been exposed to before and it really changed my life. The two hours that truly changed my life were when I went out to the streets of downtown Boston and begged for money. Ever since then it has been a passion of mine.” Since H.O.M.E. is still in its beginning stages as a student organization, Herman said they are partnering with other organizations such as the 12th Can and the Muslim Student Association to get started. Computer science junior and Community Service Coordinator, Paige Raun said H.O.M.E. has many projects planned for this semester. “We are working on getting a toy drive set up right now and since we are a new or-

Dalia Muaya — THE BATTALION

Electric systems engineering technology junior Stephanie Herman discusses her organization that has its stemmed from an experience in high school.

ganization we are also working on a lot of paperwork,” Raun said. “We are also going to have a work day with the Houston Coalition for the Homeless where we will go in and help rebuild shelters that were harmed from Harvey. In the future we want to work with local organizations to do service days in Bryan and College Station but since a lot of us and even people in the leadership of this organization

were affected by Harvey we have been really channeling that.” Herman said H.O.M.E. is an important student organization because there are currently no others serving the same purpose — dedicated to serving the homeless. “I felt like this is important because many Aggies come from large cities or will work in large cities in the future, and large cities are

where the homeless tend to congregate so it’s best if we know how to help them,” Herman said. This opportunity for involvement is important and helps students have a new level of compassion for others, according to H.O.M.E. Advocacy Coordinator and engineering freshman Kevin Duan. “My parents came here in the mid 1990s with about five hundred dollars to their name so they lived on welfare,” Duan said. “I’ve never had the misfortune of being homeless myself, but we were living off probably a hundred dollars a month — more or less living off welfare. I’ve had plenty of chances to go back to where I grew up and it really strikes and makes me realize how much I take for granted now. As far as H.O.M.E., I think it is a great way to get involved with the community and help those who don’t have the same kind of things that we do.” Since H.O.M.E. is still growing and currently has 14 members, Herman said the opinions of each member is highly valued when decisions are being made for the future of the group. “We are so small so it’s really nice because [new members] have a huge amount of input in what we do,” Herman said. “I don’t want people to show up and we just tell them what to do. If they are passionate about something they they get to lead the way at something that could feed their passion.” There are no deadlines for joining H.O.M.E., so anyone interested is able to get involved throughout the semester, according to Herman. “Everything has its own reason and we are here to try helping other people,” Hoyeol Kim, H.O.M.E. member and English Ph.D. student, said. “People who come to join are able to understand others better. We are not only physically helping other people but we also learn a lot ourselves by helping.”

RELIEF CONTINUED

The Board of Regents, pictured in spring 2016, meets throughout the year to discuss a variety of topics

FILE

LEADERSHIP CONTINUED Dr. Pugh will usually take whatever we discuss to President Young, but I think that it would also really help just to establish that relationship with President Young so that he also is more in tune with what the students are doing in the Student Government Association,” Wang said. Though student leaders recognize the importance of coordinating with a larger variety of university officials to serve the student-body’s interests, Wang said navigating the complex structure of university leadership can often present additional barriers. “I wish that we had more resources so, as students, we know who to go to about specific issue because I think that there’s so much bureaucracy sometimes that it gets very confusing and very difficult to get in contact with the right people,” Wang said. “So there’s definitely improvements to be made on both ends.” Even as student leaders and university officials work together to address

the concerns of students, Brooks said the greater challenge is often making sure the student perspective is considered in major decisions made by the Board of Regents. “The administration does as much as they can and they really do care about the students,” Brooks said. “The problem comes in at higher decision making levels in terms of the disconnect between students and what goes on at the university.” The Board of Regents, which oversees the overall direction and development of the A&M System’s 11 universities and seven state agencies, includes the position of student regent — a non-voting member of the board selected through the approval of A&M’s student government, Chancellor John Sharp and of ultimately Gov. Greg Abbott. Current Student Regent Stephen Shuchart said his position involves constant contact with the university officials and student representatives of each system school. “Since I do not have a vote, I’m not able to directly influence the policy of the system,” Shuchart said. “Howev-

er, I’m there as kind of a conduit and middleman for the regents to be able to hear directly from the student voice and directly from student leaders and to hear their opinion on issues and then hopefully they’ll be able to take that into account in reflection of their decisions.” Though many student concerns involve issues that are primarily handled at the university level, Shuchart said he works to recognize the broader, system-wide issues that students care about and ensure that their perspective is presented. “I’ll be sure to bring up student concerns and say ‘hey, I’ve spoken with student leaders on campus and this is how they feel about this project or this initiative,’” Shuchart said. When trying to make sure that student’s voices are continuously heard at the university’s highest levels of authority. Shuchart said one of the greatest challenges is working within the relatively short time-frame of a student’s 4-year education. “I think at the end of the day the biggest problem in developing those

relationships is the natural turnover there is in higher education,” Shuchart said. “Every four years, you’re going to get a majority of new students and the majority of students are going to leave.” As the academic year goes by, Shuchart said student leaders gain a better sense of how to effectively coordinate with each other and build stronger relationships between students, administration and the Board of Regents. This level of continuous, open communication helps form a more united response to issues like Hurricane Harvey, the repeal of DACA and the proposed white nationalist rally on the A&M campus. “I think that the way these issues were handled, they were handled tremendously, but I think had these events occurred in the spring, they would have been handled even more incredibly well because there was that time to build those relationships and develop the institutional memory,” Shuchart said.

article in The Battalion. Attendance to the large event is expected from students, local community members and visitors to College Station. To accommodate the influx of people on Saturday, the University Police Department has been working with the Secret Service, according to Lieutenant Bobby Richardson. According to the Secret Service website, the Secret Service is the federal law enforcement agency that is charged with providing protection for the president and former presidents, amongst other roles. “Secret Service is running lead on the security detail and we’re assisting them,” Richardson said. “They are pretty much in charge of that. They have their protocols in place and we’re supplementing them and assisting them.” UPD officers will have assigned positions in and around Reed Arena Saturday, in collaboration with Secret Service, Richardson said. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21.

PRESIDENTIAL PICKS

JIMMY CARTER GEORGE H. W. BUSH BILL CLINTON

GEORGE W. BUSH BARACK OBAMA

JOSH GRACIE ALEXIS LUKE SAVANNAH Josh McCormack

Luke Henkhaus

Editor-in-Chief @_joshmccormack

News Editor @luke_henkhaus

The 1980 US hockey team upset the Soviet Union and went on to win the gold medal during Carter’s term.

Alexis Will Creative Director @AlexisMWill

Gracie Mock Managing Editor @g_mock2

Savannah Mehrtens Asst. News Editor @SJMehrtens

I can appreciate how much Any man with sock game as I did a History Fair project Nobel Peace Prize, Paris strong as H.W.’s instantly wins Bill Clinton enjoyed the bal- over George W. Bush’s impact Climate Accord, Obamacare loons at the Democratic Na- as president in 7th grade. I and awesome dad jokes. What my heart. tional Convention. stand by 7th grade me. more could you want?

SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.20.17

CHAMPION OF THE COURSE Senior golf player Cameron Champ finds success after freshman injury By Jack Holmes @Jack_Holmes98

ince the age of two, Cameron Champ has had a golf club in his hands. Champ, the son of a professional baseball player, was introduced to the game by his grandfather while growing up in Sacramento, California He never looked back and is now the ninth ranked amateur golfer in the world. “My grandfather was from Texas and was African-American so he couldn’t play,” Champ said. “He got into the military and learned to play golf overseas. As soon as my dad had me, my grandpa put clubs in my hands. It was mine and his little thing, but then it ended up growing on me and I liked it more than every sport I played.” At Heritage Peak Charter School, where Champ attended high school, his name was always among the nationally ranked. He was selected to compete on the 2012 PGA Junior Ryder Cup and 2013 Toyota Junior World Cup teams. This earned Champ Rolex All-American honors in both years and he finished runner-up at the Junior PGA Championship in 2012. Ultimately though, he had one destination in mind. “College was my main goal,” Champ said. “It was just to get a scholarship to play somewhere. I knew what I was capable of and I knew I could play at a top D1 school.” Champ caught the eye of head coach J.T. Higgins at a tournament in Houston, even though Higgins was there to watch another player. Texas A&M coaches kept an look out on him for the rest of the year, and when Champ returned to Houston for another tournament, they suggested he come and tour the school. “J.T. noticed how far I hit the ball, and he just kind of watched me the rest of the round,” Champ said. “They asked if I wanted to come and check out the school knowing that I probably never would come and check it out again, which was probably the honest truth. Through the recruiting process I never even thought of coming to Texas.” Champ accepted the invitation, not realizing that College Station would become his home for the next four years. “I loved it here,” Champ said “It’s different. It’s a smaller town compared to where I’m from, but one of the big things for me was the grass and environment. I had never played on Bermuda grass and had never played in wind.” Unfortunately, Champ did not have a smooth start to his time at Texas A&M. He

suffered an early back injury that effectively ended his freshman season. “We weren’t even two weeks into school,” Champ said. “I was hitting a shot in a qualifying round and my back just fused and set shock waves down my body, so I knew it probably wasn’t good. I ended up having a small hairline fracture and two bulging disks. I had to sit out pretty much my whole freshman year, which was tough.” The effects of the back injury carried into the start of his sophomore year. Champ said there was constant worry of a recurring injury every time he swung. It took until the spring season for him to start swinging freely again, and the results showed, ending the year with four top-10 finishes. “I played pretty well in the spring sophomore year,” Champ said. “I made it to the NCAA Championships by myself. It was after that year and that summer where it all went away and I wasn’t thinking about it anymore. I could just play my own game.” Champ’s talent was finally showcased last season, his junior year, when every part of his game seemed to come together. He ended the season with five top-five finishes and was the top team finisher in four events. Most importantly, Champ got his first collegiate win at the Fighting Illini Invitational in September. “It is very difficult to win out here, especially on the courses we play,” Champ said. “To win there at our first event of the year was big because it was probably our second best tournament of the year. It gave me some confidence for the rest of the season.” Coming off an outstanding campaign last year, Champ said he has set some higher aspirations for his senior year. Feeling fully healthy gives him confidence that he can be one of the best, if not the best, players in the country. “Last year my goals were very low, I just wanted to reach each one and go from there because it was my first full year back from injury,” Champ said. “This year I want to be First Team All-American and player of the year and just go out on a good note since it’s my senior year.” This past summer Champ competed in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, an experience many amateurs can only dream of. Champ was one of only two amateurs to make the cut, and missed out on the low-amateur title by one shot, but he understands that the experience taught him some invaluable lessons. “My main goal was to become low-ama-

teur that week,” Champ said. “It’s one of the biggest honors you can have as an amateur, to finish low in a major. Obviously I came up one shot short, but it was a great learning curve for me. Just dealing with it all, especially on a course where you can’t make any mistakes or it bites you quick.” In his rare time away from the course, Champ describes himself as an outdoorsman. When he gets the chance, he also like to play other sports. “I’m definitely an outdoors guy and I played other sports growing up,” Champ said. “I love basketball. I played it as much as I possibly could at the Rec. Now I don’t play as much just because I’m so busy. I also like hunting and fishing.”

steps towards the ultimate goal. “They are things you need to achieve to realize that you can make it,” Champ said. “Those are huge stepping stones in confidence for me. I think that’s where I lack most is confidence. But when I get that going I feel like no one can keep up with me.”

However, Champ said he spends most of his time with a club in his hands on the golf course, and there is no question what Champ sees in his future plans. He is currently trying his hand at qualifying school, or Q-school, the annual qualifying tournaments for the PGA Tour. “Going pro is definitely the goal,” he said. “I’m going to play out the year, and I’m actually in Q-school now. I’ll do all that then go from there.” The journey is far from over for Champ. He has left an undeniable wake of success behind him, but these are all COURTESY

Senior Cameron Champ was one of two amateurs to compete at the 2017 US Open this past summer. He began golfing at the age of two and hopes to play professionally.

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