The Battalion — October 28, 2021 by The Battalion

Hallo-weekend safety: Celebrating spooky holiday with caution Local law enforcement advises best practices to follow this weekend By Rashell Marthans @raashelll With Halloween right around the corner, college students all over the country are preparing for a night full of spooky activities. This year, Halloween lands on a Sunday,

making it the perfect time to dress up and celebrate. But this should all be done with caution, College Station Police Department’s, or CPSD, Public Information Officer Tristen Lopez said. Statistics have shown that there are higher crime rates in college towns during Halloween weekend, so A&M students should follow alcohol safety guidelines, Lopez said. “We encourage alcohol safety. Always make sure that you have a safe ride home and that you plan ahead of time how you are going

to get home,” Lopez said. “When you get to the point where you feel like you’ve had too much alcohol, stop drinking. Be able to recognize the signs of alcohol poisoning and get help if you feel you or another person needs it.” Being a college town, Lopez said College Station sees a significant amount of underage drinking, and Halloween weekend is no exception to this. Lopez said students should be aware of the consequences alcohol offenses

carry. “Don’t drink alcohol if you are under 21,” Lopez said. “Don’t allow minors to consume alcohol. Even if you are a minor yourself, you can get in trouble for providing alcohol to another minor. You don’t want to risk jail time for that.” To prevent anything dangerous from occurring, Lopez said the department recommends students take precautionary measures SAFETY ON PG. 5

Historyy off Halloween I How Celtic-rooted traditions of fall harvest celebrations, shaped Halloween into today’s candy-filled, costumed holiday By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel

hen one thinks of Halloween, they may think of costumes, trick-ortreating and all things spooky rather than its

Gabrielle Shreve — THE BATTALION

The history behind the ghosts, ghouls and goblins that make Halloween special stem from Celtic traditions and celebrations of All Saints’ Day, which have evolved over time.

Come as you aren’t

actual long history. Halloween is thought to be a spooky holiday filled with scares and maybe a little too much candy, but it’s origin did not start out this way. The tradition of Halloween was first celebrated as All Hallows’ Eve to preface All Saints’ Day, which is celebrated on Nov. 1, according to history.com. Associate professor of history Daniel Schwartz said Celtic harvest festivals were a time of celebration for ancient cultures because oftentimes they were always on the verge of famine, thus the harvest being a time to be joyous. “This often took the form of honoring the gods seen as responsible for the good harvest,” Schwartz said to The Battalion in an email. “Likewise, a bad harvest could be seen as divine punishment. But this harvest season also came in conjunction with the turn toward winter which could be seen as a ‘death’ of sorts. As the seasons turned to this time of figurative death many ancient cultures took HISTORY ON PG. 3

C-2 takes flight

Melanie McBride — THE BATTALION

The city of Bryan is hosting its second annual Halloweentown event on Oct. 29, 2021.

Abbey Santoro— THE BATTALION

A cadet in company C-2 wears the Great Pumpkin during the 2021 annual Flight event.

Safe options for family-friendly Halloween in Downtown Bryan By Kathryn Miller @KathrynMiller0 The city of Bryan is treating the community this holiday weekend with its second “Halloweentown In Downtown.”

Taking place this Friday, Oct. 29, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Main Street, Destination Bryan, Bryan Broadcasting and Candy 95 radio are collaborating to sponsor Halloweentown In Downtown, a family-friendly event with free trick-or-treating, crafts, a photo station and kid-friendly fun. Destination Bryan’s public relations and communications manager Abigail Noel said HALLOWEENTOWN ON PG. 6

Flight of Great Pumpkin, oldest Corps tradition, continues on Quad By Hannah Shaffer @hannahsban The Corps of Cadets celebrated the Flight of the Great Pumpkin in honor of Halloween

with masks, candy and torches. Company C-2 held its annual event on the Quad on Friday, Oct. 22. The Halloween tradition is the oldest in the Corps, dating back to the 1960s. C-2 senior Mike Churchman explained the history of this tradition. “[Flight] started back in the 1960s as a GREAT PUMPKIN ON PG. 5

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The Battalion | 10.28.21

Be heard, go vote Local officials encourage students to cast votes for city representatives By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel Voters may see some slight changes in how they vote after the passing of a new bill in Texas. With election day on Tuesday, Nov. 2, right around the corner, voters should begin to prepare for the big day. City of College Station secretary Tanya Smith said after the passing of Senate Bill 598, Texas is now required to have a voter verifiable paper trail. Smith said the process is similar to what voters have experienced before but will now include a paper ballot that is fed into the machine. “They will take your driver’s license [and] they will run it to see if [you’re] register[ed] to vote. Then they’ll give you a ballot and a

number,” Smith said. “You’ll take that ballot and your number and you [will] go to the poll and you feed that ballot in, make your selection and it’ll feed it back out. Then we have another scanner that actually scans the ballot.” Historically, odd-year elections typically have a smaller turnout, but Elections Administrator Trudy Hancock said Brazos County has seen a drastic drop in turnout for the current election cycle. “We’re only at [8] percent of our voters,” Hancock said. “We have 121,402 registered voters, and we’ve only had 15,169 people vote as of [midday Oct. 27].” Though there are no national elections, Smith said there are plenty of ways to influence the city by coming out to vote. Smith said it is important for college students to be involved in the voting process because who represents the city on city council and the charter amendments affects everyone living in the area, in-

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Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Early voting is open in the Memorial Student Center from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Oct. 29.

cluding students. “[Students] need to know who the council members are; they can even come to some of the council meetings [to] kind of see what’s going on. Then when the elections come up, you know, they may know who they want to vote for,” Smith said. “Even if you’re not living in this town [long-term], it’s still really important to focus on what’s happening, especially when we have charter amendments.” When coming for either early voting or Election Day, Smith and Hancock said voters should bring their government-issued ID. Students who cannot obtain an ID who wish to vote, can fill out an explanation at their chosen polling place, and vote with a subsequent ID, which can be a voter registration card, government check or a utility bill. “Even our out of state students [can] use their out of state license, they would just have to sign a form called a reasonable im-

pediment, stating that they do not have a Texas driver’s license, and then they are the person they say they are,” Hancock said. “Then they would be able to cast their vote as long as they’re registered.” The ballot contains eight current State of Texas propositions including the authorization of professional sports teams’ charitable foundations, county infrastructure, the limitations of religious organizations and the change of eligibility requirements for court justices. For the city of College Station ballot, the election includes a race for two city council positions: Place 4 and Place 6, as well as four propositions such as prop. C. “Shall Article III (The City Council), Section 17 (Number, Selection, Term), Subsection (d) of the College Station City Charter be amended to provide that the general election is to be held on the November uniform election date of [...] Each odd-numbered year [...] Instead of on the November uniform election date of each even-numbered year; and to provide a process to transition from even-numbered election years to odd-numbered election years,” the amendment reads. Early voting will continue from Oct. 28-29 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Students who are not registered in Brazos County but wish to vote can do so during the final days of early voting with a limited ballot at the Downtown Bryan voting area. “They get both a limited ballot, which would mean they would be able to vote anything that’s the same for us in the county that they live in,” Hancock said. “So, since the constitutional amendments are statewide, they would be able to vote on the constitutional amendments.” Voters may view a sample ballot at brazosvotes. org. Below is the list of 24 polling locations for Nov. 2 which will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: • Millican Community Center • College Station Meeting and Training Facility • Galilee Baptist Church • Zion Church of Kurten • Parkway Baptist Church • College Heights Assembly of God • First Baptist Church Bryan • Beacon Baptist Church • Bryan Ballroom • Brazos County Administration Building • Memorial Student Center • Texas A&M College of Medicine • Lincoln Center • Bob & Wanda Meyers Senior & Com. Center • College Station ISD Administration Building • Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church • Castle Heights Baptist Church • St. Francis Episcopal Church • A&M Church of Christ • Arena Hall • Brazos Center • Wellborn Baptist Church • Living Hope Baptist Church • Church of the Nazarene

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Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Libero Macy Carrabine celebrating with her team after scoring a point against the Georgia Bulldogs on Oct. 7 in the Dig Pink Match.

Bringing veteran leadership to Reed Arena Transfer libero Macy Carrabine from Denver gives new, competitive edge By Luke White @lukewhite03 When she’s not establishing herself as a leader on the court for the Texas A&M volleyball team, graduate student libero Macy Carrabine has another way of harnessing her competitive spirit: Mario Kart. “I like to start off the day with a win,” Carrabine said with a laugh. “I love to compete, no matter what it is, so if I come in early, I’ll just get on there and play some Mario Kart. We won the [Nintendo Switch] through our preseason tournament, and it had just been sitting there, so I figured I might as well.” Whether it be in volleyball or Mario Kart, Carrabine showcases her versatility, leading the team with 297 digs and 396 total attempts through 20 games. Additionally, the University of Denver transfer has found ways to contribute to the team’s success that don’t show up on a stat sheet, drawing high praise from her head coach. “Her ability to connect and be a glue person, the way she’s been in these short three to

HISTORY CONTINUED the opportunity to honor their human dead.” Professor of Hispanic and religious studies Hilaire Kallendorf said the Celts recognized the beginning of the new year on Nov. 1, rather than the traditional Jan. 1. “This festival marked the end of harvest and summer and the start of winter,” Kallendorf said to The Battalion in an email. “These festivals influenced the development of Halloween because Oct. 31 was seen as a transitional time when sidhe, fairies or spirits emerged from the other world to roam the earth.” Due to the perception of liminal spaces, defined as the physical space between one destination to the next, saints are of the perception that they led particularly holy lives and were understood to be in the presence of God in heaven. “Believers could reach out to saints with the expectation that they could help due to their proximity to God. Thus, the saint provided a kind of bridge between the human being on earth and a distant God,” Schwartz said. “Halloween connects the commemoration of

LET’S BE FRIENDS

four months — it’s one of the biggest characteristics that makes her special,” volleyball head coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn said. “Just her presence and the way she communicates on the court, I think there’s something to be said for the way that she competes.” Carrabine’s teammates have also taken note of her leadership ability, adding she has quickly gained their trust and reliance. “Macy’s had such a huge impact on our team, which is hard to do being a transfer and someone who’s new to the program,” senior libero Taylor Voss said. “Her confidence is contagious to everyone on the team because she just wants to be the best teammate on and off the court.” Carrabine’s arrival in Aggieland has been a journey, beginning over 1,000 miles away in her hometown of Indianapolis. As a four-year starter at Center Grove High School, she cemented herself as the school’s all-time leader in both digs and aces while also making the Indiana All-State team in 2016. During her illustrious high school career, Carrabine committed to the University of Denver to play in the Summit League Conference. As a three-year starter for the Pioneers, she was a pivotal part of a team that went a combined 87-21, good for an .806 winning

the dead in this season, [which is] common to many cultures, and the veneration of the saints in heaven, specifically the particular practice among Christians in medieval Western Europe.” To hide themselves from the spirits who were to emerge from the dead, the Celts would dress in disguises during the liminal period, Kallendorf said. “They believed the sidhe or spirits would try to find them and do them harm,” Kallendorf said. “By disguising themselves, they hoped to protect themselves so the sidhe could not find them.” Eventually, after the conquering of the Celtics, the Roman Empire festivals were combined with the Celts festival. Schwartz said the name of the holiday has a correlation with a decision in Western Europe, due to the large amount of saints and the number of days to celebrate each one, “Eventually, the Roman Catholic church consolidated many of these holidays into one, All Saints Day,” Schwartz said. “Halloween was then the eve of All Saints Day or ‘All Hallows Eve.’” Due to Protestant beliefs, Halloween was not common in the New England

colonies, though in Maryland and the southern colonies the holiday was used to celebrate the harvest, like that of the Celtics, according to history. com. “As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups and the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge,” the website reads. “Neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds.” The holiday evolved even further toward the end of the 19th century with the influx of Irish immigrants after the Potato Famine, according to history.com, which grew the holiday’s popularity. Today, Americans have developed the holiday to focus on various traditions, including scary movies, trickor-treating, costume wearing, Halloween parties and haunted houses for a night of frights and fun.

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percentage across her four seasons in Denver. “I really wanted to build a program,” Carrabine said. “In that class, we had six girls that were really invested coming into the program, and we got it to where it is today. Being able to explore and live in a very cool city was super cool, and being able to play at a high level every single match was a lot of fun.” Following the conclusion of her playing time at Denver, Carrabine chose to continue her education and volleyball career elsewhere. According to Carrabine, the spirit and culture of A&M set the university apart from the many other schools she was considering. “The main reason why I chose A&M was the support and tradition that this school has,” Carrabine said. “The 12th Man is really something special; I’ve experienced that so many times this year already.” The maroon and white is using a starting lineup composed primarily of upperclassmen in the 2021 season, meaning it’s critical for the team’s underclassmen to grow and develop to ensure the future success of the team. Carrabine’s commitment to A&M was a major pickup for the Aggies’ coaching staff, who places great value on the wisdom and experience a transfer such as Carrabine can provide, Kuhn said.

“Any player that can share experience with someone that’s in their first year of college volleyball helps,” Kuhn said. “It gives them another perspective. She’s coming from a different program where they did things a different way, and that’s one thing some of these players will never experience.” Carrabine’s relationships with her teammates aren’t something she takes lightly. Drawing from her own experience, she said she has found ways to assist and support the team’s younger members, both on and off the court. “I wanted to come in and be able to hang out with anyone, so I’ve gotten close with a lot of the girls,” Carrabine said. “I’ve found myself in situations where some of the freshmen come up and ask me, ‘What do I do in this situation?’ or, ‘How can I look at this situation better?’ and I’ve been able to answer that question because I’ve been there.” Indeed, Carrabine has been a central figure on an A&M team that got off to an 11-5 start this season. Now, in the middle of Southeastern Conference play, the Aggies look to finish the season strong to earn a high seed in the conference tournament. “I think we’re in a really good spot [to win an SEC championship],” Voss said. “We’re all hungry. It’s just about getting in the gym and getting another practice in everyday to be able to compete at our highest level.” After four successful seasons at the University of Denver, Carrabine can testify to the strength and depth of the Pioneers’ conference. However, she was quick to note that the high competitiveness and talent of the SEC is second to none. “SEC volleyball, there’s nothing like it,” Carrabine said. “You don’t have any games where you can just go through the motions; you need to show up every single night. There’s definitely a high level of competition in the Summit League, but [SEC volleyball] is just something way bigger.” In her brief time with the A&M volleyball program, Carrabine says she has already seen improvement in herself not only as a player, but also as a person. When discussing the success she has found on the court, she said she credits her teammates and coaching staff. “Coming in and not knowing a ton of the girls at first, I had to earn their respect and trust quickly, and in doing that, I gained a lot of confidence,” Carrabine said. “Being on the court a lot this year, I’ve had to be a steady leader, and Bird has trusted me to do that.” Carrabine has quickly found a home in Aggieland as her and the rest of the maroon and white squad work toward their goal of winning a conference championship. Regardless of what route the Aggies’ season takes, Carrabine will undoubtedly be a key reason for their success. “Just something about Texas A&M made it feel like home to me,” Carrabine said. “Right when I got on campus, it was something special.”

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THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2021 fall 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.

ARTSCRITICISM

The Battalion |10.28.21

Ben Snooks — Creative Commons

Forty years after the film’s original release, arts criticism writer Katen Adams examines “The Shining”and its viability as a horror movie as the genre’s most popular season, Halloween, approaches.

‘The Shining,’ more eerie than horrifying Arts criticism writer Katen Adams says Stanley Kubrick’s classic not for everyone “The Shining” Director: Stanley Kubrick Release Date: May 23, 1980 Runtime: 2 hours 26 minutes

By Katen Adams @Katen_ann Stephen King, the Master of Horror, is the author of some of the best horror novels-turned-Halloween movie classics over the years.

“The Shining” was released in 1980 and is an iconic King story, alongside “It” and “Children of the Corn.” The movie adaptation — currently available for viewing on HBO Max — follows Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, who moves with his family to be the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. The hotel has a bloody past, which eventually starts to infiltrate and terrorize Jack’s mind. “The Shining” was directed by Stanley Kubrick, who is known for a very

distinctive production style, dedicating many scenes in this film to explain the time of the events on-screen or when multiple days pass. “Introduction,” “Saturday” and “4 p.m.” are several title cards which takeover the screen in a blunt and bland way that pushes the storyline along. Kubrick also loves to emphasize suspenseful situations or make the audience feel uncomfortable through music. The eerie music that immediately starts the film is paired with beautiful landscape shots of Colorado,

and Kubrick intentionally magnifies what is underneath the beauty by making the audience extremely uncomfortable. The music’s intended purpose is to raise anxiety, and it does just that. Over time, the music gets quite annoying, and some dialogue would be a welcome filler. The film doesn’t necessarily fit the “horror” title. “The Shining” most likely received its R rating due to the less than 10-minute scene with full-frontal nudity, but other than that, there is not much gore or scare. The film is more creepy than anything else, which definitely relies on the dialogue in the beginning, or else the plotline can be misunderstood. The beginning of the film centers around Jack and his wife Wendy, played by Shelley Duvall, and would have benefitted from showing them more as a couple rather than individuals. The whole story idea rests on the characters as a family, and it would have emphasized their relationships later in the film if there were a greater connection between Torrance and Wendy. Torrance is incredibly crass and emotionally abusive to his wife. The point is to show that Torrance himself is not mentally stable, but it would have come across better if their relationship were emphasized more in the beginning. There wasn’t any scene dedicated to showing Torrance and Wendy as a more loving and average couple, and adding one could’ve helped the audience better understand that it is the location — the hotel — that is driving Torrance insane. Kubrick is an absolutely fantastic filmmaker. Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey” is the go-to movie every film professor likes to study and introduce to students. “The Shining” showcases his great mind, but not everybody can admire his style. “Ready Player One,” directed by Steven Spielberg, references the film in about 20 minutes by using the most iconic and exciting parts of “The Shining,” which might come across as more interesting than the original. There are some moments where the film feels slow and the audience is waiting around for the next “ah ha” moment. Whether to analyze and discuss the deep meanings with friends or just as a go-to film for Halloween movie nights, “The Shining” is the film to watch. It’s not a thrilling murder movie like “Saw” or a chilling possessive film like “The Conjuring.” “The Shining” deserves the title of classic, but enjoyment of the film is entirely dependent on the type of viewer. Katen Adams is a university studies senior and arts criticism writer for The Battalion.

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‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.’” Although the tradition shares a name with the Charlie Brown cartoon, the origins of the two differ quite a bit.

“At the time, C-2 had a big rivalry with the band and it was really vicious,” C-2 international studies junior Wes King said. “One year, the fish decided to find the biggest pumpkin they could find and smash it in the band dorms.” King said the original freshman who inspired the tradition was covered with a white sheet with a hollowed-out pumpkin on his head. While holding a flaming broom, King said the freshman ran through a group of upperclassmen. “It’s much tamer now. It’s more ceremonial,” Churchman said. “Now Flight is a form of camaraderie between not only C-2 and the band but between the Corps itself.” Although Flight has evolved into a less violent tradition, the outfit’s dedication to the Halloween event remains strong. Freshmen and sophomores in the outfit are not allowed to know anything regarding the preparation of Flight and do not partake in the event itself. Additionally, freshmen are not allowed to own anything orange and will get in trouble if they mention anything related to the holiday or the Corps’ event. They are not allowed to “know” the numbers 10 or 31 as they are related to Halloween, King said. “[The] Flight begins day one of Freshman Orientation Week,” King said. “It’s the most important thing they hammer in. Upper-

classmen give the freshmen a list of Halloween-themed terms that they are not allowed to ‘know’ or talk about.” Several members of C-2 are second, third or even fourth-generation Aggies and members of the outfit. Both King and Churchman’s fathers were members of C-2 during the 1990s. Mike Churchman Sr., Class of 1992, was a part of Flight during his time in the Corps. “Him having experienced this just as I had really built our bond stronger,” Churchman Sr. said. “It’s something that we can sit down and have a beer and talk about our different experiences. I was really excited about that.” For students who might not know of the Halloween tradition, Flight can seem intimidating to an unknowing onlooker. Economics sophomore Hannah Hubert commented on her first time attending the event. “I think it’s a life-long tradition that C-2 puts on to show their honor and tradition toward their outfit,” Hubert said. With its long history of Halloween tradition, C-2 brings festivity to the Quad every year. Whether students are members of the Corps or not, Flight is a fun celebration of October’s spookiest holiday. “To me, Flight is just so exhilarating,” Churchman Jr. said. “It’s wacky, and it’s unlike any other tradition out there.”

Lt. Bobby Richardson said there is an increase of criminal mischief on campus on Halloween weekend. Richardson said they have seen cases where people start to take decorations or begin trying to pull pranks on one another that break the law. To celebrate Halloween safely, Richardson said the department advises students to look out for one another and stay with people they trust. “If you are going out, go out with a group. Watch out for your friends and have your friends watch out for you,” Richardson said. “Never drink and drive and only accept drinks from bar employees.” Additionally, Richardson said the department encourages students to use the safety resources the university offers, such as Carpool and the Corps of Cadets Escort Service. Phone numbers for Carpool and the Corps Escorts — as well as other emergency numbers — are on the back of every Aggie ID card. “Carpool is a very good organization.” Richardson said. “Uber, Lyft, call a friend, get a taxi to make sure you have a safe ride home. Also remember to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.” In the past, there has also been a correlation between Halloween celebrations and

sexual assaults. The Sexual Assault Resource Center, or SARC, serves to help survivors of sexual violence in the Brazos Valley area. SARC’s Executive Director Lindsey LeBlanc said there are large spikes of sexual violence on the days before and after Halloween. “We theorize that perpetrators are more active through this time,” LeBlanc said. “There are more people out and about ... so statistically there is more opportunity for perpetrators to engage in criminal activity.” Additionally, LeBlanc said all of SARC’s resources will be in full force during the holiday weekend. “We operate a 24/7 hotline that is available for survivors and loved ones of survivors to call and get information, referrals or crisis intervention,” LeBlanc said. “We also have a 24/7 accompaniment program, where we send advocates out to the hospitals during the sexual assault nurse examination. These continue throughout Halloween and throughout any other holiday.” LeBlanc said SARC also encourages students to be proactive bystanders; however, if they witness an emergency, they should contact law enforcement immediately as they could put themselves in harm’s way as well. “Bystanders are an important intervention of sexual violence,” LeBlanc said. “Often we

see things or hear things that are unsettling. It’s important that we watch out for those around us, and we speak up if we see something that might be concerning and we step in when it’s appropriate.” SARC is committed to helping the public regardless of criminal report status, LeBlanc said, but she encourages reporting all cases of crime. “If they are afraid to report a sexual assault SARC is a free and confidential resource. You don’t have to have a criminal case, you don’t have to have an exam in order to call us and get services,” LeBlanc said. “We’ll have an advocate at the hospital if they are reporting at the hospital or through law enforcement … as well as court.” Additionally, LeBlanc said the center is here to support Aggies who may experience any form of sexual violence, not just during Halloween but any time before and after. “I think the important message is that we are here for survivors, no matter what happens or where they are in their journey, we are always just a phone call away,” LeBlanc said. “Using our hotline, 979-731-1000, is a great way for them if they are needing services or needing support, we can be there for them the whole weekend.”

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Cadets in C-2 marching with torches during the Flight of the Great Pumpkin.

GREAT PUMPKIN CONTINUED punishment for a freshman who had done something stupid,” Churchman said. “He was sent out to walk around, like the ghost from

SAFETY CONTINUED before going out to celebrate this Halloween. “Charge your phone to full capacity before going out. Eat and drink plenty of water before consuming alcohol and never drive if you have been drinking alcohol,” Lopez said. “Remember if you feel different you drive differently. Remember the catchphrase ‘buzzed driving is drunk driving.’” CPSD also urges college drivers to slow down, young trick-or-treaters and families will be on the streets, which increases the likelihood of reckless driving causing an accident. “If you are going to be driving in the evening during Halloween hours, make sure you are driving with extra caution. Slow down, don’t have any distractions and always expect the unpredictable,” Lopez said. “Children often don’t act like adults would act. Slow down and take your time driving through the neighborhoods.” Additionally, Lopez said, if students choose to wear costumes, they should ensure they do not carry anything resembling a real weapon. “Make it obvious it is a prop and just avoid having anything that can be confused as a real weapon. That could help avoid a tragedy,” Lopez said. University Police Department, or UPD,

SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.28.21

A&M’s transfer class brings needed potential to dugout

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Graduate student Dylan Rock played for four years at UTSA and is using his extra year of NCAA eligibility to join coach Jim Schlossnagle in College Station.

New faces give Aggies greater momentum at Blue Bell Park By Ryne Ryskoski @rusty_ryskoski_ A new chapter of Texas A&M baseball begins this spring with fresh faces on the roster and coaching staff. With the hire of new head coach Jim Schlossnagle this past summer, A&M baseball has gone to work creating a very impressive coaching staff and bringing eight transfer athletes to Aggieland. Baseball America recently tabbed the Aggies with the nation’s best transfer class in 2021. Schlossangle said he expects three playersto play big roles in the upcoming 2022 team: sophomore Arizona State transfer utility player Jack Moss, Oregon State graduate transfer catcher Troy Claunch and junior RHP Texas Tech transfer Micah Dallas. Schlossnagle also mentioned graduate Hawaii transfer infielder Kole Kaler and UTSA graduate outfielder Dylan Rock. “Each individual transfer has their own story, and they’re at different points of their development,” Schlossnagle said. “You see a guy like Micah Dallas, Kole Kaler or Troy Claunch — those are three guys who have been super successful at their previous schools, so they have confidence. There are four or five who are for sure going to play a huge role,

HALLOWEENTOWN CONTINUED Destination Bryan was initially approached by Bryan Broadcasting last year about the event. “Bryan Broadcasting normally held a trickor-treating event at the George Bush Library, which was unfortunately closed this time last year,” Noel said. “They were looking for an outdoor space to host the church or trickor-treat event and immediately thought of Downtown Bryan. We’re really excited that it’s continuing this year. It’s a fun way to get the community downtown to enjoy Halloween festivities.” Along with the festive activities for kids, Noel said Bryan business owners are very excited to have the community come downtown to trick-or-treat and visit their stores and restaurants throughout the evening. “A lot of the businesses will have trick-or-

and then there’s others that are behind in their development.” Dallas comes from Texas Tech, having made 41 appearances and 23 starts over four years, with a career record of 12-5. In 2019, the RHP made 13 starts en route to a College World Series appearance as the only Power Five freshman with a 7-0 record on the mound. He also earned All-America Second Team honors in 2020, was a Big 12 All-Freshman and made D1 Baseball’s Freshman All-America Second Team in 2019. While he brings much-needed experience — and perhaps more importantly, postseason experience — Dallas said he still prioritized several areas of focus in his time with A&M pitching coach Nate Yeskie in order to improve as much as possible. “I’ve [pitched] a lot of innings and am reliable, but there’s plenty of things that I’ve been working on with coach Yeskie,” Dallas said. “Trying to stay completely balanced and just smoothen out my [pitching] motion to make it all as efficient as possible, I’ve been working really hard at that.” Yeskie, D1 Baseball’s 2017 Assistant Coach of the Year, will coach pitchers under the title of associate head coach with several other highly regarded assistant coaches. Hitting coach Michael Earley comes out of Arizona State, and assistant coach Nolan Cain comes from LSU as a strong recruiter. Claunch played against Earley’s teams in the Pac-12 at Oregon State and also played

in the postseason against Schlossnagle’s TCU Horned Frogs. He said he much prefers being one of Earley’s hitters to facing them. “I had to work my way around a coach Earley lineup in the Pac-12 and figure out how to get his hitters out, so I’m excited that I only have to do that in the fall now,” Claunch said. “Now I’m one of those hitters, so that’s been pretty amazing.” Dallas said the A&M Athletics Department did not take any half-measures with the current program staff, and he’s looking forward to soaking up the knowledge each of the coaches has to offer. “They definitely did not go halfway on this,” Dallas said. “The athletic director put together an all-star team over here; they hit that one out of the ballpark. We have the best pitching coach in the country, and we have one of the best head coaches in the country who has proven that day-in and day-out. The amount of baseball minds that are here is something that I’m looking forward to [capitalizing] on.” Moss, who as a freshman under the instruction of Earley at Arizona State hit .305 with six home runs and 29 RBIs in 48 games, said his decision to come to College Station was greatly influenced by Earley’s hiring and that he’s the best in the business at coaching hitters. “He’s the best hitting coach in the country for a reason. I think his track record speaks for itself,” Moss said. “When I was making my decision out of the transfer portal, I really

treat booths — they’re really having a lot of fun with it,” Noel said. “We also have a little contest between the vendor booths for the most creative decorations of their booth, and there will be a little bit of a contest between them with a fun trophy. They’re super excited to be involved.” The Destination Bryan team has been thoroughly preparing for the event, Noel said, buying plenty of candy for trick-or-treating and working with its various partners involved in the Halloweentown event. “We did the event last year; we thought we had plenty of candy. We ran out super fast, so we’ve doubled the candy amount this year,” Noel said. “All the vendor stations and the food stations that are involved in trick-ortreating, [we’ve been] getting them signed up and ready to go. It’s a really popular event, even though it’s only a second year. We’ve had people ask me about it back in like August

if we were doing it again. We’re really excited to bring it back.” Education director at The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley Jenna Dworkin said the museum, along with Purple Turtle Art Studio, is going to have Halloween-themed crafts for the kids at the event. “We’ll also be there handing out candy as well,” Dworkin said. “Monster bookmarks are the craft that we’re making. We’ll be located next to Purple Turtle Studio, who are also providing crafts.” Candy 95 radio host Katy Dempsey said the event was almost too popular last year. Now that people are more open to gathering and doing activities in person, Downtown Bryan decided to do the event again and to take it to the next level. “It was our brainchild,” Dempsey said. “We are so fortunate that Destination Bryan came to partner with us on it, because they

wanted to come [to A&M]. Coach Earley coming here kind of sealed the deal.” With such a talented coaching staff also comes new players, both freshmen and transfers alike. But in the grand scheme of things, everybody is new to everybody — “there’s no cliques,” as Dallas said. “This has actually been a topic of conversation with a lot of people,” Dallas said. “There’s something special going on right now with the amount of chemistry that we all have right now together. Everyone’s just eager to go win some ball games. We know that the best way we can do that is to have everyone stick together.” Claunch said the team has started to build good habits together, and is so close-knit nobody seems to want to leave the stadium after practices. “I’m loving the culture that we’re establishing here,” Claunch said. “I love how close every guy is on this team. It kind of seems like people don’t want to leave the field, everyone wants to be here all the time.” Claunch joins the Aggies as a career .290 hitter and was named to the Buster Posey Award Watch before last season. As a senior, he started in 55 games, hit .305 and logged 30 RBIs, earning him First-Team All-Pac-12 honors. He has the unique challenge of embracing and working with a completely new pitching staff, he said, which has been fun and enjoyable because of how different each pitcher is. “I’m really enjoying it. The biggest thing for me right now is just learning each individual,” Claunch said. “Learning who they are, what makes them tick and how to work with each of them — everybody’s different in their own way. Allowing them to believe in me and the fact that they know I have their back through anything — that’s been really big.” Claunch will also be reunited with an old coach in Yeskie, who was the pitching coach for the Beavers during Claunch’s freshman and sophomore years. “I had a really good relationship with coach Yeskie, he recruited me coming out of high school, and for my first two years at Oregon State he was our pitching coach,” Claunch said. “I’ve known him for a really long time and built a really close relationship with him, and the fact that it was able to come full circle was really awesome.” Schlossnagle said guys like Claunch will be dependable in the lineup come SEC play because of the experience they bring, and the fact they won’t panic if something goes wrong. “When you’re facing Troy Claunch or Dylan Rock and they have 600 college atbats under their belt, they’re not going to be fazed by much,” Schlossnagle said. They’ll have no time to be fazed going against the baseball gauntlet that is the SEC West, but Moss said the team is up to the challenge and that college baseball players should want to be in this position. “It gets me fired up. The [SEC West] is where you should want to be if you’re in high school or coming from a junior college,” Moss said. “You should want to play against the best of the best.” Claunch said it’ll be a little different for him coming from the Pac-12 in terms of fan attendance, and that he knows there won’t be any conference opponent to take lightly. “Coming from the Pac-12, we got a pretty good draw at Oregon State fanbase-wise, but that wasn’t always the case when we’d go other places,” Claunch said. “Everywhere we go, there’s going to be a large crowd, and it’s going to be a really good team. I’m excited to play the best teams each and every weekend. There’s no weekend to take off.” There’s no way of knowing what this team will accomplish this spring right now, but there is immense optimism surrounding Blue Bell Park because of an exciting roster with potential and a coaching staff that has only proven to be successful at every step of their career. “The opportunities that are here at A&M are unbelievable,” Dallas said. “I’m really excited to get going with all this stuff, and I’m excited to be an Aggie.”

have been able to provide all of the fun stuff. We just wanted another safe and free trickor-treating event for kids. A lot of nonprofits are participating, which is great exposure for them as well.” Dempsey said Halloweentown In Downtown really emphasizes community, and that the enthusiastic investments from the community and the events’ sponsors are allowing it to be much bigger than last year. “We’re serving the children, but also putting nonprofits in front of their parents,” Dempsey said. “We added a Kid Zone this year, so we’re going to have the Kids Characters dressed up. [Candy 95] hosts the costume contest side of things, which we’re always really excited about because we know that kids and their parents put a lot of effort into these kids’ costumes. We’re just really excited for another great year. People were just invested in the [Halloweentown] from the jump.”

SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.28.21

Georgia’s offense has not shattered any statistical landmarks, it still puts up a daunting 38.4 points per game, third in the SEC. If A&M finds a way to shock the world and win the SEC, it still does not guarantee the squad a playoff spot. They would likely need to leapfrog a potential one-loss team like Ohio State, Oregon or Michigan. However, the committee has shown a favor of resume over record in the past, and rejecting a conference champion with wins over both Alabama and Georgia would be a hard sell to the college football community. It is not probable, but there is a chance.

A&M football faces narrow opening for playoffs

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Fourth-year A&M coach Jimbo Fisher’s team is now bowl eligible, but which bowl game the Aggies could play in is still up in the air.

Winter success needed for Aggies to reach top of SEC football postseason By Michael Horton @mhhort With the first half of the regular season in the rearview mirror, college football fans are assessing their teams’ potential postseason options. Most teams are still looking for that magical sixth win that guarantees inclusion in a postseason bowl game. However, the No. 14 Aggies’ 44-14 triumph over South Carolina marked their sixth victory of the season, making them among the 16 Power Five teams that are bowl-eligible heading into Week 9. With this in mind, let’s break down some potential postseason scenarios for the Aggies. College Football Playoff At 6-2, the Aggies’ chances of reaching the College Football playoff are incredibly slim —

but not impossible. Since the establishment of the four-team playoff format in 2014, no two-loss team has been selected for the tournament. Despite this realization, a two-loss champion in college football is not unheard of, with former head coach Les Miles leading an 11-2 LSU team to a title in 2007. Although the landscape of college football was different in 2007 with the Bowl Championship Series format and the unprecedented number of upsets that season, it speaks to the unpredictability of the sport. The Aggies’ 10-point loss to Arkansas and 4-point loss to Mississippi State were not pretty, but the upsets occurred early enough in the season to argue the team has drastically improved since those outings. The team was also experiencing quarterback turmoil, which seems to have worked itself out over the past month of football. For the committee to even consider looking to College Station for a playoff team, a few key pieces need to fall into place. First, the Aggies must win out. Their final third of

the season features a road game against No. 10 Ole Miss and unranked LSU, and home meetings with No. 18 Auburn and FCS neighbor Prairie View A&M. If the squad drops any of these games, the Playoff is off the table. Second, Alabama and Miss. St. both need to lose conference games to allow A&M to qualify for the SEC Championship. Since the Aggies upset the Tide, they need Alabama to lose one of its final three conference games against LSU, Arkansas or Auburn. Miss. St. needs to lose two of its final four conference games against No. 16 Kentucky, Arkansas, Auburn and Ole Miss. If both of these hypotheticals occur, the Aggies will have an invite to Atlanta for the conference title game. Last, the Aggies need to win the SEC Championship. They would face the winner of the Eastern division of the SEC. Barring a borderline-unfathomable turn of events, that opponent would be No. 1 Georgia. The Bulldogs have earned their ranking, boasting the top defense in the country by a wide margin, allowing just 208.3 yards per game. While

New Year’s Six Bowl Games While any team’s goal is to qualify for the Playoff, earning a spot in one of the premier New Year’s Six Bowl Games is the next best thing. This is familiar territory for the Aggies, as they capped off the 2020 season with a 4127 win over North Carolina in the Orange Bowl. North Carolina, Florida and Iowa State earned spots in the New Year’s Six with three losses in 2020, but the Aggies should aim to win out to make this scenario more likely. A&M needs to beat Auburn and Ole Miss to beef up its record against ranked opponents. Including its win over Bama, this would bring A&M’s season to 10-2 with three ranked wins. This would all but guarantee a coveted spot in bowl season for the Aggies. The maroon and white would likely face off against a team with a similar resume in a bowl game, such as a one-loss team. In the Big 10, Michigan, Iowa and Michigan State come to mind. In the ACC, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest seem reasonable. Oregon could also be a potential option from the Pac-12. Another Bowl Game This spot is not ideal for the team by any stretch, but if the Aggies drop one or more of their final four games, they will be in line for a lower tier bowl game. The top SEC team that is not included in the playoff or the Sugar Bowl will likely play in the Citrus Bowl against a top Big 10 opponent. Other bowl games with SEC tie-ins include the Liberty Bowl, the Outback Bowl, the Texas Bowl and the Gator Bowl. Nothing specific needs to fall into place for the Aggies to appear in one of these games. They have seen recent inclusion in these bowl games, as A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher competed in them during his first two seasons at A&M. The Aggies took down NC State in the Gator Bowl 52-13 in Fisher’s debut season and followed it up by defeating Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl after his second campaign.

SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.28.21

OPINION

No rest for the weary Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Assistant sports editor Ryan Faulkner argues that athletes deserve two bye-weeks in each football season.

NCAA should work in second byeweek for athletes’ mental health By Ryan Faulkner @ryanfaulk03 I watched the first college football game of the 2021 season from my couch on Saturday, Aug. 28. I’ll do the same for the last game of the regular season, scheduled for the Dec. 11 matchup between Army and Navy. Trust me, there’s no better feeling than knowing how I’ll spend every Saturday for 3 ½ months of my life every year; it’s comforting and reminds me why I fell in love with college football in the first place. Seeing athletes compete tirelessly all season while only given one bye week — one opportunity to rest and care for themselves — has the opposite effect. At Texas A&M specifically, this couldn’t be more true. This season, the Aggies had to fight for eight weeks against some of the toughest opposition in the nation before taking one Saturday off. For context, A&M faced

five SEC rivals — including then-No. 1 Alabama — and traveled over 3,750 miles during that time. That schedule is grueling, and it’s becoming increasingly obvious the situation is a bad set-up for A&M’s athletes, fans and football program. Most obviously, going through an entire collegiate football campaign with only one weekend to rest is strenuous on the players’ bodies. Ligaments stretch, muscles tire and joints grind with every broken tackle, breakaway route or inelastic collision. According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, playing football at a high level carries an inherent risk of brain damage, high blood pressure, psychological stressors like depression and other life-threatening conditions. I understand playing football is many of these athletes’ main priority in life. But first and foremost, they are people, and there is no justification for exposing them to inhuman levels of danger when implementing something as simple as an additional bye week could save a player’s life in the longterm scheme of things. Having both experienced as a player and

seen as a coach the “wear and tear” faced by college athletes, A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher said he is also in favor of tweaking scheduling criteria to give players more time off. “I’m telling you, eight weeks [without a break] is tough,” Fisher said. “I think college football needs two off-weeks, if you really want to take the kids into consideration. I really do.” True, the National Football League gives each team only one bye over the course of its 18-week schedule, and many of A&M’s athletes have aspirations of playing professionally. But let’s not pretend football teams for the NFL and NCAA are anywhere near comparable. NFL players enjoy the benefits of some of the most comprehensive healing, relaxation and rehabilitation programs and facilities seen anywhere in the nation, entirely separate from their million-dollar contracts which provide the players with room for further luxuries. Collegiate athletes, on the other hand, are given a limited time with their team’s respective trainers before being forced to fend for themselves. Though the $20.8 million invest-

ed in A&M’s Bright Football Complex over the last decade is a step in the right direction, there is still room to prioritize the well-being of the maroon and white’s football squad, especially when the NFL sets a clear standard in the industry. And though professional athletes help showcase the vitality of healthiness and proper recuperation between games, it is important to keep in mind another aspect of college athletes’ lives: their status as students at A&M. Every football player who suits up for the Aggies on a weekly basis does so while still attending classes, studying for tests, maintaining a social life and attempting to remain involved in other student organizations around campus. Regular college students struggle to balance these commitments without also practicing their respective sport for five days a week and travelling around the country to work in the high-stress environment of performing on a global stage. An extra bye week may not be enough to sufficiently lessen this workload, but it would be a good first step. History has shown that implementing two off-weeks per season is an easily achievable feat, even at the college level. Team schedules, determined by the NCAA, are dependent on starting and finishing around Labor Day and Thanksgiving, respectively. Normally, this leaves 13 weeks to structure a team’s timetable and opponents. But every once in a while, the stars align perfectly, and Labor Day takes place earlier than usual in the same year in which Thanksgiving occurs later than is standard. This sets that year’s college football season at 14 weeks — one longer than seen in other campaigns. Most recently, this phenomenon took place in 2019. A&M — like almost all other programs — had two bye weeks fit into its timeline. Some programs, like Florida and Miami, had three weeks off. This was one of three years in the last decade which has seen a 14week college football season. And guess what? Other than athletes being given more rest throughout their seasons, nothing changed. This realignment almost became permanent in 2017, when the NCAA’s legislative Division I Council informally proposed a “mandatory 14-week season” for all college football programs. Unfortunately, the bid never gained much traction and the project was ultimately left behind. So we know giving each football team two bye weeks per year is not only feasible, but it’s also easily accomplishable and carries a historical precedent. With science showing the physical, mental and psychological benefits of allowing athletes to rest throughout their schedules, it would be selfish for those of us on the outside to wish for anything except lessened strain and stress on their behalf. When playing at their best, the Aggies have the potential to compete as one of the best teams in the nation. For them to reach that level, though, they must be given time off to recover and prepare for the 12th Man’s next and most threatening opponent.

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OPINION

The Battalion | 10.28.21

OPINION

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Will Nye — THE BATTALION

Columnist Sam Somogye evaluates the changes proposed in the Comprehensive Review Final Report of MGT of American Consulting’s assessment of Texas A&M’s organization.

MGT’s mixed bag

Columnist Sam Somogye analyzes findings, recommendations from MGT’s controversial report Sam Somogye

@samsomogye

ust two days ago, Texas A&M President M. Katherine Banks released a highly anticipated, comprehensive report from MGT of American Consulting, or MGT. Like most things, there is some good and some bad. Let’s start with the bad. One of the biggest problems is the method MGT went about its survey process, specifically regarding the number of participants. The report claims to have invited approximately 500,000 people to respond to their survey. Of that 500,000, only 21,987 responded. The respondents are deans and vice presidents, current and former students, faculty and staff. Out of these groups, 75 percent of respondents were former students, while only eight percent were current students. Can I get a “skewed data,” anyone? The fact of the matter is that former students are not nearly as in touch with what is currently going on at A&M when compared to its current students. After all, we are the ones who are in the classrooms, office hours and dimly-lit libraries across campus. Another red flag of the report is when it discusses retention rates and faculty

management. Specifically, the report states “a high internal staff turnover rate, a relatively small pool of qualified potential employees in Bryan-College Station and the recent increase in remote job offerings nationally spurred by [COVID-19] are [all] threats to retention.” The part that sticks out the most here is “relatively small pool of qualified potential employees in Bryan-College Station.” This has to be a joke, right? Last spring semester alone — during a pandemic, no less — A&M shattered its graduation record, having 10,796 Aggies receive their degrees. In what world is this considered a small pool of qualified candidates? The report also takes a shot at A&M’s lack of emphasis on journalism. It recommend starting a formal Department of Journalism, which is a good thing, but the report lacks any current recognition of A&M’s journalistic achievements. For example, the report boasts the University of Texas’ and the University of North Texas’ journalism departments. However, in the past year, The Battalion has received more awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and College Media Association than both of these schools. The Battalion may not currently be connected to any of A&M’s academic departments, but credit should

be given where credit is due. Lastly, MGT recommends that A&M “create parks and other outdoor gathering spaces to welcome the community onto campus for events throughout the year.” Apparently MGT didn’t notice, but an entire section of central campus is being torn apart to create a massive green space called, drum roll please, “Aggie Park.” Now, on to the good. The overall theme of this report is centralization, centralization, centralization. In fact, the word “central” can be found 124 times throughout the report. There are too many departments MGT recommends be centralized to fit into this column without risking reaching 132 pages like the report itself, so let’s just highlight the big ones. First, MGT recommends that A&M combine its units into four main colleges: the College of Engineering, the College of AgriLife, Texas A&M Health and a new College of Arts and Sciences. Typically, centralization is something not favored by this conservative writer. Nonetheless, the report makes valid points. Namely, communication among departments would likely improve and administrative costs would be cut down — both things that are hard to be against. And because A&M is a STEM-focused

university, consolidating liberal arts majors with STEM-based majors would give much needed advocacy to the arts. This in turn would likely attract more students to A&M who are interested in non-STEM related fields. Second was the report’s evaluation of the Division of Student Affairs, specifically its relationship with Fish Camp. MGT finds that there is a “lack of control over the content of the camp” and that “the challenges of polarized politics have the potential to threaten Core Values.” As many know, Fish Camp is nowhere near perfect, having run into a slew of issues in recent years. A little more oversight and direct involvement from the university regarding the freshman orientation camp and student-led organizations in general is certainly not the worst idea in the world. This report has a lot of issues, but it’s not all bad. Although at the end of the day, the university needs to take into consideration student and faculty input over all else, not some outside organization. One of A&M’s staple sayings is “from the outside looking in, you can’t understand it” for a reason.

CONGRATULATIONS

Sam Somogye is a political science senior and columnist for The Battalion.

s to the staff of The Battalion for taking home n o i t a l u t a r g n o C rds from the College Media Associat a w a l a n o i t a n 2 1 f o l a i on a tot and Associated College Press

Associated College Press Pacemaker Awards

Second Place Breaking News Story of the Year Brady Stone, Hannah Underwood, Meredith Seaver

Third Place Local Climate Change Reporting Staff of The Battalion, JOUR 303 Media Writing II

Second Place COVID-19 Coverage Print: News or Features Staff of The Battalion

Fifth Place Reporter of the Year Brady Stone

Fifth Place Best Ad Special Section Staff of The Battalion

Honorable Mention Sports Feature Story of the Year Hannah Underwood

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards

First Place Best Sports Section Staff of The Battalion

Second Place Best Sports Game Story Hannah Underwood

Second Place Best Sports Columnist Ozioma Mgbahurike

Second Place Best Special Section Cover Gabrielle Shreve, Cori Eckert

Third Place Best Column Sam Somogye

Honorable Mention Best Breaking News Story Julia Potts, Bec Morris

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SHUFFLING A&M’S DECK

Pilar Ibarra— THE BATTALION

The Battalion’s editorial staff reviews the 132-page report which was delivered to Texas A&M President M. Katherine Banks by MGT of America Consulting.

The Battalion’s staff breaks down major findings within MGT Consulting’s review, recommendations for A&M Staff Report Editor’s Note: A full version of this article is available at thebatt.com.

exas A&M has been presented with a consultation report which suggests heavy alterations to university structure, including mentions of significant departmental consolidation. A&M may see major changes to the alignment throughout the university after partnering with MGT of America Consulting, or MGT, and Martin+Crumpton Group beginning June 16 to review university efficiency. With the Oct. 25 public release of the comprehensive review’s final report, university President M. Katherine Banks asked for feedback on the report’s recommendations from campus members for the next two weeks before her administration implements any changes come December. “We are utilizing an external firm to collect and analyze the input to ensure a thorough and unbiased evaluation. This will allow me and our leadership team to review all the information in an efficient manner,” Banks said in a university-wide email. “I want to underscore the importance of sharing your feedback. All perspectives are important and will be considered.” MGT’s review included conducting 44 interviews with university leaders, faculty, staff and students, as well as surveying 1,775 current students, nearly 16,500 former students and 3,654 faculty and staff members on their opinions of university operations and experiences. “This review focused on the organizational structure of central offices at the executive level and administrative units at the college level,” the report reads. Throughout the assessment, the consulting

team focused on working their recommendations around a “common vision” for the entire campus community to work together and achieve, namely surrounding the Aggie Core Values, according to the report. “Along with facilitating the development of priorities and identities within each unit, the reorganization process presents an opportunity to develop sound scaffolding (i.e., work groups, strategic plans, departmental retreats and mission and vision statements) and allow university constituencies to work together toward accomplishing the restructuring,” the report reads. “This process can foster a sense of ownership for participants as it opens a dialogue between the university leadership and staff concerning shared priorities and goals.” The report’s findings detail a number of opportunities for A&M’s growth and presents threats to said potential growth which MGT recognized through its assessment. This includes the university’s reputation of political culture and history which, according to the report’s findings, have hindered student body and faculty diversity. “[A&M] has historically been conservative and slow to change regarding diversity issues,” the report reads. “University climate [is] not always welcoming, particularly to diverse faculty, staff and students. Enrollment of diverse students, particularly African Americans, is low. Student and faculty populations do not reflect the state population.” Among the proposals to address DEI concerns is the creation of an Office of Undergraduate Recruitment, to be overseen by another new unit, Academic and Strategic Collaborations. Resources would be directed toward increasing engagement with the local community and Texas at large, according to the report. In addition to a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, the report had nine total findings for A&M’s academic units, which saw an overall lack of collaboration and inefficient use of resources across programs. MGT’s first recommendation for academic realignment is to “redefine [A&M]’s largest units into a four-legged stool structure” made up of a new College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, College of AgriLife and Texas A&M Health. The report recommends

the current colleges of Liberal Arts, Science and Geosciences combine to create a College of Arts and Sciences in order to reallocate saved administrative costs toward academia and research. “This larger college structure creates a stronger advocacy for the liberal arts education at a STEM-focused university,” the report states. “This advocacy is a value in recruiting faculty in the arts, humanities and social sciences which are often underrepresented at STEM-focused universities.” Within this new college, the report also recommends the creation of a Department of Journalism, a Department of Library Sciences and a School of Visual and Performing Arts, in which the Department of Visualization, which is currently housed in the College of Architecture, would move to. Additionally, the report recommends the university studies degree be consolidated solely under this proposed College of Arts and Sciences. Some other notable recommendations include moving the Department of Construction Science under the College of Engineering along with the Technology Management degree program, and the Department of Health and Kinesiology under the School of Public Health. Additionally, the report recommends moving the Department of Political Science under the Bush School of Government and Public Service, along with potentially the departments of Economics and International Studies, in order to foster greater collaboration between graduate and undergraduate students in public policy. Finally, the proposed academic realignment suggests a new Institute of Biological Life Sciences be created, under which the departments of Biology and Biomedical Sciences could be housed. A reconfiguration of the biology degree is discussed to follow a similar path to current A&M engineering degrees, in which all incoming freshmen could take general biology classes and then specialize as upperclassmen. This Institute would be housed under the College of AgriLife. The report is unclear whether the colleges of Education, Architecture or Business would remain a part of the aforementioned “fourlegged” structure. Regarding Student Affairs at A&M, the

report mainly found a lack of accountability, transparency and alignment with the Aggie Core Values among student organizations and activities, namely Fish Camp. “Fish Camp is an example of [A&M’s history and culture negatively impacting student body diversity] — there is a lack of control over the content of the camp. The challenges of polarized politics have the potential to threaten Core Values,” the report reads. The report leaves out any assessment of the Corps of Cadets in regards to accountability or transparency, stating it is just a “part of the school’s culture and student body.” The report does call on the university’s traditions and Core Values as a means of unifying the campus under a “common vision” through which all of the proposed reorganization can be achieved. Student Affairs is where this shared culture starts, according to the report. “One of the most important roles of Student Affairs at [A&M] is to uphold tradition,” the report reads. “It was clear that the Aggie culture presents a foundation of shared traditions and values that create cohesive identity for students, staff and faculty.” The report’s third recommendation for Student Affairs is to move Student Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services into Texas A&M Health in order to potentially provide more resources to students in these areas. A key theme of the report is centralization of administrative functions across the university for cost and talent efficiency purposes. This includes moving many of the Office of the Provost’s current areas of responsibility to other parts of university administration, consolidating all university IT and Human Resources into university-wide umbrellas, reorganizing all departments’ and offices’ finances under one Business Services Unit headed by a dual-hatted vice president of Finance and chief financial officer, and coordinating all university marketing and communications to present one strategic branding message. A full version of the report is available at feedback.tamu.edu, and all campus members are invited to provide feedback on these recommendations before President Banks announces any final decisions.