WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2017 STUDENT MEDIA | @THEBATTONLINE
A&M updates event policy on third party speakers Spokesperson Amy Smith says policy change due to lack of space, not just controversial speaker By Brad Morse @BradSMorse53 Following the controversial campus visit of white supremacist Richard Spencer on Dec. 6, Texas A&M has updated its policy on third party speakers. Per the new policy, any third party who wishes to use the campus facilities has to secure a sponsorship from a university recognized student group, A&M academic or administrative unit, or from an A&M System member. The sponsorship has to come at least
14 days before the event. University spokeswoman Amy Smith said the policy changes came as a result of unwelcome speakers, but added that it also had to do with limited space at A&M. Smith said in the last several years, about 4,000 students have been added to campus, and some student organizations have had to hold meetings as late as 10 p.m. in order to have an available venue. “Our priority is first and foremost to requirements of our faculty and students,” Smith said. “Those student, faculty and/or staff campus groups may themselves end up bringing a controversial speaker to campus. That’s not the issue here. The issue is undue burden on a limited room capacity and undue burden at times on resources required by ex-
ternal individuals or groups with no affiliation with our university.” Smith said despite the changes, there is nothing stopping a group from inviting a controversial speaker to campus. “Recognized campus groups very well may sponsor a controversial speaker in the future,” Smith said. “This policy is about serving first our own university students, faculty and staff with limited space and times available due to our growing numbers. Who they choose to sponsor is up to each campus group.” Student groups will likely not have their university recognized status revoked if they do choose to invite a controversial speaker to campus, Smith said. “I cannot imagine a situation where a cam-
pus organization could have their status revoked for sponsoring a controversial speaker apart from inciting or committing criminal acts in conjunction with the speaker, and that would be adjudicated through campus judicial conduct processes as well as law enforcement,” Smith said. Smith also said the policy does not bar anyone from walking onto campus and speaking in an open space, such as Academic Plaza. Students have spoken both for and against the new policy changes, including applied mathematical sciences junior Matthew Marshall. Overall, Marshall said he favors the policy, but is hesitant about it. “In theory, I agree with it, just because it POLICY ON PG. 3
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Nursing students and more will get an opportunity to test their skills as part of the mock event, Disaster Day.
Annual Disaster Day to be held Thursday for casualty training
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By Tyler Snell @Tyler_Snell2 One of the largest student-run mass casualty disaster training exercises in the country will once again come to College Station as students studying nursing, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences practice what they’re learning. Disaster Day, which will be held Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at Central Baptist Church in College Station, brings more than 300 students and 400 community volunteers to participate in a casualty training exercise. Volunteers of past Disaster Days have staged simulations of hurricanes, chemical fires, wildfire scenarios and other mass casualty situations, and interdisciplinary student teams partner with community organizations to care for the simulated patients. Participants will not know what the simulated disaster is until the day of the event. Erica Cashion, nursing senior and incident commander of the event, said Disaster Day is an opportunity for the participants to work with other professionals in a high stress situation. “I think it’s going to be a really good interprofessional event,” Cashion said. “They are going to get to see how doctors, pharmacists and nurses really work together to take care of patients and then really practice not just one or two patients like we see in a hospital but just a large rush of patients.” Nursing senior and deputy incident commander of fundraising and media, Emily Matos, said a large-scale event like this requires hours of planning and working between the various colleges involved. “There were a lot of planning meetings and meetings with the colleges to include the educational aspect of the event,” Matos said. “Disaster Day is a really good way for people to have the opportunity to practice what that would be like in the chaos and make the mistakes then and work on them in case they are ever in the situation of caring for people in a disaster situation.” The event is open to the public, and Beth Hudson, media chair and nursing senior, said it is a great opportunity DISASTER DAY ON PG. 3
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Laura Haslam — THE BATTALION
Susan Egenolf, head of Brazos Valley Reads, stands among past Brazos Valley Reads posters lining the walls of the Department of English.
BONDED BY BOOKS Brazos Valley Reads to host author, advocate of freedom of expression Jennifer Clement By Madeleine Brennan @MadKathBren
I
t’s all about bringing books to the people. Brazos Valley Reads, an organization founded to bring internationally recognized authors to local communities, engages students, faculty and community members in thoughtful discussions about literature. For 13 years, Brazos Valley Reads has partnered with Blinn College and the Glasscock Center for Humanities to unify the community, high schools and universities in the pursuit of knowledge through dialogue on literature and sociopolitical issues. This year, BVR 2017 wll host Jennifer Clement and her novel, Prayers for the Stolen, which discusses the kidnapping of young women in Mexico. Clement also works as the president of PEN International, a group dedicated to protecting and supporting writers’ and journalists’ freedom of expression. In addition to her public events, Clement, like many of the BVR authors before her, will come in and discuss the book with students who are reading the book in their English classes. Lawrence Oliver, English professor, said he’s most excited
about the discussions that will happen between students currently reading the book and the book’s author. “There are a million good books out there, but it’s rare to actually have the author come and stand in front of you, read from the book and answer questions,” Oliver said. “We say that in liberal arts, we teach our students to read critically and engage in civil discourse. And these are perfect opportunities to do that both in class and at the event.” As a member of BVR’s Selection Committee, Oliver and others try to choose books that will reflect the interests of the larger community and engage students at the college and high school level. Clement’s novel gives the students, faculty and the public information and perspectives that they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to and what they otherwise wouldn’t think about, Oliver said. “We look for books that are contemporary, that are timely and speak to relevant social and political issues,” Oliver said. “I think all of us should be reading all the time and discussing the books, because it’s terribly important that we get other people’s perspectives on what we read, especially now more than ever.” The organization was founded back in 2005 by former Head of the Department of English, Paul Parrish, and the Dean of Liberal Arts, Pamela Matthews. BVR was begun simply to unify the community and university through a book, Ernest BV READS ON PG. 2
Aggies ‘d e v e l o p ’ photography skills Photography club helps students hone their skills behind the camera By EmmaLee Newman @Emmy_Lee014
Kelley Starnes, management information systems senior is the photography club president. Yuri Suchil — THE BATTALION
The A&M Photography Club does more than develop photos — it develops its members in their craft by teaching them to use a camera. The Photography Club was started six years ago, AND originally known as “Vision Inspired.” The club has been involved on campus working with organizations by taking photos at events, doing headshots at Mays Business School and are currently being featured on the second floor of the MSC in “Aggie Frame of Mind.” The club offers constructive criticism for its work, provides photography opportunities and fosters a com-
munity for photographers. Kelley Starnes, management information systems senior, is the president of Photography Club and said although the name has changed since the club started, it still upholds its initial vision. “Photography Club is supposed to be a place where everyone who is a photographer can come share ideas, share styles, share camera types, learn about different equipment and it’s just a big collaborative group,” Starnes said. “A lot of the time photography is very independent and so it’s just a group for photographers to feel that there are commonalities and they’re not alone in their artistic pursuit.” Club members learn the difference between taking a photograph and being involved in the art of photography, as well as what takes a photo to the level of “visual scrap keeping,” or the thought put into the shot, according PHOTOGRAPHY ON PG. 2
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Laura Haslam — THE BATTALION
Over the years many books have been discussed as part of Brazos Valley Reads. This time around the featured novel will be Jennifer Clement’s Prayers for the Stolen.
BV READS CONTINUED Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying, and the discussion of it, Matthews said. “When I was associate department head, the head and I got the idea to pick a book and then have everybody read it — having the community and schools be a part of it as well,” Matthews said. “So we started the BVR Project, and the program is still going. It’s one of those things that didn’t go away when you did, which is so great, because many things do. It still happens every year, and I love that.” Susan Egenolf, current head coordinator of the
Brazos Valley Reads Project, encourages everyone to come to the events, which are free and open to the public, whether or not you’ve read the book. “It’s about learning and pursuing knowledge in community with people of all different perspectives,” Egenolf said. “This particular book is a great book in terms of opening our eyes to something that’s going on all the time — these sort of abuses against women, sex trafficking,” Egenolf said. “It’s something that people often know goes on, but this book and Jennifer Clement’s 10 years of research for it, talking to women all over Mexico, really gives people
the opportunity to spend a few hours thinking about something that we don’t spend enough time thinking about.” As an organization devoted to furthering education inside and outside the university, BVR aims to give the community the opportunity to have a common and shared reading experience, come to together to talk about relevant issues and be inspired by creative and generous authors, Egenolf said. “We’re about outreaching in the community through reading,” Egenolf said. “We want to encourage people to read and read fiction, to pick up a book
and think critically about it. Our novels often encourage members of the community to think about and discuss narratives and important social issues that may fall outside of their personal lived experiences.” The main conference, including discussions and books signings with Clement, will take place April 6 at 7 p.m. in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. More public events will be taking place the week of the conference, including coffee events. For more information and to view the full event list visit BVR’s informational page: english.tamu.edu/brazos-valley-reads/
Leah Kappayil — THE BATTALION
Texas A&M’s Photography Club teaches students skills beyond how to take a picture. Their meetings cover topics like Adobe Photoshop and more.
PHOTOGRAPHY CONTINUED to club treasurer Chase Zamulinski, electrical engineering sophomore. “What makes the photographer is putting photographer is putting the effort forth and thought into your image,” Zamulinski said. “We have critique meetings every now and again and we have members submit their photos anonymously, and we look at them and try to give guidance to really become the best photographer that they can become and something that we really try to hone in on is composition — putting thought into it. What do you want them to look at without saying, ‘look here?’” Networking among members and organizations that have hired the Photography Club to take photos has led to individual members getting contacted to take
pictures professionally for events, including graduation pictures and engagement photos. For some members it’s a business, for others it’s a hobby. Raj Viswaprabakaran, mechanical engineering junior, said he does photography as a hobby but may turn it into a business in the future. “It’s definitely grown from more than just something I’m interested to do into a hobby that I’m putting more time into for sure,” Viswaprabakaran said. “Through the photo club, I’ve been able to get paid opportunities, and through word of mouth people have learned about me, and I’ve been able to take pictures for other clients as well. I haven’t established a business, but I’m contemplating pursuing it in the future.” At each meeting the club selects a topic about photography to discuss and educate their members about from different genres of photog-
raphy to how to get off the automatic setting to full on manual to Adobe Photoshop. They accept all forms of cameras at all levels and they challenge members to learn and try by going on excursions to test out what they learned that week. Andy Zalot, English senior, said the club has brought its members out of their comfort zones. “[A challenge is] not being afraid to take pictures — being critical but learning to be critical productively of yourself … they push you to try new things and they are really supportive of that too,” Zalot said. “I’ve improved on confidence and really understanding my camera and how to take better pictures.” Applications for membership of the Photography Club open up at the start of the fall semester. For more information visit their website: facebook.com/TAMUPHOTOCLUB/
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The Battalion | 3.29.17
POLICY CONTINUED helps ensure that if someone here is speaking, they either went to A&M, or know people from A&M who are inviting them,” Marshall said. “But at the same time it’s a slippery slope because it opens the door for abuse of power.” Engineering freshman Tres Duytschaever said he doesn’t agree with the policy change. “I understand where the policy is coming from, but I don’t see why we had to change it,” Duytschaever said. “It’s pretty clear this was a knee jerk reaction to one bad thing, that wasn’t really even that bad. If you disagree with a speaker, disprove their points — silencing them isn’t the answer.” Duytschaever also said he believes the policy had more to do with Spencer’s speech, than with the capacity issue Smith
spoke about. “I can understand the university trying to keep someone like [Spencer] out,” Duytschaever said. “But it’s dangerous having this level of oversight on the variety of voices that you can hear on college campuses. Agree with them or not, trying to silence those voices creates an echo chamber.” Marshall also said he believes the policy change will prevent controversial speakers from coming to campus. “I think it will [prevent controversial speakers], because the groups that are recognized by the university aren’t going to want to put their name on that controversy,” Marshall said. “Some of them will, but a lot of them won’t. It still makes me nervous though, because it shifts power to the university’s hands.”
FILE
In response to the Dec. 6 campus visit of white supremacist Richard Spencer, hundreds of students protested in Rudder Plaza and the MSC.
DISASTER DAY CONTINUED
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“Disaster Day” includes hundreds of volunteers pretending to be victims of a disaster so students can practice responding in an emergency capacity.
for the College of Nursing to showcase what their students learn. “It’s a really great event to open the eyes [of the] community around us of what the College of Nursing is doing and who we are,” Hudson said. “Our professors consistently teach us in class about public healthcare, about bringing about the most good for the most amount of people, and that is what this event is about.” The simulation will include local emergency response teams and will portray a chaotic and highly emotionally charged atmosphere. “They don’t know the disaster until the day of, so it is a surprise for everyone,” Matos said. “It is going to be a really big educational experience for everyone and a lot of fun to watch.” This year the event will also fea-
ture new patients that allow younger nursing and medical students to participate. “In a real disaster situation, you are going to have patients that are displaced that have chronic conditions,” Cashion said. “They need medical attention, but they don’t need acute medical attention. We are letting the newer nursing students help take care of these patients to let them practice with long-term medical treatment instead of just the acute trauma type conditions.” Hudson said she is excited to show what she has learned to the community and sharpen skills that will be vital in the event of a disaster. “This is preparing us in case something were to happen in this community, we would be able to provide quality care for them,” Hudson said. “It also shows them that we are excited to learn, willing to help and are doing our best to be trained in the event that something does happen.”
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ANNOUNCEMENTS CALLING ALL ASPIRING MUSICIANS! Want the chance to play at the City of College Stationʼs May 6 Starlight Music Series concert at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater? Enter the Voters' Choice Contest by submitting an MP3 of your best song and a YouTube video performing it by April 2. For complete details and to enter, visit: cstx.gov/starlight
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HELP WANTED Work around your class schedule! No Saturday or Sundays, off during the holidays. The Battalion Advertising Office is hiring an Advertising Sales Representative. Must be enrolled at A&M and have reliable transportation. Interested applicants should come by our office located in the MSC, Suite 400, from 8am-4pm, ask to speak with Joseph.
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