TheBattalion02272012

Voting opens Monday

thebattalion ● monday,

february 27, 2012

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media

Student body election primary voting begins at 8 a.m. Monday and continues through 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Primary results will be announced Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Academic Plaza.

Students can vote by visiting vote.tamu.edu.

inside voices | 2 Candidate ideas The six student body president candidates explain what innovative ideas they each bring to the race.

Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

A&M employees hold a banner asking, “Are we still ambassadors?” while Rodney McClendon, vice president for Administration, speaks Friday.

voices | 3 mailcall Students and former students voice their opinions about campus issues and opinion columns published in The Battalion.

sports | 7 Big 12 champs The A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams and the women’s swim and dive team grabbed Big 12 crowns during the weekend.

Help wanted A&M administration addresses outsourcing plans Chase Carter The Battalion Texas A&M staff members, faculty and students packed Rudder Auditorium Friday morning to hear from University administration about plans to outsource non-academic services to private firms.

Rodney McClendon, A&M vice president for administration, stood at the podium in front of 717 employees, 211 of whom work for dining services. He began by saying decisions surrounding the situation were made by A&M System Chancellor John Sharp.

According to an official memo issued by Sharp, Texas A&M will send requests for proposals to private companies in an attempt to secure vendors for building maintenance, food and dining, custodial and landscaping services. According to Steve Moore, vice chancellor of marketing and communications for the A&M System, the requests will ask for quotes on system components, and added that this meant Sharp, rather than University President R. Bowen Loftin, was the proper person to initiate this process.

The proposals will then be evaluated and appraised by the companies and

a cost budget returned to the school.

By employing outside vendors, the University plans to increase the efficiency of work while alleviating budget constraints.

“As we consider the proposals, our employees, their benefits and salaries will be kept firmly in mind,” said McClendon, quoting from Sharp’s memo.

According to McClendon, University administration plans to take no more than two to three months to decide on vendors, but said it could take up to a year.

McClendon finished by apologizing for the way the information was leaked

to the public, and said it was not the University’s intention for workers to find out Thursday evening, before the administration could address the issue.

“You all deserve our respect and loyalty, and we are all regretful of the way the issue was brought to light,” McClendon said. “You deserve better.”

After the statement, McClendon opened the floor to concerns and questions. Many offered words of appreciation for holding this meeting for them, saying it did much to assuage See Outsource on page 8

campus

women’s hoops

Defense officials lead national affairs conference

Aggies seek rivalry win vs. No. 1 Bears

Rachel Bishop

Courtesy photo

Special to The Battalion In uncertain times, many look toward the next generation to solve the pressing issues facing our nation. In an effort to better prepare these future leaders, students host the Memorial Studenc Center’s Student Conference on National Affairs, or SCONA, each year.

SCONA aims to bring together students from across the nation to discuss the issues national leaders will confront in the post-college world, inviting participants to identify solutions for these problems. The conference, running Thursday through Saturday, boasted 115 delegates. Though many were Aggies, students from other universities, including the University of Oklahoma, the University of Texas, West Point and others, made the trip to College Station for the conference.

Sam Hodges, junior political science major and conference chair of SCONA, discussed the difficult

SCONA chair Sam Hodges greets Adm. James Winnefield, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

See SCONA on page 8

Mark Dore The Battalion The No. 11 Aggies have hosted 13 opposing teams in Reed Arena this season, sending 12 of those teams home with a loss. But none of those teams match up with No. 1 Baylor, who will take the floor in Reed Monday at 6 p.m. in the biggest home matchup of the season.

Baylor has won 29 games in a row, losing its last game in the Regional Finals of the NCAA National Champion-

ship Tournament to eventual national champion A&M. One of those Baylor wins came in a revenge match in Waco as the Lady Bears drubbed the Aggies 71-48 just over two weeks ago.

The Aggies have won six in a row on their home floor, however, including a 79-51 rout over Texas Tech Saturday in which the home team led by as much as 32.

After the game, A&M head coach Gary Blair said his See Baylor on page 7

politics Aggie one of seven Marines killed in helicopter collision Seven Marines died Wednesday during a military training exercise, including former Texas A&M student Capt. Nathan Anderson. Two helicopters from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing collided in a remote portion of the Yuma Training Range Complex near the Arizona-California border. According to a press release by the Marine Corps, the aircrafts, an AH-1W “Cobra” and an UH-1Y “Huey,” were conducting routine training operations at about 8 p.m. Anderson, Class of 2002, is one of 26 Aggies to die while serving in the military since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three of the 26 fallen Aggies have died during training exercises or while in transit from one base to another.

Wednesday’s incident at the Yuma Training Range Complex is currently under investigation.

Trevor Stevens, staff writer

Polar political pair argues election points Carville, Matalin disagree about GOP prospects Jake Walker Special to The Battalion The phrase “opposites attract” might be a cliché, but political commentators James Carville and Mary Matalin couldn’t be on more opposite ends of the spectrum, and incidentally, they are married.

The 600-seat auditorium in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center was filled to capacity with another 250 in a nearby overflow room when James Carville, democratic strategist and political commentator, and Mary Matalin, Republican strat-

egist and political commentator, sat down to discuss a subject close to the hearts of many college students: social media.

Carville, sometimes referred to as the “Ragin’ Cajun,” worked as the lead strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign Matalin and was awarded campaign manager of the year in 1993 for his efforts. He is the former co-host of CNN’s Crossfire and now works as a political science professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, La. “When I was in college, if you wanted to read The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal you could go to the library — [the paper] came four

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days late — and you read on a stick,” Carville said.

Matalin is a Republican strategist who worked on the campaigns of Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

She is currently the chief editor of the conservative publishing company Threshold Editions and coCarville wrote the book “All’s Fair: Love, War, and Running for President” with husband James Carville.

“The negative [of the information age], as chronicled by Columbia University’s studies, is that there are exSee Lecture on page 8

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2/27/12 12:39 AM

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EDITOR’SNOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail

will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verified.

Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 | mailcall@thebatt.com

thebattalion 2.27.2012 page2

Your voice, your vote Naila Dhanani: Demand effective leadership

I

n last year’s elections for student body president, 12,704 students voted in the primary elections while 7,387 voted in the run-offs.

That’s about 27 percent of the total student body for the primary and about 16 percent for the run-offs. These numbers are devastatingly low and underlie a dangerous apathy students possess.

The student body president is the face of our school. He’s often the first person incoming freshmen, transfer students and prospective students see at Fish Camp, T-Camp or at high schools. He represents us.

For those of us that are Class of 2013, next year will be our last year here. It will be our last opportunity to be represented and I hope we elect someone we trust will represent us well.

But if only a quarter of us vote in elections, we can’t ensure we have the best person to represent all 50,000 of us. We’ll only be able to ensure we elect someone to represent about 13,000 of us. And that’s not enough.

We claim we attend the best school in the nation. And we do. But if we want others to see what we see, we need to vote.

It’s important to vote for the student body president this year more than ever. This will be our first student body president to

represent our school in the Southeastern Conference; we’re heading into legislative year; we will finally have the MSC again after three long years. We need someone to lead us there.

But not just anyone.

We need someone who loves our school, someone who will put the well-being of our University ahead of absolutely everything, someone with integrity, someone we can count on.

Someone who has the support of the student body behind him.

Aggieland is a special place. Our traditions are instrumental in forming the Aggie Spirit, in forming our loyalty to our school, in forming our integrity and respect for others as well as for Aggieland. I want others to see what I see. So I’ll vote to make sure the student I want representing me and my school wins.

You should do the same.

Unfortunately, in recent years it’s become our tradition to be apathetic. When candidates campaign, students, for the most part, ignore what’s going on.

Ask yourself what’s important to you?

voices

Autumn Rizzo — Special to THE BATTALION

What role should the student body president take? Lobbying the state legislature for increased spending for higher education or exempting students from the voter ID bill, ensuring we maintain our sense of identity when entering the SEC, whatever it is, vote for the person you feel best represents you and your vision for A&M. All of us are part of the Aggie community and in order to fully support the person who will be representing us, we need to vote for him.

Voting times

Voting begins Monday. Students can vote from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Students can visit vote.tamu.edu to cast their vote.

Naila Dhanani is a junior biomedical sciences major and opinion editor

Candidates speak candidly Question: What idea do you bring to the race that distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Drew Barber beforbarber.org The most exciting policy goal that I bring to the table is IT integration with Google. This would give students a more user-friendly system, without the financial strain of having to constantly upgrade servers. We would get to keep our @tamu addresses for life while using an already popular email platform, in addition to accessing numerous Google applications to improve our online experience. Outsourcing the servers will lower our IT fee, reducing the financial burden on students, while allowing the IT department to do more practical improvements for students, such as upgrading computers on campus.

John Claybrook countonclaybrook.com As a campaign, we decided early on to treasure every interaction we have with every Aggie. We hope our actions have proved that the people we meet are more than just votes — they are a valuable part of this Aggie family. We have done our absolute best to reach out to groups that aren’t typically reached from an SGA standpoint. Our initiative to take a different international organization to each Midnight Yell or Silver Taps proves our commitment to building relationships all across campus. With a focus on the individual, we look forward to another year of growth through collaborative relationships at Texas A&M.

Sam Hodges humpitwithhodges.com As a student who has served in many areas across campus, from the MSC to SGA to our Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets, I bring to this race a unique vision for Texas A&M University that builds upon our core. With my experience as a student leader I understand the importance the cost of education plays in everyday living.

As such, one of my goals as SBP is to lobby the Texas Legislature to establish a way for a portion of the city sales tax revenue to be contributed to A&M. These funds would replace the current student services fees and be spent in ways that mutually benefit the community and students.

Thomas McNutt gonutsformcnutt.com If you want an experienced student body president who has a proven record of bringing positive change to campus and one you can personally talk to every week at Sbisa then you should look our way. I have a passion for representing students who need someone to fight for them. I have successfully advocated for issues that have improved our lives on campus — from fighting fee increases to getting the new ordering system in Ag Cafe.

In everything I do next year, I will put you first. Please join us in voting this week.

Brody Smith brodysmith4sbp.posterous.com Service has been the keystone of my campaign and emphasizing this next year will be crucial. I want to coordinate the Student Government Association to support a major studentsponsored charity at every home sporting event on campus. This will give us the opportunity to showcase the best of what Texas A&M has to offer to our SEC visitors. I want to work with the MSC to use the living room of campus to showcase service and excellence to present Aggies and the Class of 2016. Aggies are service.

This next year, I will prove it as student body president.

Jose Zelaya facebook.com/joseluisinspires I believe I bring passion and experience to the race. I have been able to set a tutoring program, worked with more than 30 organizations in order to make Texas A&M a more welcoming and safe environment for all Aggies. I also bring inspiration and the idea that everything is possible if we believe it is and if we work hard to obtain our goals. After experiencing so many obstacles and overcoming them, I believe my life experience speaks high of the things that I can and will achieve as student body president. I bring inspiration.

thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

The The Executive Council of Health Organizations (ECHO) and Professional School Advising (OPSA) present

22nd Annual Health Professions Symposium Texas A&M University

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Rudder Exhibit Hall 10:30 am – 2:30 pm Over 70 Health Professions Programs-Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Podiatric Medicine, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Optometry, Nursing, Chiropractic Medicine, Public Health, Health Care Administration

Pg. 2-02.27.12.indd 1

Robert Carpenter, Editor in Chief THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111.

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2/26/12 11:27 PM

voices

page 3 monday 2.27.2012

thebattalion

GUESTCOLUMN

Wasted words Allie Pausky: Using “like” reflects poorly on students

I

’ve recently noticed that our student body has been using “like” as a filler word more than ever. While sitting in my philosophy class, I struggled to follow a student’s thoughts through a sentence filled with “likes.” By the end of lecture, I had counted the word “like” 37 times during his responses. I’m sorry, but really?

I know students don’t notice when they say “like,” but it’s a bigger issue than we make it out to be. My father, who works at the A&M Career Center, has made a point of either tapping his Aggie Ring on the table when I use “like” as a filler, or even just repeating it after I say it, both of which are VERY annoying. An issue I remember him talking about after returning from work when I was younger was his frustration while helping students with their résumés and preparing for interviews when they couldn’t even form a sentence without using “like.”

We’re enrolled at this wonderful university to get an education, but what are we really saying about that diploma when we graduate and still talk like a bunch of 16-year-olds?

Our job right now is to be students, but as soon as we’re done with this, we have to fend for ourselves. I can guarantee that a company would hire an applicant with less experience before one with experience, but whose speaking repertoire is full of “likes.”

We’ve been told over and over again to think before we speak, but we probably need to think while we’re speaking, too.

Because if we don’t, it could, like, really affect our futures.

Allie Pausky is a sophomore agricultural leadership and development major.

Pg. 3-02.27.12.indd 1

MAILCALL From Robert Jacobson, mathematics graduate student

From Frank Cox, 1965 head yell leader

I am disgusted at the lack of moral fiber displayed by the editor of The Battalion in publishing last week’s opinion piece against women (“Preserve all-male yell leader tradition,” Feb. 22). Would The Battalion publish an opinion piece about why black people shouldn’t be yell leaders? I would like an explanation as to how The Battalion managed to give platform to this kind of bigotry, and I would also like to know what steps will be taken to make sure the kind of misogyny displayed in the piece will never be published in The Battalion again.

The girls on The Aggie Dance Team that perform at basketball games are obviously very cute, disciplined in dance and in great shape. No doubt many of them love Aggieland and want to contribute as they probably did during their high school days. I know some of the girls’ family and know they are proud of them. I, too, am proud that they want to be involved. However, I am not proud of the way they are used by the Athletic Department and their Dance Instructor.

Here are some MAJOR problems:

From Kelly Leibham, sophomore accounting major I am very frustrated about The Battalion’s biases in the recent edition concerning the possibility of a woman becoming a yell leader (“Preserve all-male yell leader tradition,” Feb. 22).

There is only one section defending that the yell leader tradition should remain male and it is written by a male.

There are plenty of women on campus that would be happy to express their opinions on not tampering with one of our precious traditions. To not display this in your articles showed a clear and slanted bias. Next time a controversial issue is discussed in your paper, please ensure that it includes a fair representation about what our student body truly thinks.

From Jeffrey Jones, junior economics major I agree with the opinion article about preserving all-male yell leader tradition (“Preserve all-male yell leader tradition,” Feb. 22). I believe that if asked point-blank, most students, particularly male students, would fear saying they would not vote for a female yell leader because of the backlash of being called a sexist. I’m not suggesting that women shouldn’t be allowed to run for yell leader. I just feel that the student body came to Texas A&M because of its many time-honored traditions.

(1) The dance team kills momentum.

Just be honest — watch what happens at basketball games.

(2) Many of the dance movements are suggestive and vulgar. I fault the Dance Team Instructor and Athletic Department for this use of our lovely girls.

(3) Regarding the possibility of the dance team’s involvement at football games, what music will they dance to? Are they going to shut down the Twelfth Man, yell leaders and Aggie band to play a dance tune over the loud speakers like they do in basketball?

Let’s just be honest — some in the Athletic Department want cheerleaders instead of yell leaders. They want us to be like other schools. Yet, even TV Sports Announcers consider us to have the best atmosphere in College Sports.

Yell Leaders and the Corps are not a hindrance to those who want to be Aggies. Let us be Aggies and the SEC will be in for a real treat!

From Dan Kiniry, Class of 2006 I cannot agree with the opinion column written in support of requiring a picture ID in order for one to vote (“Protect Texas’ future,” Feb. 19). I have personally known many, many people who do not have photo IDs who are American citizens. All of these people are poor and struggling. I do not believe that people without the right to vote are sneaking into voting booths, what a silly idea! There are only two reasons to support a voter ID bill: extreme paranoia

and the will to disenfranchise the poor.

From my experience of working with the poor and homeless for the last four years, I would estimate that there are hundreds of people in our county and millions across the nation who would be disenfranchised by voter ID requirements. Close to 100 percent of these people are poor. Conservatives, who represent the interests of the rich and powerful, have a vested interest in taking away the right to vote from the poor and destitute, most of whom are not gullible enough to believe that denying them access to healthcare is good for them. Let’s not take a step backwards towards the days when you could only vote if you were a white male landowner.

From Paul Shaw, junior construction science major I was surprised and dismayed to see that in an opinion column discussing problems caused by abortion (“Gendercide,” Feb. 13), the author still managed to defend the practice.

I take issue with the logic behind any set of values that defends the practice of abortion with one side of its mouth, yet calls for the end of the ‘gendercide’ of baby girls in China with the other.

“Women in every single culture must be valued,” says the column. Does it not follow that all people in all cultures should be valued? The author refers to 160 million baby girls missing from China, but fails to mention the 55 million children that have been killed in the U.S. since Roe v. Wade. It seems that abortion proponents want to decide when it is convenient for a baby to count as a person and when he or she is only an embryo. The problem in China is very saddening, but until the underlying moral problem is addressed, nothing will change, and women’s rights advocates will continue propagating the contradictory ideas that women in the U.S. should have the right to choose, yet women in China should have the right to live.

2/26/12 11:29 PM

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Free cable/internet access! One month free rent! Spacious 2bd/1ba. Close to campus, on shuttle route. Large kitchen with full appliances. W/D connections.

Front and back patios. Ceiling fans. Hillstone On The Parkway, 528 Southwest Parkway.

979-693-6102. Open 8:30-5:30 Monday-Friday. hillstoneonthepkwy@yahoo.com Free ethernet and cable, paid water, Campus shuttle. Preleasing, Great Prices.

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Walk to campus. Water, sewer, garbage paid. 1/1 $555/mo., 2/1 $665/mo. 979-846-8981.

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Nice 4/2! Available Aug-1st. $1500/month. 2010-Rayburn.

Call/text Scott at 979-229-5007.

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Now Leasing and pre-leasing for August! 4bdrm/2bth houses. Spacious floorplans. Great Location.

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2bdrm/1.5ba. As little as $515/mo. Water, sewer, trash paid. Fireplace, icemaker, pool.

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Pre-lease 4 and 5 bedroom houses, available August, great floor plans, close to campus, updated, W/D, all appliances, no pets. www.brazosvalleyrentals.com 979-731-8257

Prelease for May or August !

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Real world, hands-on experience with high-end tech at an Aggie 100 company headquartered in BCS. Learn more and apply at www.k2share.com/careers Lawn crew member needed, $9/hr. Hrs Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11-6, experience required. Students only.

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Possible FT for summer. Small office in College Station. Must have good driving record. Needs computer experience and good phone skills. Fax/send resume to 979-695-8136 or asure01@yahoo.com Ranch Hand, PT for maintenance.

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HELP WANTED The Battalion Advertising Office is hiring an Advertising Sales Representative. Must be available this summer, both sessions. Must be enrolled at A&M and have reliable transportation.

Interested applicants should drop off resume at The Grove, Building 8901, Advertising Office from 8am-4pm.

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Varsity Ford: Part-time file clerk/receptionist/runner needed Mon, Wed, Fri from 12pm to 8pm and every other Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Hourly rate depends on qualifications. Please contact Genie at (979)694-2022 or fax a resume to (979)693-1744.

MISCELLANEOUS Free Rent for the Summer! I need a house sitter from 5/1-8/15; all utilities paid including wireless Internet/cable. Yard will be maintained. Need a responsible pet lover to care for my cat (pet door so no litter box duties!) If interested e-mail kandy7873@suddenlink.net or phone after 4pm 979-571-8823.

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Siddharth Kumar — THE BATTALION

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MISCELLANEOUS Free Rent for the Summer! I need a house sitter from 5/1-8/15; all utilities paid including wireless Internet/cable. Yard will be maintained. Need a responsible pet lover to care for my cat (pet door so no litter box duties!) If interested e-mail kandy7873@suddenlink.net or phone after 4pm 979-571-8823.

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REAL ESTATE 4/4.5, like new. High ceilings, huge closets, large front porch, tile floors, all appliances, many extras. $1750/mo. Preleasing for August. 979-229-6326. See photos and info at www.texagrentals.com B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Michael McGrann TAMU ‘93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mike@aggierealtor.com Nadia McGrann 979-693-1851, Town & Country Realty.

ROOMMATES 2-female roommates needed.

Large updated townhouse off S.W. Pkwy. Bus-route, W/D, 1/3-utilities. Large room $350/mo., smaller room $250/mo., or both $550/mo. 979-204-9788.

Roommate wanted. $300/mo. All bills paid. Fully furnished.

979-777-4445.

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Pg. 6-02-27-12.indd 2

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sports

page 7 monday 2.27.2012

thebattalion

Attention Class of 2013, 2014, and 2015!

Are you interested in becoming a Class Officer?

We currently have applications available for Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, which can be found online at

classcouncils.tamu.edu.

Applications are due at Koldus 223 by 5:00pm on March 5th.

Big 12 champions

If you have any questions please contact the Class Center at 979-845-3534.

AGGIE ATHLETICS

The A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams and the A&M women’s swimming and diving team celebrate receiving their Big 12 championship trophies in their final run through the conference.

Winners keep winning Chandler Smith: Finally, some good news

If three Big 12 championships in one day doesn’t send a message, what will?

The championships in men’s and women’s indoor track and women’s swimming were not only won, they were won handily. They were not won by pesky usurpers, but by established programs continuing to perform at an elite level.

Winners of six national titles in three years, A&M head coach Pat Henry’s track teams have taken the world of

Baylor Continued from page 1

team is better prepared for the Bears.

“We’re going to be ready to give Baylor a whole lot better game than we gave them at their place,” Blair said.

Center Brittney Griner has become synonymous with the success of the Lady Bears basketball team. The 6-foot-8 junior leads the conference in scoring with 22.6 points per game, nearly five points more than the nearest competitor to go with 9.7 rebounds per game. Griner leads the nation in blocks per game by a wide margin, swatting an average of 5.31 per game.

After his team lost in Waco, Blair said that Griner has im-

proved since last season.

“She’s a better free throw shooter, she’s 20 pounds heavier and she’s a lot better on the offensive boards this year,” Blair said. “She can play 40 minutes a game every game and she never takes a play off. To me, Griner is the best player that’s ever played the game.”

Griner’s presence inside opens shooting opportunities for her teammates, including sophomore guard Odyssey Sims (14.4 points per game), Destiny Williams (10.0 points per game) and Kimetria Hayden (9.5 points per game). Sims leads the conference with 3.17 steals per game and knocks down a Big 12-best 39.7 percent of her attempts from beyond the three-point arc.

In the last matchup be-

er in its respective sport, A&M’s final championship in the Big 12 represented its fourth in six seasons.

Eleven of 19 events were claimed by this season’s Aggies, not a small feat. They finished with a whopping 1,019 points — 146 above nemesis and runner-up Texas, an opponent that defeated them in a head-to-head meet only weeks prior.

Yes, A&M proved once again it isn’t going away as an athletic presence anytime soon. The Aggies, off to a slower overall start in 2012, rebounded with a vengeance. They will take this muchneeded momentum into their new conference, the athletically astute SEC. It’s about time Aggieland received some good news. They received it threefold.

Chandler Smith is a sophomore communication major and sports editor.

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Things to know ◗ The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 ◗ Student admittance to Reed Arena will be free. tween the two teams, A&M senior guard and leading scorer buoyed the Aggie offense with 18 points — one of only two Aggies to reach double figures in scoring — but was dwarfed by the stat line of Griner, who posted 21 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.

For the Aggies to be able to trump Baylor at home, they will likely need to lean on their conference-leading numbers in offensive rebounding and turnover differential while knocking down their outside shots.

Carter said after this season’s loss in Waco the Aggies will have to match

Baylor’s aggressiveness.

“You can’t be scared when you’re playing a team like Baylor,” Carter said.

“They’re always going to have that fire when they play us because I think that we have a respect both ways.”

The Lady Bears have already secured the Big 12 regular season title and the number one seed in the Big 12 conference tournament, while the Aggies currently hold sole possession of second place. If the Aggies hold on for second place, the next time these two teams meet could be in the Big 12 conference championship.

(if you haven’t)

order your 2012 yearbook today.

The 110th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook — the Aggieland — will chronicle the 2011-2012 school year: traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, Greeks, campus organizations, and seniors and graduate students.

By credit card go online to http://aggieland. tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613. Or drop by the Student Media office, Bldg. #8901 in The Grove (between Albritton Bell Tower and Cain Hall). Hours: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday–Friday.

Pg. 7-02.27.12.indd 1

Convenient Drive Thru

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ith the tumult of conference realignment issues, football debacles and men’s basketball woes stealing headlines, Saturday gave Aggieland, the Big 12 and the SEC a much needed reminder — A&M athletics remains a force worth notice.

college track by storm. They repeatedly knock heads with America’s best, yet consistently prevail. The men’s 20.5-point and women’s 28-point wins are a testament to their perpetual commitment to dominance.

Their victory on Saturday at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium, however, was special for a few reasons.

A sweep of the Big 12 indoor championship meet, in which both men and women were victors, had eluded the Aggies since 2006. Holding the 2012 championship meet in its home stadium, A&M was able to win in front of the Twelfth Man. Finally, the Aggies were able to seal the deal in their final run through the Big 12, a capitalized opportunity Henry said he would savor.

“Anytime anything is the last one, it will be fun to look back and know we won the last Big 12 Indoor Championship we were part of,” Henry told reporters after the meet. “It’s a big championship for us to win.”

The A&M women’s swimming team, meanwhile, thoroughly wrecked the competition. Another established pow-

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2/27/12 12:12 AM

news

page 8 monday 2.27.2012

thebattalion

SCONA Continued from page 1

schedule the conference presents its participants, who are given the task to tackle a given issue and present a solution in proposal form two days later. “On Thursday, we break the students into groups depending on their selected issue, ‌ and Friday is when we hit the ground running,â€?

Hodges said. “The students work hard all day, leaning on the speakers and facilitators for direction and advice, and draft the proposal. Saturday morning is set aside for polishing the policy papers.�

William Collopy, professor in the history department at A&M and retired marine colonel, was the acting judge on the final proposals submitted by each group. He said he had previously questioned whether students across the nation were sufficiently engaged in topics of political debate as they represent the nation’s future; he expressed how these concerns were quieted after Saturday’s presentations. “When I first looked into the program, it reassured me that, yes, [young people] are paying attention and, more importantly, they’re coming up with solutions. This program is terrific,� Collopy said.

SCONA’s topic changes each year, keeping current in the nation’s most pressing issues. This focus of this year’s conference, “Reviving An Exhausted America,� with special attention put towards energy security, national defense, economic growth and stability and foreign affairs.

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Continued from page 1

ponentially more outlets and there are fewer news stories,�

Matalin said.

Another contemporary change to the way people use social media, Carville said, had to do with how people choose which stories to read. “People use information for validation, not illumination,� Carville said. “You can spend every day of your life, every hour of your waking moment, reading people you agree with.�

Yale Fu, senior chemistry and economics double major, said Carville brought up a good point. “I find myself a little bit

Outsource Continued from page 1

the apprehension and fear many felt for their jobs since the leak.

A group of women from the custodial department unfurled a white sign that simply asked, “Are We Still Ambassadors?� referring to a statement made by McClendon to the workers. His intention was to highlight the services they do and how it is the campus’ key to success. The sign brought the auditorium to its feet in applause.

McClendon responded with an “unequivocal yes.�

Other questions highlighted the expected savings of the move, of which there are currently no reports, and the mixed results this sort of outsourcing achieved on other campuses.

Many said they were concerned their voices on the

Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Students who participated in the Student Conference on National Affairs conference act out their proposal. were especially stimulating for Joshua Pomeroy, a student at the United States Military Academy at West Point. “Never before had I viewed energy security as a national security issue. I’ve been given new insights on [many aspects] and that’s what I love about this conference,�

Pomeroy said.

SCONA scheduling celebrated leaders in a variety of topics to speak to the students.

Among the five speakers was Navy Adm. James A. “Sandy�

Winnefel Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Rebecca McDavid, senior political science major and vice-chair of SCONA, said that being involved with the organization allowed her to gain more than just knowledge on political issues. “I’ve gained tons of leadership experience. Working with students on a professional level has really helped me develop communication skills, as well. But ‌ I would say I love the skits the most, as it shows the friendships the [students] have made,â€? McDavid said.

The skits are the final part of the conference and are prepared by the groups after they finish the proposal.

They demonstrate, in a more light-hearted, humorous manner, the reasoning behind the proposals. “This is where the release comes in and we’re reminded we are still college students,�

Hodges said. “While we have worked on the complex issues facing our nation, it’s an important reminder to realize and remember when we become adults, we can’t lose our humor.�

Pomeroy also believes the skits, friendships made and unity found in working with his fellow students to be the most important take-aways from the conference. “I believe that the people involved in this conference are going to be leading our country, and to be able to look across at someone in the future and say ‘We’ve come to agreements before and we can work together on this issue’ — that’s exciting,� Pomeroy said.

guilty of that, because I do get my media from a lot of different sources,� Fu said. “It’s a point that we could all learn from.�

For discussions in his class, Carville randomly assigns students different sides of an issue to argue regardless of their own opinions, challenging them to understand both sides of an issue. “Young people, particularly at a very terrific university like this, need to be made aware of the dangers of just being validated as opposed to being challenged,� Carville said.

Carville and Matalin also discussed how campaigning is so much different today due to social media. “In the 1992 campaign we had a ‘blast fax,’ and we could

fax 100 people with one button,� Matalin said.

The GOP race was another topic the couple discussed.

Both Matalin and Carville joked at the brutality of the debates, and Carville said the only candidate with a chance to be nominated is Mitt Romney. He said he doesn’t think Romney will win the presidency, though, because the last time there was a vulnerable democratic incumbent was in 1980.

Matalin disagreed, acknowledging the fact that the debates have been rough, but also maintained confidence in her party. “When there’s a head-tohead, the fundamentals of this race are a very difficult terrain for President Obama,� Matalin said.

matter would be filtered up the chain of command and none of the proper authorities would hear their takes on the controversial move. Some just wanted to know ahead of time if the campus planned to cut jobs and referred to the round of layoffs in response to budget restrictions in 2010.

McClendon responded by assuring the crowd that layoffs are the last thing he wants. “The people are the University,� said McClendon. “But if it does come to letting someone go we’ll strive to do it as compassionately as possible.�

A student stood up to give his personal support of the staff workers. “We will not accept a loss of jobs in any manner,� the student said. “They are as much a part of the Aggie family as anyone.�

The sentiment echoed across the auditorium as others stood up to discuss the potential layoffs.

“He stated that we were ambassadors, but now he just wants to get rid of us,� said Blanca Pinalez, a custodial worker and a member of the group that held the sign. “This is just wrong.�

Not all were outwardly against the plan, but Michael McConnel, office manager for Custodial Services, said he hopes the University will exercise wisdom and restraint going forward. “The best thing to do is research and find as many different vendors as we can,� McConnel said. “I don’t want my workers getting the short end of the stick in this exchange.�

Among all the complaints and concerns voiced during the meeting, Pinalez had a question specifically for Sharp. “Where was he today?

Why didn’t he come speak to us?� Pinalez asked. “I want to personally ask Chancellor Sharp [to] answer our questions, hear our voice.�

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