Editor’s note The Battalion will resume publishing Aug. 24 during Gig ‘em Week
news for you
thebattalion ● monday,
august 8, 2011
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media
campus A&M cuts back on energy In a memo to the campus community, President Loftin asked to help conserve energy on campus for the remainder of August. Loftin said to shut off all unneeded lights in offices, classrooms and lab areas. Building space temperatures in non-critical areas should be set back to 78 F, from the 75 F campus standard at 3 p.m. everyday. Connie Thompson, staff writer
lowest gas price
$3.47 603 Harvey Road and Stallings Drive www.texasgasprices.com Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION
texas
EDITORIAL
Pilot’s confused landing HOUSTON — A Mexican military helicopter has landed in Texas by mistake. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the helicopter landed Saturday afternoon at Laredo International Airport after the pilot mistook the airport for a landing strip in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Laredo Port of Entry spokeswoman Mucia Dovalina said customs agents checked out the helicopter’s occupants .
nation &world Rescue mission goes bad KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. Navy SEALs and other troops whose helicopter was shot down in eastern Afghanistan had rushed to the mountainous area to help a U.S. Army Ranger unit that was under fire from insurgents, two U.S. officials said Sunday. The rescue team had completed the mission, subduing the attackers who had the Rangers pinned down, and were departing in their Chinook helicopter when the aircraft was apparently hit, one of the officials said. Thirty Americans and 8 Afghans were killed in the crash, making it the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the decade-long war in Afghanistan. Associated Press
What’s in a grade? College transcripts are a poor measure in politics Taylor Wolken The Battalion
T
he release of Governor and potential presidential candidate Rick Perry’s Texas A&M transcript set off a media frenzy this weekend as commentators and columnists feasted on the underwhelming scores.
While releases like this make for fun facts and cute analysis it should be asked, “Why should we care?” College scores can be a great indicator of skill right out of college. They’re helpful for getting into graduate school and ascending the ivory tower, and they indicate a student’s proficiency in each subject. When evaluating a 61-year-old potential presidential candidate low grades are both meaningless and not uncommon. George W. Bush joked about being a C student at Yale with a four-year average of 77. The “complex” John Kerry had a four-year average of 76 also at Yale. While Rick Perry, the face
of the Texas economy, received a D in principles of economics, Al Gore, the face of global warming, received a D in Natural Sciences his sophomore year and a C-plus in natural sciences his senior year at Harvard. The Washington Post said in 2000, “[Gore’s] generally middling college grades at Harvard in fact bear a close resemblance to the corresponding Yale marks of his presidential opponent, George W. Bush.” The point isn’t to deride Bush, Kerry, Gore or Perry, but that college transcripts are only a snapshot of a person’s life. Transcripts may give you a glimpse of Perry the student but they tell little about Governor Perry. Drawing conclusions from information al-
most four decades old is a fool’s errand. It would be just as absurd to assess college students by when they began walking. It would be nonsensical to observe that Rick Perry earned a D in economics as a democrat while as a Republican governor, Texas has created 37 percent of all-net new jobs in America since the recovery began according to Richard Fisher of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. While we’re using old information to draw ridiculous conclusions it should be obvious that Perry is smarter and more driven than the college dropout Bill Gates. The perversion of Perry’s 39-year-old tranSee Grades on page 3
campus
Graduates ready for commencement Jared Baxter
Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION
Whether it be football, basketball, baseball or any sport out there, the longstanding rivalry between Texas A&M and The University of Texas never fails to cause a stir amongst fans. In the modern age of Facebook and Twitter, the competition extends beyond the playing field and onto the Internet. Aggies can show their pride on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/tamu where U.T. holds a 317,143 to 285,011 lead in “likes.” U.T.’s The Daily Texan newspaper currently edges The Battalion in number of “likes” on Facebook 2,918 to 2,440. To tip the scales in favor of A&M, visit the official Battalion Facebook page and click “like.” Readers can also follow @thebattonline to receive the latest news and updates via Twitter.
The Battalion More than 1,800 Aggies are set to graduate this week, and it all starts Thursday with a commencement convocation address by Aggie Head Football Coach Mike Sherman. Having spoken to a variety of groups on campus during his time at A&M, Sherman will make his address at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Rudder Auditorium. “Coach Sherman is an extraordinary individual in addition to being an exceptional coach and leader of young men, and he has thoroughly embraced the Aggie Spirit and all the traditions that we hold dear,” Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said when announcing Sherman’s selection as the University’s summer convocation speaker. “He will undoubtedly bring a message that will be inspiring and well received by our degree candidates, their families and others attending commencement convocation.” Senior Corps member and former Aggie Band Drum Major Austin Welty will be in attendance to hear Sherman’s prelude speech before receiving his diploma on Friday. “I’ve really enjoyed listening to him speak. You can tell he has a lot of passion for the school,” Welty said. “He has a lot of great things
Welty
Thanks & Gig ’em ◗ Graduation ceremonies will be at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday at Reed Arena.
See Speech on page 3
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