thebattalion Big 12 or SEC?
campus news
ExCel to engage diversity ExCEL (Excellence uniting Culture, Education, and Leadership) will hold its 24th Annual Conference on Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27. The conference is ExCEL’s highlight event of the year, and showcases organizations focused on getting underrepresented groups of people at A&M involved on campus. The goal of ExCEL is to create wellrounded and culturally aware students, and members are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship. “ExCEL is growing in both numbers and diversity in our 24th year with over 300 participants of all backgrounds,” said Jared Jones, public relations chair of ExCEL. Online registration will be open until Thursday, and the conference costs $40 to attend. To register or for more information go to excel.tamu.edu or call the office at 979-862-2642.
● wednesday,
august 24, 2011
“From a student’s perspective, I think the competition would be and the atmosphere would be .” — Aggie Angels President Jennifer Roberts
awesome amazing
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media
major upheaval
“The Big 12 went through a last year. We’ve gone through another one more recently. You can judge for yourself if that’s stability or not, but more importantly if you , and other conferences as well, you’ll find a .” — University President R. Bowen Loftin
look at the different kind
SEC of record
“I like being able to beat the hell out of T.U. ...The only thing that scares me about leaving the Big 12 is I don’t want to lose that opportunity,” — Corps of Cadets Col. Pat Reeves
Madeline Burns, staff reporter
coming monday
Bills make waves for university How will the state’s 82nd Legislative Session affect Texas A&M? Read about the budget cuts and bills that will affect our university and what our students, administrators and state legislators think about them on Monday.
no worries
“We have about things this team “It’s important that with any change we embrace doesn’t control. No time is spent talking about and and culture .” that define the Spirit of Aggieland.” — head football coach Mike Sherman — Student Body President Jeff Pickering
preserve the traditions
what-ifs
“We just got to play the people they put on our schedule. Whether it’s Oklahoma, Texas, the Big 12 schools or the SEC schools. .” — senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill
matter to us
It doesn’t
inside voices | 3a Tips on academic success Learn why you shouldn’t pull all-nighters before exams to achieve high grades.
I think it would be a great “I don’t think anybody is going “I’d like that move.” — Bryan point guard and A&M commit move for ALL sports.” to be going anywhere.”
sports | 2b Soccer freshmen stand out Meghan Streight, Allie Bailey and Kelley Monogue highlight A&M’s incoming class as the squad looks to extend its streak of 16 straight NCAA tournament appearances.
Pg. 1a-08.24.11.indd 1
— Reed Rowdies President Matt Ashley
EDITORIAL
news | 1b Quake shakes East US A 5.8 earthquake occurred on the East Coast that shook things up from North Carolina to Ontario, Canada. An A&M student who felt the tectonic activity in Washington, D.C., comments on his experience.
J-Mychal Reese
— Texas Gov. Rick Perry
It’s time for Texas A&M to leave
T
he Board of Regents has granted University President R. Bowen Loftin the authority to negotiate and make decisions regarding A&M’s athletic conference alignment. If the Southeastern Conference opens its doors, Loftin should carry this university through. From his office on the tenth floor of Rudder Tower, Loftin must be able to see the implications of staying in the Big 12. A&M’s exposure remains limited to a few, lightly populated states in the central U.S.; its chief rival, Texas, cements conference inequality with a 20-year, $300 million dowry from ESPN; and current and former students alike wistfully watch the SEC from afar. Some worry aloud that A&M will be unable to compete in the SEC, but as an athletic department there is little substance to support this claim. In 2010-2011, the Aggies grabbed three team NCAA championships, multiple individual titles, and made strong postseason appearances in many other sports, including a trip to the College World Series. These accomplishments culminated in the school’s second-consecutive top-ten finish in the Director’s Cup, which ranks athletic
programs based on national – not conference – performance. Although six SEC members grabbed top-25 spots in the 2011 rankings, only No. 2 Florida ranked higher than No. 8 A&M. This decision isn’t just about one sport, but everyone is concerned about football. A&M fans have little tolerance for losing seasons, but it’s entirely possible that the Aggies will have rough years (especially early) at the hands of SEC powerhouses. After all, A&M football has a mediocre .577 win percentage in the past ten years. But, as President Loftin told assembled media, this is a long-term decision. Winning or losing, it isn’t about the first three, four or five years at Kyle Field. The SEC offers stability absent from the Big 12 along with a robust CBS television contract. It also promises national exposure benefiting academic and athletic recruit-
ing. The short-term dollars and cents need to be analyzed, and the distance between A&M and many SEC members is not desirable, but there is no question as to which conference offers a better longterm outlook for A&M. Moreover, A&M has the facilities, recruiting potential and donor network to be successful in any conference, including the SEC. Success may not come easily, but it is within A&M’s capacity. As for the Big 12, this university didn’t cast the first stone (Colorado and Nebraska), nor did it subject nine of the ten remaining conference members to humiliating inequality (Texas, ESPN and the $300 million Longhorn Network). No Aggie wants to surrender meaningful rivalry games, but A&M’s hand has been forced. The Big 12 promises turbulence in coming years and if the conference crumbles after A&M’s departure, it will be ultimately attributable to the top-heavy instability inflicted by UT and poor leadership from the Big 12. In the end, the decision to leave the Big 12 is not about what is left behind, but rather the opportunities.
theBOARD The Battalion’s editorial opinion is determined by its Board of Opinion, with the editor in chief having final responsibility. Robert Carpenter Editor in Chief senior applied math major Emily Villani Managing Editor sophomore English major Jared Baxter Managing Editor senior media studies major Adrian O’Hanlon III senior ag journalism major Taylor Wolken senior economics major
8/23/11 11:40 PM