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● wednesday,
october 17, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
Deprived 24 percent of Texas A&M students admit to receiving a lower grade or dropping a course due to lack of sleep.
Photo illustration by Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Sleep deprivation impedes health, academic performance Katie Nortman & Joe Terrell The Battalion
O
ver the course of four years, college students learn to be professionals at multitasking — expected to navigate a minefield of tests, papers and projects. Oftentimes the stress can pile up, forcing students to prioritize. Inevitably, all-night study sessions are pulled and inordinate amounts of caffeine are consumed. But most students don’t realize the negative effects sleep deprivation can have in the long run. According to a research study conducted by Student Health Services,
less than 8 percent of A&M students said they get enough sleep to feel rested. Almost a quarter of the research sample reported they had received a lower grade on an exam in a course or dropped a course due to sleep difficulties. Adults need an average of eight
hours of sleep a night. A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that 70 percent of students receive less than the recommended hours of sleep. The study also found that 20 percent of college students pull all-nighters once a month and 35 percent of students stay up until 3 a.m. at least once a week. “I rarely ever get eight hours of sleep,” said senior university studies major Christian Stolte. “I spend most of my weekends trying to catch up.” Some students said sleep can be a waste of time. “I see it that if I sleep eight hours a day, then that’s one-third of my life I’m going to spend in bed,” said senior
agronomy major Logan Manning. “I don’t know if I want that, especially when I’m in college.” Studies from the American Psychological Association show that overall sleep deprivation impairs human functioning. Partial sleep deprivation has a more profound effect on functioning than either long-term or short-term sleep deprivation. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered that people who had less than six hours of sleep for two weeks were as cognitively impaired as people who had been awake continuously for 48 hours. See Deprived on page 3
Quick stats ◗ 92 percent of Texas A&M students said they feel as if they don’t get enough sleep.
◗ 20 percent of college students pull all-nighters once a month and 35 percent of students stay up until 3 a.m. at least once a week.
election 2012
student government
Candidates rumble over economy, Libya
Senate to present concealed gun carry bill
Barrett House The Battalion The presidential candidates circled one another, delivering political jab after political jab to make the second presidential debate a fight night of character defense and accusatory right hooks. Amid the issues discussed, the debate was characterized by a back-and-forth banter that had since been unseen in the 2012 presidential campaigns. The contentious debate exacerbated the Hempstead, N.Y., “town hall” format, which allowed both President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney to move about the round stage freely. The debate opened with a
question from college student Jeremy Epstein, who asked what the two candidates would do to help him land a job upon graduation. Romney said one of his goals as president would be to help young people — who have been struggling over the last four years — find jobs. “The key thing is to make sure you can get a job when you get out of school,” Romney said. “And what’s happened over the last four years has been very, very hard for America’s young people.” Obama said creating jobs for all Americans is one of many things he can do to ensure those like Epstein have a bright future. “What I want to do, is build on
Annabelle Hutchinson David Cohen — THE BATTALION
Students watch and discuss the proceedings of the Presidential Debate Tuesday night at Rev’s in the MSC. the five million jobs that we’ve created over the last 30 months in the private sector alone,” Obama said. “And there are a bunch of things we can do to make sure your future is bright.” From there, the debate spanned issues ranging from increasing gas prices, the economy, immigration, gun control and the recent
attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Libya. The issues and questions asked by undecided voters in the audience gave a plethora of opportunities for the two candidates to turn and attack one another, whether it was Romney criticizing Obama’s See Presidential on page 3
Professors, students talk art over brown bag lunch Cassandra Fournet Special to The Battalion Student and faculty art enthusiasts brown bag it the third Thursday of every month to open discussion about art history. This Thursday, Winslow Homer’s work will be the topic of discussion. “The main purpose of the ‘Brown Bag Lunch’ is to get a conversation started about art. Art inspires, enhances creativity and expands the mind,” said Lynn McDaniel communication specialist of the University Art Department. “We want students to
stop their daily routine and see something different than what they usually see.” Stephen Caffey, art historian and assistant professor of architecture, will head an updated presentation called “Winslow Homer’s Winding The Clock and Female Sexuality: A Study and Discussion of Homer’s 1881 Watercolor” on Thursday. At this discussion, Caffey will explain the interpretation of Winslow Homer’s watercolor and reveal new information about the painting.
GATEWAY
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inside trends | 4 Alternative anchors Political entertainment TV plays a significant role in voters’ political education before going to the polls.
The Battalion Student Senate will present a bill Wednesday night that calls on the Texas A&M University System and the Texas State Legislature to allow anyone with a valid concealed handgun license to carry a handgun on campus. The bill claims that the school is not safe merely because it is labeled as gunfree, as it doesn’t hinder others who wish to cause harm from illegally bringing weapons on campus. It also states that University Police are reactive, rendering them ineffective in protecting students and faculty from the multitude of crimes that occur on and off campus. The bill proposes that students, faculty and guests — in accordance with the Texas Penal Code — who have a concealed handgun license are currently allowed to carry on campus, but cannot take their weapons into buildings, which adheres to University policy. This will be the bill’s first reading. If the bill is sent to committee, it will be voted on in following Senate meetings. Senators will also consider a Fair Printing Fees Bill, which requests that students have access to all printers using semester print allocations.
See Forsyth on page 4
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