The Battalion: October 19, 2011 by The Battalion

thebattalion ● wednesday,

october 19, 2011

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

campus

Blocking traffic lands tickets Roland Ruiz The Battalion The intersection between Olsen Boulevard and George Bush Drive presents a problem for people who drive through it to leave campus. On weekdays around 5 p.m., traffic starts to emerge and police officers patrol the area, issuing tickets to multiple drivers who block the intersection. Eric Schulte, a research assistant at the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program at Texas A&M, said he has lived in College Station since 1978 but received his first ticket about a week ago for blocking the intersection at Olsen Boulevard while turning left onto George Bush Drive. “I have worked for the University for more than 25 years in the TAMU Research Park and have never seen and experienced what is going on at Olsen Boulevard and George Bush Drive,” Schulte said. “There is such a bottleneck that the College Station police have now placed a motorcycle officer at the left turn light to continually hand out tickets to motorists who get stuck in the middle of the intersection.” Schulte was going through the intersection at approximately 5 p.m. when he was pulled over by a motorcycle officer and received a citation for stopping in the intersection. See Roads on page 6

college station

Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

Nearly Nobel A&M astrophysicist’s research leads to Nobel Prize Jessica Orwig The Battalion For this year’s Nobel Prize in physics, three were recognized, but many were involved with the research. One prominent contributor was a Texas A&M professor of astrophysics, Nicholas Suntzeff. Suntzeff co-founded a team known as the High-Z Team in 1994 with fellow astrophysicist Brian Schmidt of Australian National University. The team worked to measure how fast the universe is expanding and ultimately concluded that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. This discovery, which was published in 1998, led to the 2011 Nobel recognition. However, because a maximum of three scientists can receive the award, most of the team could not be named Nobel laureates.

Prior to the High-Z team’s conclusions, the general consensus was that the universe should be expanding at a decreasing rate due to the gravitational attraction between galaxies. “Gravity always sucks, and it is always attractive. No matter what you do things are going to slow down in gravity,” Suntzeff said. But the universe’s expansion was not slowing down, which meant there must be something counteracting gravity’s tug. Scientists know little about this material — called dark energy — which is now understood to constitute close to 75 percent of the mass in the universe. “It’s cool to say you’re one of the people who helped discover three-quarters of the universe,” Suntzeff said.

Much to Suntzeff’s surprise, when the team published their results the astrophysical community accepted the findings with little objection. A University of California — Berkeley team published a paper at the same time as the High-Z Team with similar results, which Suntzeff thinks helped with overall acceptance. “We thought people would just immediately challenge us, but instead it was like ‘Geez, that’s weird, but yeah that makes sense,’” Suntzeff said. “I thought I would go to conferences and people would pummel me with ‘You can’t say that!’ And that did happen a few times, but not very often.” Samuel Gooding, a physics graduate student who studied under Suntzeff, said this discovery changed astronomers’ unSee Suntzeff on page 2

Pay up or be arrested Warrant amnesty period continues through Oct. 28 Emily Davis The Battalion In an effort to clear thousands of outstanding warrants worth millions of dollars in College Station and Brazos County, a warrant amnesty period is scheduled through Oct. 28. From now until Oct. 28, the $50 case warrant fee will be waived for anyone who pays their fine in full. Once the amnesty period is over, local law enforcement officials will conduct a “warrant roundup,” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 11, according to a release by the College Station Municipal Court. City marshals, police officers, reserve police officers and constables will arrest citizens who failed to pay their fines during the designated amnesty period. Edward Spillane, presiding judge See Warrants on page 6

inside religion | 3 Pancakes and the gospel The Baptist Student Ministry, located on Northgate, continues a unique ministry to engage Northgaters.

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campus

Events mark alcohol awareness week Kevin Smith The Battalion Alcohol and Drug Education Programs at Texas A&M is throwing a party with alcoholrelated fun on campus, but students shouldn’t expect the B.A.C. levels to rise as a result. This week is National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) at A&M and on college campuses across the nation. Student volunteers have planned interactive games and events as a way to educate others on the subject of partying, and raise awareness for dangers related to irresponsible use of Alcohol. Events range from discussion panels to tricycle races with beer goggles. Karina Ogunlana, senior sociology major and a volunteer event planner for NCAAW, said the week is important because people don’t realize

how many “drinks” of alcohol they are consuming when they go out. “As a student, I have heard a lot of scary stories of people who have passed out in ridiculous places from too much alcohol consumption as well as drinking so much that it affects their bodies’ ability to break down the alcohol,” Ogunlana said. “Thankfully, I haven’t lost anybody to too much alcohol yet, and I hope that never happens.” The number of alcohol-related arrests oncampus has increased during the past three years, according to the yearly University Police Department report. From 2008 to 2010 the number jumped 36 arrests, making the total 124 arrests just on campus. Erica Burns, a senior university studies maSee Alcohol on page 4

Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

The liquor stash is a staple for many college students.

10/18/11 11:38 PM

Thursday sunny high: 76 low: 53 Friday mostly sunny high: 79 low: 59 Saturday partly sunny high: 79 low: 60

Today breezy High: 72 Low: 44

pagetwo

courtesy of NOAA

thebattalion 10.19.2011

1911

2011

The Jewish ‘Feast of the Tabernacles,’ Sukkot OPEN 7 Days A Week

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WARRANT AMNESTY

OCTOBER 17 - OCTOBER 28 COLLEGE STATION MUNICIPAL COURT If you have a warrant out of College Station Municipal Court or think you have a warrant, come to Court at 300 Krenek Tap Road or call 979-764-3683. If fines are paid in full, the warrant fee will be waived from Monday, Oct. 17 through Friday, Oct. 28. The Court will be open Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. the remainder of the week during the Warrant Amnesty Period. The Court accepts cash, checks, or credit card payment. Those who do not come to Court during the Amnesty period and have a warrant outstanding for their arrest will be pursued during the

WARRANT ROUND-UP OCT. 31 - NOV. 11

Warrants are available on the web at www.cstx.gov/warrants

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Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

In celebration of Sukkot, the Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles, Rabbi Yossi Lazeroff of Chabad Jewish Student Center and his family constructed a temporary home known as a sukkot across from the Chemistry Building and the H2O Fountain on campus. The yearly celebration commemorates the desert wandering of the Jews during the Exodus, occurring in September or October of the Gregorian calendar year.

campus Corps of Cadets leadership prevented approximately 80 Northside residents from dining at Duncan Dining Hall Tuesday evening. The Northside group could be heard chanting “rape, pillage, and burn,” during the march to the Quadrangle on Southside. In what is known as Viking Dorm Dinner, students from several Northside residence halls traditionally march across campus grounds to the Quadrangle where they eat at Duncan Dining Hall as an alternative to Sibsa. However, Corps leadership denied the group entrance into Duncan this year at the building’s front entrance. The group left the Quad without

Continued from page 1

Live Music with

Canadian Country Grammy Winner

Corb Lund

and The Hurtin’ Albertans

On Sept. 22, the College Station City Council voted 5-1 in favor of increasing the incident. According to Jake Betty, chief of city’s wastewater rate by 5 staff for the Corps Commandant, students participating in past Viking Dorm Dinners have percent. No local tax rates increased as a result of been disrespectful and caused disturbances council actions. in Duncan, shouting and throwing food. “I have no idea why they do it,” Betty said. “We The Battalion welcomes don’t want any student group that would readers’ comments about go in and try to destroy anything within the published information that dining facility.” Students from Walton Hall may require correction. We who participated in the march declined to will pursue your concern comment. to determine whether a

Viking Dorm Dinner ends before entering Duncan

Suntzeff

Friday, Oct. 21st

correction

derstanding of the universe and “pushed hard” to show the importance of supernovae — exploding stars that were used to measure the universe’s acceleration. “At the time, anyone who spoke of the universe accelerating was met with ‘Well, that’s nonsense.’ And then Nick and the team found the opposite and that was a shock,” Gooding said. “The research opened an entirely new era of astronomy.” When Suntzeff co-founded the HighZ Team, he was based at the U.S. National Optical Observatory in Chile. Over the course of the next four years, the members collected enough data to draw their conclusions, but did so in an unconventional way. Suntzeff said the Internet, which was still in the beginning stages of growth in the early 1990s, made the discovery possible. The team was scattered around the globe, with scientists in Chile, Germany, Massachusetts, Washington state, Hawaii, California and Australia, and ease of communication was paramount to the group’s success. “Our group was run by a creative anarchy among different universities,” Suntzeff said. “Literally we would find supernovae one night, we would put their images on the web and one of our collaborators at the University of Washington could wake up in the morning, go down to the local Starbucks, open up his laptop, look at what the supernovae were and run some other programs to make sure they were actually there… Then that would get fed to our collaborators, for instance, at the University of Hawaii. So, everyone was important.” Suntzeff said this complex collabora-

correction needs to be Natalee Blanchat, published. Please contact us staff writer at editor@thebatt.com.

tion composed a team of equals, and deserved credit as such. “I am proud that the science our team did has been recognized by the award of this Nobel Prize,” Suntzeff said. “But I am sorry that the Nobel Committee cannot award the whole team by recognizing the teamwork, because that’s the way science is done today. As a team, we were all equals. And we each contributed our part to the research.” The Nobel committee awarded the prize to Schmidt and Adam Riess, from Johns Hopkins University, both members of the High-Z team. The third recipient was Saul Perlmutter, a member of a different team working at the University of California – Berkeley. “We [High-Z Team members] all feel a bit unhappy over the fact that immediately after the Nobel Prize is won, journalists are generally not interested… about how the groups ran and what we really did,” Suntzeff said. Although Suntzeff is disappointed to see the team as a whole excluded from the limelight, he is proud that the members who contributed most to the “intellectual breakthroughs” of the research were recognized. “If you could only give two people in our group the Nobel Prize, the most deserving ones were Brian [Schmidt] and Adam [Reiss]. No doubt about it,” Suntzeff said. Now at Texas A&M, Suntzeff is working to help build instruments for telescopes in addition to continuing his research in supernovae. With hopes of establishing a “world-class astronomy program,” he expressed high regard for the University. “When I came here, I loved the University and I loved the people here,” Suntzeff said. “People are just easy to talk to in Texas, more so than almost

COURTESY PHOTO

Nicholas Suntzeff’s research led to the discovery of dark energy, which constitutes nearly 75 percent of the universe’s mass. anywhere else in the country. And the engineering and science students here are very good. I would take them before most students at any other University you could name in the country.” Although the Nobel committee did not recognize Suntzeff and other members for their involvement, Suntzeff has received emails from fellow scientists with both congratulations and condolences, and has been invited to participate in the award ceremonies in Stockholm in December. “I am sure that this Nobel Prize for your team would not have happened without you,” said Geoff Marcy, an astronomy professor at UC-Berkley, in an email to Suntzeff. “This Nobel Prize goes to you as much as anyone, as you were the initiator, brains and muscle behind the crucial supernova work.”

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

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. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979-845-2613.

10/18/11 10:53 PM

thebattalion 10.19.2011 page3

religion Pancake intoxication Aggie BSM finds unique way to reach out to students Joe Terrell The Battalion Amid the raucous din and boisterous laughter typical of a Friday night on Northgate, a chorus of voices begins emitting from the back parking lot. The call of “free pancakes!” baffles many of the Northgate patrons. But this does not stop students from accepting a Texas A&M ministry’s attempt to satisfy their late-night hunger. The Texas A&M Baptist Student Ministry, or BSM, began in 1921 and was the first BSM chapter established in Texas — one of the first in the U.S. “Our purpose is two-fold,” said Baptist Student Ministry director Joel Bratcher. “One is to help Christian students grow in faith and also to assist Christian students in introducing others to Christ.” Each Wednesday, the BSM offers a free home-cooked lunch, which is attended by a large variety of Texas A&M students. “We average about 300 students every Wednesday lunch,” Bratcher said. “It’s mostly American students in the fall, and as the semester goes on we have more and more international students. These are very multicultural gatherings.” Along with the free Wednesday meals, the BSM offers another $2 lunch on Fridays. The BSM’s outreach ministries exceed feeding hungry college students. More than 17

Northgate Ministries

Part two “Pancake intoxication” is second in a series focusing on the unique collision between Northgate and religious ministries. Bible studies operate from within the BSM, and they vary in size from eight to 30 members. The BSM also offers English classes for international students and opportunities for volunteer work, including mentoring children, working with the elderly and aiding in construction for low-income families. “For me, it’s a community that supports each other,” said Andrea Randolph, senior nutrition major. “It’s an easy way to grow in my relationship with Christ, other Christians and with nonbelievers.” The Texas A&M BSM is located in the heart of Northgate. It is a location that many, including Bratcher, see as a blessing and opportunity, rather than a hindrance. “I love [our location] on Northgate,” Bratcher said. “I love that our ministry is in the mix of real life.” One of the BSM’s most popular outreach ministries is their pancake breakfast, which they hold once or twice a semester. During

Randy Luck — THE BATTALION

Students of the Baptist Student Ministry passed out free pancakes Friday night in their Northgate parking lot to anyone and everyone who wanted extra carbs.

Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 1-1/4 cups milk, 1 egg, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. this event, student volunteers of the BSM make and serve pancakes to patrons of Northgate into the early hours of the morning. “I hope it’s a healthy way to engage people who come to Northgate,” Bratcher said. “We find that a lot people have negative feelings towards Christians based on past experiences and we want to reverse that perception.” Volunteers prepared more than 1,600 pancakes on the morning of Friday, Sept. 23, including cinnamon and chocolate chip. “In previous years, we did blueberry, but those got a little messy,” said Micah Scott, junior construction science major. The volunteers set up dozens of tables in the Northgate parking lot and began serving pancakes by midnight. Students were also offered syrup, butter and orange juice – at no cost. Students handed out pancakes until 3 a.m. Bratcher estimates that they served more than 700 students. “It was an opportunity to show people that you do sometimes get something for nothing and relating it to the Gospel,” Scott said. Coinciding with the pancake breakfast, the BSM organized a 48-hour prayer chain that took place outside the ministry’s front entrance. Student volunteers signed up to pray in one-hour time blocks. “I think prayer is vital,” said Trent Kel-

ley, sophomore environmental design major. “First, I think it’s necessary in order to have a relationship with God, and I think it’s important to use prayer to intercede on other people’s behalf for whatever troubles they maybe going through.” Student volunteers arranged several couches and chairs outside the front entrance of the BSM and offered to take prayer requests from anyone who passed by. For 48 hours, at least one student was dedicated to manning the prayer station for every hour of the day and night. “I signed for a few of the late-night time slots and I had some interesting things happen to me,” Kelley said. “I was slapped and had a drunk person fall on me while I was praying. But I also had someone approach me in tears explaining to me that he needed to get back involved with the church.” By 3 a.m., all of the pancakes had been given away. However, several of the student volunteers decided to hang around and continue praying for, and with, the patrons who continued to linger throughout the night. “The BSM is really about helping students connect with God in a meaningful way,” Bratcher said. “Jesus is alive and there is a vibrant relationship to be had with Him and we want students to experience that.”

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PLACE

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PETS Chinese Emperial ShihTzu Teacups. $350-$500. Expecting Maltipoos. 979-324-2866. linda_d_54@yahoo.com Lost Chihuahua. White male, near 2818 and Traditions, Thursday 10-6-11. If found please call 979-229-4669. Reward! No questions asked.

ROOMMATES 1-male roommate needed. 3bd/3ba. $400/mo. +utilities and cable. Bus-route. 1.5mi from campus. 409-466-6865.

TICKETS I need Ag football tickets! 713-436-6244 (office) or 713-454-9776 (cell).

TUTORS Allen Academy is seeking a history tutor for a small group of Chinese high school students, 2-3 evenings/wk. Preferably this person would be Chinese with excellent English skills and a knowledge of U.S. history. Call 979-776-0731 x16.

Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpful one-on-one private tutors for all subjects at TAMU/Blinn and Sam Houston State. Check us out at www.99tutors.com, 979-268-8867.

thebatt.com COLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK

breckenridge

BRYAN: AVAILABLE NOW, OVER 3,300 sq.ft. - 4 SUITES - Each 800 sq.ft. Suite Includes a Master Bedroom, A Study with an Extra Closet, and a Full-Size Bath - ALL BILLS PAID*, PETS OK, CALL FOR DETAILS 979.764.RENT(7368) www.twincityproperties.com

Vail • Beaver Creek • Keystone • Arapahoe Basin

20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price. FROM ONLY

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COLLEGE STATION: 2/1 4-PLEXES, UP OR DOWNSTAIRS AVAIL, WALKING/BIKING DISTANCE FROM TAMU, ASF 825, ALL APPL, CENTRAL A/H, W/D CONN! $515/mo 979.764.RENT(7368) www.twincityproperties.com

BRYAN: BRYAN: THE BROADMOOR APARTMENTS – 1/1 UPSTAIRS w/ STUDY! AVAILABLE NOW, ALL APPL, FULL-SIZE W/D CONN, PETS OK! FREE INTERNET, CABLE, W/S, GAS & GARBAGE! $535/mo 979.764.RENT(7368) www.twincityproperties.com

BRYAN & COLLEGE STATION: 2, 3 & 4 BEDROOM HOUSES, W/D CONN, PETS WELCOME, ALL APPL, SOME HAVE WOOD FLOORING AND A FENCED YARD! $725-$995/mo 979.764. RENT(7368) www.twincityproperties.com

BRYAN: 4/2 TOWNHOMES, ASF 1600, PET FRIENDLY, ALL APPL, F/P, BALCONY, SOME HAVE FENCED YARDS, 2 LIVING AREAS, QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD! $995-$1075/mo 979.764.RENT(7368) www.twincityproperties.com

BRYAN: 2/1.5 NEWLY RENOVATED MIDTOWN MANOR APTS, AVAILABLE NOW, STARTING AT $535 FOR QUALIFIED PART-TIME STUDENTS, W/D CON, POOL & FREE INTERNET, CABLE & MORE! $535-$575/mo 979.775.2292 www.twincityproperties.com

Alcohol Continued from page 1

More Information More information about NCAAW can be found online at studentlife.tamu.edu. jor said, “Alcohol awareness week is necessary on all college campuses, mainly because the number of minors far outweighs the number of students above the legal drinking age, therefore more accidents and arrests occur.” According to the ADEP website, only 17 percent of all Texas A&M students do not consume alcohol in an average year and 35 percent of Texas A&M freshman have indicated, on average, that they choose to not consume alcohol. Kristen Harrell, associate director of the Office of the Dean of Student Life, helps direct alcohol education events for students on campus. “Binge drinking is something we see across the country, a lot of students don’t really know the definition, or what we would consider binge drinking. Research defines it as four or more drinks for a woman in two hours and five or more drinks for a man in two hours. That’s typically when high-risk behavior occurs,” Harrell said. “Our goal and hope for Alcohol education is to save people from these high risk factors so that students wouldn’t have to experience the horrible consequences for their actions.” Prospective Texas A&M student Cade McDonald, said he has been advised to stay away from certain schools that are considered “party” schools. “It seems inevitable that there will be a lot of peer pressure, however I plan to surround myself with good people who love Jesus,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to drink underage for two reasons, one because I want to honor Christ and two because I want to be safe and prevent myself from becoming just another statistic.” Some students think that these events will be less of a joke and more of a helpful experience because students are involved on the planning committee. “NCAAW is a way better option rather than using more theatrical and dramatic measures to raise awareness,” Burns said. “The events will definitely appeal to a higher educated society like our University and will effectively show people the dangers of what really happens when you’re drinking.”

STUDIES IN PROGRESS BRYAN: 2 BEDROOM FOURPLEXES & DUPLEXES! SOME HAVE FENCED YARDS, PATIOS, F/P OR BALCONY, PET FRIENDLY, FREE CABLE & INTERNET, W/D CONN, ALL APPL! $515-$715/mo 979.764.RENT(7368) www.twincityproperties.com

puzzle answers can be found online at www.thebatt.com

ATHLETES FOOT STUDY

Volunteers ages 12 and older are needed to participate in a 6 week clinical research study of an investigational topical medication for the treatment of Athletes Foot. Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Medication • Skin Exams by a Dermatologist • Compensation up to $200.00 for time and effort For more information please contact:

HAIR LOSS Volunteers ages 18-49 are needed to participate in a 8 month long research study with an investigational topical medication for Hair Loss. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Examinations by a Dermatologist • Study Related Medication • Compensation for time and effort For more information please contact:

J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 www.js-studies.com

Word Square Easy one : ﬁt the following words in a word square : ETCH, SHED, ACME, PEAS Tuesday’s solution:

G R I P

R I C E

I C O N

P E N T

Siddharth Kumar — THE BATTALION

Pg. 4-10-19-11.indd 1

10/18/11 11:18 PM

voices

page 5

EDITOR’SNOTE

thebattalion 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.

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

wednesday 10.19.2011

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 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

Putting the aTm in A&M

Taylor-made opinions

Taylor Wolken: ‘Cost cutting’ we can’t afford

early a year ago during Christmas break, A&M announced its Voluntary Separation Program which paid professors 9-18 months salary to retire. The program, touted as a cost saver, was expected to free up room in future budgets for the University — that’s the administration’s story and they’re sticking to it. In reality it’s putting the aTm in A&M. Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

The Eagle’s Vimal Patel reported on Sunday that Kem Bennett, former dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering, took a $692,000 buyout (two years pay) to retire from his position on Aug. 31 and was rehired the next day as a part-time professor at $145,000 a year for two years. He also relinquished positions as System vice chancellor for engineering, director of state agency Texas Engineering Experiment Station and overseer of state agencies Texas Engineering Extension Service and Texas Transportation Institute. Patel further reports: “Bennett referred questions to Texas A&M Provost Karan Watson. She said the payment aligned with the purpose of the program since Bennett

was hired back only part-time at less than 50 percent of his previous salary. Bennett also gave up tenure. “It was absolutely in the spirit of the program,” Watson said.’” Being hired back at 50 percent of his pay says nothing about whether Bennett’s buyout was a good deal or not. The question is, “Does his pay as a part-time professor represent a fair market value considering his skills?” The average pay for full-time engineering professors in 2010-11 was $144,946 and median pay was $132,297. Paying a part-time professor — even with Bennett’s skills — more than full-time professors is a tough case for Watson to justify. There is also question of what role Bennett played as dean in making the

e h T 0 1 p o t

As is well documented, A&M has an iron predilection for football. Therefore, in early August, when it was announced our team was ranked ninth in the country, there was a collected, if geographically dispersed, “whoop”ing. Having gone seven decades without a national championship, it was boldly predicted this season was ours. It wasn’t the only top-10 list A&M made that week. Two days prior, The Princeton Review (TPR), a college admissions consultancy, released its go-to compendium for prospective college students: The Best 376 Colleges, 2012 Edition. Within the 864 pages, high school seniors will find universities ordered into a range of 62 categories; from the serious — academics, admissions selectivity, financial aid, etc. — to the mundane. Enjoy alcohol? Try Ohio University at Athens, the nation’s primary party school and No. 1 in “Lots of Beer.” Have “Reefer Madness?” Travel to Colorado College (and secure a safe ride home). Care for the “Frat and Sorority Scene?” Tour Vanderbilt. When it comes to A&M, students, too, will notice our ideological uniformity: we’re ranked third on TPR’s “Most Conservative Students” list. It’s a turnoff for liberal applicants, and a plausible negative for the right-lean-

College of Engineering the only college to offer two-year salary buyouts. Then remember, someone will be paid to fill Bennett’s positions. Margaret Katherine Banks has been named the dean of the College of Engineering, System vice chancellor for engineering and is a finalist for the Texas Engineering Experiment Station. I will make two assumptions. First, that we actually needed to hire a part-time engineering professor. Second, that Banks will earn as much as Bennett. With those assumptions and Bennett’s unusually high part-time salary, A&M wasted at least $692,000 but they’re sticking by their plan: close their eyes, plug their ears and shout

savings until we believe it. This is after the buyout of Doug Slack, a professor of wildlife and fisheries sciences. He retired a semester early to get a full year’s pay via buyout. This is after the buyout of Thomas Woodfin, a former professor of landscape architecture and urban planning. He retired and left for the University of Oklahoma where he still receives A&M checks. After these, there are still 101 other professors who took the buyout. We simply can’t afford “cost cutting” ideas like this. Taylor Wolken is a senior economics major and opinion editor for The Battalion.

Joshua Howell: An Aggie tradition of LGBT unfriendliness

ing high school senior, enamored by the idea of debating college-educated liberals. This year marks the first in the past four we did not receive top billing — we have been supplanted by Hillsdale College in Michigan. But their most important discovery will be this: A&M, the “friendliest college in the nation,” has re-entered the top-10 for LGBT-unfriendliness. It seems we have an “iron predilection” for this as well. Last year, in an annual survey numbering some 75 questions, Aggies were asked if “students treat all persons equally, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.” According to Robert Franek, publisher of the review, from the “several thousand” responses, a “consensus” emerged that A&M is LGBT-unfriendly. It is important to note these voluntary surveys can be prone to bias — those who make the effort to respond often exhibit strong, and sometimes fringe opinions. But bias doesn’t explain why more than 75 other categories went unaffected, nor our continued existence on the list.

By our own standard — “if it happens more than once” — that could be a tradition. For 12 of the past 16 years A&M has received national attention as one of the 20 schools deemed LGBT-unfriendly; six of these years we placed in the top-10. Part genuine analysis, part earnest hope, there was an ill-defined sense that the 2010-2011 school year would be our last. In both 2005 and 2006, A&M was seventh in LGBTUnfriendliness — its highest placement since 1999. But A&M’s ranking plummeted to 15 in 2007, climbed to 12 in 2008, then fell back to 15 in 2009 and settled at 17 in the summer of 2010. A&M’s wintry air, it appeared, was warming. Yet this year’s ranking shows it was not to be. Whereas there was a precipitous drop from 2006 to 2007, we have now experienced the opposite. Still worse: What accounts for these phenomena is difficult to penetrate, making remedy more challenging — the typical answers no longer satisfy. Consider the school’s ranking as a conservative institution. Though the ideology has softened its stance on

On the left

LGBT issues, the school’s politics and Unfriendliness often move in tandem. Between 1997 and 2001, the school went unranked for its conservative values; for four of those years — with the notable exception of 1999 — neither was it LGBT-Unfriendly. The “precipitous drop” of 2006 strongly correlated with the felling of our relative conservatism (from ninth to 16th) in the same manner. Nevertheless, there are too many holes for this to be the primary shaker. While A&M was becoming friendlier from 2008 to 2010, the school was the acme of the scholastic right. Even more perplexing: this recent jump to tenth occurred during a drop in the school’s relative political tilt (from first to third). Something is awash. It’s evident that while A&M maintains its rankand-file conservatism, our unfriendliness will maintain. But our political ideology, loosely defined as “leaning politically right” by TPR, isn’t the strong predictor of unfriendliness we need. Joshua Howell is a junior computer science major and opinion columnist and blogger for The Battalion. This is the first in series about homosexuality and A&M. Follow the series in Josh’s blog at thebatt.com

MAKE YOUR PLACE IN A&M HISTORY Have your graduation portrait made for Texas A&M’s 110th yearbook

Dec ’11, May ’12, Aug ’12

GRADUATING

SENIORS and

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Have your senior portrait taken today through Oct. 21 in Training Room 027 of the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. To schedule your free portrait sitting, go to www.thorntonstudio.com Then go to School Portraits, Scheduling, click New User, complete form with Registration Password: tamu Or call 1-800-883-9449 Or walk in, 9 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm weekdays

AGGIELAND 2012 It’s your yearbook. Be in it.

Pg. 5-10.19.11.indd 1

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news

page 6 wednesday 10.19.2011

thebattalion

Roads Continued from page 1

When the light signaled green to turn, Schulte said he and another car in front of him could see that the traffic ahead was flowing. But when they got into the middle of the intersection, the traffic stopped because the light at Welborn and George Bush turned red. Before they could maneuver their vehicles, a police officer arrived at the scene from a nearby parking lot. Rhonda Seaton, public information officer for College Station Police Department, said there have been complaints about people blocking this particular intersection. “The reasons why the officers stay at the area are either because that location is a high crash area or if we keep receiving citizen complaints from the same location,” Seaton said. Schulte said while the offi-

Warrants Continued from page 6

of the College Station municipal court, said the warrant amnesty period is a good opportunity for people to pay their fines. “If people come in, I’ll waive the $50 fee,” Spillane said. “They won’t get arrested at court and we’ll work out their case.” The municipal court conducts the warrant amnesty period and warrant roundup period twice yearly. Spillane said that it has proven to be very effective in the past. “During the last warrant roundup in February, we brought in about $400,000,” Spillane said. “It’s been more and more successful every time we do it.” Spillane said there are several reasons citizens do not pay their fines on time, including the bad economy. “Some people are just for-

Pg. 6-10.19.11.indd 1

Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

A CSPD officer issues a traffic citation. cer wrote the citation in an adjacent parking lot, he watched numerous vehicles get caught in the middle of the intersection as the lights sequenced through several times. “As soon as I left the lot, I noticed that the cop resumed his position in his original spot and another truck was caught,” Schulte said. Sgt. Blaine Krauter, with the College Station Police Department traffic unit, said drivers know better than to block the intersection. “If you put an officer stationed in the median of the

intersection, no one will block that intersection,” Krauter said. “If officers aren’t visible within the median of the intersection, then people will block the intersection. It’s obvious to us officers that drivers know what they’re doing and aware of the intersection.” Schulte said he now avoids the intersection to keep away from future tickets. “I hope others who have received tickets from this intersection follow my example and find another route if the city isn’t able to solve this problem,” Schulte said.

getful,” Spillane said. “People think if you ignore a traffic ticket you can’t get arrested for it, but in Texas if you don’t show up to court within 10 days you can get a warrant out for your arrest.” Spillane said a high percentage of the outstanding warrants are students. “Students make up enough in the MIP and DUI, and some of them are traffic code violations or disorderly conduct,” Spillane said. Sgt. Allan Baron of the University Police Department said that while it is very difficult to tell exactly how many students are on the warrant list, it is highly probable that the number is very large. “Any time you live in a community where there’s a substantial amount of college students, it’s definitely probable that you’re going to have a good number of students on that list,” Baron said. Rhonda Seaton, College Station Police Department

public information officer, said that people who ignore the amnesty period and still do not pay their fines should watch out, because law enforcement officials will find and arrest people with outstanding warrants. “On Oct. 31, the city marshals, police officers and constables will have a list of people who have warrants, and in their free time they will go find them,” Seaton said. Seaton said that it’s a good idea for people to go and pay off their fines as soon as possible to avoid getting arrested and incurring more fines. “Just because it’s an amnesty period doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. If you have a warrant and you get stopped you will go to jail,” Seaton said. “If you’re driving with a warrant and you get stopped, and there’s no one with you to take the car, the car is going to get towed. So that’s an extra $100 plus, on top of the fees.

10/18/11 11:24 PM