news for you texas State seeks to seize polygamist ranch Texas wants ownership of Warren Jeffs’ massive ranch where prosecutors say the convicted polygamist sect leader and his followers sexually assaulted dozens of children, the state attorney general’s office said Wednesday. A judge will determine whether to grant the state control of the nearly 1,700-acre property owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. According to local tax records, the total value of the land is appraised at more than $33 million. Seeking to bolster their case for seizures, prosecutors also allege that FLDS leaders financed the property through money laundering. The sect bought the land for about $1.1 million in 2003, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday. Under Texas law, authorities can seize property that was used to commit or facilitate certain criminal conduct, such as a home being used as a stash house for drugs.
nation Legal marijuana no go on college campuses Young voters helped pass laws legalizing marijuana in Washington and Colorado, but many still won’t be able to light up. Most universities have codes of conduct banning marijuana use, and they get millions of dollars in funding from the federal government, which still considers pot illegal. With the money comes a requirement for a drug-free campus, and the threat of expulsion for students using pot in the dorms. Even if conduct codes did not exist, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, another key reason that campuses will remain cannabis-free. In addition, NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes from consuming marijuana or other illegal drugs.
world Iran uranium enrichment speeds up Iran will step up its uranium enrichment program by sharply increasing the number of centrifuges used to make nuclear fuel, a senior official said Wednesday, in direct defiance of Western demands. The statement by Iran’s nuclear chief, Fereidoun Abbasi, is likely to escalate tensions. The West suspects Iran’s nuclear program could be headed toward weapons production and has imposed punishing sanctions to try to persuade Tehran to stop enrichment. Iran has denied the charges, saying its program is peaceful and geared toward generating electricity and producing radioisotopes to treat cancer patients. Uranium enriched to a low level is used to produce nuclear fuel for reactors, but high level enrichment would make it suitable for use in atomic warheads.
Associated Press
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thebattalion ● thursday,
november 29, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
Multinational exposure
Viveck Karthikeyan — THE BATTALION
(From left to right) Vanessa Barbato, Larisa Kovalenko and Benita Daniel are students at Texas A&M from Brazil, Russia and India.
International students pursue higher education at A&M Rahul Nair The Battalion If a student’s journey to Texas A&M encounters milestones such as “DS-160,” “GRE-GMATTOEFL,” “I-94” and “H1B” — terminologies not familiar to the student body, chances are that he or she belongs to a unique group of students: international students. One in every 10 students on the
Texas A&M campus is an international student. Students from across the globe select A&M as their preferred destination after carefully considering a multitude of factors and a variety of educational programs that A&M offers. “When I decided to pursue an M.S. degree in the U.S., the main criteria that I looked for in the university evaluation process was to get quality education at an affordable
price — Texas A&M topped my list,” said Benita Daniel, first year graduate student from India pursuing a master’s degree in management information systems. Daniel said there were other determining factors such as the university’s core values, the success rate of women in her program, faculty expertise and career opportunities that made her choose A&M. “Texas A&M is one of the high-
ranked universities in the country and I was ecstatic at the offer of admission from the University,” Daniel said. International students have to surpass a number of hurdles before they are admitted into a university of their choice. Students usually have to prove their mettle by scoring well on tests like the Graduate Record Exam or the Graduate Management See International on page 3
student government
SBP’s concealed-carry veto shot down by senate Aimee Breaux The Battalion With a 41 to 16 vote, the A&M Student Senate overrode Student Body President John Claybrook’s veto of the Personal Protection Bill, effectively passing the bill during Wednesday night’s senate meeting. The meeting began with an open forum in which students deliberated on the concealed carry in on-campus buildings issue. Amid the various pros and cons, Ashton Jackson, senior electrical engineering major and president of the campus organization Redefining Liberty,
said Claybrook’s veto was an act of treading on the rights of students. Claybrook vetoed the bill presented to him by the senate, citing a 2009 referendum in which 54 percent of the student body was against concealed carry in campus buildings and a 2011 referendum in which 57 percent were against it. He said in light of these referendums, the 67 percent approval seen in the initial senate vote was not representative of the students as a whole. See Senate on page 2
Archers at the ready
Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
Student Body President John Claybrook defends his veto of the Personal Protection Bill to off-campus senator Chrisopher Russo on Wednesday evening in the Koldus governance room.
higher education
Tribune festival sparks higher-ed discussion Jennifer Keith
Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
Timothy Dorman, freshman industrial engineering major, draws and aims a bow during his archery kinesiology class Wednesday afternoon at the Student Recreation Center.
The Battalion Of all of the universities in Texas, the Texas Tribune will partner with Texas A&M to present a day-long symposium Thursday, examining the major issues regarding higher education in Texas. The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit digital news organization focusing on public policy and special news events on Texas’ public policy, welcomes notable speakers on Thursday such as Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp, University President R. Bowen Loftin, House Committee on Higher Education Chair Dan Branch, Senate Committee on Higher Education Chair Kel Seliger and Texas Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes. Evan Smith, the CEO and editor-inchief of the Texas Tribune, said he is looking forward to pairing with A&M. “We were looking for a good partner to do this with,” Smith said. “We could have done it at any university in the state, but we love the A&M guys and are always pleased to come to the campus.” Smith said he hopes the symposium will stimulate discussion on higher education, and that he wants attendees to be able to
What to know ◗ Free tickets, but students must reserve a spot at rsvp@texastribune. org ◗ 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ◗ In Annenberg Presidential Center ◗ Complimentary lunch at noon
See Tribune on page 2
11/29/12 12:21 AM