thebattalion
thebattalion asks
Q:
What is your favorite or least favorite thing about living offcampus?
● tuesday,
march 29, 2011
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media
My favorite thing is getting to have my own house and not having to worry about the dorms. Mason Starnes, sophomore aerospace engineering major
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My least favorite thing is getting the motivation to go to class, because it’s hard to find parking. Emily Carlin, junior elementary education major
Rebuilt to last
Despite financial crisis, organization continues to run Facts ◗ As of March 6, CARPOOL has given a total of 183,658 rides. I like that I don’t have to deal with all the foot traffic that’s on campus, but I wouldn’t mind seeing more people off campus. Rohun Kshirsagar, mathematics graduate student
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ARPOOL, Caring Aggies R Protecting Over Our Lives, faced financial difficulties this past semester and was shut down for two weekends. CARPOOL has been rebuilding and working to make the organization financially stable.
“I became chair and a lot of people more or less gave up on CARPOOL. It made it difficult to keep morale up. But CARPOOL, Caring Aggies R Prowe did it and raised $115,000 in the few tecting Over Our Lives, faced financial difficulties last semester and shut down for first weeks of the semester with support two weekends. CARPOOL has been re- from the Aggie family,” Negron said. building since then and working to make “People didn’t want to see us disappear; they worked so hard trying to build a the organization better than ever. staff, which was difficult in comparison Phil Negron, a senior chemical ento prior years. The staff this year has been gineering major and the chairman of CARPOOL this year, said it was difficult incredible; it’s incredible how much has been accomplished, rebuilding from the coming into the position just a month after they started having problems. inside out.”
Amber Jaura The Battalion
◗ Operation runs during the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night of the Spring and Fall semesters at Texas A&M University.
According to a press release, the organization takes full responsibility for the financial problems they incurred due to “a lack of proper record keeping and a lost tenacity in consistent fundraising.” The organization is a committee under the Student Government Association and is allotted a certain amount based on what they deem necessary each year, usually about $100,000-$120,000. “It’s a good business decision to tackle See CARPOOL on page 2
campus My favorite thing about living off campus is a bigger space for a cheaper price. Damona Woodley, junior civil engineering major
My least favorite thing is that it takes a while to get to school. My favorite things are parties. David Skutt, senior biomedical science major
MSC connects tradition to tomorrow fident that Jordan will do a great job,” Altendorf said. The MSC is one of the largest student unions in the nation, overseeing 19 MSC programming commitKatie Marie Pogue tees and producing more than 300 campuswide programs every year. The Battalion The MSC has an operating budget Jordan Harris, a junior applied of more than $7 million. According mathematical sciences major, has to Luke Altendorf, director of the been announced as the MSC presiMSC, the organization’s purpose is dent. Harris currently holds the office to enhance the lives of students and of vice president of human resources others. The MSC not only provides in the MSC and is a senator reprecampuswide programs and services, senting the College of Sciences in the but also opportunities for leadership Student Government Association. development. “Through our selections processes One of the biggest challenges Harwe choose the best person to fulfill the ris faces as President and CEO is the duties of MSC president. We are con- transition of the organization back
Student union transitions to new president, place
Leon Ikpo, junior industrial distribution major
J.D. Swiger, staff writer
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Nearly 1200 students will be assisting Harris with the move back into the building along with a staff of 45 professionals. Harris will serve on the User Committee of the renovation in order to be part of the logistical management of the transition back into the building. Altendorf sees the transition not as a challenge, but as a responsibility. “In moving back into the building our department will ‘breathe life’ back into the building. It will be important to re-educate our patrons on why the MSC was built in 1951 as a memorial to the Aggies who died in World Wars I and II,” Altendorf said. The mission of the MSC is to be the See MSC on page 7
women’s basketball
student activities
Fourth time’s a charm?
Organization saves wetlands
David Harris: Final
Roland Ruiz
door to Final Four
My least favorite thing is the rent and utilities [for living off campus].
into the MSC. The MSC is under renovations and is scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2012. The Class of 2012 will be the last class to have been in Harris the building, and with their graduation Harris has the task of making sure the traditions are maintained. “I am looking to bridge that gap so the traditions are not lost from the three years of being without a building,” Harris said. Students will have to relearn traditions of not walking on the grass and taking hats off when they enter the building, Altendorf said.
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hey say it’s tough to beat a team three times in a single season. If that’s the case, what’s the difficulty level associated with doing it four times? Aggie fans are hoping it borders on impossible as their second-seeded women, a mere game away from an inaugural Final Four appearance, stand toe-to-toe with a team that has been a thorn in their side for the better part of three months — or, you know, three years. In their last eight meetings, Baylor has been victorious every
single time. But that’s not to say it hasn’t been close; that all eight games haven’t been decided by single digits; that, in the biggest, most meaningful game in which these two teams have faced off, the pendulum can’t swing in maroon’s favor. “Folks, I’m not giving up trying,” said Head Coach Gary Blair following A&M’s ninepoint loss in Waco in February. See Basketball on page 5
The Battalion With volunteering comes commitment and hard work. The Texas A&M chapter of Ducks Unlimited showed both of these characteristics as a result of becoming a part of the Ducks Unlimited “Sweet 16,” which recognizes the top 16 collegiate chapters in the nation that raised more than $11,000 in grassroots income during the 2010 calendar year. Out of the chapters that made it to the “Sweet 16,” the A&M chapter finished at the top with the No. 1 rank and has held on to it seven times in the past eight years. The Ducks Unlimited is a non-profit organization that started in 1937 solely dedicated to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. Bob Locke, a senior spatial sciences major and president of the A&M Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, said approximately 80 percent of the money collected in their fundraisers goes to the national organization. “Getting the No. 1 ranking this past
year was a sigh of relief on our part,” Locke said. “We felt disappointed after losing the No. 1 rank in 2009. We wanted the No. 1 rank back more than ever and we accomplished our goal, all thanks to last year’s officers and members that dedicated themselves for a good cause.” Michelle James, the district chairwoman for the A&M Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, said her role with the A&M chapter is to oversee what the student organization does by following proper procedures and guidelines. She gets together with the officers of the A&M chapter and the regional directors from Ducks Unlimited to set up the fundraisers. “This chapter of the Ducks Unlimited organization features a fantastic group of college kids,” James said. “Bob Locke is a great leader and has great officers to support him. I believe that this chapter is going to do well this coming year and finish first again.” Mitchell Besser, class of 2010 and forSee Ducks on page 7
3/28/11 7:26 PM