Issuu

inside Kyle Field | 5

The A&M System Board of Regents approved the renovation for Kyle Field, which will be the largest stadium in Texas.

thebattalion l monday,

may 6, 2013

l serving

texas a&m since 1893

“[Swimming] isn’t everything I am, but it certainly is a big part of who I am. Much like being gay.”

Aggie athlete, openly gay

Rep. Flores to speak at May graduation Julie Blanco The Battalion

Olympian swimmer defends his University, identity Jessica Smarr & Mark Doré The Battalion

mini Fonua holds many titles. He is a former team captain for the Texas A&M swimming team. He was the 2012 Big 12 Champion in the 100-meter breaststroke. He represented Tonga at the 2012 London Olympics. He is an athlete, student and teammate. And he is gay. Fonua came to Texas A&M with dual citizenship in New Zealand and Tonga with little knowledge about College Station or the campus. He came to swim, but he will leave with an Aggie Ring and a love for his University. Fonua, a senior telecommunications and media studies major, said many assume maintaining his identity as an Aggie athlete and a gay man would be difficult and controversial. Yet the Olympian said

his story has been a “fairy tale” in terms of what others have experienced and not the trial many perceive it would be. Fonua said problems tend to arise when one must hide his or her true identity. The Aggie honor code, he said, is not compatible with dishonesty about one’s nature. “An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal,” Fonua said. “And if you’re living in the closet, you’re living a lie.” From his personal experiences, he has felt the need to defend the school against accusations of homophobia. Fonua’s openness about his status as perhaps the only openly gay male athlete at A&M comes amid a tumultuous time for the LGBT community, both locally and nationally. There has been an increased national discourse on the topic of gay rights with See Fonua on page 4

Photos by Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Amini Fonua, senior telecommunications and media studies major, was the 2012 Big 12 Champion in the 100-meter breaststroke.

west, texas

bout 7,100 students will walk the stage Friday and Saturday and shake hands with University President R. Bowen Loftin for the May commencement ceremonies, marking a milestone in their lives. Rep. Bill Flores, Class of 1976, will give the commencement convocation speech Thursday and will also speak at the Mays Business School graduation ceremony. Flores said he is excited to speak at the graduation ceremonies because he thought the speech from his graduation ceremony was significant and he hopes to inspire current graduates with his own words. “It was pretty meaningful to me because the speaker had gone through some difficult times of their own in their life,” Flores said. “So to watch how they overcame adversity was something that I think helped me in terms of knowing that life can be difficult sometimes and that the key to success is how you deal with those difficulties.” Flores said he wants to encourage the graduates to attend the commencement convocation. “I think it’s something they shouldn’t miss,” he said. “I think it’s something that can be meaningful to them if they’ll come and listen to what the speakers have to say.” Flores said there are specific points in his convocation speech that he’d like to share with graduates, the first being to congratulate them on their accomplishments. “The second thing I’d like to do is talk about the state of the world that they’re entering,” Flores said. “They are entering a difficult economic and fiscal environment. I just want to make sure everyone knows what that’s like. They’re going to have greater challenges than graduates have had in prior decades.” Third, Flores said he wanted to challenge the graduates as they move forward in life to help make the world a better place. Andrew MacDonald, senior molecular and cell biology and Spanish double major, said he plans to make a difference in people’s lives after graduation and he will begin medical school in the fall. See Graduation on page 7

OPINIONCOLUMN

Tales from a disaster zone Robert Carpenter: The people of West begin long, slow recovery

t’s a curious experience, using a shovel to remove the shattered remains of a grandmother’s possessions from her devastated living room.

COURTESY

Debris remains scattered around the destroyed homes and buildings that surround the fertilizer plant in West, Texas.

A&M-led relief effort assists West residents Jennifer Keith

The Battalion group of more than 100 Aggies caravanned to West, Texas, on Saturday to shovel debris, load trash bags and be a source of comfort to residents still experiencing the effects of devastation caused by the fertilizer plant explosion. From a supply drive organized by Aggieland Outfitters to a profit share called “A Night Out in B-CS,” Aggies have sacrificed time and resources to show support for their fellow Texans. Laura Terrell, senior community health major, participated in Saturday’s service project and said her volunteer group worked in the residential area closest to the plant’s explosion. “We went from house to house and threw

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trash bags, insulation and drywall into these ginormous dumpsters,” Terrell said. “We went in one guy’s house and shoveled insulation out so he could make a walkway. His 84-year-old mom was there trying to help.” In less than a week, a group of around 10 Aggies organized the trip, which included raising money, renting buses and recruiting volunteers. In addition to providing manual labor, the Aggies’ 337 hours of community service will result in additional financial support for the city’s renovation. Tyler Stewart, former president of the Memorial Student Center and senior biomedical science major, contributed to the trip’s planning and said the gathering of See West on page 3

Dust coated every inch of the 10-or-so students with whom I labored Saturday. We used yard equipment to clear a path through the inside of the house so a family could walk from the front of the house to the car port without wading through feet of debris. When a fertilizer plant exploded more than a quarter mile away last month, killing 11 first responders and three more civilians, the force of the blast stripped entire walls of brick from the building’s exterior and collapsed the living room ceiling. Grimy heaps of drywall and insulation tumbled from above, blanketing furniture, clothes, picture frames and fine china. The disturbing part of this scene was that, from the outside at least, this ruined house appeared lucky. The East side of the neighbor’s twostory home, which faced the fertilizer plant, was little more than a flimsy wall of jagged splinters. Plywood sheets plugged holes in the wall, protecting what little remained of the owners’ privacy from rubbernecking “tourists” (the label locals used for sightseers cruising through central Texas’ ground zero, camera phones at the ready). No one lives in these homes anymore. Still, most of the families’ possessions and plenty of their memories remain inside, wanting for electricity 17 days after the fact. On April 17, this orderly, established neighborhood was rendered utterly uninhab-

itable in the blink of an eye. The front doors to most buildings are nailed shut, bearing colorful notices boldly declaring “UNSAFE: KEEP OUT” — a calling card of one of the many state or federal agencies that descended on the community of 2,800 after the tragedy. West was a quiet, one-exit town nestled in the serene rolling hills around Interstate 35. Sitting south of Dallas and north of Waco, it was famous for delectable pastries and a proud Czech heritage. But that was before the evening of April 17. Of course, “West” is now synonymous with one of the most violent industrial disasters in recent memory — one that shook the community and state at their foundation. A mental-health volunteer from Baylor explained that most government agencies had already cleared out of town, as had the majority of non-governmental organizations. “That’s just the way it works. NGOs flock to disaster in the immediate aftermath and leave when the media departs,” she muttered, masking annoyance with a kind of “Well, what can you do?” attitude. The Red Cross remained, as did a volunteer group from Austin, several ambassadors from the Church of Scientology and plenty of locals. A car with “Billy Graham Ministries” painted on the front-passenger door could be See Devastation on page 10

EDITOR’SNOTE This is the final print edition of The Battalion for the spring semester. Check thebatt.com for news updates. The Batt will continue print editions Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting June 4.

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students on Saturday from every corner of campus would have restored faith in anyone who doubted the Aggie family. “This was not an interest group, this was a group interested in helping out people who needed it,” Stewart said. “We had so many responses that we had to turn people away. I can’t name a single other university where you can make that happen.” Concerning West’s greatest needs, Stewart said volunteers are in high demand to help clean up debris, but that moral support is needed just as much. “I think the one thing that they need that no one talks about is support,” Stewart said. “One of the biggest things about us being there was just our presence. The volunteer coordinator told us, ‘You can’t imagine what this means to our residents, even if you didn’t do anything today. Because we know we’re not alone.’” “A Night Out In B-CS” involved around 20 area businesses partnering to donate a percentage of profits toward relief efforts. Addison Porter, senior accounting major and former president of One Army, helped plan the fundraiser and said he enjoyed watching different facets of campus coming together to support one cause. “For me, after that accident happened in West I wanted to do something, but it’s so hard unless you have collective buy-in from a number of spots on campus,” Porter said. “So when I was approached [about starting the fundraiser], immediately I was on board and I would do anything to do the guys in One Army to help me out as well.” Porter also had the chance to travel to West with the group of more than 100 Aggies on

Saturday. One of the first groups of Aggie volunteers to travel to West was organized by Aggieland Outfitters, which delivered two 53-foot trailers, two 35-foot trailers, two 24-foot Uhaul trucks, a 20-foot box truck and an RV full of supplies to West, as well as nearly $15,000 in cash donations within 24 hours of the explosion. The majority of supplies delivered were water bottles, clothes and first aid equipment. Dallas Shipp, director of communications at Aggieland Outfitters, expressed his confidence in Aggieland to rally around West residents at such a difficult time. “You never want something like that to happen,” Shipp said. “But when it does, I don’t know any other group of people that can mobilize and get organized as quickly as we did here. The day we did the [supply] drive at the mall, the first word that came to my mind was that this was unbelievable. But when you think about it, it’s not. It’s just Aggies doing what they do.” Shipp took advantage of the text message program that Aggieland Outfitters uses for marketing to gather volunteers. He said that by noon the day after the explosion, about 1,400 people texted in with desire to volunteer.

‘Fest for West’ raises funds for afflicted town Organizations from Bryan-College Station have been working to help the citizens of West, Texas. The Downtown Bryan Association and its partners held a benefit music festival with 16 bands to help raise money for the town’s recovery. Read the full story at thebatt.com.

F LY FIRST CLASS T H I S S U M M E R.

Feel the need to speed through some required courses? Sign up for summer classes at any Alamo College – on-campus or online. Tuition’s tiny, courses are first class, and credits are fully transferable. Result: you land back at Texas A&M University that much closer to graduation or ready to take more advanced classes in your major. Lots of required courses? Stay an extra semester to learn and save even more. Start now at alamo.edu.

whoweare The Battalion staff represents every college on the campus, including undergraduates and graduate students. The leadership of The Battalion welcomes students to participate in the First Amendment in action as you utilize your student newspaper. We are students. Senior English major Trevor Stevens, editor in chief The Battalion is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. 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. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; email: editor@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 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com.

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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. Call 979-845-2696 for mail subscriptions.

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Softball clinches series behind 4-2 win over Mississppi State T

he Texas A&M softball team faced off against Mississippi State in a three-game Friday through Sunday series at the Aggie Softball Complex, defeating the Bulldogs 4-2 Sunday to seal the 2-1 series win. In the regular season finale, A&M seniors Mel Dumezich and Meagan May came through during Senior Day to push the Aggies past Mississippi State. May jump-started A&M’s offensive engine with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning, adding to her school record 64 career home runs. She finished the day 2-2 with an infield single and a walk. Mississippi State responded in the top of the sixth inning with two runs, taking a 2-1 lead. A half inning later, Dumezich launched a three-run home run with two outs, allowing the Aggies their eventual 4-2 victory. On the mound, Dumezich threw seven innings with 10 strikeouts for her 26th win of the season. Following the win, A&M head coach Jo Evans honored May, Dumezich and senior Sydney Shannon to conclude Senior Day activities. A&M will travel to Lexington, Ky. on Wednesday to play in the SEC tournament. For continued coverage, visit thebatt.com

Fonua Continued from page 1

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California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act under review by the Supreme Court and 48 percent of Americans in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, according to the Pew Research Center. On April 29, NBA player Jason Collins became the first active athlete in the history of the four major U.S. professional sports to come out as gay. On the Texas A&M campus, S.B. 65-70 — a Student Senate bill originally entitled “The GLBT Funding Opt-Out Bill” and renamed “The Religious Funding Exemption Bill” — drew attention to the attitude of students attending a school the Princeton Review has ranked the 7th-most unfriendly LGBT campus in the country. Swimming as a sport is very open-minded, Fonua said, which helped him feel accepted for everything that he is. His worth as a swimmer was purely dependent on his performance during his competition, he said, which is how he believes all athletes should be judged. “Everyone knows that your success as a swimmer isn’t correlated to your sexuality or your sexual orientation,” Fonua said. “Whether you swim a fast time or whether you make the right amount of hoops or have a high batting percentage, nothing else matters.” Athletics carries an additional masculine stereotype that can at times make sports even less welcoming for gay men and women than the general public, Fonua said. “I think the reason people are so fascinated with it in sports is because there is this very hyper-masculine idea attached to being an athlete, especially a professional athlete,” Fonua said. “But at the end of the day, that’s what they are — they’re professional athletes.” Yet Fonua said he was able to fully express all parts of his identity and felt accepted not only for his talent and skill, but also for who he is. As an openly gay freshman, Fonua said a captain of the swim team took him aside and said Fonua should let him know if he was harassed in any way. “I think that sort of set the precedent for my journey here because everyone’s openminded, people don’t judge, and at the end of the day if you’re good at what you do, anything else and everything else is secondary,” Fonua said. In light of A&M’s perception as an LGBTunfriendly campus, Fonua said others will ask him how he functions in what appears to be a hostile environment. But he said these perceptions of Texas A&M as an unfriendly campus are directly contradictory to the positive experiences he has had as a student.

Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION

Senior pitcher Mel Dumezich notched a three-run homer and 10 strikeouts in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Mississippi State. “I think I feel inspired to defend Texas A&M and my experience, especially with the Student Senate [bill],” Fonua said. “I’m kind of sick of having to try to defend my school to other people, because I think it’s a very small minority. Homophobia is at every university, it’s not just A&M. It’s everywhere. It might be a little more prevalent here, but I do think that people will sensationalize how something really is.” The values Texas A&M upholds are personally important, Fonua said. He said though competing in the Olympics was an honor he values deeply, the accomplishment he was most proud of was receiving the Aggie Heart award. “The Aggie Heart is given to a teammate who puts the team’s needs above their own and exemplifies leadership and has all the qualities of what it means to be an Aggie,” Fonua said. “And to get that as a gay athlete is pretty huge, especially because it’s peer-voted.” At the London Olympics, which Fonua called “surreal,” he was “overwhelmed by the sheer cosmopolitan of the world.” “[There was] every single nation in the world, people of all sizes and shapes, all colors, definitely all sexual orientations,” Fonua said. Former teammate Wesley Wheeler, senior information and operations management major, said Fonua was not only like a brother to him, but a leader for the entire team. “The whole team respected him and his work ethic,” Wheeler said. “People wanted to strive to be like him a lot of the time.” When asked if he will be competing in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Fonua said he is taking an indefinite break from swimming. He said this could be difficult as his identity as a swimmer is part of how he defines himself. “It’s a huge part of my identity, and that’s what I think a lot of people don’t understand — that when you swim, and you stop for a period of time, you sort of lose a big part and a big piece of who you are,” Fonua said. “It isn’t everything that I am, but it certainly is a big part of who I am. Much like being gay. Part of who I am, but not everything that I am.” His experiences have only solidified his belief that it is important to be completely honest about who you are, Fonua said. “If you’re who you are and you’re honest and you’re open, people gravitate to that truth,” Fonua said. In the future, Fonua said, he hopes it will be possible for all Aggies to feel comfortable achieving their goals and expressing their full identities. “I’m a diehard Aggie and I always will be,” Fonua said. “This school has given me so much, and I’m grateful for every opportunity, because this is a great place to be and I don’t want anyone to be here and feel like they cannot be themselves.”

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Big-budget Kyle boosts capacity James Sullivan

The Battalion

he towering construction of concrete, steel and glass has housed generations of Aggies since 1929, and has stood watch while A&M football legends such as John David Crow, Dat Nguyen and Johnny Manziel competed within its walls. Over the years, Kyle Field has undergone 13 renovations that have expanded its capacity from its original 33,000 to the current 82,589. Wednesday, the Texas A&M System Board of Regents voted for its 14th renovation — a $450 million package that will boost seating capacity to 102,500. A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said the project represents an opportunity for the University to grow. “We have committed to making Kyle Field the premier college football stadium in the country, as well as an incredible facility to showcase our flagship University, our unique traditions and the incomparable spirit of the 12th Man,” Sharp said. “This stadium will reflect the dominant prestige and power of Texas A&M University.” The 19,911-seat expansion will elevate Kyle Field to the third-largest stadium nationwide behind Michigan (109,901) and Penn State (106,572), and the largest in the SEC, surpassing Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium (102,455) by 45 seats. Furthermore, Kyle Field will reclaim its title as the state’s flagship entertainment venue, eclipsing the capacity of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium of the University of Texas, which was expanded in 2005 to become the state’s largest stadium. The renovation will begin immediately following the 2013 season and is scheduled for

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completion prior to the 2015 season. Games will remain at Kyle Field during the process. A&M athletic director Eric Hyman said the renovation will thrust the University onto the national stage once again, and will represent the largest redevelopment of a collegiate athletic facility to date. “There’s a good foundation to build on as we move forward,” Hyman said. “This significant project is a shared vision and shared experience for all of our fans. Upon completion, we will have immense pride in Kyle Field. It will be unmatched anywhere in the country, with Texas A&M’s history and traditions woven throughout the stadium and its surroundings.” The expansion will include more than added capacity. Renderings and official statements have shown that both Kyle Field’s exterior and interior will undergo overhauls with regards to A&M tradition and fan convenience. G. Rollie White Coliseum, the Read Building and the Netum Steed strength and conditioning facility will be demolished, all of which are part of or adjacent to Kyle Field. The renovation, when completed, will showcase a brick, limestone and glass façade along with extensive redevelopment of the exterior plazas and pathways surrounding the stadium. Emphasis on tradition will stand as a central theme throughout the stadium, with memorials honoring former players, students and the University’s core values erected on the east, west and north sides. The alumni section will house the new Aggie Sports Museum as well as multiple stages of luxury and box suites, with all-inclusive private club access and a premier field view. The redevelopment also aims to create an even more hostile home crowd environment, hoping to build upon the already intimidating Kyle Field fan experience. With seating moved closer to the field, the playing surface being lowered approximately seven feet, and canopies being added over both the east and west sides, the noise capacity will be amplified significantly. Head coach Kevin Sumlin said increasing the 12th Man’s effect on the game is yet another testament to the student body’s commitment to the A&M football program. “I want to do the impossible — I want to make Kyle Field louder than it already is,” Sumlin said. “When I returned to Aggieland, I said that the atmosphere at Kyle Field is second to none. With the 12th Man standing ready, the spirit of Aggieland is real, and the fans really make a difference to our current players as well as our future recruits.”

Payment blueprint

Graphics by William Guerra

For Manziel, whose eligibility will last through the 2015 season’s grand opening of the renovated Kyle Field, the redevelopments add an extra dimension to the already intimidating venue. “I can tell you there is no better feeling than running out of the tunnel onto Kyle Field in front of the 12th Man,” Manziel said. “Our atmosphere is the very best in the country and our fans are smart and loud. I’m excited about the new renovations at Kyle Field because I think we are taking something that is already great and making it even better.” Funding for the $450 million expansion will come from a variety of sources, ranging from the student body to donations from former students. Students will contribute $4.9 million annually for 30 years, totaling $75 million and roughly 17 percent of the project, through a combination of increases in the University Advancement Fee and cost of sports passes. The UAF will increase $2.42 per credit hour, or $36.30 per semester for full students, while sports pass prices will increase by $11.48 per home game, which totals at $80.36 per season based on a seven-game home standard. Some students, headed by members of Texas Aggie Conservatives and Student Senate, opposed the fee increase. Part of their opposition surrounded the lack of a sunset clause

that would ensure the fee’s expiration after its completion in 30 years. Student Body President Reid Joseph requested that regents include a sunset clause in writing. University President R. Bowen Loftin said the fee would expire at its promised date and the student portion of renovation would be paid from existing UAF funds for 2014. The 12th Man Foundation will provide 51 percent of funding through seat licensing and former student donations, totaling $229.5 million. The remaining 32 percent will come from Kyle Field Campaign Gifts and local governmental agencies. Following A&M’s realignment to the SEC in July 2012, the University has received a significant increase in national exposure. Sumlin and Manziel’s success on the gridiron have provided the centerpiece for the publicity, a fact not lost upon administration. Loftin said the expansion of the Aggies’ premier athletic institution will stand as another vehicle for growing the A&M brand on a national scale. “As we have seen with Texas A&M’s transition into the Southeastern Conference, athletics can play a key role in increasing the visibility of the entire university,” Loftin said. “The Kyle Field project is yet another element of enhancing Texas A&M’s profile.”

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2bd/2.5ba unique floorplans w/balcony views of Kyle Field. Brand new luxury apartment condos. Fullsize stainless steel appliances, W/D, designer ammenities granite/wood/tile, bus stop. Only 36units on Holleman at Wolf Pen. www.broadstoneranchatwolfpen.com, www.aggielandleasing.com, 979-776-6079. 2bd/2ba 4-plex. Spacious floorplan, W/D connections, close to campus. $550/mo. www.aggielandleasing.com 979-776-6079. 2bd/2ba unique floorplans w/balcony views of Kyle Field. Brand new luxury apartment condos. Fullsize stainless steel appliances, W/D, designer ammenities granite/wood/tile, bus stop. Only 36units on Holleman at Wolf Pen. www.broadstoneranchatwolfpen.com, www.aggielandleasing.com, 979-776-6079. 3 BR/3 BATH FURNISHED CONDO in Fox Run â€“ Luther St./Marion Pugh, great location with walking distance to Kyle Field, on bus route, all bedrooms are large with walk-in closets, washer, dryer, 2 story ceilings, 2 inch wood blinds thru out.Â 2 double beds, 1 queen bed, great L-shaped desks with drawer and shelving units, $490/room, Please call 281-682-9741. 3/2 Across from Gabbard Park, Big living space, Garage, No across street neighbors. $1265/mo., call 979-209-0123 or see www.979rent.com for details. 3/2 Cul-de-sac House with garage and large back yard. $1250/mo., call 979-209-0123 or see www.979rent.com for details.Â 3/2 Duplexes, prelease August, very nice, 5mins to campus, W/D, lawn care, security system, $900-950/mo. 979-691-0304, 979-571-6020. 3/3,3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apartments, 1250-1400sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, walk-in pantry &closets, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 979-694-0320. www.luxormanagement.com 3/2 with large bedrooms, close to campus and bus stop (near HEB and Target). $1175/mo., call 979-209-0123 or see www.979rent.com for details. 3/3 & 4/4 Waterwood by Central Park, $450pp, Gated Community, Cable/Internet, Appliances including W/D,Â available May/Aug.Â Call: 832-277-8841 or 832-277-8840. 3/3 Spacious Duplexes off Graham. All Appliances, Tile Floor, Available August 3. 979-571-3036. 3/3 Spacious Duplexes off Graham. Aggie Owned. 1411sqft. W/D and lawncare included. Wood floors. $1000/mo. 713-397-3444 or Lweaver00@hotmail.com. 3bd/2ba mobile home on one acre, 3131 Cain Rd. CS, $550/mo, call 777-2395. 3bd/3ba townhome, newer, granite, ceramic, shuttle, cable/Internet included. May and August. Broker/owner 979-777-5477. 3or4 bedroom, 2-bath house. $1200-$1400/mo. Very clean. Hot tub. Close to campus. 979-777-2849. 4-bedroom houses close to campus, large yards w/decks. $1300-$1600/mo. Call JC/broker (254)721-6179. 4/2 available August, 1204 Westover, $1495/mo, COMPLETELY REMODLED, beautiful home, 2living, 2dining, W/D, outdoor pets allowed with pet deposit. 979-731-8257, www.brazosvalleyrentals.com

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FOR RENT

4/2 available July/August, 201 Redmond, $1595/mo, one block from campus, COMPLETELY REMODLED, w/d, outdoor pets allowed with pet deposit, 979-731-8257, www.brazosvalleyrentals.com

4bd/4ba University Place Condo for rent starting August 2013. $1660/mo. All utilities paid including internet. No pets. www.collegestationrent.com/tx/collegestation/227678-4-bed-4-bathcondo-all-bills-paid. Fred 281-460-0439.

4/2 with BIG rooms and lots of parking. Garage and fenced backyard. $1950/mo., call 979-209-0123 or see www.979rent.com for details.

5/2/2 available August. 1202 Westover. Large game room. Great neighborhood. $1595/mo. W/D, updated, great floorplan, outdoor pets allowed with pet deposit. 979-731-8257. www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

4/2, $1200/mo, $1200 deposit, $500 pet deposit, fenced yard, Bryan neighborhood near campus, 1yr. lease available Aug-1. Call Ellis Family Properties, (979)695-8394 ext.110.

August Leasing. 4bd/2ba house. Close to campus, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, W/D, fenced yards. 979-776-6079. www.aggielandleasing.com

4/2/2 available August. 1208 Hawk Tree. $1295/mo. W/D, updated, great floorplan, outdoor pets allowed with pet deposit. 979-731-8257, www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

Available now 2/2 duplex, fenced yard, pets ok, great location, and on shuttle, $700/mo. 979-693-1448. Available now 3/2 house with two car garage, remodled on inside, large fenced backyard, stainless appliances. 1708 Treehouse Trail. $1300/mo. 979-693-1448.

4/2/2 available August. 1508 Austin. $1295/mo. W/D, updated, great floorplan, outdoor pets allowed with pet deposit. 979-731-8257, www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

Brand new luxury condos, granite countertops, tile flooring, great location. 979-693-4900.

4/2/2 house, 1203 Westover. Available August. Close to campus & multiple bus routes. Recently updated, large fenced backyard. Pets OK. $1495/mo. 979-255-9432.

C.S. Spacious 3/2 duplex, Wolf Pen Creek. W/D, shuttle. Available May. $895/mo. 979-693-0551. College Station 4bd/2ba with fire-place, big kitchen island, W/D. Fenced, on bus-route. Available August. $1299/mo. Aggielandrentals.com 979-776-8984

4/2/2, available August. 1118 Berkeley, corner lot, great floor plan, W/D, outdoor pets allowed with pet deposit, $1495/mo, 979-731-8257 www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

College Station: 2/2, 1000sqft, $675. Shuttle, all appliances, W/D, lawn/pest/maintenance included. 906 Spring Loop (off University). KAZ Realty. 979-324-9666.

4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Houses, Townhouses, Duplexes &Fourplexes, 1250-1700sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 979-694-0320. www.luxormanagement.com

College Station: 3/2, 1240sqft. Newly remodeled! New appliances! Close to shuttle, W/D, lawn/pest/maintenance included. 905 Balcones (off Welch), $850/mo. KAZ Realty 979-324-9666.

4/4 University Place condo, W/D, private bath, pool, on shuttle, student community, $300/room, Call 979-690-8213 or 979-422-9849.

CS, 2/2, Fox Run on Luther Street, over looks pool, minutes from TAMU, $1150/mo, 979-696-1787. Duplex 3bd/2ba. All appliances, full-size W/D, fenced yard. Located at Rock Hollow Loop. 469-233-4653.

4/4.5 plus bonus room, like new. High ceilings, huge closets, large front porch, tile floors, all appliances, fenced backyard, many extras. $1750/mo. Preleasing for August. 979-229-6326. See photos and info at http://www.texagrentals.com/

Female. 1bdrm/1ba., in 4/4. $445/mo. plus 1/4 utilities, cable and internet. 10-minutes from campus, close to bus-route. Call 832-741-6134, leave message for owner.

4bd/2ba house. Close to campus, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, granite countertops, W/D, fenced yards. 979-776-6079. www.aggielandleasing.com

Free locatoring service, Houses Duplexes and Apartments, 979-693-4900. Holleman by the Park Apartments, close to shopping, campus, and park.Â www.hollemanbythepark.com or 979-209-0123 for details.Â

4bd/4.5ba house available in August, $1500/mo, pets ok. 979-314-4505. Brand New, 4bd/4ba houses. walking distance from campus, AAF 979-693-4900.

Horse Loverâ€™s Dream. 3bd/1ba, covered carport on 4acres wit pond and horse facilities. Minutes from TAMU. Recently updated all appliances including W/D. Pet and livestock friendly. Available August. Rent $1399/mo. aggielandrentals.com 979-776-8984

4bd/4ba private bathroom, $325 per room, Summer $240 per room, Wood/tile floors, large living room, new refrigerator, w/d, central a/c, walk-in closets, on shuttle. Student community, large pool, basketball court, sand beach volleyball. 979-574-0040, 281-639-8847.

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FOR RENT

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Just available! Close to campus, College Main and Eastgate areas. 2bd/1ba., some w/dishwasher, 1-fenced, some bills paid. $325-$450/mo. 979-219-3217. Large 2bedroom with office or 3bedroom. Recently updated, fenced, 2car carport, W/D, biking distance to TAMU. Rent $750-799/mo. Available August. 4units available! aggielandrentals.com 979-776-8984. Live by great park! 3/2 available with garage and fenced yard.Â Right off Holleman, easy bike to campus. $1175/mo., call 979-209-0123 or see www.979rent.com for details. Live smart.Â Live cheap.Â Live in newly remodeled apartment.Â www.100GeorgeBush.com Across the street from Kyle Field.Â $445 for one bedroom. $545 for two bedroom. $399 deposit special.Â Call 979-209-0123 for more details. Looking for: huge closets, vanities longer than bathtubs, dedicated shoeracks, covered parking? 1/1, 2/2, 2/2.5. Falcon Point Condos. Broker/owner 979-777-5477. New townhouses close to campus. 4bd/4ba and 2bd/2ba available. On TAMU shuttle. Call JC/broker (254)721-6179, www.gamedaybcs.com Newer 1/1, 1/1.5 loft, 2/2, 3/3. Granite, ceramic, w/d, walk-in closets, cable and internet, shuttle. $820-$1560. Broker owner 979-777-5477. Nice! 4/2 2013-Rayburn. $1550/mo. Available Aug1st. Call Scott at 979-229-5007. Northgate. Newer 1/1, 2/2, 3/3 and 3/2. Washer/dryer. Walk to campus. Summer and 1 year leases okay. aggievillas.net. Call 979-255-5648. Now Leasing and pre-leasing for August! 4bdrm/2bth houses. Spacious floorplans. Great Location. Close to campus, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, w/d, fenced yards, refridgerator, icemaker,lawncare. 979-776-6079, www.aggielandleasing.com Now preleasing large 3/2 duplexes, May-Aug leasing options, off of Holleman, on shuttle, view duplexes seven days a week, 979-774-4575. Pre-lease for May or August 2/2 Duplex with large fence backyard. Pets ok, walk-in closets, great location, and shuttle. $775/mo. 979-693-1448. Prelease for August, 4/2/2 with large fenced yard and deck, remodeled inside, 1217 Berkeley, $1500/mo. 979-693-1448. Preleasing large 1bd/1ba condos for fall. Lease known to get 1month free. Includes W/D, fireplace, tile floors. Blocks from campus. 979-703-8709, tribecasquareapts@gmail.com Remodeled 2bd/1ba, awesome location, one block off Texas Ave., on bus route, $750/mo, contact Joanne 281-467-9769. Storage for rent. Climate and non-climate. Starting at $29/month, and one month free. 979-693-0551. Summer house sublease. 2bd/$350/mo. Harvey. Bus route. Utilities paid. 281-865-2247. Want space?Â Want washer/dryer?Â Want great location?Â HOLIK SQUARE TOWNHOMES, right off Holleman. One and Two bedroom two-story townhomes.Â Limited 1 bedroom availability.Â Contact us soon!Â Â www.holiksquare.com or 979-209-0123 for more info.

FOR SALE New townhouses close to campus. 4bd/4ba and 2bd/2ba available. On TAMU shuttle. Call JC/broker (254)721-6179, www.gamedaybcs.com

HELP WANTED A&M UMC Weekday School looking for part-time teacher aides for the summer. Monday through Friday. 979-846-1762, www.am-umc.org/weekdayschool Ags! Looking for summer work? Earn $9000.00 this summer, build your resume, great experience, call Taylor, 214-707-9145.

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BAT_05_06_13_A6.indd 1

Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com Baptist church needs nursery workers for Sunday mornings and evenings and Wednesday evenings. Please call Mary at 979-776-5000 or e-mail mary@christsway.org Child care 3 days a week, for reliable and responsible, $10/hr, barrmri@yahoo.com Child Care FT & PT shifts available. Some nights & Saturdays required. Apply in person at 3609 E. 29th St., Bryan. Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment. Commons/Northside resident hall mail clerk; friendly, intelligent, hard-working, independent, self-motivated, responsible, personable, enjoys fast-paced, problem solving atmosphere. M-F, 10-4. Apply @156 Commons. Cotton Patch-College Station now hiring servers and greeters. Lunch availability desired. Apply at Rock Prairie and Hwy-6. An equal opportunity employer! Drive tractor, water plants, various other duties. 2x/week. Minimum 4-6 hrs/week. 10-minutes from campus. Respond to llgstar@aol.com, put your name and number in subject line, include 2-references. Will interview after 5/27/13. File Clerk; local insurance agency looking to fill part-time position assisting with general clerical help. Preferred hours 1pm-5pm, M-F. Pay is commensurate. Email resume info@sigbcs.com or fax 979-774-3955. No calls or walk-ins.Â Hiring CDL and ClassC drivers, apply at D&D Moving & Storage, 3700 South Texas Ave. CS, 77845. Jimmy Johns is now hiring at both locations for delivery drivers and crew, apply in person at 200 University Dr. East, 2002 Texas Ave. South. Little Guys Movers now hiring FT/PT employees. Must be at least 21 w/valid D.L. Apply in person at 3209 Earl Rudder Freeway. 979-693-6683. Part-time job helping handicapped. Male student preferred. $360/mo. 5-10hrs/wk. 979-846-3376. Part-time summer help, apply in person, Conlee-Garrett Moving and Storage, 600 South Bryan Ave., Bryan. PT openings, customer sales/svc, no experience necessary, all majors welcome, start now for summer, internships available, 979-260-4555. Steep Creek Media, LLC is seeking sales and marketing professionals to help raise money for our local schools. We represent Bryan and College Station ISD in their overall marketing programs -selling ad space on their school buses, websites, buildings and athletic facilities. School advertising has become a well-known advertising medium and one that returns a majority of the revenue to the schools. A real win-win situation! This is a commissioned sales position, with unlimited income potential, true residual income with no charge backs. Work part or full-time -on your own schedule. E:mail your resume to Robin @ rbresciani@steepcreekmedia.com STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in College Station. 100% free to join. Click on surveys. Sugar Land student home for summer? My Mother needs a driver/ errand runner, 2x/week. Respond to llgstar@aol.com, put your name and number in subject line, include 2-references. Will interview after 5/27/13. Summer childcare M-F 10am-4pm (flexible), for a 10,11, and 14 year old. Must have reliable transportation with space for kids. Light cooking, non-smoker, energetic. Email resume dory@prostarind.com.

PETS 2 male Yorkie puppies, 2-3lbs, 4mo. old, $800, linda_d_54@yahoo.com, 979-324-2866.

REAL ESTATE B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Michael McGrann TAMU â€˜93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mike@aggierealtor.com Nadia McGrann 979-777-6211, Town & Country Realty.

ROOMMATES 2 or 3 roommates needed for 4bd/4ba apartment. Fully furnished with W/D. $475/mo includes utilities. Contact Kendall at k_aggie14@neo.tamu.edu. 2-rooms available in 4bdrm home off of Graham. Female, non-partiers, mostly furnished. $450/mo. 903-456-6543. Roommate wanted for summer or longer. 4bd/4ba condo, $250/mo. Fully furnished. 713-896-7566.

TUTORS 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.

5/3/13 2:19:27 PM

news

page 7 monday 5.6.2013

thebattalion

corps of cadets

Cadets receive commissions, embark on military careers Sarah Gibson The Battalion

housands of students will receive diplomas Saturday and step into a new stage in their lives. A select number of others will march. After graduation ceremonies, some members in the Corps of Cadets will formally become officers in their respective military branches. During their second year in the Corps, cadets decide whether they will join the military following graduation. For the estimated 40 percent of cadets who choose military commissioning, their education follows a military focus. They apply for a competitive commission in one of the three military branches and commit to a certain number of years in the military. Capt. Bryan French, who has more than nine years of military service and works with the A&M Army ROTC program, said he believes the ceremony Saturday is a big step for those cadets who have opted for commission. “This is a culmination of all these cadets’ efforts over their four years here,” French said. “This is a giant step forward for them and is the start of their military career.” At the commission ceremony, each of the three branches will take an officer oath. French said about 49 Cadets would become Army officers, which is more than in previous years, though he said the Corps would not have an exact count on the total number commissioning until the ceremony gets closer. Those in the Army and Air Force will become 2nd Lieutenants and those in the Navy or Marines will become Ensigns. Frank Marquette, senior international studies major, will receive an Air Force commission and said he looks forward to a military career. “I came into my freshman year with no desire to pursue a military career, but at the end of that year I changed my mind,” Marquette said. “There are plenty of reasons why

Graduation Continued from page 1

“My plan for years has been to become a doctor in order to help people,” MacDonald said. “I think that’s really the only way to achieve that. What better purpose is there?” Despite the extra years of school, MacDonald said it will be worth the wait. “That’s what I’m studying medicine for,” he said. “I’m willing to work hard to get there.” Although MacDonald said he is glad to finish up school at Texas A&M, it doesn’t seem as big a deal to be graduating. “I am excited for the semester to be over,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like the giant milestone because I’ll be continuing [medical school] in the fall, and I’ll be continuing for the next four years. So even though college is over, my studies are far from over.” Even though Flores wants to warn graduates about the difficult job market, Bryan Le, senior applied mathematics major, said he isn’t nervous

BAT_05-06-13_A7.indd 1

I wanted to get a commission — job security after college, the training aspect. I also feel an obligation to serve my country, plus it will be an adventure.” Aneesa Castaneda, senior construction science major, said she also wants to serve her country and honor her family. “My dad is prior service and was in the Army Corps of Engineers,” Castaneda said. “Never once have I looked back, and to this day I look forward to making my dad proud. I will be the first female officer of my family to join the ranks. But most importantly I wanted to serve my country.” Andrew Mann, senior psychology major, will commission with the Army and said he believes it is his duty to the country to serve in order to protect the freedoms citizens enjoy. “I love my country, and I love the freedoms that I have enjoyed so far in my life,” Mann said. “I would gladly give my life to ensure that my fellow Americans can continue to enjoy those freedoms, and that future generations can continue to enjoy them. I know that’s kind of a cliché answer that a lot people give, but it’s something I have wanted to do since I was in elementary school.” Jacob McIntosh, senior computer engineering major, said it’s his “turn to serve.” “Someone has got to step up and I am proud to do it,” McIntosh said. Apart from the military service academies, the Corps of Cadets consistently commissions more officers than any other institution in the U.S. Marquis Alexander, Corps commander and senior international studies major, said this is because of qualities that make A&M unique. “As a tier-one research University, we can offer a rigorous academic environment, opportunities for excellent military development through the Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs, but also a vibrant social life which is a different experience from the service academies,” Alexander said. “Coupling that with the current media spotlight that A&M is experiencing, it’s a great destination spot for future military officers.”

about his future career. “For myself, I’m not particularly [nervous] because I chose a major that would be flexible and in high demand in the job industry,” Le said. “In addition to the fact that we come from a rather prestigious university, I’m not too terribly worried about finding a job.” A point that Flores wants graduates and other students to become more aware of is the appreciation of the value of obtaining a degree and doing it in a timely manner. Flores funded his college career and said the fact that he worked so hard, not only to obtain a degree but also to pay for it, gave him a profound appreciation for it. “I don’t think some of today’s generation of students think deeply enough of the importance [of the timeliness of graduation] and I don’t think they give enough consideration to the quicker you get done with school, the quicker you’ll be to get a return on investment for what their parents or their scholarship donors have contributed

to the cost of their education,” Flores said. As students prepare for the “real world” and look back on their time spent at A&M, a common thought is how they will miss the University. “What I will miss the most about Texas A&M is the culture: the friendly ‘Howdy!’ from random strangers at the MSC or standing with the 12th Man during football games,” said Abbie Adams, senior finance major. “It is the undying loyalty of its students that makes this University so unique, and something I have truly come to treasure.” Shannon O’Connor, senior biomedical sciences major, said she will miss constantly being around fellow Aggies. “The community that Texas A&M offers is like none other,” O’Connor said. “Although the Aggie family extends far beyond being a student, I will miss the privilege of being daily submerged in the love Aggies have for each other.”

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page 8 monday 5.6.2013

news thebattalion

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Who—and How Many—Are the Palestinian Refugees? How, under the auspices of the UN Relief and Works Agency, can their numbers have exploded from 650,000 in 1948 to more than five million today?

In 1948, some 650,000 Arabs fled from Israel during Israel’s war of independence against six invading Arab armies. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was then formed to provide humanitarian aid to those Arab refugees. Sixty-five years later, UNRWA has grown into a huge, half-a-billion-dollar-a-year bureaucracy that claims a constituency of five million Palestinian-Arab refugees. How has the number of Palestinian refugees grown so dramatically? Is UNRWA helping resettle the refugees, or is it exacerbating the problem? Finally, why would the Palestinian Authority in negotiations for a Palestinian state revolution?

What are the facts?

the PA and refugee host governments, such as Jordan and Lebanon. UNRWA argued vehemently against this UNRWA’s original definition of a refugee was move, however, and won out. someone “whose normal place of residence was How many true refugees from Israel are left? In May Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948, who lost 2012, Senator Mark Kirk introduced and Congress both their homes and means of livelihood as a result of passed a bill known as the Kirk Amendment, requiring the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict.” UNRWA began by the U.S. State Department to specify the real number of providing emergency assistance, temporary shelters and refugees who meet the basic relief. Soon after, original UNRWA definition. UNRWA helped resettle the The Palestinians insist that That number is estimated to refugees in permanent be no more than 30,000 housing and create millions of “fake” refugees Palestinians—a far cry from educational and health institutions. But, unlike the “return” to Israel—though 98% the five million claimed by treatment of refugees in all of them have never set foot there. UNRWA. The actual number is critical because the U.S. is the other wars, UNRWA single largest donor to dramatically and inexplicably UNRWA—contributing about $240 million annually. expanded the definition of “refugee” to include Surely U.S. citizens have a right to know whether they’re descendants of Palestinian refugees. supporting legitimate refugees from Israel’s 1948 war of Today, UNRWA claims more than five million independence or whether they’re paying to support Palestinian refugees, most of whom are in fact millions of descendents of refugees and thus creating a descendants and have never lived in Israel. UNRWA new category of Arab welfare dependents. currently employs 30,000 people, mostly Arabs in Gaza Why does the Palestinian Authority want millions of and the West Bank. The organization receives more than “fake” refugees moved to Israel? One of the greatest $600 million annually to serve these people, almost 40% obstacles to an Israeli-Palestinian peace has been the of which comes from the U. S., and the Palestinian insistence by Palestinian leadership of the “right of economy has become absolutely dependent on this aid. return” of Arab refugees to Israel. Of course there is no By contrast, the UN’s High Commission on Refugees inherent right of legitimate refugees, let alone their (UNHCR)—formed in 1950—serves all the world’s descendants, to move to Israel. But in every peace refugees except the Palestinians, and has successfully negotiation, the Palestinians have stubbornly insisted resettled 50 million refugees. Yet UNRWA, with its that millions of “fake” refugees—descendants—“return” strange definition of refugee, has actually increased the to Israel, though 98% of them have never set foot in number of Palestinian refugees by more than 700%— Israel. This poses an obvious question: Why would several million of whom are citizens of Jordan, and Palestinian leaders who are determined to create a millions more of whom are living in Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian state want their people now living in the Gaza. By 2030, the number of Palestinian “refugees” is West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan to move to expected to hit 8.5 million. Israel instead of to their own new state? UNHCR, which currently serves about 34 million There can be only one explanation: They want a refugees, employs only 7,685 staff—about one for every Palestinian state and they want to conquer the Jewish 4,424 refugees. UNRWA, however, employs one worker state. For surely, if Israel, with a population of eight for every 172 refugees, and their staff budget per head is million—six million Jews and two million Arabs—were double that at UNHCR. to agree to such peace terms, it would be tantamount to After 1993, when an agreement between Israel and the suicide. An influx of five million Arabs would swamp Palestinians gave broad authority for self-governance to Israel demographically, and it would instantly cease to be the Palestinian Authority (PA), many donor nations a Jewish state. argued that UNRWA’s purpose should be taken over by It’s clear that UNRWA is an organization that has outlived its usefulness. Rather than working to help stateless Palestinian-Arabs assimilate into other societies, it encourages refugee camps. Rather than promoting Palestinian self-determination and self-reliance, the agency is nurturing a new, rapidly growing welfare class. Rather than working to eliminate the problem of Palestinian refugees, UNRWA has become a bloated bureaucracy whose goal seems to be its own perpetuation and the demise of Israel—a mission that costs American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. This message has been published and paid for by

Facts and Logic About the Middle East P.O. Box 590359 � San Francisco, CA 94159

Gerardo Joffe, President

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Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

(Left) Jack Eggebrecht, visualization graduate student, watches as kids test a video game he helped develop at the Viz-aGoGo exhibit on Saturday.

‘Vizzers’ break-in historic venue with futuristic twist Sarah Hoffschwelle The Battalion

iz-a-GoGo, an annual program that features work from A&M graduate students in the visualization programs, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a trip through time in one very famous DeLorean. Viz-a-GoGo was held Saturday with the theme “Viz to the Future,” a play on the 1985 film “Back to the Future.” The event consisted of a still-art exhibit and as a screening of short videos showcasing the digital mastery of the visualization students, “Vizzers.” The exhibit opened in the Queen Theatre in downtown Bryan on Tuesday — the first public event in the historic venue in more than 40 years. “The public interest is really huge and I think it’s not only because of the typical Viza-GoGo enthusiasts but also the larger community,” said Dick Davison, A&M professor of architecture and visualization. “The community in Bryan knows the Queen and we sort of rebirthed the Queen.” Tim McLaughlin, head of the Department of Visualization, said although he was around for the first Viz-a-GoGo event, it has changed a lot from the small personal event it had been. “It became a bigger production, they started to make it more of a show and students were really working hard to put it together,” McLaughlin said. Davison said the task of getting the Queen Theater up to fire code was daunting. “We just took it one thing at a time,” Davison said. “By about two weeks ago, the space was essentially a safe space and we got the final blessing from the fire marshal last Monday.” Although visualization studies have offered a Master of Science degree since 1989, the Department of Visualization was formally created in January 2009 and was followed by a Master of Fine Arts in Visualization program in 2012, Texas A&M’s first graduate-level fine arts degree. “[It’s] an amazing blend of art and science, which is academically unorthodox,” Davison said. “They have their feet on the ground, heads in the stars.” Some visualization graduates have acquired positions at animation companies such as Pixar, Blue Sky, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Dreamworks.

Before the screening at the event, Pixar and Dreamworks Studios announced winners of scholarships awarded by the studios. “Former students get together and review the work [presented at Viz-a-GoGo] and make choices about who they think are the students who performed the best and contribute money towards scholarships for those students,” McLaughlin said The video screening showcased 38 short clips made and designed by visualization graduate students that were shown between four clips that told the story of a “vizzer” who is sent to 1993 and must find his way back to 2013, a “Back to the Future” parody. Many students had positive feedback on the event. “I was really impressed with all the different projects,” said Emily Drastata, sophomore environmental geoscience major. “You could tell they really put their hearts and lots of time and effort into it.” Lizzy Pearson, senior biomedical science major, said her roommate is a visualization graduate student and had heard about the event from her. “She’s been talking to me about all the projects, so it’s been really cool to see it all come together with the final product,” Pearson said. The event also included a reunion featuring programs such as the “Best of Viz” screening of student work from the past 20 years. Former students said it was nice to return and see how the program has evolved over time. “It’s neat to see how [the Viz department] has evolved,” said Christopher Kocmound, software engineer, professor of Digital Arts and Class of 1997. “I love that there is an undergraduate program now and Tim McLaughlin is the department head. He truly tailors it to the industry.” Davison said, regarding the evolution of the Department of Visualization, that the same creative process transcends fields of creative study. “Human beings love meaningful, beautiful images that speak to their hearts,” Davison said. “[Visualization] is a new medium. The radically new, changing tools just bring a whole new dimension, but we are still trying to create a powerful, beautiful statement just the same as Rembrandt and other famous artists did.”

5/5/13 8:32 PM

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Elizabeth Debicki and Tobey Maguire play Jordan Baker and Nick Carraway in Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby.”

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The Battalion onfetti fills the room while a crowd of people in 1920s fashion dance to their heart’s content as a combination of big-band jazz and modern hip-hop pulses in the background. A multitude of lavish scenes flash on the screen, but one name echoes through each of them: Gatsby. Many regard F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” as either the book they never read in high school, or one of the greatest American novels ever written. Either way, “The Great Gatsby” has made its mark on history and with the release of the upcoming film adaptation, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, it shows no signs of stopping. Texas A&M English professor William Clark said the beloved story has remained popular because it addresses a basic human tendency. “The novel is a story of desire, and that is something that never goes out of fashion,” Clark said. “We humans are, by nature, yearners, and the novel captures our yearning for tangible and intangible things, like wealth and ... social prestige and genuine virtue. These objects of our desire often conflict with one another, and that conflict makes for drama. ‘Gatsby’ is drama of the highest order.” Clark said though the story takes place in 1922 and was published in 1925, it is still relevant to society today. “Some have called ‘Gatsby’ the quintessential American novel because it looks at the American Dream, the rags-toriches myth, with a critical but never wholly dismissive eye,” Clark said. “That’s certainly an important part of its appeal and a magnificent achievement

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in and of itself. But ‘Gatsby’ is finally both an expression and an indictment of the broader romantic sensibility, a condition that continues to afflict us all well into the 21st century.” Junior economics major Brett Boehler is an avid reader and said he has read “Gatsby” five times. “It’s my favorite era,” Boehler said. “It’s the jazz age and the flappers and the theme of hope.” Boehler said he has watched trailers and read articles online about the movie and is excited how the book will be interpreted on screen. “It’s going to be dark, but it’s going to be vivid,” Boehler said. “ A lot of what [Luhrmann] does with the post modern music to bring out post-era themes, it makes it so dramatic.” Freshman telecommunication major Katie Paulukaitis is also anticipating the release of the movie. “I think it’s going to be really visually stimulating,” Paulukaitis said. “It’s going to be really pretty.” Paulukaitis also noted that Fitzgerald wrote the story as a cautionary tale. “He shows that even if you have money, your life isn’t going to be a cake walk,” Paulukaitis said. “He shows the uglier side of wealth. It’s really fascinating. It’s like watching a train wreck.” Clark added that he hopes seeing the film will encourage more people to read the original novel. “If the movie brings people to the book, I will be grateful,” Clark said. “One thing I know — nothing can equal the experience of reading a genuine masterpiece, and no movie, however artful, will ever be an adequate substitute for the novel Fitzgerald left us.”

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5/5/13 7:35 PM

page 10

opinion

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thebattalion More than 100 A&M students arrive in West on Saturday to assist in reconstruction by cleaning up garbage bags, abandoned household waste and debris.

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COURTESY

Devastation Continued from page 1

seen leisurely surveying the devastation. Two men drove south from the North-Dallas suburbs to help on Saturday, joining our group as we filled trailer after trailer to the brim with discarded doors, cabinets and nailinfested drywall. They both were veterans of relief efforts in Joplin, Mo., two years prior. â€œThis is bad, but itâ€™s not Joplin,â€? remarked a fit realtor who obviously loved this kind of work, images racing through his mind. â€œAt least buildings are still standing. At least thereâ€™s still trees.â€? Maybe West is no Joplin â€” and thank God for that. Even so, itâ€™s no happy time when observers use the wake of an EF-5 tornado as a standard of comparison for their present surroundings. After all, Mother Natureâ€™s power is awesome and notorious. But this was a manmade disaster â€” one tied to agriculture of all industries, not warfare. Up-and-down the street, returning residents treat their condemned homesâ€™ facades as brick canvases. â€œWe Love â€˜Uâ€™ Granny,â€? one artist spray-painted in black on red brick. â€œ#PrayForWest,â€? reads a lime-green message on white stone down the street, begging those annoying â€œtouristsâ€? to remind the world that West still needs help. A large pink heart decorates another homeâ€™s entry way. As we tunneled through insulation inside the gutted house, a few students started to remove drywall that had been discarded beside the back door â€” presumably by first responders who cleared buildings in search of stranded inhabitants. â€œDonâ€™t worry about that,â€? directed a burly man caked in fiberglass dust. He was son of the elderly property owner, proud father of a high-school senior destined for A&M in the fall, and was returning from a patient conversation with an opportunistic drywall installer already peddling his business card. â€œThe â€˜dozers will take care of it when they level the house.â€? The scene was a perfect allegory for a town staring down a five-year recovery plan. He was a proud man with a soft hug and firm handshake, resigned to the inevitable. Pieces of this town â€” both of its past and its future â€” are unsalvageable, best left to the â€˜dozers. But life moves on. And thatâ€™s where 100 Aggie students entered the picture.

Getting things started

My group of 10 students was one of perhaps a dozen spread across the area closest to the explosion: Zone 3. One group labored at a public park, another walked the streets bagging discarded drywall. Wherever the groups were, they found smiles, handshakes, salutes, â€œthank yous,â€? and one persistent question: â€œWhat group are you?â€? or its twin sister, â€œWhere are you from?â€? Our general response was, in one way or another, â€œWeâ€™re Aggies.â€? Given the sincerity of residentsâ€™ handshakes and hugs, you would have thought we said, â€œWeâ€™re angels.â€? One remarkable aspect of this effort â€” a

week and a half prior it was little more than an idea. Thatâ€™s when students decided to organize in support of West and System Chancellor John Sharp committed personal resources to ensuring their success. Because the city of West is reimbursed by the federal government for all community service after the disaster, a $4,000 investment from Sharp yielded at least $7,000 and possibly as much as $28,000 in direct monetary aid â€” on top of more than 300 service hours. Thatâ€™s 300 hours closer to a recognizable West; a sliver of a very, very big pie but not an insignificant contribution. One resident, a green-and-gold clad Baylor alumna with a shell of a house, couldnâ€™t wait to tell her two Aggie sons that A&M students were clearing their yard of debris. She even seemed a bit pleased that her grandchildren were being â€œindoctrinatedâ€? by their parents in the Aggie way of life. Thatâ€™s when it became apparent what we represented to these residents. Care. Empathy. Concern. All from young people at a state institution of higher learning, from the future of Texas. Notably, it wasnâ€™t a group of Baylor Bears, SMU Mustangs, Texas Longhorns or Tech Raiders surrendering a day in the middle of finals to serve complete strangers. It was Texas Aggies. God willing, all these schools will send relief teams to West in due time, but 100 students from Aggieland didnâ€™t wait for a precedent or even an invitation. Leaders from the MSC, SGA and Big Event saw a need, offered to help, then showed up with friends in tow, making Aggies the first all-volunteer group â€” not just the first student body â€” to embrace West as their own. Thereâ€™s something special in that; something that deserves to be fostered and encouraged. As 100 dirty, tired, yet satisfied students prepared to depart West, standing in front of a maroon Spirit Bus, our conversation with the head relief coordinator turned somber. â€œWhen you go home, tell your friends about West,â€? she requested, reveling the burden of a creeping summer heat and untold tasks yet to be accomplished. â€œThen come back.â€? Working at West on Saturday felt great. The people of West loved seeing us, seeing an investment in their community. It was a splash of cool water for them after weeks of arid shock. For us, it was the best kind of study break: the kind that puts everything in perspective. One great feature of attending a public University is that we exist to serve the state. The great feature about Texas A&M is that many in our community embrace this calling. And the great opportunity in West, despite the devastation, is the chance for us to fulfill this obligation. As time passes, people will begin to forget about the little town with the big wound. New story lines will develop. New concerns will fill our lives. But West wonâ€™t stop hurting just because others forgot their pain. Robert Carpenter is a senior applied mathematics major and former editorin-chief for The Battalion.

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