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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10

OPINION Let’s get freaky! Opinion writer Joshua Abraham says being genuine with others is key. A4

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SPORTS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ Aggie rodeo athletes find DAY AND COLUMBUS DAY success in the arena and in the classroom. B1

OCTOBER 14

US healthcare ranking spurs questions Students describe health system as being inaccessible By Stacy Cox Senior News Reporter A recent study compared 10 high-income, developed countries, including the United States, based on their healthcare systems. The U.S. was ranked last for multiple reasons, including high costs and inadequate quality of care. The chief of medical staff for University Health Services at A.P. Beutel Health Center, Gayle Ponder, Ph.D., said the ranking reflects different tax and healthcare policies. Other countries levy higher taxes on citizens that pay for cheaper and more effective healthcare services. “I do think, in America, the insurance companies and the administrative process have gotten into healthcare and have made it inefficient for the patients,” Ponder said. Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION Ponder said there are accessibility Sarah A. Hamar, Richard Schubot Endowed Chair and director of the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center feeds Patty the scarlet macaw at the Schubot Aviary Center on issues when people are trying to acWednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. cess healthcare they need. “Just from seeing my own family members using healthcare outside of the Beutel, there is a lot of inefficiencies,” Ponder said. “There’s a lack to exotic birds for the betterment tor of the Schubot Center for Avian recognizes the codependency of an- of follow through, and there’s a lot of vet students, researchers and the Health, the research conducted is imals, humans and ecosystems in an of barriers with getting the appointbirds themselves. just as important to birds as it is to effort to create more integrated sci- ments you need or getting the tests In addition to the aviary build- people. entific solutions. you need for the doctor.” ing, the Schubot Center for Avian “I was studying … the West “If we can get … a team together Political science junior DomiHealth includes a network of over Nile virus and how it was decimat- and look at health more holistically nique Larrea said the ranking does 75 researchers dedicated to studying wild bird populations but also … we can train our students to be not shock her, especially when conBy Julia Helsel ing different aspects of bird science, making people really sick,” Hamer multidisciplinary rather than lead sidering cases where Americans pay Life & Arts Writer including infectious diseases, nutri- said. “I got really interested in that their own project,” Hamer said. hundreds of thousands of dollars for Just off of F&B Road and Agron- tion, genetics and conservation, all wildlife-human health interface and Every team member has a pas- treatments. omy Road, nestled behind build of which aim to improve the coex- wanted to do more.” sion for birds, but for E.V. Voltura, “And we don’t see the same resites, lies a hidden gem of Texas istence of birds and humans. Throughout her studies, Hamer Ph.D., a postdoctoral research as- sults that you probably see in other A&M’s veterinary medicine faciliAccording to Sarah Hamer, repeatedly noticed a relationship be- sociate at the Schubot Center, her countries,” Larrea said. ties: the Schubot Center for Avian Ph.D., professor of epidemiology in tween human health problems and dedication has spanned her entire Larrea said when her cousin Health. the College of Veterinary Medicine the ecosystem. This connection, life. was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Here, research and care are given and Biomedical Sciences and direc- called the “One Health Initiative,” AVIARY ON A3 the waitlist for help in Texas was a month — despite him only having “a few weeks left.” “So waiting for help and when you need it right then and there was not an option,” Larrea said. Ponder said it’s not just healthcare providers contributing to the rankof Austin and smack in the middle ing but also insurance companies of “enemy territory,” not all Aggies that serve as barriers by refusing to consider it that. approve treatments and procedures For biology sophomore Lauren despite “a lot of research and great Peterson, the festival has become an physicians” in the United States. annual tradition — and a home base “I also think across the U.S., there for reunions. By Theresa Lozano are areas and clinics that try to serve “ACL is honestly my highlight Life & Arts Editor people and remove the cost barrier,” because so many of my friends went Described as “a once in a life- out of state for school, but we all Ponder said. “Yet, there are still gotime experience … two times a come home for ACL,” Peterson ing to be people who don’t utilize year,” the Austin City Limits mu- said. “So I get to see all of my fathis and people who don’t follow sic festival had an electric opening vorite people when I come home, through.” weekend. Under the blazing Texas including my family.” Larrea said a large part of the sun and kicked-up dirt, over 100 reason the U.S. healthcare system Former students Julia Tisch, Class artists performed across nine stages, of 2019, and Mayra Yundt-Pacheis so poor is politics and lobbying, attracting hundreds of thousands of co, Class of 2020, have also attendas pharmaceutical companies would festivalgoers. not benefit from a free or low-cost ed the festival for several years. The Held in Zilker Park in Austin, the former roommates both received system. two-weekend event attracts music their bachelor’s at A&M and mas“At the end of the day, this is a Theresa Lozano — THE BATTALION lovers and fans from not only around ter’s at the University of Texas. humanitarian issue, I think us being the country — but the world. This No. 10 should raise awareness and set The house-divided friends said The Sparkle Truck sits in Zilker Park’s Rock Island on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. year’s headliners include Chris Sta- they were excited to see Foster The year, they looked forward to adding to the Tarrant Boyds. off a lot of alarms in government that pleton, Blink-182, Dua Lipa, with People and Chappell Roan, just two Roan to that list. They’ve lived in Austin for 30 we need to be doing something betan exhilarating closing led by Stur- of thousands of attendees there to Unsurprisingly, the “Good years and have Longhorn friends ter,” Larrea said. “One of the reasons gill Simpson and Tyler, The Cre- see the Midwestern Princess. Luck, Babe!” diva attracted what but are always excited to spot other why people say ‘free healthcare for ator. Angel Tarrant Boyd, Class of is believed to be one of the biggest Fightin’ Farmers there who flock to all’ wouldn’t be the best is because Beyond the music, the festival has 1987, has attended ACL with her crowds in ACL history. A sea of fes- the Boyds’ A&M flag. many countries with free healthcare booths for businesses and vendors, husband almost every year since it tivalgoers flooded Zilker with most“There’s a lot of Aggies here,” have a backed-up healthcare system, eats for days, endless photo-ops and began in 2002, only missing the first ly pink cowboy hats or camo caps, Boyd said. “We’ve had at least three but you have the same issue here.” green initiatives to broaden their one. Ponder said that in an ideal sitsome even camping out for hours in or four people take their picture sustainability practices, including with the Aggie flag, and we hear uation, everybody would have The live music lovers said they’ve preparation. — and very much needed — hy- seen The Eagles, Paul McCartney, With tens of thousands in atten- a lot of ‘Gig ‘ems.’ So we’re pret- the same access to care, so people dration stations for reusable water Alanis Morissette and more impres- dance, it’s not uncommon to spot ty happy about that. They need to wouldn’t have to avoid healthcare bottles. Though ACL is in the heart sive names in previous years — this an Ag or two, like what happened come on out.” because of cost or convenience.

Birdbrained world of Schubot Inside the avian health center and its team of egg-cellent researchers

Aggies flock to Austin for Weekend 1 of ACL Students, Austinites come together for annual music festival

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