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thebattalion l friday,

november 22, 2013

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texas a&m since 1893

50-year flashback: John F. Kennedy assassination

1963: ‘Bonfire’ yell practice goes on as usual tonight Maybe best ever says yell leader Editor’s Note: This is the frontand-center story from The Battalion on Nov. 26, 1963, four days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It is reprinted exactly as it appeared 50 years ago, typos and all.

he traditional Aggie Bonfire has been cancelled, out of respect of our late President, but the yell practice scheduled tonight is intended to demonstrate to the world that the Aggies desire to beat the University of Texas is as great as ever before if not greater, Head Yell Leader Mike Marlow stated Wednesday. Action on cancellation of the

bonfire came during a meeting Friday night of the various deans, administrative officials, Coach Hank Foldberg, and student leaders in the office of President Rudder. The meeting had been called by the president following the assissination of President Kennedy in Dallas. In a unanimous agreement, it was decided to cancel the bonfire in the light of national mourning following Kennedy’s death. Rudder told the group that “we should do what is in good taste for Texas A&M,” and “since we are a military school, in a sense, our Commander-in-Chief was slain.” Coach Foldberg announced that the decision would in no way dim the spirit of the football squad, and thought the student leaders acted in good taste.

The football game and bonfire are small things in the overall scene of this national tragedy he said. Following the group’s decision, which President Rudder described as one of the finest actions he had ever seen the student body at A&M take, a meeting for juniors and seniors was held in Guion Hall to explain the decision and the reasons which made it necessary. “We realize that this bonfire would probably have been one of the largest in A&M’s history,” Marlow said, “but that is all the more tribute and sacrifice we are making for the death of our President.” The head yell leader commented that the spirit of the student body as a whole, has rarely been higher for the upcoming game.

“This new spirit is especially noticeable among the civilian students,” he said. “Probably in no other time in the history of the school, have civilians been prepared to do so much toward the construction of the Aggie bonfire.” The yell practice scheduled for tonight will be around the centerpole of that bonfire-thatwas-to-be, just as it would have been with a bonfire, Marlow said. At 8 p.m. the band will march through the campus picking up students, making a special trip to the old area, the civilian dorms and Henderson Hall. “This could be the best ‘bonfire’ yet,” Marlow said, “and if FILE the students show as much spirit tonight as they have shown in Band students play taps during the 1963 the past week, we are sure to memorial services in G. Rollie White Coliseum, beat the teasips Thursday.” honoring the late President Kennedy.

HOWDY FARM BREWS B-CS LINKS A majority of the produce grown by Howdy Farm is cultivated in the garden behind the Horticulture Building.

crime

Naked man not charged, says UPD John Rangel The Battalion

New brewpub sources produce from A&M garden

Photos by Alexander Nelowet — THE BATTALION

Blackwater Draw Brewery has brokered a deal with Howdy Farm for fresh vegetables.

Alexander Nelowet

The Battalion he Howdy Farm, an on-campus farm that sells produce throughout the community, has recently found a buyer in a new brewery on Northgate. The recently opened brewpub, Blackwater Draw, is buying a large amount of its produce from the student-run farm. Chris Steele, co-owner of the brewpub, said getting local food from Howdy Farm fits into his vision for the company. “The whole idea behind the brewpub was brewing beer here locally and we wanted our whole concept to be ‘fresh beer, fresh food,’” Steele said. “We are trying to get as many things

locally and we ran into some guys from Howdy Farm, so we started getting a lot of produce from them. We are trying to orient our menu on what we buy from them.” Senior aerospace engineering major, James Kim, said he appreciates the idea of being able to eat food produced on the A&M campus at a local establishment. “It’s really cool that we have a brewpub in the heart of Northgate that sources produce from Howdy Farm,” Kim said. “It’s also comforting to know the food you’re eating comes straight from an Aggie-run farm that promotes organic and environmentally-friendly methods.” See Howdy Farm on page 3

tudents on campus Wednesday were greeted by the sight of a naked man claiming to be Jesus. Lt. Allen Baron of the University Police Department said the individual was approached by UPD officers who decided he was in need of medical attention. “It was a criminal incident, but he wasn’t charged or arrested,” Baron said. “We made contact with the individual and helped him seek medical assistance and at that point he was turned over to others.” Baron declined to comment on the individual’s current condition or any other specifics. Philosophy graduate student, Tad Duncan, said he spotted the individual walking near the MSC in the early afternoon and that the individual was wearing no clothes and carried only a skateboard. “It’s not every day you see a naked man walking around with a skateboard claiming he’s Jesus.” Duncan said. Duncan saw the individual near Hart Hall and said most of the students in the vicinity tried to avoid him.

liberal arts

College boosts faculty numbers COURTESY

Statistics professor Cliff Spiegelman says the evidence surrounding the bullets fired into John F. Kennedy’s car could be circumspect.

jfk assassination: 50 years later

Skepticism lingers as anniversary passes A&M professor to discuss conspiracy validity Friday Alexander Nelowet The Battalion

he assassination of John F. Kennedy is still surrounded by doubt and conspiracy, even 50 years later. For one Texas A&M professor, this speculation is well founded. To mark the 50th anniversary of

BAT_11-22-13_A1.indd 1

President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, statistics professor Cliff Spiegelman and former FBI crime lab scientist William A. Tobin will discuss the validity of some of the evidence in the Kennedy case. Spiegelman said he has researched the methods used to determine how many bullets were fired into Kennedy’s car. He said his findings challenge the testimony given by Vincent Guinn that there were no more than See Conspiracy on page 3

Bryan Johnson — THE BATTALION

Players celebrate Allie Bailey’s overtime goal to lift A&M over Utah on Nov. 18 in the NCAA first round.

The Battalion

faced the Red Raiders in 18 previous matches, out-dueling Tech to a lopsided 16-11 ledger. Friday’s matchup will be the first time the Aggies will square off against a nationally ranked Tech team. “We have a lot of respect for Tech and what [head See Soccer on page 4

See Faculty on page 2

A&M battles Tech in NCAA tourney The Battalion he No. 13 Texas A&M soccer team will lace up for a meeting with exconference foe No. 18 Texas Tech (18-2-2) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Aggies (18-4-1) have

Aimee Breaux espite University-wide budget cuts, the College of Liberal Arts has found the means to hire 34 new permanent faculty members. According to the College of Liberal Arts, the 34 new faculty will add to the existing 365 faculty members, a number that will increase the college faculty by almost 10 percent. Of the 34, two will be hired as department heads, 19 as tenured professors and 15 as associate professors, said dean of Liberal Arts José Luis Bermúdez. Bermúdez said the hiring of 19 tenured professors is unusual but it gives the department strategic advantages. “It gives us an opportunity to

soccer

Clay Koepke

34 new positions added, including 2 department heads

11/21/13 8:26 PM

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page 2 friday 11.22.2013

thebattalion

bioethics forum

Forum tackles science in media Saturday discussion to hinge on dilemmas in disasters Caroline Corrigan The Battalion

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he morality of surviving a post-apocalyptic world may be the last thing on the mind of “The Walking Dead’s” Rick Grimes, but ethical dilemmas in such dire situations, real and imagined, will be the center of discussion at Saturday’s bioethics conference. Members of Bioethics Forum will provide undergraduates with presentations and discussions on bioethical issues that appear in the media. With a focus on increasing bioethical awareness, a zombie apocalypse is just one of many topics at the conference. Maryam Khan, co-president and senior biomedical science major, said the conference will present undergraduates with topics they do not often encounter in their classrooms. “[The conference] will give you an opportunity to discuss topics that usually don’t come up in everyday conversations,” Khan said. Khan said members of Bioethics Forum will give presentations with information regarding issues from organ donations to genetic engineering and how the media portrays them. Sarah Maddux, co-president and senior molecular and cell biology major, said her presentation will be over ethics in a zombie apocalypse and the importance for our generation to look beyond TV shows and movies when referencing these issues. “Our culture is obsessed with zombie lore and though the feasibility of zombies is highly doubtful, the ethical questions such as scenarios posed about quarantine measures, survival ethics and disease victim rights are highly relevant to decisions we would have to make in the event of a

Liberal Arts Continued from page 1

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bring people in with really rich experience and benefits our students, and it benefits our existing faculty,” Bermúdez said. “It gives us fresh perspective, new skills, new ideas.” Bermúdez said the college has taken a 17-percent funding hit in the last four years, a circumstance that has caused the department to financially innovate. “We’ve dealt with [the budget cuts],” Bermúdez said. “We’ve made adjustments with very efficient use of our reserves and our balances and we’ve done a lot of planning and managed our enrollment. Now we are able to reinvest all the savings into growing our faculty and making some very strategic advances.” Bermúdez said funding that has made the current hiring possible has come from a variety of sources, including growth in student enrollment and receiving nearly $1 million out of the $1.7 million allotted to colleges from the Office of Provost &

COURTESY

Alexander Vega (from left), Sarah Maddux, Maryam Khan and Masha Bobrovnyk prepare to welcome guests at a previous Bioethics Forum. serious pandemic,” Maddux said. Ethan Tackett, co-event coordinator and senior biochemistry and genetics major, said he is presenting on the ethics of identifying individuals based on their genetic code in a similar way social security numbers and drivers license numbers are used today. “With newer, faster, more accurate methods of DNA sequencing being developed, we are getting dangerously close to being able to decode a person’s specific code within minutes,” Tackett said. “My presentation and discussion revolves around personal identification relying on DNA and the possible dangers and opportunities that accompany it.” Masha Bobrovnyk, co-event coordinator and senior biology major, said she asked Dr. Meera Beharry, a pediatrician from Temple, Texas, to discuss adoles-

cent medicine Saturday. “She specifically deals with ethics in medicine at her job on a daily basis — that is one of the main reasons we wanted her to speak,” Bobrovnyk said. “She councils teens on their own decisions, from eating disorders to end-of-life decisions.” Maddux said the conference holds importance to everyone, with the discussion of upcoming ethical issues in the medical and biological research fields. “It is important for students our age, who are most exposed to that media portrayal, to understand the truth as we prepare to determine the ethical future of our society,” Maddux said. Presentations for the forum will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Agriculture and Life Sciences Complex.

The reason we’re doing this is because we’ve really worked out how to think together as a college instead of individual departments.”

Bermúdez said all new faculty will be chosen through a national search, with a specific look into recruiting experienced researchers away from other research universities. Bermúdez said faculty will be hired for almost all departments and the end goal is to hire professors that will help innovate, build new programs, use technology more efficiently and develop more multidisciplinary studies. “We see this as an incredible opportunity to transform the College of Liberal Arts,” Bermúdez said. With efficiency being the key step to improving a college, Bermúdez said the College of Liberal Arts has primarily improved its efficiency by cutting across department barriers. “The reason we’re doing this is because we’ve really worked out how to think together as a college instead of thinking as a collection of individual departments,” Bermúdez said. “That process has allowed us to do a lot of college-wide planning and to be very efficient, very effective and very thoughtful.”

— José Luis Bermúdez, dean of Liberal Arts Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. In addition to generally taking a hard look into efficiency and savings, other revenue came from a voluntary phase separation program that allowed some faculty to work half time for a period of years and a new financial economics masters program, Bermúdez said.

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thebattalion The IndependenT STudenT VoIce of TexaS a&M SInce 1893

Jake Walker, 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; E-mail: 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 979-8452687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. 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.

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We’ve got your number 2013-2014 Texas A&M Campus Directory

Convenient listings of departments, administrators, faculty, staff, and other information about A&M. Departments: You may charge and pick up Campus Directories in the student media office in suite L400 of the msC. Cost is $4 per copy. please bring a student media Work Order. Delivery by request. Call 845-2646 for info. stUDents anD Others may purchase directories for $4 plus tax each in msC L400 (by cash, check or credit card). hours: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. monday–Friday.

11/21/13 8:19 PM

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page 3

Thinking about Graduate School? Think about Trinity.

friday 11.22.2013

thebattalion

Conspiracy Continued from page 1

two bullets in the vehicle and its occupants. “The research looked into the veracity of Dr. Guinn’s testimony for the house-led committee on the assassination and his comparative bullet lead analysis,” Spiegelman said. “He testified that from his application of chemistry he could tell how many bullets were in the Kennedy party, meaning the car, Governor Connally and President Kennedy. He said there was only evidence for two and only two bullets and we found that that was not valid. There may be two bullets in the party, but not for the reason he said. From his science, we think he can only say there were between two and five bullets in the

party.” Spiegelman said he hopes students will find the talk interesting and lively. Ana Diaz-Covarrubias, junior history major, said she is interested in learning more about the Kennedy assassination and plans on attending the event. “I think it is a very interesting that a University professor took the time to study the evidence and I would really like to go to the talk and become more educated on the topic,” Covarrubias said. Spiegelman said the talk will give students insight into the reality of forensic evidence and applications of statistics. “For those people who take stat courses, they can see statistics applied to an issue that matters,” Spiegelman said. “In general they can see shortfalls in forensic science. There are the NCIS and CSI shows and the

Howdy Farm Continued from page 1

Corey Wahl, Howdy Farm technician, said the farm had to concentrate its resources on relocation this year due to the upcoming dorm construction on West Campus. As such, Wahl said the farm was not able to offer the Community Supported Agriculture program, where community members pay for a vegetable subscription at the beginning of the semester. The program secures funds for the farm and recipients for the produce, but Wahl said this year they have only been able to sell their products at the farmers market in Bryan. Since its opening, Blackwater Draw became a great outlet for the vegetables, Wahl said, and the farm hopes to eventually provide hops to brew beer with. “Currently we mainly sell heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and mixed greens to Blackwater Draw, but we have plans to sell a variety of other seasonal produce to them in the future,” Wahl said. “This may include butternut squash, carrots, beets and summer squash. The farm is also doing research about growing hops in this region so we might, one day, provide some local hops for the brewing process.” Blake Zeitman, executive chef for Black-

science in those shows is played to be more perfect than it is in practice. By coming to the talk, they can recalibrate to see what really happens in the world as opposed to the glorified television versions.” De Estan Turner, junior international studies major, said he has heard different views on the assassination and would be interested to hear what the experts have to say about the evidence. “I think it is a fascinating topic that has extremely important historical implications,” Turner said. “Any assassination of a president is pretty historically important and significant and I think this is why there is such controversy surrounding the subject.” The talk will be in Rudder Tower Room 510 at 4 p.m. Friday, and will be followed by a question-and-answer period.

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water Draw, said the company has the goal to source locally because it’s a win-win situation for the business and surrounding community. “We try and help local business, including Howdy Farm,” Zeitman said. “When stuff is fresh, it just tastes better. Not only that, but since it doesn’t have to travel as far, it is cheaper, it’s better for the environment and it’s delicious.” Buying produce from Howdy Farm not only allows Blackwater Draw to have a seasonal menu that provides variety for the customers, but it also helps to strengthen the local economy, Wahl said. Knowing where their food comes from and being able to visit the source and help create the produce is another benefit Wahl said he sees in the new partnership between Howdy Farm and the brewpub. “This relationship that Blackwater Draw has established with us and other local farmers strengthens the local economy, builds community networks and provides customers of the brewery with a diverse seasonal menu,” Wahl said. “When the community eats at the brewery, they are supporting this local network and know exactly where their food originated from. The beauty of the local food movement is that anyone can come visit the farm to see how the food is grown and they can even participate in the process by volunteering.”

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We’ve got your number 2013-2014 A&M Campus Directory

Listings of departments, administrators, faculty, staff, and other information.

epartments: You may charge and pick them up at the student media office in suite L400 of the msC. Cost is $4 per copy. please bring a student media Work Order. Deliveries on request. Call 845-2646 for information.

tUDents and others may purchase directories for $4 plus tax each in msC L400 (by cash, check or credit card). Hours: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

11/21/13 8:08 PM

sports

page 4 friday 11.22.2013

thebattalion

Selfless remembrance Sean Lester: Aggie spirit shined through after JFK’s passing 50 years ago

resident John F. Kennedy would have loved Texas A&M. An avid sportsman, the late 35th president of the U.S. would have appreciated the love Aggies have for their sports and the work-a-holic drive that A&M ringbearing students possess. Friday, the nation will pause to remember a day 50 years ago when everything and everyone in America came to a screeching halt. On Friday, Nov. 22, 1963 at 12:30 p.m., Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas while on a political trip. The scene of this act is a place I have been past countless times. Three years ago, I interned with The Dallas Morning News, located two blocks away from the building Lee Harvey Oswald shot from. Tourists make trips around the site like drivers peaking over their hoods at a rush-hour accident. The nation mourned 50 years ago and subsequently the sports world went into a state of panic. Like the 9/11 attacks, no one quite knew if sports could be used to aid the mourning or if it would only add salt to the wound. The next day, college football games were canceled, including the annual Army-Navy game, which Kennedy had attended the

two previous seasons to watch future Dallas Cowboy Hall-ofFamer Roger Staubach. Since Jacqueline Kennedy believed the game would be a fitting tribute to her husband, the game was rescheduled a week later. In College Station, Aggies were preparing for the annual Thanksgiving game against Texas when news of the president’s death surfaced. A&M students weren’t sure how they could show their sorrow for the president. They decided to give everything they had. As the 1964 Aggieland Yearbook stated in a memorial to Kennedy on the first pages of the publication, “At noon Friday, the 1963 Bonfire had progressed this far. It went no further.” One of A&M’s most famous traditions was stopped as students took down the structure. Texas A&M President James Earl Rudder said the sacrifice of Bonfire was an

FILE

Aggie cadets place a wreath at President Kennedy’s grave while weathering a “heavy Christmas storm” in 1963.

Soccer Continued from page 1

coach] Tom [Stone] and those guys have done,” said A&M head coach G Guerrieri. “We have a great record against them and it’s always been a good rivalry. Playing on a neutral field at Chapel Hill will be a really tough assignment.” After a defensive battle resulted in a 1-0 overtime victory for the Aggies over the Utah Utes in the first round of the tournament, the Aggies are in store for more of the same against Tech. The Red Raiders have one of

“expression of deep sorrow.” Head Yell Leader Mike Marlow said, “It’s the most we have; It’s the least we can do.” Before the Aggies and Longhorns could hit the gridiron that week at Kyle Field, the Aggie family had another way of showing its sorrow and appreciation for the situation in Dallas. Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit found Oswald roaming the Dallas streets following the shooting and upon opening his door was shot three times, killing him. The Battalion reported Texas A&M reached out to the family and ensured that Tippit’s two sons had full scholarships should they meet the academic requirements to attend the University. That week, one of Texas A&M’s most controversial games in program history was played. The Aggies led 13-3 at halftime looking to pull off a major upset of the undefeated Horns. Up 13-9 late in the fourth quarter, A&M’s Jim Willenborg appeared to make a spectacular interception in the end zone. The referees ruled Willenborg bobbled the ball, sending the Aggie faithful into an all-out frenzy that would last the better part of a month, with the yearbook reading, “Aggies 13, T.U. 9, Referees 6” after the 1513 Texas victory. The Aggie students held a memorial service for Kennedy at halftime on Thanksgiving Day. With 38,500 in attendance at Kyle Field and the country attending to their television sets, the Aggie Band performed in a moving tribute to Kennedy. “Again, the student body reflected credit on itself and the institution

the premier defenses in the nation, having forced 17 shutouts while only allowing seven goals on the season. Since winning the SEC Tournament on Nov. 10 against Florida — and winning 13 of the last 14 games — Guerrieri and the Aggies are embracing the challenges being dealt to them and look to win and advance, one game at a time. “It’s the NCAA Tournament and the name of the game as I said to the players is win and advance,” Guerrieri said. “You get no extra goals for style points, you’ve just got to find a way to win and that’s what this team has been doing now.”

FILE

A&M students disassembled the 1963 Bonfire following the news of President Kennedy’s assassination. by its demonstration of true Aggie spirit,” Rudder said in an open letter run by The Battalion following the game. “We have received many congratulatory messages regarding the student body’s conduct. The faculty, staff and I join these friends in commending you.” That winter, a group of Aggie cadets were pictured in a “heavy Christmas storm” placing a wreath on the grave of the late president at Arlington National Cemetery. As Americans young and old remember Kennedy on this day, I can’t help but look back on what these Aggies of yesteryear did in a time of sorrow. So often we are caught up in our own lives then the death of another sets us back, briefly. The biggest game of the year didn’t stop Aggies in 1963 from showing their support and showing what the Aggie spirit is made of. The Longhorns were announced as the national champions following the game but it was the Aggies who won the week following JFK’s assassination. These students embodied what being an Aggie is all about. All

The Aggies were recognized for the third straight year with The National Soccer Association of America Team Academic Award. To be considered for the award, a team must have a composite GPA of at least 3.0, displaying not only the athletic excellence of the program but the academic superiority as well. “The players continue to make us proud with their work in the classroom,” Guerrieri said. “This is an important honor because it’s an academic award and it’s a team award. We embrace both of those things in our program, so it is great for them to be recognized for it.”

those traditions and honor codes we sign off on, it’s all because of times like this. With literally no one watching them, they went out of their way time and time again to honor a man who had no association with Texas A&M. Some disliked his policies, others liked his charisma. None of it mattered that Friday 50 years ago when the nation stopped what it was doing, stopped what it was watching and mourned. With a football game on the line this Saturday that very well could decide this year’s A&M football team’s fate in a BCS bowl game, remember the reason this University is so treasured. Remember those things that make you an Aggie. Sometimes it’s about a lot more than exams or the next football game. More often it’s about being an Aggie. Sean Lester is a senior ag communications and journalism major and sports desk assistant for The Battalion

thebatt.com

A&M faces off against LSU The Texas A&M football team travels to Baton Rouge, La., to face off with the No. 22 LSU Tigers at Death Valley. The game will feature two of the nation’s Biletnikoff Award semifinalists — A&M’s Mike Evans and LSU’s Odell Beckham Jr. — and is set to have major bowl implications for the Southeastern Conference. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Read the full story at thebatt.com

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