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thebattalion

campus Student contracts meningitis A Texas A&M student has been diagnosed as possibly having bacterial meningitis. Classmates and faculty in proximity to the student have been notiﬁed. Those who believe they have contracted the disease can go to Student Health Services for free antibiotics. To lessen the risk of contraction SHS also provides a vaccine for $125.

● wednesday,

february 9, 2011

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

students

Aggies stress to the max Poor emotional health for college freshmen in national ranking

Student injured in car accident Just before 10:30 Sunday night a drunk driver ran a stop sign at Jones Butler Road and Harvey Mitchell Parkway and collided with another vehicle, injuring one. According to police, Gregory Higginbotham, a junior kinesiology major admitted to have been drinking and voluntarily submitted himself to a Breathalyzer test and was charged with an intoxicated assault charge. He was not injured. The victim, senior political science major Lindsay Ochoa sustained fractures to her vertebrae and a broken knee. Higginbotham faces third degree penalty charges and ﬁnes up to $10,000 along with up to 10 years in prison. Gayle Gabriel, staff writer

Trevor Stevens Special to the Battalion Texas A&M students reflect positive responses to national ratings of poor emotional health among America’s incoming freshmen. The emotional strain of incoming freshmen is influenced by new and old stressors. First-year undergraduate students’ emotional health ratings are at an all-time low, according to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshman Survey. This Freshman Survey is administered annually by the Higher Education Research Institute to more than 200,000 See Stress on page 6

money

Ty Petty— THE BATTALION

David Chapman sits in front of a copy of The Alamo Mission painting given on behalf of John Wayne.

End of Chapman era

Perry appoints 3 regents Gov. Rick Perry appointed three members to the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The constituents include Elaine Mendoza of San Antonio, Judy Morgan of Texarkana and Cliff Thomas of Victoria. Their terms are set to expire Feb. 1, 2017. Krystal Nimigian, Special to the Battalion

Director of Cushing Library retires after 39 years at A&M Ty Petty The Battalion Until Jan. 28, I had no idea who Dr. David Chapman, class of 1967, was or what he did. I learned that he was director of the Cushing Memorial Library and that he was retiring, Friday, Jan. 28, would be his last day at work. The end of this workday would be remarkable, unlike most of the other 2,028 Fridays in Chapman’s tenure. This Friday would mark the end of Chapman’s 39 years of service to Texas A&M University’s library and archives.

I arrived at Cushing an hour early for the half hour interview I had scheduled with Chapman. I wanted to get some pictures of him in his office doing work or of him in his natural work environment, whatever it may be. The desk receptionist called him down. While I waited, I did not expect this unscheduled early arrival for photos to go over well. Cushing Library is not a hub of campus activity. As I heard the elevator ring in the lobby, I did not know what to expect of the man arriving.

Fun facts ◗ He graduated from A&M in 1967 with a degree in history, earned his masters in 1973 and his doctorate in 1981 for history. His hobbies include book collecting, antique ﬁrearms, golf and ﬁshing.

See Chapman on page 5

Rent books, save $ Students find alternative ways to read for class with e-textbooks Katie Marie Pogue Special to the Battalion Textbooks are a necessary financial burden college students stomach each semester. The Internet textbook rental company Chegg.com, states that the average college student spends more than $1,000 a year on a textbook bill. In the past few years, textbook vendors have heeded the growing complaints of 18.4 million college students across the U.S. and developed ways to reduce the cost of textbooks, such as offering the option of renting a physical textbook or renting an e-textbook copy. The home webpage of the MSC bookstore states that renting books saves money, but the See Textbooks on page 2

campus

Corps leadership taking strides Alex Lotz Special to the Battalion Breaking past spring records with an enrollment of 46,495 students, one man alone leads 2,000 uniformed Aggie men and women. Senior student Corps Command, David Keim is the leader of more than 35 units in the Corps and his sole purpose is to better the cadets, the University and to preserve the Spirit of Aggieland. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity

“P PURE URE

I could never pass up. It was never really an ambition, I just fell into it,” said Keim, a senior history major. Keim said that this process is not just a simple application and interview. Besides being competitive and driven to better themselves, these men and women must also show their leadership skills throughout their every endeavor. The Corps commander must maintain academic integrity and at least a 2.8 GPR throughout the

H HEART E ! A BROADWAY WAY H HIT IT ” USA Today

school year. “At the end of the fall semester, anyone interested in Corps leadership positions submits an online application. For Corps commander, a board composed of current senior cadet leadership as well as members of the commandant’s staff reviews the applications and decides who will receive an interview,” said Miles McGowen, a senior See Corps on page 6

Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

Senior Corps Command David Keim leads 35 units in the Corps of cadets and preserves the spirit of Aggieland.

FINAL PERFORMANCE TONIGHT ,/(% EB GJ99:G 6J9>IDG>JB Strong language, mature subject matter and adult situations.

ILLUSTRATION BY PETER SYLVADA