thebattalion
SBP debate today The candidates for student body president will debate today at the Zone Plaza in front of Kyle Field. A Student Senate forum and Aggie Green Fund forum will follow at Rudder Tower. Election Commissioner and senior political science major Jacob Lopez said the student body president debate is a great way for students to learn about candidates. “I think it is important because who you elect for student body president is the figurehead for the University,” Lopez said. “They are a direct link to anything a student would possibly need.”The debate will take place from 11-1 p.m. The Aggie Green Fund meeting will be at 1:30 p.m., ending with a senate forum from 3-5 p.m. The Aggie Green Fund is a student movement pushing for tuition to fund “green” initiatives on campus. In case of rain the debate, Senate Forum and Aggie Green Fund will be moved from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. in Koldus, room 144. Travis Lawson, staff writer
● tuesday,
march 2, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
Silver Taps honors fallen ■ Hughes loved people, the outdoors and the Aggie community that offered it all Samantha Johnson The Battalion Trigg Jackson Hughes will be remembered tonight at Silver Taps. Hughes, a junior physics major and member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, died on Jan. 30. He was 19. Matt Brown, a senior finance major, Hughes said he remembers Hughes as fun-loving and full of energy. “Trigg was the social chairman for Beta Theta Pi when I was president, he always had a smile on his face and full of life, full of energy; he was a great man,” Brown said. Brown said Hughes’s outlook on life had a way of lifting people’s spirits and making days better. “Trigg really had a great personality; he was one of those guys who, if you were having a bad day he could turn things around in 30 seconds or less, just by being around him,” he said.
thebatt.com
Women’s hoops Kyle Cunningham says that it’s about time the Aggie fans go out and support the A&M women.
See Hughes on page 8
ASSOCIATED PRESS
inside
Gov. Rick Perry, Debra Medina, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Bill White and Farouk Shami are front runners in their respective parties’ primary elections for Texas governor.
b!
Texas ticket
■ Texas A&M
Governor candidates battle over top spots in primary advancing them to Nov. election Samantha Johnson trends | 3
Dreams can come true Marci Nault was once an average person until she posted her list of dreams, topping out at 101, on her bucket list. She then decidedly followed through on all of them, recording her process in a blog.
voices | 5
Cleaning out Personal hygiene may seem essential, but don’t let Old Spice fool you. Missing a shower here and there is better than missing out on other opportunities.
Pg. 1-03.02.10.indd 1
The Battalion Today is primary election day for multiple state and national offices, including Texas governor. The Rasmussen telephone survey results posted Wednesday indicated that of potential voters in the Republican primary, 48 percent would vote for incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, 27 percent favored U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and 16 percent favored Debra Medina. Perry is seeking his election to his third term as governor. Before being elected governor in 2000, class of 1972 Perry served in the
U.S. Air Force from 1972 to 1977, two terms as the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, four terms in the Texas House of Representatives and was elected lieutenant governor in 1998. Perry is a social conservative said he was be the most pro-life governor Texas has ever had. He is against abortion and in favor of banning embryonic stem cell research and “protecting traditional marriage.” At the Texas Rally for Life, Perry said, “I am so very proud of the welldeserved reputation Texas has as a pro-life state. And proud that those here today and people of conscience all across our state, have helped make
Coach admits to removal
Texas one of the safest states for the unborn.” Perry said he is in favor of trying to maintain states’ rights and promoting fiscal conservatism. He supports strong border security. “I deeply respect the Federal Border Patrol Agents who work with our local and state law enforcement in the border region, but they have consistently been shortchanged when it comes to the resources that they need to do their job,” said Perry in a visit with the Irving Police Association. “That is why Texas keeps stepping up with See Governor on page 7
Commerce Guy Morris says taking the papers was a team exercise Vicky Flores The Battalion Texas A&M UniversityCommerce football Head Coach Guy Morris admitted to police that his team was responsible for the removal of student newspapers distributed on campus Wednesday. The East Texan published a story on Wednesday titled “Football Player Arrested in Drug Bust.” Lt. Jason Bone, crime information officer, later interviewed Morris, who admitted to his team members’ See Commerce on page 8
Corps of Cadets surprise, greet Loftin Travis Lawson The Battalion With President R. Bowen Loftin looking on from the porch of his house, the Corps of Cadets performed a march-in Monday to greet the newly instated president of Texas A&M University. The march-in for the president is a tradition not widely known at A&M. The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band performs songs including “The Ballad of the Green Brets,” “Nobel Men of Kyle” and “Patton” before concluding with the “Aggie War Hymn.” “It is not a very well advertised tradition,” said Tyler Vaughan, member of Squad 20. “It is done every year as a sign of respect to signify a new president.”
Not many students at the University know about the tradition because it is meant to be a surprise for the president. A fake meeting is called with the president and his top advisers, and when everyone is present for the meeting, including the president’s family, members of the Corps knock at the door. When the president comes outside, the cadets begin the march, and the band plays its songs. “It is exciting to get to interact with him, and it means a lot to be part of this and be involved with it,” Vaughan said. Loftin said he had no idea the meeting was a fake or the march was going to take place. See Corps on page 8
Megan Ryan — THE BATTALION
The Corps of Cadets surprise President R. Bowen Loftin at his house Monday with a march-in to honor him as new president.
3/1/10 11:44 PM