Nov 6 2009 The Battalion Print

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november 6, 2009

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● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2009 Student Media

Rachel Nhan — THE BATTALION LION

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Shabbat services begin at 8:00pm every Friday www.tamuhillel.org

ͳ͚͸Ͳ ”‹ƒ”…”‡•– ” ̡ ʹ͝–Š – ʹǤ͡ Â?‹Ž‡• ˆ”‘Â? …ƒÂ?’—• ÇŚ ƒ– ͚njͳͲ Čˆ —Â? ͺnj͝ ͚͝͝Ǥͺ͜͸Ǥ͝͸ͲͲ www.villagefoods.com We make it easy to eat better

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Week 3

Second Round of Tests

Acct 209

Part 1 of 4 Tue Nov 10 7pm-10pm

Part 2 of 4 Wed Nov 11 7pm-10pm

Part 3 of 4 Thu Nov 12 5pm-8pm

Pt 4 & Tst Rvw Sun Nov 13 6pm-10pm

Acct 229

Part 1 of 4 Wed Nov 18 9pm-12am

Part 2 of 4 Thu Nov 19 9pm-12am

Part 3 of 4 Sun Nov 22 9pm-12am

Pt 4 & Tst Rvw Mon Nov 23 6pm-10pm

Acct 230

Part 1 of 4 Wed Nov 11 4pm-7pm

Part 2 of 4 Thu Nov 12 4pm-7pm

Part 3 of 4 Sun Nov 15 12pm-2pm

Pt 4 & Tst Rvw Mon Nov 16 6pm-10pm

Ch 8 Mon Nov 9 6pm-8pm Times online

Ch 9 Tue Nov 10 9pm-11pm

Ch 10 Wed Nov 11 TBA

Ch 3 Thu Nov 12 TBA

Part 1 of 4 Sun Nov 8 4pm-7pm

Part 2 of 4 Mon Nov 9 5pm-7pm

Part 3 of 4 Tue Nov 10 5pm-7pm

Pt 4 & Tst Rvw Wed Nov 11 TBA

Bich 410 Chem 101 Chem 107 Econ 202 Allen Econ 203 Edwardson Econ 203 Nelson Finc 341 Finc 409 Info 303

Math 141 Math 142 Math 151 Math 152 Mgmt 209 Mgmt 211 Mgmt 309 Mktg 321 Parish Mktg 409 Pride Phil 240 Smith Phys 201 Phys 208 Phys 218 Pols 206 Pols 207

Part 1 of 4 Sun Nov 29 9pm-12am Part 1 of 2 Sun Nov 15 2pm-5pm Part 1 of 2 Sun Nov 8 6pm-9pm Part 1 of 4 Tue Nov 10 10pm-1am Part 1 of 4 Tue Nov 10 10pm-1am Part 1 of 3 Sun Nov 8 10pm-1am

Part 1 of 3 Sun Nov 15 7pm-10pm Times online soon Times online soon Times online soon Times online soon Times online soon Times online soon Test Review Thu Nov 12 9pm-1am Test Review Sun Nov 15 9pm-1am OR >>>

Other times online soon Part 2 of 2 Mon Nov 16 3pm-6pm Part 2 of 2 Tue Nov 10 4pm-7pm Part 2 of 4 Wed Nov 11 10pm-1am Part 2 of 4 Wed Nov 11 10pm-1am Part 2 of 3 Mon Nov 9 8pm-11pm

Part 3 of 4 Sun Nov 15 10pm-1am Part 3 of 4 Sun Nov 15 10pm-1am Part 3 of 3 Tue Nov 10 6pm-9pm

Part 4 of 4 Mon Nov 16 10pm-1am Part 4 of 4 Mon Nov 16 10pm-1am

Part 2 of 3 Mon Nov 16 7pm-10pm

Part 3 of 3 Tue Nov 17 7pm-10pm

Test Review Wed Nov 18 TBA

Test Packet Sun Nov 15 6pm-10pm Test Packet Tue Nov 17 6pm-10pm

Times online soon Times online soon Abanov Rvw Sun Oct 11 1pm-4pm Part 1 of 3 Sun Nov 8 10pm-1am Times online soon Dixon Packet Sun Nov 8 6pm-10pm

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Students to clean creeks

Where on campus?

Texas A&M University students can participate at 9 a.m. Saturday in Stream Clean.

The A&M Environmental Health and Safety Department will clean Burton and www.villagefoods.com White creeks.

We make it easy to eat better “We’ve discovered in our last few inspections that there is a lot of trash starting to build up in our creeks,� said environmental supervisor Tassie Fish. The creeks running through the campus are a water source for Bryan and College Station. The cleanup will start in the University Police Department parking lot on West Campus.

Christina Francisco, staff writer

Part 3 of 3 Tue Nov 10 10pm-1am

Ilderton Rvw Wed Nov 11 6pm-9pm

Lim Review Wed Nov 11 9pm-12am

Test Review Wed Nov 11 TBA

The city of Bryan Department of Parks and Recreations will be having a Fall Family Campout Saturday and Sunday at Austin’s Colony Park.

OfďŹ cials hope families can have fun without having to pay a lot of money, said special events coordinator Sarah Northcutt. This is the ďŹ rst time the campout will be in the fall. The Spring Family Campout has drawn more than 400. The event costs $5 per person. Families may bring their own tents, but tents will be available for rent at a low fee.

Lorelei Willett The Battalion Presidential Search Committee chairman Richard Box announced Thursday the search for the next Texas A&M University president has been narrowed down to eight candidates. Due to a confidentiality agreement, he did not release the names of the candidates, but said the committee is performing their duty to A&M. “We’re concerned about [the students and faculty] and their concerns and want them to be represented and involved and be a part of the process,� Box said.

The committee has received more than 300 nominations for candidates since July. The committee reduced that number to 15 Oct. 30 and most recently to eight candidates with two alternates. However, Box said the committee is keeping the doors open for a “super-candidate.� “We’re looking for someone of special quality that we think can be the next A&M president,�

Box said.

Joaquin Villegas, staff writer

Tickets go on sale Sunday at 3:00 p.m. 4.0 & Go is located on the corner of SW Pkwy and Tx Ave, behind KFC next to Lacks and Bourbon Sreet Bar.

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Last week’s answer Civil Engineering Building Correct responses Steven Owens, junior chemical engineering major Rachel Gertson, junior economics major Ryan Spears, junior civil engineering major Donald A. Vierling, junior meteorology major

In the next step of the search process, committee members will conduct off-site interviews with the candidates and calling references to verify abilities and qualifications. The list will be narrowed down to three or four candidates who will be interviewed by stakeholders in the Aggie community who will bring feedback to the committee.

The top names are then confirmed and sent to the Board of Regents. The candidates will come to campus for on-site interviews before the board comes to a final decision. A waiting period of 21 days will precede the announcement of the president to the public. “We hope to keep to the timeline and have someone named by the end of February,� Box said.

Though this process has been quicker than the previous presidential search process, Box said some have suggested that the process be extended to ensure the best candidates were nominated.

However, if the committee waits too long, it is possible they would

“

We’re on a good track to get the next president.� — Richard Box presidential search committee chairman

lose candidates, Box said. “We’re on a good track to get the next president,� Box said.

Students are not left out of the selection process. Student representatives including Student Body President Kolin Loveless, Corps of Cadets Commander Brent Lanier and President of the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medicine Association Meredith Maloney are privy to the proceedings and will be able to interview the top candidates during the on-site interviews. “They’ve been exposed to all the names and will be able to interview the candidates,� Box said.

Open forums regarding the presidential selection process solicited student input. “We’ve tried to be as transparent as we possibly can so the Aggie stakeholders can stay informed,� Box said.

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Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION

Think you know every nook and cranny of Texas A&M? The first people to get the answers correct will have their names published.

Send your response with your name, class and major to photo@ thebatt.com.

Committee narrows search for president to 8 candidates

Bryan sets family tents

Aggie Game-Day Special!

Part 2 of 3 Mon Nov 9 10pm-1am

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thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

Amanda Casanova Editor in Chief

THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111.

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. News ofďŹ ces are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

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Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678.

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. Mail subscriptions are $100 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979-845-2613.

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page 3 friday 11.6.2009

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Student support The Student Counseling Services is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

Counseling Services are available in Cain Hall and appointments can be made at scs. tamu.edu or by calling (979) 845-4427.

The Student Counseling Service Helpline is available from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. and throughout the weekends at (979) 845-2700.

For a list of campus ministers, visit https:// studentaffairs. tamu.edu/sas/ campusministry.

Fort Hood facts ■ Largest single site employer in Texas ■ Built in 1942 ■ 214,968 acres ■ Population of 218,003 ■ 45,414 assigned soldiers or airmen ■ 8,909 civilian employees

pg3-11.6.09.indd 1

Officer opens fire at Fort Hood Shooting takes place at two locations on post Rebekah Skelton The Battalion Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a mental health doctor, went on a killing spree at the U.S. Army post Fort Hood, near Killeen, on Thursday leaving 12 dead and 31 injured.

Military officials initially said they killed Hasan, 39, however during a media conference later in the evening, Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said the shooter was alive and in stable condition at a hospital. Cone would not comment on the mistake except to say that there had been some confusion at the hospital.

The shooting took place at 1:30 p.m. at the Soldier Readiness Center, where troops prepare to deploy and receive screenings after returning home, and at the Howze Theater, where a graduation ceremony for soldiers who had finished their degrees while overseas was taking place.

Hasan used two handguns during the rampage. One of the guns was a semiautomatic. Neither was military-issued.

Texas A&M University officials had not been told whether any current or former Aggies were at Fort Hood.

“We’re not aware at this time that any Aggies are involved,” said Jason Cook, vice president of marketing and communications at A&M. Following the shooting, the base was locked down and three soldiers were taken into custody but were later cleared and released.

Although there is no clear motive at this time, Hasan is said to have been unhappy about being deployed. The specifics of where and when he was going are unknown.

Investigators did not know whether Hasan is his given surname or if he changed it as part of a conversion to Islam.

President Barack Obama said in a media conference that the shooting was a “horrific outburst of violence” and that his “immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and the

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sgt. Anthony Sills, right, comforts his wife as they wait outside the Fort Hood Army Base near Killeen, Texas on Thursday. families of the fallen.”

Ten of the injured were taken to Scott and White Hospital in Temple, all adults.

“It’s a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the twelve fatalities and the injured,” said Lane Stephenson, director of news and information services at A&M. A prayer ceremony took place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at A&M United Methodist Church.

“We all weep and mourn together,” said Sterling Allen, director of music ministries for the church. “We are not only eager to find answers but also healing.”

A vigil for those affected by the tragedy also took place at 10:30 p.m. in Cain Park.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION

Fort Hood is located 110 miles northwest of College Station.

11/5/09 11:06 PM

sports

Aggie swimmers take on Texas The Texas A&M women’s swimming and diving team will compete against rival Texas Friday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Swimming Center in Austin. The Aggies lost to the Longhorns 169-131 on Jan. 23.

thebattalion 11.6.2009 page4

Aggies take on Buffs for bowl game eligibility Brad Cox The Battalion

Rachel Nhan — THE BATTALION

Freshman equestrian rider Cassie Mantor poses with her horse Bubba. Mantor is a member of the Western, or horsemanship, team.

Taking the reins Freshman Cassie Mantor takes a lead role Kyle Cunningham The Battalion Cassie Mantor rides the horse around the arena with an unmistakable air of calm, quiet leadership. Even if it’s not a competition, even if the complex is empty, there’s something to be said about the look of silent joy and confidence on her face. Not a stride is wasted in her movements, and her experience in horsemanship is evident. “I’ve been riding since I was 6 or 7,�

Mantor said. “My parents had horses, and I started riding with 4H, eventually moving to American Quarter Horse Association shows, then the equestrian team.�

Picking her specialty, Western-style, was easier for her. “When I needed a new horse, my parents made me make a choice of what I could do,� Mantor said. “So I picked the all around events, but mostly western.�

Self-described as “funny� and “kind,�

Mantor’s laid-back demeanor is obvious even if you’re only around her for a few

minutes. She said Texas A&M, with its small-town feel, always seemed like a perfect fit for her. “I love all of [Texas A&M and College Station],� Mantor said. “The town, the people, the atmosphere – it’s really nice. I’ve always loved A&M. There’s all the tradition.�

She has goals, but at only 18 and in her freshman year, Mantor’s not willing to pin herself down to one thing just yet, other than her major of animal science. “[I’m thinking] possibly vet school,�

Mantor said. “I would like to find out what I’m going to do in the future.�

Mantor is a Texas girl, complete with the enormous pickup truck, love of Dr. Pepper and addiction to country music. “It’s all I listen to,� Mantor said with a slight smile.

Of course, not everything has a favorite. She likes funny movies, but can’t pick one that stands out and likes “any [food] really,� although she eventually mentions a preference toward Italian.

The Aggie equestrian team sits at 2-2

after snapping a two-match losing streak with a victory against Baylor on Oct. 31.

Mantor’s first appearance of the season was a successful one for her as well, as she beat her opponent in horsemanship 74-72.5.

This weekend, the team travels to Kansas State on Friday, and then goes to Oklahoma State Saturday. The Wildcat riders sit at 2-1, while the Cowgirls are 2-2. “I want to have the equestrian team do well,� Mantor said. “The team is really awesome.�

Webster’s defines horsemanship as a “skill in, or the art of, riding, managing, or training horses.� Horsemanship.com goes further, saying it is “an art form that involves subtle communication between human and horse.�

Watching the 5-foot-2-inch rider maneuver her horse around the arena, one wonders if the second definition might be more correct. “I like how everything has to be perfect in order to succeed,� Mantor said. “It’s always a challenge.�

Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Sherman is not worried about playing a football game at 5,400 feet.

Saturday, the Aggies will put their two-game winning streak on the line at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Despite their 2-6 record, the Colorado Buffaloes play in the highest stadium altitude in the Big 12 The lower atmospheric pressure at elevations above 2,400 feet causes a decreased oxygen pressure, which can lead to hyperventilation, fluid loss and increased heart rates. “The usual school of thought is either you go out there real early and acclimate yourself, or you get there as late as possible,� Sherman said. “I don’t think a 24-hour time difference makes a big deal. If you’re out there and play the game within 24 hours I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.�

A&M players will need to adjust to the climate to continue their late run through the Big 12.

After closing a three-game losing streak with an embarrassing 62-14 loss at Kansas State on Oct. 17, the Aggies made their first push toward turning the season around with a 52-30 win at Texas Tech the next week. A&M continued the trend with a 35-10 win against Iowa State at home. “We are facing an A&M team that is really electric right now,� said Colorado Head Coach Dan Hawkins. “One of the best offenses in the Big 12, one of the best offenses in the country, one of the best quarterbacks and they are doing a great job running the ball.�

At 5-3 overall, the Aggies are one win shy of being bowl eligible. A&M failed to reach bowl eligibility under Sherman in 2008, after playing the 2007 Alamo Bowl under interim Head Coach Gary Darnell after Dennis Franchione resigned at the end of the season.

The Aggies are not looking too far forward, focusing on beating Colorado, not what the win would mean. “The biggest thing about that is it’s a win, and that’s what you want,� said senior safety Jordan Pugh. “To be bowl-eligible, you’ve got to win. And this would be just our sixth win.�

The A&M offense, which helped the Aggies to a 3-0 start, has been a key factor in the recent recovery. A&M ranks No. 3 in the nation in total offense and No. 12 in passing offense.

It has been the Aggies’ running game that has stolen the show in the two-game winning streak. During that span, sophomore running back Cyrus Gray recorded 250 yards and three touchdowns and freshman Christine Michael contributed 185 yards and three touchdowns.

The Buffaloes’ rush defense ranks No. 77 in the nation and No. 10 in the Big 12, giving up an average of 154 yards per game. “They are kind of hitting on all cylinders offensively right now and it is certainly starting to gain some momentum the last couple weeks,� Hawkins said about A&M. “So it will be imperative again for our defense to play real well and for our offense to establish some continuity and get going that way.�

Though Colorado is struggling in Hawkins’ fourth season, the Buffaloes have had some surprising games.

Against No. 2 Texas, Colorado had control at halftime with a 14-10 lead on the road.

The Buffaloes could not hold on in the second half, losing 3814. The next week, Colorado upset No. 27 Kansas at home 38-30 behind the play of backup quarterback Tyler Hansen.

Since the Kansas game, though, the Buffaloes are on a two-game losing streak with losses at Kansas State and against Missouri. “We’ve improved for the last two weeks,� said A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines. “Good work during the week has transferred over to good play. There’s a direct correlation there. What we need to do is just take care of our business today and see if we can’t get ready to play a really fine Colorado football team.�

Staff predictions T.D. Durham: 28-20 A&M David Harris: 31-20 A&M Christian Hughes: 42- 17 A&M Michael Teague: 45-17 A&M Jill Beathard: 48-21 A&M Nicholas Badger: 51-50 A&M Jeremy Northum: Flip a coin

YOU STILL HAVE TODAY

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December D ecembe embe 18 - January 14 AGGIELAND 2010 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University

For more information about bo how to apply to Blinn College visit us at www.blinn.edu

it’s not too late to feature your organization in the 2010 Aggieland yearbook pg4-11.6.09.indd 1

how to GET A CONTRACT: • visit our website: http://aggieland.tamu.edu • stop by our office: The Grove Bldg. #8901 (next to the Albritton Bell Tower)

where to TURN IN A CONTRACT:

AGGIELAND 2010 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University

• The Grove Bldg. #8901 (next to the bell tower), 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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Courtesy photo — DISNEY

Ebenezer Scrooge, played by Jim Carrey, lifts up Tiny Tim in Disney’s “A Christmas Carol,” released today.

Classic comes to life in 3D Rebecca Bennett The Battalion We all know the holiday tale of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” but Walt Disney Pictures and director Robert Zemeckis have decided to share the story of Ebenezer Scrooge yet again. With more than 50 stage, film and television adaptations in just the past few decades, the latest cinematic version will rely on 3D animation technology to set itself apart from the pack.

“You have the underlying intellectual material, which is what Dickens wrote, and you embellish it with music, and you embellish it with color, and you embellish it with performance, and now with what is the 3-D aspect … we’ve been able to really immerse the audience in Dickensian London,” said Zemeckis in an Oct. 26 teleconference.

Zemeckis said the modern animation remains more true to the original 1843 novella because it allows moviemakers to delve further into the fantasy of the tale, capturing more of the spectacular and surreal tone with which Dickens penned his story.

There are no cameras involved in the movie-making process, at least in the traditional sense. Actors perform scenes in stages surrounded by infrared lights, which detect movements from sensors placed strategically on the actors’ joints, facial features and even pores. This digital performance is captured on a hard drive, which is fleshed out with digital hair, skin and clothing by animators. The virtual actors are then placed in animated settings, and then computers are used to finally “shoot” the scene.

Zemeckis said his cast, which includes Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Robin Wright Penn, liked that they could focus on pure acting without relying on costumes, makeup, or elaborate backdrops. The actors also enjoyed being able to record entire scenes at once and act all day, something uncommon when shooting live-action films.

“[The actors] immediately fall in love with it within the first hour of working because they realize it’s all about performance,” Zemeckis said.

Carrey, who also starred in the holiday family film “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” plays not only Ebenezer Scrooge at different stages in his life, but also the three Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. He gives each ghost a slightly different dialect, ranging from Irish to Scottish to Queen’s English.

“I felt that, you know, I’ve got a great actor who can do any kind of character, so it was the logical extension in my mind that these ghosts would be the extension of [Scrooge’s] ego,” Zemeckis said.

The musical score is arranged by Alan Silvestri, who has won both an Oscar and a Grammy for his work on “Forrest Gump” and “The Polar Express.” “A Christmas Carol” will also feature an original song titled “God Bless Us Everyone,” which is inspired by Tiny Tim’s famous line at the end of the story. The song was recorded by the internationally famous tenor Andrea Bocelli.

“It’s a sweet and majestic song with a pleasantly surprising evocative power which suffuses our senses and tells us about the triumph of forgiveness and redemption,” Bocelli said in a press release. Bocelli recorded the song in English and Spanish, as well as his native Italian.

The film aims for a traditionalist approach with a captivating amount of technological magic. While Zemeckis said he “realized this is a great form to reintroduce classic stories in a new way to a new generation of moviegoers,” his final hope is for the film to lead audiences to the literary classic.

“What I’d like people to take away is that it’s really one of the greatest stories every written. Maybe you’ll want to go back and read it after you see the movie, which would be great,” Zemeckis said.

The film was released in conventional and IMAX theaters today.

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2/2 duplex on Navarro Drive. Available immediately for sublease.

254-396-3993 or Lshanks@tamu.edu 2bd 1bath University Terrace Apartments, $580/mo obo, lease ends May 2010, NEED TO SELL (512)739-8244.

3/2 duplex. Prelease January. Very nice. 5mins to campus. W/D. Lawn care, security monitored. $900/mo.

979-691-0304, 979-571-6020.

2bdrm/3ba duplexes.

Great floorplans, fenced yards, w/d, tile floors, icemakers, alarm systems.

979-776-6079, www.aggielandleasing.com 3/2 House w/study-Wolf Pen Area!

Close to shuttle, w/d conn, fenced w/ lawn care, www.twincityproperties.com 979-775-2291.

3/2 house, walk to campus, $1100 +deposit, flexible lease term 979-324-3901.

3/3 duplex. All appliances, fenced yard, large living areas, yard maintenance, available January.

979-204-2644 or clydie@elliscustomhomes.com 3/3 Duplexes, 1400sqft, fenced backyard, all appliances new, excellent specials, 979-694-0320. office@luxormanagement.com 3bd/2ba great floorplan, on shuttle route. Washer and dryer. Fans, stainless appliances. New, new, new. www.aggielandleasing.com www.southwoodplace.com 3bdrm/3ba duplexes.

Great floorplans, fenced yards, w/d, tile floors, icemakers, alarm systems.

979-776-6079. www.aggielandleasing.com 4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Townhouses, Duplexes &Fourplexes, 1250-1700sqft.

Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, extra storage, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing for 2010, excellent specials. 694-0320. office@luxormanagement.com Available now. 4/2/2 newly remodeled, pet-friendly, new carpet &paint. $1275/mo. 1208 North Ridgefield. Biking distance to campus. aggielandrentals.com 979-776-8984.

Balcones Apartments, only 2 left!

1/1 on bus route $475/mo.

703-8282.

Beautiful duplex, many extras! Big fenced backyard, convenient to everything.

One week free!

979-422-3427.

Casa Verde town-home 2/2 W/D connection. Near bus stop. Pest, water, lawn paid $695/mo.

703-8282.

Cheap rent= light work! 1bedroom for rent $250/mo. +bills, on bus route, 1mile from campus, female roommate wanted!

Call 979-739-7717.

read the fine print.

Close to campus 2bd/2bth. Washer and dryer. Fenced yard. www.aggielandleasing.com www.southwoodplace.com Duplex for sublease, rent $650/mo.

2bd/1ba, fenced backyard.

832-330-1164.

COLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK breckenridge

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STUDIES IN PROGRESS DO YOU HAVE FACIAL ACNE? We are looking for volunteers to participate in a twelve-week research study of an investigational topical medication for acne. Those who qualify will receive at no cost: • Study related medical evaluations by a dermatologist • Study related medication • Reimbursement for time and travel, up to $250.

Participants must be 12-45 years of age.

For more information please contact:

RED DRY SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDY (ECZEMA) Volunteers ages 18 - 64 needed to participate up to a 12 week long clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for atopic dermatitis (RED, DRY, SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN). Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study related medication • Physical Examination • Dermatological Assessments • Compensation up to $675.00 for time and travel For more information please contact:

FOR RENT Duplexes available 3bd/2ba. $1050/mo. on bus route. Lawn control included.

832-724-3554.

HELP WANTED

January 1st.

Legacy Lane care and pest Call Jimmy

Tutors wanted for all subjects currently taught at TAMU/ Blinn and Sam Houston State starting at $7.25/hour.

Apply on-line @ www.99Tutors.com, 979-255-3655.

House for rent, 3/1.5/1, 3-quarter acre, rural, fenced, $875/mo., $875/deposit.

Available now.

979-696-1670.

Wanted: Male/Female driver who has women’s basketball tickets. I need them to drive my van with wheelchair to women’s games.

Please call 485-8090.

Cell: 979-739-4285. I’m 85 and can’t drive. Joe Doby

Midterm lease available! 3bd/2.5ba duplex, full size W&D, country setting, fenced yard, pets ok, flexible lease term, free lawn care. $999.

(979)255-3280. CS. Northgate rent new. W/D connection. 1/1, 2/2, 3/3. Walk to campus.

(979)255-5648.

Pre-leasing Townhome Style Condos 2bd/2.5ba off Spring Loop and University Drive. River Ridge Townhomes. Close to campus on the bus route. Call 979-690-1504 or email Sieglipp@yahoo.com Quiet country setting 1.5 miles from campus.

Nice 3/2 double-wide. Fireplace, deck, stalls available. $1000/mo. 979-846-5950.

Roommates needed.

4bd/4bth $325/mo., washer/dryer. University Place on Southwest Parkway.

281-844-2090.

Spacious 2bd/2ba, washer and dryer provided, shuttle route, curbside parking. www.aggielandleasing.com www.southwoodplace.com Spacious 3bd/3ba. Close to campus. Washer and dryer provided. www.aggielandleasing.com Spacious duplex.

Many extras!

Big fenced yard, convenient to everything.

One week free!

979-422-3427.

Student Special! 2bd/1ba Apartment, all appliances included. 2.5 miles from campus. $475/mo plus deposit. Brian (832)723-6473 or Debi (979)268-3200

HELP WANTED

Weekend and holiday work in Houston installing holiday decorations, work is physically demanding. Pay starts at $10/hr, Email tmdi1@verizon.net

MOTORCYCLE ‘08 Yamaha R6s 3,800 miles. Blue, mint condition. $6,500obo.

512-734-1075.

MUSIC Party Block Mobile DJ- Peter Block, professional 22yrs experience. Specializing in Weddings, TAMU functions, lights/smoke. Mobile to anywhere. Book early!! 979-693-6294. http://www.partyblockdj.com

PETS A+Teacup puppies: Maltese, Shorkies, Maltipoos, Yorkies &Poodles. $500 &up. 979-324-2866, linda_d_54@yahoo.com Adopt Pets: Dogs, Cats, Puppies, Kittens, Many purebreds. Brazos Animal Shelter, 979-775-5755, www.brazosanimalshelter.org AKC Black labs. DOB 7/22/09. 3 rounds of vaccinations.

979-966-7810.

Baby Sugar Gliders, Semi leash trained, with book, (979)696-2533 $100.

Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day.

No experience. 512-684-8296. photoguy@io.com

Ragdoll Cats and older kittens.

Fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and felv/fiv negative. $100 & up. maxinefashion@gmail.com

Child Care- FT & PT shifts available. Some nights & Saturdays required. Apply in person at 3609 E. 29th St., Bryan.

REAL ESTATE

Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment.

Ft/Pt experienced pharmacy technician at college station HEB 543. Apply at www.workatheb.com.

Garpez Mexican Restaurant Cantina, experienced hostesses, wait staff, and bartenders wanted. Apply at 2601 Harvey Road or contact 979-696-1407.

GET PAID TO TAKE NOTES! Email your course listing and a brief description about yourself to tamu@sharenotes.com START EARNING TODAY! Now hiring servers/cashiers/greeters. Apply at Rock Prairie & Hwy 6.

Part-time staff assistant needed for busy real estate office. Must be a detail- oriented people person with reliable transportation and have reasonable computer skills in MS Word and MS Excel. This position requires 20-25 hrs/wk beginning as soon as possible and to remain in this position at least through early December 2010. For job description and application, go to www.coventryglenrealty.net and click on Employment Opportunities.

Student Media has an opening for a student to deliver The Battalion newspaper starting with the spring semester (January 19, 2009). Position requires paper delivery between 6am-10am, Monday-Friday.

Must have reliable transportation.

Great pay! Interested applicants apply at The Grove Building 8901, ask for Joseph.

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in College Station. 100% free to join. Click on surveys.

The Kids Klub afterschool program is seeking P/T employees for the Spring 2010 semester. People are needed M-F, 2:45pm-6:15pm.

ROP: $8.00-$8.75/hr.

Please call 979-764-3831 or www.cstx.gov/kidsklub

Buy &Sell B/CS homes, condos, duplexes.

RE/MAX. Nadia 979-693-1851.

Michael 979-739-2035. www.bcsrealty.com

ROOMMATES 1 roomate needed. Spacious 2 story townhouse in Canyon Creek.

Fully furnished.

4/2.5 $400/mo. +1/4 utilities. 713-823-9341.

2-roommates needed for Spring.

4/2 house. 2505 Antietam. $400/mo +1/4 utilities. Shelley, 361-463-6763.

Female roommate needed. 2/2 in Enclave Apartments. Available for immediate move-in. $495 +electricity. Contact Ramey 903-521-9708.

Female roommate needed. 2bd/2ba in The Zone apartments. Available for immediate move in. $530/mo +1/2 electricity. 1st month free.

Contact Barbara 713-550-6560.

Female roommate needed.

3Bd/3Ba in Gateway Villas. Available for January move-in. $450/mo. plus utilities. Contact Ashleigh 512-773-1352.

One Female roommate! $400/mo. +utilities, 104 Pershing Ave. C.S. Texas 77840 morganmonet@gmail.com Share 2bd/1ba, 250/mo. All appliances included, 2.5 miles from campus. Call Bryan (832)723-6473 or Debi (979)268-3200.

TUTORS Domestic A&M alumni grad student in mechanical engineering for math/eng/phys tutoring.

Email zachwalton2008@gmail.com with class information.

Math tutor algebra through calculus. Over 45yrs. engineering experience. Grady (404)422-0989.

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, 979-255-3655.

www.AggieNetwork.com

J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 www.js-studies.com

4LTVYPLZ MHKL @LHYIVVRZ SHZ[ H 3PML[PTL Reserve your 2010 Aggieland yearbook (chronicling the 2009-2010 school year).

Go to http://aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979.845.2613 to order by credit card.

AGGIELAND 2010

Texas A&M University’s 108th Yearbook

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voices

page 6 friday 11.6.2009

thebattalion

The truth about truancy Steve Humeniuk

Students are paying to earn a degree.

No professor should use an attendance policy to punish students for missing too many classes.

Tiffany Tran — THE BATTALION

A

s students, we all pay for a service: the opportunity to receive an education at Texas A&M University. As paying customers, we should be given the right to use this service as we wish. A consumer should be able to use a service a lot, a little or maybe not at all. Students are paying customers who deserve to use their own judgement in attending class, with no one telling them how to enjoy the service.

If a student can never go to class and still manage a grade that meets his or her expectations, an attendance policy should not stand in their way. Precious time was saved, and academic excellence was still achieved. Some classes are inherently boring, and a few professors are too caught up in the frills of academia to realize that their lecture is as boring as watching mold grow. While some classes are comparable to torture, others can be intellectually stimulating and fun. Either way, a student should have the basic right to attend at his or her own leisure.

The typical college student is busy even without classes, which is why students complain that school gets in the way of college. Maintaining an active lifestyle as a normal college student can be demanding.

Priorities come and go, and while the real education that leads to the final degree is always a focal point, the truth is that other neat things often happen. Random road trips, epic parties that make you feel funny and sleep in the next day and other functions like open forums and interesting guest speakers sometimes conflict with

class schedules. Not to mention many students who hold down a job to pay for their education. College students live flexible lifestyles that are open to spontaneity, and it only makes sense that class schedules should be flexible as well.

Test day will forever be the great equalizer. Students who regularly skip class are naturally punished for their lack of effort when they receive a poor grade.

But some professors escalate the injury by docking points for missing class as well.

This is ridiculous, students pay this school thousands of dollars for seats in classes that a particular college has determined to be mandatory for a degree plan. If a student has to enroll in a class to graduate, and that class happens to suck, does the student get money back upon completion? A&M has yet to come up with a money-back guarantee plan.

The only alternative is not to attend instead of being subjected to biweekly sessions of an hour and 15 minutes of daydreaming and texting. If a student can happily achieve a satisfactory grade without being held captive in a classroom, that type of brilliance should not punished by deducting points for absences.

I have had classes where the professor docked one point from the final letter grade for each tardy, and a full letter grade after three absences, excused or otherwise. This isn’t junior high school.

I’m paying a king’s ransom in tuition to even have the opportunity to be late to class in the first place. Professors should

check their egos a little bit, and realize that students don’t always have the time to go to their classes. It may be sad that some students find their professor’s life’s work pointless, disengaging and boring.

However, those professors can’t make people care by jeopardizing student’s GPAs and futures.

For the record, students should try their best to go to class. I’m too dumb to learn anything valuable on my own accord, but I envy those that can never go to class and still make grades that boost class averages. But those students don’t get paid for performance, in fact they pay a terribly large sum of money not to go to class. As paying customers, they shouldn’t be penalized for not fully pursuing the service they are entitled to. Instead, professors they pay would be wise to come up with effective ways to engage students and stimulate impressionable minds, rather than caress bruised egos through punitive reinforcement.

Steve Humeniuk is a senior political science major.

EDITOR’S NOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

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