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thebattalion ● wednesday,

Give thanks, donate a turkey

november 11, 2009

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

Breezing through

Curves Fitness Center in Bryan is encouraging members of the community to help beneﬁt the Brazos Valley Food Pantry by donating a 10-to 15-pound turkey through Wednesday. Curves Fitness Center and Rent-A-Center are collaborating to bring a Thanksgiving meal to those less fortunate. Curves Fitness Center is providing the location for the turkeys to be dropped off, and RentA-Center is donating the freezers for the turkeys to be stored. As an incentive, the turkey will serve as the registration fee for those looking to join Curves Fitness Center, which will save prospective member an $75. Rosanna Hildreth, manager of Curves, is taking the opportunity to extend what started as a fundraiser to one involving the community. “For those that would like to get involved but do not know how, this is a relatively easy way of contributing during a time of giving,” Hildreth said.

construction The Vaughn Construction Company demolishes the Memorial Student Center Breezeway Tuesday as a part of the Vision 2020 remodel of the Memorial Student Center. The building is slated to be completed summer 2012. Jonny Green — THE BATTALION

Fundraiser Information For more information, stop by Curves Fitness Center from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the facility located on 4001 E. 29th St. in Bryan or call (979) 846-4153. Jaclyn Sokol, special to The Battalion

Magazine names Cepeda-Benito influential Hispanic Samantha Johnson Special to The Battalion Antonio Cepeda-Benito, dean of faculties for Texas A&M University, has been named in Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the Top 100 Influential Hispanics.

“Obviously I’m honored and very happy with the recognition, as it is a nice feather on my hat, and gives my kids some bragging rights and motivates them to feel proud of their ‘papá,’” Cepeda-Benito said. He graduated from the

University of WisconsinMilwaukee and received his doctorate in psychology from Purdue University. His career at A&M began in 1994 as an assistant professor, and he was promoted to professor of psychology in 2005. Earlier this

year he was appointed as the dean of faculties and associate provost. “I’m mindful that this recognition may speak more of the high reputation and caliber of Texas A&M University than of my own achievements,” Cepeda-Benito said.

How do you feel about the construction of the new Liberal Arts building on the grassy knoll?

Travis Lawson The Battalion

Austin Fitzgerald junior food science major

“If they’re going to build more buildings they should put more parking lots on campus.” Stephen Fogg — THE BATTALION

freshman forensics investigation science major

Students take advantage of Tuesday’s pleasant weather on the campus green space known as the grassy knoll. Plans are to construct the Liberal Arts building on the grassy knoll.

Greener on the other side Controversy stems from Liberal Arts building placement Christina Francisco The Battalion

“I think they should keep the grassy knoll, there are enough buildings already. We have extra space to put new buildings outside of what’s already being built.”

Matt McClellan junior political science major

“I don’t mind that it’s going up because I don’t hang out there too often.” Patrique Ludan— THE BATTALION

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See Benito on page 6

Pacemaker awarded to Aggieland

thebattalionasks

Kaitlin Sessions

The research that CepedaBenito has focused on combines behavioral neuroscience and clinical psychology to try and understand drug addiction and eating disorders.

The plan to build a $48 million Liberal Arts building has sparked fierce competition and debate from students, many of which have taken matters into their own hands. From Facebook groups to Student Senate bills, the opposition has taken on many forms, with the same message: save the grassy knoll. The grassy knoll, a green space located across from the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research, is the proposed site for the building. Creator of the Facebook group “Save Our Grassy Knoll” Tyler Reed said he was shocked when he heard of the location plans. It didn’t take long for him to decide to do something about it. “I felt really passionate to try and preserve that space,” said Reed, a senior landscape architecture ma-

jor. “[Everyone in the studio] was all just very confused and very angered over the fact that the building was going to be built there; so that night I decided to make a Facebook group to see how much support the grassy knoll would get.” So far the group has garnered nearly 4,000 members, something Reed never expected. “I was really surprised there was so much support for it,” Reed said. “From talking to people from all different majors I get a sense that this is a really important space for a lot of people.” The Student Senate also has picked up on the student sentiment. Sen. Scott Bowen, a senior chemical engineering major, introduced the Green Space Bill at the previous week’s Senate meeting calling for a preservation of the grassy knoll. “The bill doesn’t necessarily oppose the creation of the proposed

Yay or nay Read both sides to the story. voices | 5

$48 million building; it supports the initiative to find an alternative place to build the building,” said Speaker pro tempore Kyle Womack, sophomore political science major. The proposal was referred to the Student Services committee, who will discuss the legislation and make sure it meets the requirements to be a bill at the meeting Wednesday. Once approved, the bill will be brought back on the floor to be voted on at the Student Senate meeting Tuesday. “If it passes it the vote essentially becomes student opinion, which is our definition of ‘law,’ and the executive team would then execute it,” Womack said. “They would begin lobbying the administration, [by] setting up meetings discussing alternative locations to build the building.” See Grassy Knoll on page 6

Texas A&M University Student Media scored in a variety of categories at the National College Media Convention on Oct. 31 in Austin, taking back to College Station a Pacemaker and two Associated Collegiate Press 2009 individual awards. Aggieland, the University yearbook, received a Pacemaker for their 2008 edition, while Stephen Fogg, a senior marketing major, and Chris Griffin, a graduate student in visualization science, received individual awards for their work with The Battalion. Fogg also contributed to the 2008 Aggieland as the spring photo editor. “I’m still in shock about winning, it’s completely surreal. Finding out a year of hard work paid off with a Pacemaker is the best feeling I can imagine,” said the editor-in-chief for the 2008 Aggieland Catherine Tepera, Class of 2008. After a being a finalist in the years 2000, 2004 and 2007, Aggieland took home its first Pacemaker. The Associated Collegiate Press has been giving out Pacemakers since 1927, and many people believe it is the highest honor a collegiate yearbook can receive. A professional panel judges the yearbooks and then selects seven universities out of 54 to receive the award. “Winning the Pacemaker is such a prestigious honor to the entire 2008 Aggieland staff,” Tepera said. “Nine months of long nights and working weekends paid off in the best way possible.” See Pacemaker on page 6

11/10/09 11:16 PM