THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2022 STUDENT MEDIA
Must-watch movies for Thanksgiving Break
Get rowdy in Reed during Thanksgiving week
CRITICISM ON PG. 4
SPORTS START ON PG. 5
Cagin’ the Cajun Tigers
Coach Kuhn fired By Jordan Epp @j_epp22 According to a press release from Texas A&M Athletics on Monday, Nov. 21, the university has announced that head volleyball coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn is being “relieved of duties” as the coach of the Aggie volleyball team, effective immediately. Coach Kuhn led the Aggies to a 76-60 record during her five seasons as the head coach of A&M, but the maroon and white have not had a winning record either overall or in the SEC over the last three seasons. A&M volleyball finished its 2022 season with an overall record of 13-16, going 5-13 in conference play. The team also had losing records both at home and on the road. “The goal for all our teams at Texas A&M is to perform at a consistently high level and compete for conference and national titles,” Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said in the release. “Given the recruiting base in Texas and support for volleyball, we believe that we can and should be better, and that is what the 12th Man deserves.” Bjork said A&M will begin a national search for a new coach, its seventh in program history, immediately for the 2023 season. The Aggies are not expected to advance to the postseason, advancing only once under Kuhn’s tenure. In 2019, the Aggies reached the NCAA regional semifinals, a season in which Kuhn earned the title of SEC Coach of the Year. “I’m thankful for this opportunity,” Kuhn said in the release. “I’ve learned and grown so much in my time here. I love all the players that have come through and all the people that have impacted us as a staff. Texas A&M is a really special place and I appreciate all the energy, resources and the people. Going forward, I know they are going to be great. This is a great place and it’s going to be a great program.”
Robert O’Brien— THE BATTALION
Freshman QB Conner Weigman (15) carries the ball during Texas A&M’s game against UMass on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 at Kyle Field.
Aggies look to end season on high note after losing streak By Luke White @lukewhite03 Senior wide receiver Jalen Preston was frank when asked last week what the Texas A&M football team was playing for in its final two games of the season, specifically in the finale against LSU on Saturday, Nov. 26. “Hopefully we can, and I don’t know if this is bad, but piss in their corn flakes,” Preston
said. Indeed, the Aggies don’t have much else to play for, now that a bowl game is off the table. Sitting at 4-7 after picking up their first win in nearly two months against Massachusetts, the players and coaches have their sights set on ending the year on a high note while proving themselves as competitors. “[We’re] playing for each other and Texas A&M,” coach Jimbo Fisher said. “You’ve got Texas A&M on your jersey and you play for your teammates, and you play for yourself because you’re sending a message of who you are and what you are.”
While there may not be much good to find in a 5-7 campaign in which it was the sixthranked team in the preseason AP Top 25, A&M’s season may feel a bit sweeter to some if the Aggies can take down the Tigers and put the nail in the coffin of their College Football Playoff hopes. The purple and gold’s year has taken a far different trajectory than the maroon and white’s, as LSU enters the final game of the regular season with a 9-2 record and a 6-1 mark in conference play. On Saturday, Dec. 3, the Tigers, ranked No. 6 in this week’s AP poll, will face PREVIEW ON PG. 3
Future of Arts & Sciences Newest college expands scholarships, stipends, faculty By Ana Renfroe @aeoenia1 The Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is expanding the college through a new hiring initiative, expanding current scholarships and improving opportunities for students. On Oct. 24, the Arts and Sciences Interim Dean José Luis Bermúdez, Ph.D., sent an email to all of the college’s students and faculty announcing his new Transformational Hiring Initiative. In his email, Bermúdez clarified the purpose of ongoing changes in the college. “This initiative is designed to kick-start the process of elevating the College of Arts and Sciences to a position of national and international prominence,” Bermúdez wrote. Bermúdez said the new initiative authorized departments to make at least one new “transformational hire” through aggressive recruiting to add to the number of stellar faculty at Texas A&M. The email further defined a transformational hire as someone who would add to the prestige of each department, furthering current areas of strength and creating new collaborations within the college, with other colleges
and other schools. In an interview with The Battalion, Bermúdez said his goal is to improve the reputation of the program, stating that many other colleges have reputable arts and science programs. For A&M, the new initiative authorizes departments to actively seek additional, prestigious hires for the college. In the past, candidates would have to apply themselves to work at A&M. Bermúdez said each department was tasked with creating a list of three possibly attainable professionals in each field of study. From there, departments can actively begin additional recruiting measures. While the number of hires will vary, Bermúdez said all departments will be able to hire at least one new member. “This type of recruiting takes time, and there is no expectation that the process will be completed this academic year,” Bermúdez wrote in his initial email. Bermúdez said A&M can expect to start seeing changes from this initiative beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year. According to the statistics provided on behalf of the College of Arts and Sciences, the college currently has around 19,000 students, including undergraduate and graduate students. The college also has over 4,000 first-generation students, accounting for 25% of its students. In addition to the new initiative, Bermúdez said he plans to increase opportunities and sup-
port for students in the college. “To achieve that we will increase support for students, improve resources for student success and innovate in the curriculum to prepare students for their future careers,” Bermúdez said. “The scale and structure provided by the new college will be indispensable in these efforts.” Bermúdez said it is important for arts and sciences to continue to support its sizable pop-
ulation of first-generation students through the college’s Regents’ Scholars program. First awarded in fall 2004, the Regents’ Scholars program assists first-generation students from low-income families by providing a renewable four-year scholarship and academic support. Bermúdez played a critical role in helping elevate the Regents’ program in Arts and Sciences, and identified one of his top priorities ARTS & SCIENCES ON PG. 3
Happy Thanksgiving, Aggies
PUBLICATION NOTICE
The Graduation Edition of The Battalion will be the final print of the semester, and will be distributed on Monday, Dec. 5. The Battalion will return on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 with the Back to School Edition.
Samuel Falade — THE BATTALION
Senior Alexis King talks with a student at the College of Arts & Sciences Launch Party in the East Quad on Aug. 23, 2022.
Students share holiday plans, gratitude By Anna Deardorff @annardeardorff FILE — THE BATTALION
Kyle Field as seen from Modesta and Clayton Williams Plaza on Nov. 22, 2022.
While many students venture home for the break, some opt to stay in the College Station area. Aggies dive into what Thanks-
giving means to them personally, and why they have decided to stay in town during the three days off from school. Thanksgiving brings to mind many different things: turkey, family, cooking and parades. For finance junior Maggie Bright, a College Station local, it means being surrounded by almost 30 family members, making for a
memorable, jam-packed day. “We start the day by having a Turkey Bowl,” Bright said. “The winning team doesn’t get much besides bragging rights, but that is enough for my family. Then, we head back to my house and start cooking for lunch. Right before we eat we say a prayer, and ev-
With 3-Week Winter Minimester Classes Classes begin December 19 www.blinn.edu/winter blinnbound@blinn.edu
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TURKEY DAY ON PG. 3