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A&M updates event policy on third party speakers Spokesperson Amy Smith says policy change due to lack of space, not just controversial speaker By Brad Morse @BradSMorse53 Following the controversial campus visit of white supremacist Richard Spencer on Dec. 6, Texas A&M has updated its policy on third party speakers. Per the new policy, any third party who wishes to use the campus facilities has to secure a sponsorship from a university recognized student group, A&M academic or administrative unit, or from an A&M System member. The sponsorship has to come at least
14 days before the event. University spokeswoman Amy Smith said the policy changes came as a result of unwelcome speakers, but added that it also had to do with limited space at A&M. Smith said in the last several years, about 4,000 students have been added to campus, and some student organizations have had to hold meetings as late as 10 p.m. in order to have an available venue. “Our priority is first and foremost to requirements of our faculty and students,” Smith said. “Those student, faculty and/or staff campus groups may themselves end up bringing a controversial speaker to campus. That’s not the issue here. The issue is undue burden on a limited room capacity and undue burden at times on resources required by ex-
ternal individuals or groups with no affiliation with our university.” Smith said despite the changes, there is nothing stopping a group from inviting a controversial speaker to campus. “Recognized campus groups very well may sponsor a controversial speaker in the future,” Smith said. “This policy is about serving first our own university students, faculty and staff with limited space and times available due to our growing numbers. Who they choose to sponsor is up to each campus group.” Student groups will likely not have their university recognized status revoked if they do choose to invite a controversial speaker to campus, Smith said. “I cannot imagine a situation where a cam-
pus organization could have their status revoked for sponsoring a controversial speaker apart from inciting or committing criminal acts in conjunction with the speaker, and that would be adjudicated through campus judicial conduct processes as well as law enforcement,” Smith said. Smith also said the policy does not bar anyone from walking onto campus and speaking in an open space, such as Academic Plaza. Students have spoken both for and against the new policy changes, including applied mathematical sciences junior Matthew Marshall. Overall, Marshall said he favors the policy, but is hesitant about it. “In theory, I agree with it, just because it POLICY ON PG. 3
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Nursing students and more will get an opportunity to test their skills as part of the mock event, Disaster Day.
Annual Disaster Day to be held Thursday for casualty training
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By Tyler Snell @Tyler_Snell2 One of the largest student-run mass casualty disaster training exercises in the country will once again come to College Station as students studying nursing, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences practice what they’re learning. Disaster Day, which will be held Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at Central Baptist Church in College Station, brings more than 300 students and 400 community volunteers to participate in a casualty training exercise. Volunteers of past Disaster Days have staged simulations of hurricanes, chemical fires, wildfire scenarios and other mass casualty situations, and interdisciplinary student teams partner with community organizations to care for the simulated patients. Participants will not know what the simulated disaster is until the day of the event. Erica Cashion, nursing senior and incident commander of the event, said Disaster Day is an opportunity for the participants to work with other professionals in a high stress situation. “I think it’s going to be a really good interprofessional event,” Cashion said. “They are going to get to see how doctors, pharmacists and nurses really work together to take care of patients and then really practice not just one or two patients like we see in a hospital but just a large rush of patients.” Nursing senior and deputy incident commander of fundraising and media, Emily Matos, said a large-scale event like this requires hours of planning and working between the various colleges involved. “There were a lot of planning meetings and meetings with the colleges to include the educational aspect of the event,” Matos said. “Disaster Day is a really good way for people to have the opportunity to practice what that would be like in the chaos and make the mistakes then and work on them in case they are ever in the situation of caring for people in a disaster situation.” The event is open to the public, and Beth Hudson, media chair and nursing senior, said it is a great opportunity DISASTER DAY ON PG. 3
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Susan Egenolf, head of Brazos Valley Reads, stands among past Brazos Valley Reads posters lining the walls of the Department of English.
BONDED BY BOOKS Brazos Valley Reads to host author, advocate of freedom of expression Jennifer Clement By Madeleine Brennan @MadKathBren
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t’s all about bringing books to the people. Brazos Valley Reads, an organization founded to bring internationally recognized authors to local communities, engages students, faculty and community members in thoughtful discussions about literature. For 13 years, Brazos Valley Reads has partnered with Blinn College and the Glasscock Center for Humanities to unify the community, high schools and universities in the pursuit of knowledge through dialogue on literature and sociopolitical issues. This year, BVR 2017 wll host Jennifer Clement and her novel, Prayers for the Stolen, which discusses the kidnapping of young women in Mexico. Clement also works as the president of PEN International, a group dedicated to protecting and supporting writers’ and journalists’ freedom of expression. In addition to her public events, Clement, like many of the BVR authors before her, will come in and discuss the book with students who are reading the book in their English classes. Lawrence Oliver, English professor, said he’s most excited
about the discussions that will happen between students currently reading the book and the book’s author. “There are a million good books out there, but it’s rare to actually have the author come and stand in front of you, read from the book and answer questions,” Oliver said. “We say that in liberal arts, we teach our students to read critically and engage in civil discourse. And these are perfect opportunities to do that both in class and at the event.” As a member of BVR’s Selection Committee, Oliver and others try to choose books that will reflect the interests of the larger community and engage students at the college and high school level. Clement’s novel gives the students, faculty and the public information and perspectives that they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to and what they otherwise wouldn’t think about, Oliver said. “We look for books that are contemporary, that are timely and speak to relevant social and political issues,” Oliver said. “I think all of us should be reading all the time and discussing the books, because it’s terribly important that we get other people’s perspectives on what we read, especially now more than ever.” The organization was founded back in 2005 by former Head of the Department of English, Paul Parrish, and the Dean of Liberal Arts, Pamela Matthews. BVR was begun simply to unify the community and university through a book, Ernest BV READS ON PG. 2
Aggies ‘d e v e l o p ’ photography skills Photography club helps students hone their skills behind the camera By EmmaLee Newman @Emmy_Lee014
Kelley Starnes, management information systems senior is the photography club president. Yuri Suchil — THE BATTALION
The A&M Photography Club does more than develop photos — it develops its members in their craft by teaching them to use a camera. The Photography Club was started six years ago, AND originally known as “Vision Inspired.” The club has been involved on campus working with organizations by taking photos at events, doing headshots at Mays Business School and are currently being featured on the second floor of the MSC in “Aggie Frame of Mind.” The club offers constructive criticism for its work, provides photography opportunities and fosters a com-
munity for photographers. Kelley Starnes, management information systems senior, is the president of Photography Club and said although the name has changed since the club started, it still upholds its initial vision. “Photography Club is supposed to be a place where everyone who is a photographer can come share ideas, share styles, share camera types, learn about different equipment and it’s just a big collaborative group,” Starnes said. “A lot of the time photography is very independent and so it’s just a group for photographers to feel that there are commonalities and they’re not alone in their artistic pursuit.” Club members learn the difference between taking a photograph and being involved in the art of photography, as well as what takes a photo to the level of “visual scrap keeping,” or the thought put into the shot, according PHOTOGRAPHY ON PG. 2