The Battalion: March 8, 2017

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2017 STUDENT MEDIA | @THEBATTONLINE

A&M, UT student governments work on joint legislation First-ever joint resolution focuses on investments

By Tyler Snell @tyler_snell2

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BATT THE

THE BATTALION | THEBATT.COM

his week, the student governments of Texas A&M and the University of Texas will pass joint resolutions on March 6 and 7 focused on eliminating unethical companies from their investment portfolios. The subject was the focus of a three-month investigation

by The Battalion into Texas A&M’s investments in fall 2015. This is the first-ever joint resolution passed by the two student governments.

Finance senior Spencer Davis, former news writer for The Battalion and now Vice President of Municipal Affairs in the SGA, conducted the investigation into A&M’s investments. Both the A&M and UT systems receive money from the Permanent University Fund, or PUF, a fund that goes directly toward scholarships, faculty salaries and student programs.

The PUF is managed by the University of Texas Investment Management Company, or UTIMCO, which was invested in 10 of 25 companies on the Texas Comp-

Leah Kappayil — THE BATTALION

troller’s list of those directly involved in Sudanese Genocide. The money invested in these companies by UTIMCO accumulates money for the PUF, where UT receives two-thirds of the payout and Texas A&M receives the remaining third.

Companies UTIMCO invests in have violated human rights in Qatar and the Democratic Republic of Congo, ignored sanctions against Iran and have been accused of international bribery, among other unethical violations.

The resolutions passed by both A&M and UT student governments will create a negotiations team consisting of members from both universities to correspond with UTIMCO in order to reestablish a higher level of cooperation in shareholder engagement, Davis said.

“We want to work with them and say, ‘Hey if you have to be invested in these companies, fine, but let us take our complaints to the companies,’” Davis said.

“The big part of this is that it is a process where we want to go and discuss in a fruitful manner the character of the companies we are invested in and what we can do if we don’t agree with some of the things that we find them to be doing.”

RESOLUTION ON PG. 3

Courtesy

COMPUTER SCIENCE

CAMPUS

Chevall Pryce — THE BATTALION Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

Emily Vincent uses her experience as a visualization student to create concept art.

Squirrels are among the wildlife found on campus.

Design meets calculus in new game

CAMPUS CRITTERS

Bryan video game company looks to A&M Viz Department

Squirrels, cats, fish, birds among species living in Aggieland

By Chevell Pierce @chevallp

By Brad Morse @bradsmorse53

The distant world of Tevaria is under threat of imminent destruction. The land is barren and void of any life except Equa, who has just woken up from a long slumber with no memories of her own.

With the help of an A&M student and basic calculus, the protagonist has the chance to save the world and find out who she is.

“Variant: Limits,” the first in a series of narrative-driven educational video games based on calculus, is the latest project for Bryan-based video game company Triseum. Triseum was founded in November 2014 by CEO Andre Thomas, a visualization professor and video game industry veteran with experience working with companies like EA and Disney for almost 20 years. Thomas said College Station was the best place to begin Triseum because of Texas A&M’s visualization program.

“I didn’t come here to form a company, I came here to teach and have students,” Thomas said. “When a professor came to me and said she wanted to make a game to help students, I said, ‘Okay, I’ll help her.’ We couldn’t find [a publisher], so the office of commercialization and the college really worked with us and helped TRISEUM ON PG. 2

FILE

Freshman forward Robert Williams has averaged 12.9 points per game and 9.6 rebounds.

Robert Williams named SEC Defensive Player of the Year Tyler Davis also picks up accolades, including Second-Team All-SEC

By Lawrence Smelser @Lawrencesmelser Texas A&M freshman forward Robert Williams was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Tuesday. Williams also received three other accolades, including being selected Second-Team All SEC, and to both the SEC All-Freshman and SEC All-Defensive teams.

The Vivian, Louisiana, native has posted 22 multi-block games this season and has extended his school record and national-best streak

to 30 straight games with a block this season.

“I was honestly shocked about the defensive player of the year part,” Williams said. “I blocked a couple of shots but I didn’t know that I impacted the league that much. I really appreciated it.”

The 6-foot-9 playmaker has had a stellar rookie campaign, averaging nearly a double-double per game with 12.9 points per game and 9.6 rebounds. Williams scored a career-high 20 points in Texas A&M’s 71-63 loss to No. 9 Kentucky on Saturday.

Williams’ fellow teammate Tyler Davis was also named Second-Team All-SEC. Davis leads the Aggies in scoring with an average of WILLIAMS ON PG. 2

Texas A&M’s campus is known mainly for its architecture, academics, athletics and memorials to tradition that all attract attention. One of the less-often acknowledged aspects of A&M’s campus, however, is the wildlife.

A&M is home to several species of animals, ranging from the squirrels seen all around campus to the fish in the Bush Library’s ponds.

“Any species that also occurs in Brazos county could occur on campus,” said Heather Prestridge, curator of the Biodiversity Research of the Department of Wildlife. “Our collections publish specimen data to see which species have been documented on campus.”

Prestridge said there are multiple reasons for animals being attracted to a college campus.

“Wildlife are attracted to places that offer suitable habitat for their lifestyle,” Prestridge said. “In urban environments bats choose to nest in built structures, whereas squirrels create their dreys in trees across campus.”

One of the lesser-known groups of animals on campus are the fish, said Kevin WILDLIFE ON PG. 3

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“I’m not really an awards person,” Davis said of receiving the awards.

“They come and they go. I’m just trying to get better but it was cool.”

This is the second year in a row that Davis has been honored after being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team a year ago.

“I’m very proud of them,” A&M head coach Billy Kennedy said. “I thought, though, that without Admon Gilder they wouldn’t have got the ball.

There are only so many spots but both of those guys had really good years. It’s a credit to our team and their play.”

cording to Triseum’s website, failure rates for Calculus I are reaching 38 perus set up a spin-off company so we can cent.

According to Thomas, more than 400 get these games out to other students professors from 300 different schools and other schools.”

Weeks after the launch of the pilot have requested “Variant: Limits” and Grace Neumann, Page Designer Leah Kappayil, Photo Chief The BaTTalion is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and program, which invited professors more than 50 are currently using it this THE BATTALION is published daily,Thursday Monday during throughthe Thursday the(except fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and summerduring session from other universities to teach cours- semester — with more on the way. Prospring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, (except University holidays exam periods) Student at Texas A&M University, TX 77843.

Offices are in Suite and L400 of the Memorial Center. es with the PC game, “Variant: Lim- fessors can track the students’ progress in College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas its” is undergoing tweaks and patches the game throughout the semester.

A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. news department is managed by students at Texas A&M News: The Battalion Many of the students who work in to improve the experience. The main Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http:// University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom www.thebatt.com. the visualization program’s Learning reason “Variant: Limits” was created phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement Interactive Visualization Experience was the massive amounts of students,

by The Battalion.

For campus, local, and national advertising, call 979-or Publication of advertising does display not imply sponsorship Advertising: especially minority students who do not (LIVE) Lab, the educational game de845-2687. Forby classified Office are 8 a.m. to endorsement The advertising, Battalion. call For 979-845-0569. campus, local, andhours national display 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

Email: battads@thebatt.com. advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. pass calculus, a core concept of STEM sign training program which Thomas Subscriptions: parttoof5the University entitles each Texas A&M Office hours are 8Aa.m. p.m.

Monday Advancement through Friday.Fee Email: battads@thebatt.com. programs, according to Thomas. Ac- also founded, go on to work at Triseum student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional after graduation. copies $1.

A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M Subscriptions: student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

“It helps; it’s fun and the research is ongoing to see how much it works,” Thomas said. “I always like to work Notice of University Student Rule Revisions with the best. That’s why I’m here in Aggieland, not at some other school.

Additions, deletions and changes to the University Student Rules may occur over the course of the year.

We have the best students.”

The following student rules have been revised: The office, located in Downtown Rule # Rule Date Student Rule Website Updated Bryan, houses all components of Trise14.1 Degree Requirements March 2, 2017 um, including the artists, programmers Each student has the responsibility to be fully acquainted with and to comply with the Texas A&M University Student Rules. Student Rules can be found at http://student-rules.tamu.edu. and management teams. The staples of most video game studios can be found in the building, including whiteboards on nearly every surface and a game room for inspiration. Although the company is small compared to big-name video THE RICHARDS GROUP game developers, Triseum has already had two published games on the market TRG JOB #: SBU-16-0050 within three years.

CLIENT: Toni Phillips, the producer of TriseSMU um, said her experience in several areas TITLE: of video game development, including Master’s College Print work on “Star Wars: The Old RepubPUB: Texas A&M Battalionlic,” helped her balance the Trisuem team as its producer. As an industry vetINSERTION: November 2016 eran, Phillips said it is easier to manage TRIM: Triseum with so many students — the 4.9375" x 10.5" majority of whom are female — from COLOR: CMYK the LIVE Lab coming in that require LINE SCREEN: less training.

SNAP/85 “We’re lucky and unique to be able Earn A One-Year Master’s Degree.

FOR QUESTIONS to have that relationship where other CALL: Kathleen Pendergast game studios are going to spend a lot of 214.891. 2918 time and money having to incubate, or Management research and develop, games,” Phillips said. “That kicks off at the LIVE Lab. Maximize your market value with a solid business foundation.

There’s a unique opportunity for someone who’s been in the industry as long Business Analytics as me to see how this can work so well, to be able to have pre-trained resources Launch your career in big data, marketing or consulting. that we can just plop right into a role.”

“Variant: Limits” focuses on the limFinance its section of Calculus I courses that its subtitle suggests. Using the structure of Attain success in corporate finance, investment a puzzle game, students play the game management and consulting. using knowledge of material taught in class.

Marwan Ansari, director of technolAccounting ogy, said now that the game is playable Enhance your skills, prep for the CPA exam and jump-start the team is focusing on fixing the highyour career at a top global accounting firm. est priority bugs, or errors, in the game.

“We prioritize it based on how big of

an impact it’s having,” Ansari said. “Is it preventing students from learning? Is it preventing students from finishing? Is it stopping people from adopting and enjoying the game? From there we put it in priority in terms of how much work is it to fix, how many users does it affect and how quickly we can get it out. And then, we take action.”

Students playing the game aren’t required to physically work out the problems, but rather play the game and use the basic concepts to complete the puzzles. Arte Mecenas, Triseum’s first game, worked in the same way by allowing students to experience art history first-hand as a merchant for the Medici family.

Emily Vincent, Class of 2016, is a concept artist and user interface designer working on “Variant: Limits.” Vincent said her experience in the Visualization Department directly carried over to her work for Triseum.

“Day one I knew what to do because I had already been working on a project for a year and a half,” Vincent said.

“Through [visualization] I touched on everything from coding and 2-D art and 3-D art. So I’m able to, hopefully, effectively communicate with the programmers … understanding what they do a little bit helps.”

Elizabeth Stephens, 3-D artist and Class of 2015, uses Houdini and Substance Designer softwares to design and fix parts of the environment in “Variant: Limits.” Although her experience in the visualization program helped her get where she is now, Stephens said working in Triseum is helping her master specific skills.

“Having to be in the workplace 40 hours a week and work on one program definitely helps you develop your skills a lot faster,” Stephens said. “It’s one thing to be in school and work on different projects all semester. It’s another to have one goal for over a year. You level up a lot faster than you do doing little things.”

Phillips said “Variant: Limits” is meant to be a supplement to a calculus course rather than a replacement.

“We have you as a student, who needs to be able to understand the concepts that are being provided to you,”w Phillips said. We need to make sure this is helping you, that what the teacher is saying makes more sense. We’re not just going to put it out there and forget about it either. We’re going to make changes and adjustments because we want the best product possible.”

Triseum will be at SXSW with the university’s Visualization Department to showcase their work and upcoming projects.

WILLIAMS CONTINUED

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The Battalion | 3.8.17

WILDLIFE CONTINUED Conway, associate professor of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.

“There are multiple species of fishes inhabiting the creeks, ponds and lakes scattered around campus,” Conway said. “Potentially as many as 10 different species, though there may be more.

White Creek, which has its headwaters on West Campus, is certainly the most pristine water body on campus and likely has more species of fishes than any other water body on campus.”

Most of the fish on campus are here naturally, although some ponds have been stocked, Conway said.

“Most fish present on campus certainly found their way here naturally but some of the larger ponds have been intentionally stocked with fishes over the years,” Conway said. “This includes stocking of Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass and Bluegill into the pond next to the George Bush Library.”

Conway said the fish play a role in affecting the local ecosystem.

“Of course some of these fish are at the bottom of the food chain and provide a source of food for birds and turtles,” Con-

way said.

Not all the animals on campus play a positive role in the ecosystem, according to Prestridge.

“The cats you see on campus are not wildlife, they are domesticated cats that have gone feral,” Prestridge said. “They are disruptive to native wildlife and have a negative impact on songbirds in particular. Bobcats, which are native, do occur in the area, but I wouldn’t expect to ever see one on campus.”

With a fishing permit, fishing in the Bush Library pond is allowed, but is limited to catch and release, according to a sign outside the pond.

Other notable documented animals seen on campus include songbirds, turtles, fish, squirrels, feral cats and several species of insects. Students interact with the animals on occasion.

“I like how we have a sustained populations of cats near Heldenfels; they seem to be treated well,” said engineering freshman Tres Duytschaever.

“With how well they’re treated, it really shows how welcome as a campus we are.”

Allied health junior Blake Doughtie said he is particularly fond of the squirrels.

“The squirrels are cute, and it brightens my day every time I see one come up to me when

I’m on campus,” Doughtie said.

“I wish I could catch one, put it in my backpack, and bring it to one of my lectures with me.”

Duytschaever also said he believes the squirrels are too tame.

“I don’t think the squirrels can live anywhere but campus at this point,” Duytschaever said. “They’re just too docile and used to human interaction.

I mean you see people feed and pet them all the time. They’re just dependent on us now.”

Duytschaever said he doesn’t believe A&M should do anything to hinder or help the local wildlife.

“I think we’re at a good place with the wildlife,” Duytschaever said. “Bringing in more animals or removing the ones we have would have too much of an effect on the ecosystem, so we should just leave them be.”

Additional information regarding the species of animals on campus can be found in the Department of Wildlife. The Aggie Aquarium Association maintains an aquarium of native fishes in Nagle Hall, and the department has a nationally recognized collection that documents vertebrae in Texas and other states located off campus, which is limited to researchers and students taking classes in the department.

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RESOLUTION CONTINUED A historical first piece of joint legislation like this requires participation from both universities. Business junior and UT Speaker of the Assembly Santiago Rosales said the legislation enables each university to truly represent what they stand for.

“This will be a really great way for us to live up to our value statements as universities,” Rosales said. “At UT, the slogan is ‘What starts here changes the world,’ and the business community has a profound impact nationally and globally, and to have the potential for student voice in this conversation is pretty exciting.”

Joseph Hood, government and public services senior and Speaker of the A&M Student Senate, said this bill will allow students to enjoy benefits of the Permanent University Fund while ensuring the money is clean.

“I don’t think students of good conscious can continue to enjoy those things with a good conscious,” Hood said. “I really believe that if students were aware then they would say ‘there are other options for us to be investing in.’”

Multiple members from both the UT and A&M student governments have been involved in the process of coordinating such a large effort. UT representative and business junior Connor Madden said this is the most

exciting part.

“I think any opportunity that we have to cooperate to benefit the higher institutions of our state is really exciting,” Madden said. “Our purpose is just to advocate on behalf of students, and ideally this piece of legislation allows us to do that in a way that will bring lasting, tangible change to UTIMCO and eventually results in better student advocacy at that level.”

Coordinating a bill that represents more than 100,000 students has been the biggest challenge, according to A&M communication senior and Executive Vice President Dan Rosenfield.

“The hardest thing has been coordination with University of Texas because they have a different structure,” Rosenfield said. “You have to make sure that you have both student governments on the exact same page, because if one word is different part of the meaning is lost.”

After months of investigations and negotiations, Davis said the end goal is finally in sight.

“The outcome is being able to know that the scholarship money of myself and my friends is not being funded in some way, shape or form even if it is just pennies coming back to us of companies taking advantage of genocide,” Davis said. “It’s knowing that we have student direct input working with the university in making the world a better place by using our endowment.”

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