CAMPUS
2013
ELECTIONS
Voting for student body elections will take place on Thursday and Friday at vote.tamu.edu.
thebattalion l thursday,
february 21, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
Bomb threat evacuates buildings Officials debated sending Code Maroon messages John Odom
Special to The Battalion
A
pproximately 700 people were evacuated from campus buildings Wednesday after authorities received notice of a bomb threat to Kyle Field, said Lt. Allan Baron of the University Police Department. Baron said the threat was written on a wall of a non-academic building with what appeared to be chalk. A University employee discovered the words “There I
a Bomb at Kyle” and reported it. Baron said after information was relayed to authorities, officers were immediately dispatched to verify the information after receiving the tip at 10:50 a.m. Evacuated buildings included Kyle Field, Read Building, G. Rollie White Coliseum, Netum A. Steed and the Bright Football Complex. “We immediately began to secure and search that facility as well as [those that] adjoin it,” Baron said. He said it was debated whether the threat warranted a Code Maroon message, but did to reduce confusion and misinformation that was circulating
Kyle Field poll sent to faculty by mistake
around campus. Baron said surrounding buildings were evacuated because the threat was specific to Kyle Field, contrary to the general bomb threat in October that caused the evacuation of the entire campus. Search dogs from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called to assist the search. No bomb was found and authorities gave the “all clear” at 7:08 p.m. Charley Clark, associate vice president of University Risk and Compliance, said whether phoned in, emailed, scribbled See Threat on page 2
John Odom— THE BATTALION
University and federal officials searched Kyle Field and surrounding buildings Wednesday afternoon.
Patient progress
Alec Goetz The Battalion
A
poll issued by the A&M administration to gauge student reaction about increasing student fees and sports pass prices to fund the renovation of the east side of Kyle Field was emailed to students Tuesday night. However, the student poll was also accidentally emailed to University faculty and staff. The poll, which reached student email accounts after midnight Wednesday, followed an email poll by a group called “Aggie Polling.” The A&M-affiliated poll asks students whether they support an increase of the University Advancement Fee by $36.30 per semester for full time undergraduate students and sports pass prices by $80.36 for a seven game season. University spokesman Jason Cook said the delivery of the referendum to faculty was an error and that steps had been taken to ensure the referendum’s accuracy. “We are able to authenticate that only student responses are included as part of the survey,” he said. “Any responses from faculty, staff or any non-students are eliminated from the survey results.” Student reaction to the separate “Aggie Polling” and A&M-affiliated polls was mixed. “I got the emails but I haven’t taken the polls yet,” freshman kinesiology major Fabian Castro said. “I didn’t know the first one wasn’t from the University.” Another student said the stadium should be renovated, but was skeptical about the administration’s plans to fund the changes. “The field should be redone, but if they are going to pay for it with student fees then they shouldn’t increase the sports pass prices,” freshman environmental geosiences major Joshua Simon. “It would be cool if they could make the sports passes free.” Cook said the A&M administration does not support the use of existing UAF monies for purposes outside “core academic and student supSee Polling on page 2
Vivek Karthikeyan — THE BATTALION
University studies major Caleb Jentsch recounts his ski accident in January 2012 and his journey of faith and recovery.
Student recovers from nearly fatal accident Mackenzie Mullis
Special to The Battalion an. 5, 2012, was the day that changed everything for senior university studies major Caleb Jentsch. After an accident that almost took his life, Jentsch has returned to A&M, spreading his message of faithful endurance. Jentsch and five other friends had been skiing in Breckinridge, Colo., for several days when they decided to change mountains and head for the adjacent town, Keystone. It was nearing time for the group to
J
make their way down the last run when things went awry. The run, “Spillway,” was empty of other skiers. Jentsch and junior allied health major Kyle Baldock were racing past one another when they accidentally crossed skis. Both fell hard, toppling through the snow, when Baldock saw Jentsch strike his head on a tree branch. Baldock said it was immediately clear something was wrong with Jentsch. “I could tell he was unconscious, but I thought he was just knocked out,” Baldock said. “I could hear him breathing, he was breathing funny. I found a block of ice and
propped his head up to get him to breathe better.” Baldock and a friend flagged down skiers for help. Ski patrol arrived 15 minutes later and began treating Jentsch. “He would throw up and they would suction it out so it wouldn’t fill up his lungs,” Baldock said. Jenstch’s body postured while the ski patrol treated him, meaning he was seizing and convulsing from a brain injury. Jentsch was placed on a stretcher and atSee Memory on page 4
A&M to face off against struggling Ole Miss Charity Chambers
The Battalion espite a devastating fourpoint home loss to Kentucky on Monday, Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair warmly thanked the 12th Man for the support provided to his basketball team during the high-profile matchup. “I would like to thank you for making a difference in the A&M vs. Kentucky women’s basketball game on Monday night,” Blair said in his Letter to the 12th Man. “Kentucky may have won the battle, but last night was a tribute to things that we do right at Texas A&M. Texas A&M is so much more than win-
D
Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Freshman guard Courtney Walker drives into the lane during A&M’s 70-66 home loss to Kentucky.
See a Concert by an International Superstar!
TONIGHT
TICKETS ONLY $20 THE KNIGHTS with WU MAN, pipa 7:30 PM • Rudder Auditorium offer code: 20dollars at MSCOPAS.org
BAT_02-21-13_A1.indd 1
ning or losing an athletic event. It is made up of champions in the classroom, professors who teach us, teammates who push us, and friendships made at A&M that will last a lifetime.” After the Wildkats broke A&M’s conference-high, eightgame win streak, the Aggie women’s basketball team is seeking to recover well and resurface as a league powerhouse. After falling 70-66, the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies will face off against the Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday at Reed Arena. University of Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell said despite earning the win, A&M is a See Ole Miss on page 3
inside corps | 4 Ramp Romp The Corps of Cadets is set to host its annual Ramp Romp 5K. This year the event will honor Marine Corps Maj. Nathan Anderson, Class of 2002 and member of the Corps of Cadets Company H-1.
sports | 3 Diamond victories Texas A&M baseball and softball secured three wins over the course of Wednesday, downing Texas Southern and Stephen F. Austin.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! Available at the Window of the MSC Box Office or Call 845-1234 Limit 4 Tickets per Student Student ID Required Not Valid for Tickets Already Purchased
2/21/13 12:49 AM