thebattalion
thebatt.com
Women’s issues Get an introduction to women’s issues in The Batt’s newest blog at thebatt.com.
● wednesday,
january 25, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media
S O L D Millions of people are enslaved in cities around the world. Bryan-College Station is no exception. Joanna Raines The Battalion Behind the big-city lights and attractions of Houston, a secret lies in the shadows. Every day, human beings are sold into modern-day slavery in what looks like a normal business establishment. Behind the closed doors of spas, cantinas and nightclubs thrives a shocking injustice. The 2011 Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force Report defines human trafficking as the recruitment, harboring, transporting or procurement of a person for labor or services for the purpose of involuntary servitude, slavery or forced commercial sex acts. There are currently 27 million people enslaved around the world, according to the U.S. State Department — the highest total in history. Although estimates vary, a United Nations report in 2008 placed human trafficking’s market value worldwide at $32 billion, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
reported that “trafficking of humans is tied with arms dealing as the second largest criminal industry in the world, and is the fastest growing.” The U.S. is not exempt from the problem of modern-day slavery, and one quarter of human trafficking in America happens in Texas. In the last quarter of 2007, 30 percent of all tips to the National Human Trafficking Hotline came from Texas. Houston is known worldwide as a hotspot for human trafficking. Its proximity to the border, interstate highways and international airport make it a prime location for traffickers. However, Houston is not the only Texas city where human trafficking occurs; the issue is right in students’ backyard. Even in Bryan-College Station, there are cases of human trafficking. Officer JP Ingram of the Bryan Neighborhood Enforcement Team said that within the last week there has been a See Traffic on page 4
Photo illustration by Roger Zhang and Jorge Montalvo — THE BATTALION
In a graphic depiction of human traffickers “ownership” of trafficking victims, some women are tattooed on the back or neck with a barcode.
27million 32billion
estimated number of modern-day slaves worldwide. estimated global market value of human-trafficking industry in 2008
30 percent 10 thousand
By the numbers of all tips to the National Human Trafficking Hotline come from Texas human traffickers convicted internationally in the last three years
state of the union
immigration
President Obama confronts Congress and nation on economy, education
Waiver proposal offers quick return to U.S. Luz Moreno-Lozano
Barrett House
The Battalion
The Battalion After a historic 2011 — the death of Osama bin Laden, the Arab Spring and Congress’ budget woes — President Barack Obama stood before Congress to say “as long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful and the state of our union will always be strong.” The State of the Union address, given annually, gives the President the opportunity to inform the American public of the country’s status. Tuesday evening, Obama discussed topics including the military withdrawal from Iraq, unemployment in America, and the broken economy. Obama began the address complementing the military for its ability to work together while many institutions have been unable to. “Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example,” Obama said. “Think about the Amer-
ASSOICATED PRESS
President Barack Obama gestures while giving his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill on Tuesday in Washington. ica within our reach: a country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t
so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.” During the speech, Obama proSee Obama on page 4
The Obama administration proposed a new law to alleviate the restrictions on illegal immigrants entering the U.S., allowing them to apply for a waiver that would allow re-entry into the U.S. during the process of obtaining a visa if the immigrants have immediate family and can prove the separation is causing extreme hardships. Illegal immigrants have no way of becoming a legal U.S. citizen — after their visa expires — trapping them in the U.S. under undocumented status. “They don’t want to be undocumented but there aren’t many choices unless you have a family member here. The 1996 law changed the rules and penalized undocumented citizens in the U.S.,” said Nadia Flores, assistant professor in
the Department of Sociology. Current law requires illegal immigrants applying for legal status to return to their home country before becoming eligible for a visa. Once there, the immigrants face a three to 10-year period during which they are not allowed to re-enter the U.S. — forcing many families to be separated for long periods of time. The bill’s supporters say the path to a green card is a long, tedious process and many families live in fear of separation and simply choose to not apply. “It’s tough to have your family separated,” said Mariana Anguiano, sophomore civil engineering major. “You don’t know how long you’re going to be out of the country and now with this new law they will have the benefit of knowing how long they will See Immigration on page 5
campus
Construction on and off campus forces buses to reroute Haley Lawson The Battalion Students may have noticed multiple changes to several bus routes due to construction on and off campus. Temporary fences around Fish Pond to the Wellborn Road project, in particular, have rerouted a number of bus routes. Competing for elbowroom, the construction projects and the Aggie Spirit buses have led Transportation Services to seek alternative routes for the buses.
Pg. 1-01.25.12.indd 1
“Any time we have to move bus stops and re-route, it is somewhat an inconvenience but we know it is for the good of the campus and community. With the Wellborn Road project coming, we anticipate there will be major inconveniences for the next two years,” said June Broughton, marketing manager for Transportation Services. Some of the major bus routes that have been changed are routes 3 (Yell Practice), 12 (Reveille) and 15 (Old Army). Routes 3 and 12, as well as any other bus that ventures past Fish Pond will be rerouted.
“It is making me so angry I avoid the bus because it used to take me 10 minutes to get from Reed to campus and now it takes me 20 to 30 minutes — I’d rather run,” said Austin Souders, junior industrial distribution major. Despite the construction on and off campus, Transportation Services has taken steps to assist students. The University auxiliary has added options for students to know where buses are and what the changes are. “We have implemented a new system that has GPS tracking, cameras on the buses and automatic passenger counters,” Broughton
said. “This system will give us much more accurate information and will enable us to make changes as needed on routes in order to enhance our service. We have also added annunciators on the buses, which notify passengers of upcoming stops. Last year, we added Braille signage to our bus stops.” Lana Wolken, assistant director for Transportation Services, said construction in Bryan caused route 15 to be split in two: the north section and south section. The south section See Bus routes on page 5
1/24/12 11:45 PM
ͳͲ ̷ ʹͻ
...
www.villagefoods.com
We make it easy to...
ʹǤͷ Ǧ ǦͳͲ Ȉ ͺǦͻ ͻͻǤͺͶǤͻͲͲ www.villagefoods.com
Eat Fresh Farmers’ Markets
Ȉ Ͷ Ǧ Ȉ
SUMMER STAFF better
better
o...
www.villagefoods.com
Positions
www.villagefoods.com
Today thunderstorms High: 71 Low: 49
pagetwo thebattalion 01.25.2012
Thursday 30% chance of storms high: 59 low: 44
Top notch
Friday sunny high: 60 low: 40 Saturday mostly sunny high: 60 low: 36 courtesy of NOAA
Connect online
We make it easy to drink better... Camp Ozark
is recruiting at Koldus this week! A Christian sports and adventure camp for boys and girls ages 7-17, located in the heart of the Ouachita Lake and Mountain Region in Arkansas, is now accepting applications for summer staff positions. www.yoursummer2012.com for interviews and applications
www.villagefoods.com
texas UT regents to decide fate of Mack Brown
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas regents are scheduled Thursday to consider a four-year contract www.villagefoods.com extension to keep the We make it easy to eat... 60-year-old Mack Brown at Texas at least until 2020. The move is seen as a response to rumors that surfaced after last season that Brown would retire soon or would be forced out. Brown is paid $5.2 million a year Don’t go to extremes. with a $100,000 annual We have a research study. raise. Texas went 8-5 last Right now, PPD is looking for qualified participants season with a Holiday for a post-surgical pain relief research study Bowl win. Brown is of an investigational medication. Surgery for villagefoods.com 141-39 in 14 seasons at www. qualified study participants will be performed Texas and won the 2005 We make it easy to... by a board certified oral surgeon. Financial national championship. CAMP OZARK....THERE IS A DIFFERENCE! 155 Camp Ozark Drive (870) 867-4131 Mt. Ida, AR 71957-8309 http://www.campozark.com
Need to have your wisdom teeth removed?
www.villagefoods.com
compensation is provided upon study completion and the surgery is performed at no cost.
For information, call
462-0492
Text “PPD” to 48121 to receive study information
Man stabs puppy 11 times ABILENE, Texas — A West Texas man has been jailed on an animal cruelty charge after a 14-week-old puppy was found stabbed 11 times and tossed into a garbage bin. Larry Dollins Jr. remains in Taylor County Jail in Abilene on Tuesday with bond set at $25,000. Jail records do not list an attorney for the 42-year-old suspect. Dr. Natalie Matthews is treating the puppy, named Taz, at an Abilene veterinary clinic. She said she expects the dog to be adopted by Wednesday.
Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
Top engineering and industry firms from around the nation recruit on campus Tuesday seeking Aggie interns and employees. The Student Engineers’ Council Spring Career Fair offers the opportunity for engineering majors to get their name out to potential employers. Texas A&M ranks among the top recruited schools in the nation.
Solar storm lights sky STOCKHOLM — A storm from the broiling sun turned the chilly northernmost skies of Earth into an ever-changing and awe-provoking art show of northern lights on Tuesday. Even experienced stargazers were stunned by the intensity of the aurora borealis that swept across the night sky in northern Scandinavia after the biggest solar flare in six years. “It has been absolutely incredible,” British astronomer John Mason cried from the deck of the MS Midnatsol, a cruise ship plying the fjord-fringed coast of northern Norway. “I saw my first aurora 40 years ago, and this is one of the best,” Mason told The Associated Press, his voice nearly drowning in the cheers of awe-struck fellow passengers. U.S. space weather experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday that so far they had heard of
no problems from the storm that triggered the auroras, which made it as far south as Wales, where the weather often doesn’t cooperate with good viewing. It was part of the strongest solar storm in years, but the sun is likely to get even more active in the next few months and years, said physicist Doug Biesecker at the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colo. “To me this was a wake up call. The sun is reminding us that solar max is approaching,” Biesecker said. “A lot worse is in store for us. We hope that you guys are paying attention. I would say we passed with flying colors.” Tuesday’s colorful display may not have moved that far south, limiting its audience, but those who got to see it got brilliance in the sky that had not been around for years. The Associated Press
Student Recreation Center instructor Lora Gonzalez, senior animal science major, leads her cardio water aerobics class.
The Associated Press Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
corrections The Battalion welcomes readers’ comments about published information that may require correction. We will pursue your concern to determine whether a correction needs to be published. Please contact us at editor@ thebatt.com.
howtoapply If you are interested in writing or contributing content in The Battalion, apply at thebatt.com, or call 845-3313.
thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893
Robert Carpenter, Editor in Chief THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classified advertising, call 979-8450569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979845-2613.
Pg. 2-01.25.12.indd 1
The Battalion welcomes any Texas A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.
Rec Center offers free classes Hayden Stringer Special to The Battalion With each spring semester comes goals and new opportunities. Two of the most common goals for students is to eat healthier and start a consistent workout schedule. The Student Recreation Center is a tool for students to use in accomplishing these goals with free fitness classes. Lazell Curry, a Rec Sports receptionist, said free classes are listed at the front entrance right when you walk in the doors. Some of the free cardio classes include cardio water instructional pool, triple threat and high intensity interval training. Each class is an hour long and is offered on different days in order to adapt to students’ schedules. Some students are unaware that the Rec Center offers free classes. “I had no idea that the Rec offered free classes,” said Trevor Hansen, a sophomore geophysics major. “I had just assumed all of
the classes had some sort of fee. I will have to check into some of those now.” More free classes offered are abs and back, functional flexibility, sunrise yoga and yoga rocks. “I took abs and back at the Rec because it was one of the free classes that they offered,” said Erin Hollowell, a junior education major. “I found it to be very beneficial, especially considering that it was free. The only issue with the class was it was really crowded but I expected that.” The Rec offers a plethora of other classes, like kickboxing and Zumba. Some Aggies use the classes to get extra time with friends outside of school and do the workouts together. Hollowell used a class to push her friends to finish the work out rather than give up. “I dragged my roommates to the class because I thought it would make it more fun. My plan definitely worked. We enjoyed participating in the class together and encouraged each other to work harder.” Hollowell said.
Fitness classes ◗ Sunrise yoga is offered once a week at 6:30 a.m. for all the early risers.
◗ The functional flexibility and abs and back are offered at 9 p.m. for the students who prefer to be up later rather than earlier.
◗ Yoga rocks is performed on the indoor climbing facility and has 12 spots a week so it is a first come, first serve basis and fills up quickly.
®
1/24/12 8:31 PM
EDITOR’SNOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.
MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail
call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters
‘
will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verified. Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 | mailcall@thebatt.com
Lighting up Naila Dhanani: Breathe clean air; end on-campus smoking
T
he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that tobacco use causes 443,000 deaths per year in the U.S. and more than 5 million deaths per year worldwide.
About 50,000 of the U.S. deaths are the result of secondhand smoke. Cancer, heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases can result from tobacco use and exposure to tobacco use, but this is no surprise. In fact, the health warnings are written on the cigarette boxes. Even so, these warnings clearly haven’t deterred smokers from lighting up. And the great thing about living in a free country is it’s no one’s business if someone wants to willingly harm him- or herself. And everyone’s entitled to live their life the way they see fit, right? Wrong — if it means others are in danger. Secondhand smoke is hazardous to one’s health and can cause a number of problems — asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer. Ask yourself: Would you like to suffer an early death simply so that a smoker can enjoy a few moments of tobaccoinduced pleasure? Cigarettes are dangerous and have no place in hightraffic areas of a college campus, where nonsmoking students cannot avoid the exposure. If smokers want to light up in their home or private facility, fine. But a campus wide smoking ban would protect those who want to protect their health. Texas A&M has said in Appendix IX of its student rules, “The simple separation of buildings into ‘smoking’ and ‘nonsmoking’ sections does not eliminate the unequivocal health risks that result from environmental tobacco smoke.” Yet our University maintains designated smoking areas outdoors. To fully satisfy the health and well being of its students, faculty, staff and community, University administration should ban tobacco use entirely throughout campus. This is not a novel idea. In fact, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed into law an outdoor citywide smoking ban in May. It’s time to stop protecting the rights of cigarette smokers and start protecting those who want to breathe clean air. We have a right to be protected from the toxic effects of tobacco use. I urge the administration to designate the entire University as smoke-free and bring us one step closer to a healthier and cleaner campus. Smoking is not a fundamental right. Breathing clean air is. Naila Dhanani is a junior biomedical sciences major and opinion editor.
voices thebattalion 1.25.2012 page3
Taylor Wolken: Protect personal freedom; maintain designated smoking areas
S
moking is a filthy, disgusting habit that should be allowed and afforded the same freedoms as wearing stinky perfume, working out before class and wearing rain boots that look like they’re made for a toddler.
It’s sad we have lost sight of individual liberty in favor of popular opinion or mob rule. Unlike hating on people for their religion, sexual orientation or race, smokers are a class of their own. It’s perfectly respectable, even popular, to hate on smokers. In 2009, College Station went so far as to impose a citywide ordinance against smoking, directly attacking the property rights of its citizens. This was particularly important to bars — a popular smoking ground — who were told they could no longer allow smoking indoors. It didn’t matter that any private property owner could impose a smoking ban if they so desired. Some would prefer we ban smoking in public places like our campus. It shows utter disregard for personal liberty without a sufficient rational purpose. There are two main reasons I can muster that one might use to justify such a ban. It is bad for public health and it costs the University money to provide and empty cigarette bins. Smoking isn’t healthy and is associated with a higher risk of a number of ailments. In regard to the general public, there is little evidence it causes a risk to most nonsmokers. There are a significant amount of studies that have looked into the effects of secondhand smoke. The website of the Surgeon General has an ample list. These studies show secondhand smoke can cause small increases in the risk of health related issues such as heart disease and asthma. Unfortunately, anti-smoking zealots
often overlook who these studies were conducted on. The subjects are people who have incredibly high exposure to secondhand smoke, such as spouses and children of smokers. They are not average folks who might pass a group of smokers on the way to class or might have an occasional drink on a Northgate patio. These people don’t face a significant risk from secondhand smoke. As a side note, Pieter van Baal, an economist at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands, conducted a study on smokers and obese people and found that both are less costly for the health care system than their counterparts. Interestingly enough, these people die earlier, therefore preventing them from living so long they develop a costly disease. When considering the cost smokers impose on the campus it could be more costly to enforce a ban. Campus police have better things to do than wag their fingers at smokers, and hiring more officers to hand out tickets would likely exceed any savings. As a practical matter, it won’t stop people from smoking either. They might smoke at different places where butts get disposed, pile up and then blow away to litter the campus. While it is always tempting to pretend that banning something will create a utopian effect, the unintended consequences can often be worse than the original problem. We all have things we don’t like, but sometimes we need to live and let live. When you start trying to ban anything you don’t like, you give up liberty inch by inch. The next ban may be something you enjoy, something like polka dotted pink rain boots. Taylor Wolken is a senior economics major.
Jorge Montalvo— THE BATTALION
(if you haven’t)
order your 2012 yearbook today. The 110th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook will chronicle the 2011-2012 school year — traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, Greeks, campus organizations, and seniors and graduate students. By credit card go online to http://aggieland.tamu. edu or call 979-845-2613. Or drop by the Student Media office, Bldg. #8901 in The Grove (between Albritton Bell Tower and Cain Hall). Hours: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday–Friday. ®
Pg. 3-01.25.12.indd 1
UNIVERSITY DINING
1/24/12 9:31 PM
news
page 4 wednesday 1.25.2012
thebattalion
What can I do?
Traffic Continued from page 1
prostitution sting, and two women were arrested. Ingram said it is not the norm to find pimps selling girls in Bryan, but it does happen. “We hear stories, so we’re aware that there are stories of human trafficking locally,� said Ron Crozier, director of community relations for Twin City Missions. It offers free services for victims of domestic violence. Crozier said people think of College Station as a conservative area, but this does not protect the residents from crime issues such as human trafficking and sex abuse. “We don’t think of domestic violence happening in our community; we don’t think of human trafficking happening in our community; we don’t think of drug wars happening in our community,
â—— Visit change.org to petition against human trafďŹ cking. â—— Check out on campus organization FREE (The Father Redeeming the Enslaved and Exploited) or visit their webpage at tamufree.org. â—— Donate to nonproďŹ ts that care for victims and prevent trafďŹ cking, such as TrafďŹ ck911 (DFW area), Phoebe’s Home (B-CS area), Redeemed Ministries (Houston area). ous place for our children, and parents need to know who their kids are talking to,â€? said Deena Graves, executive director of Traffick911, a nonprofit based in Dallas-Fort Worth that works to end human trafficking. Graves said there are as many as 50,000 predators online at any given moment “looking for our children.â€? “They connect via internet game systems, Facebook, chat rooms and other means. They prey on the vulnerabilities of our youth to find victims,â€? Graves said. Officer Ingram said he was unaware that backpage.com
He could be selling her in exchange for drugs, power and status. There’s not one single motivation that leads to that. It’s all about control and abuse.�
— Director of community relations for Twin City Missions Ron Crozier
$20, $25, $25, $40
Do you love your university?
but all those do exist in BryanCollege Station,� Crozier said. “We are not immune to what happens in larger metropolitan areas.� Traffickers use the Internet to attract and sell people. Sites such as backpage.com include lists of women available for services in the Bryan-College Station area. According to the Detroit Free Press, three women with ties to escort advertisements on this site were murdered in December. Activists have petitioned for the website to shut down the adult section. Traffickers use advertisements on these websites and other mediums for online solicitation to attract minors — often from abusive backgrounds — into the sex trade. “The Internet is a danger-
existed, but that he is interested in looking further into the issue. “We have not addressed backpage.com, to my knowledge,� Ingram said. “The city of Bryan realizes that prostitution is a public safety issue, and we try to address that.� Graves said the average age of entry into prostitution is 12 or 13 years old. She also said victims are not expected to live more than seven years after being lured into the illicit market. Most victims of human trafficking do not live to escape enslavement. Traffickers maintain a living by moving drugs and slaves, operating in secrecy and making it difficult for their sex workers to escape. Victims are threatened, coerced, and physically abused to keep
them involved. “There’s so many factors involved there,� Crozier said. “He could be selling her in exchange for drugs, power and status. There’s not one single motivation that leads to that. It’s all about control and abuse.� Traffickers take advantage of peoples’ vulnerabilities, even holding the threat of deportation over the heads of local victims. “There are undocumented citizens in our community that are fearful of being turned in if they don’t do what they are told to do,� Crozier said. The gravity of this issue can be overwhelming, but there are worldwide efforts to liberate people from lives in trafficking. According to the state department’s 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, more than 113,000 human trafficking victims were identified internationally in the past three years, and 15,000 prosecutions of human traffickers resulted in more than 10,000 convictions, including approximately 700 convictions for labor trafficking. Students have begun to recognize and respond to the issue as well. Earlier this month, thousands of college students who attended Passion Conference in Atlanta, Ga., raised more than $3.3 million for the cause of freedom. “I gave because I can’t sit by and do nothing while this injustice is happening in my city, state, country and world,� said senior communication major Moriah Banas, who attended Passion Conference. “We have let it rise to 27 million slaves so far. If we don’t do something now, when will it ever stop?�
Obama Interested in serving Texas A&M University in a unique way?
’’Ž› ˆ‘” –Š‡ ‡šƒ• ĆŹ ‘—Â?†ƒ–‹‘Â? Maroon Coats! ƒ”‘‘Â? ‘ƒ–• ƒ”‡ •–—†‡Â?– Ž‡ƒ†‡”• ˆ”‘Â? ƒ…”‘•• …ƒÂ?’—• ‹Â?˜‘Ž˜‡† ‹Â? ƒ †‹˜‡”•‡ ”ƒÂ?‰‡ ‘ˆ ƒ…–‹˜‹–‹‡• ƒÂ?† ’—”•—‹Â?‰ ˜ƒ”‹‘—• ‡†—…ƒ–‹‘Â?ƒŽ †‹•…‹’Ž‹Â?‡•Ǥ ‡ ƒ”‡ •–—†‡Â?–• –Šƒ– Ž‘˜‡ ‡šƒ• ĆŹ Â?‹˜‡”•‹–› ƒÂ?† Šƒ˜‡ ƒ •–‘”› –‘ –‡ŽŽ ƒ„‘—– ‘—” ‡š’‡”‹‡Â?…‡• ƒ– –Š‹• —Â?Â?ƒ–…Š‡† ‹Â?•–‹–—–‹‘Â?Ǥ
Applications due: Thursday, January 26 by 5 p.m. For more information, please visit our website: Giving.tamu.edu/marooncoats IT’S NOT TOO LATE
Feature your organization in the Aggieland GET A YEARBOOK CONTRACT: r TUPQ CZ PVS PGĂ DF 5IF (SPWF #MEH OFYU UP UIF "MCSJUUPO #FMM 5PXFS
r WJTJU PVS XFCTJUF IUUQ BHHJFMBOE UBNV FEV
TURN IN A YEARBOOK CONTRACT: B N m Q N r 5IF (SPWF #MEH OFYU UP UIF CFMM UPXFS
AGGIELAND 2012 2IÄ&#x;FLDO \HDUERRN RI 7H[DV $ 0
Continued from page 1
posed reforms he said would ensure that these goals, especially lowering the 8.5 percent unemployment rate, would be achieved. Obama said he would immediately sign reforms into law if passed by Congress — including a tax reform that gives breaks to companies creating domestic jobs while increasing fees for companies that outsource overseas. “It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America,� Obama said. Matt Hurst, senior environmental design major, found this part of the speech reassuring. “I found it very comforting that President Obama wants to eliminate tax decreases for businesses that outsource jobs overseas,� Hurst commented on The Battalion’s Facebook page. “It just makes sense.� Obama also addressed college tuition levels and student loan reform. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, Obama said, universities need to act. “Let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down,�
ÂŽ
Pg. 4-01.25.12.indd 1
James Thompson — THE BATTALION
Bryan-College Station Democrats play “State of the Union Bingo� at a State of the Union viewing party at Los Molcajetes Restaurant Tuesday night. Obama said. “Higher education can’t be a luxury — it’s an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.� Addressing the issue of students residing in the country illegally, Obama said hardworking students should be allowed to stay in the U.S. “But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses and defend this country,� Obama said. “Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship.� Responding to Obama’s remarks, College Station
Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, said Obama failed to seriously address the root of the nation’s economic troubles. “President Obama was unable to defend his disastrous economic record, and instead, attempted to sell another campaign speech filled with more of the same empty rhetoric,� Flores said. Brian Ayers, sophomore business administration major, said Obama should have further addressed Congress’ ineffectiveness. “President Obama addressed many issues, but what disappointed me most was his lack of ridicule for Congress and the lack of cooperation that has occurred in the legislative branch,� Ayers said.
1/24/12 11:46 PM
news
page 5 wednesday 1.25.2012
thebattalion
Continued from page 1
be out of the country.” There are multiple ways for nonU.S. citizens or legal residents to obtain legal status in the U.S. The most common is to seek a green card through family, an employer or a self-petition, which is available to individuals of “extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics.” Green cards remain valid for 10 years. A tourist visa is an alternative option, offering a six-month legal status. Flores said only 20,000 visas are issued every year for each country. Most visas are given to people with professional degrees and extraordinary abilities. Flores also said it takes from 12 to 17 years to obtain a green card and possibly longer in busier offices like those in New York, Los Angeles and Houston. Jacob Johnson, senior political science major and former chair of College Republicans, said the waiver is a bad idea. “The Obama Administration has shown that it is not interested in securing the border and sending a strong message to foreigners that — in order to immigrate here — they must respect our laws and come here legally,” Johnson said. Johnson also said our nation must ensure that the rule of law remains strong in the area of immigration.
PLACE
AN AD Phone 845-0569 or Fax 845-2678 The Grove, Bldg. #8901 Texas A&M University
AUTO
“This bill is unfair to those who have followed the law ... and came here legally,” Johnson said. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds of the country’s 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years and nearly half are parents of minors. About 11.2 million unauthorized immigrants are of Hispanic origin. “The economy is bad in most home countries and they come to work, get an education and hope for a better life for their families,” said Alfredo Garcia, freshman environmental studies major. Deportations have reached record levels under the Obama administration. According to the Pew Research Center, rising to an annual average of nearly 400,000 since 2009, about 30 percent higher than the annual average during the second term of the George W. Bush administration and about double the annual average during Bush’s first term. White House officials acknowledge that there will be no progress before the November elections on legislation the president supports to give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants. “Obama is hoping for the Latino vote,” Garcia said. “He is going to have to do more. This is a very good way to start but he still has a long way to go.”
WHEN
TO CALL 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day
FOR RENT
I buy vehicles; working, nonworking, or wrecked. 979-778-1121.
3bd/2ba large house, 5-min. to TAMU, available now, $1000/mo. +deposit, 571-8088, 690-7129.
BED AND BREAKFAST
3bd/3ba. Duplexes. Close to campus, Great backyards. Fairly New! 979-693-4900.
Romantic Getaways & Engagements, secluded cabin suites. All Day, All Night. www.7flodge.com 979-690-0073.
FARM/RANCH Aggieland Alfalfa. 50lb compressed Alfalfa bales, 50lb compressed Timothy bales. Call or text orders to 806-683-2916.
FOR RENT $395 Available now and prelease 1/1, 2/1, 2/2. Free WiFi/water/sewer. On Northgate, on shuttle. Short-term leases ok. Call Maroon & White Management 979-422-5660. 1,2,3,4 bedroom apartments. Furnished or unfurnished. Available May or August. 979-693-4900. 1bd/1ba in 2bd/2ba off Southwest. Walk-in closet, on bus-route. Available ASAP. $314.50/mo. 1/2 February paid. pcs9100@hotmail.com 2-3/bedroom apartments. Some with w/d, some near campus. $175-$600/mo. 979-219-3217. 2bd/1ba apartment, 800sq. ft. New appliances, carpeting and tile. W/D. bus-route. $600/mo. +$400 deposit. 210-391-4106. 2bd/1ba, Semester and year leases available. Walk to campus. Pets ok. $99 Dollar Special. 979-574-4036. 3/3,3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apartments, 1250-1400sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, walk-in pantry &closets, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 979-694-0320. www.luxormanagement.com 3bd/2ba House, great location! Minutes from Northgate. Hardwood floors, large fenced yard, lots of storage. $1200/mo. 936-366-0658.
4/2/2 pre-leasing house. near campus, shuttle route, fenced-in yard. Rent $1400/month. Don’t miss! (979)255-8637. 4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Houses, Townhouses, Duplexes &Fourplexes, 1250-1700sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 694-0320. www.luxormanagement.com 4/4.5, like new. High ceilings, huge closets, large front porch, tile floors, all appliances, many extras. $1750/mo. Preleasing for August. 979-229-6326. See photos and info at www.texagrentals.com 4bd/4.5ba. house available in August, Southern Trace Subdivision. $1,700/mo., pets ok. 979-314-4505. 4bd/4ba Brand New House in great College Station location, Don’t Miss. Walk, bike or shuttle to tamu. All appliances included. Available August. $2400/mo. (979)255-8637. 4bd/4ba houses. Brand New, great size, great location, AAF 979-693-4900. 4br/3bath house with master, Edelweiss Gartens area, 5-years old house, security alarm, all appliances, great amenities, quiet street, available in July/Aug., $1900/mo, Brian 469-877-1184 4br/4 bath Gateway Villas townhome, great student floor plan, lots of amenities. Leasing for Fall 2012, $1900/month, Brian 469-877-1184 Balcones Apartments, 3/2, available now, fully remodeled, internet and water included, $895/mo, 979-703-8282.
Bus routes Continued from page 1
circulates at 20-minute intervals. The previous interval was 10 minutes. Dividing route 15 into two sections has created delays that require further modification, according to Broughton. “The north section is now very long with high ridership and requires three buses. The south section is closer to campus but has only one bus, so that service now requires 20 minutes instead of 10. We are continuing to evaluate and modify this route,” Broughton said. The changes cause some students to be late to class and wait in a long line for fewer buses. The changes don’t just affect students who ride the bus; they affect students who bike or walk to campus, as well. “As a bike commuter, the new bus stops have made my morning commute more dangerous. The bike lane on Coke Street is now always blocked off by buses, caus-
Jorge Montalvo — THE BATTALION
Several bus routes have been redirected due to construction projects on and off-campus. ing me to share the lane meant for normal cars. It makes it more dangerous for me, and slows down the cars driving through campus,” said Brandon Adame, senior computer science major. Transportation Services and students alike said they hope these
changes will be short lived. “We anticipate that most adjustments will end after spring break. Others will continue until the end of the semester. The Wellborn Road project will continue for two years,” Broughton said.
classifieds see ads at thebatt.com
SPECIAL
Immigration
PRIVATE PARTY WANT ADS
$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.
FOR RENT BRAND NEW HOUSE! 5bd/4ba, walking and biking distance from A&M, on shuttle. Available May or July move-in 2012. Don’t Miss! $2400/mo. (979)255-8637. Brand new luxury condos, granite countertops, tile flooring, great location. 979-693-4900. Canyon Creek 3/3 Townhome, Recently furnished & decorated, includes Cable, HD Flat screen, WiFi, 2 privacy-keyed bedrooms available with private baths, $500 per BR (prefer Jr., Sr., graduate students or 5th year former Corps members), 501-833-8261, 501-765-0748, paschalg@comcast.net Duplex, rent 2bd/1ba, Beautiful, quite! Remodled, all new, many extras! New drapes, in College Station. Convenient to everything! Fenced backyard. One week free. 979-422-3427. Call for specials. Female needed for 4/4 University Place condo, W/D, private bath, pool, on shuttle. $300/mo. Call 979-690-8213 or 979-422-9849.
FOR RENT Townhomes 2/1.5+Half, on shuttle, W/D connections, fenced patio, $775-895/mo, ask about student discounts, 979-703-8282.
HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment. Have the summer of your life at a prestigious coed sleepaway camp in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, 2.5 hours from NYC. We’re seeking counselors who can teach any Team & Individual Sports, Tennis, Gymnastics, Horseback Riding, Mt. Biking, Skate Park, Theatre, Tech Theatre, Circus, Magic, Arts & Crafts, Pioneering, Climbing Tower, Water Sports, Music, Dance or Science. Great salaries and perks. Plenty of free time. Internships available for many majors. On-campus interviews on Feb. 14. Apply online at www.islandlake.com Call 800-869-6083 between 9-5 eastern time on weekdays for more information.
Furnished Woodlands sublease. 1-bedroom of the 2bd/2.5ba townhouse. Spring Semester. W/D, cable, internet. $495. 713-249-3271.
J. Cody’s hiring cashiers, apply within, 3610 S. College. Must be able to work Tuesday/Thursday nights. No experience necessary, just common sense!
Nice brick 3bd/1.5ba home in Southwood Valley. Big backyard, fireplace, plenty of storage space, close to shuttle and athletic park. $950/mo. and one-month deposit. Call 832-359-2980.
Local business in need of secretary 20-25hrs/week. Job duties include: answering phones, greeting/ serving customers, emailing and bids, posting invoices on Quickbook, and general secretary duties. industrialsafety07@yahoo.com
Northgate. New apartments 3/3, 2/2, and 3/2. House for rent. aggievillas.net 979-255-5648.
If You Have Something To Sell, Remember Classifieds Can Do It!
HELP WANTED NINFA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT COLLEGE STATION. Now accepting applications for Wait/Servers and Hostess Staff. Will train. Flexible schedules available. Good communicators and strong customer service skills preferred. Apply in person Mon-Fri 11am-4pm at 1007 Earl Rudder Freeway South, College Station. Now hiring bike or car delivery. Burger Boy, 4337 Wellborn, in Westgate Shopping Center. Apply in person. Flexible schedule! Office Assistant needed. Liere Insurance. $10/hr. 10-15hrs/wk. Call 979-776-2300. Part-time job helping handicapped. Male student preferred. $360/mo. 10hrs/wk. 979-846-3376. Power point construction desired, have data formed into organized presentation desired, 979-436-6225, sschunicht@gmail.com Receptionist/Cashier needed: Must be customer oriented, able to work Saturdays. Flexible hours. Apply at Readfield Meats & Deli 2701 S. Texas Ave, Bryan.
HELP WANTED Tutors wanted for all ages and subjects starting at $16/hour. Send resume to: mwren@tutordoctor.com 979-694-5306. Tutors wanted for all subjects currently taught at TAMU/ Blinn and Sam Houston State starting at $8.25/hour. Apply on-line @ www.99Tutors.com, 979-268-8867.
MUSIC Peter Block Mobile DJ, professional 22+yrs. experience. Specializing in weddings, TAMU functions. Mobile to anywhere. 979-596-2522. http://www.partyblockdj.com
REAL ESTATE B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Michael McGrann TAMU ‘93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mike@aggierealtor.com Nadia McGrann 979-693-1851, Town & Country Realty.
ROOMMATES
Sales Reps needed, flexible around school, PT/FT bonuses and commissions paid weekly, 979-255-2303.
2-roomates needed. Spacious 2-story townhouse off Harvey Mitchell. Fully furnished. 4/2.5 $400/mo. +1/4 utilities. 713-823-9340.
STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid Survey Takers Needed In College Station. 100% Free To Join. Click On Surveys.
Roommate waned, house one block from campus, all amenities, call for details 979-846-3376.
The Battalion Advertising Office is hiring a clerk to work: Tuesday 9:00 to 2:30, Thursday & Friday 12:00 to 2:00. Student must be able to work all three days. If interested, please come by The Grove, Building 8901 and ask for Joseph or Trish.
SERVICES Traditions Limos, Hummer service Ag discount! 979-587-1727. traditionslimos.com
TUTORS
Call 845-0569
Spring 2012 Sub Lease: Gateway Villas townhome, female, 1br/1bath, rent negotiable, Brian 469-877-1184
Excellent one-on-one private tutors for all subjects. Free Consultation. Visit Tutor Doctor at: www.collegestationtutors.com 979-694-5306.
the battalion puzzle answers can be found online at www.thebatt.com
License Leasing Agent immediate opening in busy real estate of¿ce for agent. TX RE License Required 979-693-3700
Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpful one-on-one private tutors for all subjects at TAMU/Blinn and Sam Houston State. Check us out at www.99tutors.com, 979-268-8867.
SKI SPRING BREAK 2012! breckenridge
AggieNetwork.com
Part-time Of¿ce Assistant needed ASAP for busy real estate of¿ce. Mon. - Fri. 8-12, 12-5 Sat. 9:30-2:30 Apply in Person at Equity Real Estate 201 Wellborn Road, CS
Vail • Beaver Creek • Keystone • Arapahoe Basin
20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price. FROM ONLY
plus t/s
WWW.UBSKI.COM
1-800-SKI-WILD • 1-800-754-9453
STUDIES IN PROGRESS FACIAL ACNE STUDY
Volunteers ages 12-40 years old, with moderate facial acne are needed to participate in a 12-week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Acne Evaluations by a Dermatologist • Study Medication • Compensation up to $200 for time and effort Volunteers will need to make 4 office visits over the 12 week period. For more information please contact:
J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 www.js-studies.com
Pg. 5-01-25-12.indd 1
1/24/12 11:03 PM
sports
page 6
the battalion
wednesday 1.25.2012
Classified Advertising
thebattalion
OSU upsets A&M, 57-53
• Easy • Affordable • Effective For information, call 845-0569
Turnovers, poor shooting doom Aggies in Stillwater Mark Dore
=+* ,+( Š 63 8;**+8 ';*/:58/;3
96+)/'2 :/)1+: 68/)+9 ,58 9:;*+4:9
39) (U^ 5LLOIK Š 5TROTK GZ 39)56'9 UXM
Pg. 6-01.25.12.indd 1
The Battalion The No. 14 Aggies (13-5, 4-3) rallied from 10 down in the second half but came up short in the end, falling to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (12-4, 4-3) 57-53. Oklahoma State held the Aggies to 35.1 percent shooting and silenced A&M’s hope of extending a three-game Big 12 conference winning streak. A&M out-rebounded Oklahoma State 34-29, including a 13-5 advantage on the offensive glass, and forced an Oklahoma State seasonhigh 28 turnovers. The Aggies, however, committed a season-high 26 turnovers, which the Cowgirls cashed in for 22 points. A&M head coach Gary Blair said that the amount of turnovers in the game was bad for the health of women’s basketball. “It’s not good for the women’s game, turning it over that much,� Blair said. “That’s why our attendance is down all over. We have to do a better job to clean it up. That’s too many turnovers, both teams. I think it was poor pass selection and poor receiving of the ball.� Trailing 48-53 with less than one minute to go, freshman guard Alexia Standish hit a three-pointer from the corner to keep the Aggies in contention at 51-53. A deep jumper by senior guard Sydney Carter knotted the game at 53. But the Aggies wouldn’t score again as the Cowgirls closed the game with a fast break layup by sophomore guard Tiffany Bias and two made free throws from junior center Lindsey Keller to hold on 57-53. Carter had a chance in the final moments to give the Aggies the lead but misfired, saying after that the final play was no different than the offense they ran for the majority of the game. “We were just basically running what we’d been running all day and I asked for a screen from one of the bigs and just didn’t knock down the shot,� Carter said. Bias led the Cowgirls with 14 points, followed by 11 from freshman forward Liz Donohoe. Blair praised the state of Oklahoma and the basketball talent it produces. “She just knows how to play the game,� Blair said. “She’s a basketball player with instinct and that’s product of good high school coaching in the state of Oklahoma. This is one of the most underrated states in the country as far as high school coaches delivering kids.� Senior guard Tyra White
Courtesy of Emily Nielsen — The Daily O’Collegian
Senior guard Sydney Carter, left, and senior guard Tyra White attempt a shot block in Tuesday’s loss.
Game review
â—— A&M is now 20-22 against Oklahoma State though the Aggies have won seven of the past nine. â—— The Aggies forced the Cowgirls to commit a season-high 28 turnovers, but committed a season-high 26 themselves. â—— Senior forward Adaora Elonu became the 25th player in Texas A&M history to reach 1,000 career points. â—— The Aggies have forced opponents to commit 20-plus turnovers 13 times this season. â—— A&M out-rebounded Oklahoma State 34-29. The Cowgirls out-rebounded the Aggies on defense, however, 24-21. â—— The Cowgirls limited the Aggies to a 28.6 shooting percentage in the ďŹ rst half as A&M went 8-28 from the oor. â—— The Aggies, meanwhile, allowed the Cowgirls to hit 43.9 percent of their shots on the evening including a 47.1 shooting percentage in the second half. â—— Oklahoma State visited the charity stripe often, hitting 16 of 21 free throws. By contrast, the Aggies would hit only 7 of 8.
Up Next ◗ The Aggies will continue Big 12 conference play against the Iowa State Cyclones at 1 p.m. Saturday at Reed Arena. led the Aggie offense with 15 points, the only A&M player to reach double-digit scoring on a team that relies on balance and production from multiple sources. Carter made just two of 14 shots for seven points, though she added a season-high seven assists. Senior forward Adaora Elonu grabbed 10 rebounds to go with eight points, but was hampered by foul trouble and only attempted five shots before fouling out of the game. Carter said that the team failed to get its post players involved. “We’ve had a lot of games this year where we haven’t been hitting outside shots and our shooting percentage is way down,� Carter said. “We didn’t do a good job of get-
ting it into our bigs and once we did in the second half, it was that easy and we were scoring. They were contesting and packing it and we just have to find a way to get it into the bigs.� This is the last visit to Stillwater for the Aggies as they depart for the Southeastern conference after this season. Blair said that he has respect for the arena and the Oklahoma State team. “I’m going to hate not coming back to this place,� Blair said. “I lost my first year here and I guess I lost my last year here. We’ve always played well here because of the respect I have for this building.�
1/24/12 11:11 PM