TheBattalion08242011

● wednesday, august 24, 2011 ● serving texas a&m since 1893 ● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media

thebattalion

“We have no worries about things this team

doesn’t control. No time is spent talking about

what-ifs.”

— head football coach Mike Sherman

“The Big 12 went through a major upheaval last year. We’ve

gone through another one more recently. You can judge for yourself

if that’s stability or not, but more importantly if you look at the SEC, and other conferences as well, you’ll find a different kind of record.” — University President R. Bowen Loftin

“I don’t think anybody is going to be going anywhere.”

— Texas Gov. Rick Perry

Big 12 or SEC?

It’s time for Texas A&M to leave

From his office on the tenth floor of Rudder Tower, Loftin must be able to see the implications of staying in the Big 12. A&M’s exposure remains limited to a few, lightly populated states in the central U.S.; its chief rival, Texas, cements conference inequality with a 20-year, $300 mil-lion dowry from ESPN; and current and former students alike wistfully watch the SEC from afar.

Some worry aloud that A&M will be unable to compete in the SEC, but as an athletic department there is little substance to support this claim. In 2010-2011, the Aggies grabbed three team NCAA championships, multiple individual titles, and made strong postseason appearances in many other sports, including a trip to the College World Series. These ac-complishments culminated in the school’s second-consecutive top-ten finish in the Director’s Cup, which ranks athletic

programs based on national – not confer-ence – performance. Although six SEC members grabbed top-25 spots in the 2011 rankings, only No. 2 Florida ranked higher than No. 8 A&M.

This decision isn’t just about one sport, but everyone is concerned about football.

A&M fans have little tolerance for losing seasons, but it’s entirely possible that the Aggies will have rough years (especially early) at the hands of SEC powerhouses. After all, A&M football has a mediocre .577 win percentage in the past ten years.

But, as President Loftin told assembled media, this is a long-term decision. Win-ning or losing, it isn’t about the first three, four or five years at Kyle Field. The SEC offers stability absent from the Big 12 along with a robust CBS television con-tract. It also promises national exposure benefiting academic and athletic recruit-

T he Board of Regents has granted University President

R. Bowen Loftin the authority to negotiate and

make decisions regarding A&M’s athletic conference

alignment. If the Southeastern Conference opens its doors,

Loftin should carry this university through.

EDITORIAL

“I’d like that move.” — Bryan point guard and A&M commit

J-Mychal Reese

“It’s important that with any change we embrace

and preserve the traditions and culture

that define the Spirit of Aggieland.”

— Student Body President Jeff Pickering

“We just got to play the people they put on our

schedule. Whether it’s Oklahoma, Texas, the Big

12 schools or the SEC schools. It doesn’t matter to us.”

— senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill

“I like being able to beat the hell out of T.U. ...The only

thing that scares me about leaving

the Big 12 is I don’t want to lose that

opportunity,”

— Corps of Cadets Col. Pat Reeves

“From a student’s perspective, I

think the competition would be

awesome and the atmosphere

would be amazing.”

— Aggie Angels President

Jennifer Roberts

insidevoices | 3aTips on academic successLearn why you shouldn’t pull all-nighters before exams to achieve high grades.

news | 1bQuake shakes East USA 5.8 earthquake occurred on the East Coast that shook things up from North Carolina to Ontario, Canada. An A&M student who felt the tectonic activity in Washington, D.C., comments on his experience.

sports | 2bSoccer freshmen stand outMeghan Streight, Allie Bailey and Kelley Monogue highlight A&M’s incoming class as the squad looks to extend its streak of 16 straight NCAA tournament appearances.

coming monday

Bills make waves for universityHow will the state’s 82nd Legislative Session affect Texas A&M? Read about the budget cuts and bills that will affect our university and what our students, administrators and state legislators think about them on Monday.

campus news

ExCel to engage diversityExCEL (Excellence uniting Culture, Education, and Leadership) will hold its 24th Annual Conference on Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27. The conference is ExCEL’s highlight event of the year, and showcases organizations focused on getting underrepresented groups of people at A&M involved on campus. The goal of ExCEL is to create well-rounded and culturally aware students, and members are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship. “ExCEL is growing in both numbers and diversity in our 24th year with over 300 participants of all backgrounds,” said Jared Jones, public relations chair of ExCEL.Online registration will be open until Thursday, and the conference costs $40 to attend. To register or for more information go to excel.tamu.edu or call the offi ce at 979-862-2642.

Madeline Burns, staff reporter

The Battalion’s editorial

opinion is determined by its

Board of Opinion, with the

editor in chief having fi nal

responsibility.

theBOARD

Robert CarpenterEditor in Chief

senior applied math major

Emily VillaniManaging Editor

sophomore English major

Jared BaxterManaging Editor

senior media studies major

Adrian O’Hanlon IIIsenior ag journalism major

Taylor Wolkensenior economics major

ing. The short-term dollars and cents need to be analyzed, and the distance between A&M and many SEC members is not desirable, but there is no question as to which conference offers a better long-term outlook for A&M.

Moreover, A&M has the facilities, recruiting potential and donor network to be successful in any conference, including the SEC. Success may not come easily, but it is within A&M’s capacity.

As for the Big 12, this university didn’t cast the first stone (Colorado and Nebraska), nor did it subject nine of the ten remaining conference members to humiliating inequality (Texas, ESPN and the $300 million Longhorn Network). No Aggie wants to surrender meaningful rivalry games, but A&M’s hand has been forced. The Big 12 promises turbulence in coming years and if the conference crumbles after A&M’s departure, it will be ultimately attributable to the top-heavy instability inflicted by UT and poor lead-ership from the Big 12.

In the end, the decision to leave the Big 12 is not about what is left behind, but rather the opportunities.

I think it would be a great move for ALL sports.”

— Reed Rowdies President Matt Ashley

Pg. 1a-08.24.11.indd 1Pg. 1a-08.24.11.indd 1 8/23/11 11:40 PM8/23/11 11:40 PM

Millions of people on the East Coast felt the second-most power-ful earthquake in Virginia’s history Tuesday.

The quake, with a magnitude reported at 5.8, struck at 1:51 p.m. about 90 miles from Washington, D.C. It shook buildings from Geor-gia to Maine.

There were no reports of deaths or serious injuries.

Two aftershocks were recorded later in the afternoon with magni-tudes of 2.8 and 2.2, respectively.

The last quake of equal power to strike the East Coast happened in New York in 1944.

A&M senior sociology major Matt Woolbright found himself in the middle of the seismic activity while eating a late lunch at We, The Pizza on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wash-ington, D.C.

“At first, no one knew what it was,” Woolbright said. “ You could tell that the people in the streets didn’t know what was going on.”

After the quake, a number of buildings were evacuated through-out the city.

“Thousands of people were in the street and I was running around tak-ing pictures, so I didn’t feel any of the aftershocks,” Woolbright added. “I was just really shocked; it lasted about 10 seconds.”

Most federal buildings in Wash-ington had reopened by late Tuesday.

There were also reports that the quake caused a tilt in the Washington Monument; however, The National Park Service found the monument to be structurally sound.

Shawn Jones, public information officer for the Richmond, Va. Fire Department, said the earthquake was completely unexpected.

“We were preparing for a strong storm system to hit the state over the weekend, but nothing like this has ever happened before,” Jones said.

Jones, who has been working with the city for more than 12 years, said residents in an 11-story senior living facility located downtown started evacuating the building shortly after a rear stairwell buckled. The fire de-partment decided to evacuate the rest of the building through the elevator system shortly after reports of damage on the second and third stories.

“Due to growing concerns of po-tential aftershock, we decided it was in the best interest of the residents to evacuate the rest if the building,“ Jones said.

The 398 tenants were allowed to re-enter the building at approximate-ly 6:30 p.m.

Three residents were taken to a local hospital due to minor injuries caused during evacuation.

“The fact of the matter is we did what we thought was necessary to save lives,” Jones said.

An unusual number of gas leaks and fire alarms were also reported throughout the city, he said.

Jones believes after this occur-rence he has learned to “expect the unexpected” and advises residents to always have a backup plan in the chance an unforeseen situation arises.

“Right now, all we [the Rich-mond Fire Department] can do is go back, look at the evaluations of the city, and learn from our mistakes to see what we can do better and what plans we can revise,” Jones said. “If you have a family, make sure it’s

common knowledge to have a place to relocate; whether it be a brother’s house, a neighbor or a friend. Prepa-ration is key.”

Ben Duan, an assistant professor in the Department of Geology and Geo-physics at Texas A&M, explains that this quake is pretty significant for the eastern part of the United States, but not uncommon. Another earthquake of 5.8 magnitude hit Giles County, Va. on May 31, 1897, with continu-ing aftershocks following through June 6, 1897.

“To compare, earthquakes in the Pacific Coast — where seismic ac-tivity occurs quite frequently for the indigenous people living in Japan and Chile — this earthquake is a relative-ly small one,” Duan said. “The final damage is how people prepare for

thebattalion

news page 1b

wednesday 8.24.2011

Quake shakes

East CoastA&M professor advises preparation at local level

Photos by ASSOCIATED PRESSPeople stand in Foley Square in New York after being evacuated from the Federal and State buildings that surround it Tuesday. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered northwest of Richmond, Va., shook much of Washington, D.C., and was felt as far north as Rhode Island and New York City.

Natalee Blanchat

& Luis CavazosThe Battalion

Ben Gayle picks up broken glass and liquor bottles after an earthquake shook the ABC Store on Route 218 in Stafford, Va.

these sort of natural disasters.”Duan said people living in places

toward the northeastern part of the country could be better prepared and informed for future quakes.

“In California, people are very active in faulting and earthquake awareness. There is an earthquake center that is focused on the ratio of earthquakes, and in Northern Cali-fornia they have a yearly drill to make

people aware of possible hazards,” Duan said.

“Because we have relatively less frequent earthquakes and it takes a long time to have a big one, people tend to think this part of the coun-try is safe from these sorts of natural disasters, but that’s not true. I think the public needs to be more aware of the possible risks involved in where they live.”

Thousands of people were in the street and

I was running around taking pictures, so I didn’t feel any of the aftershocks.

Matt Woolbright, Texas A&M student

Pg. 1b-08.24.11.indd 1Pg. 1b-08.24.11.indd 1 8/23/11 11:51 PM8/23/11 11:51 PM

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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.

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Robert Carpenter, Editor in Chief

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893thebattalion

Jeff Pickering: A more responsive student government

thebattalion

voicespage 2a

wednesday, august 24, 2011

I am honored to welcome all of you, each of you, here; you are now a loved and cared-for member of this community.

As your Student Body President, my goal is a more united Texas A&M. To accomplish this, I need you to hold me ac-countable to a few things.

First, I want to be a campus leader--a leader who commu-nicates and connects with you—not only from my office in Koldus, but wherever you are on campus. Expect campuswide emails, video updates, town halls and visits to your student organization meetings and conferences. Connections all over campus are essential to a more united Texas A&M.

Second, I want our Student Gov-ernment Association to be inclusive of and responsive to the students we serve. When Student Senate passes a bill and I sign it, it becomes the official opinion of all of us, which is then expressed to our university administration, system leadership, state and federal government and the general public. The power of SGA is in your hands when you contact your senators and come by my office—we are here for you.

It’s going to be a great year. Thanks & Gig ’em.

Howdy! This is going to be a year we remember. To everyone

from the classes of 2014, 2013, 2012, victory lappers of 2011 and

graduate students, welcome back home.

President Bowen Loftin: The world watches A&M

Following are some important issues to discuss as we begin what promises to be another busy and productive academic year:

The value of a Texas A&M degree continues to rise. Texas A&M is much more competitive than it was when I entered as a freshman in 1967. That’s because of our faculty, who are some of the world’s best and most produc-tive teachers and scholars. If you are a student, I urge you to take advantage of the many opportunities to get to know your professors and work alongside them, particularly in a research setting. By get-ting involved, you can develop skills and expertise that will prepare you for leader-ship positions in your field.

The Aggie Spirit is stronger than ever. When I returned to Texas A&M in 2005 as a vice president, after many years away, I was pleased to discover that the Aggie

Spirit is not only alive, but it is thriving. When we become Aggies, we become

part of a culture of excellence that allows us to celebrate our rich history and tradi-tions as well as our status as one of the nation’s top research universities.

Economic challenges have made the past year a difficult one for universi-ties across Texas and the United States. However, because of the planning we did last year, we are prepared. It is time to focus on the challenges and opportuni-ties ahead, most notably, our Vision 2020 goal of becoming one of the nation’s 10 best public universities over the next decade. I remain convinced that by working together, we can achieve our loftiest goals.

The bottom line is this: The world is paying attention to Texas A&M, in areas ranging from our record-breaking year in the number of students participating in

the Big Event (15,600), to last fall’s Wall Street Journal survey that ranked Texas A&M second nationally in producing graduates who are academically well-rounded and prepared for the workforce, to the record 30,000 young people who sought admis-sion to the Class of 2015, and to our national championships in several varsity and club sports.

We have a lot to look forward to. I’ll bring you up to date on what’s ahead for this year in my address at Academic Con-vocation on September 16. And as always, I’ll keep you informed through my Tues-day emails to students, faculty and staff.

Good luck in this new academic year, and be sure to share a “Howdy!” as you walk across campus!

Howdy! If you’re new to campus, then welcome to Aggieland.

I hope you’re excited to begin this new chapter in your life. If

you’re returning to campus this fall, then welcome back. Thank

you for all that you do to make Texas A&M such a special place.

Greetings, students

Welcome to Aggieland


thebattalion

sportspage 2b

wednesday 8.24.2011






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Winning has become synonymous with the Texas A&M soccer program, a proud tradition that has seen the Aggies win more than 300 games in 19 seasons, claiming 11 Big 12 titles and appearing in 16 straight NCAA tournaments. But none of those ac-colades and success is possible without top recruits, and the 2011 class is no exception.

Out of the highly touted 10 fresh-men recruiting class general stud-ies major Meghan Streight, general studies major Allie Bailey and human resource developement major Kelley Monogue stand out. The three fresh-men were selected to the ESPN RISE Winter All-American Team and are poised to have huge contributing freshman seasons.

“We are looking forward to the 2011 season with the talented new players on the A&M soccer team,” said head coach G Guerrieri. “Our signees are leaders on-and-off of the field all across the nation and I am ex-tremely proud of them. Their talent will make the Aggies an even bigger force in the soccer world.”

Streight and Monogue came to Ag-gieland as high school teammates out

James Solano The Battalion

Upcominghome games

Sept. 2 Dartmouth 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 5 Mcneese State 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 11 North Carolina 11 a.m.

Sept.16 Baylor 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18Fordham 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 23Iowa State 6:30 p.m.

of McKinney Boyd, where the duo led their high school team to back-to-back state titles.

“It’s always an honor to be selected to something of that caliber,” said Monogue regarding the selection. “There are so many great players out there and [ESPN chose] us. It’s such a great honor.”

Bailey hails from San Diego, Ca-lif., where she led her high school to a state title in 2011. Bailey is no stranger to the ESPN RISE Winter All-Amer-ican Team, as she was also chosen for the team in 2009.

Bailey was recruited by every school along the West Coast, includ-ing Notre Dame and Northwestern, but after a trip down to Aggieland while in high school to play in a tour-nament, she has found herself in ma-roon and white.

“I came to A&M because of the team and the coaches and all of the

Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

Three of the freshmen soccer players, Meghan Streight, Allie Bailey, and Kelley Monogue.

support,” Bailey said.Streight and Monogue decided on

Texas A&M based on its renowned soccer program and facilities as well as its fans, who are unparalleled to any other program in the nation.

“The atmosphere here is great,” Monogue said. “When we came to games here there were so many fans, and I know there are no other colleges out there that supports its team like A&M does.”

In the season opener for the Ag-gies, three freshmen scored to beat

Fresno State, 4–2. Bailey was among the three freshmen, scoring two goals of her own, and Monogue contrib-uted with an assist to fellow freshmen Leigh Edwards.

“I plan on enjoying the ride,” Streight said. “I am loving every mo-ment of it.”

As the Aggies vie for another con-ference championship and a run in the NCAA tournament, coach G Guerri-eri and his coaching staff have to feel fortunate to have one of the most ac-claimed freshmen classes in the nation.

Setting new goalsFreshmen players show promise

soccer

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‘little Andy Rowell: Everything that no one ever told you

Robert Carpenter: Tips for students from students

Academic success

I

love the atmosphere the freshman class brings to town every

August. The University awakens from its summer slumber

with renewed vigor and friendly “howdies.” Freshmen are a

reminder that college is about the experience, almost as much as the

education ... Almost.Unfortunately, a number of freshmen will

learn life lessons the hard way. They’ll find that in order to turn the college experience into a degree, they need good grades, or at least not deplorable ones. Something similar can be said of finding a job after graduation.

To help ease the transition and save profes-sors from a headache, I turned to several resi-dent 2-percenters. Top-2-percenters, that is.

Recognized as Phi Kappa Phi honor society’s outstanding juniors last year, these students were ranked among the top-2 percent of their college peers academically. Odds are: you and I may work for them some day.

Talking with these students, it’s clear that there is no “cookie-cutter” mold for success. Their study habits, locations and preferences are as unique as their academic disciplines, which spanned five colleges. However, a few common attributes did surface.

Most of the top-2-percenters began their freshman year studying more than necessary. They refrained from tempting fate on exam day. For Aaron Burkhard, senior applied mathematics and economics double major, this meant 40 hours of studying per week.

He managed the load through discipline, coupled with football and video games.

“I always thought, ‘All right, I’m going to start doing this, and I’m not going to stop until I complete it.’ Then, afterward, I’d take a break.” Burkhard said. “In the fall, I watched a lot of football, or played video games. Recent-ly I’ve been going to the REC for release.”

Hilary Albrecht, senior political science ma-jor, was class president, speaker of the student senate and finished second in student body president elections in the spring.

Being a successful college student isn’t at odds with having an enjoyable college career.

It just takes resourcefulness. “I made use of the short blocks of time

between classes, brought notes to study before meetings, and made a bigger effort to pay at-tention during class,” Albrecht said.

This distinguished group was recognizable by adjustments made in their first semesters.

Fatimah Al-Ismael, a senior geophysics major, rebounded from a poor round of exams by visiting professors and reviewing notes nightly, rather than cramming before exams. Predictably, she closed that dangerous first semester in style.

“Never pull an all-nighter before exams. It makes you lose focus, and forget a lot of what you had studied,” Al-Ismael said.

For senior community health major Laura Terrell, an outside tutoring service filled the gaps left by confusing lectures. The winning combination for her coupled these tutoring sessions with mandatory sorority study time. If you’re not familiar with these tutoring services, wait a week. They advertise around campus to no end.

Other students preferred supplemental in-struction sessions, taught by graduate students or seasoned upperclassmen. Or they would compare notes with classmates to learn from a second or third perspective.

The most pragmatic advice came from Joseph Hayden, a senior biological sciences major: “As the courses went by, I studied more effectively.”

College is tough. Successful students will reconsider habits and try new methods throughout a college career until finding a routine that works.

Robert Carpenter is a senior applied mathematics major and editor-in-chief of The Battalion.

The

W elcome to Aggieland. Or, welcome back to

Aggieland. Or, if you were here over the

summer like me, I’ll just offer my congratu-

lations on surviving the heat and boredom.

Each August starts a slew of experiences. It is with this in mind that I’d like to talk about some of the things this year may offer to those of you who are starting your first year at A&M. This might sound like the beginning of the typical, boring piece about the transition from high school to college, responsibilities and new-found indepen-dence, but it’s not. This will actually be, you know, worth reading.

What makes this piece different is that it focuses on some of the more unsung aspects of life at A&M. If you’re looking for help on “finding yourself,” this is not for you. If you’re looking for help on finding something to worry about that I’ve ridiculously exagger-ated, keep on truckin’.

A prime example of what I’m talking about is trains. Train schedules are usually not at the top of a checklist when preparing for college, but in C-Stat, it’s vital. You see, the urban planners designed the city’s roadways to make it impossible to drive from any point A to any point B without crossing a railroad at least sixteen times.

It doesn’t matter where you’re going, it’s going to happen, and most likely on the day you’re late for that test. And you’re not in the clear just because you live on campus. Think a freight train won’t spontaneously plow down the sidewalk between Evans and the H2O Fountain? We all saw Inception. It happens.

Usually included in the cliché “Welcome to College” editorial is something about bal-ancing priorities, which is definitely impor-

tant. But hardly ever factored in is the time needed for TV, which ranks somewhere between afternoon naps and StumbleUpon in importance.

Thing is, no matter what cop show/office-place comedy/chorally-based high school drama you’re addicted to, that late night lab of yours is going to occur smack-dab in the middle of the show. Say goodbye to live TV. Between Hulu and Netflix, after a month you won’t remember what live TV is. Then you’ll wonder how you used to sit through three-minute commercial breaks when the 30-sec-ond webmercials drive you insane.

At Texas A&M there are three very important questions you need to ask yourself before you can be taken seriously: Freebirds or Chipotle? Cane’s or Layne’s? And Fro-Yo-Yo, Spoons, Yogurtland, Red Mango, or why the heck aren’t you just eating ice cream?

It seems trivial, but the most heated argu-ments I’ve seen revolve around these deci-sions. And when you pick a side, you’d better back it up. Not that it will matter. You won’t change anyone’s mind, but you don’t want to be defending your tastes with points like “I like shiny foil.”

Though now that I think of it, that’s one of the better thought-out rationales.

Andy Rowell is a senior university studies major and opinion columnist.

Because you didn’t ask

Editor’s corner

things

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily refl ect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNSMake 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 verifi ed.

Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion

(979) 845-3315 | [email protected] voices08.24.2011thebattalion

EDITOR’SNOTE

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thebattalion

news page 3b

wednesday 8.24.2011

HelpLine: always on call

Texas A&M students pay for a variety of services along with tuition fees, one of which is the Student Coun-seling Service that offers a support system for students on campus.

Jenny Kenley, Student Counseling Services staff member since 2004 and pro-fessional counselor, helps stu-dents with many common challenges related to their col-lege transition.

“When freshmen come to campus, it can be overwhelm-ing. A&M is a very welcom-ing place filled with wonderful people, but it’s a big place,” Kenley said. “It can take stu-dents time to figure out, ‘where do I fit in? How is this differ-ent from where I came from?’ We’re equipped to deal with those transition challenges: homesickness, adjusting to the academic difficulty, improving

time management skills.”The Student Counseling

Services staff consists of more than 20 counselors and psy-chologists trained to deal with crisis intervention, personal counseling and stress manage-ment. Two licensed psychia-trists are on staff for any med-ication needs students might have. There are also weekly workshops, group counseling sessions and learning disability screenings available.

When office doors are closed, students can call the HelpLine number located on the back of their A&M I.D. cards. HelpLine is primarily staffed by volunteer students who receive extensive train-ing in crisis assessment and

intervention. Volunteers an-swer questions ranging from providing campus directions to offering advice about life-altering issues.

“I think there might be a perception that it’s just open to psychology majors, but it’s open to all majors. It’s really a great opportunity for students to give back to other Aggies,” Kenley said.

Kansas State psychology graduate Kristie De La Garza worked in A&M athletics for 11 years before returning to counseling in 2007. Now, four years into her job at Stu-dent Counseling Services, she said many students feel unpre-pared coming to A&M.

“A lot of my work is with students who did not do so well academically. They don’t feel like they were prepared to have the management skills to meet the college level,” De La Garza said. “Right now, I’m thinking of all these fresh-

men coming in who feel like high school didn’t prepare them. They’re usually not ill-prepared. It’s just remind-ing them to make use of their skills in this environment.”

Kenley and De La Garza both said lack of motivation is a reason why many students fail to adjust in their first year. Learning not only how to study harder but “smarter” is something Kenley said is key to being successful at A&M.

“It’s a personal adjustment, and sometimes it takes get-ting outside of your environ-ment and getting help,” De La Garza said. “It can take a counseling service, a men-tor or a department to get a different perspective on what you’re not doing well. What obstacles are out there? What strengths do I have? That’s what I like to remind fresh-men—this is your transition, this is you becoming more independent as a person.”

Jared BaxterThe Battalion

Offi ce hours◗ Student Counseling Services are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

health

Student counseling services offers aidRandy Luck — THE BATTALION

Student Counseling

Services are located in Cain

Hall across from the MSC.

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newspage 4b

wednesday 8.24.2011

TRIPOLI, Libya — Hun-dreds of Libyan rebels stormed Moammar Gadhafi’s com-pound Tuesday, charging wildly through the symbolic heart of the crumbling regime as they killed loyalist troops, looted armories and knocked the head off a statue of the be-sieged dictator.

But they found no sign of the man himself.

The storming of Bab al-Aziziya, long the nexus of Gadhafi’s power, marked the effective collapse of his 42-year-old regime. But with Gadhafi and his powerful sons still unaccounted for — and gunbattles flaring across the nervous city — the fighters cannot declare victory.

The rebel force entered the compound after fighting for five hours with Gadhafi loyalists outside, using mor-tars, heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft guns. They killed some of those who defended the compound and hauled off thousands of rifles, crates of weapons and trucks with guns mounted on the back in a frenzy of looting.

“We’re looking for Gadhafi now. We have to find him now,” said Sohaib Nefati, a rebel sitting against a wall with a Kalashnikov rifle.

Abdel-Aziz Shafiya, a 19-year-old rebel dressed in camouflage with a rocket-

propelled grenade slung over one shoulder and a Kalash-nikov over the other, said the rebels believe Gadhafi is inside the compound but hiding un-derground.

“Wasn’t he the one who called us rats? Now he is the rat underground,” he said.

Shafiya said he felt “an ex-plosion of joy” to be standing inside Gadhafi’s stronghold in the capital after a lightning-quick rebel advance.

He had left the rebel-held western city of Misrata just two days earlier.

“I lost friends and rela-tives and now I can walk into Gadhafi’s house,” Shafiya said, choking up with emo-tion. “Many of my friends have died and now all of that meant something.”

Tripoli’s new rebel military chief, Abdel-Hakim Belhaj, said at nightfall that a small area of the vast compound was still under the control of regime fighters and heavy shooting was heard across Tripoli to-ward midnight.

The atmosphere in the compound was a mix of joy-ful celebration and tension. The air was thick with smoke from the battles, and the boom of mortars and the crackle of gunfire was constant. Rebels chanted “Allahu akbar” or “God is great” and on loud-speakers they cried: “Al-Ham-dullilah,” or “Thank God.”

The Associated Press

Libyan rebels raid Gadhafi stronghold

international

Pg. 4b-08.24.11.indd 1Pg. 4b-08.24.11.indd 1 8/24/11 12:18 AM8/24/11 12:18 AM

Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION

Goodbye to texas university, so long to

the orange and the white. Good luck to

dear old Texas Aggies, they are the boys

who show the real old fight.

sports thebattalion 08.24.2011

page5a

volleyball | A&M plays Creighton

at 2:30 p.m. and UTSA at 7:30 p.m. on

Friday at Reed Arena.

soccer | The Aggies will be on the

road in Knoxville, Tenn., to play Florida

on Friday and Tennessee on Sunday.

football | Practice takes place at 4:05

p.m. Wednesday in the McFerrin Indoor

Facility, followed by “Countdown to

Kickoff Dinner.”

If A&M is truly leaving for the SEC, and most signs suggest as much, these time-hon-ored lyrics to the Aggie War Hymn could garner an ironic new meaning. Though the move would be with A&M’s best interest at heart, leaving the Big 12 for the SEC would mean completely severing ties with some of its most traditional and bitter rivals.

No more Tech. No more Baylor.And — just maybe — no more Texas. Aggies, Raiders, Bears, Longhorns

and everyone in between have certainly pondered what a strange world it would be if these matchups were to vanish as early as the 2012 season. Whether or not you support A&M’s move to the SEC or claim not to care about the dissolution of such rivalries, the absence of these cherished matchups could make for an awkward start. Just ask Arkansas.

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe has been especially adamant about convincing A&M to stay in the Big 12. His argu-ment (besides the conference losing gobs of money and all legitimacy as a long-term entity): rivalries.

“Obviously, there’s a significant number of Aggie supporters who are interested in going [to the SEC],” Beebe said. “There’s a huge risk if an institution leaves its geo-graphic proximity and rivalries. In the long run, it can create a lot of problems.”

Unfortunately for Beebe, A&M likely has its mind made up. The SEC presents the best opportunity to move forward in terms of visibility and revenue while the Big 12’s future remains firmly in a Longhorn vice-grip. The argument that suggests A&M leaving behind its rivalries creates “prob-lems” is vague and mediocre at best.

This begs the question: how new is the SEC; really? Already set with regional - and very real - rivalries, there is no doubt that A&M could also rapidly adapt to their potential new home. Two rivals come to mind immediately and another would make sense.

Already playing in the so-called “South-west Classic,” A&M-Arkansas is a no-brain-er. As a former SWC team, and one that already endured the “new kid on the block” tag after leaving for the SEC in 1992, the

Aggie-Razorback rivalry would flourish. Combining for 30 total SWC football titles between the two, the A&M-Arkansas game has often been for high stakes. Though Arkansas has formed a solid rivalry with LSU over the years, A&M would give them a true and traditional conference rival.

LSU and A&M also share a considerable amount of history. The series sits as the 9th and 8th most played for LSU and A&M, respectively. Combine the great series history with two of the most passionate fan bases in the country, and one can only imagine the intensity.

LSU head football coach Les Miles — who coached against the Aggies at both LSU and Oklahoma State — sees great potential in a renewed A&M-LSU series.

“I certainly understand the want to be in this league,” Miles said. “There are some great advantages [to joining the SEC]…if [A&M] gets on the schedule, we’ll look forward to that competition.”

As for a third rival: Alabama.. The two share more history than the 4 game series would indicate. Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant is a legend at both schools, giving A&M its only Heisman Trophy winner in John David Crow and collecting 6 national championships as head coach of the Crim-son Tide. Gene Stallings, one of A&M’s “Junction Boys,” led the Aggies to a SWC championship in 1967 and coached Alabama to a national championship victory in 1992. Stallings victory over “Bear” Bryant’s Tide in the 1968 Cotton Bowl is regarded as one of the greatest moments in Aggie history.

And yet, there’s still something to be said about the old Texas rivalries that goes way beyond the field or court. Aggies, as mostly Texans, often work or live with Raiders, Bears and Longhorns alike. Those rivalries, for generations, have been an integral piece of the Texas cultural fabric.

Then there’s the history and tradi-tion. With Tech, who can forget the ever-colorful Mike Leach era and how “once in a while, a pirate can beat a soldier?” The 1926 brawl with Baylor is the stuff of legend among both Aggies and Bears. With Texas, bonfire remains one of A&M’s most cher-

BasketballCollege Station is on the map for colle-

giate basketball as the Aggie men have made six-straight NCAA Tournament appear-ances and the women won the 2011 NCAA Championship. The Big 12 is somewhat of a basketball league with national power-house Kansas on the men’s side, postseason mainstay Baylor on the women’s side and tournament staples Texas and Oklahoma. A move to the SEC will bring historic basketball teams to Reed Arena each year, as the men would face seven-time national champions Kentucky and the women would play eight-time champions Tennessee. Both squads dominate the conference postseason tournament. The Wildcats boast a win per-centage of .838 while the Lady Vols claim 14 conference titles. Outside the domi-nant SEC teams, the men have consistent programs in Florida and LSU while Georgia and Vanderbilt are dependable programs for the women. Heated rivalries with Bay-lor, Texas and Oklahoma decline if A&M leaves, but the Aggies will play old South-west Conference foes in Arkansas and LSU.

Advantage: SEC

BaseballBaseball is called America’s pastime and

A&M fans certainly enjoy the transition from winter to summer by watching the Aggies play ball. The Aggies are two-time defending Big 12 postseason champs, beat-ing out perennial national contender Texas. Texas has seven regular-season and four postseason titles in the Big 12, but SEC teams are more prominent in the College World Series. Since 2000, 23 SEC squads advanced to the postseason tournament, whereas only 10 Big 12 schools made the postseason. Texas annually ranks near the top of the Big 12 standings, but A&M would face historic contender LSU and two-time defending champion South Caro-lina in the SEC.

Advantage: Big 12

SoftballTwo national titles and three runner-up

finishes still leave A&M softball at a disad-vantage in the SEC. The Aggies consistently

challenge the Big 12 title but the SEC offers tougher competition with a handful of seasonal contenders. Current Big 12 teams account for one title and 11 top-5 finishes since 2000, compared to the SEC’s 17, including 10 since 2008. Numbers don’t lie, and they favor staying in the Big 12.

Advantage: Big 12

TennisTennis is another sport A&M steadily

improves toward contending for a title. The Aggies established themselves as a peren-nial contender in doubles, but every SEC school competes and produces competitive programs. In the SEC men’s tournament, Georgia holds a slight advantage with 15 league titles. The national title advantage also favors the SEC as Georgia claims six compared to Baylor’s one. Women’s ten-nis faces similar circumstances in an SEC scenario as top competitors Georgia and Florida would replace Big 12 frontrunners Baylor and Texas. The difference in the top two programs from each league is the national prestige. Texas won two national titles before a shift of conference power favored Baylor, which has yet to capitalize with a championship. Defending champ Florida has reached the top of NCAA competition five times while Georgia claims two titles.

Advantage: Big 12

GolfGolf gets a little tricky. Men’s golf faces

national force Oklahoma State each year, upending the Cowboys lately with several tournament wins and a national title in 2009. A&M would face perennial powers Georgia and Florida in the SEC, similar to the contenders it faces in the Big 12, Texas and Oklahoma. Overall, the Big 12 is a more historic conference, namely because OSU has won 12 national titles compared to the SEC’s 10, so A&M may enjoy more success in the SEC, staying in the Big 12 would offer a greater challenge. The Aggie women made progress in recent years but will face stiffer competition in the SEC. The SEC has claimed three team titles (Geor-

Level of competition is questioned when

analyzing Texas A&M’s potential move

to the SEC, but Aggie fans need not

worry about their chances of vying for conference titles. Here is a

breakdown of each sport and how A&M would fare in the SEC:

See Rivalries on page 6a See Scenario on page 6a

Chandler Smith: Move to SEC jeopardizes rivalries

Bad bloodAdrian O’Hanlon III: A&M

competitive in SEC scenario

Across the board


Pg. 5b-08.24.11.indd 1Pg. 5b-08.24.11.indd 1 8/23/11 8:42:58 AM8/23/11 8:42:58 AM

thebattalion

sportspage 6a

wednesday 8.24.2011

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TAKE A PIECEOF A&M HISTORY WITH YOU· Reserve your 2012 Aggieland

The 110th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook will chronicle traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, Greeks, campus organizations and seniors and graduate students. Distribution will be during Fall 2012. Cost is $75, plus tax. Go to the optional services box in Howdy when you register for fall or by credit card go online to http://aggieland.tamu.edu. For info, call 845-2613.

ished traditions.As A&M bids adieu to the

Big 12, however, it seems unlikely that a series with Tech or Baylor would con-tinue. Meanwhile, the fate of the 117 year-old A&M-Texas game on Thanksgiv-ing is still up in the air and, according to A&M President Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, would be the Longhorns decision to make.

“That’s a historic rivalry,” Loftin said. “We see no reason why it could not con-tinue under a different con-ference arrangement if they chose to do so. We certainly

want to make that part of any discussion we have with another conference.”

Common sense would say that too much tradition and money would be lost if the Longhorns decided to blackball the Aggies. After all, Florida-Florida State, South Carolina-Clemson and Georgia-Georgia Tech all have annual non-conference battles with no issues what-soever. Then again, with emotions running so high, who’s to say the Longhorns wouldn’t leave A&M hang-ing out of spite?

Fortunately for the Aggies, if the Longhorns proceed with the latter, A&M would be far from alone.

RivalriesContinued from page 5a

gia in 2001, Florida 1985, 1986) and produced five individual champs. Current Big 12 teams have produced just three individual champs and no team titles. A&M will continue its success in the Big 12, but a move to the SEC raises the bar for the future.

Advantage: Men-Big 12, Women-SEC

SoccerA&M women’s soccer

has at least a share of the Big 12 title in six of the last 10 seasons, bearing resemblance to Florida’s dominance in the SEC with five consecutive regular season titles. Florida won the national title in 1998 and contends for the SEC title each season. For-mer Florida soccer players include 2008 U.S. Olympic gold winner Heather Mitts and the fourth-leading goal scorer in U.S. women’s soc-cer history, Abby Wambach. Although Florida annually contends for the title, the Big 12 is historically better as a conference with OSU and Texas making the postseason often.

Advantage: Big 12

TrackA&M established its track

dynasty after both men and women completed a three-peat in the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Close finishes in several title meets against LSU and Florida captures the imagina-tion of many a track fan. If

the Aggies joined the SEC, the conference will become a track super-conference with three perennial top-five programs. A&M tests LSU in a dual meet each indoor season, winning the team titles in 2011, and competes against Florida in a couple meets throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons. The SEC has won five women’s indoor titles since 2000, while the men’s side won every indoor championship from 2001 to 2005. Al-though the Big 12 has com-petitive programs in Texas, Baylor and Oklahoma, the SEC has the upper hand with contenders Georgia and Tennessee, and top-five pro-grams in LSU and Florida.

Advantage: SEC

VolleyballA&M competed in a pres-

tigious volleyball league with Texas and Nebraska always in the national spotlight, but the Aggies would fare well in the SEC against rival LSU and perennial contender Florida. The Aggies dropped a match against LSU last sea-son but posted wins against LSU and Arkansas in 2009. The decision will affect few of the athletes on those teams, but the history of each conference proves a move to the SEC will benefit the Ag-gies in the win column.

Advantage: SECMembership in the SEC

gains momentum as most of Aggie sports teams benefit with the move, but it will take more than an athletic advantage to sway A&M officials.

ScenarioContinued from page 5a

volleyballHome tourney opens seasonTexas A&M volleyball opens the season with the Texas A&M Invitational Friday and Saturday at Reed Arena. A&M begins the fi rst match of the season at 2:30 p.m. on Friday against Creighton, which advanced to the second round of the NCAAs last season. The Aggies return to action at 7:30 p.m. later that day against UTSA, defending Southland Conference tournament champion. Tournament play for the Aggies wraps up with a rematch with Creighton at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are on sale at the 12th Man Foundation Ticket Center. A&M was picked to fi nish fourth in the 2011 Big 12 volleyball preseason poll.

Adrian O’Hanlon III, The Battalion


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1-888-428-8296

thebattalion

news page 7a

wednesday 8.24.2011

Gig ’em weekGig ’em week

TodayToday

ThursdayThursday

FridayFriday

FREE ice cream

‘Nuff said, go to Simpson Drill Field

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

FREE pizza taste-off

Sampling of local pizza, competing for your vote on Simpson Drill Field

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aggieland Market

Coupons and merchandise from local businesses, complete in Academic Plaza

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Movie night“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” playing in Rudder Auditorium

8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Money managementLearn to make and keep your college budget in 110 Harrington

11 a.m. to noon

CTFCapture the fl ag on Simpson Drill Field, free popsicles included, with A&M Womens’ Rugby

3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Study smarterLearn strong study habits to make the grades you want in 301 Rudder

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Safety tipsLearn personal safety strategies in 502 Rudder

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Pie partyChance to learn about the Wesley Foundation over all-you-can-eat pie, at 201 Tauber Street

6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

MSC OPASMeet the leadership of the performing arts club and learn the lineup in 308 Rudder

12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hillel meet & greetFree food and a chance to meet the Texas A&M Jewish community in 501 Rudder

6:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

Credit cards, scoresQuick lessons on how credit lenders work and the way to protect your score for the future in 110 Harrington

1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Liberal Arts socialFree snow cones and popcorn with the College of Liberal Arts in the Coke Building

2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Brandon Rhyder concert

Country music on the steps of the Administration Building

9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Coff eehouseCoffee and music at the Baptist Student Ministry on 203 College Main

9 p.m. to midnight

Events offer inexpensive food, fun to students


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