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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 2000)
Tin: BA I IALIO\ H ’rogs he ip polls -ORT WORTH (AP)-J as Christian, one of just $e ;ated I-A teams in the con lighest ranking since I 1 ) top-ranked Nebraska has ling streak than the Homedl i a row. 'CU has a legitimate >hy candidate in national it scoring leader LaDainian m and one of the nation all defenses, et, the Horned Frogs (5-0l is a good chance they will 1 e outside looking into the ampionship picture —i 10 undefeated as expected think deep in their heare rs want to believe that iftkl ;> continue to dowel a chance to reach an oi ’’ said TCU coach Denmfj e. "We know that might: ile; we understand that.” ; 1 lomed Frogs, playing ason in the Western Ai rence before moving toG JSA. know they could bt Marshall or Tulane. er going undefeated last all ended up in the Motor Two years ago, C-USAm ane‘s 11 -0 season earned Jberty Bowl, lirst Bowl Championshi ndings do not come . two days after TCU me at Tulsa. That poU,i ito account schedule stra nlier factors, is the biggs nt into which teams nir bowl games the first* try. Iiing will surprise me,go; id Tomlinson, who is aw /ai ds per game and has idowns. “In a way, lei t to allow us in just bee in the WAC. Then agi imebody realized that am.’’ ? rid;i y, October 13, 2000 ~sr Page 9 THE BATTALION other parking pain vreing students to park at Post Oak lot ludicrous; reasoning of PTTS flawed exas A&M and parking have never gone hand in hand. The parking situation las worsened over the years as the coming classes have continued ) increase in size. Then, it got orse when the blue lots were re- icated because of the inherent 8 ^' (anger of the railroad tracks. Get ready Ags, because parking as just reached an all-time low. Wednesday’s httalipn reported that six parking lots regu- |arlv used for commuters will be closed hursday and today for members of the Con- rence for the Advancement of Science caching (CAST). Geared toward science teachers, CAST hosts lore than 600 short courses, field trips and on-cam- us tours. Most events will be held in Reed Arena and udder Tower. It is understandable that measures needed to be tak- n for these visitors to come to the campus. Everyone knows there is not usually any ropm for extra :ars. But. the measures being taken are not understandable. The plan devised by Parking. Traffic and Trans- lortation Services (PITS) is to direct students to car- iool to campus or park at Post Oak Mall. Miles away from campus, the mall is not a conve- lient parking location in any way to many of the stu- ients living north of campus. Simply stated, students probably should leave about two hours before their class is scheduled. “This is a once-every-five-years deal, these are very important visitors to our and This does not mean students understand anything. All selfishness aside, many students have,sched ules that do hot allow them to add an additional hour or more to their commuting time. In addition, many students campus, said PTTS asso ciate director Doug Williams. "We know that students will understand.” Understanding is not the same as accepting. Students will accept this park ing plan the same way they accepted the blue lots changing to red lots, but only to avoid that wretched yellow envelope. Miles away from cam pus, the mall is not a convenient parking lo cation in any way to many of the students living north of campus. have work schedules that are closely coordinated with their class times. w Worst of all, many students leave town on the weekends, and an extra hour in College Station on Fri day does not help those trying to beat traffic on the n’Hd.v ^ Wait a minute — this lovely plan is about to get worse. Of course, these CAST members should not walk around campus — the railroad tracks are too dangerous. To get them safely from one building to another “19 buses Will be pulled out of regular service to accommodate the conference,” said Angela Newman, PTTS communications specialist. How many buses does that leave for students to use between classes? Do students still attend this * 1 school? Getting around campus will be even slower now. So, add another hour. This week’s lot closures will be a “major ordeal” for students and PTTS alike. Newman said. That is for sure. Best advice: Leave for class a little early, or maybe just take the day off. CODY WAGES/Thi- Battalion Melissa Bedsole is a junior psychology major. leahty bites Television shows a had influence a.m. G€R Housed Wac/e f/nf-Gritfec/ Burger in ^ r oes anyone want to watch a wanna-be millionaire? This is a question that the television networks have answered he Horned Frogs areadKes” to as millions of viewers tune in to wit- has come a long way in iBess Americans winning millions, nder Franchione. How far will people go to win $ 1 million, and how many more will tune in to watch? Millions of people watch every week as Regis Philbin hosts potential millionaires. Continued fromrn^ ' Thousands were watching when alleged , * multi-millionaire Rick Rockwell selected his race, and 1 think hedii bride, Darva Conger, live on national television, a meet," Hartman said Even more watched the week-by-week saga of a big confidence builds ‘[Survivors.” lave a very young teatjf Even with all the publicity, there are flaws to this tele- /s have come along w; vised-reality, moneymaking frenzy. Perceptions become id the key to the Ag: blurred, pockets become larger compensat- :l! be how they handles ing for risks, and everyone waits for a meet to meet. [chance at the jackpot, am runs well as a group! In fact, according to a study by the ; race, we just need tolj University of Connecticut, the mynber of awards the front,"keJkople believe who they need to make r high school crosscaJpcir dreams come true has doubled since r across the state will-1^7, when people thought $50,000 was -neet ufficient for yearly income, ve a great opportui# 8 These millionaire programs are not t of some of the bestli ie althy for an easily manipulated society, lers in Texas and iti Tor one thing, television is television, high school’ runne: lnd real 'ty is reality. There is no happy ee our course and outf edlum - In the hlt senes “Survivor,” for artman said “The ® f xam P le ’ the ldea was that P eo P le were I bonus for the prosr# ll PP osed jy with one another on will begin at 9a.m.at ad f^ rted lsland ~ tension cameras A Golf Course and cc nd a ■ , , n i n Sacrifices and achievements had to be II 10 races aie comply , , , made by each individual to survive on women will run in; , . , ... . . t IA , -i , he island until their peers voted him raC f,l w ' >rtooff the island, wi egin i s iven| when someone was eliminated, he or ANGELIQUt PdlULff ihe was forced to return to modern civilization and vas flown home on a plane. To win the $1 million, a person had to be the last person left on the island. How realistic is this? One minute, rats are the only source of food, and the next, a slane trip home is an option. Being stranded on a deserted island Joes not happen every day, but when it does happen, the prize is not$l million; instead, it is actually surviving. Almost a decade ago, the first “real-life” show, “The Real World,” aired on MTV. Since then, audiences have become bored watching similar seasons. To retain audiences’ interest, reality shows have merely created bigger risks. In the Fox show, “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire,” 50 women were gathered and evaluated — similar to a beauty pageant — as Rockwell chose his bride. Since the two had just met, Conger obviously did not marry Rockwell for love. Money was at stake, accounting for the risk she was taking. In her case, she learned quickly that the money was not all that important. With her marriage annulled, she embarked on her next adven ture as she posed for Playboy magazine and ironically continues to claim that she wants her “privacy” back. Conger took a risk by appearing on the show and will be known from now on as the hypocritical tramp. Meanwhile, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” has possibly diminished the popularity of typical game shows like “The Price is Right” or “Jeopardy,” that give out smaller amounts of money and prizes. Answering trivial questions on a game show is not the practical route to wealth. Instead, viewers of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” are hypnotized by contestants’ easy access to money. The first few questions are usu ally not difficult, so many contes tants are able to walk away with at least $32,000. However, in many instances, luck most likely out weighs wit. These are examples of how detrimental the television shows can be to society. Many people believe money is the answer to their problems. Could this 13-year increase re ported by the University of Con necticut be a result of the avail ability of wealth on reality television shows? Episodes of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” a televised mil lionaire marriage or “Survivor” are whirlwind adventures in which dollars add up quickly and individuals’ values diminish. Society’s fate will only plummet if viewers continue to tune in to watch others make millions while overlooking their own chances for financial success. Cayla Carr is a junior speech communication major. Analysis Grads matter, too of Vision 2020’s second and third imperatives V Grand ^ Opening '°3°am 9 * Mail Call Ave. • Bryan • Next to Pepes 75-2924 ri, Sat: All shows after 11pm orty 1 ^ Homosexuality viewed s deviant, immoral In response to Eric Dickens’ Oct. 9 'column. WOOD USA J| lt: § ave me great pleasure to finally see someone with the bravery to drop the shield of political correctness. Dickens’ satirical column was a re freshing reminder that not all of society has fallen before the pagan altar of en dorsement to worship this “queer band wagon” as pop culture’s latest vogue. It is high time that the moral among us took a stand against this outbreak of sex ual perversion. No other sexual fiends are allowed to roam the streets free; pedophiles and fapists are locked away, and, in some cases, castrated. If America is to reclaim its roots as “One Nation Under God,” it is time for the 'est of us to take a stand. 1:00 4:00 7:10 10:P 12:50 3:50 7:05 10:05 1:20 4:10 7:00 9:50 11:30 2:00 4:35 7:10 9:40 181 12:20 2:45 5:15 7:45 10:29 12:10 2:30 4:55 7:40 9:55 11:40 2:10 4:40 7:25 10:00 12:05 2:40 5:10 7:50 10:25 12:15 2:25 4:35 7:15 11:30 12:00 2:05 735 5:20 7:30 7:55 10:15 10:40 1:15 3:55 7:05 9:45 11:40 200 405 10® ^ 12:30 525 I*' 9 12:40 3:05 5:30 8:05 10:35 7:00 9:50'2 gnrsrcssafiS A/ton Baker Class of ‘04 Israelis not blameless In response to Mark Passwaters’ Oct. 12 column. It disappoints me to hear a fellow Ag gie have such disregard for humans, to see them murdered and expelled from their homes in order to gain a “strategic advantage.” There is a lot of wrongdoing on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides, but al| the blame should not be placed on a na tion that throws rocks out of complete desperation at the second-strongest mili tary in the world. Passwaters is correct when he states, “The struggle for peace between the Is raelis and Palestinians has been well documented.” However, it has been docu mented by Jewish-dominated media. The Israelis do not want peace; they want the entire land for themselves. Unfortunately for them, Palestinians have occupied this land for hundreds of years. I spent the summer in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where much of the vio lence is occurring. The Palestinian people are not heartless rioters. They are caring, family-oriented people who are tired of empty promises and tired of not being able to move about the land freely. I am tired of only hearing about the benefits to Israelis in articles. Elizabeth Boyd Class of VI The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters may also be mailed to: The Battalion - Mail Call 014 Reed McDonald Texas A&M University 1111TAMU College Station, Texas 77843 Campus Mail: 1111 Fax: (979) 845-2647 E-mail: battletters@hotmail.com Columns and letters appearing in The Battalion express the opinion of the authors only. They do not necessarily re flect the opinion of other Battalion staff members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, administrators, faculty or staff. fision 2020 aims to elevate Texas A&M from No. 17 to among the top 10 public universities within the next 20 years. Today’s focus is on the plan’s sec ond and third imperatives: to “strengthen our graduate programs” and “enhance the undergraduate acad emic experience.” The first imperative of Vision 2020 — improving faculty — leads into the sec ond; “Outstanding professors attract su perior graduate students, and, in many instances, the money to help support their research.” One of these precepts involves increas ing A&M’s graduate population in num bers and quality. According to the task force idea, “The current measures of excellence for univer sities are focused on the breadth and depth of their graduate and professional programs.” A&M intends to welcome more grad uate students while maintaining the cur rent number of undergraduates. This action may make A&M better able to compete with other public univer sities, but undergraduate students need to take steps to ensure that their needs and desires will not be overlooked. The first goal includes making “finan cial support for graduate students compet itive with that of the best institutions.” Blurred Vtsiot) Part 3 of 7 While scholarships are always ad mirable and will draw graduate students, undergraduates need to maintain the same scholarship opportunities, if not gain more. Another goal aims to “recruit 75 per cent of graduate students from institutions other than Texas A&M University and 50 percent from outside Texas.” Because Aggies have been accused of being provincial, this will increase diver sity and bring new cultural influences to the school. What is questionable is hpw the ad ministration can put a number on how many students it will bring into its own grad programs. If students in the top 30 percent of the pool are qualified, this means that A&M would actually lower standards for the sake of diversity. Additionally, when students apply to A&M for graduate school, being an Aggie should count for them, not against them. By bringing in outsiders, the ad ministration is diluting the strength that binds the A&M student body through traditions particularly impor tant to undergraduates. Graduate students, foreign to A&M’s “other education” that undergraduates re ceive, simply will not understand what it means to be an Aggie. To preserve A&M’s unique culture and tradition, students need to ensure that the spirit of Aggieland will be appreciated and fostered by those the administration is seeking to draw to campus. Vision 2020’s third imperative in volves making A&M “a residential, learn er-centered community that attracts excel lent students and provides quality learning and mentoring experiences.” The first of four precepts says A&M intends to “provide students the optimal undergraduate experience in a research university.” The first goal will lead to more well- rounded students because it aims to in crease consideration of leadership and other aspects of the student — not just academics — upon admission. While A&M currently has the highest retention rate in Texas, administration aims to reach a freshman retention rate of 95 percent. The second precept is to “establish honors tracks” by “substantially enrich [ing] the honors program and quadrupling] the number of undergradu ate students involved in them.” Honors opportunities are significant • as long as they are not the focus. As the precept states, A&M is known for at tracting students who do not traditionally join the honors program, and they need to be afforded the same educational op portunities as the graduate and honors " students. The fourth precept of the third impera( live is one of the most significant: “Value and enhance [the] strongest and best val- ’• ues of Aggie Spirit.” The task force idea states: “Perhaps the most uniquely defining characteris tic of Texas A&M University ... is the [ role of traditions in perpetuating Aggie Spirit.” Traditions make A&M unique, and they make A&M better. The goals include 100 percent in volvement in “the other education,” in creasing the Corps of Cadets population to at least 2,600, and building a student leadership center to promote leadership and participation. The administration also intends to “use the strength of Texas A&M Univer sity’s student enrichment and traditions to facilitate students’ learning, both in and out of the classroom.” Bonfire cut met this goal because it harbored tradition, created an in clusive campus community and pro vided a learning experience out of ^ the classroom. If cut were preserved, it would repre- ' sent one of the administration’s goals for A&M. While many goals may seem harm less, they are all worth consideration. It is important to read between the lines and discern exactly what actions may affect the student body. Jennifer Ramby is a sophomore ■ journalism major.