Friday, December 7, 2001
THE BATTALION
Page 7B
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he semester has come and gone, and the time has
come for my farewell nod as editor of The Battalion.
Unfortunately, words cannot quantify my Battalion
reerorthe experience 1 have had this semester.
But I shall try anyway.
The news business is bizarre, for lack of a better word.
Journalists’ finest work often comes dur
ing the worst of times. Regrettably, such
was the case for The Battalion staff this
semester.
When I learned of the Sept. 1 1 terrorist
attacks, my first instinct was to organize
the newsroom and plot a course for the
next day’s paper. How could we cover
this? What should we expect of ourselves?
As I was pondering the endless stream
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0 —18, 1999, a day that redefined the dynamics of being a
ft I 1116111 journalist at Texas A&M.
On the morning of the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse, the
mkilion staff was called into the newsroom for a meeting,
llemeinber watching Sallie Turner and Marium Mohiuddin,
^newsroom leaders at the time, wondering it I could have
|[crcome the challenges they were faced with.
After a day of holding a notepad and pen on the Polo
ft ds, I was among the masses that solemnly shuffled to
fed Arena for the Bonfire memorial service. As I left
ed, emotion and tears overtook me, and 1 felt unable to
the job I knew 1 had to do. As I choked back tears and
^d to write, my editors made something very clear to
my duty and service to fellow Aggies was news cover-
, no matter how difficult it was.
|As much as it hurt, our obligation was to set aside our
lotional wounds and perform a task that could be done
no one else: provide coverage of a tragedy no other
dia outlet could fathom or comprehend.
And we did.
Our coverage rivaled that of the best news crews — not
ause we were professionals, but because we saw the
gedy through eyes filled with tears. Some say born-to-
journalists experience an epiphany during their career, a
vs event that hooks them for life. If that is true, the
gie Bonfire collapse christened me as a journalist.
The Battalion staff was faced with the same challenge
pt. II, and as 1 led the newsroom meeting, I saw myself
nding in the big pair of shoes that had been filled by my
ntors almost two years before, a soliloquy 1 felt unpre-
red to handle. But as student journalists, we had already
entrained to deal with tragedy. Unfortunately, we had
irned the hard way.
And as I look back on the semester and our nation’s
ength amid the tragedy that struck our homeland, “phe-
tnenal” is the only word that comes to mind. Like I
d, news is a strange business, but to tell the stories of
ople— true heroes — is a feeling like no other.
For all the bitter diatribes published in The Battalion
ut Bonfire, the MSC or anything else, we are still
gies, with a deep love for this University. We do the
prescribed by John Locke and the writers of the
institution; we do not hold grudges and never intend to
frt anyone, but, sometimes, someone must say what we
would rather not hear. That makes me no less of an
gie, though; 1 received my Aggie ring this semester,
Jd I wear it with pride everyday. But I am rational
lough to realize that things can always be better in
?gieland, for it is not Utopia. Anything else would be a
pervice to me and those whom I serve.
The Battalion is an educational forum, and we learn a
Journalism professors teach the mechanics of writing
Id editing. Newsrooms teach journalism — especially
I days like Sept. 1 I. This newspaper is a miracle that
Ippens every 24 hours — the miraculous part is that a
inch of twenty-somethings has the confidence, stamina
d dedication to do it everyday without hesitation. I
|iv\te the staff and editors for passing the true test of
Ipmitment and resiliency by serving the A&M commu-
|ty well; you have done a first-class job this semester,
id never let anyone tell you otherwise.
Readers, I leave you in capable hands next semester,
is I pass the red pen to Mariano Castillo (known affec-
nately in the newsroom as “Fish Castillo”), I wish him
d his team the best of luck. And I cannot leave without
lanking my parents and friends (Amanda, especially)
Jirthe support they have given me.
I As I ride into the sunset, the legacy I hope to leave is
se of news coverage. To opine is, indeed, fine, but less
Ale than objective news coverage. I challenge those
ho come and go at The Battalion after me to remember
ie premise of newspapers, and to stay true to heart and
e spirit of Aggies. One could ask for no more, and one
lould expect no less of oneself.
A&M is a special place, and I thank God 2003 times
eryday for being a part of the Aggie family. Regardless
fwhat our rivals in Austin call their school, Texans
nail always know what is best: Texas A&M — the true
Diversity of Texas.
Gig ’em, and God bless you, Texas Aggies.
’ p
Brady Creel is a junior
journalism and management major.
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I WANT a? THE TERRORISTS ;
WIN..-- j
F inals have arrived in Aggieland, and as the semester drags
itself to a close, students are finding themselves overwhelmed
with loads of material dating back to September and feelings
of dread associated with cumulative finals. Coffee shops, libraries,
and computer labs are packed, many resorting to
24-hour operation to accommodate the hoards of
studying students.
A little further from campus, 4.0 and Go is
packed, too, conducting class everyday from dawn
to way past dusk. Not unlike the library, what has
become a savior for many is overwhelmed with
students ready and willing to sit in the same
spot for four hours reviewing for exams.
This type of tutoring service, as popu
lar as it is with many A&M students, is something that
some faculty are not quite comfortable with.
Teachers often discourage attendance at these mass
reviews found at places like 4.0 and Go and A+
Tutoring, and are downright annoyed with solici
tors standing outside classroom doors passing
out review schedules as students exit their own
reviews. They have raised copyright issues, ask
ing where these tutors get the right to use their
own materials to review students. Some have
even threatened to fail students who go, contend
ing that 4.0 and Go attendance is cheating
because students receive answers.
Like it or not, tutoring is tutoring, whether it is
private or mass, and teachers should be encour
aged by the willingness of students to understand
material and do well on tests. Teachers should be
encouraged by the commitment of students who
make the effort and pay the money to go to tutor
ing. There is no secret information handed out,
and students have to do more than pay for a
review to do well in class.
They operate with integrity, and their tutoring
is designed to aid in the study process and their
help will only take a student so far. The concept
of a 4.0 and Go-type service is one that most stu
dents are familiar with. Topics range from math to
marketing to biology and everything in between.
In most cases, private sessions can be
arranged. The number of students waiting out
side for a midnight review should be evidence
of these services’ popularity among students.
Teachers are not so excited about these servic
es though, and they sometimes discourage
their students from paying for tutoring in
exchange for department sponsored help desks
and review sessions. They have also raised legal
issues involving the use of their old tests reviews
in the past.
In the spirit of entrepreneurship, 4.0 and Go
began in 1994 with six classes, including math,
accounting info and finance. Proprietors saw that
tutoring was popular and have expanded as the
demand has grown. Arf Carr, owner and tutor,
says his company’s existence is upsetting to some
faculty members because they are doing the same
things. “They wonder why their students are pay
ing to go to someone else when they could be get
ting the help from them for free,” Carr said. “We
are professionals at what we do, and it is not an
issue of competing with teachers or their teaching
methods. We give them extra help and more prac
tice for their tests.”
No matter what the names imply, and speaking
from experience, one will not be guaranteed an A
by merely attending a review session — but it will
not hurt. Students are able to review the material and be
more prepared for tests, but it is not a cure-all for studying woes. So
teachers take heart, while many of your students would rather walk
into oncoming traffic than pay $20 to sit through a grueling four-
hour review session, the ones that go are not assured an A and they
really have no other advantage besides the fact that they have taken
four hours to study for a test. And to students willing to pay,
remember that there are no guarantees and you get what you give;
do not be fooled by the name and be ready to put in a little bit more
than the drive to tutoring to get that A.
Kelln Zimmer is a junior
English major.
ADRIAN CALCANEO • THE BATTALION
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Uncartoonist can be uncool
In response to the Dec. 4 cartoon:
If the Uncartoonist were not so closed minded
and quick to stereotype, he would realize that
sororities are impacting the community with much
more to offer than their bank balance.
Before coming to A&M and joining the Greek
community, I was apprehensive and skeptical of its
motives and morals. However, I went a step farther
than the Uncartoonist and researched Greek life.
What the cartoon does not display or detail is the
amount of good that sororities are providing for the
community. The Uncartoonist obviously does not
realize the amount of hours and work put into phil
anthropic efforts by sororities.
For example, in the last semester alone, mem
bers of my sorority have participated in Breast
Cancer Research Funding, St. Jude's Children's
Hospital, Still Creek Boys and Girls Ranch,
blood, food and book drives, March of Dimes
and the American Red Cross Relief fund for the
Sept. 11th Tragedy.
This list does not include activities planned for
the spring, which is usually more devoted to phi
lanthropies and weekends like Big Event. It is
also true that Greek members are more likely to
be involved in other areas on campus, which
range from freshman leadership organizations
to working alongside the Uncartoonist at The
Battalion. Before you are so quick to judge
sororities as snobby, money-hungry girls, take a
closer look at what they are really about, schol
arship, leadership and service.
M'Lee Lytle
Class of 2005
MAIL CALL
“Womyn” treated badly at A&M
In response to Kendra Kingsley's Dec. 3rd article:
When I came to A&M, I saw men giving up
their seats "selflessly" to womyn (sic) and this
was something I had never seen before. Like most
things here, on the surface this seemed to be some
thing special. It is not. Womyn are treated terribly at
A&M, and to see misogyny disguised by a held door
is typical.
When I carried my bicycle in the rain because I
had a flat tire, nobody stopped to offer me a ride.
When my friend who dresses "punk" sat on the bus,
she sat alone. A nurse in the health center once con
fessed to me her dislike of the foreign students
because they don't understand the health forms.
The womyn's cheerleading team was rejected
for fear that they may be confused with the "men"
who lead the spirit of A&M. On the radio I hear
songs about womyn who should dream about
"babies and cowboys" and I must say that I agree,
this does not happen in New York. I think A&M
could learn a lot from womyn, and I wish more
womyn here would realize that having a car door
opened for them isn't necessarily respect, but
just playing his game.
Look around campus, how many times has an
"Aggie" helped a foreign student with the lan
guage barrier? When my moving truck broke
down, I had to take my car off the hitch, change
the tire and put it back together. Many "south
erners" looked at me without offering help. So,
either I do not have the physical attributes
required for respect or I do not deserve it
because I am different.
This school prides itself on its football pro
gram, but it is womyn's softball that has brought
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the most national collegiate championships to
this university. Little boys in overalls could learn
a lot from real cheerleaders.
Mike Wallowitz
Graduate Student
Israel occupying foreign land
The scenario must now be familiar to many
students. A suicide bomb explodes, killing
many people. Israel and the West express shock
and horror. The Israeli security cabinet convenes,
and what follows are air strikes against
Palestinian targets, assassinations and more
deaths. It is time for a new script to be written.
Not once has Israel considered the alternative
path of giving back the occupied territories to
the Palestinians. It keeps hold of the land
under the pretense that to give it back would
mean certain destruction for Israel.
Pardon me, but whose army in the Middle
East is capable of attacking and destroying
the nuclear equipped, American funded
Israeli Army?
Whatever the Palestinians do, and some
acts can only be described as terrorism, they
are done for the purpose of removing the
Israeli occupation from their land. If Israel
was to withdraw to its internationally recog
nized 1967 borders, any attacks on Israel could
be legitimately answered in self-defense. As long as
Israel occupies the Palestinian territories, anything
it does will always be an act of offense, and neither
Bush nor Sharon can convince us otherwise.
Meg Leskowitz
Class of 2005