The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 04, 2002, Image 15

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Opinion
The Battalion
Page 5B • Wednesday, September 4, 2002
t beat-
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inter title bestowed Princeton Review has good and had to say about A&M
A&M nets mixed reviews
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LINDS YE FORSON
advice:
shot and
t is the easiest test you will ever
take. With categories such as
‘lots of beer” and "major frat
ari l sorority scene,” the Princeton
SBeview asks thousands of college
students across the country to rate
th, ir schools in various ways,
according to the American Medical Association (AMA). Every
^Bar. the company known for test preparation also releases its
notorious Best Colleges guide, including the "Top Party School”
cl issification. The AMA claims being recognized Best Party
Sk hool will eventually become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and will
go a long way towards legitimizing dangerous drinking activities.
I The AMA recently asked The Princeton Review to remove
His category from its guide. Its objections are two-fold. First of
Hi. Princeton Review's methodology is unscientific, at best. The
IMA reports the Princeton Review polls approximately 65,(KK)
Students in all. The problem is. they it does not poll schools
p oportionally according to size. The AMA’s press release even
Higgests some schools have attempted to manipulate results by
Hnding the online poll to students who would answer in a pre-
Hctable manner.
I Secondly, the AMA purports the guide to be flawed for
Hasons other than poor polling. More importantly, the AMA
Hgues “printing such a category validates irresponsible drink-
Hg patterns and sends the message to potential collegiate stu-
■ents that excess drinking is necessarily a part of the college
perience.”
The newly-crowned Best Party School of 2002-2003, the
University of New Hampshire (UNH). objects to the guide on
Hnilar grounds. UNH submitted a response to the Princeton
Review on Aug. 20 criticizing the unscientific nature of the sur
vey. UNH claims that contrary to the Princeton Review's find-
■igs, it has labored to decrease the amount of high-risk binge
di inking in recent years. Being labeled the Top Party School is
like flaunting to the nation a grave problem the University
already knows exists. UNH's brief rejoinder is concluded with
tlmoM urwcv |^ n acknowledgement of, and implied agreement w ith, the
peak AMA’s recent plea.
pn.ils m air CBS reports one Princeton Review official, Robert Franeck,
dodged responsibility by retorting “don’t shoot the messenger,”
Franeck claims the Princeton Review is merely an objective
source of information for those seeking it. After all, Franeck is
quick to point out. the Princeton Review also presents a list of
“stone sober schools.”
Another Princeton Review official was more frank, accord
ing to the AMA's press release. Former editor-in-chief of the
Princeton Review. Evan Schnittman. acknowledged in 1997 that
ousting the controversial category would leave the guide “zero
press.” Finally, the heart of the issue is uncovered. Schnittman
essentially admitted the Princeton Review is not primarily con
cerned with distributing responsible info, but like all businesses,
aims to make money.
It is probably true the category increases sales, but at what
cost? It benefits the Princeton Review via higher profit margins
In the short run, but is that enough to justify the long-term detri-
^Snent it may cause to the school?
illation is or; David Wechsler, of the Harvard School of Public Health.
roke and htf
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conducts an ongoing survey called the College Alcohol Survey
(CAS). This survey studies the extent of binge-drinking on col
lege campuses, and also examines problems that stem from
alcohol abuse.
Many statistics cited in the CAS are quite sobering, literally,
he survey discloses that 95 percent of violent crimes commit
ted on campus are associated with alcohol, and 90 percent of all
:ampus rapes have been linked to alcohol use. The CAS even
leclares the primary cause of death of young adults is accidents
issociated with alcohol.
It is unlikely one category in Princeton Review's petty col-
,*rts were ixl lege guide will really turn the tide of college binge-drinking
hidings, it* ^patterns one way or another. However, it does make light of a
evere problem. Alcohol abuse not only poses a threat to those
irinking; the real victims on the campuses of the "Top Party
chools" are unsuspecting women, and whoever happens to be
ehind the wheel of the other car. It is understandable the
Princeton Review wants to turn a profit. However, it needs to
ecognize the gravity of the issue it is touting, and sell its books
y advertising something other than a life-or-death issue.
Lindsye Forson is a sophomore
journalism major.
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Midnight Yell jokes
inappropriate
At the Aug. 30 Midnight Yell,
a junior and senior yell leader
each told jokes touching on
stereotypes of women. These
jokes seemed to have no mali
cious intent, leading many to
find the jokes amusing.
However, just as jokes dealing
with ethnic stereotypes open
an emotional wound for some,
similar jokes incorporating
stereotypes of women are also
hurtful. While these jokes may
not seem to be derogatory in
and of themselves, we must
take into mind the climate that
exists on the campus. Texas
A&M has struggled with issues
of sexual inequality. This
inequality can be seen in such
traditions as Bonfire and the
Corps of Cadets, as well as
other activities. Jokes such as
those told at yell practice con
tinue to facilitate and under
mine the role and importance
of women.
Texas A&M has been called a
community of respect in the
past. If we are to use such a
word to describe the Aggie
community, we must first begin
by showing respect for all fel
low students, including those in
minority groups. We can and
should preserve and uplift our
traditions, but it must be done
in a manner that is inclusive to
the entire A&M community.
Tracis Ziebro
Class of 2002
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less
a nd 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 submit
ted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be
'mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
77843-1111, Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebatt.com
COLLINS EZEANYIM
T he Princeton Review company
recently released its 2003
edition of “The Best 345
Colleges.” The report included
63 categories organized into top-
20 lists. These lists represent a
double-edged sword for Texas A&M University. On one hand,
A&M placed well in many excellent categories, such as a
healthy twelfth in the “Best Academic Bang For Your Buck”
category. The energy and enthusiasm exhibited at Kyle Field
every football weekend gave A&M a commendable eighteenth
spot on the “Students Pack the Stadiums” category.
However, A&M’s appearance on other lists is both sur
prising and disappointing. For example, A&M has
built a decent academic reputation, yet the
University placed fourteenth in the “Their stu
dents (almost) never study” category. And
while many Aggies will testify to the joyous
atmosphere of A&M. the University still
placed a surprising twelfth in the “Least
Happy Students” category. The Texas
A&M community should congratulate itself for placing well in
The Princeton Review’s positive categories, but must work to
correct the problems pointed out by the publication.
Of course, many Aggies who hear about The Princeton
Review’s rankings will be inclined to dismiss the results out
right. But according to The Princeton Review Web site, its
rankings are “unbiased and uncensored” and based on what
“current college students ... say about their school.”
Other Aggies may tend to blame A&M’s negative rankings
on “two-percenters” who have nothing better to do than bash
their school. Ironically, it might be this attitude that con
tributes to A&M’s place on the “Least Happy Students” list.
The community at A&M constantly lauds this campus as “the
friendliest on Earth.”
But the A&M community is notorious for its limited defini
tion of what constitutes a “real” Aggie. In fact. The Princeton
Review Web site quotes a student who says A&M is a school
for “white, heterosexual, Christian students.”
Indeed, The Bryan-College Station Eagle reported on a
research project conducted by the Race and Ethnic Studies
Institute on minority students at A&M. The results of the proj
ect were disturbing — some 65
percent of enrolled minority stu
dents had a negative view of
A&M. This corroborates the
conclusion A&M might be
one of the least happy
schools for minority stu
dents. Also, students who
attend A&M for its academics and
not necessarily for its traditions are
ridiculed as “two-percenters.” It can
be difficult for members of these
groups to find their place in Aggieland.
Critics will probably point out the vast
majority of Aggies are friendly people who
don’t care about one’s race or whether he or
she stands for the whole game in a Kyle Field
blowout - and this is undoubtedly true. But a vocal
minority can still make it uncomfortable for those
who are “different.”
A&M’s place on The Princeton Review’s “Their
students (almost) never study” list may seem sur
prising at first. This is a school known for its aca
demic rigors where many students seem happy to
escape a course with a ‘C’. But this result is not
so surprising when one considers the rampant
cheating occurring on campus.
Aggies like to convey the impression that
their integrity is impeccable. But, according to
The Battalion, a 1997 academic integrity survey
revealed that 88 percent of Aggies cheated in
some form during their time at A&M. This was
well above the national average of 80 percent for
large public universities. If more A&M students
took the Aggie Code of Honor seriously, A&M
would not be faced with the embarrassment of
being pointed out for their deficient ethics.
The Princeton Review correctly identifies
A&M as an excellent school that still has room
for improvement.
Aggies can help by eliminating A&M’s infamous
tunnel vision and being more open to differing points
of view and members of different minority groups.
A&M students can also prevent any further muddy
ing of A&M’s academic reputation by treating the
Aggie Code of Honor as a creed to live by rather
than just a catch phrase. With a minimum
amount of effort. Aggies can turn A&M into
a school worthy of only praise.
THE BATTALION
Collins Ezeanyim is a senior
computer engineering major.
Dr. Phil gives therapy new twist
New “Oprah” spinoff places responsibility on the individual
M illions of viewers
tune into “The
Oprah Winfrey
Show” to see Dr. Phil
McGraw in action every
Tuesday. Self-improvement
has been a major trend in
the 21st century, and Dr. Phil offers what
he would refer to as “real” advice. His
tough-love approach to psychology has
audiences enthralled, and Newsweek
magazine reports viewership of “Oprah”
on Tuesdays is 24 percent higher than
any day of the week. Now, McGraw is
saying goodbye to “Oprah” and hello to
“Dr. Phil.”
McGraw is known for his blunt, no-
holds-barred style of therapy that forces
his guests to face reality. Since the self-
help craze first began, many gurus have
focused on codependency, dysfunction
and the ever popular “inner child syn
drome” — all of which are based on
blaming problems on someone else. Dr.
Phil’s emphasis on personal responsibili
ty sets him apart. Rather than taking peo
ple through a maze of endless excuses.
Dr. Phil says, “You are in control of your
life and only you have the power to
change it.”
Audiences all over the world have
KELLY WOLFENBARGER
been dedicated to “Oprah”
for years. Although viewer-
ship is predominantly
female, Dr. Phil has attracted
many male viewers on
Tuesdays, according to
Newsweek. Most “Oprah”
fans will be “Dr. Phil” fans, so he’s
going into the new show with a huge fan
base. But Dr. Phil’s fame goes further
than “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” His
self-help books are bestsellers, and he
holds lectures and conventions all over
the country.
The show is destined to be a success
because it has three key components:
real people, conflict and emotion. Turn
your television on at any time of the day
and you’re guaranteed to witness at least
one of these three. The fall lineup is full
of reality shows — “Survivor,” “Big
Brother,” “Real World,” “The Bachelor”
- the list goes on. Not only do these pro
grams showcase the average Joe, but
show that Joe has problems too. Viewers
will tune in to watch “Dr. Phil” for the
same reason. Whether it makes people
feel better about their own problems or
gives them something to relate to, people
love to see the lives of others.
There have been many occasions on
“Oprah” in which guests left in tears, but
not only guests become emotional.
Exchanges between Dr. Phil and his guests
are moving for the audience as well. It is
common for the cameras to cut to a mass
of weeping faces. Real people experienc
ing real emotion is touching to watch, yet
another reason people will become addict
ed to “Dr. Phil.”
McGraw’s approach is not for every
one, and he’s sure to ruffle a few feathers
this fall. Some people argue what he
does isn’t real therapy. Others say he’s
too harsh. Dr. Phil admits he comes off
strong, but doesn’t apologize for it, and
he’s the first to admit what he does on
television doesn't compare to the kind of
guidance a patient receives in a thera
pist’s office. To one of his guests on
“The Oprah Winfrey Show” he said,
“This is just a wake-up call. The real
work starts when you get home.”
During an interview on “The Nightly
News,” Dr. Phil said the goal for his new
show is to “teach people to live by
design." If Dr. Phil’s success is in any part
due to this design, his show is worth a
look.
Kelly Wolfenbarger is a sophomore
journalism major.