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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2004)
The Buck Weirus Spirit Award honors 52 students who demonstrate high INVOLVEMENT, create positive EXPERIENCES throughout the Aggie community, IMPACT student life at Texas A&M and help enhance the Aggie SPIRIT. Unlike other awards, the Buck Weirus Spirit Award recognizes those students who make contributions to the university by participating in student organizations, Aggie traditions and university events. Email spiritaward@AggieNetwork.com for more information. Applications Now Available: On-line at www.AggieNetwork.com/events/buckweirus.aspx And... Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center Reception Desk Office of the President, 8th Floor Rudder Vice Pres, for Student Affairs Office, 10th Floor Rudder Office of the Dean of each College Office of Graduate Studies Department of Student Activities, Suite 125 Koldus Department of Multicultural Services, Suite 137 MSC Office of the Commandant, 102 Military Sciences MSC Student Programs Office, 216 & 223 MSC International Center, Bush Library International Programs Office Student Life, Sbisa Location North Side Area Office, Residence Life South Side Area Office, Residence Life Applications due by 5:00 pm on February 6, 2004 to The Clayton Williams, Jr. Alumni Center Desk Application Workshops Tuesday, January 27 5:30-6:30 pm Koldus Building Room 146 Thursday, January 29 6:00-7:00 pm The Association of Former Students Lecture A Involvement Experiences Monday, February 2 7:00-8:00 pm Rudder Tower Room 404 Impact Spirit Wednesday, February 4 7:30-8:30 pm The Association of Former Students Lecture A HOUSTON AIM 4B Tuesday, January 20, 2004 THE BATTALIO! MAIL CALL Denying legacy admissions Gates' decision makes A&M •' kills the Aggie spirit a non-unique' University President Gates, I'll be honest. I think that your admissions policies are wrong and direct ed toward reaching personal goals or an undisclosed agenda that has been thought up by regents and administrators who have no real motive in making the University better (or more diverse). If you would like to have a political University and play state politics, move to Austin (or back to D.C.). I have more comments and feelings like these in which I am not alone, but that is not what I will rant about today. Instead, I would like to say that by not allowing legacy to be involved in the admissions process, you are saying to the public and to alumni who strongly support the University that Texas A&M is no longer interested in the type of people or the traditions that this University is known for. Essentially, by not allowing legacy to affect admissions, you are killing the Aggie spirit just like you have smothered Bonfire and the flame that unites the Aggie family. Your decision is the beginning of the end. By not allowing legacy students (or cutting back on them to “diversify” the campus) you are put ting an end to the Aggie family. Only Old Ags will know of this spirit and try to keep it alive. Eventually, this school will have no legacy members and will not be distinct in any way. If that is what you want, go to Austin, or any other “state” school. In the e-mail you sent, you stated that “We believe, as virtually every university in the coun try does, that students whose family members have attended its university add value to what makes those institutions unique. This is espe cially true at Texas A&M.” By making it harder for legacy students, you are being hypocritical. I am trying to be polite and make you see the error of your ways through eloquent rhetoric, but I realize that I am so agitated it is not working. So let me be blunt. As president of this University, you have done nothing but irritate the students and alumni. If you try to please politicians instead of getting in tune with the students, faculty and alumni, then you will soon lose support. The bottom line: If you are unhappy with your job, change it: don't try to change the employer. Hopefully this gets my point across. If not, let me know, I could use more colorful vocabulary to tell you exactly how I feel. Tessa Howington Class of 2003 Dr. Gates, thank you for the recent e-tni attempting to explain your “caving in" to cr cism regarding A&M's legacy policy, andyo. arbitrary abolition of same. Apparently, inyo. brief tenure at my beloved alma mater, youha* failed to grasp the concept of “The Spirit i Aggieland” and "The Twelfth Man.” I canrc’ explain it to you, but I have lived it since showed up on the banks of the Brazos River i j September 1967. We are unique. What otf^ university has anything like Aggie jokes? J one laughs harder at this form of humor than^ n a pi wouli .cant's |o contri ,dniissii iressure uotas ai idminist ively bu In act ir admit ut are o lemogra uses a lis do We pity the jealous non-Aggie joke-tellef having had to attend an inferior university. To paraphrase former President Bush, library adorns our campus, “read my lips,’ Gates. It's all about tradition. Many former dents patiently await a decision on our most lowed symbol, the Bonfire, because. Ti A&M's lifeblood is traditions. Is it your inti to make A&M non-unique? Your message stated that you each member of the Board of Regents. Did really mean “consult.” or would “advise of yo. ncludiii] decision” be more accurate? ivercom Legacy, whether official or not, real oriwj daiivcs med. has always been a part of A&M'sit On J. lore and tradition. This uniqueness makes, lies and proud to wear the school's crest on ourm ors. I m fingers, and to be a member of a Forr« ; lated a Student s Association next to none. Thi light .ul have been many A&M presidents since Hr iblings heard the late General Earl Rudder tell i award c about the Normandy beach landings at owardy man orientation. * Hie/ I will always be a proud, ring-weanng tan dmittec student who bleeds maroon and wti# ule and However. Dr Gates. I question whether or« iitoivm should continue my membership and anrj, ven on< contributions to the Century Club Does I Mrcnisi unique group threaten any of your plans Tie Hoi “non-uniqueness." or. is the Club on yourtraMomts t( lion” chopping-block? ^ Pt puni If the Texas A&M legacy policy counted one-tenth of one-hundredth of one- of a point, this unique tradition would live or you've ever listened to the words of "The Sp of Aggieland" you would have heard: Ai they've boosted all the rest, they will cornea join the best, for we are the Aggies, the Agg< are we, we re from Texas AMC.' I trust thatyJ will reconsider your actions, in light of the traditions, highly revered by both the body and the former students. (pplicar Inti I all ould r Unfo emove ludent? [iven pr riiip in t (rcxiuct lative;- Adr llum's p Ron Lm "e give- Class of fm le are Retail Half.com Natural selection. r i I For a limited time, first-time buyers I ! 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