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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 2015)
NEWS The Battalion 13.12.15 * \ Senior Boot Bag Store Location: A&B Self Storage 1701 N Earl Rudder Fwy Bryan, TX 979-778-2293 Second Location: Craft and Antique Mall CS 2218 Texas Ave. South College StatioN, TX 979-255-8905 charboeg@yahoo.com Price Includes Logo and Name (More logos available) Shop for Little Aggies to an Aggie Xmas: etsy. com/shop/aggiesandbows by Charlotte, Reveille's Seamstress THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR Editor Aggieland 2016 Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland yearbook are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester; PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society); • Have demonstrated ability in writing, editing and graphic design through university coursework or equivalent experience; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on the Aggieland or comparable college yearbook. Application forms should be picked up and returned to Sandi Jones, Student Media business coordinator, in Suite L406 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2015. e a Class Officer Class of 2016, 2017 or 2018? Go to classcouncils.tamu.edu to learn more about how to serve your class as a Class Officer! Applications DUE: March 25th @ 5:00 pm in Koldus 153AA Texas A&M. University Class /^Councils We Make Traoitioims Happen Our Graduates. TRUETT SEMIN ARY Truett graduates pastor large and small congregations. They spearhead international missions organizations and local ministries. They minister to children, adults, and seniors. They feed the hungry, house the homeless, and care for the sick. They lead nonprofits, write books, and build discipleship programs. Truett graduates respond in mighty ways to Christ's command to proclaim the gospel. Spring Preview March 26-27, 2015 OPINION We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we The actions of a few shouldn't condemn the many Lindsey Gawlik (S)LindseyGawlik Mk s a member of the Aggie Greek community. I grow fmstrated when m w I hear about an incident in which Greek life’s reputation is dragged through the mud. The actions of a small few affect the lives and reputations of many. When I heard about the video of the racist chant by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon . chapter at the University of Oklahoma that got two students expelled and the chapter disbanded, it was hard not to audibly groan. Coming on the heels of re ports last month of a “border patrol party” by the FIJI chapter at the University of Texas, this newest incident obviously made Greek life a target. Students rightfully should be upset by the actions of these other chapters — they are disgusting. But what they shouldn’t do is con demn the many for the few. The students at these other schools acted crassly and carelessly, but that doesn’t make all of Greek lif e crass, and especially not Greek life at A&M. There have been rumors circulating that A&M Greek members are getting heat for the actions of these chapters at other universities, and it doesn’t make sense. These incidents were hateful and ignorant, but if people retali ate toward Greek chapters at A&M that had nothing to do with these incidents, their actions are also hateful and ignorant. As Collin McCaskill, the Texas A&M SAE president, said in a statement, “The actions taken by certain members of the Oklahoma Kappa Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Oklahoma were intolerable and do not align with the values and ideals of the Texas Tau Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsi lon [or the Greek Community] at Texas A&M University.” To clarify, I’m not saying racist inci dents in Greek life or in general at A&M never occur. There have been racist oc currences at Texas A&M within Greek life, including in 1992 involving black face costumes at an SAE jungle-themed fraternity party, but if we were all guilty of the sins of the past no organization would exist. The values displayed by the SAEs at Oklahoma just aren’t the values of today’s Aggie Greeks and it’s a shame to hear people are lashing out at A&M’s members of fraternities and sororities. Being both Hispanic and a member of the T exas A&M Greek life, I have never in my time here felt discrimi nated against. I know many people of different cul tural backgrounds in both fraternities and sororities at A&M. A&M has taken signifi cant strides since 1992, and A&M Greek life now regu larly holds mixers and co hosts events between the fraternities and sororities in the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and Multicultural Council. What people forget in times like this is the good that comes out of Greek life. Those in sororities or fraternities tend to have higher GPAs, higher gradu ation rates and higher levels of success getting a job right out of college. Ten percent of A&M undergraduates are involved in Greek life, and Aggie Greeks are estimated to contribute over $50,000 dollars annually to Bryan- College Station. A&M has graduated over 20,000 Greek alumni and contin ues to grow as new chapters form, according to the Student Activities Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life. So I write this imploring everyone out there not to condemn A&M Greek life. The only chant I have ever heard at any Texas A&M fraternity or sorority event is, “We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we, tme to each other as Aggies can be. ” Lindsey Gawlik is a telecommunication and media studies junior and news editor for The Battalion. Nationally, Greeks contribute 10 million hours of community service annually. Greeks have higher graduation rates nationally. More than 20,000 have graduated as Aggie Greeks. Claire Shepherd — THE BATTALION YELL CONTINUED Case 67-02, which alters the original unofficial election re sults to list the first, second and third place candidates for Se nior Yell Leader as Lawrence, Ritchie and Cook, respective ly. According to a letter from Chief Justice Brenton Cooper to The Battalion, this final ver sion of the 2015 election re sults is correct and “reflect compliance with the election regulations.” Kyle Cook, “5 for Yell” candidate, said because he agreed to the revote, he sees no reason to be upset that he would have won after the re count. “I knew the votes from the original election would be void,” Cook said. “So I’m not going to whine or complain about it, because I agreed to it in the first place.” While he wishes the stu dent elections hadn’t been surrounded with drama, Cook said he is pleased with the final decision. “I have had a pretty rough go-round in this whole thing, but these five guys are all awe some,” Cook said. “And the students voted, so it’s what the students want, and because of that I’m happy with it.” BUSH CONTINUED Student motivation is one of the most important parts of education, Bush said, and teachers who seriously invest in their students inspire them the most. One of those special teachers to thousands of Afghani girls is Razia Jan. Jan is a celebrated edu cation activist, born in Af ghanistan, who emigrated to the United States in 1970. Through Razia’s Ray of Hope Founda tion, she continues to support the community^ education of women in her home country, a place where they have regularly been refused the right to a proper education. “Afghan people are very intelligent and they want to really learn,” Jan said. “[Education] is a great asset for them. I built a school in 2008 with 100 students and today we have 557 girls.” Jan acknowledged the challenges that decades of war has had on her coun try, and the social and ed ucational difficulties that come along with that. “It took 30 years to de stroy that country, and it will really take 30 years to rebuild it,” Jan said. Bush has been active in rebuilding the educa tion system in Afghanistan along with Jan, work ing with USAID to open the American University in Kabul in 2005. Both women said they will press on to rebuild broken communities and coun tries through education. “There are so many needs to be met and so many ways that we can help,” Bush said. “I’m proud that so many Texas A&M students are prepar ing here for a life of ser vice.” FOOTBALL IHEANACH0 ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING Sophomore wide receiver Frank Iheanacho was suspended from athletic activities after being arrested for a Feb. 26 shoplifting incident. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, grad students TODAY is your LAST CHANCE to have your picture taken for Texas A&M's 2015 Aggieland yearbook. Your portrait sitting is free. , FT ' Cg&s j MY ■ iim _ UrfjfA v •Y.~ ■ ii Just walk in 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, March 12, to the Student Media office. Suite L400 of the MSC. It's your yearbook. Be in it. 5 V