The Battalion 04182011

● monday, april 18, 2011 ● serving texas a&m since 1893 ● first paper free – additional copies $.1 ● © 2011 student media

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inside

music | 3American Idol John Wayne Schulz grew up around Aggies and made it to the top-40 on American Idol.

sports | 5Diamond successThe A&M baseball and softball teams both had succesful weekends as the men completed a series win over Baylor and the women swept Nebraska.

voices | 8Pop quizzesPop quizzes are a stressful and ineffective way of boosting attendance and student performance.

b!

coming tuesday

Men’s practice teamGet a closer look at the men who helped the Aggie women’s basketball team win nationals.

campus news

Money granted for cattle researchThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded two major grants totaling more than $14 million to investigators at Texas A&M University for conducting research on Bovine Respiratory Disease and feed effi ciency. These issues are of vital economic signifi cance to the cattle industry and are priority areas for improving cattle health and production. Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences will lead the research on the $9.2 million BRD project and will be key participants in the University of Missouri-led $5 million project aimed at improving feed effi ciency in cattle.

Staff and wire reports

Unique courses make for interesting electives

Classy classes Alex Lotz | The Battalion

Gymnasts take first, second in nationals

The gymnastics club competed in na-tionals April 9 against roughly 50 schools at the 2011 NAIGC National Championships. Competitions included categories like all-around champion, high-bar and vault. Both the men’s and women’s teams had high pre-liminary scores leading them into the finals. The men’s team won first and the women’s team second in team competitions. A&M also had several individual winners ranking among the top gymnasts.

Both teams have competed at the nation-al level for four years. The women’s team has won first place in nationals every year.

Constance Cuadra, a senior agricultural economics major and president of the Gym-nastics Club, said the team could not be more proud of advancing to nationals.

Amber JauraThe Battalion

“We have over 50 active members, some recreational and some in it to compete,” Cuadra said. “This year we were able to take 15 boys and 10 girls to national.”

Neil Henderson, a senior chemical en-gineering major, is captain of the men’s

Track team finds victory at Florida meet

The Texas A&M track and field teams came away with nine victories after a success-ful venture this weekend at the Tom Jones Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. The Univer-sity of Florida welcomed teams at Percy Beard Track in a test of several nationally ranked teams, namely Florida (No. 1 men) and A&M (No. 2 men, No. 1 women).

Aggie siblings Sam and Em-alie Humphreys both claimed victories in the men’s and women’s javelin. Sam nearly matched his school record in the men’s javelin with a win-ning throw of 251-8 that bet-tered the field by 12 feet. His sis-ter, senior Emalie Humphreys,

threw her best of the season to win by 9 feet with a throw of 176-11. Emalie’s teammate Laura Asimakis threw for the first time since suffering an in-jury in the 2010 Texas Relays and placed second with a toss of 158-4. Other top marks in the field events were posted by national-leader Julian Reid in the long jump and Sasha-Kay Matthias in the triple jump.

A&M continued improve-ment in the field events as many jumpers returned to top form. Senior jumper Julian Reid jumped 24-7.25 to win the men’s long jump against Ja-maican legend James Beckford and remain the national leader. The Aggie women took the top two spots in the triple jump

Adrian O’Hanlon III The Battalion

Tiffany Cornelius — THE BATTALION

The A&M men and women’s gymnastics teams competed in the NAIGC National Championships April 9.

See Track on page 4See Gymnastics on page 4

club sports weekend re-cap

For 18 years, students have struggled and strived to one day reach dreams, believing that in order to reach their goals they must continue taking the traditional, mundane courses

they have studied for their entire lives as students. Such is not the case for students at Texas A&M. Hidden beneath the core curricu-lum rests unique classes that teach lessons that cannot be taught in a traditional classroom setting.

The meaning behind that worn-out phrase “learning is fun” can be experienced as students take classes that peak their interest and add intrigue to the all too often dull schedule. With careful examina-tion and planning around the course catalogue, schedules can be arranged to not only meet degree requirements but to also enroll in classes that both invigorate and motivate.

For the second time in less than a month, Texas A&M has won a national champi-onship. The A&M western squad won the third straight national championship Satur-day in Waco, defeating Kansas State 5-3 in the finals of the Varsity Equestrian National Championships.

The Aggies jumped to an early lead in the finals led by their horsemanship riders. Junior Katie Lisabeth, senior Randi Standley and

sophomore Carey Nowacek all had wins.“Our first group in the ring has gotten

us off to a great start all weekend, and to-day was no different,” said Head Coach Tana McKay. “It just shows how mentally focused and confident everyone was from the word ‘go.’”

With A&M only needing two points to clinch the national title, sophomore reiner Courtney Dawe earned a 145-point victo-ry putting the Aggies one point away. The Aggies survived a Kansas State win before

sophomore Becca Murray gave the Aggies their fifth point to lock up the program’s ninth national championship since the pro-gram began in 1999.

“There’s nothing like a hat trick, that’s for sure,” McKay said. “We’re excited to be able to bring this championship back to the University, especially with all the suc-cess the other sports have had.”

The A&M team also competed in the hunter seat side of the competition with the

Sean Lester The Battalion

Equestrian wins nationalsPast awards◗ The A&M Equestrian team won nationals three years in a row in 2002-2004 and in 2009-2011.

See Equestrian on page 4

sports

Guitar heroesAfter hearing of MUSC 200-532, Guitar Heroes, through word of mouth, junior allied health major Emily Wright registered for the class, intending to use it as a visual arts credit.“I really enjoyed getting to listen to different guitarists that would come into our class and perform for us,” Wright said. In class, students have the opportunity to learn how different cultures practice the art of playing the guitar and how each culture plays it differently. “I would especially recommend this class if you have a good ear for music because you get to learn about different guitar artists that have made history that most people haven’t even heard of,” Wright said.

Arranged fl owersFor female fl ower lovers and those men that love to impress, Horticulture 203, Floral Design, teaches students about the characteristics of different fl owers and the art of arrangement. After hearing of this class through her adviser, junior animal science major Kourtney Knowlton discovered what was to become her favorite class, giving her an outlet to unleash her creative side. “This is a class that everyone can gain some useful knowledge from, whether its taking care of fl owers you were given, or learning to make fl owers into a great centerpiece or gift,” Knowlton said. Knowlton said the class was the best in Aggieland and she wishes she could take it again.

Wining and DiningOne unique class in Aggieland piquing the interest of a lot of upperclassmen is Horticulture 420, Viticulture and Small Fruit Culture. In this class, students study timeless grapes of the world, how they are grown, grafting and blending

techniques for the creation of wine and guidance on the art of evaluating the wine itself. “The class is defi nitely different and exceptionally unique. It is something I will actually use, not only in my career, but also socially. Wine

is similar to golf in the business world, it can set you apart from a lot of people,” said Ilissa Nolan, a senior agriculture

leadership and development major.This class does have pre-conditions to participate: students must be at least 21. “Honestly, a lot of people take it because they think they will get an easy ‘A.’ It takes a lot of work,” Nolan said. “It is more than

just tasting wine; you learn something new every day. It is a class a lot of seniors take who are in event planning or horticulture

majors, or people who want to work in the wine industry.”

As demonstrated by these few exotic courses, Texas A&M academics offers both diversity and intrigue to those enlightened Aggies willing to ex-plore the available course options beyond the core curriculum. Indeed, these exotic classes are just a taste of the different courses unique to our Univer-sity worthy of being experienced, should the op-portunity present itself. After all, what could be bet-ter than learning how to make the best barbecue around, having fun while getting your education? Can it get any better, really?

“Texas A&M has such diverse classes, really standing out making my education enjoyable,” said Audrey Pederson, a sophomore business major.

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For updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline thebattalion 04.18.2011

fully equipped

2 Farmers market

Grab some fresh fruit and vegetables from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday in front of Sbisa.

1 Navigating the

outdoorsOutdoor Adventures staff will provide an introduction to navigating the outdoors from 6 to 7

p.m. Tuesday at Texas A&M Outdoor Adventures.

pagetwocourtesy of NOAA

Todaybreezy

High: 88 Low: 71

Tuesday windy high: 90 low: 72Wednesday partly sunny high: 88 low: 72Thursday mostly cloudy high: 87 low: 71

3 JeopardyRho Delta Chi

sorority will celebrate Asian Heritage Month with a game of Jeopardy from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in Rudder Tower, room 501.

howtoapplyIf you are interested in writing or contributing content in The Battalion apply at thebatt.com, or call 845-3313.

The Battalion welcomes any Texas A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.

correctionsThe Battalion welcomes readers’ comments about published information that may require correction. We will pursue your concern to determine whether a correction needs to be published. Please e-mail at [email protected].

Students take a stand

Paul Mezier — THE BATTALION

Several students from different universities, including A&M, stood on Academic Plaza Friday to share opinions on illegal immigrants receiving in-state tuition. Supporters and opponents attended the event.

insidethebattalion

conniethompsonassistant editor

Hometown: Keller, TX

Career track: Communication major, plan to work in public relations or at a newspaper upon graduation.Internships: I will be a Victoria’s Secret PINK collegiate campus representative next fall and spring.Something people don’t know about me: My dad was good friends with Elvis Presley and dated Dolly Parton’s sister. He still likes to think he is really cool.Why I am working for The Battalion: I enjoy writing and wanted to expand my skills beyond the classroom. Being able to serve the student body is such an honor and makes the late nights at work worthwhile.The most memorable moment I have had as a student journalist: I had the privilege of speaking with a family of an Aggie who passed away before January’s Silver Taps. The student led such a fulfulling life and made me realize how blessed I am to attend such an incredible university and what the Aggie Spirit is all about.If I had two spare hours, I would: Cook for my friends. Casseroles only.

Firefighters brace for new wildfire battles

DALLAS — State and local firefighting forces are scram-bling to meet another day of wildfire challenges brought by tinder-dry conditions and gusty winds across much of Texas.

As Texas Forest Service spokesman Marq Webb put it Sunday: “It’s not pretty.”

A complex of wildfires 70-80 miles west of Fort Worth around and south of Possum Kingdom Reservoir had burned about 32,000 acres and de-stroyed an undetermined num-ber of homes Sunday, Webb said. The Forest Service said 31 homes had been lost to the fires as of Saturday night. Subdivi-sions in the area were evacuated Sunday, as well as the 70 resi-dents of the Caddo community and the 750 who live in Strawn, Webb said.

Calmer winds gave firefight-ers a chance to get a handle on a few massive fires Saturday, and some residents were able to re-turn to their homes — or what was left of them. Winds intensi-fied again to 20-25 mph from the south with gusts to 30 mph, giving new life to even some fires that had been declared fully contained, Webb said.

Reinforcements rallied to keep a massive wildfire from sweeping into a small West Texas courthouse town about 30 miles north of San Angelo.

Coke County Emergency Coordinator Lorrie Martin says the so-called Wildcat Fire is about five miles south of Rob-ert Lee, the county seat. Sub-divisions near Lake Spence, just west of Robert Lee, have been evacuated, said Texas Forest Services spokesman Oscar Nes-tas. Residents of a Robert Lee nursing home also have been moved from the area.

The threats eased in some areas. As humidity increased, a wildfire that had threatened the historic West Texas town of Cisco was almost fully con-tained Sunday. Fire Chief Wal-ter Fairbanks said he expected it to be fully contained by dark.

About 2,200 acres had been blackened in Eastland County and one home damaged in the town that’s home to the first Hilton hotel that Conrad Hil-ton bought in 1919. Cisco is about 40 miles east of Abilene and about 100 miles west of Fort Worth.

Associated Press

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THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily , Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at T exas A&M University . Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion , Texas A&M University , 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111.News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: [email protected]; website: http://www.thebatt.com.Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678.Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each T exas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year . To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover , or American Express, call 979-845-2613.

thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

Matt Woolbright, Editor in Chief

nniethompsontant editor

etown: Keller, TX

er track: Communication, plan to work in publicons or at a newspaper graduation.

nships: I will be a ria’s Secret PINK giate campussentative next

nd spring.thing people don’t

w about me: My dad good friends with Elvis ey and dated Dolly n’s sister. He still likes to he is really cool. am working for The lion:nn I enjoy writing and ed to expand my skills nd the classroom. Being o serve the student body h an honor and makes the ights at work worthwhile.

most memorable moment e had as a student journalist:

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Th e Association of Former Students

CONGRATULATES

the 2011 Gathright Scholar Award recipients

for their outstanding academic performance

at Texas A&M University.

CONGRATULATIONS!

THE 2011 GATHRIGHT SCHOLAR AWARD RECIPIENTS

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Siying Peng ’11 Aaron Burkhard ’12James McClintic ’13

COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE & BIOMEDICAL SICENCES

Meghan Hermance ’11 Bethany Dykes ’12Jeff rey Ledford ’13

DWIGHT LOOK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Joel Turtle ’11 Benjamin Scott ’12Andrew Robbins ’13

MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

Nicholas Passalugo ’11Kyle Jackson ’12 Steven Klansek ’13

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES

Sabrina Luensmann ’11 Elisabeth Sulaica ’12Emma Glenn ’13

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

Elizabeth Tschirhart ’11Bailey Brown ’12Erica Duran ’13

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Marianne Adler ’11 Morgan Havard ’11Bethany Lang ’13

COLLEGE OF GEOSCIENCES

Fatimah Al Ismail ’12Eric Nystrom ’12 Trey Murphey ’14

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Catherine Maggio ’12 Decebal Neagu ’12 Audrey Barrow ’13

page304.18.2011thebattalion

musicb!

things you should know before you go 5

1 Science café

Casey Papovich, professor of physics and astronomy, will speak on “The Anthropic Principle: Does the Universe want us to be here?” from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Revolution Café and Bar in Downtown Bryan, as part of this month’s Science Café.

5 Recycle old

electronicsTexas A&M Information Technology and the Environmental Issues Committee will be collecting used electronics to recycle from today through April 22 in the Student Computing Center, West Campus Library, Blocker and Read Open Access Labs.

4 Karaoke Night

As part of April’s Asian Heritage Month festivities, Beta Tau Omega and the Korean Undergraduate Leaders of America will have a karaoke night from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday at Haiku on University Drive.

2 Art of Diversity

in FilmLiberal Arts Student Council will present Antonio La Pastina, associate professor of communication, for “The Art of Diversity in Film,” a forum for watching and discussing diversity as seen on TV and in fi lm. The event will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Rudder, room 701.

3 Earth Day

The Environmental Issues Committee, in conjunction with organizations from across Bryan-College Station, will be providing information about how students can become more environmentally friendly from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday in Harrington Plaza.

Aggie sibling, fan displays talents on ‘American Idol’

Imagine getting the opportunity of a lifetime, the kind that people only dream about. Imagine having all the talent and drive to make it to American Idol. John Wayne Schulz was lucky enough to have made this dream a reality.

“I have been singing since I was about six,” Schulz said. “My mom says she remembers hearing me sing and go-ing to the bathroom to find me singing some George Strait song in the mirror into a comb. She said, ‘Wow, he can actually carry a tune.’ So she entered me into a church talent show, then my school talent show.”

Fast-forward a few years and Schulz made an album at age 14. The young artist wrote 10 original songs and covered two songs. The Battalion wrote an article when he first released the album, though he is not technically a student. He still feels connected to the Aggie family.

“Most of my family has been edu-

cated by Texas A&M, so I have always bled maroon,” Schulz said. “I have always wanted to graduate from A&M, and I would probably be a student here if it weren’t for American Idol.”

Schulz made it into the top 40 con-testants for American Idol and got his golden ticket to Hollywood. How-ever, he was sent home during the top-24 cutoffs.

“I learned a lot about myself by not making it,” Schulz said. “You just have to look at yourself and figure out a way to be better next time. It’s like what Edison said, when he tried 10,000 times to make the light bulb work. He said he didn’t fail that many times, he just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Part of Schulz’s main support system is his sister, Melanie Upton, market-ing coordinator for scholarships and financial aid at A&M. She and her husband run his Twitter account, and she also helps their other sister run his Facebook page.

“It’s a family effort to support him,” Upton said. “Ever since he was kicked off the show, we all kind of got

together to help him out and schedule stuff for him. We like to know that he has his support system around.”

Schulz admits to not really follow-ing the show before he was on it. He auditioned as a promise he made to his mother. She was diagnosed with breast cancer right around the time that he was supposed to leave for a two-year mission trip, and she told him that, as a favor to her, he should audition for American Idol when he returned.

“For my audition, I sang ‘Believe’ by Brooks and Dunn,” Schulz said. “The lyrics are really appropriate for what was going on in my life. During that time, I really relied on the support of the Lord and my family.”

Schulz auditioned in front of multiple judging panels in the months leading up to the show. The celebrity judges only see a select few contestants, and Schulz was able to wow them, earning himself a ticket to Hollywood.

“I honestly did not think I would get as far as I did. I thought they would

Tori BlanchardSpecial to The Battalion

Courtesy photo

John Wayne Schulz is known for making the top 40 contestants on American Idol, but also received attention from The Battalion when he was 14 for recording his first album, which included 10 original songs and two covers.See Schulz on page 4

Small town boy,big dreams


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English & French Cameo Glass Exhibit

Through May 14 MSC Forsyth Center Galleries

International Cultural Dinner

Wed Apr 27 @ 7pm in Wehner

SLAM OUT: Poetry Slam Against

Power-Based Violence

Thu Apr 28 @ 8pm in Studio 12

Fiesta 505

Fri Apr 29 @ 2 - 7pm at Duncan Field

MSC Aggie Cinema Arthouse Series

presents: Lost In Translation

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thebattalion

newspage 4

monday 4.18.2011

take one look at me and send me home,” Schulz said. “I don’t fit the pop image of American Idol, being a boots-and-jeans kind of guy, but they really liked my name. They thought it was funny that I have a country name.”

Upton reminds Schulz to ignore all the negativity out there. The show wants him to get his name in the public and keep up appearances; that is his full time job.

“For every good blog post, there is going to be a bad

one,” Upton said. “That’s just the way it works.”

Schulz has his family to thank in keeping him grounded and supporting him during successes and disappointments.

“I have learned how to be careful in the music indus-try,” Schulz said. “People are going to attack you for your beliefs. My dad always used to tell me to remember who I am, my roots and who I represent. He claims he taught me everything I know and my mom straightened me out. I am just a simple kid from a small town who was given an extraordinary opportunity.”

SchulzContinued from page 3

Equestrian Continued from page 1

Aggies finishing sixth in the nation. Their overall perfor-mance by both the hunter seat and the western teams gave the Aggies a combined third place finish at nation-als as a team. It is the fifth straight year that the Aggies have placed third or better as a team competing for the overall equestrian national championship.

“Only a few showed, but we had a bunch of girls here,” McKay said. “It took all of

them and all of that work to get to this point. We feel strongly that it’s the entire team that gets us here and wins these championships, not just the ones that were chosen to represent their teammates. Everyone worked so hard this week and it’s a great feeling to once again call ourselves national champions.”

For A&M the national championship for the western team gives them yet another three-peat victory, cement-ing it as the most dominant program in the country. It is the second time in school his-tory that the western team has

won three straight national championships, the other coming from 2002-2004.

“People can take it for granted when you are at the top, but our girls have never taken it for granted,” McKay said. “The teams we play keep us working hard and keep us on our toes. Today was an awesome competi-tion. K-State proved they should have been there, and they made us work for it. All the hard work for an entire year paid off and came down to this moment, and our kids deserved it. I couldn’t be hap-pier for them.”

GymnasticsContinued from page 1

TrackContinued from page 1

gymnastics team and said that since the team is open to all students, he sees a broad range of abilities and workout levels.

“Some of the more expe-rienced team members have been doing gymnastics their entire lives and work out 15 hours a week training every event, while others have just begun and are just master-ing the basics of the sport. As team captain, I try to encour-age all ability levels to get into the gym as often as they can so that they can continue to develop and enjoy the sport,” Henderson said.

Henderson said national competition is an experi-ence through which the team learns from their mistakes each year, allowing them to grow stronger.

“Last year the men’s team was seeded first, going into the final day of competition but left the meet with second. This year we knew that we had to be clean and consistent to win and that’s exactly what we did,” Henderson said.

Sydney Reigel, an envi-ronmental design major and captain of the women’s gym-nastics team, said nationals is a wake-up call for the team as they compete against in-timidating teams and strive to

come out on top. “One of my jobs as cap-

tain is to make the rosters. The amount of time some-one spends in the gym can determine whether they get to compete or not. We are judged based on execution, difficulty, presentation, com-position and lots of small de-tails,” Reigel said. “We really shine as a team. It’s no longer about the individual at na-tionals, and I love that.”

Eli Richardson, a junior industrial engineering major, won the men’s all-around competition. As his third year to compete in nation-als, Richardson said he went in knowing that he needed to bring forth everything in him as the scores count to-ward a team score as well as an individual score.

“My first year at nationals, the team unfortunately did not qualify for team finals. My second year at nationals, the team placed second by a small margin behind Penn State. That second year we came so close. We were proud to have done so well, but at the same time disappointed to have gotten so close,” Rich-ardson said. “This year we were determined. We knew Penn State was going to be our strongest competitor, but we knew that we were stron-ger. We knew we had the skill level as a team this year and that all we had to do is

hit our sets. We went in to the competition with a ‘Win-ners Win’ attitude coined by our team captain Neil Hen-derson.”

Richardson said he and his team members face difficulty in juggling gymnastics and schoolwork, yet they con-tinue to stay motivated and encourage each other.

“Finding time and having to sacrifice other things are the biggest struggles. I also have a part time job working 20-plus hours per week so finding time would be the most stressful,” he said.

Like any other sport or organization, gymnastics re-quires a lot of practice and hard work. Competing at a national level, all the team members bring forth their best and this year all individu-als excelled, Richardson said.

“Nationals has a whole different atmosphere com-pared to the rest of our com-petitions. The judging system at nationals is different than what we compete under here in Texas,” he said. “Through-out both days of competition you could tell we wanted it, and you could tell we were taking it. We were as perfect as we could be in our rou-tines. Every competitor is by himself on the apparatus but you could still sense our teamwork. I’ll never forget being part of this 2011 Texas A&M Gymnastics Team.”

as senior jumper Sasha-Kay Matthias jumped 40-10.25, followed by teammate Tif-fany Peters’ runner-up jump of 40-7.5. Lisa Steinkamp placed third in the long jump with a mark of 19-10.75 to round off a success-ful day for the Aggie women in the infield.

The men continued a successful day in the field as junior jumper Cameron Al-exander placed second in the high jump with a career best 7-0,5 and freshman jumper Tyler Lee placed fourth. Freshman thrower Casey Strong also made a huge con-tribution as he placed third in breaking his own school record in the hammer throw. Strong threw 198-9 with ju-nior thrower Cole Knuth finishing just behind in fifth with a throw of 183-0.

The Aggie men also dis-played depth in the 400-me-ters as the men placed 1-2-3 in the 400-meters and the team won the relay. De-metrius Pinder won the 400-meters with a time of 45.26, ahead of teammate Bryan Miller’s third-place time of 46.01. Michael Pre-ble claimed the second sec-tion with a career best time

of 46.41 over teammate Joey Roberts. Carlyle Roudette won the third section of the 400, with Brett Parker finishing second. The Ag-gies who took top spots on the track include Demetrius Pinder (400-meters), Domi-nique Duncan (200-me-ters), Erica Parker (800-me-ters) and Wayne Davis II (110-hurdles).

The men’s and women’s hurdles were electrifyingly close races. A&M freshman sprinter Wayne Davis II edged Florida’s Eddie Lovett to win the 110 hurdles. Lovett got a hot start out of the blocks, but Davis came back with a strong perfor-mance and leaned to win by a nose in a time of 13.75. The Aggies came out on the oth-er side of a nail-biter in the women’s hurdles, as A&M’s Natasha Ruddock was edged by Central Florida’s Jackie Coward. Ruddock ran a season-best time and national top-ten time of 12.99, but came just short of Coward’s collegiate-leading 12.96.

The Aggies also took vic-tories in the women’s 200- and 800-meters. Dominique Duncan won the 200-meters in a time of 22.97 to rank her second in the nation this season, followed by Jeneba Tarmoh in a 23.26 runner-up performance. Ashley Col-lier placed third in the same

section as her teammates, but finished fourth overall with a time of 23.56 to put her just outside the top-ten times in the women’s 200-meters. Erika Parker finished first in the 800-meters with a time of 2:08.98, with teammates Hill-ary Hagan and Aliese Hyde placing third and fourth.

In the last race of the eve-ning, A&M posted another top-ten time in the nation with a win in the 4x400 re-lay. The team of Joey Rob-erts, Tran Howell, Carlyle Roudette and Michael Pre-ble won a heated 4x400 re-lay over Florida with a time of 3:04.77 ahead of Florida’s time of 3:06.43. The men’s 4x100 relay was just as in-tense, as Florida’s anchor, junior sprinter Jeff Demps, held off A&M’s Pinder in the end. The Gators finished first in 39.07 with the Aggie squad of Tran Howell, Ger-ald Phiri, Bryan Miller and Pinder following just behind with 39.16.

Senior sprinter Gerald Phiri also competed in the men’s 100-meters, coming in with the best time in the nation. Florida sprinter and running back Jeff Demps ex-ploded to a winning time of 9.96 to overtake Phiri as the national leader. A&M fresh-man Prezel Hardy Jr. contin-ued to improve as he claimed fourth with a time of 10.18.


EOI

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Plus our classes are more affordable than four-year universities. Classes for

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INVENT YOURSELF.

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Brian McDonald ’12

David Morin ’11

Mallory Myers ’11

Dilim Nwobu ’12

Matthew Okeson ’11

Scott Petrowski ’11

Benjamin Pisik ’13

Pat Reeves ’12

Pristine Remolona ’12

Drew Shelnutt ’13

Evan Shu ’11

Lee Thompson ’10

Taryn Tipton ’12

Paige Toppert ’14

Roland Vargas ’11

Mark Womack ’11

James Zhang ’14

David Adame ’12

Hilary Albrecht ’12

Matthew Altendorf ’12

Maggie Beecher ’13

David Benac ’12

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John Busch ’11

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Allison Davis ’13

Christopher Dismuke ’13

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Christopher Esparza ’13

Ricky Fink ’11

Emma Louise Fisher ’11

Molly Fleming ’11

Katherine Gnadinger ’12

Alison Gonsalves ’08

Jillian Green ’10

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Sam Hodges ’13

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Brittany Jones ’07

Buck Weirus SpiritAward Recipients

The Buck Weirus Spirit Award honors up to 55

students who demonstrate high INVOLVEMENT,

create positive EXPERIENCES throughout the

Aggie community, IMPACT student life at

Texas A&M and enhance the Aggie SPIRIT.

CONGRATULATIONS to the2011 Buck Weirus Spirit Award recipients!

CONGRATULATIONS!

sports thebattalion 04.18.2011

page5

men’s golf | The No. 6 Aggies cruised to an 18-shot victory at the annual Aggie Invitational held this weekend at the Traditions Club in Bryan. The Aggies finished at 5-over par whereas No.

1 Oklahoma State finished at 23-over par. “Today we were just really solid the whole way around,” said Head Coach J.T. Higgins. For more go to thebatt.com

No. 5 A&M wins series over Baylor

Dominance on the diamond

The No. 22 Texas A&M softball team (33-11, 5-4) has struggled all season against ranked opponents; that was until this weekend when No. 12 Nebraska visited the Aggie Softball Complex for a week-end series.

The Aggies swept the Cornhuskers by winning 3-0 and 5-1 on Saturday and Sun-day, finally gaining momen-tum in the Big 12 standings.

The first game of the weekend saw the Aggies go hitless for four innings of play before finally connecting. In the inning, freshman Em-ily Albus served as a pinch-runner at first base for sopho-more pitcher Mel Dumezich who was hit in the foot dur-ing her at-bat.

Freshman third baseman Amber Garza walked giving the Aggies speedy runners on the base paths. Freshman Nicole Morgan stepped up to the plate and killed a ball off the wall. Morgan’s dou-ble scored two runs and the Aggies never looked back. A home run by senior Rhi Kliesing gave the Aggies the 3-0 victory.

“I thought we just put together a really complete game [Saturday],” said Head Coach Jo Evans. “It’s a game

where we knew we had to win. Our backs are against the wall, and I just liked the way we played the game. We hit, we played defense and we pitched really well.”

The game was the 14th shutout of the season for the Aggies as Dumezich threw her ninth shutout. Dumezich struckout eight batters, giving up five hits on the game.

“[Mel] did terrific on the mound,” Evans said. “I thought that her en-ergy and her competitive-ness really came through today and our kids fed off of that. She’s a leader on the field. There’s no doubt about that, and when our

team will follow that, great things will happen.”

In Sunday’s game, the Ag-gies bounced back from an early 1-0 deficit to win their 19th straight home game.

After tying the game in the third inning, the Aggies ex-tended it in the bottom of the fourth as senior Kelsey Spit-tler led off with her second single of the game and later scored on a double by sopho-more Brittany Walker.

“I thought Spittler was a real catalyst for us today,” Evans said. “I thought she was a real spark plug getting up there like, ‘Hey I can hit this.’ I thought she really set the tone for us.”


baseball softball

No. 22 Aggies sweep No. 12 Huskers

Courtesy photos

Senior outfielder Kelsey Spittler slides into home during the Aggies’ 5-1 victory over Nebraska Sunday.

The No. 5 Texas A&M baseball team emerged victori-ous in the Battle of the Brazos, taking two games in the three-game set against the regional rivals, Baylor.

The Aggies (26-10, 11-4) opened the series with a 5-1 win Friday night in Waco. Junior pitcher John Stilson (3-1) gave up zero runs and five hits in his eight innings on the mound. The right-handed hurler racked up seven strike-outs and, as has not been the case in the majority of his starts, finally got some help offensive-ly from his teammates.

The bottom three batters in the Aggies lineup went a combined 6-11 at the plate, ac-counting for four of the team’s five runs. Junior third base-man Adam Smith, who has been struggling with the bat all season, first team on the board when senior catcher Kevin Gonzales brought him home on a bunt in the top of the third. Smith then laid down a bunt of his own the next in-ning, bringing in the Aggies’ second run of the night.

Saturday’s game was played at Olsen Field, but the home-coming was anything but happy. The Bears bats woke up early, hanging four runs on sophomore pitcher Michael

Wacha by the end of the third. Baylor hit four home runs, the most allowed by A&M’s pitch-ing staff all season, and the Ag-gies fell 12-1. The lone Aggie run came in the fourth inning when Smith’s infield single al-lowed junior designated hitter Matt Juengel to score.

“You’re never as good as you think you are, and you’re never as bad [either],” said Head Coach Rob Childress. “We’re all somewhere in the middle. We’ve got a chance to win the series and if we keep winning series, we’ll be at the top of the league.”

Childress’ words were ful-filled in Sunday’s afternoon matchup, and pitcher Ross Stripling (7-2) must have been listening. The junior tossed yet another gem in his sterling sea-son, holding the Bears to only one run and leading his team to a 2-1 victory. The Southlake product scattered four hits and struck out eight en route to his first complete game.

Stripling looked shaky at the beginning, giving up a double that eventually turned into a run in the top of the first. But after walking back-to-back batters in the fourth, the pitch-er regained his composure and retired 19 of the next 20.

“Once he figured out, ‘I need to make a couple ad-justments here and there,’ I thought he rolled,” Chil-

dress said. “That’s as well a pitched game as we’ve had all year long.”

Baylor retained the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the seventh when the Aggies’ offensive at-tack was spurred yet again by the powerful Gonzales. The catcher’s triple to center field brought freshman second baseman Charlie Curl across the plate.

Sophomore right fielder Tyler Naquin’s single to start off the eighth extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games. After advancing to third, junior first baseman Jacob House sent a long ball into left field, giving Naquin adequate time to tag up and score the game-winning run.


Junior infielder Adam Smith led the Aggies in its series win.


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ETYMOLOGYThe word X may be divided into two parts, the first half mean-ing “god or providence” and the second half meaning “wind”. Originally X was a storm which saved the country from being invaded by the Mongols of the Emperor Kublai Khan. The way of life of the people in general served to change the meaning of X, especially the tradition of loyalty and honor unto death, ie. a person would rather kill himself than lose honor. Thus, now you had people going X instead of facing defeat and perceived shame.

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Classifi eds continued on page 7

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARE YOU READY FOR SOMESOFTBALL? Registration for C.S.softball league are forming now,so get your coed, women’s, ormen’s team together. Individualsalso welcome. Call 764-6386.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME VOL-LEYBALL? Registration for C.S.volleyball leagues are formingnow, so get your coed team to-gether. Individuals also welcome.Call 764-6386.

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$470/mo All-bills-paid 1bd/1basummer sublease. Available May20th-August 20th. 1.5 mile bikeride to campus, bus route 15 (cantake you to Northgate), just northof Reveille Ranch on Wellborn.Clean room. Call Phil:(636)-219-2443.

$495/mo. +1/4 utilities. River Oakstownhome. 2-Rooms available forfemale students. Furnished,gated, reserved parking, great lo-cation. 830-456-1661 or [email protected]

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Fraternity house for lease! Up to8 bedrooms, 4 acres, close to cam-pus, 6000sqft. Call 254-721-6179.

Great Deal! 4bd/2ba. Close tocampus. Wood floors, W/D conn.,fridge, fans. December endedlease. Ready to move May 1st.Only $795/mo! [email protected]

Great Leasing Specials! Call979-693-1906. Free Cable andInternet.

Huge 3 or 4 bedroom/2ba. House!Walking distance to A&M, W/D,fenced yard, 3904 Oaklawn $1450979-693-5885.

Individual Lease. Campus Village.$545/mo. Includes utilities. $1000cash given if lease is taken!713-392-1525.

Large 3/3 duplex 11347 NorthDowling Rd. College Station$1000/month. 979-822-1616.

Large house, double garage,$1100/mo. Available Summer orFall. 832-425-2945.

Like New Luxury Townhome.4bd/4ba. $520/month. All BillsPaid. On Bus Route, Near Campus,Gated. Purchase $175,000936-448-6323.

Myrtle Estate: A peaceful countrysetting perfect for special occa-sions! Ring Day,Graduation/Game weekends, andsocial events. Home sleeps 16 andhas a large in-ground pool withpatio. Photos and pricing can befound at www.bcseliterealty.comor call Dawn @ 979-324-4477 nowtaking reservations for 2011 foot-ball season!

Need female sublet forMay-August 2011. 1bd/1ba.$409/mo. Contact Brianne972-672-6752.

FOR RENT

New Condos! 4/4, W/D in unit,private bathrooms. Summer rent$240. From Fall-Spring, minimum12mos. $325/mo and $295/mo.979-574-0040, 281-639-8847. Uni-versity Place at Southwest Park-way.

New homes for rent! Close tocampus! 4bd/4ba, 3bd/3ba. CallToday! 254-721-6179. Broker.

New House For Rent. 4bd/3ba offRock Prairie. Available June 1st.All bills paid. Semi-furnished.2bdrms at $525/each (sharedbathroom), 1bdrm at $550 (pri-vate bathroom), master bedroomat $575 (private bathroom). Call361-463-6613.

New/Newer 1/1, 1/1.5 lofts, 2/2,3/3. Available May and August.www.jesinvestments.comBroker/owner. 979-777-5477.

Newly remodeled 4/2 house.Walking distance to campus, tile& wood floors, great location,nice big deck & yard.979-776-6079, www.aggie-landleasing.com

Northgate area, 3/2, 2/2 and new2/2 available for summer and fall.W/D connections, walk to campus,big living rooms and bedrooms.Call 979-255-5648.

Oak Creek Condos, high-speedinternet and basic cable.2bdrm/1.5ba. $515/mo. Water,sewer, trash paid. Fireplace, ice-maker, pool, hot-tub.979-822-1616.

One bedroom for rent in 3bed-room house. M/F, 1mi to campus.On bus route. $400/mo., all billspaid. Hot tub and game room.(979)739-7717.

Pre-leasing 4bdrm Houses, up-dated, fenced pets, ok. Starting at$1395/mo. AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

Pre-leasing for August!4bdrm/2bth houses. Great Loca-tion. Close to campus, woodfloors, tile floors, ceiling fans,w/d, fenced yards, refridgerator,icemaker,lawncare.979-776-6079,www.aggielandleasing.com

Pg. 6-04-18-11.indd 1Pg. 6-04-18-11.indd 1 4/15/11 1:38:24 PM4/15/11 1:38:24 PM

Saturday at Wolf Pen Creek Park, children rolled down the hill, people walked dogs, children got their faces painted and families enjoyed music. Families and students enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend during the an-nual Brazos Valley Earth Day.

There were many dif-ferent booths and sponsors such as Aggie Replant, HEB and Keep Brazos Beauti-ful. There were also displays teaching participants how to do various environmental acts such as recycling, rainwater harvesting, backyard com-posting and green lawn care techniques. Many organiza-tions and companies provided information about themselves as well as information about how to care for the environ-ment. Local bands and choirs also provided entertainment.

“We [had] live music fea-turing two local bands [The Full House Blues Band and

Jared Alan Stewart, with sound provided by RDM Audio], a local Creek View Elementary 4th Grade Choir, Kids Zone with a ton of cool activities and bouncers, free refreshments sponsored by Pepsi, free snacks, and 50-plus Environmental Exhibits and Displays,” said Heather L. Qualls, the College Station recycling coordinator.

There were many organi-zations and companies that welcomed attendees to the booths. Texas A&M was rep-resented by Aggie Replant, an organization that plants trees in the area in the fall as well as raises awareness about car-ing for the environment. Kate Beamer, a senior English ma-jor interacted with the crowd and answered questions as they represented Aggie Re-plant. They shared informa-tion about the organization and what Aggie Replant ini-tiative about the importance of planting more trees.

“My favorite part is seeing all the kids running around

and having a good time and learning about the environ-ment and taking care of it. We want to educate people about our organization as well as just trees in general. We plant trees in the fall, this year on October 22,” Beamer said.

The City of Bryan and College Station Recycles, as well as other recycling or-ganizations had booths that provided information for the many participants. The participants were taught the importance of recycling and how to recycle. They learned the efficiency and benefits of taking care of the environment. Students from A&M Consolidated High School were drawn to the event with the free music, snow cones and opportunity for people watching. In the process they learned about the importance of recycling.

“Recycling really can help, you just need to participate and do your own part,” said Mari Gherardi, a freshman at A&M Consolidated.

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thebattalion

news page 7

monday 4.18.2011

STUDIES IN PROGRESS

J&S Studies, Inc.979-774-5933

1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845www.js-studies.com

ATHLETES FOOT STUDYVolunteers ages 12 and older are needed to participate in a 6 week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for the treatment of athletes foot. Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Medication • Medical Examinations relating to the study • Compensation up to $160.00 for time and effort

For more information please contact:

ACNE STUDYVolunteers ages 18-35 with moderate to servere facial acne are needed to participate in a month long research study with an investigational topical medication for the treatment of acne. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Acne Assessments by a Dermatologist • Study Related Medication • Compensation up to $880 for time and effort


ATOPIC DERMATITIS OR ECZEMAJ&S Studies Inc. is conducting a research study for adults to test the effective-

ness of an investigational medication for the mild to moderate eczema.Eligibility Includes: • Adults ages 18 to 15 • Currently have mild to moderate eczema/atopic dermatitis (red, dry, itchy, cracked skin)Study Involves: • Visits to our clinical facility over an approximate 6-week period • Usage of study medicatiorQualifi ed participants will be compensated for their time and participation. Health insurance is not needed to participate. There is no cost to you.


Classifi eds continued from page 6classifiedssee ads at thebatt.com

FOR RENT

Pre-leasing for August. 3bd/2ba/2car garage house. Updated,fenced, pets ok, on shuttle route.$1099/mo. 3401 Coastal C.S.AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

Pre-leasing for May or August!4/2/2 Fenced, totally remodeled,granite, 1312 Timm, $1799/mo,W/D, biking distance to campus.AggieLandRentals.com,979-776-8984.

Prelease for May or August, 2/1fourplex. W/D connections, waterpaid. 609 Turner. $465/m.979-693-1448.

Prelease for May or August. Large2/2 with fenced yard, W/D con-nections, large closets, great loca-tion. University Oaks. $775/m.979-693-1448.

Prelease for May or August: 2/1duplex, fenced back yard, w/dconn. 3 locations to choose from$600.00, 693-1448.

Pre-leasing 3/1.5/2carport, Up-dated, Fenced, biking distance tocampus, on shuttle, pets ok.$750/mo AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

Remolded 3bd/1-3/4ba house!Bike to A&M, W/D, fenced yard,near Thomas Park 300 Gilchrist$1225 979-693-5885.

Ridgewood Village efficiency withloft. Uniquely designed floorplan. No pets, $395/mo, $350 de-posit. 1211-1213 Holik.979-696-2998. Some short termleases available. $455/mo.

Ridgewood Village, large veryquiet tree-shaded 1bdrm/1bthstudio, no pets. $445/mo, $350deposit, 1201-1209 Holik.979-696-2998. Some short termleases available $515/mo.

Summer lease available. 3bdhouse. 0.3mi from campus!$1200/mo. Call Preston903-330-1935.

FOR SALE

Double Wide Mobile Home.$35,000. 109 Ridge Loop. 3/2,Patio, Deck, Covered Porch, LargeFenced Yard. 979-412-4755.

HELP WANTED

Artist needs female canvas sub-jects, body image project. $40/hr.Aysia 281-678-4050.

Athletic men for calendars, books,etc. $100-$200/hr, up to$1000/day. No [email protected]

Building Maintenance. Part-Timeposition with flexible schedule.Duties include painting, carpen-try, plumbing, minor electrical,general maintenance, including:1.checking light fixtures 2.chang-ing locks 3.inspecting for obviousproblems and needed repairs. Re-spond to tenant request via on-line system. Some knowledge ofHVAC maintenance. Basic com-puter knowledge. Constructionscience major preferred. Pleasesubmit resume [email protected]

Now hiring waitresses and bar-tenders, apply in person after3pm at Carney’s Pub and Grill,3410 South College Bryan.

Child Care- FT & PT shifts avail-able. Some nights & Saturdays re-quired. Apply in person at 3609 E.29th St., Bryan.

Cleaning commercial buildings atnight, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 forappointment.

COACHES WANTED! We need en-thusiastic, positive, motivationalcoaches for YOUTH VOLLEYBALL.Season begins 5/5/11! Call764-6386

HELP WANTED

Executive office looking forpart-time receptionist. Decorumnecessary. Please send cover let-ter, resume, availability, and ref-erences to [email protected]

Full-time medical technician forgrowing allergy practice wanted.4-year degree and 1-year commit-ment required. May graduateswelcome! We are looking for anintelligent, positive, friendly per-son to join our team. We teachskills that are an asset for anyoneinterested in a career in health-care and can help a candidate getinto medical school. E-mail re-sume to [email protected]

Full Year Ministries Internships:Youth and College. A&M UMCseeks individuals for the youthand college ministry intern posi-tions. Candidates should have adesire to connect youth/collegestudents with the heart of God.They should be administrativelyorganized, creative, playful, andrelational. They must have theability to equip volunteers formeaningful ministry. An excellentcandidate would also be consider-ing vocational ministry. For moreinfo about positions, please checkout http://www.am-umc.org/col-lege/announcements-events.htmlorhttp://www.am-umc.org/youth/an-nouncements-youth.html Send re-sume, cover letter, and referencesto [email protected]

Help Desk/ Telephoning: Lookingfor friendly, supportive staff whoare able to speak both Vietnam-ese and English Fluently. PT/FT(Flexible hours). Please [email protected]@gmail.com In-clude profile picture with briefpersonal description.

Hostesses, waitresses, bartendersneeded, females 18-23 only, forhigh luxury bar, call512-680-4617.

Household cleaning, groceryshopping and cooking. Must havecar and be available year-round.Start before end of April. $10/hr.Call 979-739-1645.

J. Cody’s hiring at all positions,apply within, 3610 S. College. Noexperience necessary just com-mon sense!

Little Guys Movers now hiringFT/PT employees. Must be at least21 w/valid D.L. Apply in person at3209 Earl Rudder Freeway.

New! Live online tutoring sessionsin math and statistics. Enter a vir-tual classroom and getone-on-one help with yourclasses. For more information visitwww.katetutoring.com or call979-220-0874.

Office of chiropractic seekingsales professional, please apply at3733 East 29th Street Bryan, TX.

Part-Time job helping the handi-cap. 846-3376.

Part-time summer help, apply inperson, Conlee-Garrett Movingand Storage, 600 South BryanAve, Bryan.

PT help needed. Local huntingclub needs PT guides. Freshmanand Sophomore only. Average 1-2weekends/month in offseason;2-3 in Fall and Winter. Limitedhunting privileges. Applicationsat www.yardbirdhunting.com

Special Projects Assistant Wanted.PivotPoint is searching for anintelligent, organized, andcreative individual with a strongwork ethic. 20+hours/week$10-$15/hour. Located inDowntown Bryan.www.facebook.com/pivotpointso-lutionsEmail [email protected]

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid Sur-vey Takers Needed In College Sta-tion. 100% Free To Join. Click OnSurveys.

The Steamery now hiring carpetcleaning techs. Full-time summerhelp. 979-693-6969.

HELP WANTED

Tutors wanted for all subjectscurrently taught at TAMU/ Blinnand Sam Houston State startingat $8.25/hour. Apply on-line @www.99Tutors.com,979-255-3655.

Wanted: Energetic people forKids Klub After-School Program.Employment begins Fall Semester-08/15/11. Applications acceptedat 1812 Welsh, Mon.-Fri., 8-4pm.Kids Klub, 979-764-3831.www.cstx.gov/kidsklub

Wanted: Horticulturist for a newArboretum that is being built inthe Plantersville area- 45milesNorthwest of Houston, TX. Mustbe a non-smoker, speak fluentEnglish and computer literate.Good pay and benefits for theright person. Please e-mail yourresume, references and salary re-quirements [email protected]

MISCELLANEOUS

Summer storage special! Firstmonth free. Four monthsrequired. Sign up early in Aprilwith a deposit to hold.Southwest Stor Mor.979-696-0204.

MUSIC

Best deal in town- DJservices/audio rentals. RDM Audiodoes it all! Weddings, parties,band set ups, PA systems, EventLighting, 979-260-1925. rdmau-dio.com

Party Block Mobile DJ- PeterBlock, professional 22yrs experi-ence.Specializing in Weddings, TAMUfunctions, lights/smoke. Mobileto anywhere. Book early!!979-693-6294.http://www.partyblockdj.com

PETS

Akc registered Tea Cup Yorkies$800. Apri registered ImperialShihTzus $600. 979-324-2866. [email protected]

REAL ESTATE

B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Re/Max,Michael McGrann. TAMU ‘93 En-gineering. 979-739-2035,979-693-1851. aggierealtor.com

BRYAN: 3/2, 1175sqft. Only 6years old. Convenient to TAMUand Blinn. Appliances included.$115,000. (979)255-9181.

ROOMMATES

1-2 roommates needed. 4bd/4baat Waterwood on SW Parkway.W/D, private bath, on bus route.Short or long term leases avail-able. $400/mo. includes utilities,cable/internet. Call 254-721-2716.

2-Female Grads Wanted For FallHouse. Rent $350. Utilities $80.On bus route, 4/2 house, dogs al-lowed. MUST renew leaseApril-30th. Call 817-228-8529.

6mos. lease beginning 6/1/11.1-male to share nice 4bdrm. inC.S. Partially furnished, w/d.$430/mo. +1/4utilities.817-559-2942.

Female roommate wanted,$450/mo. plus utilities, Wood-brook Condos. Call 281-795-4110.

Need 3rd renter. 3/2 house.Bryan, near campus. $325/mo.+utilities. Call Jerome979-324-5170. A must see!

Roommate needed. 4/4 UniversityPlace condo, W/D, private bath,pool, volleyball court, on shuttle.$300/mo. Call 979-690-8213 or979-422-9849.

Roommates needed. 4bd/4bth$350/mo, washer/dryer, phone &internet, University Place onSouthwest Parkway.281-844-2090.

SERVICES

A&M Alterations, professionalclothes alterations, specialize intuxedos and gowns, 30-years ex-perience, guaranteed lowestprices, 3601 East 29th, #12, inBryan, 979-260-2400.

Lazy Daisy Pet Care. OfferingIn-Home Dog Grooming/Pet Sit-ting. Excellent References.(936)349-7497.www.lazydaisypetcare.com

M&R lawn services, professionalquality, free estimate, “We’ll beatanyone’s price” 713-884-0710.

Moving to Houston, Dallas, or SanAntonio? Let a former Aggie helpyou find an apartment! E-mail meat [email protected] orcall 713-819-4629. We will alsodonate $100 to a charity of yourchoice!

texaslovestickets.com The ticketsolution for any size event. Con-tact us [email protected] formore info.

TUTORS

Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpfulone-on-one private tutors for allsubjects at TAMU/Blinn and SamHouston State. Check us out atwww.99tutors.com, 979-255-3655.

Online math tutor. $8.50/hr.Calculus I/II, Trig, Business Math.http://JimmieMathTutoring.blog-spot.com

the battalion

If You Have Something To Sell, Remember Classifieds Can Do It!

Call 845-0569

Haley LawsonThe Battalion

Community members participate in Earth Day event

Josh McKenna— THE BATTALION

More than 50 booths and presentations lined the walkways of Wolf Pen Creek Park, presenting educational displays for all ages, and offering crafts and activities.

Pg. 7-04-18-11.indd 1Pg. 7-04-18-11.indd 1 4/17/11 6:14 PM4/17/11 6:14 PM

601 University Dr.979-846-3600

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Ice cold beer and great wine selections!

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NOW HIRING SHIFT MANAGERS!• Flexible Schedules

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Interested?

Call Manuel Vara, Area Manager at 979-574-1799for more information! [email protected]

thebattalion

voicespage 8

monday 4.18.2011

Its problems lie within its purpose and methods. Unexpected quizzes are unnecessary because they don’t provide anything that announced ones cannot.

If the goals of most pop quizzes are to ensure that students are showing up to class and reading the mate-rial, then you don’t need to give a quiz without prior warning to accomplish that. Desig-nated assign-ments are much more effective. The possibil-ity of a pop quiz increases attendance, but announced ones assure that students will come to class.

The issues with this are that students might only attend class when there is an assigned quiz and they will be less likely to hit the books consistently. Although the

theory behind pop quizzes is that they keep students studying, in reality this isn’t always possible. We have other homework, jobs, extracurricular activities and occasionally some semblance of a social life.

With so many other com-mitments, we sometimes have to roll the dice and

hope that we won’t have a quiz in one

class as we focus our attention on school-work for other courses due

the next day. If professors re-

ally want students to have the material

learned, then they should give announced quizzes rather than surprise ones.

Instead, we’re left playing a potentially grade-slashing guessing game. One of the major problems of this far-from-fun game is the way in which it works. Students

are always notified at the beginning of the semester about pop quizzes, but the reasons some professors give them seems to have little to do with assessing or improv-ing understanding of the subject. In many classrooms those three terrifying words, “Clear your desk” are only uttered when the room is half empty. The message appears to be more “Don’t miss my class” than “Do your work.” This certainty isn’t true of all professors, but it’s also not true that every pop quiz is given only for educational purposes.

The unannounced quiz guessing game can also cre-ate unnecessary anxiety for students. Allen Mendler, in his book Connecting with Stu-dents, states that “the sudden wave of fear that an unex-pected test elicits can quickly shut down learning and memory, leading to poorer performance.” I know we are all big kids in college

and have to constantly deal with stress, but unexpected quizzes are not the best way to gauge your comprehen-sion of the material because of the avoidable anxiety they can create.

Pop quizzes are usually only worth a small portion of your grade, but they’re enough to drop you an en-tire letter grade if you don’t do so hot. That doesn’t seem right, especially when they’re given not to deter-mine what you’ve learned but to assure that you’re in class or have completed the assignment. Obviously, students need to attend class and do their work to get the most out of the course, but expected quizzes guarantee this better than surprise ones. It’s time to end the suspense of the guessing game. At the very least, if professors stop giving pop quizzes, then we can start complaining about something else.

Many college students have a tendency to whine about every minute detail of the

course curriculum so, I try my best to not to complain too much about bru-tal assignments and projects. However, something I have always loathed and can never hold my tongue about is the pop quiz.

The terrible, horrible,no good, very bad quiz

Tim Isaac — THE BATTALION

Pop quizzes are a stressful and ineffective

learning tool for college students

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily refl ect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNSMake your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The

Battalion. Mail call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous

letters will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verifi ed.

Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion

(979) 845-3315 | [email protected]

EDITOR’SNOTE

Caleb Wilson: Pop quizzes more harm than help


Documents

The Battalion 04182011