For the Texas A&M Transportation Services, the beginning of a school year promises a spike in the number of parking citations given to students who do not know where or how to park on campus.

Transportation Services is monitoring parking lots on campus to discover which have higher occupancy levels.

“We already offered some customers the opportunity to move to a lot from their wait lists,” said Debbie Hoffman, manager of customer service for transportation services. “This helps to fill in lots where there is some available space and to move some customers out of lots that are more full.”

Students who do not have parking permits but need to drive cars to campus for the day have two options for parking without violating University rules.

The first option is to log on to the transportation website and buy a day pass to park in any lot on campus with the designated sign reading “ANY,” for any valid permit. The second option is to pay the price to park in a garage  or paid parking space for the day.

Students who have a permit should be aware of how to properly display the parking permits in their cars. Hanging tags must hang from the rearview mirror at all times with the picture side facing outward.

Senior visual studies major Jake Ross received a ticket for not hanging his parking pass from his rearview mirror. The pass was on his passenger seat. “I immediately went online to the appeal section of the A&M transportation website. I explained my situation, gave them my parking pass number, informed them of my thoughts,” Ross said.

“Surprisingly, the ticket was revoked.”

Keeping a retired permit on the rearview mirror can cost a student a $110 citation.

“We write the most parking citations for cars without a permit and cars in unauthorized areas,” Hoffman said. “We are seeing the most citations written on West Campus, specifically lot 72.”

Students should also check the transportation website to see if they have to park cars in a specific direction in their lot. Transportation Services requires some cars to park front-end first in certain lots. Cars in violation will receive citations.

Senior nuclear engineering major Katherine Fisler said students should appeal tickets. “Always appeal your tickets, because you have a high chance that they will lower the price you have to pay,” Fisler said.

She has received 13 tickets in her time at A&M. A third of her tickets resulted from violating time limits. “When they say it’s only 30 minute parking, it is literally only 30 minutes,” Fisler said.

Football game day parking contributes to confusion for students wanting to park on campus. Students with any valid parking permit can park for free up until the hour before kick off in lots 47, 50, 51, 55, 77 and the Northside Garage on game days.

Students with or without permits who want to park in these lots any time during the hour before the game starts have to pay $10 in cash to get in.

“I think the best options for football games are parking in the engineering lot 50 and the George Bush Library lot,” Elizabeth Andrasi, senior psychology major said. “They’re free and you can catch a shuttle from both.”

Another free option includes utilizing the shuttles that run to and from the Post Oak Mall parking lot in front of JCPenney which drop passengers off on Lubbock Street on campus.

Transportation Services does encourage students to use the bus whenever they can or to carpool with friends and neighbors to alleviate congestion and frustration on campus.

The Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies received a $9.9 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to produce treatments for soldiers severely injured in battle and especially suffering from massive blood loss.

“Our aim is to develop something a soldier could hold in his or her backpack that could prevent massive blood loss,” said Dr. Matthew Miller, professor of veterinary cardiology, senior research scientist at the Institute and leader of the study.

More than half of theU.S. military who die in action do so because of blood loss sustained from a gunshot wound or improvised explosive devices.

Dr. Paul Carlton, former Air Force surgeon general and director to the Office of Homeland Security for The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, said “the most critical intervention after a soldier is injured is the self-aid and buddy care administered in the field.”

This primary medical treatment serves to keep a soldier alive until they can reach salvage surgery in another location, Carlton said.

If a wounded soldier suffering from blood loss is treated within the first hour, the golden hour, of receiving his or her injury, he or she stands a higher chance of survival. The Institute aims to prolong the golden hour, so a wounded soldier has a higher chance of living.

“Medics may not be able to evacuate troops for four to six hours and so what we’re trying to find is a way that we can preserve their life for an extended period of time to give medics extra time to evacuate a wounded soldier for treatment,” Miller said. “[The] classical way to save someone suffering from blood loss is to stop the bleeding and give them fluids.”

The problem facing medics in battle is carrying the weight of the fluids necessary to treat an injured soldier in their backpacks.

TIPS is researching ways to decrease the body’s need for those fluids by putting it into “suspended animation,” a term Miller says is used for dramatic shock.

Miller said this treatment could shut down the main functions of the body so it will require fewer fluids for a certain amount of time.

The tools needed to put an injured person into suspended animation or hibernation would be small enough to fit into a backpack.

“[TIPS will] also be doing work looking at how we could quickly stabilize fractures so people could be up and walking within two weeks after getting hurt,” Miller said.

With the advancement in technologies, Carlton said nations can expect to see more and more people surviving wars.

“Nearly 60 percent of the wounded in the Revolutionary War were expected to die,” Carlton said. “In today’s war only 9 to 10 percent of injured soldiers die.”

Austin Welty, head drum major for the Texas A&M Band, aspires to be a Marine officer after graduation.

“Going into combat, one of the things all troops worry about is ‘How are they going to make sure I get back safe if something happens to me?’” Welty said. “This technology sounds like it has the potential to save a lot of lives, and that’s what we’re all about: a successful mission and troop welfare.”

Carlton said we can always expect survival treatments from the military to affect the general public.

Miller said, “Even though these studies are initially for the military, there is a tremendous amount of spillover into the civilian areas.”

At some point in their academic careers, all students wonder if what they learn in the classroom has any practical application to life. Monday,  students had the opportunity to see that knowledge applied to real-life situations in international affairs.

Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland Jr., commanding general for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, delivered a lecture on “Army Special Operations Forces and Global Engagement.” More than 100 individuals, ranging from attending VIPs to A&M students and cadets to residents of Bryan-College Station, congregated to hear Mulholland speak.

“I came [to the lecture] as part of my military science class,” said Thomas Herrford, sophomore mechanical engineer and a member of the Corps Navy and Marine ROTC. “It was a great opportunity to hear a high-profile military leader speak.”

The Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service presented the program as part of the William and Dianne Moss-Scowcroft Lecture Series, an annual series of lectures on international affairs.

“The purpose [of the lecture series] is to broaden an individual’s knowledge base,” said Peggy Holweiss, assistant director of the Scowcroft Institute.

The institute invites high-profile individuals who are experts in the field of international affairs to speak to students and other attendees. Through the lecture series, which is open to the public, the institute tries to provide students the opportunity to see how their classroom experiences apply to real-world situations.

“Our goal is educating people; whether for a formal career or out of personal curiosity,” Holweiss said.

In his remarks, Mulholland discussed the Army Special Operations Force’s role in international affairs. He began by talking about how the Army Special Operations Force provides strategic options to United States Ambassadors and the Gulf Cooperation Council, specifically in the face of conventional and irregular or complex threats.

Then Mulholland transitioned to briefly outlining what kind of support the the Army Special Operations Force provides. The Army Special Operations Force  strives, according to Mulholland, to create “strategic ‘bridging’ forces” that are complemented by U.S. forces to “develop indigenous security options” and to assist “friends, partners and allies to defend their sovereignty.”  They also implement resources to help defeat threats to U.S. national interests.

At the conclusion of his lecture, Mulholland stressed the fact that the U.S. military strives to work with others. From combined interagency efforts to cooperative operations with partner nations, they never work alone.

“The lecture helped me see how what we learn applies to the world situation, not just to day-to-day life in the Corps,” said Geoffry Nauert, sophomore civil engineer and another member of the Navy and Marine ROTC. “I also learned how much people and communication skills benefit leaders.”

After a brief post-lecture question and answer session, the evening’s program ended. Mulholland was not available for comment.

“His [Mulholland’s] presence — the professional way he connected with his audience — made us feel as if he was speaking directly to us,” Herrford said. “It was an honor to have him to come to campus.”

Despite an ugly first half in which both teams combined for 10 fumbles, the Texas A&M Aggies came out strong to start the second and handled the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, 48-16.  Jerrod Johnson continued his Heisman Trophy bid, Jeff Fuller tied a 42-year-old school receiving record and Tim DeRuyter’s newly implemented 3-4 defense continued to wreak havoc in the Aggies’ second win of the season.

Johnson threw for 349 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions, and rushed for another 50 yards.  Through two games, the Aggies’ signal caller is leading the Big 12 in passing yards per game as well as in total offense.

Many of Johnson’s throws were directed at the 6-foot 4-inch Jeff Fuller, who pulled in 10 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown.  The score, which was the 19th of his career, tied the career receiving touchdown record held by Bob Long, whose 19 scores have been the school’s benchmark of success for more than forty years.

“It means a lot to be the first guy to break the record,” Fuller said.  “But really I feel like other people in my situation, playing my position and repping as many times as I do, I feel like they would be able to do the same things.  It’s just really a product of the offense.”

Head Coach Mike Sherman said Fuller was raw when he joined the team, but has worked hard and poses a legitimate concern for opposing Big 12 defenses.

“He’s blessed with some talent, but he’s worked really hard to get where he is right now,”  Sherman said.

Although his success on the football field is undeniable, Fuller maintained a humble perspective about his performance against Louisiana Tech.

“It was a decent game,” Fuller said.  “I feel like I could’ve blocked a little better.

“I definitely had a lot of yards and made a few plays, but at the same time just watching film there’s still a lot of things I could improve on.”

Junior safety Trent Hunter showed up to the press conference with a hoarse voice, saying that he lost it while trying to make defensive calls over the noise of Kyle Field.  The Aggies continued bringing the pressure this week; the added heat resulted in three sacks, seven forced fumbles and two interceptions.

“We’re still blitzing every down,” Hunter said. “Usually about four guys — someone off the edge, or an inside linebacker or something.”

DeRuyter’s defense gave up 269 yards of offense and held the Bulldogs to 5.1 yards per reception.

The game featured an impressive performance by freshman “joker” Damontre Moore. Moore forced three fumbles and sacked the quarterback twice, making three tackles for loss.

“He’s really impressed me with how well he’s learned things,” Sherman said.  “I can’t honestly say I thought he’d play this well this early because he was very raw coming out, but he’s very coachable and has really worked hard.”

Special teams were the big problem for the Aggies. Junior cornerback Terrence Frederick muffed a punt on the 1-yard line that turned into a Bulldog touchdown and sophomore receiver Ryan Swope fumbled the ensuing kickoff. The defense stepped up three plays later when they retook possession after Bulldogs’ running back Lennon Creer turned the ball over on the A&M 23.

“The defense went out and really didn’t bat an eyelash,” Sherman said.  “There was no lack of confidence.  It was, ‘OK, what are we going to do to fix this? Let’s get the ball back and let’s go back to business.’”

Penn State U. is the best college to attend in the nation for students hoping to be recruited for a career, a survey published by The Wall Street Journal said Monday.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) received feedback from 479 professional recruiters on the nation’s top 100 colleges. The WSJ.com survey stated that “the nation’s largest public and private companies, nonprofit organizations and federal agencies across every region of the country and spanning nearly two dozen industries,” were asked to assess the list of 100 colleges the website compiled.

After six months of collecting data for the survey, the results placed Penn State at the top of the list of 100 colleges, said Jennifer Merritt, WSJ.com’s careers editor, said.

Merritt said many students deciding on a college feel the need to attend Ivy League schools if they hope to get a job.

“What we’re trying to find out is if that’s true,” Merritt said. “Is that what you need to do to get a professional job?”

The survey’s results show a large public university is more likely to help students find a job after college.

Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz said she is not surprised by the ranking.

“[The ranking] is because the education that students get here is the kind of education that employers are looking to hire,” she said. “Our education goes beyond just the book learning.”

Connections Penn State faculty are making with researchers turn into jobs for students, Mountz said.

Tanna Pugh, director of Penn State’s Industrial Research Office, said the National Science Foundation ranks Penn State third in the country in industry-sponsored research, bringing in $100 million annually for research, Pugh said.

Pugh said the connections her office creates between faculty members and companies sponsoring research projects grow into opportunities for students to get involved with the research.

Since 1995, 49 companies have signed research agreements with Penn State — 80 percent of them in the last five years, Pugh said.

Recruiters also ranked the colleges based on what majors they recruited from and which schools produced the best graduates in those majors, Merritt said.

According the 479 companies surveyed, Penn State ranked No. 5 in accounting, No. 6 in finance, No. 7 in computer science and No. 9 in engineering.

Overall ranking for a school was done by a point system. Recruiters were asked to rank their top schools overall.

The survey required a college to have at least 60 companies out of the 479 say they recruit from that institution to be considered for rankings. Penn State saw recruiters from 187 companies — the most of any school listed, according to the survey.

State College Borough Council President Ron Filipelli said he doesn’t leave his home after 10 p.m. and keeps his car inside to prevent damage from drunken passersby.

“It’s like living in two different neighborhoods,” said Filipelli, a longtime resident of the Highlands neighborhood. “One during the day, and a completely different one at night.”

And in an effort to deter students from engaging in the excessive behavior that can result from alcohol abuse, Filipelli — along with state senators, borough officials and community members — met Monday afternoon to discuss legislation that would raise fines for alcohol-related offenses.

The legislation aims to raise the maximum fine for alcohol-related summary offenses to $1,000.

The current maximum, $300, has not been changed since the early 1970s, State Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, said.

University Park Undergraduate Association President (UPUA) Christian Ragland and Interfraternity Council President Max Wendkos were both present at the hearing and offered their perspectives on the proposed legislation.

Wendkos (senior-marketing and psychology) said he agrees with the goals of Corman’s plan, but doesn’t think the increased fines will stop people from drinking.

He said the reasoning for the legislation should be based more on preventing the extreme behavior that sometimes results from excessive drinking, since these acts often disturb community residents.

The legislation would also allow municipalities that are home to a college or university to charge an extra $100 fee to fund alcohol abuse prevention programs, as long as they have an “alcohol prevention unit” to direct them.

In addition to hearing from State College community members, the panel of five state senators listened to representatives from West Chester, Pa. and Indiana, Pa. The municipalities are home to West Chester University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, respectively.

“Today we’re looking for public comment,” Corman said in his opening address. “We want to fashion a piece of legislation to make the excessive and dangerous drinking problem go away.”

State College Chief of Police Tom King used statistical figures to illustrate the urgency of a fine increase.

King said 45 percent of the borough’s $18.6 million operating budget is used by the police department, with two-thirds of the 7,000 crimes reported in State College related to alcohol abuse.

He also showed how dated the current $300 fine is by stating its equivalent when adjusted for inflation: $1,326.64.

Ragland (senior-political science) discussed the initiatives student groups are working on to help cut down on excessive and dangerous drinking at Penn State.

He said he supported the legislation and discussed successful UPUA programs like the White Loop extension that have curbed alcohol-related incidents late at night. But he said more funding would be helpful in creating further progress.

“Student leaders are often called on to combat this situation,” Ragland said. “But we don’t always have the resources.”

Though more discussion is necessary, Corman said the meeting was informative and accomplished the goal of getting feedback on the legislation and working toward a solution to the excessive drinking problem.

“It gave everyone a chance to understand what these municipalities are going through with this problem,” Corman said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — An empty podium engraved with the Presidential Seal stood in front of six American flags waving in the breeze Monday on the White House’s South Lawn.

With the Washington Monument standing prominently in the sky, about 650 student-athletes gathered in anticipation of the arrival of President Barack Obama. Once Obama took the stage, he had the athletes’ complete attention as seemingly all of them moved toward the stage and raised cameras to capture the event.

During the ceremony, members of the 2009 Penn State U. women’s volleyball team, along with about 30 other 2009-10 NCAA championship teams, were honored by Obama for their athletic accolades.

While the players, coaches and staff were there for their athletic achievements, Obama said he was proud of the passion they had for their respective sports.

“You woke up early, you put in countless hours of practice for the love of the game and for the pride of your school,” Obama told the athletes. “You rode those buses and you carried those bags because you knew what it was going to take to be the best, because every one of you has a competitive streak that’s about a mile wide.”

Obama spoke about the importance of collegiate athletes not only competing, but also giving back to the community.

Kelsey Ream, a senior on last year’s Penn State team, and current Nittany Lion sophomore setter Kristin Carpenter both said Obama’s message was useful.

Carpenter, a Richmond, Va., native, said Monday was a whole new experience for her.

“I’ve been to x-amount of field trips here and seen it all,” Carpenter said before pointing to the White House. “But it doesn’t get any better than this.”

Senior defensive specialist Cathy Quilico said Monday was her first time in the nation’s capital. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native said she made sure to take a lot of pictures — not only for herself, but for her mother.

Quilico and the other Penn State players also got a chance to do something else they don’t typically do around Happy Valley — wear their championship rings.

“The ring’s insanely cool and amazing, but it’s heavy and really flashy,” Quilico said. “It’s celebrating last year’s team, which is cool to wear to things like this. But when we’re walking around campus, it’s [about] this year’s team.”

Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley, who was also in attendance, said Monday’s event was a great opportunity for the athletes to represent the school. The Lions’ men’s and women’s fencing teams were also in attendance.

“I think it’s wonderful that he would take the time to give them the recognition that he has today,” Curley said. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for our student athletes.”

Following Obama’s speech, which lasted about five minutes, athletes and coaches lined up to shake the president’s hand. Members of Congress, including Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, also mingled with the champions.

While many of the athletes were excited to greet the president, Obama spoke in high regard of their accomplishments in his speech, too.

“You’re always going to know what it means to compete and what it means to be a champion,” Obama said. “That’s something that nobody will ever be able to take away from you, and that is something that you should be extraordinarily proud of.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For Alex Ochocki, it was all about being with the best of the best.

When the junior captain of the Penn State U. fencing team walked onto the White House’s South Lawn Monday evening, he was greeted by lush, well-manicured grass, picturesque picnic tables and a sturdy platform stage that featured a podium with the Presidential Seal.

Ochocki called the scenery “beautiful,” but said he was actually more impressed by something else — an estimated 650 student athletes standing there with him.

“I was just trying to meet as many people as I could,” Ochocki said.

“There’s so many different athletes who have accomplished so much. It [was] cool to be just here with them.”

The Penn State men’s and women’s fencing teams — along with a collection of nearly three dozen other 2009 national champion squads ranging from the Duke men’s lacrosse team to the Fairleigh Dickinson women’s bowling team — were honored Monday by President Obama at NCAA Champions Day.

And, according to Ochocki, the highlight for the Nittany Lions was the chance to mingle with their counterparts from around the country.

“We didn’t really talk sports,” said Ochocki, who, in 2008, became the first true freshman to become a NCAA saber national champion. “We just talked about life, where you’re from, things like that.”

The Lions arrived at the reception about two hours before Obama made his remarks. They spent that time socializing with their peers, trading stories and comparing the NCAA championship rings each athlete sported at the event.

Junior fencer Miles Chamley-Watson even joked that he “talked to a bunch of cute girls.”

“I got a bunch of numbers,” Chamley-Watson said with a grin.

But once the ceremony began, all eyes were on the podium.

“This is the most athletic talent we’ve ever had on the South Lawn,” Obama told the audience, who clapped and cheered every time the president took even the slightest pause.

During the speech, Chamley-Watson stood somewhere in the middle of the crowd of student athletes.

He used his lanky 6-foot-4 frame — that helped him earn All-American status last season — to extend his arm above the crowd and capture the speech on his iPhone.

“It’s just an amazing experience,” Chamley-Watson said.

Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley, who accompanied the Lions to the nation’s capital, echoed Chamley-Watson’s sentiment.

He added that being honored by the president should give the athletes some motivation to keep working hard for the upcoming season.

“Anytime you get a ring on your finger, and get a chance to do this, it’s a reward,” Curley said.

Penn State U.’s Dickinson School of Law will be showcased on an international stage with the filming of the first episode of “World on Trial” featuring Cherie Booth Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The Penn State Public Broadcasting (PSPB) television show will stage trials examining controversial legal decisions regarding human rights, Ted Krichels, PSPB General Manager, said.

Blair, a distinguished human rights barrister, will serve as presiding judge of the pilot episode, said Ellen Foreman, Dickinson School of Law director of communications.

Program co-director Joe Myers said the format of “World on Trial” is differemt for television.

“We haven’t seen anything that puts human rights issues and the concerns about them together like this because there is no right answer,” Myers said.

The show’s pilot episode will analyze the French government’s 2004 “headscarf law,” which banned children from wearing conspicuous religious attire in public and secondary schools, Foreman said.

Harvard Law School professor Charles Ogletree will serve as lead prosecutor against the law. Rémy Schwartz of France will support the ban as lead defense, Foreman said.

Several experts will provide testimony as witnesses as well.

The program will be hosted by Randall Robinson of the Dickinson School of Law and School of International Affairs.

Krichels said the program will be aired on PBS stations across the United States and streamed online with the hope that Penn State creates international relationships with other universities.

Project associate Lindsey Faussette said the “World on Trial” website will serve as an interactive supplement to topics covered on the show.

Topics slated to be covered on future programs include issues like the use of unpiloted drones by the United States in warfare and India’s response to child labor violations within certain castes, Foreman said.

Foreman said Penn State Law students performed the research for episodes of “World on Trial.”

The show’s first episode should premiere in January, Faussette said. Filming of “World on Trial” will occur in the Lewis Katz Building courtroom.

Monday evening, student leaders from Innoblue, a program designed to assist entrepreneurs in State College, approached the State College Borough Council with one request: a workspace.

Penn State U. juniors Drew Mohoric and Jon Tornetta said with help from the council in the form of providing a work facility, their program could bring the same spirit of innovation found at schools like Standford University here to Happy Valley.

Innoblue is an educational program that the founders hope will provide a connection between available resources and those looking to launch an idea. Mohoric (junior-accounting) said he hopes the program will make up for what Penn State lacks in providing direction for students and community members looking to start their own company.

“Every student has an idea because every student has a need,” he said. “They don’t realize that they can actually do something about it.”

Innoblue already has connections with companies such as Tomorrow Innovations, which Tornetta (junior- science business) said are fundamental. All they need, he said, is a space to work.

Borough Council members said they were concerned about some key aspects the plan, including why they should take a role.

“Who pays for this and why isn’t the university doing it,” council member Ronald Filippelli asked the presenters. “I think it’s a great idea, but I’m puzzled by the taxpayer role.”

Tornetta and Mohoric said by separating from the university, they could avoid certain restrictions and also provide their resources to State College residents. Council member Silvi Lawrence said the students were asking a lot of the council considering its already limited budget.

“We have a very different budget,” she said. “What does Penn State have, billions?”

Despite their concerns, members of the board said they were intrigued by the idea of such a program.

“There’s no real location where people can bring new ideas and really find support,” said Mayor Elizabeth Goreham. “It’s something that’s missing in our town.”

Innoblue “starts and supports student ventures and ideas from a civic perspective and a business perspective,” said Tornetta, who works closely with founder David Adewumi (senior-Spanish).