Kevin O’Connor Kommentary August 3

Texas A&M Will Be Looking For Its Third Corps Of Cadets Commandant Since 2021

Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets is again looking for a new commandant. Retired general Patrick Michaelis, who began in October 2022, is becoming a special assistant to another retired general, A&M president Mark Welsh. A third retired general has been named interim commandant. Chip Utterback is a 1975 A&M graduate who served in the corps. Two weeks ago, A&M system chancellor John Sharp shared with the board of regents that the cadets 3.26 cumulative grade point average during the 2023-2024 school year was just above the university’s overall GPA. Sharp also said 165 cadets were commissioned in May as officers in the U.S. military, which is the most in 36 years. Sharp also said the corps predicted 2,500 cadets for the upcoming school year, an increase of 150 from the year before. Click below to hear comments from John Sharp during the August 1, 2024 board of regents meeting.   Also during the regents meetings two weeks ago, the board was scheduled to receive an update from a special subcommittee reviewing the last two years the cadets organization. But that presentation was cancelled. Preceding Michaelis was retired general Joe Ramirez, who served as commandant for 11 years before becoming A&M’s vice president of student affairs in June 2021. Texas A&M statement about the leadership transition in the Corps of Cadets: Texas A&M University Corps Commandant Patrick R. Michaelis is transitioning to a new role serving as special assistant to President Mark A. Welsh III. Welsh has named retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Loyd S. “Chip” Utterback, ’75, as interim commandant, and said a national search committee will soon be formed. Michaelis — who retired as a brigadier general after serving almost 30 years in the U.S. Army — said he’s grateful for the opportunity to serve Aggieland. “One of the great loves of my life is the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets,” the 1993 Aggie graduate and former cadet said. “Its focus on developing leaders of character for the global challenges of tomorrow demands that we continue to advance as we preserve what makes Aggieland so unique.” “I look back on my time as the Commandant with joy and satisfaction, he said. “The opportunity to give back what the Corps gave to me has been reflected in the commissioning of our nation’s newest officers, the hiring of leaders across industry and public service, and the path opened to those continuing their education. I want to thank the cadets for their trust, confidence and their commitment to the future of our state and nation. You make me very proud.” In the new position, Welsh said Michaelis will continue contributing to the betterment of Texas A&M, focusing on university strategic initiatives. Thanking Michaelis for his leadership over the past few years, Welsh pointed to his dedication to enhancing cadet resiliency, improving academic initiatives and promoting physical fitness programs. The combined efforts have been instrumental in helping each cadet excel both academically and within the Corps lifestyle, Welsh said. “I extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to General Michaelis for his service to Texas A&M University and the Corps of Cadets. He worked tirelessly to improve leadership training and the overall Corps experience while also expanding the reach of the Corps through expanded recruitment efforts.” General Utterback is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Texas A&M and a member of the Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor. He was a member of Squadron 2, as well as the Ross Volunteer Company, and commanded 1st Group as a senior. He went on to have a distinguished career in the United States Air Force. He commanded units at multiple levels, led a fighter squadron in combat operations, served as the United States Senior National Representative to NATO, and led negotiations on defense policy reforms in Asia, resulting in major international agreements. More about Gen. Utterback here.

College Station’s Housing Action Plan Committee Presents An Update To The City Council

College Station city council members received an update at their last meeting (August 8) from a 13 member housing action plan committee. The group, which began its work in November 2023, is scheduled to present final recommendations to the council in September. During the update, committee member Fred Dupriest said one reason for a shortage of affordable housing in College Station is Texas A&M’s decision to increase enrollment by an average of 1,800 each year for the last decade. Dupriest called on A&M and the city to work together to develop a student housing center, possibly on city owned property at Post Oak Mall. David Brower at the city’s community development office says in six years, College Station is projected to be short 4,000 housing units. Brower said the city needed more duplexes and townhomes. The committee has learned among other things, that 40,000 people commute into College Station for work, and the average price of a home in College Station has risen 73 percent since 2015 while the median family income is increased by 26 percent. The committee’s two goals are creating more housing units and diverse housing types, and to produce and preserve housing that is affordable to current and future community members. The committee continues to ask residents to participate in an online survey. Click HERE to be directed to more information about the city of College Station’s housing action plan committee. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the August 8, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Click HERE to read and download the housing action plan’s draft report to the city council. Click HERE to read and download the housing action plan’s existing conditions report. Click below to hear comments from the August 8, 2024 College Station city council meeting.  

Arrests For An Expensive Shoplifting, A Robbery, And For Possessing Drugs And A Stolen Gun

College Station police responding to a shoplifting call at Post Oak Mall Friday evening (August 9) leads to the recovery of more than $3,800 dollars of merchandise and the arrests of two people. CSPD arrest reports say what was taken from Murdoch’s includes 39 clothing items, 15 power and hand tools, two ice coolers, and one box of gloves. A man and woman from the Austin area remain jailed on felony theft charges. Bond for 47 year old Lonnel Thorton of Del Valle was set at $6,000 dollars. The woman, 49 year old Elizabeth Nance of Austin, is also being held on a felony theft warrant from Hays County. Her bonds totals $12,000 dollars. Three consecutive days last week (August 7, 8, and 9), Bryan police arrest a Houston for disorderly conduct-language. The third arrest, around three in the morning on Friday, included a robbery charge. The BPD arrest report says on Nicholas Petty’s 31st birthday, two people said he threatened them with a knife if they did not give him their phones and money. Petty, who is from Houston according to jail records, remains held in lieu of an $11,000 dollar bond on the robbery charge. Two College Station police officers seeing a car run a stop sign last Thursday night (August 8) leads to a traffic stop where a passenger in the car goes to jail after admitting to possessing up to five pounds of marijuana. 26 year old Patrick Hunter Jr. of College Station was also charged with theft of a firearm and unlawful possession of a gun by a felon. The CSPD arrest report also says officers found more than $10,000 dollars in cash. The driver of the car was not arrested according to online jail records. Hunter remains jailed as of August 12th in lieu of bonds totaling $18,000 dollars.