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fUESD AY JANUARY 22, 2002
VOLUME 108 • ISSUE 77
THE BATTALION
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
T protests tuition hike, A&M may follow
By Emily Peters
1 THE BATTALION
Begents from Texas A&M and the
niv;rsity of Texas - Austin are consid-
jin; the largest tuition hike ever to
IP debts from rising costs and a
icial shortfall at the last legislative
ion. A&M and UT campus reactions
e proposed fees have varied.
H)T student leaders are rousing
ate-wide opposition against a pro-
infrastructure fee, by contacting
parent groups, high schools, regents,
media and legislators.
If approved, the fee will charge full
time UT. students $230 more per semes
ter for basic academic and administra
tive operating activities, critical build
ing repairs and large-scale renovations.
This amount will increase by $50 each
year for the next four years, amounting
to $1,000 pe? student in five years.
This fee is similar to A&M President
Dr. Ray M. Bowen's proposed Academic
Enhancement Fee, which may charge
$30 per semester hour for incoming stu
dents in Fall 2002. If approved, an A&M
student taking 15 hours will pay $400
more per semester.
UT's Student Government
President Matt Hammond has called
for UT students and organizations to
rally together at February's UT system
regents meeting in San Antonio, where
the issue will be decided. Sen. Jeff
Wentworth, R-Sart Antonio, and the
Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT)
have joined UT's campaign, publicly
questioning the fee's necessity and
legality.
A&M officials have heard little stu
dent input other than a student senate
vote against the fee in October, but stu
dents said early plans are in the works
to follow in UT’s footsteps.
A&M student senate speaker Jack
Long said preliminary surveys showed
one-third of students have not yet heard
of the fee, and the first step will be to
inform the student body.
Tyler Dunman, president of A&M’s
chapter of YCT, said the group is
opposed to the fee, and its first step is to
make sure the proposition is legal.
“We are watching our t.u. chapter
fight the good fight, and it it looks like
a winning battle. We are just now look
ing into the similarities of the fees,”
Dunman said.
Texas A&M students have known
about the enhancement fee since
Bowen presented it to the A&M System
See Tuition on page 7A
If the Voices
f..™.**-: ‘Free at last’
-wo years
STUAR T VILLANUEVA • THE BATTALION
A portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. is held by Greg Rodriguez as
members of the Delta Sigma Theta Academy walk behind him.
Hundreds of Bryan-College Station residents marched down
Martin Luther King Jr. Street in Bryan on Monday. The march cel
ebrated the life of King and the work he did towards gaining
equality for African-Americans.
shuttle.
>r $55/mont
im - 9 pm:
Bush addresses ethnic profiling, education
STUART VILLANUEVA • THE BATTALION
lorida Gov. Jeb Bush defended his One Florida plan to students and
ed use of iculty at the George Bush Presidential Library Complex Friday.
By Rolando Garcia
THE BATTALION
Florida Gov. John Ellis “Jeb”
Bush defended law enforcement
against charges of ethnic profiling of
Arab-Americans in the aftermath of
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks while
speaking at Texas A&M Friday at his
father’s presidential library.
“When you’re under attack by
terrorists of a certain nationality,
who hate our country and who are
still out there, is it profiling to focus
our efforts on that threat? I would
suggest that it’s not,” Bush said.
Bush addressed an overflow
crowd at the George Bush
Presidential Library Complex con
ference center, touting his success
in reforming public education in
Florida and answering questions
from the audience.
Bush said his brother. President
George W. Bush, has risen to the
occasion and proven himself an
exemplary wartime leader in
America’s fight against terrorism
by surrounding himself with
excellent advisers and communi
cating a clear vision to the
American people.
Bush’s most passionate words
were reserved for his crusade to
reform public schools in Florida,
which he said has shown positive
results and can be a model for
other states.
Among the most controversial
of Bush’s initiatives was the One
Florida plan, which eliminated
racial preferences in college admis
sions despite fervent opposition
from minority groups.
“We increased black and
Hispanic enrollment at our universi
ties, but not with divisive practices
like quotas. We did it by expanding
opportunities,” Bush said.
He also stressed the importance
of improving education by raising
standards and holding schools
accountable through assessment
tests. By grading public schools
based on the progress of its students
and by giving parents in chronically
low-performing schools the option
See Bush on page 7A
Community
celebrates
diversity,
honors MLK
By Tanya Nading
THE BATTALION
Thirty-four years after the death of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., students and community members
came together to affirm that the assassins who took the
civil rights leader’s life did not take away his dream.
In 1963, King addressed more than 250,000 free
dom marchers with his famous, “I Have a Dream,”
speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington, DC, telling the protesters that one day
children of all races would join hands in peace and
friendship.
In 2002, hundreds of marchers — community
members and students, foreigners and Americans,
African-Americans and Caucasians — fufilled that
dream in the sixth annual Martin Luther King Jr.
March.
The march to honor King is one of many activi
ties this week that will allow students, faculty and
members of the community to appreciate King’s
leadership and life.
The march began in Shady Thomas Park off of
Martin Luther King Jr. Street where the crowd
opened with prayer led by local ministers. From
there participants marched to Kemp Elementary
School where Rodney McClendon, assistant provost
for Texas A&M. spoke on Martin Luther King Jr.
“There were over a hundred people there,” said
Tamara Caesar, a senior industrial engineering major
and president of the Omicron Omega chapter of
See Diversity on page 2A
Hammond
selected as
MSC president
By Rolando Garcia
THE BATTALION •
The newly selected president of the Memorial
Student Center, Barry Hammond, is pledging to make
the organization open and accountable to the student
body, after a turbulent year for the organization.
Hammond, a junior economics major, was cho
sen Saturday from three applicants by a special
committee of MSC staff and students, but will not
take office until Parent’s Weekend in April.
“This is a defining time in the history of this
organization, and I believe I have a unique vision
for the MSC that will improve the programs and
development opportunities we provide for stu
dents,” Hammond said.
Kate Petree, the MSC vice president for human
resources and a senior meteorology major, appointed
the members of the selection committee but declined to
release the names of applicants or committee members.
See Hammond on page 2A
se in
02
er
Reveille VII sent to obedience school
By Anna Chaloupka
THE BATTALION
n
eveille VII came to campus last spring as a puppy
n a calm, family atmosphere.
he learned a few things from outgoing mascot Reveille
fore she could be called “Miss Rev, ma’am.”
his fall, she could be seen walking across the Corps
University lousing area with Mascot Corporal Javier Aguirre, barking
nd straining at her leash to greet people. During football
;ames and yell practices, the dog’s high-pitched barks
REVEILLE VII
echoed across Kyle Field and through
the stands. At Reveille’s first birthday
party in October, cadets restrained
A&M’s first lady from plunging into the
cake Company E-2 brought in her honor.
But last week, after conferring with
Texas A&M officials, cadets sent the
young mascot to obedience school.
See Reveille on page 2A
iimm
Opinion 5B
More than weird
science
Human exhibits should not be
made theme parks
News 4B
A look at Bush’s
first year in office