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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1981)
The Battalion w Vol. 74 No. 16 14 Pages Serving the Texas A&M University community Tuesday, September 22, 1981 College Station, Texas USPS 045 360 Phone 845-2611 The Weather Today Tomorrow High 88 High 87 Low 66 Low 65 Chance of rain. . . . . . 10% Chance of rain. . . . . . 20% [Joel Ancieto Quintans, charged with capital murder in the April 20 slaying of a former Texas A&M student, enters the courtroom Monday Staff photo by Greg Gammon following an afternoon recess. If convicted of the charge. Quintans faces life imprisonment or the death penalty. Military investigators for clues in transport search crash United Press International INDIAN SPRINGS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — Military investigators famed out across the desert today to clues in the crashlanding of an Air Force C-130 transport plane that ■ssed a darkened runway during oighttime maneuvers, killing seven sol- irs and injuring 61 others. Nineteen of the 61 Air Force and ly troops who survived Monday’s ish remained hospitalized today, but |ne was reported in critical condition. The other 42 were treated and released. Rescuers said it was “miraculous” more men were not killed. The survi vors scrambled to safety through side exits in the rear of the plane, minutes before flames spread to its fuel tanks and flares and smoke grenades stored inside the aircraft. The plane, on a joint Air Force-Army night training mission, slammed into the ground 1 mile short of the darkened landing strip at Indian Springs Air MSC Council approves lounge, fountain rules By NANCY FLOECK I Battalion Staff |The MSC Council approved two poli cies Monday night aimed at controlling Muse of the Rudder fountain area and the MSC lounges. After lengthy discussion about Ihether the council has the right to gulate speech at the fountain area, the uncil unanimously approved the fol- wing policies: — fountain areas will be designated to sections for tables, exhibits and eakers — these areas will be assigned to ffldividuals or Texas A&M University- cognized organizations only after a rmit has been obtained from the Stu- lent Activities Office — the scheduling office will grant mission for more than one activity to he held at the same time only if the office decides they are compatible — a permit will be issued for no more than five days out of a 28-day period I — noise from activities must not dis turb events in surrounding facilities j —activities scheduled in conjuction Aith information handed out from a table must be within six feet of that table — permits must be clearly visible — appeals or exceptions to the above ules should be brought before the BlSC Council Building Studies Com mittee. Part of the MSC Lounge Use Policy, Passed after revision by a 12-2 vote, says won’t be allowed in the MSC lounge areas except in conjunction with scheduled events. The council returned part of this poli cy to the Building Studies Committee for additional research. The returned section deals with whether approved activities, such as dinners and parties, can be furnished with food other than that supplied by MSC food services. Another section of the policy approved by the council states: “Any excessive disruptive behavior causing complaints by other users shall not be allowed in the MSC lounge areas.” This resulted partly from complaints to the MSC Building Studies Commit tee that members of Gromets, a war- games club of the MSC Recreation Committee, were disturbing other peo ple and leaving trash in the lounges. Paul Fischer, vice president of opera tions, said the committee and Gromets will meet with representatives from other campus departments in order to find other space for the Gromets. In other business, the council approved a proposal by the MSC Camera Committee allowing it to pro duce and sell postcards of Texas A&M through the MSC bookstore. In approv ing the proposal, the council agreed to reimburse the committee if sales don’t cover the initial expenses. The committee will spend $2,800 in production costs for the first batch of postcards and must sell 11,200 post cards to the bookstore at 250 each to recover that expense. Force Base. Air Force Col. Mike Wal lace said it was common for the air base to be dark and without landing lights during night training. “The Military Air Lift Command con ducts night training missions of this type on a routine basis providing proficiency training for their crews that are qual ified for night operations,” the Penta gon said in a statement issued in Washington. “The exercise is designed to deploy Army personnel in realistic field operations.” A team of 40 to 45 military investiga tors arrived at the scene after dawn and fanned out into the desert to gather clues as to the cause of the accident. The troops aboard the plane included personnel from from Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Campbell, Ky., and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Pentagon officials expected to release a list of victims today following notifica tion of relatives. Slain student s father testifies in murder trial By MARCY BOYCE Battalion Staff Frederick Axel Youngberg IV, the victim of a fatal April stabbing, was neither a drug addict nor a dealer, the victim’s father testified Monday in what appeared to be the prosecution’s attempt to dispute defense testimony to the contrary. Had his son, a Texas A&M freshman prior to his death, been addicted to drugs, Frederick Axel Youngberg III said he could not imagine how his son could have been graduated from an Irving high school with an A + average, served as president of his junior class and been offered a special scholarship to Harvard for gifted students. “To my knowledge, he did not take them (narcotics); to my knowledge he did not sell them,” the victim’s father said in the cross examination phase of the trial of Joel Ancieto Quintans, an acquaintance of the victim charged with the April 20 slaying. Youngberg’s body, with 24 stab wounds, was discovered two days later in his College Station apartment. Both Quintans and Youngberg were fresh man pre-med majors at Texas A&M University when the incident occurred. Quintans, also of Irving, testified Fri day that he repeatedly stabbed Young berg to death in self-defense following an argument with the victim but then left Youngberg’s apartment without notifying police. Early Monday Quintans’ attorney, Doug Mulder, paraded four witnesses before the jury in what appeared to be an attempt to impeach Youngberg’s character and further the defendant’s self-defense claim. The four individuals, all who said they knew Youngberg in high school or in college, contended the victim was a known narcotics user and supplier who frequently provoked fights and carried a knife. “We were close friends when we were young, but we fell off because of the drugs he was involved in,” said one of the witnesses who had known Young berg since grammar school. “I never knew what he was going to do. ” Another witness recounted a fight with Youngberg in high school. But, when pressed by Travis Bryan HI, Bra zos County district attorney, the wit ness declined to testify that Youngberg was a violent person. “He (Youngberg) was a little guy that liked to talk a lot, wasn’t he?” Bryan asked. He was answered affirmatively. In later testimony the district attor ney continued to try to draw upon the sympathy of the seven-woman, five- man jury by depicting Youngberg as a 5-foot-6-inch, 110-pound good student who had been the target of burglars twice within the two months prior to his death. Yet, in another attempt to discredit the victim, the defense was quick to offer testimony which indicated that someone filed a fraudulent insurance claim on behalf of Youngberg which sought compensation for the loss of more expensive models of equipment than what belonged to the victim. The victim’s father testified that Quintans admitted to him that he stole some of Youngberg’s stereo equipment during one of the burglaries last spring. But the defendant later changed his story saying that he only found the equipment after someone else had burglarized the victim’s apartment, Youngberg III said. In previous testimony, Quintans said after killing Youngberg in self-defense he took the knife used in the stabbings, a $3,500 check and stereo equipment belonging to the victim. The missing items led investigators to initially cite burglary as the motive for the slaying. However, a gag order issued by Bra zos County District Judge Bradley Smith prohibits participants in the case from discussing further developments in the case. Youngberg’s body was discovered April 22 with his blood-soaked shorts down around his ankles. The defendant previously testified that the pants came off as he dragged the body away from a window before leaving the apartment. However, Bryan, attempting to de monstrate for the jury that what Quin tans said was not possible, dragged Youngberg III, who was dressed in shorts similar to some his son was wear ing April 20, across the floor of the cour troom holding onto the waist of the shorts. The shorts did not slide off the wit ness, who is about the same height and weight as his son. Testimony in the trial resumed this morning and closing arguments are ex pected on Wednesday, Bryan said. If Quintans is convicted of capital murder, he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty. Regents study options for additional dorms By DENISE RICHTER Battalion Staff The Planning and Building Commit tee of the Texas A&M System Board of Regents reviewed three options Mon day concerning the construction of addi tional University dormitories. The mat ter was presented for discussion only; no recommendations were made and no action was taken. The options, presented by Howard Vestal, vice president for business affairs, are: 1) a 2,000-bed modular dormitory on the intramural field south of Duncan Dining Hall; estimated cost — $46.9 million 2) a 2,000-bed modular complex with kitchenettes in the married student housing area; estimated cost — $48.8 million 3) a 2,000-bed modular complex (similar to the Commons) on the west campus; estimated cost — $55.2 million Although Vestal presented no re commendation to the regents, he pre sented three conclusions drawn from the study: — construction of a 2,000-bed facility is feasible, but will cause a 60 percent to 80 percent increase in dormitory room rates — the increase in room rates may have an adverse effect on the demand for on-campus housing — if demand for on-campus housing decreases, the University will be left with a tremendous long-term construc tion debt. In March, the regents approved a 20 percent increase in dormitory room rates which took effect this semester. Regents appoint Samson to new University position Dr. Charles H. Samson, who served the past school year as acting presi dent for Texas A&M University, has been named vice president for plan ning for the University. Samson today was appointed to the newly created position by the Texas A&M System Board of Regents upon the recommendation of University President Dr. Frank E. Vandiver and System Chancellor Frank W.R. Hubert. This is the first staff appointment Vandiver has recommended since he took office Sept. 1. Samson, who holds faculty rank as professor of civil engineering and aerospace engineering, joined the University in 1960 and served as head of the civil engineering department for 15 years. No room at the inn, local managers say The least expensive dorm fees increased from $219 to $263 a semester, for Hart, Law, Puryear and Walton halls. The most expensive dorm fees increased from $546 to $655 a semester for the four Commons dorms. Construction of new dormitories would cause an overall dorm rate in crease of 60 percent to 80 percent. Ves tal said. With construction of dorms be hind Duncan, for example, dorm fees currently at $263 a semester would rise to $418 a semester and dorm fees for the Commons would rise from $655 a semester to $1,041 a semester. Vestal said of the 7,792 students on the on-campus housing waiting list in April 1981,. 3,470 students or 44.5 per cent were assigned spaces. This left 4,322 students without on-campus housing, students who had requested such, he said. Despite the demand for on-campus housing, however, Vestal said there are now about 350 vacancies in the dorms. After listening to Vestal’s presenta tion, Regent Royce E. Wisenbaker of Tyler commented that the entire hous ing program may be in need of a com plete overhaul. One plan he suggested to alleviate the large number of no- shows is doubling or tripling the $100 room deposit. Following the committee meeting, the Board met as a committee of the whole and agreed to recommend nam ing the Kyle Field track in honor of Frank G. Anderson, a former Texas A&M track coach. That recommendation, along with the following recommendations agreed upon Sunday, are expected to receive approval by the full Board today. Additional recommendations are: — a $15,000 appropriation to cover the cost of an appeal in the lawsuit re questing the University to release the list of candidates considered for the University presidency — a $110,000 appropriation for the preliminary design of the Medical Sci ences Library — a $100,000 appropriation for the 40,000-square-foot addition to the Hal- bouty Building. The Board also will vote on a plan to alleviate crowded conditions in the Col lege of Engineering. The Board is ex pected to approve an interim plan call ing for the conversion of the Engineer ing Research Laboratory Center, now under construction on the south side of the Zachry Engineering Center, to laboratories and office space. By ERICA KRENNERICH Battalion Reporter Visitors to Bryan-College Station this weekend looking for overnight lodging most likely will discover there’s no room at the inn. Many motels in the area were booked a year in advance for Texas A&M’s 1981 home football season which begins Saturday. “I don’t have anything for any of the games,” said Billie Pophan, reserva- tionist for the 126-room Holiday Inn of College Station. “We normally book up to a year in advance since people start making their reservations a week or so after the last (Texas A&M home football) game. ” Pophan said she keeps a waiting fist for each home game weekend in case of cancellations. Each list has about 20 names, she said. Maher Awwad, a desk and room clerk at the 114-room La Quinta Motor Inn in College Station, said he doesn’t keep a waiting list but believes he would have about 300 names on one if he did. If people are trying to find rooms at the last minute, Awwad said, he doesn’t send them to motels in town since he knows they will be full. Mavis Edwards, reservationist at the 170-room Aggieland Inn in College Sta tion, said the inn was booked for home football weekends shortly after Jan. 1. “Most of our guests are the same people who come back each year,” she said. Pophan said the Holiday Inn guests •usually reserve a room for all five Texas A&M home games. “The people we have coming, come in year after year, ” she said. Prices for the 22 local motels range from $28 to $48 per night, depending on the number of people and beds in the room. Also, many motels require a two- night minimum stay and an advance de posit on rooms reserved for Texas A&M home football game weekends. Many local motels are also booked months in advance of other Texas A&M special events — commencement cere monies, Parents’ Day and Final Re