he Battalion TATE & LOCAL 3 ^IjiVlonday, September 4,1989 The Battalion Page3 Corps leader reaffirms "iemphasis on grades mnia coun Tuei ) vote i a» By Holly Becka Df The Battalion Staff ic are:. Corps of Cadets Commandant Maj. Gen. Thomas Darling reaf firmed Friday his emphasis on ca dets’ grades and reported grades during Spring ’89 were the best he had seen during his two-year com mand. Darling addressed members of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents during the board’s monthly meeting as a representative of the Corps Enhancement Commit tee. “Grades are of number one prior ity, and I am pleased to report that we’ve made good progress,” Darling said. He said the average grades of all Corps units during the spring were higher than a 2.4 grade-point ratio. Seventy percent of the units had grades averaging higher than a 2.5 GPR, 20 percent had grades averag ing higher than a 2.7 GPR and fresh men and sophomore cadets had higher grade averages than their non-Corps peers. Regent L. Lowry Mays asked Dar ling what the information proved. “What you’re saying is that you’re going to make better grades if you’re in the Corps?” Mays asked. “I would like to think so, sir,” Dar ling replied.He said the facts wert impressive for Corps recruitment. Darling reported 769 freshmen joined the Corps this year, 78 more than last year. Forty-seven transfer students alsojoined the Corps. Total Corps enrollment this year is 2,186, 17 more than last year while the Aggie Band has 295 enroll- ees, 11 fewer than last year. Total female enrollment is up two, totalling 102 women cadets this year. Minority students account for 17 percent of the total Corps’ enroll ment. Officials break ground at Research Park for A&M, UT offshore technology center By Andrea Warrenburg Of The Battalion Staff Officials broke ground Saturday morning at the Texas A&M Re search Park for the headquarters of the Offshore Technology Research Center — the first National Science Foundation-sponsored engineering research center in the Southwestern United States. U.S. Representative Joe Barton, members of the A&M Board of Re gents, A&M President William H. Mobley, and representatives from the University of Texas at Austin and oil companies gathered to cere monially break ground on the $3.7 million facility. The $16 million five-year NSF program is a joint effort between A&M and the University of Texas to help the United States reclaim its competitive edge in offshore dril ling, specifically in deep oceans. “If successful, it will enable the United States, the gulf coast and Texas to produce huge quantities of petroleum from the deep Gulf of Mexico,” John E. Flipse, director of the OTRC said. The Center, to be located at En terprise and Mariner streets in the park, will include a 100-foot by 150- foot by 20-foot wave tank for model testing. The tank has a hydrolically adjustable pit in the center reaching depths of 50 feet to test model plat forms. The tank will be equipped with a computer programmed wave-maker that can create a 3-dimensional sea with waves three feet high, coming from different directions. The fa cility is the only one of its kind in a university setting in the United States. Flipse said the OTRC will benefit A&M by providing opportunities for faculty and graduate students to work in the facility and by bringing industry into the teaching process. Mobley told the crowd that A&M and UT complement each other and when the two universities collabo rate, there are not many things they cannot accomplish. “The OTRC is a great step toward what promises to be one of the most exciting research parks in the na tion,” Mobley said. The 42,000 square foot building is scheduled to be completed in Fall 1990. Thousands turn out in extreme heat for Miller Lite’s ‘biggest’ concert bash illioi nner lass of ’89 writes check for $25,000 as gift to Sterling C. Evans Library By Cindy McMillian ould: then: Of The Battalion Staff 56 Ot, “Pret r Ra andd Sterling C. Evans Library received a $25,000 endowment from Texas A&M’s Class of ’89 in a ceremony Saturday attended by A&M Presi- ey at dent William Mobley and three tornf members of the Board of Regents. Mobley accepted the class gift on behalf of the student body and fac ulty, praising it as “perhaps the most meaningful gift in recent times” and “an investment in the future of A&M.” The Class of ’89 has been raising money for the gift since its members were freshmen with such events as Howdy Dances, T-shirt sales and the Senior Weekend, including Senior Banquet, Senior Bash and Ring Dance. Betsy Benson, chairman of the Class of’89 Gift Committee since her junior year, said most of the money for the gift was raised during Senior Weekend. Benson said the committee began taking suggestions for gift ideas last November, and support for a library gift was overwhelming. Seniors voted on the gift in Feb ruary, choosing between four ideas, and the library endowment received the most votes. A sculpture of the Aggie Ring re ceived the second highest number of votes, Benson said, so it also was do nated. The work is a cast bronze and gold-plated replica 14 inches in di ameter, and is mounted on a three- and-a-half foot mahogany pedestal. It was completed in August by Rodney Hill and is on display in the MSC Flag Room. Other gifts donated by the Class of ’89 include an 8-foot Aggie Ring for use in taking portraits during Ring Dance, restoration of the two existing ring used in pictures, and $500 checks presented to each of this year’s class councils to begin their class activities. HOUSTON (AP) — They called it “The Biggest Party in History.” They exaggerated. But Randy Quaid’s long-prom ised, long-awaited bash Saturday at the Astrodome, sponsored by Miller Lite and headlined by The Who’s concert performance left most celebrants quite satisfied. An estimated 120,000 braved record heat to join the mirth in Houston. Smaller events sponsored by Miller Lite were held Saturday in Midland-Odessa, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. The W’ho and most of the other acts who per formed at the Astrodome Saturday replayed their per formances Sunday for crowds in Dallas, and a smaller event was held in Mercedes. At San Antonio’s HemisFair Park, more than 50,000 tickets were sold for headliner concerts by George Strait and Hall & Oates. Few problems were reported. Guards wfere notified that somebody was selling bogus beer tickets. Temperatures were 102 at San Antonio’s shindig. “I hope everyone realizes that the purpose of this party is to raise money for Texas Special Olympics, not to sell a lot of beer,” Quaid told the San Antonio-Ex press News. About 25,000 people crowded onto the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, for barbecue and bands, in cluding Cheap Trick, Huey Lewis and, via satellite, The Who. A steady bay breeze kept the 97 degrees from feeling even hotter. Four thousand turned out in Midland-Odessa’s 100- degree weather for the “We’re Having A Party” cele bration at Twin Cities Speedway. Comedian Paul Rodriquez of Los Angeles opened the show, saying he was pleased to be involved with the event. “I I hope everyone realizes that the purpose of this party is to raise money for Texas Special Olympics, not to sell a lot of beer.” — Randy Quaid, promoter Miller Brewing Co. has pledged $1 million in pro ceeds from the events to benefit the Texas Special Olympics. The extravaganzas have been hyped for more than a year, with actor Quaid appearing in Miller Lite com mercials enticing the public with his “I’ll get back to you with more details” slogan. Keith Chappell, 29, told the Houston Chronicle he was impressed with the Houston extravaganza, held at the Astrodome, the Astrohall and its parking lots. “I was too young to make Woodstock, but I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this.” emfc HowYe you going to do it? “Afy chem lab report is due Monday. My English lit. paper is due Tuesday. My economics paper is due on Wednesday. And the big games tomorrow.” Now, super savings on PS/2 s. Be ready for this semester with the IBM Personal System/2.® Choose from five complete packages of hardware and software— all at special low student prices. Whats more, when you pur chase a PS/2,® you can get the exciting new PRODIGY® service at less than half the retail price? Strike while the prices are hot. Pick the PS/2 that’s right for you. PS/2 it! 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