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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1990)
14 :ks Pj^jJcxasA&Mj^ ■ *1 • l lie t5attalion Vol.89 No.106 USPS 045360 12 Pages College Station, Texas WEATHER TOMORROW’S FORECAST: Partly cloudy HIGH: 68 LOW: 48 Friday, March 2,1990 and, opposite rro, touched t: ctator Anastat n power, to turn overt orces — the tr atin America « a civilian," si imberto One; Sandinistatni i-law and cat ryo, heads t! Second case of measles confirmed By SELINA GONZALEZ Of The Battalion Staff ::ted to be cot sta positions! cheering par lifts ite lelays /ERAL, Fla uttle Atlantis secret militan launch debs I'ednesdayitu S’ASA official -ell. off with fw and a cart: 00 million sp i., its 700-fo' able for hut was NASA 1 launching tk for the n» ecord for tk nements. ss we can f ig like this ttor Richar: ich team afe into orbit. It get off, buu ard from At y crew, ant )b Sieck sait ■tty quiet an: we haven' licates that; rg to plan, ickingham, i :be Nationa aace Ad minis Although the second case of mea sles at Texas A&M has been con firmed, Dr. Kenneth Dirks, director of the A.P. Beutel Health Center, said Thursday he doesn’t consider measles an epidemic at tire Univer sity. Officials suspect a third student also may have measles, but the diag nosis has not yet been confirmed. Dirks said the health center will draw a sample f rom die student to day for testing. Although the patients haven’t given permission for their names to be released, their classmates have been notified and those who have re sponded have been vaccinated, he said. The health center has notified other students with whom the pa tients believe they have been in con tact. “We have been using the measles- only (vaccine) for those who are pre sumed contacts of the three known cases,” Dirks said. I he Texas De partment of Health has supplied the vaccine to the health center free of charge for those presumed to have been in contact with the cases. Dirks said he estimated that the second patient has been in contact with 270 students. John E. Carroll II, sophomore ac counting and finance major, was di agnosed with measles Feb. 23 as the first case of measles at A&M since 1971. Dirks said there is no connection between the second and third cases of measles and Carroll’s case. It is not known how the two patients con tracted measles. "We have given a little over 1,000 doses of vaccines since last Thurs day,” he said. "All three cases have been very mild,” Dirks said. Dirks recommends that all stu dents get immunized even if they See Measles/Page 7 A kinder, gentler avenue Photo by Jay Janner Jersey Street was officially renamed George Bush Drive Thursday at 12 a.m. y set for Fei ■laved a sixil id weathei a enter and £ es. > il1 ^ € ENCE BENCH Explosion prompts look at chemical storage By JULIETTE RIZZO Of The Battalion Staff The Texas A&M System Safety and Health Office will survey campus buildings for proper chemical storage, a precaution prompted by an explosion in the old Chemistry Building last month. Harry Stiteler, director of safety and health at A&M, said the precaution is necessary after im proper storage was determined to be the proba- ole cause of the explosion in two chemistry labo ratories. Stiteler said the refrigerator that exploded contained the highly flammable solvent diethy- lether and was not explosion-proof. Chemical vapors that were present when the refrigerator’s compressor went on could have caused the explosion, he said. A chemist, who requested anonymity, said any type of electrical contact, such as the start of a compressor, with diethylether will cause an ex plosion. Both laboratories sustained a significant amount of ciamage when the refrigerator ex ploded and caused windows to be blown out of the second-floor room, he said. The rooms also sustained heavy smoke and water damage. According to figures from the Physical Plant, the estimated cost to repair the rooms would be $18,000. The chemistry department has esti mated that equipment lost, including two scales but not the refrigerator, is inventoried at $ 1,000. “By surveying other buildings on campus for proper chemical storage, we are trying to elimi nate the possibility and potential danger of this occurrence happening again in other locations on campus,” Stiteler said. “It’s one of those occa sions you don’t like to have occur, and all you can See Chemical/Page 7 Forum offers peek into other By JILL BUTLER Of The Battalion Staff The second annual International Forum, hosted yesterday by the In ternational Student Association at Texas A&M, included speakers and round table discussions on the theme “Interaction Through Educa tion: The Age of Unity.” The forum was part of Interna tional Week, a yearly event designed to give people a chance to experi ence other cultures. Leon Galindo, an A&M student from Bolivia and one of the chair men for International Forum, said the purpose of the forum is to pro mote international awareness on a different level than other events during International Week. “So far this week we’ve shared our food, our music and our dance,” Galindo said. “I think there’s one more thing we can share, and that’s our ideas.” Galindo said international stu dents have had many experiences that American students haven’t. He said by sharing these different expe riences, international students can enrich the lives of American stu dents and American students can enrich the lives of international stu dents. Other objectives of the forum were to create an awareness of the increasing interdependence of na tions, to provide an open forum in which students could discuss the problems and challenges of educa tion and to stress the importance of international students as agents of cultural diffusion. Speakers at the forum were Dr. Bill Stout, A&M professor of agri cultural engineering; Dr. Bill Harris, Snead professor of transportation engineering; and Dr. Dean C. Corri gan, Head of the Commitment to Education Task Force at A&M. The topics of discussion were the educational systems of different countries and the effectiveness of these systems; the role universities, such as A&M, can have as instru ments of cultural diffusion and the ways technological advances of the past 30 years have affected the diffu sion of knowledge and culture. Stout said many people resist technological changes because they feel it causes more problems than it’s worth. However, Stout said he dis agrees. “Technology must be employed for everyone in the world to survive and feed themselves,” Stout said. . He said technology is necessary because as a generator of power hu mans are not very good. Stout said in 10 hours of work, humans generate 750 watt hours of energy, or about three-fourths of a kilowatt hour. In comparison, a kilowatt hour of en ergy costs about 10 cents from the power company. cultures Table talks emphasize education By JILL BUTLER Of The Battalion Staff Round-table discussions held in the Memorial Student Center yesterday as part of the Interna tional Forum revolved around the forum’s theme “Interaction Through Education: The Age of Unity.” The seven round tables were led by faculty members and stu dents. Any Texas A&M student could apply to take part in the discussions. Participating students rep resented various countries in cluding Lebanon, Turkey, India, Yugoslavia and Finland. Discussions were not limited to a specific topic, but delegates were urged to discuss the differ ing ways education can bring to gether people from different countries. Cristian Siebold, an A&M stu dent from Guatemala, said many people in his country wish they could live without education. “Many people do not want the trouble of learning,” Siebold said. However, Eudoro Galindo, a visiting businessman from Bo livia, disagreed. “People tend to abandon what’s uncomfortable for what’s comfortable,” Galindo said. He said through education and technology, people can move to a better lifestyle. Dr. Stephen P. Biles, rep resenting the Jordan Institute for International Awareness at A&M, said people must believe See Round table/ Page 7 “The physical work value of a hu man being is only pennies per day,” Stout said. “We must supplement our physi cal work capacity with the employ ment of technology.” However, Stout said technology used in American universities can cause problems for international stu dents who plan on working in their home countries after graduation. “Universities, such as A&M, should be careful and avoid educat ing international students away from their culture, or educating interna tional students away from the work environment these students will face See Forum/Page 6 3rney, 7 :ial rial Lawyer al Law, Texas alien: 1981- ey: 1979- S tors, 16-89 > Committee: ! Professional e: 1989-1992 t Service >epository Boa-i lission of Texa: ce a Station Char'S r Development ation of Regffi ryan United F^' i, Brazos Valte) >es: 1973-77 A&M Universitf _ aw School: $ -E . PPEALS se to Elect «. surer, TX 76710 SEVISI0N « MIND! -AT m-4pm Soviet university, A&M share similarities Letterfrom students of Kazan describes sister city relationship The students at Kazan State University sent the following FAX to Texas A&M students. It describes what the delegates hope to gain from the sister city pro gram. Dear Friends: On behalf of the students of Kazan University we extend our greetings to Texas A&M Univer sity students, professors, your family and all the citizens of the United States at large. We know that the processes taking place in this country are of interest to the United States and to the whole world. We hope the summit meeting held recently in Malta will give new impulse for development of cooperation be tween our two countries. In our view, one of the means of cooperation, the most impor tant part of it, is the so-called peo ple’s diplomacy where people from the Soviet Union and United States will have an oppor tunity to tell each other every thing they think, feel and know. The relations between the United States and the Soviet Union grow stronger as more people of our countries have a chance to make contact with each other. Therefore, we welcome the proposal to establish a sister cities relationship between Bryan- College Station and Kazan, and also between Texas A&M Univer sity and Kazan State University. We’ve been happy to make ac quaintance with TAMU students Jeff Starr and Paul Grupe, who visited our city in December 1989 with the official delegation. Dur ing our meetings we discussed the possibility of cooperation be tween the student body at A&M and students of KSU. Hopefully, Paul and Jeff told you about it. From our side we only want to note that our nego tiations were very' useful. "We out lined the ideas which every side would try to fulfill. We realize that in order to ful fill our ideas we must overcome some difficulties, first of all the differences in our economic sys tems. But we guess the good will and desire to continue dialogue between the students will over come all harriers. We hope to continue our negotiations with the Student Senate of A&M in Spring 1990 when the of ficial del egation from our country will visit the United States. After that time well have more information about the ways to solve our problems. We’d like to come to an agreement in the field of cooperation between A&M and KSU and'to sign a contract. We’d like to establish wider contacts with the students of A&M. We propose to exchange students, tourist groups, sports teams, musicians and so on begin ning in 1991. We’d like to begin the exchange of information at once. We hope the exchange of frank and opportune informa tion will be a norm in our rela tions. We want all people in the United States to know t hat Soviet students are ready to have an honest and frank conversation with those who are of the same age on every burning issue of to day. But most of all, we simply want to be friends and socialize with those who live on the other side of the ocean. When Jeff and Paul were re turning to America, we told (Item that they had taken away from Kazan part of our heart and left a part of their hearts in Kazan. They agreed with us. The warmth of our hearts will melt away the ice of distrust between our nations. Let’s be friends and cooperate with each other. With the best wishes, On behalf of the students of the University of Kazan, Members of Student Council of Kazan State University, CL Spirchagov and D. Kunitza Student Editor of Kazan Univer sity newspaper A. Gogolev By PAM MOOMAN Of The Battalion Staff The Soviet university that edu cated Vladimir Lenin and Leo Tolstoy wants to.educate Aggies and be friends. Kazan, the Soviet city chosen to participate in the Bryan-College Sta tion Sister City Association pr ogram, was selected because it has a univer sity as its focal point, Cathy Loving, international coordinator at Texas A&M, said. This characteristic makes it similar to Bryan-College Station. Kazan State University is the third largest and oldest university in the Soviet Union and is known mainly for its science and math scholars. The university has its own mu seum of history, complete with pic tures of important chemistry experi ments and outstanding professors and students, Loving said. “This goes much beyond football trophies,” Loving said. The university proudly shows people what it has done to increase knowledge, she said. Kazan, home of the university, only recently opened to tourists be cause it is 800 kilometers from Mos cow and is the location of several strategic industries. Loving said. Not everyone in the Soviet Union is Russian, she said. Kazan is the ca- pitol of the Tartar Republic. The Tartars are very proud of their cul ture,just like Texans, she said. The Tartar dances and language, which are different from the Rus sian language, express their individ uality, she said. They are very skilled horsemen, she added, and Kazan is known as “horse country.” Loving lived in Leningrad for one semester in 1978, and returned to the Soviet Union in May Ur visit Ka zan. “There was a profound difference in the openness and honesty exhib ited by public officials in public pla ces,” she said. “They are very honest and open.” Nine delegates from Kazan and three delegates from Kazan State University will arrive in Washington, D.C. on May 5, Loving said. They will be met by a delegate from the Bryan-College Station Sister City As sociation and escorted to Bryan-Col lege Station. The delegates will he in Texas for a week. During this time, A&M Pres ident William H. Mobley will host a luncheon for the delegates to show University support of the sister city program. The foreign delegates also will meet with faculty and students. Stu dent groups who are interested in talking with the delegates, or anyone who w-ants further information about the program, should contact Loving at 845-4821. “I think they will find very open and honest people who want to learn more about the nation and Texas,” she sttid. Students serve B-CS in Big Event By SELINA GONZALEZ Of The Battalion Staff The Texas A&M student govern ment requests your presence at a big event. The seventh annual Big Event sponsored by student government invites A&M students to serve the Bryan-College Station community. Some of the activities in which stu dents can participate during the Big Event on March 24 are trash pick up, house painting and landscaping. The invitation is RSVP only. Those interested in participating can sign up by calling the student gov ernment office by March 9. “The purpose of the Big Event is to give the students of A&M the op portunity of giving to the commu nity what it has given to the stu dents,” Mitch White, chairman of community involvement in the Big Event, said. White said the community has supported the Aggies in many ways and the students can help the area by participating in service projects. Though more students had com mitted to help during last year’s Big Event, only 2,000 people actually participated due to unexpected bad weather, he said. This year 6,000 students are expected to participate. Big Event participation has grown over the years, he said, becoming one of the biggest community serv ice projects in the nation. This year the community has become more in volved than in previous years. This year’s event will differ from programs of the past in two ways. First, the clean-up efforts will ex tend to new areas of Bryan-Gollege See Event/Page 6