ie Battalion
WEATHER
TOMORROW’S FORECAST:
Partly sunny and warm.
HIGH: 78
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Wednesday, March 21,1990
College Station, Texas
Vol.89 No.114 USPS 045360 12 Pages
enate looks at Corps integration Play ball!
esolution leaves A&M grading system, drop-add dates intact
JILL BUTLER
[The Battalion Staff
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The Student Senate last night passed resolu-
ons to leave the grading system at Texas A&M
d the drop-add date intact, although recent
solutions passed by a Faculty Senate committee
commended changes in both.
Sophomore Senator Steve White reported a
acuity Senate committee passed a resolution to
ange the current grading system to a 13-point
lystem of A plus, A, A minus, B plus, B, B minus,
plus, C, C minus, D plus, D, I) minus and F.
A committee in the Faculty Senate also re-
[ently passed a resolution to change the current
rop-add date. Currently, students can add
lasses until the first Friday after classes start and
an drop classes without record up to 15 days af-
:r the first day of class.
However, the Faculty Senate committee ap-
roved a resolution to change the calendar so the
ist day to drop classes and the last day to add
lasses is the same, the first Friday of class each
lemester.
The Student Senate passed a resolution stating
ie drop-add dates should not be changed.
The Student Senate also discussed the issue of
lacism at A&M. Terris T. Burton, representing
Upha Phi Alpha fraternity and the African-
American student population, wrote a resolution
ith Speaker of the Senate Ty Clevenger.
Burton introduced the resolution, which
tated the Student Senate condemned “recent co-
ertand overt acts of racism at Texas A&M.”
The resolution also stated the Senate would at
tempt to educate prejudiced offenders and
would support the proper authorities imposing
“the most serious and severe terms of punish
ment, within University guidelines, for those re
sponsible.”
Burton said African-American students have
been getting increasingly agitated with racial
events at A&M.
“We (African-American students) are fed up
with what we’ve had to endure,” Burton said. “It
is time we work with the Texas A&M University
System to eliminate racism and create a more
“Q
’ur course of integration is the
best course for male and female
cadets.”
— Matthew Poling,
Corps Commander
positive atmosphere for African-American stu
dents at A&M.”
In another approved resolution, the Senate
stated they would not create a committee to over
see the integration of male and female cadets in
the Corps. The Senate also stated all other orga
nizations should refrain from unnecessarily in
terfering with internal matters of other organiza^-
tions.
The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets has become
an integrated military organization, with seven
out of 40 outfits made up of both male and fe
male cadets.
Outfits in the Aggie Band were the first to be
come integrated in 1985, Lieutenant Colonel
Donald Johnson, assistant commandant of the
Corps, told the Student Senate.
Integration of Corps outfits means female and
male cadets are members of the same outfit, in
cluding living in the same dorms.
“We are intending to integrate in the most ef
fective way possible, by putting at least 6-8 fe
males in each outfit to provide mutual support
for each other,” Johnson said.
Corps Commander Matthew Poling said the
perception of two or three females being placed
in male military outfits is wrong.
“The female cadets don’t want that and nei
ther do the males,” Poling said. “Our course of
integration is the best'course for male and female
cadets.”
Johnson said the previously all-female outfit
W-l will be integrated next fall and will be com
manded by a male cadet. The integrated outfit
has been renamed G-1. Johnson said he is unsure
if the all-female outfit Squadron 14 will integrate.
Corps student leaders have been responsible
for most decisions regarding integration, John
son said.
He said integration occured because female
cadets approached the Corps commandant and
wanted to feel a more important part of the
Corps. A&M is one out of four military colleges
that have integrated units.
Silence will
recognize
movement
By STACY E. ALLEN
Of The Battalion Staff
Silence will be observed on the
Texas A&M campus at noon May
4 and June 4 as students, faculty
and staff recognize the anniver
sary of the student democratic
movement in China.
The Student Senate passed a
resolution for a moment of si
lence on the two days to recognize
the anniversary of the movement
in China.
The noon observance will
bring a lull in the sounds of bells
ringing and people talking on
campus.
Chinese students began to
gather in Tiananmen Square on
May 4, 1989, to begin a peaceful
movement for democracy. June
4, 1989, was the day the massacre
of Chinese protestors by the gov
ernment began.
Brennan Reilly, a junior eco
nomics major at A&M and co
sponsor of the resolution, said the
resolution, which was passed
unanimously by the Student Sen
ate, shows that the A&M student
body agrees with the Chinese stu
dents’ rights to a peaceful protest.
“This is students helping other
students,” Reilly said.
Student Body President Kevin
Buchman and Student Body Vice
President Craig Sandlin have sent
See Silence/Page 7
AIDS helpline offers training
to volunteers who want to help
By STACY E. ALLEN
Of The Battalion Staff
Students wishing to spend a little
spare time helping others have the
perfect opportunity Saturday to put
their energy to use.
The AIDS/Crisis Helpline will
have an eight-hour training session
Saturday for those interested in
helping people concerned with or
suffering from AIDS (Acquired Im
mune Deficiency Syndrome).
Sarah Oates, AIDS/Crisis Help
line coordinator, said the line is un
der the umbrella of the AIDS Foun
dation of Brazos Valley and exists to
provide Brazos Valley residents with
up-to-date information about AIDS,
answer questions and address con
cerns of the community.
Oates said the helpline also offers
support to those who have firsthand
experiences of the effects of the dis
ease.
“We help those who are looking
for support,” Oates said. “It can be
the person with AIDS or it can be a
friend, relative or lover of that per
son.”
Oates said the helpline is open 24
hours to receive calls and volunteers
generally are scheduled to answer
the phones on week nights from 5 to
11.
The goal of the helpline is to have
volunteers on staff seven days a
week, but a shortage of volunteers
has made that impossible, she said.
“We always need more volun
teers,” Oates said. “We look for peo
ple with compassion and common
sense and people who have confi
dence in their ability to help others.”
Oates said the volunteers are re
quired to work two three-hour shifts
a month and must attend the eight-
hour training session.
Volunteers are taught basic infor
mation about AIDS and are trained
in crisis intervention.
“This type of work is very reward
ing because you do help people,”
Oates said. “Whether it’s answering
a question or listening to someone’s
problems, it’s a worthwhile and re
warding experience.”
Other services provided by the
AIDS Foundation of Brazos Valley
are a speakers bureau, a buddy pro
gram and a support group.
Call 690-AIDS for more informa
tion about becoming a volunteer or
for additional information concern
ing AIDS.
Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack
Texas A&M starting pitcher Brad Gilbert pitches during the first
game of the doubleheader Tuesday at Olsen Field against
Southwestern University. See Baseball/Page 9
Egg-throwing incidents
result in woman’s arrest
By JULIE MYERS
Of The Battalion Staff
Student applauds Panama invasion
By DAPHNE MILLER
Of The Battalion Staff
John Stephens, a Texas A&M student from Panama,
said Tuesday night at the College Republicans meeting
that the Panamanian invasion Dec. 19, 1989, was nec
essary and it was a solution to a problem.
Stephens, a junior chemistry major, said the Panama
nians unequivocally applauded the invasion. He said it
stopped Noriega from continuing to destroy their
country. That problem has finally been solved, Ste
phens said.
“I know American and Panamanian history,” he said.
“I have seen mistakes happen, and I believe people
should be more informed about what is going on in the
government.”
For starters, Stephens said, former Panamanian dic
tator Manuel Noriega is a killer. He said it was a fact
that Noriega kept a list of people who opposed his
dictatorship, and all of them would have been assassi
nated if the United States had not invaded.
Stephens’ family was active in the government and
they were on Noriega’s list, he said. They had to escape
to Costa Rica for a short while to avoid any trouble, he
said.
Also, Noriega was a paid employee of the CIA with
the responsibility of catching cocaine traffickers. Ste
phens said Noriega was selling the cocaine that he
See Panama/Page 7
The Texas A&M University Police
Department filed a Class C Simple
Assault charge and trespass warrant
against Lynda Copeland White, a
College Station resident, Tuesday
for throwing eggs at international
students from a passing vehicle.
UPD Director of Security Bob
Wiatt said that, since February, five
separate incidents have been re
ported to UPD regarding assaults di
rected at Oriental students near
married student housing. Wiatt said
the College Station Police Depart
ment hqd received two similar com
plaints.
White was identified by Advanced
Police Officer Roy Horner March 12
during a stakeout to identify who
was responsible for the recent as
saults. At 10:33 p.m., Horner was
advised of an incident that had just
occurred at Skaggs Alpha Beta
where the victim was assaulted by
someone throwing eggs.
Horner located the suspect vehi
cle, which had been described by the
victims of previous attacks, on U-V
Row at Hensel Drive. As the marked
patrol units moved into the area to
stop the vehicle, Horner saw a man
walk toward the car and get hit by
eggs.
White was identified as one of the
passengers in the car who threw an
"he witness said that one of the
people in the car had asked direc
tions to the MSC. As he approached
the car, White and one of the chil
dren threw eggs, striking him in the
chest. Charges cannot be filed
against the child.
Wiatt said that although the vic-
See Assault/Page 7
Super dog
Photo by Scott D. Weaver
search Park. Pratt and other students spent yes
terday, the first day of spring, outdoors.
Corps of Cadets, IFC sponsor
anti-hazing program at A&M
By ANDY KEHOE
Of The Battalion Staff
Eileen Stevens knows firsthand the dangerous results
of fraternity hazing.
In 1978, her son Chuck Stenzel was a Klan Alpine
pledge at Alfred University in upstate New York.
Chuck was locked in the trunk of a car after being
given a pint of bourbon, a fifth of wine, and a six-pack
of beer and told he would have to consume it before be
ing released.
This was supposed to make the pledge sick, induce
vomiting and fulfill a traditional part of the pledge pro
gram for the fraternity to which he pledged.
When Chuck was released 40 minutes later, he was
unconscious. He later died of acute alcohol poisoning.
Twelve years later, Stevens is dedicated to her fight
against hazing. With the help of her sister, she began a
national campaign called the Committee to Halt Useless
College Killings (CHUCK).
The program hopes to bring about an awareness of
hazing practices in schools across the country.
The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and Interfraternity
Council will present Stevens’ CHUCK to the campus at
8 p.m. April 2.
“We feel that this is an important issue that must be
addressed,” Darren Smith, Interfraternity Council
president, said.
Stevens documented at least 93 hazing-related deaths
as of 1988. In “Death By Hazing,” by Bruce D. Horn-
buckle, it says acute intoxication is the leading cause of
death in fraternity hazing incidents.
The second most common cause of deaths is acci
dents which occur during “road trips” or “kidnap-
pings.” ...
Following closely in statistics are accidents resulting
from “exercise sessions” or “workout nights.”
In recent years, Texas A&M has had several hazing
incidents. First, in April of 1982, eight junior members
of the Corps of Cadets were dismissed as a result of
their participation in hazing against freshman cadets.
Then, in 1984, Cadet Bruce Dean Goodrich col
lapsed and later died of heat stroke after participating
We feel that this is an important
issue that must be addressed.”
— Darren Smith,
IFC president
in an early morning, off-hours exercise session.
Earlier this month, two A&M cadets were discharged
after Shannon George withdrew from the Corps, com
plaining of excessive exercise training.
Hazing issues now are receiving growing attention
from America’s state legislatures. In 1988, 27 states, in
cluding Texas, enacted anti-hazing legislation.
Stevens testified before many of the legislative com
mittees which have adopted these laws. She noted that
fraternity and sorority members and alumni usually are
the strongest supporters of these bills.