\
d
he Battalion
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Local musicians, fans
pay tribute
See Page 4
Vol. 90 No. 1 USPS 045360 14 Pages
A&M student
revives victim
By TROY HALL
Of The Battalion Staff
A Bryan resident was rescued
by a Texas A&M student late
Sunday afternoon at Bryan Utili
ties Lake, said Clyde Goen, dep
uty chief of the Bryan Fire De
partment.
As of early Monday morning,
Zeferion Medellin Rojas, 24, 1804
Echols St., was listed in critical
condition and in a coma at St. Jo
seph Hospital’s intensive care
unit after being rescued by Rob
ert Green, a sophomore civil en
gineering major from Alvin.
The victim and some friends
were swimming at Bryan Utilities
Lake when he went under water.
When the friends realized Rojas
was in trouble they began calling
for help, Goen said.
Green found Rojas about 30 feet
"A couple of friends
and f ran out to the
bank assuming a kid
was drowning.”
— Robert Green,
A&M student
from shore in five feet of water.
He began one-man CPR, while
two of his friends went to the
nearest telephone to call for help.
“We were about to pack up and
leave when we heard a lady yel
ling for help,” Green said. “A
couple of friends and I ran out to
the hank assuming a kid was
drowning
See CPR'Page 13
College Station, Texas Monday, September 3,1990
U.S. hostages escape captivity,
return home to reclaim freedom
WASHINGTON (AP) — Four-
dozen Americans reclaimed their
freedom Sunday, liberated from
Saddam Hussein’s clutches and
grateful to be back home. “I wasn’t a
guest,” Lloyd Culbertson said. “I
damned near starved to death.”
The 47 Americans, weary from 24
hours of travel and their weeks as
unofficial prisoners of war, arrived
at Washington-Dulles International
Airport aboard an Iraqi jetliner
cleared to land only for this home
coming flight.
A handful of the passengers
talked with reporters; most cleared
customs and left the airport quietly
with relatives. A U.S. official said 24
women, 11 men and 12 children ar
rived but declined to identify them,
citing privacy laws.
The Americans who were held in
Kuwait, which was overrun by Iraqi
soldiers on Aug. 2, brought ominous
word that Saddam Hussein’s forces
may be mistreating Americans left
behind.
Culbertson, 76, of El Paso, said
some of the hostages were being
held without food and without wa
ter. He did not provide details. Cul
bertson took issue with Iraqi Ambas
sador Mohamed Sadiq al-Mashat’s
insistence that hostages were treated
well as “guests” of Saddam: “The
ambassador from Iraq is dead
wrong.”
“If it were not for the grace of
God and Jesse Jackson, we would
not be here,” said Culbertson, who
told reporters he taught electronics
to the Kuwaiti military for 5 and-a-
half years. “The State Department
has not lifted a hand for us.”
Culbertson described meals as
“pretty skimpy rations” — mainly
frozen turkey. “I have never eaten so
much turkey in my life.”
Asked if the people left behind
feared for their lives, Culbertson
said, “Yes, they certainly do.”
Bonnie Anderton left her hus
band, Richard, after an emotional
parting in Kuwait. She said they
talked about sending their 10-year-
old daughter, Jennifer, home alone
but decided against it because the
little girl needs medical treatment.
She declined to say what the treat
ment was.
She said the Americans slept on
the floor, had no water or power and
Iraqi troops often fired shots nearby
the U.S. Embassy compound during
the day.
Anderton said her family had
been in Kuwait for three months.
Her husband was working as an en
gineer.
“I think Jennifer will agree with
me: Next summer we are going to
Disneyland,” she said.
Ed Johnson, a businessman from
St. Louis, said he sought refuge in
the embassy Aug. 17 at the sugges
tion of diplomats there.
“If it were not for the grace of God and Jesse
Jackson, we would not be here. The State
Department has not lifted a hand for us.”
— Lloyd Culbertson,
former hostage
Committee recommends class
A&M commits to multicultural awareness
By LIBBY KURTZ
Of The Battalion Staff
Texas A&M University students
maybe required to take a mandatory
culture-awareness class if recom
mendations from a committee
formed to eliminate discrimination
are implemented.
At a press conference Friday, Uni
versity President William Mobley
Formally accepted the final report
From the Committee for a Discrimi
nation-Free Campus.
The 17 member committee, which
ndudes members of faculty, staff
indstudents, called for both prompt
idoption and implementation of
heir recommendations.
Mobley said A&M must ensure its
:ommitment to multiculturalism and
liversity if it wants to fulfill multiple
uissions.
“The predictions of our demogra-
6 hers on this campus are that by
030 at the latest, the traditional mi-
torities will be the majority,” he said.
Because of this, the president said
A&M should be doing everything it
can to promote a better learning en
vironment for all students, regard
less of their ethnic backgrounds.
“We need to nurture diversity in
all its forms on this campus,” he said.
Mobley noted that A&M’s policies
on discrimination are up to par with
other institutions.
He said the committee’s recom
mendations will serve as an enhance
ment to the policies currently in ef
fect.
T he committee made proposals
concerning faculty, students and
academics.
Mobley said he already had taken
steps to implement the 14 general-
administrative recommendations
which include: the dissemination of
the newly drafted “University
Statement on Harassment and Dis
crimination,” improvement of em
ployment policies and use of nondis-
criminatory language.
He said the other recommenda
tions, which dealt with academics
and multicultural education and
awareness, had been referred to the
appropriate vice presidents, faculty
and student organizations for fur
ther study and appropriate action.
The mandatory culture-aware
ness class was one such recommen
dation.
The committee’s other recom
mendations include:
• The University should establish
an ethnic or multicultural studies
program to be offered as an interdis
ciplinary minor.
• All members of the University
community should be encouraged to
participate in conferences or
workshops on minority and women’s
issues.
• Residence halls should be re
quired to hold a special session at the
beginning of each semester that will
focus on multicultural issues. Similar
programs should be offered for Off-
Campus Aggies.
• Disciplinary hearings that in
volve a minority student should have
a minority staff member involved.
• The Handicap Planning and
Advisory Committee should con
tinue to provide input in addressing
the needs of handicapped students,
faculty, staff and visitors to the cam
pus.
Sheran Riley, an assistant to the
president and chairwoman, said the
committee chose to follow a positive
proactive program in eliminating
discrimination at A&M, rather than
supporting a disciplinary policy.
See multicultural/Page 13
De Klerk continues
democratic reforms
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
(AP) — President F.W. de Klerk
called Friday for the governing Na
tional Party, which implemented
apartheid four decades ago, to ac
cept non-whites as members.
De Klerk said the all-white party’s
restrictions were at odds with its goal
of creating a democracy free of
domination by any race or group.
“The new South Africa demands
that those who belong together
through inner conviction should
come together,” he told a party pro
vincial congress in Durban.
The government is looking for
political allies amongvblack political
groups to buttress its position in ne
gotiations with the African National
Congress, the main black opposition
movement, on sharing power.
The ANC seeks a one-man, one-
vote system, virtually guaranteeing a
black majority government. De
Klerk wants protection for whites
and other minority groups, a free
market economy and guaranteed
rights, such as the right to own prop
erty.
“The requirement of no (racial)
domination means that power has to
be shared in such a way that a major
ity will neither have absolute power
nor be able to abuse its power to the
detriment of minorities or for their
suppression,” de Klerk said.
The congress and three other up
coming provincial meetings are ex
pected to approve accepting non
whites. Even with the change, black
party members would not be able to
vote for the party’s candidates in na
tional balloting because apartheid
bars them from voting in national
elections.
Accepting blacks and other races
would reverse the National Party’s
heritage as the architect of apart
heid. It won power in 1948 on a plat
form of white dominance and has
been the main voice of Afrikaner na
tionalism, representing whites of
mostly Dutch descent who dominate
South African politics.
Under apartheid, the country’s
five million whites control the gov
ernment and economy, while the 30
million blacks have no voice in na
tional affairs.
Since replacing P.W. Botha as
president in 1989, de Klerk has
pushed for repeal of apartheid laws
and held talks with the ANC.
His efforts have caused more
whites to leave the National Party for
the right-wing Conservative Party
and extremist groups.
Conservative Party leader Andries
Treurnicht called de Klerk’s move
Friday political surrender. He said
in a statement the National Party
had lost touch with people’s desire
for nationalism instead of integra
tion.
In his speech, de Klerk accused
Freurnicht of advocating violence to
prevent change in South Africa. He
said the Conservative Party sought
continued policies of oppression.
Student locator assists
tudents 24 hours daily
State, local Democrats rally support of voters
By JULIE MYERS
Of The Battalion Staff
Jy BRIDGET HARROW
Jf The Battalion Staff
H you lost an old friend’s phone
'umber, or you can’t remember the
a new f r I en< T> Texas
, M s student locator service might
lelpyou.
Student locator, at 845-4741, is a
urectory assistance number that
lents 3 liSting f ° r a1 ' A&M StU '
J en the service was started in
' calls were handled by the Stu-
™t Affairs office until 10 p.m.
n Ier 10 p.m., student locator
5 were transferred to the Physical
a uts communication center.
■ ut s ' nce 1980, the communica-
'! C f n . ter . has operated student lo-
\Uv u "hme due to the growth of
s student body, said Geneva
or n ^? n ’ a d m inistrative assistant
ontrol 0mmUnicationS and key
■ainr ' I1 ^ rrnat t on for student lo-
^■sp^ided by Student Infor-
ivhirti' ana ® ement System (SIMS),
md * * * * S °P erate d by the admissions
"fed* office in Heaton Hall.
Year ^r. e ^ e S ann ing of the school
t ere j , ei a h students have regis-
Drovia ^ rnmu nication center is
12th rl j 1 ^ a roster after the
Rives ^ J°hnston said. “This
Rctatpi y 101 ? 115 students time to
Pus stiiH^° ne ’ and '*■ g* ves on-cam-
•ifnis. !|™'i es P«:ially overassign-
Peroianeiu dornf” ‘ 0 m ° Ve “ ' heir
s '°ns am? tS mu ? t 8° to the admis-
turd if tk recor ds office and fill out a
‘’'the s.,,7 W ‘J IU a nu mber changed
sL P Udem ocat °r fde, she said.
Stud
names
^ nts w ho don’t want their
r numbers to be given out
need to fill out a “hold directory in
formation” card. The card must be
updated every academic year.
“This gives students the option of
deciding what information can be
withheld from the public,” she said.
Many students don’t turn in an
updated phone number and are
listed incorrectly, Johnston said.
Other students don’t turn in a lo
cal Bryan/College Station phone
number, so only their hometown
numbers are listed, she said.
The only information student lo
cator gives out is student names,
classifications and phone numbers.
“We do not have time to give out
addresses,” Johnston said. We aie
not only the student locator. We are
directory assistance lor the rest of
the University as well.”
Besides handling calls for student
locator (845-4741) and directory as
sistance (845-3211), the communica
tion center also handles general list
ing information calls (0) foi A&M.
Currently, the communication
center is not computerized, and the
operators work from a hard-copy di
rectory.
But the communication center
will be going to an on-line directory
by mid-September, Johnston said.
“This will enable us to be updated
more frequently,” Johnston said.
“We will not have to insert updates
manually anymore. If records has
the information in their system, we 11
have it immediately too.”
Student locator and directory as
sistance are open 24 hours a day and
seven days a week. , . ^
“We are only as good as the inlor-
mation that is given to us,” Johnston
. said. “Students have to be sure they
update their phone information
w th us. even if they live in a dorm.
The rainy weather didn’t dampen
the spirits of state and local candi
dates and area voters who met at the
Southwood Valley Athletic Complex
Saturday evening.
“Our intention is to bring out the
swing voters, the ones who are unde
cided,” Brazos County Democratic
Chairman Bill McGuire said. “The
voters can’t really know the candi
dates if they just rely on television
and 30-second sound bites for infor
mation on political issues.”
Nikki Van Hightower, candidate
for Texas state treasurer; John
Sharp, candidate for comptroller of
public accounts; Jim James, candi
date for state representative; Jim
Turner, candidate for Texas state
Senate 5th District; and Judge Mor
ris L. Overstreet, candidate for place
5 judge on the Court of Criminal
Appeals gave short speeches and
mingled with Brazos County resi
dents.
Local Democratic candidates who
attended the rally and also gave
speeches included Jean Williamson,
Judge Sarah Ryan; candidate for
judge, County Court at Law No. 2;
Judge W.T. ‘Tom’ McDonald Jr.,
candidate for judge, 85th District
Court; Ron Gay, candidate for
county judge; and Mary Ann Ward,
candidate for Brazos County clerk.
“Texans need to be concerned
with the environment and public ed
ucation,” McGuire said. “Republi
cans have paid lip service to these is
sues only at election time.”
Aggie Democrats President Ste
phen Medvic said Texas A&M stu
dents should be knowledgeable
about local races, as well as the gov
ernor’s race.
“Local races for state representa
tives and senators are important be
cause the legislature could vote dur
ing any session on a woman’s legal
right to an abortion,” Medvic said.
“State races like the comptroller,
treasurer and governor will impact
the state and A&M almost immedi
ately, whereas local races may not be
a factor for a while,” he said.
Medvic said even students who
plan to leave the Brazos Valley after
graduation should care about the lo
cal races now.
“So many (A&M students) give
back (to A&M) when they’re gone,
move back or maintain close ties with
the university that it’s important to
vote intelligently, so A&M and the
community can be a place they’re
proud of and want to move back to
or visit,” Medvic said.
Local races also are a concern for
Judge W.T. McDonald, who hopes
that his race for the 85th District
Court judgeship will not be ham
pered by those who vote a straight
ticket.
“Vote for who you want to at the
top of the ticket, but know who you
are voting for further down the bal
lot when you go to pull the lever,”
McDonald said. “If you want to vote
for Republican gubernatorial candi
date Clayton Williams and don’t
know about anyone else, then get
out of the voting booth. Be informed
about your choices.”
Overstreet, the first black to be
nominated to state-wide office, said
the voters couldn’t ask for a better
slate of candidates if they picked it
themselves.
Other activities included face
painting, a $5-a-ticket raffle for a
limited edition print of Ann Rich
ards and a voter registration booth.
Photo by Scott D. Weaver
Julian McMurrey of College Station and Stephen Medvic, senior
political science major from Bedford, from left to right, talk poli
tics with Jim Turner, who is running for the state Senate.