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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 1990)
Wednesday, September 12,1990 The Battalion The following incidents were reported to the Texas A&M Uni versity Police Department be tween Aug. 31 and Thursday. DISORDERLY CONDUCT: • A student was walking west ward from the Harrington Edu cation Center towarcl Heaton Hall when she saw a man sitting on a bench on the south side of Fermier Hall. As she approached the man. he got up from the bench and walked toward her. The student said one leg of his shorts had been rolled up so his genitals were exposed. AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY: • A police officer was advised about an aircraft making an emergency landing at Eas- terwood Airport. An American Eagle Gulf Stream G-l aircraft experienced problems with its main landing gear. College Station Fire Depart ment personnel and the Univer sity Police Department stood by while the aircraft landed without incident. AUTOMOBILE F IRE: • The police department was notified of an automobile fire on the Fifth level of the Northside Parking Garage. An officer was able to enter the vehicle and use a hand-held Fire extinguisher to partially extin guish the blaze. College Station Fire Department personnel ar rived on the scene and extin guished the remaining flames un der the hood. The exact cause of the fire has not been determined. FIRE: • A man detected smoke in the hallway near a laboratory room in the Engineering Physics Building and called UPD. The building was evacuated by the responding officers, and the College Station Fire Department was notified. The source of the fire was a heat transfer experiment. The cause of the ignition to the material is unknown. ASSAULT: • A student reported he was assaulted by another student while leaving Sbisa. The student said he was grabbed by the neck and shoved into the wall. He sustained contu sions and a break in the skin on his neck. He said he would file criminal charges. Later at Sterling C. Evans Li brary, the same student was ver bally assaulted when another stu dent stated: “Unless you drop the charges, I will make you hand icapped.” THEFT OF SERVICE: • While on foot patrol of the MSG game room, an officer ob served three individuals who ap peared to be manipulating the coin box to activate a video game machine. The officer discovered the in dividuals were using wire to ma nipulate the coin box. One of the subjects was a stu dent and the others were juveni- les.They were arrested. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUB STANCE: • An El Campo woman was stopped for operating her vehicle at an excessive rate of speed on New Main Drive. Her behavior indicated she was intoxicated and she was arested. The officer searched her purse and found a bottle of pills marked Valium. The woman said she didn’t need a prescription for the pills because they were purchased in Mexico. She was transported to the Brazos County Jail for a breatha lyzer examination. The exam re vealed insufficient alcohol con centration for being charged with driving while intoxicated. The pills were sent for analysis. If the test proves positive, she will be charged with possession of a controlled substance. DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED: • Two individuals were charged with driving while intoxi cated. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED: • A man was detected operat ing a vehicle without a valid in spection sticker and an expired li cense plate. During the traffic stop, the of ficer was advised that his driver’s license had been suspended. The man was jailed in the Brazos County Jail. ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE A POLICE OFFICER: • An individual was observed driving the wrong way on Lamar Street. The man refused to stop after being given instructions to do so by the officer. The vehicle was forced to stop when two vehicles approached from the opposite di rection. The man was transported to Brazos County Jail. HARASSMENT: • A man reported he is being harassed by his ex-girlfriend. The man has asked her to stop calling and coming to his residence. • Five students reported re ceiving harassing telephone calls. VIOLATION OF UNIVER SITY REGULATIONS: • Three individuals were re ported to be selling magazine subscriptions in various residence halls. Officers advised the indi viduals they could not solicit on campus without proper creden tials. BURGLARY: • An individual reported the battery from his F'ord truck was stolen from Parking Area 86. • Someone entered the TTI Crash Site Building at the River side Campus and removed a gen- See Police Beat/Page 6 [K)l eked pa . Distnfl lismiss® e camp •sula Hi -ified :sday, t>’ ; eels we; aid t Medio You’ve worshipped him from afar all semester. You’ve heard his last girlfriend was blond. You bleach your hair. You’ve enrolled in classes you hate just to be near him. He finally calls. Your line is busy. Call Waiting C3£§ FOR DETAILS CALL 1-800-843-2120 EXT. 3141. SmartCall. Services available in most aicas Save $8.00 on the connection fee THE POWER IS ON ,TAMU Study Abroad H - in Italy Summer Session l, 1991 I 1 '*' (All courses pending final approval)* ARTS 350: Arts and Civilization Music 201: Music Appreciation Prof. Paolo Barucchieri Santa Chiara, Italy Prof. Frank Krager 406-D Academic 845-3355 CARC 331: Renaissance to Baroque Art Prof. Joseph Hutchinson 337 Architecture 845-0584 Students will visit such places as Florence, Venice, Pisa, Rome, Siena and Assisi. Informational Meeting Thursday, September 13 2:00-3:30 510 Rudder STUDY ABROAD OFFICE 161 BIZZELL HALL WEST 845-0544 CONGRATULATES THEIR FALL 1990 PLEDGE CLASS: JOY ADEN LAURA ALEXANDER JOHANNA ATKINSON BITSY BARLOW CHRISSY BIELOT KIM BILLSKY PAMELA BRISTOL DANA BROWN JENNIFER MARINO AMY CARTER AMY CHAMBLEE KRISTY COMPTON KELLY CUTRER CAROLINE DERBY KRISTY DUNCAN MARNELL EDWARDS JENNY ELMER BRANDY GIBSON JAMIE GIGLER JESSICA GLENDENING JENNIFER HALBROOK KATRINA HALLMAN SUZANNA HARLESS CHRISTIE HARRISON JENNIFER TRACY HATFIELD JULIE HUDSON PILLAR JENNIE JONES JAYME LOOPER HOLLY MAHAN HEATHER MARSHALL MARY MEYER KELLY MORGAN LISA MUCKLEROY LEIGH MCALLISTER AMY NEWBOLD MELISSA NOWLIN CHERIE REICHART HEATHER ROBERTSON KRISTIN SCHOONOVER TERI SCHWETTMANN KRISTI SENN MISTY SINGLETARY ALI STEERE TAMMY TODD JACKLIN VETKOETTER JENNIFER VILLARREAL KATHY VONCANNON ERICA VON RUNNEN WILSON The following information appears in compliance with the 1987 State of Texas Hazing Law: Texas Hazing Law Texas A&M University On August 31,1987 a new law went into effect in the State of Texas regarding HAZING. Below is an abbre viated summary, in question and answer form, of the contents of that law and the applicability and implications for students, faculty and staff at Texas A&M University. THIS IS ONLY A SUMMARY. Certain points in the law have been omitted in this summary for editorial purposes. For the full text of the law, please see Appendix XI of the 1989-90 University Regulations. What Is the definition of Hazing? “Hazing" means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off campus of Taxes A&M University, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members are or include students at Texas A&M Uni versity. The term includes but is not limited to: (a) Any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electronic shocking, plac ing of a harmful substance on the body, or similar activity. (b) Any type of physical activity, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small place, calisthenics, or other activities that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student. (c) Any activity involving consumption of a food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance which subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or which adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student. (d) Any activity that intimidates or threatens the student with ostracism, that subjects the student to ex treme mental stress, shame, or humiliation, or adversely affects the mental health or dignity of the student or discourages the student from entering or remaining registered in an educational institution , or that may rea sonably be expected to cause a student to leave the organization or the institution rather than submit to acts described in this subsection. (e) Any activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform a duty or task which involves a violation of the penal code. In addition, Texas A&M University has also defined hazing to include: (a) Misuse of authority by virtue of your class rank or leadership position. (b) Any form of physical bondage. (c) Any form of “Quadding". How do I commit a hazing offense? A person commits an offense if the person: (a) Engages in hazing. (b) Solicits, encourages, directs, aids or attempts to aid another in engaging in hazing. (c) Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly permits hazing to occur. (d) Has firsthand knowledge of the planning of a specific hazing incident involving a student of Texas A&M University, or firsthand knowledge that a specific hazing incident has occurred, and knowingly fails to report said knowledge in writing to the appropriate University official. Does it matter If I did not Intend to hurt anyone? No. Texas A&M's policies state that if one of the above occurs, it is HAZING, regardless of the intent. Does it matter If the person being hazed agrees to the activity? No. The new law and Texas A&M's policies state that if one of the above occurs, it is HAZING, regardless of the consent or cooperation of the recipient. What Is the penalty If I'm found guilty of hazing? (a) Falling to report hazing: Fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 180 days in jail. (b) Hazing resulting In no serious bodily Injury: Fine of $500-$1,000 and/or 90-180 days in jail. (c) Hazing resulting In serious bodily Injury: Fine of $1,000-$5,000 and/or 180 days to 1 year in jail. (d) Hazing resulting In death: Fine of $5,000-$10,000 and/or 1 -2 years in jail. (e) Except where the hazing results in death, the student may be required to perform community service in lieu of confinement in jail. (f) The student may also be subject to University disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the University, in addition to or regardless of any penalty imposed by the state. Can an organization be found guilty of hazing? Yes. An organization commits an offense if the organization condones or encourages hazing or if an offi cer or any combination of members, pledges, or alumni of the organization commits or assists in the commis sion of hazing. Can I get Into trouble for reporting hazing? No. Any person who reports a specific hazing incident involving a student to an appropriate University offi cial is protected from civil or criminal liability. However, a person who reports in bad faith or with malice is not protected by this section. Where do I report hazing? Office of the Commandant 845-2811 if the hazing was committed by members of the Corps of Cadets. Department of Students Activities 845-1133 if the hazing was committed by members of a Greek orga nization or other recognized student organization. Student Judicial Affairs Office 845-5262 all other incidents of hazing. The following information appears in compliance with the 1987 state of Texas Hazing Law shown above: Student Organization Hazing Violations: ■ Organization Name: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Date of Incident: April 6,1988 Description of Incident: Three pledges were involved in incident on April 6, 1988, which involved being "pop ped” with a paddle. One ended up at the hospital because of bruises and pain to the legs. The actives did not suggest, approve, or have knowledge of the paddling. The pledges obtained the idea from a movie entitled "School Daze,” which has scenes in which pledges paddle each other. Action Taken: The fraternity was placed on one year's probation by the Student Organization Board effective August 11,1988. The president and pledge trainer were to take the Greek Leadership Class and visit regu larly with the Greek Advisor. Organization Name: Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity Date of Incident: April 25,1988 Description of Incident: A pledge received a bruised pelvis while participating in a “Pete Rose Slide” at the Pi Kappa Alpha House. The slide involves covering the grass with water, and then the pledges do a head-first slide on the grass. Five to ten students were involved in the incident. Action Taken: The Texas A&M Interfraternity Judiciary Committee placed the fraternity on probation for the 1988-89 academic year, required the chapter to present an educational seminar concerning hazing each se mester during the probation, and the three-year publication notice. Organization Name: Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity Date of Incident: November 14,1989 Description of Incident: Two pledges of the Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity were taken by 13 members on a “snatch” breakfast in the back of a pickup truck. They were told to remove all of their clothes except their un derwear. They were caused to purchase syrup, vaseline, and crisco at a convenience store. They had some syrup on them when stopped by the College Station police. Action Taken: The Interfratemity Council Judicial Board placed the fraternity on one year's probation from the date of the hearing (Nov. 20, 1989), mandated the chapter to incorporate hazing educational seminars into their pledge program, to present a university -wide program on hazing issues and laws, name a new IFC rep resentative who is an A&M student, find a chapter advisor by spring 1990 rush, and have the new chapter president meet with the IFC Advisor twice monthly during the probation period.