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See Page 7
fol. 90 No. 52 USPS 045560 8 Pages
College Station, Texas
Tuesday, November 13, 1990
Sulfuric acid leaks into ground, air
3y JULIE HEDDERMAN
)f The Battalion Staff
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An undetermined amount of
Isulfuric acid leaked Monday into
Ithe ground near Texas A&M’s
Physical Plant and Sbisa Dining
Hall, forcing people in the area to
evacuate for several hours.
The acid leaked into the
ground and atmosphere from its
holding tank by the water tower
near the intersection of Asbury
and Hogg streets.
University officials detected
the leak at 7:30 Monday morning
when a Department of Parking,
Transit and Traffic Services offi
cer reported an odor given off by
the acid, the director of the Uni
versity Police Department says.
Bob Wiatt says the tank, which
holds about 2,000 gallons of sul
furic acid, had a hole the size of a
pencil in its side.
Officials estimate over 200 gal
lons of the acid leaked out of the
tank, but exact amounts are not
known.
Officials with the Texas Engi
neering Extension Service Haz
ardous Chemical Specialists said
the leak was stopped with a spe
cial puddy and an inflated bal
loon-like bag which put pressure
on the hole.
Wiatt says all occupants and
pedestrians were cleared from
the area because sulfuric acid can
burn skin, eyes and lungs,
Joe Estill, associate director for
utilities, says the tank was sched
uled for replacement Jan. 7.
He says the replacement tank
has been sitting nearby.
Estill says a company from
Houston removed the remaining
sulfuric acid from the old tank.
The acid was placed into another
tank until the old one can be re
placed.
Sulfuric acid is used for water
treatment, Estill says.
“ mm -
'Mm
MIKE C. MULVEY/The Battalion
Texas Engineering Extension Service hazardous ber glove before he attempts to contain a sulfuric
chemical specialist Lane Krumrey puts on a rub- acid leak near the Physical Plant Building.
Perry calls diversity
A&M’s greatest goal
By CHRIS VAUGHN
Of The Battalion Staff
More diversity in Texas A&M’s
faculty is the greatest challenge and
goal for the University in coming
years, the associate provost and dean
of faculties said Monday to the Fac
ulty Senate.
Dr. William Perry said A&M must
hire more minorities and women to
faculty positions to attract more mi
nority and female students to the
profession.
“The faculty of the future are our
students today,” Perry said. “Most of
us chose faculty careers because of
the influence of a college teacher.
Now we furnish the role model.”
Perry also said a diverse faculty
will allow more creative thinking and
problem-solving skills.
A&M’s faculty now is comprised
of only 16 percent women, with only
one female department head, and
less than 5 percent minorities.
“We have a long way to go in
achieving a diverse faculty,” Perry
added.
Perry said the long-term goal of
the University’s Strategic Plan is to
have faculty, staff and student body
reflect the general population of
Texas.
Perry, who assumed the associate
provost and dean of faculties posi
tion Sept. 1, said searching for a
common ground with every person
at A&M is difficult and time-con
suming, but the effort must be
made.
“We must fight to prevent the loss
of individuality of our faculty, stu
dents and staff,” he said. “It is too
easy to treat faculty, students and
staff in groups, to stereotype and
deal with problems of the institution
in a wholesale manner. But we must
avoid those temptations.”
Perry said as chief liaison between
the administration and faculty, he
will work to implement plans to
maximize student and faculty indi
viduality.
Faculty-leave development, equi
table treament of faculty, advocacy
for minority faculty and creation of
an ombudsperson council are his
major priorities.
Salary inequities are becoming too
large a problem and grievances will
become more common if the issue is
not resolved, he said. He also said he
wants professor reviews to partially
determine faculty salaries.
To encourage minority faculty
members to come to A&M, Perry
said he will conduct interviews with
all minority tenure-track job candi
dates and interview minority profes
sors at the end of their first year at
A&M.
He also said he hopes to visit a de
partmental or college meeting once
a week to keep in touch with the
2,200 A&M faculty members.
Following Perry’s speech, the Fac
ulty Senate approved several under
graduate and graduate course
changes, and approved a bachelor of
science degree in scientific nutrition.
During Committee of the Whole,
Dr. Patricia Alexander asked the Ex
ecutive Committee to look into why
the administration has not acted on a
resolution requesting money be set
aside for the recruitment of women
faculty members.
Also during the committee, a res
olution was passed asking the Exec
utive Committee to extend an invita
tion to Governor-elect Ann Richards
to speak to the Senate about her
plans for higher education.
Committee of the Whole is when
the entire Senate acts as a single
committee and brings up issues for
discussion unrelated to the day’s
business. Resolutions passed during
this time only are requests to the Ex
ecutive Committee for action.
lection satisfies parties;
student votes questioned
Strategist: Troops add to Bush’s options
By SEAN FRERKING
Of The Battalion Staff
3y LIBBY KURTZ
(The Battalion Staff
to by Tim W*
ns in the 8$
Victories by Democrat Jim
urner and Republican Steve Og-
en have satisfied both parties in
razos County, but some campaign
upporters wonder if confusion
bout voter registration cards af
fected Texas A&M students’ support
of candidates.
Mike Hachtman, campaign man
ager for Republican Richard Smith,
says although Smith’s campaign
workers are pleased with A&M stu
dents’ support, they think student
turnout was low because many were
confused about voter registration
cards.
Smith’s campaign for the District
) state senate seat proved unsuccess
ful.
“I think more A&M students
would have turned out to vote had
:hey not been forced to vote by affi
davit,” Hachtman says.
The confusion began when stu
dents registered to vote earlier this
semester. Many students listed their
parents' addresses in the permanent
address section of the voter registra
tion card. Students didn’t know per
manent address information was
used to determine registration site.
To alleviate the problem, students
were allowed to vote in Brazos
County if they signed affidavits at
polling sites swearing Brazos County
was their original intention.
“Tuesday, I’m sure the word
tround campus was if you voted by
iffidavit, you wouldn’t get a secret
Jallot,” Hachtrpan says. “That’s ludi-
rous. It’s an obvious infringement
on the students’ ability to obtain a se
cret ballot.”
The Battalion reported Tuesday
hat attorney John Paschal ordered
election judges to mark ballots of
those voting by affidavit.
Paschal said unless a race is con
tested, affidavits will remain sealed.
The Battalion reported Wednes
day that election judge Jon Beeler
said people didn’t seem upset about
voting by affidavit. Approximately
50 percent of voters registered in
Brazos County voted in the election.
“Somebody will be pursuing this
issue,” Hachtman says. “This is a
dangerous precedent to set. It’s hap
pened in previous elections and will
continue to happen.”
Meanwhile, Turner says it’s hard
to tell if the voter registration inci
dent affected support he received
from A&M students. Turner, from
Crockett, was Smith’s opponent for
the District 5 state senate seat.
“I’ve been told the results (the dis
tribution of Democrat and Republi
can votes) looked much like they did
in prior elections,” he says. “It’s hard
to assess.”
Turner, who won the state senate
seat with 50 percent of the vote, says
he will try to resolve the issue.
“I pledge to look into the issue,”
he says. “I would like to see the prob
lem cleared up before the next elec
tion.”
Rob Giesecke, campaign manager
for Ogden, says Ogden’s campaign
workers are pleased with support
they received from A&M students.
Ogden beat Democrat Jim James
by 6 percent in the race for the Dis
trict 14 state representative seat.
“The race wasn’t close enough to
tell whether the voter registration
problem affected the support Og
den received,” Giesecke says. “But I
think it will affect races in the future
unless it’s resolved.”
James’ campaign manager says
the campaign for District 14 was
clean.
“We were expecting a little bit
more support from A&M students,”
Stephen Medvic says. “We knew stu
dents would have the tendency to
vote straight ticket for Republicans.”
Medvic agrees with Giesecke and
says it’s difficult to tell how the regis
tration problem affected voters.
“It’s hard to tell if it offset our
votes or not,” he says. “I think in the
long run it helped campaigners be
cause people who were angry at the
incident made sure they voted.”
All candidates and their managers
agree they are happy elections are
over.
Hachtman says Smith will return
to his real estate business.
“Smith knew it was going to be a
win-win situation,” he says. “He
would either win and begin a new ca
reer as state senator or lose and be
gin to spend more time with his fam
ily and business.”
Hachtman says Smith and his staff
accomplished a lot of their goals.
“We just came up a little short,” he
says. “It was a close race. We lost by
approximately 8,500 votes. We won
in quite a few counties that even
President Bush couldn’t win.”
Giesecke says Ogden has a lot of
work ahead of him.
“We’re trying to shift gears,” he
says. “We’re packing everything up
from the campaign headquarters
and preparing for the move to Aus
tin.”
James has returned to his job as
an attorney.
Turner, the mayor of Crockett
until January, says he plans to visit
A&M next week.
“I’m looking forward to my visit,”
he says. “It will give me the opportu
nity to sit down and speak with A&M
students about their concerns.”
President George Bush’s decision
to increase U.S. military presence in
Saudi Arabia has changed the coun
try’s strategic position in the Middle
East and given the president more
options in dealing with Iraq, a mili
tary strategist and a professor at
A&M agreed Monday.
Dr. Frank Vandiver, director of
the Mosher Institute for Defense
Studies, and Dr. Anthony Gadzey,
an assistant professor of political sci
ence, said they believe Bush made
his decision in response to pressure
from allies and Saddam Hussein’s
refusal to submit to international
sanctions.
On Nov. 8, Bush ordered more
than 200,000 new troops into the
area. Because of this order, more
than 430,000 troops will be stationed
in Saudi Arabia.
The buildup is the largest active
U.S. military venture since the Viet
nam war.
Vandiver, a former A&M presi
dent, said he believes Bush is making
a strong statement to the Iraqi dicta
tor and the international community
with his actions.
“He’s trying to increase his op
tions in this conflict and present a
potentially offensive military force
to Hussein,” Vandiver said. “In my
opinion, it’s not an aggressive force.
With these reinforcements and mod
ern weapons, however, he (Bush)
has the option of a limited offense in
the region.”
Although the new forces will not
be battle-ready for about 60-90 days,
Vandiver said he believes Bush’s de
cision already has altered the situa
tion in Saudi Arabia.
“With a force that large, Bush is
making a clear statement that the
United States wants to restore the
proper government in Kuwait,” he
said. “This move also says Bush is
willing to protect American lives and
interests in the area.”
Gadzey said he believes the presi
dent has increased U.S. rhetoric to
ward Iraq because Bush wanted to
dispell the notion that the United
States has not been prepared for the
situation.
“In my opinion, Bush wanted to
correct what has been seen as a mis
take by the United States,” Gadzey
said. “With the increase, he has pre
pared American forces and made
the statement to Saddam Hussein
that the United States is resolved to
act against agression.”
Gadzey also said he believes Bush
made his decision after considering
the apparent failures of other meth
ods to get Iraq out of Kuwait.
“Bush is sending a signal to Iraq
with the new forces because so many
other diplomatic ploys have failed,”
he said. “He has acted to say the
United States will do what is necces-
sary to insure Hussein’s removal
from Kuwait.” *
Although some people may think
an increase in military forces might
cause a war, Gadzey said he believes
the military buildup has helped re
duce the chances for a violent con
flict.
“For the first time, I see some
hope for a peaceful solution,” he
said. “These actions have seemingly
made Hussein willing to negotiate.”
However, Gadzey said the United
States still has several obstacles to
overcome before the more than
four-month-old standoff is resolved.
“The United States does not have
the full endorsement of many of its
allies, especially Arab allies,” he said.
“Many countries would like to see
the world community use a peaceful
solution for this conflict.”
Egyptian President Hosni Muba
rak said Nov. 7 he thought diplo
matic solutions should be pursued
for at least 2 or 3 months before any
military action should be considered.
Also the commanders of Egyptian
and Syrian forces said their troops
will be used only in a defensive man
ner and will not enter into Iraq.
Vandiver agreed with Gadzey and
said war is not likely in the near fu
ture because U.S. forces will not be
prepared for an attack for more
than 60 days.
The United States also is not will
ing to risk the lives of its soldiers, he
said. Military experts have predicted
more than 20,000 casualties during
the first week of attack.
Vandiver and Gadzey agreed the
United States would not gain any
thing if it attacked Iraq. Such an of
fensive attack may have serious re
percussions, Gadzey said.
“If the United States attacked, the
variables in this situation would
change dramatically,” he said. “The
consequences would damage U.S.
foreign policy and create further
problems in the Middle East.”
Vandiver said he does not believe
the public has given Bush a mandate
to launch an offensive. Attacking
Iraq also might reduce public sup
port for Operation Desert Shield, he
said.
“I think the country is willing to
support the president as long as the
issues remain clear,” Vandiver said.
“Certainly, we would rather be in a
defensive posture than have our
people shot at.”
‘Success is failure turned inside out’
Controversial educator preaches hard work
By KEVIN M. HAMM
Of The Battalion Staff
A controversial educator, known
for carrying a baseball bat through
high school halls, urged his audience
Monday night to tackle life with te
nacity and determination.
“Whatever you do in this life,
don’t ever quit, don’t ever give up,”
Joe Clark told a standing-room-only
crowd in Rudder Theater. “Success
is failure turned inside out.”
The program, “From Disgrace to
Amazing Grace,” was sponsored by
the MSC Black Awareness Commit
tee.
Clark earned national recognition
for his tough, controversial disci
pline methods while a principal in
Paterson, New Jersey’s Eastside
High in 1982. To keep students in
line and in school, he patrolled the
halls with a bullhorn and a Louisville
Slugger.
He also was portrayed in a 1989
movie, “Lean on Me,” based on his
career at Eastside High.
In the beginning of his address,
Clark told the audience “you’ll either
love me or you’ll hate me.
“I assure you, I won’t bore you to
night. You’ve had enough of that to
day,” he said in line with his view
that the educational system today is
in shambles.
He blamed the system’s problems
on bureaucrats and politicians, say
ing they are full of “bovine balder
dash.”
Today’s school system needs a
“good dose of accountability,” he
said.
Clark applauded the efforts of
teachers and principals, and said the
only way to get the system in work
ing order again is to empower them
so they can do their jobs.
“Teachers by and large are ded
icated, committed, underpaid and
overworked,” he said.
Clark also said African-Ameri
cans, mostly in inner-city schools, do
not receive an education that is close
to the quality of others.
“The education they get from
these rotten schools isn’t equal to
that of whites and Asians,” he said.
With hard work, however, these
students can close the gap.
“It’s about getting into those class
rooms and showing you can compe
te,” Clark said. “If you can memorize
Public Enemy, then you can learn
your times tables.”
The Louisville Slugger is not just a
symbol of discipline, he explained.
“The baseball bat means, ‘Kids, it’s
your turn at bat. What are you going
to do, strike out or hit a homerun?”’
Clark also said the bureaucracy
should provide alternative educatio
nal avenues for those students who
can’t learn in traditional schools, he
said. Parents should also be able to
choose how and where to educate
their children, he said.
The former principal also slashed
out at affirmative action. He said it is
“divisive, antagonistic” and destined
to fail.
“You can’t take from this person
and give to that person,” Clark said.
“Black people want equal access to
the door of opportunity as everyone
else.
“You can’t do for people what
people should do for themselves,”
he said. “That’s affirmative action —
doing for yourself.”
His views on affirmative action
echoed a theme he touched on
throughout the address.
“If you end up being nothing,
shame on yourself,” Clark said. “Be
cause that’s what you wanted to be —
a damned nothing. Whatever you do
as you cross this land, don’t try to op
press other individuals. Don’t ever
give in to a system that’s rotten to the
core.
“Whatever you do in this life,
don’t become a ventriloquist’s
dummy — think for yourself.”
In the program for the address,
Clark said:
“Fight one more round. You have
to be tough. People are selfish, irre
sponsible and self-centered, but love
them anyway. All the things that
took a lifetime to build will be torn
down, but build anyway.
“When you’ve given the best you
have to the world, you are kicked in
the teeth, but give your best any
way.”