High 82
Belief in anything we can’t see,
touch, hear, taste or smell requires a
suspension of reason.”
— Tim Truesdale
page 2
Hometown Hero
Bryan native Brian Harrison
fulfills his dream of
pitching for Texas A&M
STARTING
Saddam Hussein
begins to rebuild «
war-torn Iraq pag© 7
The Battalion
Vol. 90 No. 140 USPS 045360 10 Pages College Station, Texas "Serving Texas A&M since 1893" Friday, April 26, 1991
Condom use survey shows decline among college students
By Troy Hall
The Battalion
Condom use among college students
is down, increasing risks of sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs), according
to a recent survey by the nation's larg
est condom maker.
Although college students' concern
about contracting sexual transmitted
diseases increased, they are not acti
vely protecting themselves, the Spring
Break survey conducted by Trojan
Brand Condoms reported.
The fifth annual survey polled nearly
1,000 college students in Daytona
Beach, Fla. to find out their percep
tions and attitudes about practicing
safe sex.
However, the results of the survey
were not positive, said Mark Klein,
vice president for Trojan Products.
"Tnis year's survey indicates stu
dents may be becoming lax in their ef
forts to protect themselves against
STDs," Klein said.
The survey found the number of stu
dents actively using condoms for pro
tection against STDs dropped to 62
percent, compared to 68 percent last
year.
The number of students claiming to
be "extra selective regarding a sexual
E artner" also decreased to 26 percent
om 29 percent in 1990 and 31 percent
in 1989.
Texas A&M's A.P. Beutel Health
Center, however, is making students
aware of the likelihood of an STD if
they opt not to use condoms.
Michelle Herren, a graduate assis
tant for the health education center,
said the center actively passes out con
doms for protection against STDs.
"Because of National Condom Day,
we bought 5,000 condoms," Herren
said. "We have been distributing them
throughout the semester."
She said the center passes out con
doms at STD programs, AIDS pro
grams and at various classes they visit
throughout the semester.
Herren said students are slacking off
on protecting themselves from STDs.
"I don't see STDs being beat into
their head anymore, as it was when the
AIDS problem first came out," Herren
said.
Josette Mortera, clinic assistant for
Planned Parenthood of Brazos County,
said "most college students are still ei
ther uneducated or believe it (contract
ing STDs) won't happen to them."
She said some students who take hu
man sexuality classes or get informa
tion become concerned and come in for
protection.
However, Mortera said he believes
most students are not protecting them
selves against STDs.
Herren said she supports the latest
legislative bill requiring colleges and
See Condom/Page 9
GOODNIGHT. DR. KOLDUS
Administrator
wins prestigious
Scott Goodnight
By Twila Waddy
The Battalion
The students' voice in Texas
A&M's administration. Dr.
John Koldus III, recently
received one of the highest
honors in his field.
Koldus, vice president of
student services, was awarded
the Scott Goodnight Award for
Outstanding Performance as a
dean by the National
Association of Student
Personnel Administrators
(NASPA).
The award was presented
during the NASPA annual
conference in Washington,
D.C.
"The way I felt about it was
they were saying the way I
handle my job was a good
way," Koldus said. "Helping
people is what this business is
all about."
Recipients of this award
must demonstrate a high level
of competency in
administrative skills and
innovative response to needs
of students. They also must
merit the support of students,
faculty and fellow
administrators on their
campus.
"I love my job and I think it
is the greatest job in the
world," Koldus said. "I love
the institution and the student
body that I have had the
opportunity to relate to."
Koldus, who has been at
A&M for 18 years, is
responsible tor nine
departments on campus. The
departments cover the
development of all aspects of
student life at A&M.
"In a nutshell, all of those
things that relate to students
outside the classrooom," he
said.
Koldus said each individual
should decide what is
important in life and be the
best at doing it.
"When I came here I thought
I saw an institution that
blended in with who I am,
what I am and what I liked to
do," he said. "I do not believe
anyone should stay any place
or do anything they do not
enjoy doing."
Koldus has a master's and
doctor of education from the
University of Arkansas. He has
taught and coached at high
schools in Texas and Arkansas
and was an instructor at the
University of Arkansas.
Before coming to A&M,
Koldus was a professor and
vice president of student
affairs at East Texas State
University.
Koldus said he enjoys his
work, but he also likes to
teach. He teaches a course at
A&M in educational
psychology.
"I wanted to teach in college,
and I was not thinking of
getting into college
administration," he said.
Koldus tries to meet as many
JAY JANNER/The Battalion
Dr. John Koldus, vice president of student services, was awarded the Scott
Goodnight Award, one of the highest honors for college administrators.
students as possible by
attending student activities
and luncheons with students
on a weekly basis.
"At every orientation group I
meet, I say if you see me on
campus, come up and
introduce yourself and I will
invite you to lunch," he said.
Koldus said he likes to
attend everything that
students are involved in and
See Koldus/Page 9
Senate
dashes
regent plan
Council of Student Body Presidents sees House
as more supportive of student representation bill
By Greg Mt.Joy
The Battalion
Hopes for student regents on
Texas universities' boards of re
gents look better in the House of
Representa
tives than the
Senate after
Wednesday's
committee
meetings on
the issue.
Ty Cle
venger, chair
man of the
Council of
Student Body
Presidents,
testified before the Senate Edu
cation Committee Wednesday
on behalf of a bill placing two
students on boards of regents as
non-voting members.
Students from the University
of Texas, University of North
Texas and Stephen F. Austin
State University also testified on
behalf of the bill, he said.
"We were barbecued in the
Senate Education Committee,"
Clevenger said. "State Senator
Jeff Parker is absolutely venom
ous. He laid into us."
Clevenger said Parker told the
students that they needed to
learn they do not own state insti
tutions, that state schools belong
to the people of Texas, not stu
dents.
"He said a 'good oT boy from
West Texas had as much a right
to say how a university should
be run as a student," Clevenger
said.
The bill has not been voted on,
however, and will be brought to
a vote with the Education Com
mittee on Monday, he said.
The House Higher Education
Committee also heard testimony
Wednesday night on H.B. 2761,
a non-voting student regent bill.
Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, spoke
in favor of the bill, saying that
students are the universities'
customers and schools need to
better serve them.
Ogden also said that since stu
dents pay for at least 25 percent
of their education, they deserve
some input.
The student regent's bill still
has a chance at getting through
the house, Ogden said.
Clevenger, however, is not
optimistic about the bill's
chances in the Senate.
"The Governor's office has in
dicated, however, that one way
or another students will receive
representation on the Board of
Regents of all university systems
in the state," he said. "They ba
sically want to watch what hap
pens to the bills. If they die, then
See Senate/Page 10
Clevenger
Breaking barriers
International Students Association elects first U.S. citizen
By Bridget Harrow
The Battalion
Texas A&M's chapter of the International Stu
dents Association elected its new president
Wednesday night, and she's a U.S. citizen.
Rhonda Bolick, an international senior from
Wyoming, was elected 1991-1992 president of
ISA. Bolick is the first ISA president from the
United States.
Bolick said she ran for president because she
has become involved with international students
and enjoys working with students from other
countries.
She said she considers herself a "domestic" in
ternational student.
"I want to improve campus life for all interna
tional students — basically to cross cultural
boundaries," she said.
Bolick previously has not held any executive of
ficer position in ISA but has been active in ISA.
She has held many directorships within ISA, in
cluding director of Opening Awards Ceremony
during International Week 1990, housing coordi
nator for the International Music Festival in Fall
1990 and coordinator for the Consul's General
Banquet during this year's International Week.
Bolick said she has three goals as ISA president:
□ Emphasizing teamwork among international
club presidents and ISA executive officers to re
move communication gaps.
□ Improving international student experiences
at A&M and within the United States.
□ Continuing the integration and interaction
between U.S. students and international stu
dents.
Bolick said she also will be trying to get more
U.S. students into the membership of ISA. She
said she became a member in Fall 1989, after hear
ing a speech by Suzanne Droleskey, the student
adviser for International Student Services.
"She (Droleskey) said the United States is part
of the world and you are also a international stu
dent," she said. "You can be a member of ISA, al
so."
Bolick said she became more involved in ISA af
ter being president of the United States Student
Association last year.
U.S. students organized the club within ISA
during Fall 1989 to help international students,
Bolick said.
See ISA/Page 9
Gorbachev
offers to quit
Central Committee rejects president's plan
Mikhail Gorbachev, worn down
by recent criticisms, offered to
resign as president of the Soviet
Union Wednesday, but his pro
posal was rejected by leaders of
the Communist Party.
MOSCOW (AP) — Mikhail S.
Gorbachev, worn down by harsh
criticism from Communist Party
hard-liners, offered Thursday to
quit as party leader, but the offer
was overwhelmingly rejected.
At the closed-door meeting of
the party's Central Committee,
the hard-liners spent the morn
ing blaming Gorbachev for the
nation's political and economic
crisis, according to delegates in
terviewed during breaks.
Gorbachev's critics demanded
he declare a state of emergency
to restore order, which he had
rejected on Wednesday, the first
day of the meeting.
For about two hours, Gorba
chev endured tough remarks by
the 18 delegates, about half of
whom urged him to resign, the
independent news agency Inter
fax said.
Russian republic Communist
boss Ivan Polozkov said Gorba
chev had "abandoned the
party," according to one dele
gate.
Gorbachev finally responded
by forcing the issue, saying he
was tired of the endless attacks
by the traditionalist wing of the
party.
In a tactic he has used before,
Gorbachev made what one dele
gate said was a "half-serious"
suggestion to resign if the Cen-
See Gorbachev/Page 10