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The Battalion
Monday, September 7,
mmsm
Mond
BILLY MORAN/The Battalion
The Alpha Phi Alpha Stepping Team performs at the MSC Open House on Sunday. Stepping was
brought to the United States by black servicemen after World War I. Members stress that the
stepping shows represent only about 2 percent of what their fraternity does, with service projects
representing the other 98 percent.
Lack of profits become
Superman's kryptonite
D.C. Comics to kill superhero after more than 50 years
By REAGON CLAMON
Reporter of THE BATTALION
He may be able to leap tall buildings in a single
bound. He may even be faster than a speeding bul
let. But, even the "man of steel" can't battle the
almighty dollar and win.
According to sources in D.C. Comics, Superman
may have captured his last bad guy. In Issue num
ber 75, they say. Superman will die.
George Comits, manager of B-CS Comics, is skep
tical, to say the least. He believes that D.C. Comics is
trying to bring interest back to the character because
sales of the comic have been slow in the last few
years.
"If they truly write a fantastic story of Superman
dying while he was saving something, that would be
impressive," Comits said. "But at this point I think
it's 90 percent gimmick."
The 75th issue of Superman will be specially
bagged and will also contain a black arm band with
a single white "s".
Comits said orders for advanced copies have been
tremendous.
"I am predicting phenomenal sales for that issue
Comits said. "People who hate Superman - win
think he's stupid — are asking me for multipk
copies," Comits said. "It's almost like a feedinj
frenzy of collectors."
Comits said if they kill off Superman, the increae
ingly violent and senseless comic book industry \yi
lose one of its true heroes.
"I think if he died, a lot of people that didn't real
ize they cared would miss him," Comits said.
"A lot of people got into comics because it's at
other way they can dream. A lot of people wouldra
alize a piece of that world would be gone."
Comits said he knew at least one person thatwai
very upset over the possibility of the end of theSu
perman series.
"He said, 'I want you to know that if they kill hit
I will probably drop all my D.C. comics,'" Comils
said.
"And I asked him about Batman, because he real
ly likes Batman, and he said, 'If they kill Supenwr,
how do I know they won't go after Batman next."’
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Industrial engineering
professor earns honor
for A&M department
By BRANDI JORDAN
Reporter of THE BATTALION
Dr. Don T. Phillips, a professor
in Texas A&M University's De
partment of Industrial Engineer
ing has been appointed the inau
gural holder of the Chevron Pro
fessorship in Engineering.
The endowed position is one of
two engineering professorships
established at Texas A&M by the
Chevron Corp.
"It's quite an honor for me, but
it's really more of a departmental
honor," Phillips said. "It was a
competitive situation. They
(Chevron) looked at departments
from lots of different colleges be
fore they chose the one depart
ment to honor."
The department will use the en
dowment to augment its travel
funds and to buy some new
equipment for the labs," said
Phillips.
Phillips is also the director of
the Texas Engineering Experi
ment Station's (TEES) Program
for Automation in Manufactur
ing.
Phillips came to Texas A&M in
1975. He earned his master's and
doctoral degrees in industrial en
gineering from the University of
Arkansas.
His teaching and research is fo
cused on manufacturing systems
engineering and includes manu
facturing systems simulation, sta
tistical quality control and appli
cations of operations^research.
Phillips has authored or co-au
thored more than 14 textbooks
and monographs, as well as more
than 50 research articles.
He is a member of the Board of
Trustees and a Fellow of the Insti
tute of Industrial Engineers (HE).
Phillips received a David F. Baker
distinguished Research Award
from HE.
He is a TEES Fellow and has re
ceived the Faculty Distinguished
Achievement Award in Research
from the Texas A&M Association
of Former Students.
Graduate student dies of tumor
29-year-old Yong-Hun Lee from Seoul, Korea,
died Aug. 31 of a brain tumor. Lee was a graduate
student working toward his Ph.D. in electrical
engineering.
The Battalion
ATLANTIS TILLMAN, Editor in Chief
STEVE O'BRIEN, Managing Editor GARY CARROLL, City Editor
JASON LOUGHMAN, Opinion Editor J. DOUGLAS FOSTER, Sports Editor
MEREDITH HARRISON, News Editor CHRIS WHITLEY, Sports Editor
HEIDI SAUER, News Editor KARL STOLLEIS, Photo Editor
TODD BLACKMON, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Staff Members
Reporters — Melody Dunne, Mark Evans, Todd Stone, Sharon Gilmore, Robin Roach,
Brandi Jordan, Cheryl Heller, Tanya Sasser, Robin Goodpaster, Juli Phillips, Tanya Williams,
Julie Chelkowski, Monique Lunsford, and Will Healy.
Copy editors — Kyle Burnett, Tracia Newbold, Jennifer Mentlick, David Thomas and
Jennifer Smith.
Photographers — Darrin Hill, Jenny Matlack, Randy Nichols, Sandra Alvarado, Billy Moran,
and Robert Reed.
Lifestyles writers — Susan Owen, Anas Ben-Musa, Tricia Martinez and Julie Polston.
Sports writers— K. Lee Davis, Michael Plumer, Don Norwood and Ruly Medrano.
Columnists — Anthony LoBaido, Stacy Feducia, Dwayne Purvis, Shawn Ralston, Matt
Dickerson, and Toni Garrard.
Cartoonists — William Harrison, Thomas Deeney, George Nasr, and Clay Welch.
Clerks — Darra Dees, Jane Harvey, Shelley Rowton and Jamie Anderson.
The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and
spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except
university holidays and exam periods), at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid
at College Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building,
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840.
News: The Battalibn news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in
the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices
are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Opinion Page staff or the contributor
and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M Battalion editors, student
body, administration, faculty or staff.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified
advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours
are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full
year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
Miss Black and Gold
wins national title
KARL A. STOLLEIS/The Battalion
Miss Black and Gold, Erica Davis, at a reception last Thursday.
By TANYA WILLIAMS
Reporter of THE BATTALION
W hen Erica Davis ap
plied to be considered
as a contestant for the
Texas A&M chapter of Alpha Phi
Alpha's Miss Black and Gold
pageant, she didn't realize that
her application would lead to a
national title.
"This year has been over
whelming," Davis said. "When I
, applied for Miss Black and Gold,
I was just hoping to be in the
contest, not to win it all."
Erica Davis, a sophomore from
Houston, won the campus con
test in February. She won the
state and regional competitions
in the spring which carried her to
the national competition held in
Anaheim, Calif, last month
where she won the national title.
Erica considers herself blessed
to have been a participant in the
pageants and even more blessed
that she was allowed to achieve
the victories.
"I can only achieve what God
allows for me to achieve," Davis
said. "But I also believe that faith
without work is dead."
With her 19th birthday ap
proaching September 20, Davis
was the youngest contestant to
win the national title, and the
first freshman to win the title
here on campus. Being a fresh
man when she won, Davis felt
that just entering the competition
would help her develop a place
on campus.
"I didn't want to be over
whelmed by the university,"
Davis said. "It was a good way to
make a statement."
Davis considered that entering
the pageant would be a good op
portunity to get her face around
the campus and the community
as well as use a gown that she
had previously used in a
pageant.
"I already had a gown I used
in the Miss Black Houston
Metroplex pageant," Davis said.
"And it was expensive."
Being a journalism major,
Davis felt that the character im
provements and networking she
was able to do through all four
pageants was valuable to her and
her career plans as a broadcast
journalist.
"Being in journalism,
pageantry helps with your air
and attitude," Davis said. "Both
"I can only achieve what
God allows for me to
achieve. But I also
believe that faith
without work is dead."
-Erica Davis, Miss Black
and Gold
things are necessary to come
across on television well."
In between regiohal and na
tional competition, Davis partici
pated in two other pageants,
Miss Black Houston Metroplex
and Miss Black Texas where she
place 1st runner-up winning a
$1,000 scholarship and 2nd run
ner-up, respectively.
"Participating in each of these
pageants helped me prepare for
nationals," Davis said. "As well
as participation in the state and
regional Black and Gold
pageants helped me prepare for
the Houston and Texas
pageants."
Through her wins, Davis has
had the opportunity to attend
Athletes for Athletes Golf Tour
nament and other community
functions as a guest and role
model.
Davis hopes her wins encour
age freshmen on this campus as
well as other students to take
steps to succeed.
"Freshmen shouldn't let any
one discourage them," Davis
said. "If they take pertinent steps
toward their goals, classification
or age has no bearing on ability."
RESEARCH
Skin Infection Study
VIP Research is seeking individuals 12 years of age or older with
uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections. If you have a skin
infection, you may qualify for a four week research study using a currently
available antibiotic medication. Participants who qualify and complete
the study will be paid $200.
GENITAL HERPES STUDY
Individuals with genital herpes infection are being recruited for a 3 week
research study of an investigational anti-viral medication. If you would
like to find out more about this study, call VIP Research. $400 will be
paid to qualified volunteers who enroll and complete this study.
Anxiety Study
Individuals are being recruited for a research study on Generalized
Anxiety Disorder. If you experience anxiety or would like to find out more
about this study, call VIP Research. $200 will be paid to qualified
volunteers who enroll and complete this study.
Angina Study
VIP Research is seeking individuals 10 years of age or older with angina.
If you have physician diagnosed angina, you may qualify for a nine week
research study using a currently available antiana in a medication.
Participants who qualify and complete this study will be paid $600.
CALL
Volunteers in Pharmaceutical Research, Inc.
776-1417
Texas yY IVI
WATERS KI CLUB
Hope to ski you at
our informational meeting
Tuesday Sept. 8th
8:30 p.m.
Rm. 301 Rudder Tower
for more information
please call
Keith 696-2410
Mark 696-8403
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