Friday,
Page 2
hold discussion
By TANYA SASSER
Staff Writer of THE BATTALION
In the first-ever panel discus
sion between Texas A&M Greeks
and members of the Gay and Les
bian Student Services (GLSS) on
Thursday, A&M gays and les
bians said that, with a small
number of exceptions. Aggies ac
cept them for who they are.
Four members of GLSS, three
men and one woman, answered
questions from about 30 members
of the Greek system.
Clay Kilpatrick, a panelist and
sophomore computer engineering
major, said he receives a number
of prank calls when he checks
Gayline messages.
"We do get a lot of obscene
calls such as people saying, 'All
you fags are going to die of
AIDS,'" he said. "This is ab
solutely not true, and fortunately,
I think these calls come from a
small local minority."
Kim Rettig, a panelist and ar
chitecture graduate student, re
sponded to a question about the
treatment she receives from fel
low Aggies.
"I've never had a real problem
with any of the students here,"
she said. "I don't think it's as big
of a concern as people think."
Jim Mazzullo, a panelist and
professor of geology at A&M, said
he feels religious groups and
young people have the hardest
time accepting homosexuals.
"This is completely under
standable," he said. "They proba
bly don't mean any harm. They
are just exercising their feelings,
and I don't have a problem with
that."
Rettig, who formerly attended
the University of Washington,
said acceptance of gays is greater
in large cities.
"A&M is located in a small
town, and we are not exposed to
the diversity of a large city," she
said. "People here are a little more
suppressed, but I have not experi
enced any real problems."
Rettig said most harmful reac
tions against gays are a direct ef
fect of people's fear. Fear is a nat
ural reaction from people that
don't know any other way to han
dle the issue, she said.
Kilpatrick said the number of
gays in this country has dropped
below 10 percent because AIDS
struck the gay community first in
America.
The Brazos Valley Community
Action Agency did a study on
AIDS in Brazos Valley. It found
that AIDS cases have increased 77
percent in the past three years.
"There are about 60 to 70 peo
ple in Brazos Valley infected with
AIDS," Rettig said. "That number
will be up to about 150 in the fu
ture."
Mazzullo said the average age
that people become infected with
the HTV virus is 18.
"That means that the college-
age group is the fastest growing
to become infected," he said.
"That is a very frightening num
ber."
Benjamin DeLeon, a senior history major from Houston, admires
a Mitsubishi Mirage near the Rudder Fountain Thursday
afternoon. The show, which included cars from three local
dealerships, was sponsored by Pi Sigma Epsilon, a business
fraternity. The fraternity sponsored the show as a marketing
RANDYNICHOmim s
project. Cars from University Toyota and Mitsubishi, Varsity Fort
Lincoln Mercury and Wayne Thomas Hyunda Subarib
Volkswagen, as well as booths by Nation's Bank,
Technology and the Department of Food Services couldl)e|
visited. The show will continue until 4 p.m. Friday.
Officials comment on halls' demolition
Health Tips
By LAURA HALEY
Special to THE BATTALION
The demolition of Law and Puryear halls
will increase competition for off-campus hous
ing and cause rent rates to rise, said Logan
Hampton, coordinator of A&M's Off-Campus
Center.
Both halls are scheduled for be demolition
in the summer of 1994 because of water dam
age to the foundations.
The decision to tear down the halls was
made after receiving several engineering stud
ies from the Department of Planning and Facil
ities about unsafe conditions, said Dr. John
Koldus, vice president of student services.
Students in Law and Puryear halls wanting
to stay on campus are guaranteed a bed.
However, this will leave 400 fewer spaces for
incoming freshman and transfer students.
John White, assistant director of housing,
said Law and Puryear will not be rebuilt be
cause there is not enough money. Housing of
ficials are reluctant to charge more fees to
build residence halls because they are trying to
keep costs down.
Ultimately, the elimination of the halls will
force 400 students to compete for off-campus
housing.
"Traditionally, there is a 99 percent occu
pancy rate [in local apartments, duplexes etc.]
by the first day of fall classes, meaning that we
still have some spaces available," Hampton
said. "However, this year we had a 100 per
cent occupancy three weeks before classes had
ever begun."
The problem of finding a place to live off
campus will only grow because there are no
construction plans for new complexes, Hamp
ton said.
"Because rent rates are lower than the cost
of building a new complex rents are probably
going to have to go up another 50 percent be
fore new complexes are built," Hampton said.
Meanwhile, off-campus housing prices are
rising. Hampton said he believes that the 400
people forced to live off campus will add to
the occupancy problem.
Branson Research Association, a local re
search firm, published concerns about the situ
ation in January. They suggested students con
sider living in houses instead of paying the
higher apartment rents.
The Off-Campus Center has asked the
Bryan-College Station, community for help
with the housing situation. Representatives of
the Center have sent newsletters, appeared on
TV, and pushed for the refurbishment of com
plexes and duplexes.
"During the last two years the Bryan-Col-
lege Station community has responded very
well," Hampton said.
However, until new complexes or halls are
built, students must continue to compete for
the waning amount of spaces available on and
off campus.
Early voter turnout in Texas doubles 1990 election rate
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Since early voting
began in Texas last week, voters
have been streaming to the polls
at double the rate from the 1990
election.
The secretary of state's office
checked the first seven days of
voting in a survey of metropolitan
counties.
Election and political party of
ficials attribute the increase in
part to a presidential election in
which two candidates — Presi
dent Bush and billionaire Ross
Perot — call Texas home and the
third. Bill Clinton, hails from
neighboring Arkansas.
The officials also said that the
increase in early voting can be
credited to legislation that allows
people to vote in malls and gro
cery stores rather than the tradi
tional locations in government
buildings.
Travis County Clerk Dana De-
Beauvoir said one spur to early
voting this year seems to be a be
lief that casting a ballot can make
a difference.
Best birth control depends
on individual preference'
By RON WEBB
A.P. BEUTEL HEALTH CENTER
Q: What is the best method of
contraception for me?
A: The best form of contra
ception for you personally is the
one that you choose. No one
knows you or your body better
than you, so no one is better
suited for making that choice
than you.
But, it is essential that you be
secure with your sexuality and
your views on the different
methods of contraception, be it
condoms, the birth-control pill,
abstinence, or any of the other
forms of contraception before
you make your choice.
You can choose from over-
the-counter or prescription
forms of contraception.
You, as an individual, must
take it upon yourself to become
familiar with the various meth
ods and determine how you feel
about them on a social, personal,
moral, religious, and others
els that are pertinent tollies
the 1990s.
Effectiveness rates will van’
according to which meMi
chosen, but ABSTINENCE IS
THE ONLY 100% S®
METHOD OF CONTRACT
TION.
It is the only way that a f*
son can be perfectly sure te
will not become pregnant or da
velop a sexually transmitted#
ease.
The majority of the time®
traception is seen as being#
responsibility of the female,t:
this is an archaic notion.
It is as much the resrafflU
ty of the male as the female. S
you want to know more ate'
contraception, methods of®-
traception class is taughti’
Room 016 of A.P. BeuteiHeciS
Center every Honda}' eve®
at 5:30 p.m. Call theHealti
Center at 845-1511 if you wall
like to attend.
SAN
closely
chess n
Hays G
Che<
moves
games.
"We
found a I
"Most <
Some oi
The
chess h
inmates
"The
Anythii
Stew
Antonk
and a g
as four
studyin
A m<
The Battalion
ATLANTIS TILLMAN, Editor in Chief
STEVE O’BRIEN, Managing Editor
JASON LOUGHMAN, Opinion Editor
MEREDITH HARRISON, News Editor
HEIDI SAUER, News Editor
TODD BLACKMON, Arts & Entertainment
Editor
GARY CARROLL, City Editor
J. DOUGLAS FOSTER, Sports
Editor
CHRIS WHITLEY, Sports Editor
RICHARD S. JAMES, Photo Editor
Staff Members
Reporters — Melody Dunne, Mark Evans, Todd Stone, Brandi Jordan, Cheryl Heller, Tanya
Sasser, Robin Goodpaster, Juli Phillips, Tanya Williams, Julie Chelkowski, Mack Harrison
and Will Healy.
News desk — Kyle Burnett, Tracia Newbold, Jennifer Mentlik, David Thomas, Lance
Holmes, Lauri Reysa and Jennifer Smith.
Photographers — Darrin Hill, Randy Nichols, Sandra Alvarado, Billy Moran, Jennifer
Lockard, Ricardo S. Garcia, Karl Stolleis 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, Robert Vasquez and Toni Garrard.
Cartoonists — William Harrison, Thomas Deeney, George Nasr and Clay Welch.
Clerks — Darra Dees, Pejcharat Harvey, Shelley Rowton and Carrie Miura.
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 77843.
News: The Battalion 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 $50 per
full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
MSC Wiley Lecture Series
& The Mosher Institute
present
Perestroika,
the New World Order,
and the future of Russia
Dr. Pavel Palazchenko
Personal Advisor to former Soviet
President Mikhail Gorbachev
Friday, October 23, 1992
5:30 p.m.
Rudder Theatre
Admission is free
ANNOUNCING
TAMU - STUDY ABROAD
SPRING 93 IN
Receive TAMU credit and grades Business
and Liberal Arts Classes including Arts,
History, English, Management, and
Accounting
G
The Study Abroad Office is still
accepting applications but you
better hurry.
G
"3
RESERVE YOUR PLACE ASAP!!!
Study Abroad Office 161 Bizzell Hall 845-05$