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The Battalion
Vol. 92 No. 69 (6 pages)
‘Serving Texas A&M Since 1893’
Monday, December 7, 1992
A&M
st of the atten-
s season,
s why that is
;aid he hopes
usiasm abou;
can be trans-
Official asks for Mobley's resignation
By GARY P. CARROLL,
City Editor of THE BATTALION
sam has bees
id. "You have
; teams in
n College Sla-
R.C. (Slocum,
coach) hasn’l
ally-intimida!
e picking upa
>ut his fello’
■s at the same
State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-
douston, called for the resignation of
exas A&M University President William
ttie Mobley in a letter sent to The Battalion
pst Thursday.
"I am writing today with the sincere
lope the I can convince you to step down
Is A&M president," Thompson's letter
Stated.
Thompson said in her letter that Mob-
by's position should be filled by someone
ith a clear vision for the 21st century as
ell as a sensitivity for Texas' dynamic
Thompson
educational system.
"I will not hesitate
to stand up for what I
feel is right," Thomp
son said.
A&M has increased
its efforts of recruiting
minorities, and ac
cording to a Universi
ty Relations report, its
efforts have paid off.
A&M leads the
Southwest Confer
ence in minority retention, and the Uni
versity has seen an 89 percent increase in
minority enrollment since Mobley took
office.
By the spring of 1992, 63.6 percent of
all African-American students who en
rolled in A&M in 1986 graduated; 56.1
percent of Hispanic students graduated;
and 66.3 percent of Anglo students grad
uated.
Despite these figures, as well as an in
crease in minority scholarships at A&M,
Thompson feels that Mobley has not dealt
with issues of cultural diversity appropri
ately, and that he has failed to encourage
attitudes of racial tolerance.
Thompson's call for Mobley's resigna
tion was a result of what she called a lack
of a direct response by Mobley to A&M's
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The fraternity threw a 'jungle' party at
which pledges, dressed in black face paint
and grass skirts, were allegedly chased by
active members — a theme deemed
racially insensitive by University officials.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon received discipli
nary and retributive sanctions, as well as
a $1,000 fine to be applied toward a mul
ticultural awareness program. Still,
Thompson feels Mobley never responded
properly to the charges of racist activity at
the party.
"There was an opportunity for the
president to act, and I think he failed to
act appropriately," Thompson said. "He
could have stood up, and said he was not
going to tolerate this type of conduct on
campus - but he didn't."
Thompson said Mobley's failure to
condemn the fraternity's behavior was
tantamount to condoning it.
"... By the position he took when he
said, 'Well (Rep. Ron Wilson) can come
and make a response/ it lets me know
that (Mobley) fosters that kind of attitude
- that's the impression it leaves in my
mind," Thompson said.
She said she is pleased with the execel-
lence and quality of research at A&M, but
See Thompson/Page 3
-’resident reacts
o accusations
Mobley: she doesn't know us very well
By GARY R CARROLL
were playing
ey were n
aid. "(Asare-
lore physical
of a scouting
)le I was play-
ess the same
/ards, three
men, the
g to find the
> make up for
ht. Johnson
A&M'S fast- City Editor of THE BATTALION
it is a simplel Texas A&M University Presi-
ition to finish lent Dr. William Mobley respond-
H yesterday to a letter written by
run-and-shoot ate Rep. Sen-
: we do run a pnia Thomp-
. "We don't bn, D-Hous-
butwe'vegot in, calling for
s resignation
be in bettei tithe grounds
in open break )at he has not
t. It's a fast- ken an active
it's thekindllble in multi-
liltural aware-
able to work less at A&M.
fection, John-1 "My guess
1 final record I that she was
an. The team lacting ... in
Barone's sys- a /ery strong way to get my atten-
ully aware of lin," Mobley said. "It's probably
ts out of his example of if she knew us bet-
or we worked harder to make
re she knew us, she would be
le to put it into context."
Although Mobley has not yet
g that I stayloken with Thompson, he feels
at she is reacting to the situation
garding Rep. Ron Wilson and
s feelings concerning an issue of
cial insensitivity involving an
StM fraternity.
In October, the Sigma Alpha
isilon fraternity was accused of
■rowing a party with a racist
angle" theme. Allegedly, active
lembers dressed in hunting fa-
ues chased, or "hunted,"
edges who had painted them-
Ives black.
The fraternity was punished by
ving its social and rush privi-
bes canceled and requiring fra-
Mobley
or himself is
nore injuries,
'ortunities.
r 12JV)
.m,
EM 101
tice Final
beams
EM 101
tice Final
beams
EM 101
tice Final
beams
EM 101
tice Final
ixams
EM 102
tice Final
beams
TH 251
I Review
:t 229
Review
fH 151
Review
CT 230
Review
FH 308
Review
TH 141
I Review
TH 251
1 Review
Jeven band cadets
iwait punishment
By GINA HOWARD
Reporter of THE BATTALION
IA closed hearing to decide the
(ate of the seven former Aggie
Band members who protested
/ring the Texas A&M-University
■Texas football game was held at
|e Military Sciences Building Sat-
day.
The seven cadets, six seniors
id one freshman, were dis-
issed from the band after they
the field during halftime of
e Nov. 26 A&M-University of
xas football game in order to
oid playing on the same field as
eUTband.
The seven cadets and on-scene
id character witnesses testified
■ the hearing. Lt. Col. Mike
ike, administrative hearing offi-
r, will consider the testimony
len determining the cadets pun-
tment.
Duke alone will decide if fur-
|er punishment is necessary,
ich could include expelling the
Hets from the Corps.
"If it (punishment) is serious
ough, (Duke) will present his
cision through me to Gen. Dar-
ig (corps commandant)," said
Col. James McCleskey, chief of
'erations and training for the
rps of Cadets.
McCleskey said further punish-
■nt may depend on the degree
which the cadets violated or-
rs and rules.
The seven cadets were dis
used from the Aggie Band by
l Ray Toler, director of march-
; and concert bands, after they
Iked off the field during the
lf-time performance. They
re not allowed to sit with the
id during the second half of the
game.
Jeff Gibbs, a senior cadet who
participated in the protest, said he
did not want to be a member of
the only Aggie Band to share the
field with another band.
"I didn't want to be disgraced
on my last performance in the Ag
gie Band," Gibbs said last week
following his dismissal. "I felt
like we were set up."
The band should have never
been put in the position of sharing
the field with the University of
Texas, said Jerry Gonzales last
week.
The protest might not have
been the right thing to do, but the
seven cadets were not the only
ones at fault. Josh Brooks, a senior
cadet, said last week after the inci
dent.
McCleskey said he was unable
to predict what the outcome of the
hearing might be.
"I wouldn't presume to pre
judge at this time," he said. "The
privacy of these cadets has to be
considered."
Christi Evans, one of the
protesting cadets, said she is un
sure what will be decided, but
that the process seemed fair.
"There were character witness
es, and we were allowed legal ad
vice on how to answer questions,"
she said.
Other cadets involved in the
protest declined to comment due
to the pending investigation. Dar
ling said he declined to comment
at length on the hearing because
he has not really been involved.
"I really don't know much
about this/' he said. "I've stayed
out of their way to let them carry
out the process."
ternity leaders to attend a retreat
on multicultural awareness.
The fraternity was also fined
$1,000, which goes toward a pro
gram on multicultural sensitivity
that the fraternity must produce
and deliver to the Greek system at
A&M.
Thompson's letter stated that
the sanctions were "wholly inap
propriate, unresponsive and in
sensitive," and that A&M was
"out-of-tune with modern Ameri
ca with an environment hostile to
minorities."
Mobley said the letter was
probably written out of anger in
an attempt by Thompson to un
derscore the severity of the prob
lem.
"We haven't done a good
enough job to set the context for
(Thompson), and if she really un
derstood what was going on here
she'd still be angry," Mobley said.
Mobley insisted that A&M is
not a racist university and was not
hostile toward minorities, but
agreed that the University must
continue to educate students on
multicultural issues.
Thompson's letter stated,
"There is a critical need for man
dated multicultural studies at
Texas' flagship universities.
There is an even greater need
to institute actual programs of mi
nority admissions, hiring and re
cruitment."
Since Mobley took his position
as president of A&M, the Univer
sity has seen a steady increase in
See Mobley/Page 3
DARRIN HILUThe Battalion
It’s beginning
to look a lot like
Christmas
Members of Boy Scout
Troop Pack 976 Den 5
(above), along with
Santa Claus and helper
(right), wave to parade
spectators at the 1992
Christmas parade held
Sunday afternoon.
There were about 110
entries in the parade,
which was held along
Texas Avenue.
DARRIN HILUThe Battalion
Earthquake faults
Geologists find 2 new ones in Los Angeles
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Two previ
ously unknown earthquake faults
have been discovered in down
town Los Angeles, passing be
neath skyscrapers, along the Hol
lywood Freeway and near Dodger
Stadium, geologists said Sunday.
If the faults are active, they
could produce quakes measuring
5.5 to 6.5 on the Richter scale.
That would "be very damaging
because they are so close to major
population centers," said geolo
gist Jim Dolan of the California In
stitute of Technology in Pasadena.
Of more concern is the possibil
ity that the newly discovered
Echo Park and MacArthur Park
faults may be connected to and
rupture at the same time as the
deeper Elysian Park fault, which
was discovered five years ago,
Dolan said.
Scientists believe the Elysian
Park fault could produce a quake
measuring at least 7 right under
downtown Los Angeles.
In advance: Bush to
visit A&M next week
Bush
According to a report this morning from
White House Press Spokesman Marlin
Fitzwater, President George Bush will be vis
iting Texas A&M on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 11
a.m.
Bush is scheduled to speak on major for
eign policy issues. A White House advance
team will be in College Station this week to
prepare for the president’s visit.
Bush’s last trip to College Station was in
1989 when he gave a commencement ad
dress for A&M December graduates.