The Battalion
1,93 No. 5 (20 pages)
1893 — A Century of Service to Texas A&M — 1993
tegents approve $1 billion operating budget
By Stephanie Pattillo
The Battalion
Last week the Texas A&M University Sys-
iBoard of Regents approved a $1.19 billion
lating budget for the System, a 7.11 percent
ase from last year.
Although every school in the system re-
jed an increase in their individual budgets
1993, system representa-
essaid the increases had
igto do with the institu-
i'name changes.
Effective Sept. 1, Texas A&I
liversity became Texas
i University-Kingsville,
ipus Christi State became
usA&M-Corpus Christi
i Laredo State became
as A&M International Uni-
sity.
Hie name changes were made to reflect the
Stations' ties to the A&M System.
The name changes did not affect the bud-
this year because they (name changes)
jenot final yet," Terri Parker, a system
tewoman, said.
Robert Furgason, president of Texas A&M-
iipus Christi, agreed that there was no direct
Itionship between the name changes and
t (increase in the 1994 budget.
'Since we have become part of the System,
is a strong desire to see our association
j ough our name and capital," he said.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi received a 44.03
percent increase in their budget from last year.
It received, along with Texas A&M Univer
sity-Kingsville and Texas A&M International
University, one of the greatest increases in the
System, according to System reports.
This can be attributed to the South Texas
Boarder Region Development Initiative, said
Penny Beaumont, vice chancellor for commu-
"There was a feeling in the Legislature that higher ed
ucation institutions in south Texas were traditionally
under-served."
- Penny Beaumont, vice chancellor for communications
nications.
The initiative was formed after criticism
from state leaders and a lawsuit by the Mexi
can American Legal Defense and Education
Fund stating that adequate funding in South
Texas universities has not been provided.
"There was a feeling in the Legislature that
higher education institutions in south Texas
were traditionally under-served," Beaumont
said.
"There is a growing population in this area
with a need for higher education."
Furgason said, "It was designed to build
programs at the universities in south Texas
that other universities take for granted, such as
a master's degree in history."
Because of the initiative, Texas A&M-Cor-
pus Christi and Texas A&M International Uni
versity will grow from two- to four-year insti
tutions and will enroll freshman and sopho
more students, not just upperclassmen.
Although the System budget for 1994 will
total $1.19 billion, up from $1.11 billion, B.J.
Crain, budgets office director, said the majority
of the increase is a result of
the dollars given through
the south Texas initiative.
"It looks like a 7 percent
increase is great, but then
you have to stop and con
sider the south Texas mon
ey that is a big part of the
increase," she said.
Crain said the other rea-
son the increase for the Sys
tem may not be as great as it appears is be
cause the System continues to face require
ments that cannot be funded.
Dr. William H. Mobley, A&M's newly ap
pointed chancellor, said areas such as depart
mental operations, deferred maintenance, and
utility costs are still underfunded.
"Overall, we will not be maintaining cur
rent service levels when we factor in inflation
and enrollment growth," he said.
But, Crain said, she doesn't want to down
play the budget increase.
"We went into the legislative session this
See Budget/Page 3
Friday, September 3,1993
Convicted killer executed
The Associated Press
HUNTSVILLE — An ex-truck driver convicted of shooting to
death one of two women he abducted was executed early Friday.
Johnny James, 39, had been convicted of abducting two women.
Both were shot, sexually assaulted and left for dead in a rural road
side ditch in Southeast Texas.
One victim survived despite three bullet wounds, including two
to the head that left her temporarily blind.
Chambers County District Attorney Michael Little said James de
served to be executed.
"He didn't have this long string of prior criminal acts that some
on death row have, but he did have some very violent tendencies
that we were able to show at trial," Little said. "I believe someone
who carries on those types of activities forfeits his right to live," Lit
tle said.
James was pronounced dead at 12:17 a.m., eight minutes after
the lethal drugs began flowing into his arm.
He had no final statement. He kept his eyes closed from the time
witnesses arrived in the death chamber. He coughed once and
gasped once.
Outside the prison, about two dozen demonstrators, including a
handful of youths, sang "Happy Trails To You."
About a dozen of them were death penalty opponents, who car
ried candles.
The U.S. Supreme Court turned down two requests for a stay,
with the last coming less than three hours before he was executed.
At 10:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, less than three hours before the
lethal drugs were scheduled to begin flowing into James, the high
court rejected a petition for a rehearing of an appeal.
See Execution/Page 13
, fell leaders hope
or safe celebration
By James Bernsen
The Battalion
Texas A&M University stu-
ilswill hold the first yell prac-
ofthe year tonight, and A&M
leaders said they hope it will
r Aggie Spirit in a better light
last year's first yell practice,
lark Rollins, head yell leader,
last year's yell practice was
d by students attempting to
across Kyle Field, who were
tby members of the Corps
Ladets and beaten,
think there were problems
some freshmen who didn't
irstand it was bad bull to run
tssthe field," Rollins said.
The reason the Corps is there
skeep people off the field."
WWiatt, director of the Uni-
% Police Department, said
itprior to last year's incident,
'hashad few problems at yell
ice.
After last year's incident, he
l,UPD officials sat down with
dent Services and Corps repre-
I datives to prevent another inci-
also said UPD will have
officers present to provide a deter
rent but does not want to be op
pressive.
"It's supposed to be a fun
thing, but we will have officers
there to maintain order and deco
rum," Wiatt said.
Wiatt said UPD will issue cita
tions to minors and arrest people
who are intoxicated before, dur
ing and after yell practice.
"It's no freebie where you can
do whatever you want," Wiatt
said.
"Anybody we see drunk, walk
ing and driving, will be dealt with
accordingly."
Rollins also said alcohol has
been a problem at yell practice.
"A lot of times, people are
drunk, and they're throwing up
and making a scene," he said.
"That's a problem, especially
when parents are there.
"Yell practice is basically a time
to have fun," he said.
"The students must realize that
they're in college and should have
responsibility.
"The purpose of midnight yell
is to generate spirit for the univer
sity in general, and for the football
game the next day," Rollins said.
Midnight Yell tonight
Texas A&M will continue
an age-old tradition on Fri
day night with its first Mid
night Yell Practice of the
season.
The tradition, which oc
curs the night before a foot
ball game, will take place at
Kyle Field.
A&M's football season
will open tomorrow after
noon at 2:30 p.m. against
Louisiana State at Kyle
Field.
Inside
Sports
'A&M prepares to battle LSU
in opener
See Pullout
Opinion
fro/Con: Should America
jfantcitizenship to U.S.
5orn children of illegal
aliens?
Page 15
Weather
•Friday: mostly cloudy,
widely scattered showers
•Forecast for Saturday:
nice and sunny for the
game, highs in the 90s
•Extended forecast: partly
cloudy and highs still in
the 90s
Boot-scootin , Aggie style
Kyle Bumett/Thc Battalion
Brian Stevens (right) and Stampede perform before a crowd of Steven, a former A&M student, and his band were the opening act
about 250 people Thursday night at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre, for country muic star T.J. Sheppard.
A&M nuclear reactors may shut down
By Geneen Pipher
The Battalion
Texas A&M University may be forced to
shut the doors of its two nuclear reactors be
cause of a new congressionally mandated li
censing fee of $62,100 on all university-run re
actors.
The total bill from the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) for Texas A&M's nuclear
engineering department comes to $125,000 for
its five-watt reactor located in the Zachry En
gineering Building and its larger, one-
megawatt reactor located west of campus.
Dan Reece, director of the Nuclear Science
Center and associate professor of nuclear engi
neering, said university-run reactors have al
ways been exempt from federal licensing fees.
"Thirty-five years ago, in an effort to reduce
the deficit, the Nuclear Regulatory Commis
sion was supposed to collect licensing fees
from all research reactors," Reece said.
"At the time, the NRC exempted universi
ty-run reactors because they cannot pass the
fees on to anyone else, and they don't like to
charge the students."
A lawsuit resulted in the canceling of ex
ceptions for all non-profit university-run reac
tors said Reactor Supervisor Robert Berry.
"It was a lawsuit not directly related to uni
versity-run reactors, but it came down that all
non-profit exemptions were canceled," he
said.
Berry said he is not sure whether the A&M
reactors will be granted an exemption under
the new guidelines.
"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is
still formulating guidelines for exemptions,"
he said.
"Once they have figured out what they are,
both reactors will file individually for exemp
tions. No one knows what the guidelines are
yet so no one here knows what our chances
are of getting exempted."
Reece said if the University is not granted
an exemption, the reactor in Zachry would al
most certainly close.
"The reactor would probably close instant
ly, if not sooner," he said.
"The other one might be able to stay open
on the budget we have, but we would be look
ing at a two-year wind down."
"You have two years to institute a decom
missioning, which is very expensive," Reece
said.
"TU just spent $5 million decommissioning
shut down on their old reactor."
The Texas A&M Nuclear Engineering De
partment is supporting a petition submitted
to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by
Cornell University pledging to fight the licens
ing fees.
"All the universities with research reactors,
including the University of Texas, have gotten
together and are fighting this thing together,"
Berry said.
"There has been an article in Science Maga
zine and an upcoming article in Nuclear News
supporting our case."
In a letter to the secretary of the United
States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dr.
Kenneth L. Peddicord, interim dean of the
College of Engineering and director of Texas
Engineering Experiment Station, said students
and teachers have toured the facility to learn
about nuclear science, and 13 universities in
Texas and the southwest are served by the
A&M reactors.
Reece said the facilities are invaluable to the
University and the approximately 200 under
graduate and graduate students who use
them.
"Right now the nuclear engineering depart
ment is in the top 10 percent in the nation in
nuclear engineering, principally because we
have the two reactors," he said. "I think our
ranking would fall if we were to close."
"I foresee that we could be number one or
two in the nation if we keep on our present
course," Reece said. "It would definitely affect
the prestige of the University if they were to
close."
Reece said he is hopeful the reactors will re
main open, but he can't be sure.
"It would be a detriment to students and
the University for the reactors to close," he
said.
"You can't beat hands-on experience when
it comes to this kind of thing, and that is what
they get here."