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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1993)
nber 1,1993 Smith l 23-10 l Press — Emmitt team-record g a 62-yard Eddie Mur- goals as the beat the 23-10 Sun- jles/an li ed the Cow in a driving ? his big run me. n its fifth its first two ew York Gi- in the NFC the two de- out, erased ony Dorsett n 1977. He le first peri- ust 14 in the al period. 16-10 when the middle 5 to the end The Battalion (jjOOl , 93 No. 47 (10 pages) 1893 — A Century of Service to Texas A&M — 1993 Tuesday, November 2,1993 Interim food services director defends reassignments Employment changes not related to privatization debate, Floyd says >u have to , Tm sure, it doesn't , the wind do is just wind was t. % - re going," affect the wind) af- t and you re (kick)," one in the ategory for r ou look at differently r teams, as a coach, a team to 13 otball game successful 1 record for he real tests next three 5th-ranked exas Christ- of Texas. By Kim McGuire The Battalion The reassignments of the top three rood services administrators is unrelated to allegations that they opposed the re- tently defeated proposal to privatize jA&M's food services, said the interim food services director. Rick Floyd/ interim food services direc- : tor, said the reassignments are unrelated ] to the privatization proposal and declined to comment on the reasons why the em- iployees were shuffled to new positions. ; "Privatization is not the issue," Floyd aid. "I'm not trying to be coy, but I can't comment on why the reassignments took j olace because any time a personnel change j takes place we must be in accordance with employee guidelines. Any misinformation could result in legal recourse." Lloyd Smith, former food services di rector, is now special assistant to Robert Smith, vice president of finance and ad ministration. Smith, who was the director for the past seven years and assistant di rector for the past 15 years, was assigned his new duties on Sept. 14. Floyd said Smith will now work with "complex technology" related to food services. "I don't exactly know all the details, but he (Smith) will be heading a project to interface the food services records on the University's computer system," Floyd said. "Also, he will be assisting the Physi cal Plant in developing the new facility in the veterinary medicine building." George Nedbalek, former business manager, was reassigned the same day as Smith and placed in the Fiscal Office. He has been a university employee for the past seven years. According to an article appearing in the Houston Chronicle, Col. James Moore, who had served as assistant food services director for the past six and a half years and has over 40 years experi ence in food services, was reassigned to a new position a month ago and could no longer keep quiet about his exile. "All I want is my job back," Moore, 67, told the Associated Press, "I like working with kids, and we are good at it. Right now, they have me stuffed in an office where I have to ask permission to leave the office." In the article, Moore said the dismissal came after weeks of internal squabbling between Robert Smith and Lloyd Smith concerning privatization of a dining hall. The article alleges that Robert Smith was pushing for a private contractor to bring name brand fast food into Sbisa Dining Hall, while Lloyd Smith conduct ed studies showing it would be more eco nomical to have the food services depart ment manage the food court. In fact, two weeks ago, the University decided to have the food services depart ment manage the upcoming Underground Food Court. The decision came after a pro posal by ARA, a private food services company, was rejected in September. However, Floyd said, Moore has not been reassigned to a new position, but rather to a new office and will continue his old duties. "He (Moore) is in a beautiful office over in Research Park that used to be my office," Floyd said. "In fact, I hated to give it up. Former President Bill Mob ley always said it was the nicest office on campus." Floyd said Moore will continue to rec ommend pricing policies and will be asked to conduct research concerning the feasibility of beginning catering possibly in the MSC. Floyd said he did not know who pro vided information to the Chronicle or the Bryan Eagle which published an article calling Moore "Floyd's assistant." "You can't believe everything you read in newspapers," Floyd said. He said the department has already begun searching for a new director of food services and a business manager. "We are in the process of forming ad visory committees to aid in the search for the positions," Floyd said. "They'll con sist of representatives from food services. Student Government, faculty and admin istration. Once the committees have been formed we will begin the search." Lance Parr, Class of '91, said he lost his job in the microcomputer center due See Employment/Page 10 Surgeon General: violence epidemic costs U.S. billions The Associated Press ->-0737 ’>-2624 ’>-2625 >-9655 ’>-4511 -7826 9 tes at 4-. $7 ...$10 ,..$12 icntal rds & id-trip irlines orizea. vithin texico. Win- •eceive ? info, Office, <26. c the Ramp pport: ation, C.C. More, tness 3 N C neral ,Coca ollege WASHINGTON — Violence in America has roached epidemic proportions and added $13.5 bil lon to the nation's medical bill last year, Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders said Monday. The administration's top medical official told a House Government Operations Committee panel Ihat the cost of firearm injuries alone is nearly $3 bil lon a year. For too many young people, she said, "it's easier to find a gun than a good friend, a good teacher, a »ood school." She said the 50,000 deaths caused by violence early exceeds the 30,000 who die from AIDS and the !8,000 killed as a result of drunk driving. The panel on violence as a public health issue :«ard from a Brooklyn high school student who said iis hospital care after he was shot in the back, includ- 14 operations and the amputation of a leg, cost more than $1 million. "How many million-dollar bullets will it take be fore someone wakes up?" asked 17-year-old Ralph Green. "Aren't these gunshots loud enough?" Frederick D. Alley, president of the Brooklyn Hos- ital Center, said 10 percent of hospital admissions last year were injury related, most from acts of vio lence, and that care for violence victims cost the hos- at least $12.5 million. Elders said 85 percent of hospital costs for treat- nentof firearm injuries is unreimbursed. Elders blamed poverty and the availability of Irugs and firearms to young people as key reasons for the increase in violence. Tanker leaks sulfuric acid by Blocker By Mark Smith The Battalion A sulfuric acid spill disrupted traffic Monday on Ireland Street from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. when a valve on a tanker truck leaked. The truck from DSI Transport in La Porte was delivering the acid to Texas A&M's power plant, which uses the acid in its water treatment process in the cooling tower. Three to five gallons of the acid spilled onto the street in front of the Blocker Building. The Chemical Spill Response Team from the Safety and Health Office, who are trained to deal with these types of situations, monitored the situa tion as workers from the power plant poured lime onto the spill to neutralize the acid. The neutralized solution was then washed off the street with water and brooms. "The team was on hand and measured the pH levels to make sure the neutralization was accept able," said Harry Stiteler, director of the Texas A&M System Safety and Health Office. Bob Wiatt, director of the University Police De partment, said the truck also may have leaked acid during its trip from Houston. "We don't know for a fact that they were leak ing from Houston," Stiteler said. "We just know that when they got here, there was a leak and that The Texas A&M Chemical Spill Response Team cleans up sulfuric acid, which leaked from a tanker truck on Ireland Street Monday morning. some more leaked out at a gas station in College Station. My team went out there and neutralized that spot, also." Pedestrians were told to walk around the spill on Ireland Street, and some bus routes were detoured. Stiteler said no possible health problems would Kyle Bumett/TuE Battalion The workers poured lime onto the spill to neutral ize the acid, and then washed it off the street with water and brooms. arise from the spill. "Once the acid has been neutralized there are re ally no health concerns," he said. Stiteler said he did not think that DSI had a his tory of having leaks with their trucks, and the situa tion was just an accident. Election Day holds fate of 16 proposed amendments Proposition No. 4 allows citizens to control possibility of state income tax Election Day Voters can cast their ballot in the Memorial Student Cen ter, room 138 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and at various loca tions around town. By Jacqueline Mason The Battalion Texas voters will decide today the fate of 16 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, including one that would allow citizens rather than the Legislature to implement an in come tax. Texas A&M political science Profes sor Harvey Tucker said restrictions on a state income tax. Proposition No. 4, is the most popular issue on the ballot. "It's an unusual amendment," he said. The question is not whether Texas should have an income tax, it is whether the decision to implement one is made by the public, he said. The amendment would require that two-thirds the net revenue from the tax be used to reduce public school property tax. But it is unclear as to what the re- See Related Stories See Editorial . Page 5 . Page 9 maining one-third, which is ear marked for education, will go to wards, Tucker said. While some people would like to see Proposition No. 4 passed to pre vent an income tax, others want it passed to implement one, he said. Texas A&M Political Science Profes sor James Clingermayer said if Proposi tion No. 4 does pass, it does not neces sarily mean a change in taxes. "I'm not 100 percent sure passage makes income tax more likely," he said. Right now, the state does not have much fiscal flexibility, he added. If no income tax is implemented and the state does not find a way to use existing revenue, he said, the state will be forced into fiscal problems. "I would prefer having an income tax and lower sales tax as opposed to what we have now," he said. Currently, Texas does not tax peo ple on their earnings. Other amendments on Tuesday's ballot include tax exemptions for property used to control air pollution and the denial of bail for some violent and sexual offenses. Clingermayer said many of these amendments are just litter on the ballot. Likewise, Tucker said most of the propositions, especially ones involv ing particular districts like Jackson County, are narrow in scope. , "Does it make sense for the whole state to vote on this?" he said. "Most of these amendments will have little or no impact on Texas A&M students and their daily lives." Yet, because issues in this election will affect Texas as a whole, it is im portant people are informed about them, he added. Silver Taps tonight Ceremony honors one At 10:30 tonight six buglers and the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad will pay tribute to an A&M student who died last month. The Silver Taps ceremony honors those stu dents who have passed away in the previ ous month. Patrick Rhodes, a mechanical engineer ing major from Inez, Texas, will be honored at the ceremony. Rhodes, 20, died Sept. 27 in an auto accident. The first Silver Taps was held in 1898 to honor Lawrence Sullivan Ross, founder and third president of the University. The cere mony is held in front of the Academic Build ing on the first Tuesday of every month dur ing the school year. The Albritton Tower bells will ring at 10:15 p.m. as the lights around campus are turned off out of respect for those students honored at the ceremony. The Ross Volun teers march in at 10:30 p.m. and fire a 21- gun salute. "Silver Taps" is played by six buglers to the north, south and west. Ill State & Local •Reveille's feeling better at A&M's Small Animal Clinic Page 2 Sports •Lady Aggie Hoopsters shooting for success Opinion Page 7 •Editorial: just vote 'yes' to Proposition No. 4 Page 9 Weather •Tuesday: Cloudy with scattered showers, maybe a few thunderstorms •Forecast for Wednesday: Cloudy and cool, with occasional showers •Your Battalion extended forecast: Partly cloudy, progressively colder 'Steak' prisoners escape en route to execution Two steers granted 'stay of slaughter' after brief ramble through campus By James Bernsen The Battalion Two steers escaped from Texas A&M's Rosenthal Meat Science Center on their way to slaughter Monday, making it as far as the main campus before being caught. Bill Turner, an animal science professor, said the animals es caped at 9:30 a.m. while being pre pared for slaughter as part of a carcass study. "They Were moving down a hallway when one of them ran backward and broke the gate," he said. "I was coming out of Kle berg when I saw them go by." Turner said the students at the center worked quickly to prevent one of the steers from crossing the railroad tracks and Wellborn Road. The University Police had al ready been informed of the ani mals, and Turner called Louis Martin, manager of the A&M Beef Cattle Center. "They had been fed for about 150 days, so they were really fat," Turner said. "They both essential ly gave out." The UPD officers and students cornered the first animal near the Fish Pond and kept it there until Martin arrived. Shawn Fryrear, foreman at the Beef Cattle Center, and Martin ar rived on the scene on horseback. "We just kind of got them cor nered up and then we roped them," Martin said. "Then, we tied them down until the trailer arrived." The first steer was loaded onto the trailer as bystanders ap plauded and a dividing gate was closed behind it to keep it from escaping while the second was being captured. Martin and Fryrear then roped the second one near the railroad tracks across from Albritton Bell Tower. Lt. Cabrina Scott, an officer with University Police, said the situation could have been much worse. "No one was hurt, but one ve hicle was slightly damaged," she said. "The steers appeared to be OK but weary from their trip." Turner said the animals were "absolutely terrified and danger ous," and had never experienced anything like it. Martin said students were in no danger as long as they did not bother the animals. "The real danger was him try ing to cross the road," he said. No cars were damaged when the steer crossed Wellborn Road. See Escape/Page 2