The Battalion
iates
Vol. 93 No. 60 (8 pages)
1893 — A Century of Service to Texas A&M — 1993
Friday, November 19,1993
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Texas A&M expanding
telecommunications system
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50.
ety of
Upgrade of services, decrease in costs
By Geneen Pipher
The Battalion
Texas A&M University is ex
panding its telecommunications ca
pabilities in order to remain on the
cutting edge in the next century.
Walt Magnussen, manager of
University Telecommunications,
said all state agencies, including
Texas A&M, will switch their long
distance service from the TEX-AN
H Network to the TEX-AN III Net
work, resulting in an upgrade of
service capabilities and a decrease
in rates.
"All state agencies are connect
ed to this network, providing
more services and less administra
tive costs," Magnussen said. "As
of late January or early February,
most departments on campus will
see a reduction in their rates. We
anticipate it will be three cents per
minute cheaper."
In addition to the change in
networks, Pierre Catala, a senior
lecturer in engineering technolo
gy, said GTE will replace the
eight-year-old switch that routes
all of Texas A&M's phone calls.
He said the new switch will be
fully digital and will allow the Uni
versity's telecommunications sys
tem to keep up with technology.
"The new switch will provide
Integrated Services Digital Net
work (ISDN) which will allow
you to do three types of commu
nications on one line," Catala said.
"You can send voice communica
tions, high speed and low speed
data simultaneously. All of it is
fully digital with no need for
modems."
With the ISDN capabilities and
the right equipment, students and
faculty will be able to access the
University computers from home,
he said.
"Just one example of the possi
bilities we will have with this
technology is access from home,"
he said. "On-line editing is possi
ble. If you were editing a propos
al or any kind of document, you
could send it to someone else over
the computer, make a phone call,
and send a fax to three different
people over the same phone line."
Caller Identification is one of
the new capabilities that ISDN
will provide, Magnussen said.
"Caller identification is like
peepholes on doors," he said.
"When your phone rings, you can
look at the number, and if you
don't recognize it, you don't have
to pick up."
John Fike, associate professor
of educational technology and
director of the Center for
Telecommunications Manage
ment, said A&M students will
benefit using technology that
will someday be used everyday
in the work place.
"Because the new technology is
spreading and is increasingly be
ing used in corporate America,
students will benefit from getting
first hand experience now," he
said. "In the next century, infor
mation highways are going to be
as important as interstate high
ways, and we will be ready."
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Charity Challenge
Aerobic competition to raise funds
for boy in need of liver transplant
By Michele Brinkmann
I The Battalion
In another effort to raise money for an 8-year-
old boy in critical need of a liver transplant. Uni
versity Tower, The Forum, and Texas A&M Uni-
I versity students and faculty are
| | planning a Charity Challenge
I benefit for Saturday.
Jason Hensen, a boy from
j Somerville, and his parents are
| trying to raise $150,000 so he can
be put on a liver transplant wait
ing list at Hermann Hospital in
Houston. Since last year, many
community organizations have
been helping Jason raise money
for the transplant.
"This is a last pitch effort to
raise funds for Jason," said Dahna
Hull, organizer of the event and head of leasing at
I University Tower.
Two weeks ago, Jason's liver failed, and he almost
[: didn't pull through.
The Charity Challenge is an aerobics competi
tion led by Beth Dresser, a Texas A&M kinesiology
instructor.
She will lead the activity until she either falls out,
| or is the only one remaining on the floor. There is a
$15 entry fee, and the winner of the event will re
ceive a $500 cash prize. All participants will receive
a free T-shirt. There will also be a silent auction and
dodr prizes.
Hull said the Charity Challenge committee began
contacting local businesses, organizations and sever
al top 500 corporations to raise money for the event
several weeks ago.
"We moved our efforts to a national level because
of the amount of money Jason needs," she said.
Corporations such as Ray-Ban, Umbro, Miller
Lite, SunGear and Walden Books have offered their
services and products to the event. Hull said that so
far they have 17 major sponsors.
"They all have backed us and have donated thing
like banners and water bottles," she said. "They
have been more than helpful. This has turned into a
physical and business challenge."
Hull said she hopes the event will raise up to
$80,000.
Besides the aerobic challenge, there is a non
competitive category for people who just want to
work out.
"We don't want people to be intimidated. They
are welcome to come and work out at their own
pace," she said.
University Tower employees are expecting 275-
300 participants, but Hull said, the ballrooms can
hold up to 400 people.
Breakfast of champions...
Tommy Huynh/THE Battalion
David Newberry, a junior petroleum engineering pizza rolls Thursday morning while waiting for
major from Gladewater, and Jason Jones, a junior tickets to the Texas game. Students braved cold
industrial distribution major from Longview, eat weather and little sleep for a shot at good seats.
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Flight attendant strike causes delays
The Associated Press
DALLAS — American Airlines flight attendants began the biggest
airline strike in nearly five years on Thursday, delaying some flights,
grounding others and sending some planes into the air minus any pas
sengers.
Observers at airports nationwide found some cities were hit hard by
the walkout, while others were affected less.
American would not divulge how many flights it was able to oper
ate, but said some carried only cargo and mail. More flight attendants
showed up as the day progressed, with more than half working at some
hubs but likely not systemwide, spokesman Don Bedwell said.
The company said more than 60 percent of the flights at its home
base and largest hub, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, had full
crews by early afternoon.
Sources at another airline familiar with American's operation esti
mated 30 to 50 percent of American flights were disrupted by the walk
out. The union, which struck at 7 a.m. Eastern time over wage and oth
er contract issues, said 90 percent of the flight attendants honored pick
et lines.
See American/Page 3
NAFTA supporters celebrate victory
The Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO — A free-trade fiesta was under way Thursday in
this South Texas city that prides itself on its close ties with Mexico and
its growing international business community.
Mayor Nelson Wolff and about 50 civic and business leaders broke
into cheers and popped open champagne Wednesday night as they
watched on television the U.S. House approve the North American Free
Trade Agreement.
"T think we've positioned ourselves very well/' Wolff said. "I think a
lot of exciting things are going to happen."
The treaty would link Canada, Mexico and the United States and
create the world's largest trading zone by removing tariffs and invest
ment barriers over the next 15 years.
San Antonio NAFTA supporters celebrated again Thursday with
Mexican mariachi music and colorful cascarones — confetti-filled egg
shells.
"Our message is very clear. It's going to benefit immediately the
Southwest, Texas and particularly San Antonio," said Arthur Emerson,
chairman-elect of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
See NAFTA/Page 3
Inside
Campus
•"Drive-In for Diversity"
addresses multicultural issues
Page 2
Sports
•A&M Lady hoopsters
whallop on Lithuania, 99-78
Page 5
Opinion
•Pro-Con: Republicans,
Democrats and diversity
Page 7
►Aggies shoot it out with
TCU Horned Frogs at
high noon on Saturday
Page 5
Committee urges students to attend Bonfire sober
By Carrie Miura
The Battalion
Members of the Texas A&M
University Bonfire Alcohol
Awareness Committee are asking
students to be smart and safe by
not bringing alcohol on campus
this year during Bonfire.
Lynn Ann Moses, chair of the
Bonfire Alcohol Awareness Com
mittee, said it is an individual's
choice to drink the night of Bon
fire, but students should try to
keep alcohol away from campus.
"We are not telling people not
to drink, just to be safe and to be
moderate in consumption, and to
not bring it on campus to the Bon
fire site," Moses said.
The committee is con
cerned about alcohol
consumption at Bon
fire, not necessarily
from current stu
dents, but also from
recent A&M gradu
ates, high school stu
dents and University
of Texas fans.
Barret Fromme, a
member of the Bon
fire Alcohol Awareness
Committee, said people
should come to Bonfire sober.
"This is something a lot of peo
ple need to know about," Fromme
said. "The whole event fosters
fun to beat the ever livin' hell out-
ta t.u., but a big part of it is the
unity and spirit of Aggieland,
which is lost when you
bring alcohol to Bon
fire.
"This is a tradi
tion people would
want to see sober.
You wouldn't put a
match around
kerosene, so why put
alcohol around a
Bonfire."
Todd Singleton, a
senior redpot, said peo
ple need to be aware of
what will happen if they do not
come to Bonfire sober.
"Just being there at Bonfire
should be more than enough grat
ification," he said. "You shouldn't
need to include alcohol at the
event. If the students continue to
contribute to the alcohol problem;
University officials might take
Bonfire away."
Mike Marlowe, Class of '64
head yell leader, said during one
of the 1963 yell practices the cam
pus had similar alcohol problems.
"Freshmen units went out and
got drunk if they didn't have
dates, and Yell Practice turned
into a big brawl," he said.
The band members were
shoved around, causing some of
the band instruments to be bro
ken, he said.
"People should not get drunk
before Bonfire because you really
will miss out on the spirit of the
event if you are not coherent
enough," he said. "Go for a nat
ural high of the moment."