Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 1994)
ch 9,i5j y ifWO I * The Battalion l^ol. 93 No. Ill (10 pages) 1893 — A Century of Service to Texas A&M — 1993 Thursday, March 10, 1994 |Gage withdraws from presidential search list By Jennifer Smith Thc Battalion Texas A&M Interim President Dr. E. Dean Gage announced Wednesday he is withdrawing his name from the candidate earch list for a new University president. "I have concluded that I want to return o teaching, research and the students and o be able to spend more time with my amily," he said. Gage, who requested to be assigned to selected academic department in a enured professor position with an appro- riate salary reduction, said he has con- idered taking his name out of the appli- ant pool since the Christmas holidays. He said his years in university admin- stration have been consuming all his ime and effort. After much thought and long discus- Interim president removes name from committee consideration to spend more time with family, students sions with her (his wife) and my family, I decided to ask the search commit tee to remove my name from consideration," Gage said. Gage, who will contin ue to serve as interim president until a presi dent is appointed,was named interim president in September after Dr. William H. Mobley was named the A&M System chancellor. Rene Henry, director of University Re lations, said the presidential search com- Gage mittee met at 4 p.m. Wednesday to with draw Gage's name from the list and sub mit a revised list of candidates to Mobley. Henry said a candidate for president may be submitted to the Board of Regents at their March meeting. But Henry criticized some members of the search committee for what he called "a complete violation of ethics." Henry said he was upset because the media knew about Gage's decision before the committee was told. "The committee has been extremely talkative," Henry said. "There have been lots of leaks. I hope the committee will have more respect in the future." But Don Hellriegel, chair of the presi dential search committee, praised the committee's performance. "We're committed to confidentiality," he said. Henry said Gage is extremely relieved to be out of the presidential search, and he was absolutely shocked at the news of Gage's decision. "I think he has been through more since September as interim president than some do in 20 years," Henry said. "I think he's done a tremendous job for the University." He attributed Gage's decision to a Texas Rangers' investigation into the A&M System, numerous open records re quests and the media. "One alone is enough but add the com bination, and I think Gage has done a good job of cleaning up things," Henry said. "The University has lost a great leader be cause of the actions of certain people." Hellriegel said the list given to Mob ley Wednesday contains the names of three candidates. "I have approval from two of them that their names can be released," he said. "The third still has to get back to me." The names may be released within the next few days, Hellriegel said. Gage received his bachelor's degree in 1965 and a doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1966 from A&M. He has served as associate dean for academic and clinical programs in the College of Veteri nary Medicine, executive assistant and chief of staff to the president and senior vice president and provost. UftSElF; Bush challenges students to get involved hrisfa'i t onlyfel dents k? id. s and dr te dollac egal, an: m-Qrisi position ■ missinf holidai i(s about g Tarte t Chrisji |S/ ' I u prism: on star ore tha died it over t Former first lady says service is key to meaningful life By James Bernsen Thc Battalion Former first lady Barbara Bush challenged Texas A&M students to get involved in com munity service and take advantage of the ed ucational opportunities available to them in a speech sponsored by MSG Political Forum Wednesday. "Right now, you are doing the best possi ble thing you can do for yourself, and that is getting an education," she said. "In fact, one of the best that is available in our country." Bush has been a supporter of literacy pro grams since the 1970s and said she sees edu cation as the key to solving all other prob lems in this country. She founded the Bar bara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She urged young Americans to find a cause to support. "Any meaningful life must include service to others," she said. She also praised A&M's record of service, citing the annual Big Event and Corps of Cadets March to the Brazos. "I call that making a difference," she said. "This is exactly the kind of spirit you need to take with you when you leave." Bush also discussed the changing roles of first ladies in the White House. "I'm not sure that all wives don't have a great deal of power over their husbands," she said. "It depends on the strength of the spouse." Mary Macmtmus/l'HL BATTALION Former first lady Barbara Bush tells students what it was like to serve as first lady and then returning to a private life after leaving the White House last year. She said she stayed out of her husband's work as president for the most part, but al ways felt that she was perfectly free to tell him how she felt. Bush was asked what she thought of l lillary Rodham Qinton's activities as first lady. "I'm not going to criticize anyone," she said. "Each first lady has to do her own tiling." Bush said the spouse of a politician often is perceived as running the show, and they are resented and the subject of controversy. The question of how much influence the spouse of a politician should have is some thing that has not been solved yet, she said. Student Senate curbs PTTS night parking bill By Kim McGuire Thc Battalion The Student Senate rejected a bill Wednesday that would have re stricted residence hall and parking garage permit holders' night park ing privileges because senators feared students' safety. The bill would have approved a Parking, Transit, and Traffic Advi sory Council's recommendation that residence hall and parking garage permit holders be restricted to their assigned areas at night in an effort to keep them from parking in staff lots. Kathy Mathis, PTTS associate director, said at the last Senate meet ing the council recommended changing current policy because it would allow more students to park closer, enhance safety and reduce unneces sary traffic on campus. However, many of the senators said the FTTS policy did not promote safety for students but rather subjected them to an unnecessary risk. Tobin Boenig, senate speaker pro tempore, said the bill was going in the wrong direction. "The intent of this bill was to make it safer for students, but it seems it's doing just the opposite," Boenig said. Sen. Jennifer Horelicka said the policy would present a double dan ger to off campus students. "I've received numerous phone calls from on campus students who are concerned about this," Horelicka said. "If you live on campus but then have to go off campus and then end up having to park in Fish Lot and have to walk back to your dorm, it definitely poses a safety threat." Sen. Thomas Reed, who introduced the bill and is a member of PTTS advisory committee, said he would inform the council of the bill's defeat. "They had a. valid point about safety," Reed said. In other business, the Senate approved requiring all freshmen and new students to meet with a department advisor during their first se mester so that curriculum options and prerequisites can be explained prior to second semester registration. The Senate also recommended a presidential committee be formed to standardize academic advising. Sen. Jeb Jones said the bill was created to help freshmen and transfer students become informed about degree and career options. See Parking/Page 2 Holocaust survivor resurrects images of Nazi atrocities By Angela Neaves Blake Griggs/Tnc Battalion Mike Jacobs speaks about the injustices dealt to the eleven million victims of the Holocaust in Rudder Theater Wednesday night. The Battalion Holocaust survivor Mike Jacobs urged Texas A&M students not to for get the lessons of World War H at a speech Wednesday in Rudder Theater. Jacobs said he is not bitter about his experiences. "I do not speak with hate," Jacobs said. "Hate breeds hate. But this should never happen again to anyone anywhere." Jacobs said describing the horror of the Holocaust will soon be up to a new generation. "Soon there will be no Holocaust survivors left," he said. "The Holocaust is an example of what one human can do to another if we are silent and complacent." Jacobs was born in 1925, and he and his family were taken to the con centration camp Ostrowiec in 1939 after the Nazi army invaded Poland. Jacobs's parents, two sisters and two brothers were killed in the Treblin- ka death camp. Jacobs survived four concentration camps and was liberated from the Mauthausen-Gusen II camp by Americans on May 5,1945. "Hope and belief in the positive kept me going," Jacobs said. "People try to deny there were crematoriums and concentration camps. Those who believe that are very dangerous people. I survived the camps. They existed." Jacobs described the torture in the camps. "When the Nazis found a Jewish man with a long beard they pulled the whiskers out one by one," he said. "I was beaten with a bullwhip." Jacobs said he survived because someone was watching over him. "When I was in the camps, and saw my friends dropping from bul lets left and right," he said. "I knew someone was watching over me so when I was free I could share my story." At Auschwitz-Birkenau, Jacobs was tattooed on his arm with a number. "I was dehumanized," Jacobs said. "I was a number. I was B4990." Jacobs weighed 70 pounds when he was liberated at the age of 20. Jacobs kept the hat from his concentration camp uniform and a make-believe watch he made while in the camp to remember his experi ence there. "I never washed the cap," Jacobs said. "It is dark inside from my blood and sweat. You are privileged to be able to listen to a Holo caust survivor." Jacobs advised student not to take their freedom for granted. "WTien you leave here, I don't want you to be filled with hate," he said. "I want you to remember what one human being can to to another and how beautiful it is to be free." Jacobs serves as chairman of the board of The Jacobs Group, a mul ti-material recycling enterprise, and takes groups of Americans to vis it the camps. See Holocaust/Page 6 Freshman restricted from campus after arrest for stabbing suitemate in Southside dorm its, ie Id By Eloise Flint The Battalion ij A Texas A&M student awaits a hearing to determine his future at Texas A&M after he ||\ r as arrested for stabbing his suitemate early Sunday morning. I Scott Wilson, a sophomore business ad- ||rLinistration major, was stabbed three times fiyith a paring knife by his suitemate, Walter IBregon, after Wilson requested that Bregon ■urn down his radio, police said. Bob Wiatt, director of the University Police ^Department, said the incident took place Sun- Pay in Aston Hall at 3 a.m. Bregon, a freshman biochemistry major. inflicted three puncture wounds to Wilson on his front right shoulder, his top left shoulder and his mid-shoulder on his back area, Wiatt said. "When we arrived to the conflict we at tempted to arrest him and he resisted," Wiatt said. "He has been charged for assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest." Wiatt said Bregon posted bond at $3,000 and, in order to protect Whlson, UPD has taken precautions to restrict Bregon from the A&M campus. "We have placed him under a criminal trespass warning on campus, and he is not to return without permission from UPD and stu dent affairs," Wiatt said. Bregon will be required to explain his rea sons for wanting to return to campus, and Wiatt said the only necessary reason would be to collect his belongings. Wiatt said they made a request for imme diate expulsion, and the decision was referred to Eugene Zdziarski, coordinator of the Cen ter for Conflict Resolution. To protect Bregon's rights as a student, Zdziarski was unable to comment specifically on his case. "In any issue, the University would look at whether the individual is a threat to the cam pus environment," Zdziarski said. Students are presented with a letter of See Stabbing/Page 6 Inside Aggie life • Spring Break mission trips Page 3 Sports • Lady Aggies beat Baylor, 85-72 Page 7 Opinion •Booher: Survey indicated lack of interest in current events Page 9 t.