State & Local
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Page 2
The Battalion
Monday, April Kj
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Roping the wind
Mail-in ballot investigation unfolds
Texas officials press for changes after authorities uncover crim
The Associated Press
Roger Hsieh/'/’/ie Battalion
Justin Peeler performs rope tricks at Sigma Alpha Epsilon's Chilifest on Sat
urday. All proceeds from the festival benefit the United Way.
CORPUS CHRISTI — State officials are
calling for changes in Texas election laws
after discovering that mail-in ballots for
this year’s elections were manipulated in
several counties.
Four South Texas counties have reported
allegations of fraud after finding various ir
regularities with mail-in balloting, the Cor
pus Christi Caller-Times reported Sunday.
The problems gave some candidates control
over how many ballots were cast in the
March 8 primary and April 1 2 runoff.
“We’ve had calls from various counties
in the state where similar situations oc
curred in the early voting — where people
manipulated the system to obtain ballots
and vote them for people,” said Tom Harri
son, director of elections for the Secretary
of State’s Office in Austin.
Texas voters can apply for a mail-in bal
lot if they are over 65, disabled, out of the
county or in jail. If a voter is going to be
out ot the .county, the ballot must go to an
out-of-county address, Harrison said.
In Jim Wells County, at least two investi
gations are pending and another may be
forthcoming into allegations of voter fraud
in connection with mail-in ballots.
The case involves 134 ballots that were
mailed from two apartments in Falfurrias.
Some of the voters whose names appeared
on the ballots said they had never seen or
heard of the apartments.
The Alice Echo-News first reported on
the suspicious ballots April 1 2. The newspa
per said a register of mail-in ballots at the
Jim Wells County Clerk’s Office showed 66
applications were returned from one ad
dress and 68 were returned from another.
It is not illegal for more than one mail-in
ballot to be sent to the same location, but of
ficials have said the quantity of ballots at the
two Falfurrias addresses appears suspicious.
In addition, three voters involvedii;
case told the newspaper they receivedt
in ballot applications and ballots fromu
rkers
paign workers for a specific candidate
In Jim Wells County, which has 1],
registered voters, the number of mi
ballot applications received for the Api
runoff was a record 3,091. In comp®]
there were 3,550 applications fotmt
ballots in Harris County, which has Uj
lion registered voters
Harrison said election officials area
sidering changes to laws that would
the number of ballots to a residence,
vent campaign workers from distribiij
collecting ballots and monitor the elijl
of voters who are getting mail ballots,
“In fact, I know I have talked toSeo
(of State Ronald) Kirk in an attem
come up with some legislation in an
to tighten up the process inthefutt
Harrison said.
Assessment test analyzed for racial bii
jsenl
The Associated Press
AUSTIN — Whites continue to perform
about twice as well as Hispanics and blacks
on the statewide achievement test that high
school students are required to pass in order
to graduate, according to a newspaper’s
computer analysis.
The Austin American-Statesman said its
analysis of the Texas Assessment of Academ
ic Skills (TAAS) results from the 1992-93
school year found that of juniors taking the
test for the first time, the passing rates were
69 percent for whites, 39 percent for His
panics and 32 percent for blacks.
Among sophomores taking the TAAS for
the first time, the passing rates were 66 per
cent for whites, 34 percent for Hispanics
and 29 percent for blacks.
In this year’s senior class, two of five
black students and one of three Hispanics
have yet to pass the test. Nine of 10 whites
passed the exam.
The analysis, published in Sunday’s edi
tions, also showed that low-income students
were less likely to pass. Overall, 54 percent
of high school juniors passed the TAAS last
school year, but the passing rate was a third
less (36 percent) for students who qualified
for free or reduced-price lunches.
Ethnicity, socioeconomic status and
school district wealth are not absolute pre
dictors of a student’s academic perfor
mance, educators say. Learning also is influ
enced by student initiative, family support
and involvement and the education level of
students’ parents.
But a growing number of educators and
researchers — even those who support stan
dardized tests — say performance on the
largely multiple-choice exams might reflect
a student’s socioeconomic status and the
school’s wealth as much as the student’s
comprehension of basic academic concepts.
The American-Statesman said its;
showed similar trends.
Minority students who attend prefc
nantly white schools do much worst
the TAAS than their white classiM
However, they do slightly better than!
nority students who attend predon
minority schools.
For example, 82 Texas high schools!
were at least 80 percent white reporjl
1 Ith-grade TAAS scores for whitei:
black students.
In those schools, the passing rate rail
percent for whites and 38 perceDtifci | 011
blacks. In the 19 high schools that wesP'^ ^ 1
least 80 percent black, 33 percentofti: otitinued fr
1 1 th-graders passed the TAAS.
The same trend holds for Hispanic! tginfrastru<
dents. There v/ere 1 1 6 high schoolsii |"The facn
were at least 80 percent white and repon omputing 1:
1 Ith-grade TAAS scores for white and rJ|nputers,” 1
panic students. |In additioi
Tee for stuc
[matrons.
FLOWERAMA
OF POST OAK MALL
Ring Dance
April 30th
Corsages starting at
$4.99
Boutonnieres starting at
$3.99
Secretaries’ Week Specials
April 24 through 30th
We also have balloons and
green plant arrangements, etc.
Reserve order now for the best selection!
We also deliver!
12 In MAN
FOUND ATION
ATTENTION
GRADUATING SENIORS
As a May Graduate, you are entitled to a
complimentary years membership in the
12th Man Foundation. All the benefits of being
a Foundation donor, including priority seating
at Aggie football games, donor card, game
program recognition, the Sports Hotline
newsletter, decal and lapel pin, can
be yours by simply signing up.
For information, please stop by our table in the
MSC on May 2, 3 and 4 from 11.00 a.m. until 2
p.m. Remember, if you are a fan of Aggie
athletics, get involved with the 12th
Man Foundation.
As a New Graduate member,
you are entitled to a free gift when you Join.
The MSC L.T. Jordan Institute for
International Awareness offers students
the opportunity to conduct independent
Research Abroad
and to experience international and cultural
programming through the
1994 - 1995
Jordan Fellows Program
An informational meeting will take place
April 27, at 7pm in MSC 223J.
Applications are available in the
L.T. Jordan Institute Office, MSC 223F.
For more information call 845-8770.
MSC L.T. Jordan Institute for International Awareness
Persons with disabilities requiring assistance at MSC sponsored events, please call
845-1515 to inform us ot your special needs.
The Battalion
JULI PHILLIPS, Editor in chief
MICHAEL PLUMER, Managing editor KYLE BURNETT, Aggielifeeditor
BELINDA BLANCARTE, Night News editor DENA DIZDAR, Aggielife editor
HEATHER WINCH, Night News editor SEAN FRERKING, Sports editor'
TONI GARRARD CLAY, Opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, PHotoriloi
JENNIFER SMITH, City editor ANAS BEN-MUSA, Special Sections edit#
Staff Members
City desk — Lisa Elliott, )uli Rhoden, Kim McGuire, Eloise Flint, Jan Higginbotham, James Bemsen, Angela Nos
Mary Kujawa, Melissa Jacobs, Stephanie Dube and Nicole Cloutier
News desk — Rob Clark, Andreana Coleman, Josef Elchanan, Mark Evans and Drew Wasson
Photographers — Mary Macmanus, Stewart Milne, Tim Moog, Blake Griggs, David Birch,
Hsieh, Jennie Mayer, Nick Rodnicki and Amanda Sonley
Aggielife — Margaret Claughton, Jennifer Gressett, Paul Neale, Traci Travis and Claudia Zavaleta
Sports writers - Mark Smith, Drew Diener, Nick Georgandis, Jose De Jesus Ortiz and Kristine Ramirez
Opinion desk - Jay Robbins, Lynn Booher, Roy Clay, Erin Hill, Michael Landauer, Jenny Magee, MelissaMegte
Frank Stanford, Jackie Stokes, Robert Vasquez and Dave Winder
Graphic Artist - Pey Wan Choong
Cartoonists - Boomer Cardinale, Chau Hoang, George Nasr, Kalvin Nguyen and Gerardo Quezada
Clerks- Eleanor Colvin, Wren Eversberg, Jennifer Kcriser, Tomiko Miller and Brooke Perkins
The Battalion (USPS (MS-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during Ihe fall and spring semesters at
Monday through Thursday during Ihe summer session (except University holidays and exam periods), allexasM' 1
University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas AirMUnirasti
College Station, TX 77H43.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the DivisiondSuisI
Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald BuBt
Newsroom phone numloer is B4S-3313. Fax: 845-2647.
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c
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. Todwigil'
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AGGIE RING ORDERS
THE ASSOCIATION OF FORMER STUDENTS
CLAYTON W. WILLIAMS, JR. ALUMNI CENTER
DEADLINE: APRIL 27, 1994
Undergraduate Student Requirements:
1. You must be a degree seeking student and have a total of 95 credit hours reflected on the
Texas A&M University Student Information Management System. (A passed course, which is
repeated, cannot count as credit hours.)
2. 30 credit hours must have been completed in residence at Texas A&M University. If you did not
successfully complete one semester at Texas A&M University prior to January 1, 1994, you
will need to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours in residence. (This requirement will be
waived if your degree is conferred and posted with less than 60 A&M hours.)
3. You must have a 2J) cumulative GPR at Texas A&M University.
4. You must be in good standing with the University, including no registration or transcript
blocks for past due fees, loans, parking tickets, returned checks, etc.
Graduate Student Requirements:
If you are a May 1994 degree candidate and have never purchased an Aggie ring from a prior
degree year, you may place an order for a ‘94 ring after you meet the following requirements:
1. Your degree is conferred and posted on the Texas A&M University Student Information
Management System; and
2. You are in good standing with the University, including no registration or transcript
blocks for past due fees, loans, parking tickets, returned checks, etc.
If you have completed all of your degree requirements, you may request a “Letter of
Completion" from the Office of Graduate Studies and present it to the Ring Office in lieu of
your degree being posted. The original letter must be received by April 27, 1994.
Procedure To Order A Ring
1. If you meet the above requirements, you must visit the Ring Office no later than
Wednesday, April 27, 1994, to complete the application for eligibility verification (requires
several days to process).
If your application is approved and you wish to receive your ring in June 1994,
you must return and pay in full by cash, check, money order, Visa or Mastercard
no later than April 29, 1994.
2.
Men’s 10KY - $311.00
14KY- $424.00
Women’s 10KY - $175.00
14KY- $203.00
Add $8.00 for Class of '93 or before. White Gold is available at an extra charge of $10.83.
The approximate date of the ring delivery is June 15, 1994.
a +
260-2660
Bill’s
3 p.m.
5 p.m.
7 p.m.
9 p.m.
11 a.m.
Mon. 4/25
CHEM. 102
CH. 32
CHEM. 102
CH. 32
CHEM. 102
CH. 32
RHYS. 218
CH. 14, 15
RHYS. 202
CH. 42
Tue. 4/26
CHEM. 102
CH 30
CHEM. 102
CH. 30
CHEM. 102
CH. 30
RHYS. 218
CH. 16
RHYS. 202
CH. 44
Wed. 4/27
CHEM. 102
Final Review A
CHEM. 102
Final Review A
CHEM. 102
Final Review A
RHYS. 218
Final Review A
RHYS. 202
Final Review A
Thur.4/28
CHEM. 1
Final Review B
CHEM.'
Final Review B
CHEM. 102
Final Review B
RHYS. 218
Final Review B
RHYS. 202
Final Review B
0)
CD
V)
V)
03
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Mon. 4/25
5-7 p.m.
ACCT. 229
CH 10, 13
7-9 p.m.
MATH 151
CH. 3, 4
9-11 p.m.
ACCT. 230
CH. 15
Tue. 4/26
5-7 p.m.
ACCT. 230
CH. 16
7 - 9 p.m.
MATH 151
CH. 4, 5
9-11 p.m.
BANA. 303
CH. 10
Wed. 4/27
5 - 7 p.m.
ACCT. 229
CH. 11,14
7 -10 p.m.
MATH 151
Test Review
10 - 12 a.m.
SANA. 303
CH. 11
This