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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1994)
Source: N/ often ^ com- -ancer. ;y esti- vill be ma in 7,000 74 and ncer. i with ie sun. »le. . For d Pe- 2S 68-5000 )U DN? is it y MVb ■: ' ; /Tirr a !it M Irie Battalion 1.93 No. 145 (8 pages) Serving Texas A&M since 1893 Thursday, May 5, 1994 Sovernor appoints new A&M regent Rim McGuire 'wBattalion Gov. Ann Richards appointed a Dallas inker to the Texas A&M University Sys- jn Board of Regents Wednesday to fill :seat vacated by Ross Margraves who igned last week. Gerald J. Ford, chairman of the board downer of Madison Financial Inc. of illas, will serve Margraves unexpired trm which extends to Feb. 1, 1995. Ford, 49, is also chairman of the board if First Madison Bank, Millennium Mort- Company and Madison Realty Advi- ars, Inc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in eco- omics and law degree from Southern Dallas banker to fill seat vacated by Margraves’ resignation; background is ideal Gage says Methodist University and was a member of the Texas Tech University Board of Regents. In addition, he is director of the School of American Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a member of the board of trustees at SMU, and vice chairman of the execu tive board of Dedman College. Chancellor William FI. Mobley said Ford came to the board highly regarded. “Mr. Ford has an outstanding reputa tion as a business leader and was highly regarded for his service as a Texas Tech regent,” Mobley said. “We look forward to working with him and benefiting from his experience.” Interim President Dr. E. Dean Gage said although he does not know Ford, he has heard good things about him and thinks he will make an excellent regent. “His background is ideal in banking and investment and he has the experience and vision to take the University in the di rection it needs to go,” Gage said. Gov. Richards said at a press conference last week she wanted a regent with bank ing experience. Dr. Ray Bowen, newly appointed Uni versity president, said Ford’s background adds to the diversity of the members of the board of regents and described the qualifications of a good regent. “They have to be someone who loves the University and has the lifestyle to al low them to spend time with the job,” Bowen said. “And it’s important to have appreciation for other universities in the A&M system.” Margraves quit last week saying he thought his resignation was in the best in terest of the University. He was the subject of an anonymous letter sent to Richards accusing Margraves and other high ranking A&M officials of personally benefiting from University business deals. Richards forwarded the letter to the Texas Rangers who began investigating the allegations and have since been joined by the FBI. In February, a Brazos County grand jury indicted two Board of Regents secretaries for altering documents to conceal alcohol purchased for the regents. University officials welcome upcoming management audit By Jan Higginbotham The Battalion Stew Milne/'/Vie Battalion Santiago Rames-Albritton (left), an international finance major from Madrid, Spain and Brian Schwertner (right), an accounting major from Lake Jackson view the A&M recruiting film at the Les Appelt Visitor Center in Rudder on Wednesday between classes. Hickey takes shot at higher athletic position Former women’s basketball coach looks forward to challenges I By James Bernsen 1 The Battalion Lynn Hickey gave up her responsibilities as head coach of the Texas A&M women’s basket- Hall team Wednesday to accept a promotion as j senior associate athletic director. The new position was created by Athletic Di- I rector Wally Groff as part of a continuing effort Jtoreorganize A&M’s athletic department. The move will make Hick ey, who currently serves as as sociate athletic director, the second highest official in the department. Groff said he realized when he took over as interim athlet ic director last May that the position was too much for one person. “The one area I was con cerned about was administra tive support,” he said. “I realized that I could n’t do it all.” Hickey said she postponed the decision until the conclusion of the basketball season Hickey and recruiting. “I had a group of young ladies I felt very com mitted to,” she said. “But I think it was the right decision and a good move for my family.” Hickey said many of her duties as associate athletic director were neglected because of her coaching position, and she has known for a long time that the two positions should be separate. “If there’s a time to step down and let some one else take the reins, I can’t think of a better time than right now,” she said. Hickey said she considered many options, including waiting until the younger members of the team graduated. But she said that would have been selfish. See Hickey/Page 8 Texas A&M University officials are gearing up for an audit of manage ment controls used within the school and the System. Carl Parker, a state senator from Port Arthur, requested the state audi tor’s office to perform the audit quickly. Texas A&M officials said the audit, which will attempt to determine whether management controls are in place to measure efficiency and economy of operations, is a routine procedure. Raul Fernandez, vice chairman for the A&M Board of Regents, said the audit is standard procedure which has been set up for a long time. “Since October 1991, the state auditors have had a charge,” Fer nandez said. “They have been performing these types of audits at sev- “We welcome this audit. Regents sleep at night because we have these audits.” —Dr. E.Dean Gage, interim president eral state schools. “It’s not like it is something we have never done before. We welcome this audit. Regents sleep at night because we have these audits.” Dr. E. Dean Gage, interim president of Texas A&M, said the audit is a welcome opportunity for the school. “We welcome the management audit,” he said. “We look forward to benefiting from the findings.” The audit was originally scheduled to begin in 1995, but Parker’s re quest moved the audit up to this summer, Gage said. Terri Parker, director of communications for the chancellor’s office, said the audit will begin the second week of June. “It will focus on three areas: System administration and general of fice, the Board of Regents, and Texas A&M University,” Parker said. Dr. William Mobley, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, said in a statement released Wednesday that the school is planning to co operate with all of the auditors’ needs. “We will continue to fully cooperate with the state auditors and have made our internal audit staff available to assist as needed,” Mobley said. Mobley’s statement said the audit will give the University an opportu nity to address recent problems in the System. “The audit will provide a mechanism for accurately and fully ad dressing recent media reports about practices and procedures at A&M,” he said. “It also will facilitate a broader appreciation of the strategic planning, strong investment and cash management results and high bond rating of the A&M System.” Brooke Leslie, 1994-95 student body president, said the audit will be a chance for A&M to step back and look at the procedures used within the System. “Any kind of analyzation of a structure would be good. Anything like this is positive,” Leslie said. “This will be really beneficial to Dr. 'Bowen, the incoming president.” NCAA rulings spark committee’s creation W I® ? s§ PIP A _ ■ /' > x >.' , By James Bernsen The Battalion Texas A&M officials announced Tuesday the creation of a committee to determine how the University can more adequately inform sponsors aad alumni about NCAA regulations. Rene Henry, executive director of University Relations, created the committee in response to one of the penalties handed down by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions. The committee ruled A&M should continue to improve its sys tem of distributing information con cerning NCAA rules and regulations. The ruling was part of a general investigation into A&M athletics that resulted in a five year probation by the NCAA. “There are no requirements about what we are supposed to do,” Henry said. “I looked at these, then, with no guidelines.” Henry said 1 6 nationally recog nized professionals and communica tors have volunteered their time to serve on the committee. “Our communication was every where, yet the NCAA didn’t cite why we are deficient or how we could improve,” he said. “This committee will look at what we did and make recommendations on it.” The committee will consist of ex perts in the field of public relations and communications. Henry said a third party separate from A&M will be able to more ade quately assess any problems the Uni versity may have. Wally Groff, A&M athletic direc tor, said the committee will serve as a fact finder. “Communication is always a major issue,” he said. “There’s no guarantee when yoiu have 1 7 5,000 former students that you’ll reach everyone.” Groff said he didn’t know of any specific problems that were caused by bad public relations, but the committee’s work will still be important. “We want to make sure we’re do ing everything we can to make sure this sort of thing doesn’t happen again,” he said. A meeting of the committee is set for June 28 in Houston to review what the University has done in the past and is doing now to communi cate NCAA regulations to its alumni. Cartoons Opinion Sports Pg. 3 Pg. 7 Pg* 5 Skaters banned from University Complex By Kim McGuire The Battalion After much debate Wednesday night, the Stu dent Senate outlawed skateboarding and follerblading near the University Center Complex. The Senate passed a bill supporting a Uni- v ersity Center Advisory committee recommen dation prohibiting any type of roller blades, roller skates or skateboards inside the Universi ty Center buildings, or on or above the stairs, ramps, walls and benches in the plaza areas sur rounding the complex. The bill also recommends the Recreation Sports office designate a location for students to s afely enjoy skating. Sen. Ryan Shopp said the purpose of the bill was to decrease the danger he believed the skaters caused. He said people who attended OPAS events were placed at risk when passing through the plaza area and cited an instance in which a woman was struck by a skater. “You’ve got people walking through that area to get to the theater and at the same time you’ve got people flying through the air,” Shopp said. “It’s definitely dangerous.” Brooke Leslie, student body president, said she asked Shopp and Sen. Pete Manias to write the bill because the University could be held liable for future accidents if no policy were in place. Sen. Owen Ross said he supported the bill because of safety hazards skaters imposed and other factors. “I support this bill for three reasons,” Ross said. “First of all, there’s safety. Second of all, there’s got to be some damage occurring to the building with jumping on it going on. Then you have to remember it is a memorial.” However, not all senators agreed with the bill. Sen. Ross McGlothlin said although he agreed with the theory behind the bill, he had some questions about the feasibility. “If they want to skate, let them skate,” Mc Glothlin said. “I feel awfully sorry for the old See Skaters/Page 8 Spring 1994 Final Schedule Friday 7:30-9:30 a.m. 10 a.m. - noon 12:30-2:30 p.m. 3-5 p.m. Classes meeting MW 5:45-7 or later Classes meeting MWF 8 a.m. Classes meeting TR 9:35-10:50 Classes meeting TR 11:10-12:25 Monday 8-10 a.m. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 1-3 p.m. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Classes meeting MWF 9:10-10 Classes meeting MWF 12:40-1:30 Classes meeting TR 8-9:15 Classes meeting MW 4:10-5:25 Tuesday 8-10 a.m. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 1-3 p.m. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Classes meeting MWF 10:2011:10 Classes meeting MWF 3-3:50 Classes meeting TR 3:55-5:10 Classes meeting MWF 1:5 0-2 :40 Wednesday 8-10 a.m. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 1-3 p.m. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Classes meeting TR 12:45-2 Classes meeting MWF 11:30-12:20 Classes meeting TR 2:20-3:35 Classes meeting TR 5:30-6:45 or later
