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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 1994)
1, 1994 nale ivJD H, n< ! % ibpoena to t Septera- said, Ros- :d the en- hone, that anything Iptures of ; had en- tat Ros- f individu- roll doing onal work jre than senior vice ted about tstanding ind associ- ommittee, • position, rim dean, ity within rship,” be with con- , n in May academic ie College )r. Daniel Jniversity ■ in Kigali und Gad- tection on ntrols ac- ,o Gitara- taking on said the :he inter- mt off the ,f retreat Weather Friday will be partly cloudy with widely scattered afternoon and evening showers, highs will be in the 90s with lows in the 70s — National Weather Service 1 * THE Ghost stories Brazos Valley plays host to several ghoulish tales Page 3 Health tips Eating out — how to reduce fat intake when ordering out Page 6 • f . i .y x f- : . . • .. • . ... mSmSm NEWS ................. Federal judge rules on Brady Law SAN ANTONIO — The back ground checks required under the Brady Law don't constitute an undue tiardship on authorities enforcing the gun-control law, a federal judge ruled today. "The Brady Act confers great dis cretion on each chief law enforce ment officer to determine what is a reasonable background search under the circumstances,” U.S. District Judge Ed Prado said in denying Val Verde County Sheriff J.R. Koog’s challenge. Koog argued the law is unfair to small departments that do not have the personnel to make the back ground checks. The law, which went into effect Feb. 28, has been challenged in six states. White House aide to pay $13,000 WASHINGTON — David Watkins, the White House aide who lost his job after going golfing on a presidential helicopter relented Tuesday and said he will reimburse the Treasury more than $13,000. He said, “I’m not ad mitting I did anything wrong.” White House spokeswoman Dee Dee Myers released an outline of an internal review into helicopter use and declared, “There were no other in stances of misuse.” And the White House issued tougher rules for using military air craft, requiring even Chief of Staff Mack McLarty to get permission be fore hopping on a flight. A Republican critic, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, said releasing an outline is not enough. He wants access to all militaty flight manifests. “The inconsistencies in the infor mation released by the White House renders their efforts unreliable,” said Bartlett, whose Maryland district con tains the golf course Watkins visited. Study shows prison inmate increase WASHINGTON — The number of state and federal prison inmates climbed to a record 948,881 last year — almost triple the 1980 figure — and Congress is poised to stiffen penalties for dozens of crimes. In a report Wednesday on inmate populations at the end of 1993, the Justice Department said the incarcer ation rate for prisoners sentenced to more than a year also set a record — 351 per 100,000 residents. For several years, the United States has been locking up a larger portion of its people than any other nation. In 1992, 455 out of every 100,000 Americans were in prison or jail; South Africa under its old govern ment was next, at 311 per 100,000. Other findings from the report: —The federal prison system is 36 percent over capacity and state sys tems operate at between 18 percent and 29 percent over capacity —The highest incarceration rates were for black males, 2,678 per 100,000, compared to 372 for white males, 143 for black females and 20 for white females. Elders approves of lesbian Girl Scouts WASHINGTON — Surgeon Gen eral Joycelyn Elders says lesbians should be allowed to join the Girl Scouts, and politicians shouldn’t wor- fy “about anyone’s bedroom but their own.” “I feel that sexuality is up to the in dividual,” Elders said in an interview with USA Weekend magazine. Elders defended an interview she gave The Advocate, a gay newspa per, in which she said sex was for pleasure, not just procreation, and urged the Boy Scouts to admit homo sexuals. “I also think girls who are lesbians should be allowed to join the Girl Scouts,” she said. “None of us is good enough, or knows enough, to make decisions about other people’s sexual preferences.” “What goes on in someone’s bed room is really none of my business,” she said. “I don’t feel that policy mak ers and decision makers should worry about anyone’s bedroom but their own.” The interview, conducted April 22, will run this weekend. Jennie Mayer AThe Battalion Ray Bowen, the new Texas A&M president, held his first press conference yesterday in 701 Rudder. THURSDAY June 2, 1994 Vol. 98, No. 150 (8 pages) “Serving Texas A&M since 1893” comes home Bowen strives to become 'Academic president' By Shellie D. Jenkins The Battalion ^ s he took office Wednesday, Dr. Ray Bowen said he wanted to be known as Texas A&M’s “academic president.” XjL Bowen said the first items on his agenda are to meet people and to develop an open relationship with students, faculty and administration. “I come to A&M with a strong academic agenda,” he said. “My primary concern is for students and their academics. “I want to be known as the academic president of A&M,” he said. Bowen became the University’s 21st president after the Board of Regents confirmed his appointment last Friday. Bowen said he sees areas reflective of his academic concerns and would like to do what he can to address them. One of those concerns is the lack of resources in the Sterling C. Evans Library. He said it is important for students to prepare themselves for the world. He would also like to stress the importance of classroom in struction. Bowen also said he supports a multiculturalism requirement be cause of the changing economic environment and its importance in the academic curriculum. “We need to open up better lines of communication to enhance the academic experience,” he said. “I would like to work on this in ternally as a family.” Bowen said he is still shocked that he was chosen for the job. “Right now it’s all still very emotional. I’m recalling my days here as a student, now I’m president,” he said. Please see Bowen/Page 7 Rostenkowski Prosecutors paint bleak picture of greed WASHINGTON (AP) — The 17-count indictment against Rep. Dan Rostenkowski portrays a powerful House chairman who persistently pursued opportuni ties to reward himself, his friends and political associates at taxpayers’ expense. In obtaining the 49-page in dictment from a federal grand jury, prosecutors served notice Tuesday they intended to paint a devastating picture of greed and corruption run amok over 20 years. The Chicago Democrat, who turned down a possible plea bar gain after lengthy negotiations, was accused of using elaborate schemes to plunder the U.S. Treasury of nearly $640,000. Rostenkowski is expected to be arraigned over the next 10 days, although defense motions could delay trial for months, if not years. In theory, conviction on all the charges could mean a 110-year jail term and $365,000 in fines, but it is impossible to say what the sentence would re ally be. The indictment means that Rostenkowski, one of the most powerful and influential mem bers of the House, automatically loses his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee. It removes him as a key play er in President Clinton’s cam paign to win passage of health care reform legislation this year. There were reports that Ros tenkowski was considering re placing his defense attorney, Robert Bennett. Chicago attor ney Dan Webb, mentioned in some reports as a possible re placement, said through a secre tary that he had not talked with Rostenkowski and did not repre sent him. Neither Rostenkowski nor Bennett had any comment on the indictment. Rostenkowski’s spokesman, James Jaffe, left a taped message on his office an swering machine that said: “We have no statements to issue, we have no schedule, we have no ba nanas.” The indictment charged that in return for being placed on Rostenkowski’s office payroll, friends or relatives took pictures at his daughter’s wedding, mowed lawns, remodeled his home or performed other tasks that directly benefited the con- Piease see Greed/Page 7 West becomes first female Boa rdHHHHHHHHHHI Philosophy By Sara Israwe The Bafi auon Mary Nan West made history May 1.2 when she was elected as the first woman to chair the Texas A&M Board of Regents. West, who did not initially want the job, re places former board chairman Ross D. Margraves Jr. Mar graves resigned April 27 because he thought it was in the best interest of the University, West was reluc tant to take the po-F sition, primarily be cause of the time it will take. mV | She said it is im- | portant to give 100 percent when involved in something. Texas A&M Chancellor comes to mind. “One thing I believe so firmly in is integrity - that also encom passes, honesty,” she said. “I was reared to believe a hand shake is like a contract.” To be a regent, Mobley said. , integrity education is important today. West is chairwoman of the hoard of the San Antonio Livestock Expedition, which has raised thousands of dol lars for college educations. She is planning to work with Brooke Leslie, A&M student body presi- "Uppermost in my mind Are the students and what student government, will benefit the students because that is what the regents are there for." — Mary Nan West, Board of Regents Chair West said the stu dents are the focal point of her plans. “Uppermost in my mind are the students,” she said, “and what will ben efit the students because that is what the regents William Mobley was pleased with the Board’s decision to elect West. He described her as honest and a candid listener. . West said when she de scribes her philosophy of life, integrity is the first word that it takes clear vision, the ability are to work with a wide variety of At a meeting with members constituents and high expecta- of the A&M Mother’s Club in tions and standards. May, West assured them West described what being a there were no plans in the regent meant to her. ■- works to privatize food ser- Tt takes a great deal of pa- vices, tience, common sense, and “As far as I know, it was forthrightousness,” she said. only talk,” she said. Although West is not a col lege graduate, she feels a college Please see West/Page 7 Judge orders Guard to reinstate lesbian colonel Stew Milne /The Battalion Roller tag By the Associated Press Cody chases his sister Kayce in the Academic Plaza Tues day while their mother Shelly Eversole, a senior accounting major from Bryan,studies. SEATTLE (AP) — The military ban on homosex uals serving openly suffered at least a symbolic set back Wednesday when a federal judge ordered rein statement of a National Guard colonel dismissed af ter she acknowledged she is a lesbian. The case involved an unusually high-ranking and well-regarded officer, Margarethe Cammermeyer, chief nurse for the Washington State National Guard from 1986 until her involuntary discharge in July 1992. “The government has discriminated against Colonel Cammermeyer solely on the basis of her sta tus as a homosexual and has failed to demonstrate a rational basis for doing so,” U.S. District Judge Thomas-Zilly said. Cammermeyer’s Fifth Amendment rights to due process and equal protection were violated by her 1992 discharge, he said. Zilly was not the first judge to make such a ruling, and the issue is certain to be considered by higher courts. Cammermeyer works at the Veterans Ad ministration hospital at American Lake near Taco ma, Washington. “I am absolutely ecstatic. I feel like a kid ... The first thing I did was holler so everybody at the hospi tal knew what was going on,” she said. “It seems like a vindication of all the struggles so many of us have had. I can’t say that I’m speechless. It’s just very exciting.” Asked if she looks forward to being back in uniform, Cammermeyer said, “If I can still squeeze into it.” Washington National Guard spokesmen did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Both sides indicated previously that a challenge to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco was likely whatever Zilly’s finding. Justice Department spokesman Joe Krovisky de clined comment from Washington, D.C., saying agency attorneys had not read the decision. A review of the evidence showed “the rationales offered by the government to justify its exclusion of homosexual service members are grounded solely in prejudice,” Zilly said. He noted that military experts who testified at an April hearing “conceded that their justifications for the policy are based on fear and dislike of homosexu als. “‘Mere negative attitudes, or fear, are constitu- Please see Guard/Page 7 oaay s Aggielife Classifieds 4 Comics 8 Health Tips 6