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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1994)
Campus P' Redpots, Bonfire committee readies for an early burn. THE Page 2 Sports Lady Aggie Soccer opens season with 5-1 exhibition win over St. Edward's. Page 7 Opinion William Harrison: Natural born killers live and thrive in a same-species food chain. Spiders eat their mates; murderers take loved ones away from their families. Page 15 MONDAY August 29, 1994 Vol. 101, No. 1 (40 pages) “Serving Texas A&M since 1893” msm Regents face internal audit of expenses System investigates luse of Board funds for travel, toiletries Kim McGuire The Batialion A recent A&M System internal audit revealed Texas A&M regents have spent more than $1.3 mil- Jion in expenses which include flying spouses and .rests on University owned aircraft and purchasing [See Editorial, Page 14 video cassette recorders and floral arrangements for pieir quarters. The audit details the regents’ expenses from Sept. 1, 1991 to March 31, 1994 and shows the regents spent 66 percent of their budget on aircraft travel and payroll for their office staff. The average cost for air fare for each regent during the 31- month period was $23,080 while the cost for each meet ing of the Board was $10,154, according to the audit. “I’m not proud of it, and we’re going to cut back,” Mary Nan West, Board of Regents chairman, told the Asso ciated Press. Regent Billy Clayton said while he considered the audit an effective tool in streamlining the regents’ budget, he was disgusted by the excessive waste the audit revealed. “It (the audit) will give us some direction to go in toward efficiency in the direction of operation,” Clay- - ton said - “ But quite honestly, I’m appalled by some of the expenses.” Auditors report ed the regents have spent $9,811 on plants and flo ral arrangements used during board meetings and - Billy Clayton, Regent workshops; $3,182 on toiletries, such as toothpaste, ra- "It (the audit) will give us some di rection to go in toward efficiency in the direction of operation. But quite honestly, I'm appalled by some of the expenses." zors and other personal items for regents; and $514,851 on air fare for A&M charter or state planes. Clayton attributed the high cost of airfare to the University’s lack of a major intercontinental airport. “When you consider the time factor it takes for regents flying into town for meetings, it really adds up,” Clayton said. “Especially when you con sider some of the regents’ time is worth $120 to $170 a hour.” A&M System Auditor Frank Clark recommended the regents better document their spending. State law prevents universities from using state money for regent family members unless the travel “furthers official state business.” Clark said the regents requested the audit last March, which is the first of its kind in a decade. Auditors were scheduled to present the results of the audit at the July Board of Regents meeting, but the meeting ran too long and the presentation was postponed. “We’ve sent copies to all the regents,” Clark said. “But we haven’t been contacted to make a presenta tion at the next meeting as far as I know.” Clayton said the results of the audit would be discussed at the next Board of Regents meeting in September. Campus leaders, administrators stress importance of trouble-free All-U Night By Katherine Arnold The Battalion Administrators and student leaders are hoping for a trouble-free evening at All-University Night on Kyle Field tonight at 7:30 p.m. All-University Night is a chance for students to meet the fall sports teams, student leaders, and University officials. See Editorial, Page 14 The event ends with a yell practice. On-campus students usually attend All-University Night with their dorms. Dr. Bill jKibler, assistant vice presi dent for student affairs, said that in past years, dorm rivalries have erapted into fights and attempts to steal other dorms’ flags and mascots. “We just want students to know that there is a fine line between motivation and obscenity, and competition and combativeness,” Kibler said. “When you cross that line, people get hurt, both emotionally and physically.” The administration has attempted to dampen inappropriate crowd behavior at events like All-University Night by creating a student leader forum. The forum, comprised of student leaders of campus organizations, met twice last year and once this summer. “The purpose for this group is to en courage responsible behavior on the part of students,” Kibler said. “In creasing the number of police officers is not the answer for controlling the crowds. This forum has made a differ ence in crowd behavior by letting the student leaders relay the message to their* memberships.” Residence Hall Association President Owen Ross said the forum is effective in bringing the message to students. “The meetings have made us aware of problems that have occurred in the past,” Ross said. “We see what we risk losing if we continue to let things get out of hand.” Student Body President Brooke Leslie said All-University Night is in tended to be a motivator for the upcom ing year. “The night provides an opportunity for freshmen to meet their leaders for both the University and student organi zations,” she said. “It’s a great way to kick off the year.” Motivation is the theme for the evening, and dorm unity is a part of that as well, Ross said. “Dorm yells and rivalries will proba bly always exist,” Ross said. “But we would like to ask students to keep that off of Kyle Field. Violence and stealing is bad bull.” Head Yell Leader Scott Tom agreed. “Our teams have been working hard, and they are looking forward to hearing the 12th Man out there with them,” he said. “But we are going to leave it up to each individual to be an Aggie.” Five A&M employees plead not guilty The art of architecture Water pours out of a sculpture and into a fish pond at the home of Haywood and Noreen Robertson. The house was designed by at Texas A&M architec ture graduate. Workers await trial on charges of funds misuse, gift solicitation By Michele Brinkmann The Battalion Five Texas A&M employees indicted this summer await trial after pleading not guilty to Class A misdemeanor charges last week. Robert Smith, director of special operations, was indict ed in June on two counts of soliciting gifts from Barnes and Noble Bookstores, Inc. while negotiating a contract with the company during the time he served as A&M’s vice president for finance and administration. Four other employees, Wally Groff, A&M athletic direc tor; Dr. John Wormuth, interim head of oceanography; Penny King, assistant athletic director; and Ronald Carter, manager of the chemistry department’s business and facili ties operations, were also indicted in June. The four were charged with tampering with government records, after describing alcohol purchases as food and bev erages on state vouchers. Each defendant pleaded not guilty at Tuesday’s arraign ment at the Brazos County Courthouse. The five employ ees were arrested and booked last week. Wormuth said,‘Tt was not a fun experience.” Senior Judge Oliver Kitzman will preside over the 361st District Court for the five cases. Kitzman instructed all of the attorneys to decide on dates for pretrial hearings as soon as possible. He said if they could not agree, he would set the dates for the pretrials. Some of the A&M employees said they will consider plea bargaining, which is a negotiation that takes place be tween a district attorney and a criminal defense lawyer. Wormuth said he will plea bargain, and Groff said an of fer was made to his attorney to plea bargain. Groff said he pleaded not guilty because he never thought he did anything wrong. “I have never felt like I was guilty,” he said. “I thought I was following A&M policy that has been here since I came here in 1966. “I wish it was over with, but it is something I will have to deal with over time.” Brazos County District Attorney Bill Turner said Tues day’s proceedings were routine and that people usually plead not guilty at arraignments. Fish Camper to be honored A&M issues NCAA By Melissa Jacobs The Battalion A Silver Taps ceremony Sept. 6 will honor Chris Hart, an incom ing Texas A&M University fresh man who died Aug. 17 after re- Today's Campus 2 Classified 6 International 16 j Opinion 14 1 Sports 7 1 Toons 13 Washington 10 Back to School | Aggielife Campus 1C 1 B Football Preview ID ceiving a head injury during a flag football game at Fish Camp. Hart, 18, was treated by a paramedic at the camp after be ing accidentally hit in the head by another player’s knee Aug. 16. He was then taken to a Palestine hospital, which is the city nearest Lakeview Methodist Assembly where Fish Camp is held. After lapsing into a coma late that evening, Hart was transport ed via helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Houston, where he died the next morning. Hart, a Huntsville High School honors graduate, had planned to major in business administration and live on-campus. University Relations Associate Director Mary Jo Powell said Hart underwent surgery and died of a condition identified as sub- dermal hemotoma, which is a medical term for bruising of the brain. Bill Kibler, associate director for student affairs, said some school officials were talking to the family’s intermediary on the morning of his death and his mother was at the hospital with him. Powell said Hart, who was in Camp Conant, was participating in the game with a lot of other campers when the football came loose. “A lot of students went for it all at the same time and someone’s knee hit Chris on the head,” she said. Powell said Hart was doing okay immediately following the accident, and he and a friend went back to his room so Hart could rest. Later that evening his condition worsened. Bob Wiatt, director of the Uni versity Police Department, said a few of his officers were at Fish Camp teaching a Crime Safety and Security Program the day the accident occurred, but did not wit ness Hart’s injury. “When Chris went back to his room he became disoriented and began vomiting,” he said. “A young man in his room ran out yelling for help.” Kibler said Hart's accident was a very unusual circumstance. Please see Fish Camp, Page 5 Susan Owen The Battalion The University has mailed out pamphlets to former stu dents titled “Guide to NCAA Rules” in an effort to keep alumni informed of NCAA guidelines. See Editorial, Page 14 The 14-page booklet is a con densed version of the NCAA regulations involving contact between former students and current or prospective A&M athletes. Copies of the pamphlet have been sent to A&M clubs, A&M mothers’ clubs, and about 10,000 members of the 12th Man Foundation, which spon sors athletic scholarships. According to the booklet, any former student, friend or fan of A&M is defined as an athletic representative of the Universi ty, and is therefore subject to the NCAA’s rules. The regulations summarized in the pamphlet cover situations such as contact with high school athletes considering A&M and the restrictions placed upon A&M student-athletes. For example, an athletic representative is not allowed to contact a prospective stu dent-athlete in person, by tele phone, or in writing. Student- athletes may not receive any benefit not available to the general student body. The booklet is published by A&M’s Athletic Compliance Of fice. The office is run by four full-time employees who keep track of NCAA regulations and monitor and investigate A&M’s athletic programs. The compliance office pub lishes information about NCAA rules in A&M-related maga zines and newsletters, sports media guides and game pro grams. The office also puts to gether information segments to be broadcast during game half times and coaches’ shows. Tedi Ellison, NCAA compli ance director, said the “Guide to NCAA Rules” is part of an ef fort to spread information about NCAA rules to everyone associated with A&M. “I think when more people have information, there’s a greater understanding,” she said. “We don’t want to have anybody pressured into doing anything they don’t feel is ethi cal or correct.” Ellison said the start of the fall semester is the busiest time of the year for the compliance office, as the workers check athletes’ eligibility to play for A&M. New student-athletes fill out a number of forms, in cluding an eight-page mini-bi ography. Athletes’ housing, employment, financial aid, and academics must be within NCAA regulations. Please see NCAA, Page 5