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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1994)
K State & Local Igie Mothers are coming to town for their first ever Fish Camp. Page 2 Opinion FRANK STANFORD: Lip-locking is practically an Aggie pastime because some horny, but brilliant CT came up with the idea. Sports B i THE Pa8<?7 •ATTAI. I ONI Injured wide receiver hopeful Aaron Oliver to return to the Aggies in '95- ,c )b. Page 5 FRIDAY November 11, 1994 Vol. 101, No. 55 (8 pages) “Serving Texas A&Msince 1893” HMB NEWS RIEFS jst may reveal brain- ;stroying Alzheimer’s WASHINGTON (AP) — A simple jst using eye drops may identify itients with Alzheimer’s disease, a ain-destroying disorder now iliagnosed with certainty only after iath. Although medical science now has lie to offer Alzheimer’s patients, Huntington Potter of the Harvard ledical School said the test could be Iportant when new drugs for the pease are developed. He said the 1st would make an early diagnosis lissible, enabling patients to plan, while they are still able, for the levitable loss of mental ability. ■ Researchers at Brigham and [omen’s Hospital in Boston and at larvard report that an eye drop drug felled tropicamide causes the pupils in the eyes of Alzheimer’s patients to dilate about four times more ladily than those of patients without le brain disease. I Potter said that Alzheimer’s Isease patients are so sensitive to iropicamide that their pupils will lange by about 23.4 percent, while atients without Alzheimer’s have only 5 percent change. Iducation chief wants o stay in office AUSTIN (AP) — State Education ommissioner Lionel “Skip” Meno, iho’s praised by Republican and lemocratic education officials, said hursday he’d like to stay on the job “if le conditions were right.” But he’s keeping his options pen after Democratic Gov. Ann lichards, who appointed him, was aeaten by Republican Gov.-elect Seorge W. Bush. “I think this is an exciting position, and it’s one where you have a ( tremendous opportunity to contribute, and I’ve really enjoyed it. If it ends at that, it ends at that,” said Meno, who ame to Texas from New York and ays he’d like to stay here even if he hanges jobs. Bush, who made education reform leading campaign issue, said in iHouston that he hadn’t made a lecision about Meno but added, “I’m to be fair.” Accused ‘urban survival’ [killer denied witness FORT WORTH (AP) — Defense ittorneys who claim their client as an act of “urban survival” lad to send their case to the jury vithout testimony from their most ritical witness. State District Judge Bill Burdock ilocked defense attempts Wednesday o have psychologist Raymond Finn estify about how Daimion Osby, 19, vas affected by living in a high-crime, nner-city neighborhood. Jurors heard closing arguments md prepared for deliberations Thursday in the capital murder case. The ruling was a blow to the defense, which in Osby’s first trial irgued that he suffered from a kill-or- )e-killed paranoia from growing up in a ligh-crime urban area. A hung jury orced a mistrial in that case. “This was about the most critical evidence we could present,” said Dsby’s attorney Bill Lane. Iraq abandons claims on Kuwaiti territory NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Iraq on Thursday abandoned territorial claims to Kuwait that had origins in the Ottoman Empire, hoping to win an end to trade sanctions that have strangled its economy. The official Iraqi News Agency said the National Assembly voted for “Iraq’s recognition of the sovereignty of the state of Kuwait, its territorial integrity and independence.” The statement also said Iraq recognized and respected the “inviolability” of new Kuwaiti borders, demarcated by a U.N. committee after 1991 Gulf War. Saddam Hussein’s ruling Revolutionary Command Council later endorsed the legislation, according to a dispatch by the agency, monitored in Cyprus. Today's Ra Classified 6 Opinion 7 Sports 5 Toons 3 Weather 3 What's Up Xl: i- Former A&M VP found guilty Jury finds Smith guilty of soliciting gifts By Michele Brinkmann The Battalion Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours Thursday before finding former Texas A&M Vice President Robert Smith guilty of soliciting gifts for his wife, Pat Smith, from a bookstore company. The seven man-five woman jury decid ed that Smith had bro ken the law by soliciting gifts as a public servant while negotiating a con tract with Barnes and Noble Bookstores, Inc. to manage the Texas A&M campus bookstore. The jury will hand down Smith’s sentence Friday morning. He could face up to one year in jail and $3,000 in fines if convicted of the Class A misdemeanor. Smith, 58, was found guilty of asking Barnes and Noble to pay for his wife Pat Smith’s airfare, ground transportation, meals and entertainment during a June Smith 1993 trip to the company’s headquarters in New York City. During the trip, Smith signed a con tract that extended the time Barnes and Noble would operate the campus bookstore. Smith was indicted in June and re-in- dicted in October on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting gifts as a public ser vant in 1993 although he made several trips to New York between 1990 and 1993 with former chairman of the Board of Re gents Ross Margraves. He was not indict ed for any other trips because the statute of limitations had expired. Turner, the Texas Rangers and the FBI began their investigations last year when questions over the Barnes & Noble con tract were raised in an anonymous letter sent to Gov. Ann Richards. Soon after the indictment, Smith was demoted from his position as vice presi dent for finance and administration to di rector of special operations. Dick DeGuerin, Smith’s defense attor ney, said he was disappointed with the verdict and plans to appeal the case. “We will take this disagreement to a higher court,” DeGuerin said. “We dis agree over the law. “We will not quit fighting,” he said. “Mr. Smith has not violated the law.” In a crowded courtroom, DeGuerin and District Attorney Bill Turner delivered their closing arguments to the jury. DeGuerin told the jury the purpose of the trip was to further the relationship be tween Texas A&M and Barnes and Noble, not to solicit gifts. “Open your eyes and see what this is about; he did not solicit for his wife,” he said. Pat Smith testified Wednesday that she was not involved in the contract negotia tions while in New York but thought she was helpful in her “ambassador role” she played to represent A&M. “I was an extension of Robert’s efforts to get the best deal for A&M,” she said. “Robert does not tell me what goes on at A&M businesswise.” In his closing statements, Turner told the jury to remember what the law states concerning solicitation when making their decision. “We’ve got big business on one side and government on the other side,” Turner said. ‘We have a wedge in between; it’s called the law. > /V7 ffv';i" V7 ^>5 ' ' ,v '•>* • / ' /- VT- ' - ' ' •• X ' Fotofest '94 Nick Rodnicki/THE Battalion Texas A&M photography professor Susan Kirchman (right) discusse some of the photographs on display with Audrey Winkelblech, junior environmental design major, at Fotofest ’94 held in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. “This is about how the government operates.” Turner said it wasn’t a common prac tice among Barnes and Noble employees to invite wives on business trips. “It is important that Smith asked if the wives could come because Barnes and No ble almost never invite wives on trips,” he said. “What do you expect someone with a $10 million contract sitting on their table to say when asked if the wives could come? What can you say but yes?” Turner said this trial was not about pri vatization, against A&M entertaining or about bringing spouses on trips. “All the law is saying is don’t take a spouse with you when negotiating a con tract,” Turner said. Turner said that in 1990 Smith was “on the right track” when he reimbursed Barnes and Noble for a trip he had taken, but said that over the years “things start ed to slide.” In 1993 Smith paid back some of the ex penses incurred on the New York trip be cause that is when the FBI got involved, Turner said. “Smith gave no explanation of the pay backs,” he said. “Smith is above explain ing those things. “Things just got out of hand.” Letters pour in for release of Aggie By Lisa Messer The Battalion Letters from around the world are asking for the release of a for mer Texas A&M student who was kidnapped in Colombia sev en weeks ago. Thomas Hargrove, Class of’66 and head of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Communication Unit, was kidnapped on his way to work Sept. 23 at a roadblock near Puerto Tejada in the southwest ern province of Colombia. No group has claimed respon sibility for Hargrove’s abduction, and no demands have been made. Dr. Charles Self, head of the Department of Journalism, said it is beginning to be difficult for family and friends to remain op timistic. “As I understand, there’s been no word at all,” Self said. “It’s a real mystery. They’re concerned that there have been no demands. See Hargrove/Page 2 NAACP reveals plan to improve involvement By Amanda Fowle The Battalion The Texas A&M student chap ter of the NAACP revealed its 12- point plan of action Thursday that outlines ways A&M can in clude African-Americans more in University life. Shawn Williams, chapter pres ident, said he plans to present the 12-point plan to the state leg islature in January and urged other members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to go to Austin with him to show their support. “Someone needs to go to the legislature to tell them that A&M’s report card doesn’t look so good,” he said. Williams was referring to racially offensive incidents this semester involving the College Republicans and students work ing at Bonfire site. “These instances have brought us together,” he said, “and we have to stay united through the rest of the year.” Farleshare Starks, vice presi dent of the NAACP, said the group wants minority students to feel more welcome at A&M. “Administrators brag about their feeble attempts at in creasing African-American en rollment,” she said, “but it is not enough.” The plan calls for Texas A&M to: • expand minority scholarship programs by increasing the num ber, amount and duration of the Presidential Achievement Award Scholarships awarded per year; • immediately restore the NAACP’s cubicle in the Student Program’s Office; • improve graduation rates for minority students; • increase the number of black faculty by subsidizing their salaries through the Provost’s office; • implement degree require ments for three or more hours of education about the U.S. affirma tive action groups; • increase awareness of the cases concerning racial discrimi nation at Texas A&M; • get state funding for the Race and Ethnic Studies Insti tute; • establish a legal mandate for a uniform reporting procedure for cases of racism and discriminato ry actions; • conduct a survey of the sur rounding community to assess their perceptions of the minority enrollment and opportunities for minorities at A&M; • create an African-American Studies major and minor; • make the Memorial Student Center more representative of minorities. Brian Ingram, co-chair of the NAACP’s political action commit tee, said by implementing these changes, A&M could be an exam ple for the rest of the country. “We have to show the school and the entire nation that this country cannot go on as it is,” he said. A&M reacts to election College Republicans, Aggie Democrats talk about Tuesday's results By Stephanie Dube The Battalion After a resounding Republican victory in Wednesday night’s election, local De mocrats and Re publicans agree major changes in government are imminent. Richard Stadel- mann, College Re publicans advisor and chairman of the issues commit tee of the Republi can Party of Texas, said he is excited about the election results. “The election was an attack against Congress and incumbency,” Stadelmann said. “It was a clear re pudiation of the lib eral agenda Presi dent Clinton has had. Americans lost confidence in him because he campaigned as a new Democrat and governed as an old Democrat.” Chad Walter, president of College Republicans, said he was pleased with the election results. aaffif W&m Election ’94 "I was disappointed the voters went al most blindy by party vote. But they got what they want. The ball's in the Republi can's court now." — Eric Gruetzner, president of Aggie Democrats AP/Boto Btanchtnl “Not one Republican incumbent in the House or Senate lost,” Walter said. “That’s a call for the gov ernment of this country to move to the right.” Gary Halter, professor of political science and ad viser for the Aggie Democrats, said the election, ac cording to exit polls, was dominated mostly by white men voting Republican. “I think there was a lower turnout by minorities who traditionally support Democrats and higher support by white male Protestants,” Halter said. ‘The question is if this is really a revolution or just a momentary change?” Eric Gruetzner, president of Aggie Democrats, said he was disappointed with the election. “I was disappoint ed the voters went al most blindly by party vote,” Gruetzner said. “But they got what they want. The ball’s in the Republicans’ court now.” The Republicans will present many new proposals in Con gress, such as a bal anced budget amend ment and an increase in military spending, he said. Halter said, how ever, that there will be difficulties in the relationship between a Republican Con gress and a Democra tic President. “As minority lead ers, Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich tried to make Clinton look as bad as See Election '94/Page 2 AP/Bob Blanc hi nl "Not one Republi can incum bent in the House or Senate lost. That's a call for the gov ernment of this country to move to the right." —Chad Walter, president of College Republicans Ivi: : 8SSS?