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Aggielife, Page 3
Change of heart?
Hill: Don't believe r ml ^ SAYta/G' ^
militias that say they are
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changing their ways.
Opinion^ Page 7
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Junior Larry Walker II
spearheads A&M's great
corps of linebackers.!^ ./
Sports, Page 5
..—Jr
AT TALI O
Vol. 102, No. 40 (8 pages)
Established in 1893
Friday • October 20, 1995
ctrical!;
others.'
Shamburger convicted of capital murder
lass of
thin;
iley
□ His defense told the jury
during sentencing Thursday
that evidence will prove the
defendant should not receive
the death penalty.
becomirj
is to Cal
Berkeli
gradual!
le natfc
nia.
iM, eng
By Lisa Johnson
The Battalion
Ron Scott Shamburger was found
guilty Thursday of capital murder in
the death of Lori Ann Baker, a Texas
A&M accounting major. The sentencing
phase of the trial began immediately af
ter the verdict was announced and will
continue today.
Shamburger faces the death penalty
or life in prison.
The verdict was reached after 30
minutes of deliberation by the jury.
Both sides presented their closing argu
ments after listening to a taped confes
sion made by Shamburger to detective
Pat Massey in which Shamburger con
fessed to having robbed other homes in
addition to Baker’s.
The defense presented the tape to
show Shamburger’s familiarity with Bak
er’s home. The tape was played to also
demonstrate a contrast in Shamburger’s
behavior when he confessed to Steven
Biles, a youth minister at the Hillcrest
Baptist Church in Bryan, and when he
discussed the incident with police.
Shamburger told police that he felt
“empty.” Police described Shamburger
demeanor as “nonchalant.”
In closing arguments, prosecutor
Vanessa Muldrow, assistant district at
torney, pointed out that Shamburger had
repeatedly admitted to killing Baker and
that he had irrevoca
bly placed himself at
the scene of the crime
when he left his keys
behind at Baker’s
home.
“Ron Shamburger
has cheapened the
sense of security that
we cherish and de
serve,” Muldrow said.
“It is in your hands to
carry the burden of
personal security and
to enforce the law.”
In his closing argument, defense at
torney Steven Losch said the jury had
already made up its mind.
“I don’t feel that you need to hear an
Shamburger
argument to make your decision at this
point,” Losch said. “But because the
state has made their argument, I will
make a few comments.”
He said the prosecution was making the
situation “seem worse than it really is.”
The defense also tried to downplay
Shamburger’s guilt by presenting his
attempt to turn himself in as an act
of remorse.
Losch also pointed out Shamburg
er’s concern over his name appearing
in the paper, indicating that he was
ashamed of what he had done. In con
clusion, Losch asked only that the jury
render a fair verdict.
As soon as the guilty verdict was an
nounced, Judge Caroline Ruffino called
the defense to make its opening state
ments for the sentencing phase, and all
witnesses were asked to leave the court
room until they could be recalled for
testimony.
During the portion of sentencing
completed Thursday, the prosecution
presented credit cards stolen by Sham
burger and the items he purchased with
those credit cards found by police in
searches of his home and car.
The defense told the jury during sen
tencing that the evidence presented to
the jury will show that Shamburger has
committed no other acts of violence and
is undeserving of the death penalty.
“There will not be any evidence to
kill Ron Shamburger,” Losch said. “You
will find that the sentence of life impris
onment is ... sufficient for society.”
The sentencing phase of the trial will
continue today at 8:30 a.m. in the 361st
district court at the Brazos County
Courthouse in Bryan.
a College Republicans send
rove tk ^^
3 to ski -| "| • • 1 i J
- second mnd-raising letter
istie To;;
os* 0 / □ University officials are
unsure if the letter will
result in more violations.
■■i By Kristen Homyk
The Bati align
Despite allegations of violating
University fund-raising guidelines,
Texas A&M College Republicans
^ mailed another letter this week, this
time to Brazos County Republicans.
The letter, signed by College Re
publican President David Brown, re
sponded to the University’s charges.
The mailing also asked local repub
licans to send donations and sup
port College Republicans in its ef
fort to rid A&M of “revisionist histo
ry and liberal politics.”
“The Texas A&M College Republi
cans are diligently applying the
means to stop political correctness on
the A&M Campus,” the letter said.
“We are on the offensive. We are con
tinuing to fight the good fight.”
See related EDITORIAL, Page 7
The letter defended College Re
publicans against charges of know
ingly providing misinformation to
possible donors in previous mail
ings, saying, “I don’t care if Lydia
[Percival, former president]
claimed that the University was
run by Hitler, Elvis, Hoffa and
Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother dis
guised as tenured professors; the
University has no right to censor
our fund-raising efforts on the ba
sis of content.”
The letter publicized recent and
future College Republicans activities,
and quoted Battalion articles from
1987 in order to represent the trend
toward multiculturalism and political
correctness at the University.
Dr. Richard Stadelmann, College
Republicans adviser, said the letter
has a dual purpose.
“One is to raise money, and two
is to correct the number of false
statements that have been made
about the College Republicans,”
Stadelmann said.
The situation is ironic, Stadel
mann said, since the University’s
charges about College Republicans
mailing this summer have made it
necessary for the group to solicit
more money and support. College
Republicans do not fear any new
charges being brought as a result
of the latest letter, he said.
“If new charges are filed, it’s es
sentially the same as the former
charge,” he said, “and that is a vio
lation of the First Amendment.”
Stadelmann said the actions of
College Republicans in both cases are
protected under the group’s First
Amendment rights, but the Universi
ty is intent on restricting those rights
to campus organizations.
“It’s quite clear that free speech is
limited or charges wouldn’t be
brought against us,” he said.
David Brown, College Republicans
president, said the recent letter’s
chief purpose is to “raise money.”
“We’re getting pretty low,”
Brown said. “Fights with the Uni
versity cost money. I hope that
they (the letter’s recipients) send
us a check, and I hope that they
call [A&M’s
president].”
College Re
publicans in
tend to pursue
their rights,
Brown said,
even if the
University
finds them
guilty of its
charges.
“We’ll take
them to court immediately,” he said.
“I have to make it clear, though,
that I don’t really want to hurt the
University any more than I have
to,” he said. “I love A&M.”
Dr. Ray Bowen, A&M president,
responded to the new letter, but did
not comment on whether the letter
would lead to new charges against
the group.
“If they [College Republicans] did
it outside of the context of their
relationship with Texas A&M, then
See Letter, Page 4
"The Texas A&M College
Republicans are diligently
applying the means to stop
political correctness on
the A&M Campus."
—from Letter written by David Brown,
president of College Republicans
College of Liberal Arts celebrates
25th anniversary at Texas A&M
□ The college's dean said
liberal arts is becoming
increasingly important in
today's changing
environment.
By Heather Pace
The Battalion
Celebrating its 25th anniversary,
the College of Liberal Arts has
made a name for itself, even though
much of A&M history has focused
on the agricultural and mechanical
aspects of the school.
Although liberal arts classes
have always been taught at A&M,
Woodrow Jones Jr., College of Liber
al Arts dean, said the college has
only evolved to its current status
within the last 25 years.
“Twenty-five years marks the
birth of the College of Liberal Arts
as we know it today,” Jones said.
“But the liberal arts has a long, dis
tinguished history at A&M, dating
hack to its formation. In fact, the
college is the root of many of the dis
ciplines now taught on the campus.”
A&M first offered a liberal arts
degree in 1924 and allowed Mary
Evelyn Crawford, the first fe
male graduate, to receive
the college’s first bache
lor of arts in 1925.
Until World War
II, enrollment in the
College of Liberal
Arts was less than 10
percent of A&M’s total
enrollment. Today, en
rollment has increased to
5,366 undergraduates and 745 grad
uates, 14 percent.
Jones said the college has become
progressively important, especially
as students enter today’s changing
environment.
“Increasingly, we are finding that
our students are better able to ad
just to the world because they have
a multitude of skills,” he said. “We
firmly believe that the liberal arts
empower students to broaden their
lives to something magnificent.”
Over the years, the character of the
college has changed immensely as its
role in the University has evolved.
“The college has moved from be
ing a service college to holding a po
sition of intellectual leadership in
the University,” Jones said. “With
out excellence in the liberal arts,
no university will ever be
recognized as great.
Thus, the College of
Liberal Arts has, in
many ways, become
the jewel of A&M.”
Seeking to help stu
dents of all majors produce
humanistic learning, the col
lege is unique in that most stu
dents, regardless of major, typically
take an average of 2.5 liberal arts
classes a semester.
Nancy Joe Dyer, associate dean
of the college, said many skills
learned in the liberal arts can be ap
plied to any field of study.
“Liberal arts students learn criti
cal thinking which can be applied in
many domains; it empowers you to
think on your own,” Dyer said.
Dyer said the college tries to
See Anniversary, Page 4
Robyn Calloway, Thl Battalion
Drunk driving deterrent
Andy Butler, a senior psychology major, inspects one of the cars on display at Rudder
Fountain Thursday afternoon. The cars are part of Alcohol Awareness Week.
Dandiya Nile offers spiritual,
social opportunity for students
□ The event will offer music,
food and dancing in an effort to
raise awareness of the Hindu
culture.
By Lori Young
The Battalion
The Hindu Students Council, the India As
sociation, the Hindu Society of Brazos Valley
and the MSC Jordan Institute hope to raise
awareness of the Hindu culture and traditions
at Texas A&M with tonight’s Dandiya Nite.
Niharika Gupta, vice president of Hindu
Student Council and a sophomore zoology
major, said that because the Hindu Students
Council is a relatively new group, members
want the A&M community to recognize the
organization’s formation.
Dr. Nagamangala Anand, president of the
Hindu Society of Brazos Valley and an associ
ate mechanical engineering professor, said
tonight is a spiritual and social opportunity
for Hindus to get together.
Dandiya Nite provides the A&M commu
nity with a fun atmosphere to “find out
what our basic beliefs are and find out
about us,” Anand said.
The event begins at 6 p.m. in 212, 224 and
225 MSC with a Mela, a type of carnival with
games, Indian food and raffles.
A Dandiya dance, a traditional Hindu folk
dance in which participants dance with
sticks, will begin at 8 p.m. and continue until
midnight. Live music will be provided by a
Houston band.
See Dandiya, Page 4
Midnight Yell Practice
Battalion File Photo
Midnight Yell
Practice for the
Texas A&M-Baylor
game will be held
Friday Oct. 20 at
Waco’s Indian
Springs Park on
Washington Avenue,
between the Waco
Convention Center
and the Brazos River.