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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 27, 1996)
The Battalion s Vol. 102, No. 156 (6 pages) Serving Texas AdrM University Since 1893 THE BATT ON-LINE: http://bat-web.tamu.edu Thursday • June 27, 1996 n the . The short ■inger , ’Neal three e for- ■es 6- o of at the s ele- 6-11 •IZy- i; and •year- from Kobe tovic, jm in said, and same cky), Srick ate), verry iteve iraft- )his), Todd ) and i) will Gold- land, ienix, York choic- Van- ando, Court orders VMI to admit women WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ordered the Virginia Military Institute to admit women or give up state funding Wednesday in a decision that shattered the school’s 157-year males-only tradition and added muscle to protections against sex discrimination. The 7-1 ruling also will affect The Citadel, South Carolina’s state-run military school, which has a similar all-male policy and alternative pro gram for women. “Women seeking and fit for a VMI-quality education cannot be of fered anything less, under the state’s obligation to afford them genuinely equal protection,” Justice Ruth Bad er Ginsburg wrote for the court. Noting that VMI aims to produce citizen-soldiers, Ginsburg said, "Surely that goal is great enough to accommodate women.” A separate, unequal program for females offered by Virginia relies on stereotypes about women and does not provide an equal education, she added. Justice Antonin Scalia, the lone dissenter, wrote, “Today the court shuts down an institution that has served the people of the common wealth of Virginia with pride and distinction for over a century and a half.” “I do not think any of us, women included, will be better off for its de struction,” he said. Scalia, who at tended a military-style high school in New York City, said the ruling could cut off all government support for single-sex education. Justice Clarence Thomas, whose son, Jamal, attends VMI, did not participate in the case. Virginia Gov. George Allen said after hearing of the ruling, “It’s not surprising. We will comply with the opinion.” “It’s a great tragedy,” said Robert Patterson, a VMI graduate and one of the attorneys who represented the school. Attorney General Janet Reno said the high court “has given life to the promise in the Constitution that all of us deserve an equal shot at educa tional opportunity.” The court bolstered protection against sex discrimination by saying there must be an “exceedingly per suasive justification” for any govern ment action based on gender. But the justices stopped short of saying sex-discrimination cases must be judged by the same strict le gal standard used in race-bias cases. The ruling left open the possibili ty that some separate and truly equal educational programs could be approved. But the court made clear no such alternative could be created for VMI, which has the nation’s largest per-student endowment. VMI, founded in 1839 in Lexing ton, Va., and The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., are the nation’s only all-male, state-supported mili tary colleges. Beutel excuse policies put on examining table An impending bill calls for stricter rules on doctors' notes By Amy Protas The Battalion Skipping tests and classes because of health reasons may soon be a lot harder. The Faculty Senate is currently waiting to hear whether Texas A&M University F*resident Ray Bowen will approve the bill calling stricter excuse rules at A.P. Beutel Health Center. Dr. Don Freeman, a staff physician at the health center, said a committee was developed in Fall 1995 to discuss class excuses. The committee included students, representatives from the health center and Student Affairs and several facul ty members. “We did a survey at the health cen ter for two weeks and averaged 100 students a day there for nothing more than a class excuse,” Freeman said. “That’s an ultimate waste of personnel and time.” Freeman said if students have the en ergy to go to the health center, they should have the energy to go to class. Some students questioned Free man’s assertion. Josh Mullin, a senior environmen tal design major, said that he does not believe the health center can make that determination. “I don’t see how they could change the policy because it’s hard to know who is really sick and who is not,” Mullin said. “Just because you’re not deathly ill doesn’t mean you’re still capable of tak ing a test. A small migraine can put me out of commission for a day.” Another complaint came from the students on the committee. “It is not fair to the students who have to take [an] exam, and those who don’t because they have an excuse from the health center,” Freeman said. “You’re competing in a class, and it’s not fair that others get extra time to study. That’s what the student representatives brought up.” After making its recommendation, the Student Senate and the Rules and Regu lations Committee approved the measure. Then, the bill went to the Faculty Senate, and now it faces Bowen’s approval. The Student Senate decided students should only be eligible for health center excuses if they are too ill or contagious to attend class. Freeman said weak claims will no longer suffice. “Cutting a class because of a sore throat is not confinement due to illness,” Freeman said. Steven Oberhelman, speaker of the Faculty Senate, said the Senate ap proved the bill because the Student Sen ate made a wise decision in relation to the policy. “I believe the students acted really responsibly in drafting changes to the policy,” Oberhelman said. “This is why the Rules and Regulations Committee, the Academic Affairs Committee and the Faculty Senate all endorsed the Stu dent Senate bill.” He said the Academic Affairs Com mittee of the Faculty Senate voted un- aminously to endorse the bill. Kriss Boyd, director of general acade mic programs and a member of the Rules and Regulations Committee, said it takes Bowen’s approval for the bill to go into effect. “It’s still in the channels of the pres ident before it gets printed in the Rules and Regulations. That doesn’t of ten get printed until Aug. 15 because it has to go through so many channels,” Boyd said. Joe Weinman, a senior business analysis major, said he thinks the policy is unfair. “I think this is ridiculous,” Weinman said. “If you have to go in as a walk-in and it takes three to four hours and you miss a class, then how are you supposed to tell your teacher where you were if they don’t give you an excuse?” Weinman said he also thinks the policy discriminates against those who are sick. “I understand trying to get people who abuse the system,” Weinman said. “But I think a majority of the people there (Beutel) really are sick because it’s not a fun place to be, and they’re pun ishing those who really are sick.” Redpots search for Bonfire cut site By Brandon Hausenfluck The Battalion Work on the 1996 Aggie Bon fire is already underway, but the organization needs some help. Redpots, the students in charge of Bonfire, are searching for a cut site with 200 to 250 acres of mature oak trees needing to be cleared. Although the orga nization has some prospective cut sites, no final decisions have been made. Jason Burnett, senior redpot and a senior agriculture economics major, said although cut sites are always found, it usually takes some time to locate the ideal site. “Right now we have two or three real good prospects for sites pretty close to campus,” Burnett said. “We usually don’t find one right off the bat. And we want to find a site that will be most bene ficial (to Bonfire).” The cut site needs to have a high percentage of hardwood trees, eight to 24 inches in diame ter, that can start being cleared at the beginning of August. Kevin Jackson, Texas Aggie Bonfire staff adviser in the divi sion of Student Affairs, said the organization is working hard to find a cut site. “We’re hot on the trail,” Jack- son said. “We need 200 acres, more or less, with mature oaks and a landowner who wants them cleared.” Burnett said the junior redpots still need trucks, trailers, tractors and fuel before work can start. “A few trucks have been donat ed,” Burnett said. “But they (ju nior redpots) are still looking for and accepting donations.” Christopher surveys Saudi wreckage DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia (AP) -One day after the deadliest ter- or attack against Americans in )e Persian Gulf, U.S. Secretary ; if State Warren Christopher vis- jed wounded survivors Wednes- iay and surveyed devastation iiat stretched for blocks. Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd of- ired condolences to the United jtates and a $2.7 million reward ir those responsible for the explo sion of a truck filled with 2 1/2 tons explosives, which killed at least ^Americans and wounded hun- ifeds. Chunks of oncrete from 'he eight-story Gilding, mat- fesses and shattered glass ttered the mili tary housing area where two aien parked the f uck bomb ■uesday night. CHRISTOPHER Saudi securi- i’ forces cordoned off the bomb scene Wednesday to allow res- pe teams and investigators to search the wreckage, i In Washington, flags were !?wered to half-staff at the phite House, and the order was jfiven to do the same at U.S. in stallations worldwide. Witnesses compared the build ing’s shattered facade to the gouged-out front of the Oklahoma City federal building, ripped open in a truck bombing last year. U.S. officials said Tuesday’s blast left 270 people injured, all American, but Saudi officials said 386 were injured, including 147 Saudis. The Pentagon ini tially reported 23 people were killed but later lowered the total to 19. The Air Force was expected to begin evacuating the less serious ly wounded victims Thursday to their base in Ramstein, Germany, said Tech. Sgt. Jim Duvall, a spokesman there. President Clinton ordered an FBI team to the site. But he was awaiting reports from U.S. com manders before considering whether to visit the scene him self, White House press secretary Mike McCurry said. “Anyone who attacks one American attacks all Americans,” Clinton said Wednesday. “We will not rest in our efforts to find who ever is responsible for this out rage, to pursue them and to pun ish them.” Tuesday’s attackers apparently were spotted moments before the blast, but there was not enough time to completely evacuate two nearby apartment buildings. Rony Angkriwan, The Battalion CHOW TIME Two Western Kigbirds feed in front of the Langford Architecture Center Wednesday. Iverson goes No. 1, Marbury traded for Allen EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Just when the NBA draft was looking pre dictable, along came a shocker. Stephon Marbury and Ray Allen, two of the nation’s best guards, were selected as the No. 4 and No. 5 picks Wednesday night — then were traded for each other. “I can’t believe it,” said Marbury, who left Georgia Tech after his freshman season. “It happened so quick. I was with Milwau kee for like a minute.” Many of the early opportu nities for suspense at the Meadowlands seemed to have passed when the Philadel phia 76ers opened the draft by choosing Allen Iverson. The Toronto Raptors then decided on Marcus Camby and the Vancouver Grizzlies were happy to get Shareef-Abdur Rahim. “Now I get to play with Kevin Garnett and it’s a better situation,” Marbury said. “That’s how you start a championship team — with a big man and a guard — like the Lakers did with Magic and Kareem.” Marbury was one of five teenagers taken in the top 14, and only two seniors went in the top 14. The first seven picks were un derclassmen and the youngest play er drafted was 17-year-old high school phenom Kobe Bryant, the son of former 76er Joe Bryant, who went to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 13. The NCAA champion Ken tucky Wildcats had three players taken among the first 19 picks. There were plenty of trade _______ offers made to Philadelphia, Toronto and Vancouver for the One hour later, though, commis sioner David Stern walked to the podium and delivered the big news — a trade of Marbury, who had just been chosen No. 4 by the Milwaukee Bucks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for No. 5 Allen and a future No. 1 choice. Marbury and Allen strode back on stage, swapped caps and smiled for the cameras again. first three picks, but all three teams ended up making safe choices. Iverson, a point guard from Georgetown with exceptional speed, leaping ability and scoring proficiency, became the first guard drafted No. 1 since Magic Johnson was picked by the Lakers in 1979. The 6-footer also supplanted former 76ers coach John Lucas as the shortest player ever picked first overall. “It a very easy decision,” general manag er Brad Greenberg said. “Allen Iverson is the most exciting player in college basket ball and after a lot of research and investi gations, it was very, very clear to us that the most talented player was Iverson.” Toronto general manager Isaiah Thomas flirted with the idea of choosing 19-year-old Abdur-Rahim, but he decided on Camby — the consensus college player of the year at Massachusetts. “Isaiah showed me that he’s a man of his word,” said Camby, who was told two weeks ago — before Abdur-Rahim re-en tered the draft — that he would be picked second overall. The Grizzlies, who wanted Abdur-Rahim badly, got him with the third pick. The 6- foot-10 forward from California, who changed his mind twice regarding whether he’d enter the draft, was the first freshman selected player of the year in the Pac-10. The Bucks took Marbury, a 19-year-old point guard, and the Timberwolves took Allen of Connecticut, considered the best shooting guard in the draft. The Boston Celtics, who were expected to draft a center after trading Eric Mon- tross to Dallas last week, instead chose Kentucky’s Antoine Walker with the sixth pick, going with perhaps the best all- See Draft, Rage 6