Page
The Battalion
bl. 102, No. 171 (6 pages)
Serving Texas AdrM University Since 1893
THE BATT ON-LINE: http://bat-web.tamu.edu
Thursday • July 25, 1996
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black boxes found Student access to
AST MORICHES, N.Y.
P) — Divers searching the
wreckage-of TWA Flight 800
ound the flight data and cock-
jit voice recorders Wednesday.
Bl'he boxes were found shortly
jefore midnight by a robotic ve-
ucle probing the largest concen-
Btion of wreckage on the ocean
Bor, said Robert Francis, the
i/ice chairman of the National
Bmsportation Safety Board.
■Divers were bringing the box-
3S to a Navy search vessel on the
surface, and Francis said they
tvould be flown immediately to
Washington for examination. He
did not say exactly where in the
Beckage the boxes were found
Of their condition.
The recovery, coming one
Bek after the crash, represent-
B a major breakthrough in the
fliest to find out what caused
the second-worst airline disas
ter in U.S. history.
Investigators expect the so-
called black boxes — which are
actually orange — to provide
crucial evidence as to what
caused the 747 to explode in a
fireball and plunge into the At
lantic Ocean July 17, killing all
230 aboard.
The voice recorder picks up
cockpit conversations and could
indicate whether the crew knew
if there was a problem before
the crash and what action, if
any, was taken to try to avoid
the crash.
The flight data recorder
picks up such information as a
plane’s altitude, speed and var
ious equipment functions. It
could help determine whether a
mechanical problem brought
the plane down.
But A1 Dickinson, the NTS-
B’s lead investigator, cautioned
the boxes may not hold all the
answers.
“I think this is going to add to
our information, but it’s not going
to be a solving of everything, un
fortunately,” Dickinson said.
Until the discovery, the sal
vage effort was most notable for
what it had not found. The FBI
has not determined whether the
jetliner was downed by a bomb,
a missile or mechanical failure.
Victims’ relatives have been
complaining bitterly about the
pace of the search, and the
White House said President
Clinton would fly to New York
on Thursday to meet them.
“This is a political thing,”
complained Michel Olivier, one
of several relatives of French
victims who urged the French
government to send technical
assistance. That offer was
made, and turned down, said
France’s counsel in New York,
Patrick Gautrat.
Meantime, three more bodies
were brought ashore earlier
Wednesday. Of the 230 people
who were killed, 116 bodies
were still missing. Of the bod
ies recovered, 95 have been
identified by the Suffolk Coun
ty Medical Examiner’s office.
Divers also believe they have
spotted seven more bodies in
the wreckage, Francis said.
Working about 100 feet down
Wednesday on a sandy ocean
floor that puffs up silt when
stepped on, about 75 Navy
divers negotiated their way
through wires and cables that
hang over the wreckage like a
spider web.
proposed public
clinic under fire
By Brandon Hausenfluck
The Battalion
Texas A&M students will
have no access to a public
health center if certain mem
bers of the City Council get
their way.
The Brazos Valley Communi
ty Action Agency (BVCAA) oper
ates a consolidated health cen
ter at the main station of the
Brazos Valley Transit Company
(BVTC). The clinic is for lower
income families who need med
ical assistance but have no
means of transportation. People
who need to see a doctor but
can’t afford to pay a private
practitioner can board a BVTC
bus and within minutes be at
the clinic.
Some City Council members
feel Texas A&M should be re
sponsible for part of the funding
if students choose to use the
clinic rather than Beutel.
Dr. David Hickson, College
Station city councilman, said at
the meeting BryaryGollege Sta
tion residents should have pref
erence over students.
See Clinic, Page 6
3 doing well.
Id be consid-
since he at-j
iy hero now
fcott White cutting
ties with Columbia Medical
By Heather R. Rosenfeld
he Battalion
America,
ill adamant-
r alumnus
len he runs
eeter than|
lised to “The
as Ameri-
he top of the
i flowers in
ials around
i their eyes.
■ the diverse
together as
t period, we
s aside and
our national |
g the medal
A recent decision requiring all Scott &
.,^.„hite Health Plan members to receive hospi-
neda.l sw ™'| Hi care at St. Joseph Regional Health Center
Bs caused some Texas A&M employees and
Ihers to question the settlement.
I Deny Radefeld, executive director of the
Rott & White Health Plan, said the deci
sion applies in all medical situations ex
cept emergencies.
I “Our health plan members can go to any fa-
■ity if there is an emergency,” Radefeld said.
H Wayne L. Ogbum, chief executive officer
ol Columbia Medical Center, said the deci-
lon not only eliminates the health plan
Hember’s ability to choose Columbia Medical
Center as their hospital of choice, but also
p ohibits Scott & White physicians from
pj acticing at Columbia.
I Radefeld said the decision, effective Sept.
1.1996, was difficult to make.
“Both hospitals are excellent facilities,’
llpadefeld said. “They both put forth excellent
superficial ||jroposals, but unfortunately only one could
a nation, ||be the winner.”
his time to
atriotic fer-
ountry.
Ogburn said Scott & White’s actions will
Ultimately cause Columbia to suffer.
“We have had an excellent relationship
with Scott & White for 10 years and they
Were an important part of this hospital,” Og-
lum said. “We will miss the physicians per-
|onally and the patients financially.”
A former Scott & White physician, who
wished to remain anonymous, said the quali
ty of services rendered was not the deciding
factor in Scott & White’s choice.
“The whole move was predicated by who
gave them fScott & White] the best deal,” the
physician said. “This would be OK if it affected
premiums, but the savings don’t seem like they
are going to be passed on to the consumer.”
Radefeld said Texas A&M employees are
not limited in their choice of health plans.
“A&M has made an effort to make sure
employees have a number of choices in their
health plan,” he said. “This allows for the em
ployee and their family to decide which par
ticular package will best suit their needs.”
Ellen Linder, employee benefits manager
in the systems office, said although A&M
does provide other options, Scott & White’s is
chosen most frequently.
“There are four packages that an A&M
employee can choose from,” Linder said.
“However, the vast majority — approximate
ly 9,000 — are under Scott & White’s plan.”
Radefeld said Scott & White acted in di
rect response to its members’ wishes.
“We surveyed Scott & White’s membership
to see if they had a preference between the
two (hospitals), and the objection to a change
turned out to be minimum,” Radefeld said.
Angie Mitchell, Scott & White Health Plan
member and secretary for the political sci
ence department, said she is upset her choic
es in health care have been limited.
See Policy, Page 2
Stew Milne, The Battalion
SPECIAL DELIVERY
Jennifer Phillips, a senior sociology major, distributes mail Wednesday afternoon in the Commons mail room.
Prof sets sights on 2000 Olympics
8y Erica Roy
The Battalion
Many know him as Professor Pingpong or
Forrest Gump, but Dr. Ron Finke, an associ
ate professor of psychology, doesn’t just play
table tennis for fun.
“I’d like to work up to the Olympic trials in
a few years. I’m quite serious about table ten
nis,” Finke said.
Although Finke started playing pingpong
as a hobby for fun, he plans to train for the
2000 Olympics.
Victor Subonj, Finke’s coach at the Houston
Table Tennis Center, is currently teaching
liim basic attack strategies and spin tech
niques. Finke has not yet started to train for
the Olympics.
Finke is a well-known figure among stu
dents at Texas A&M. He once spent his
evenings playing pingpong in the Commons
Lobby, but he has now moved to the Student
Recreation Center.
“I enjoyed playing at the Commons,” Finke
said. “I preferred the lighting and the room,
hut the tables were in bad shape. The wooden
tables there are damaged.”
Finke said the tables at the Rec Center
are professional-quality, but poorly lit and
often crowded.
Finke said he usually plays table tennis
three to four hours each afternoon.
“Your reflexes improve by playing every
day. ... If you stop, you can tell the differ
ence,” Finke said.
“He’s here every time I come,” Mark White,
a senior business analysis major, said. “I like
to watch him. He’s pretty good.”
A red, white and blue cycling shirt is
Finke’s uniform when playing pingpong. He
said the shirt is comfortable and has conve
nient pockets on the sides for pingpong balls.
“It’s kind of a lucky shirt,” Finke said.
Good table tennis paddles typically cost
Pat James, The Battalion
See Finke, Page 2 Dr. Ron Finke plays pingpong at the Student Recreation Center.
—Atlanta ’96
Irish swimmer wins three gold medals
ATLANTA (AP) — Luck of the Irish?
Swimmer Michelle Smith, Atlanta’s first and
least likely triple gold medalist, already has
it. America’s favorite swimmer, Janet Evans,
and its new sweetheart, gymnast Kerri
Strug, are hoping for a bit of it, too.
Smith, who’s won Ireland’s first, second
and third swimming golds ever in a head
turning performance, topped the list of
Wednesday winners at the Summer Games
with her victory in the women’s 200-meter
individual medley.
She wasn’t alone. Barcelona gymnastics
star Vitaly Scherbo took an inspirational
bronze, Russian swimmer Denis Pankratov
set a world record in the 100-meter butterfly,
America’s swimmers collected their eighth
gold medal, and the U.S. baseball and soft-
ball teams romped.
Smith, whose sudden surge from obscurity
has prompted allegations of drug use, was
asked about that Wednesday. “No,” she
replied. “I have never used performance-en
hancing drugs.”
Then she smiled.
Meanwhile, much of the attention focused
on two who waited and wished: Evans, com
peting in her last Olympics, and Strug,
whose courageous performance still resonat
ed a day later.
Evans, the four-time gold medalist, quali
fied for the finals of the 800-meter freestyle,
but won’t compete for another Atlanta
Games gold until Thursday. If she wins, she
ties Bonnie Blair’s mark of five gold medals
for a U.S. woman Olympian.
Evans failed to qualify in Monday’s 400-me
ter freestyle, forcing her to wait two days for
the 800-meter heats. Evans, with four golds
and one silver in two previous Olympics, fin
ished sixth overall to make the 800.
“I’ll swim again tomorrow, which I’m hap
py about,” said Evans. “But if it had been the
end of my career this morning that would
have been fine, too.”
It’s not clear when the 18-year-old Sting
will be back. Her valiant vault on an injured
ankle made her an instant hero and helped
earn an unprecedented U.S. gymnastics team
gold, but she said two torn ligaments would
See Olympics, Page 2
Weekend Olympic Television Schedule
THURSDAY
JULY 25
09 a.m. - Noon
Swimming-Qualifying heats
Rowing-Semifinals
Cycling-Final
6:30 pm-11:00 pm.
Gymnastics-Women’s individual
all-around final
Swimming-Finals
-Women's 800m freestyle
-Men’s 50m freestyle
-Women’s 200m backstroke
-Men's 200m individual medley
-Women's 4x200m freestyle relay
Equestrian-Three-day cross
country, individual
11:41 am-1:11 am.
Volleyball-U.S. men's game
Boxing
Basketball-U.S. women vs. Zaire
FRIDAY
JULY 26
09 a.m. - Noon
Track & Field
Swimming-Qualifying heats
Equestrian-Three-day jumping,
individual
Rowing-Semifinals
Cycling-Final
6:30 pm-11:00 pm
Track & Field
Swimming-Finals
-Women's 200m butterfly
-Men's 200m backstroke
-Women’s 50m freestyle
-Men's 1500m freestyle
-Men's 4x100m medley relay
BasketbalMJ.S. men vs. China
Diving-Women’s platform
VolleybaIMJ.S. women's game
Canoeing-Whitewater training
11:41 am-1:11 am.
Volleyball-U.S. women's game
Boxing
Water polo-Quarterfmals
Cycling
Weightlifting-Light heavyweight final
SATURDAY
JULY 27
11:00 am-4:30 p.m.
Track & Field
Cycling-Final
Rowing-Finals
Volleyball-Beach final, women
-Beach semifinals, men
Boxing
Tennis
5:30 pm. -11:00 pm.
Track & Field-Finals, including.
-Men’s and women's 100m finals
-Men's tnple jump final
Diving-women's platform final
Canoeing-Whitewater finals
Cycling-Final
11:30 am-1 am
Volleyball-U.S. men’s game
Water polo-Semifinals
Weightllfting-Middie heavyweight
final
Basketball-U.S. women vs. Australia
SUNDAY
JULY 28
06 a.m. - 09 am.
Track & Field-Women’s marathon
11:00 p.m.-5 pm.
Track & Field
Canoeing-Whitewater final
Water polo-Gold and bronze medal
games
Cycling-Track finals
Rowing-finals
Boxing
Volleybali-Beach final, men
Weightlifting-First heavyweight final
Tennis
BasebalMJ S. vs. Cuba
6 pm-11:00 pm.
Gymnastics-Men's and women's
individual event finals
Track & Field-Finals include:
-Men's high jump
-Heptathlon, final day
Basketball-U.S. men vs. Croatia
Diving-Men’s springboard
Canoeing-Whitewater final
11:30 a.m.-1 am.
VolleybaIMJ.S. women s game